[Husker] ASU starting pitching preview

[jschlechte at mobil1.net]

Having no desire to speculate beyond Friday evening, I
thought I'd take a look at ASU's two possible starting
pitchers.  While they may have decided who will start, their
press release does not indicate which one (Urquidez or
Averill).

>From the ASU baseball website

Jason Urquidez
http://tinyurl.com/8udmr
Senior, RHP
Clemens Award Candidate
Stats
ERA   3.72
W-L   10-4
IP   111.1
Hits   103
Runs    57
ER      46
Walks   49
K's     92
HR's    11
OppBA .245
HBP      7

Erik Averill
http://tinyurl.com/cazp3
Junior, LHP
Stats
ERA   3.59
W-L   10-4
IP   112.2
Hits   118
Runs    54
ER      45
Walks   29
K's     89
HR's     6
OppBA .271
HBP      8

>From what the ASU website has, Urquidez is more of a power
pitcher, while Averill relies more on location and offspeed
pitches.  The HR stats while interesting depend too much on
conditions and park configuration, however, that doesn't
mean NU can't take either one of them long at the Blatt.

What is more significant is the OBA (opponents batting
average) of .245 and .271.  Urquidez has the lower BA, but
gives more walks.  Excluding errors and including walks and
HPB they have an OBP's (on base %) of 0.333 and 0.328,
nearly identical.

NU typically has a little more trouble with righties, but
Urquidez threw 110 pitches on Friday and then 45 more on
Sunday.  I don't know how much of a rubber arm he has, but
fatigue can raise its head at this time of year.

Compare that to Joba Chamberlain's stats
ERA   2.74
W-L    9-2
IP   111.2
Hits    86
Runs    41
ER      34
Walks   30
K's    126
HR's     7
OppBA .218
HBP      8

And 2 things really stand out 0BA at .218 and 126 K's.  If
Joba's at all on, the way NU's offense has been coming alive
of late due in part to some minor tweaking will give the
team a very good chance against ASU.  I just hope Joba's on
and it isn't like the opening game of the regional.

-Jay