Nate Robertson, LH Sidney Ponson, RH
(1-3, 2.96) (5-2, 5.83)
Why is Nate Robertson's ERA so low? Luck, really. Nothing else in his numbers supports the 2.96 ERA, as he's sporting a 1.53 WHIP and .256 BAA. Robertson has also walked 25 batters compared to 22 strikeouts. He's given up 25 runs, only 15 earned. But he has allowed just two homers.
Why is Sidney Ponson's record 5-2? Luck, really. Nothing else in his numbers supports the 5-2 record, as he's sporting a 5.83 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and .301 BAA. Ponson has walked 23 batters with 32 Ks. He's been the same ol' Sid as always: fat, occasionally brilliant, occasionally spectacularly bad, generally just not very good.
We have some Ponson supporters here, and I'll admit it's a novel thing to have confidence in Ponson, but the fact is he's 29 years old, being paid way too much, and he's had one sub-4 ERA in his entire career. For a while there, Ponson was a decent back of the rotation guy, an innings-eater that wouldn't kill you to have him. Now, he's on a winning club and we need better than he's giving us. The last two seasons have been the worst of his career. He hasn't improved, he's regressed. That's the most important thing to consider, I think.
But he did come on in the second half last year, and he had a goofy offseason and a short spring, so maybe he'll come around again, and we can all think that maybe he'll be ready to go with a strong 2006. It won't happen. He'll do it again. Same ol' Sid.
But here's hoping he wins again! Game time is 7:35 on CSN and FSN Detroit.