Sox Machine: Chicago White Sox blog

Midseason Review: Jon Garland

W-L	ERA	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	SV	SvOp
8-3	5.37	109	130	65	65	25	55	0	0

Something nice:  After leaving his whelming (not over, not under) assortment of pitches up in the zone, his location's grown better.  His 19 homers allowed belies the fact that he hasn't allowed one in his last five starts...

Must improve:  ..though that means he's allowed them in his other 13 starts.  He has to keep this improvement going, because he doesn't get enough hitters out by himself to allow that many homers.  In his last five starts, he has a 3.13 ERA; in his previous 13, it was nearly twice that.

Three best games

May 17
His best start during the Gopher Ball Garland era -- he allowed two homers, but they were solo, and those were the only two runs.  He provided the only win in a lackluster series against the Devil Rays.

June 22
It's going to be tough to top this start, since Garland actually beat the Reds by himself.  He scored two runs and hit his first major-league homer -- the Reds only scored one run off Garland in 8 1/3 innings of almost flawless ball.

July 5
Earlier in the year, Jon was handed a big lead early and he squandered them.  This time around, the Sox put up four runs in the first, and Garland made it last in an ultra-efficient outing.
 
Three worst games

April 7
The counterexample to his July 5 start.  The Sox have a 6-0 lead, and Garland gives it right back during an embarassing loss to the Royals.  He didn't get the best defensive support, but allowing more flyballs than grounders on a very windy day was his fault.

May 12
It's not so much that he lost this game -- since he was facing Johan Santana, it was inevitable.  But he played right into the hands of Twins hitter with easy stuff over the heart of the plate on the first pitch.  Eleven hits, two homers, seven runs, three for three in allowing multi-run innings when the Twins scored.  It was ugly all across. 

May 28
Garland actually won this game against the Blue Jays, but he gets points off for allowing three homers, just like he did in his previous start against Oakland.  And he won that one, too.  He's had good fortune this season despite the early struggles.

Grades

Arm: B+
This isn't rating his stuff overall, but how it rates in comparison to previous years.  He has the least impressive repertoire on the staff (well, maybe Freddy beats him), but he's where he should be, and he's due for a rebound in the second half.

Head: B+
Garland's been hindered by bad defense throughout the season, but guess how many unearned runs he's had.  Zero.  He could've pulled a Freddy and rolled his eyes and grabbed his crotch at some of the plays made behind him, but he actually shows better composure than just about everybody on the staff.

Fielding:  B
He hasn't been as solid in defending his position as in previous years, but he's again doing a great job of holding baserunners.  They have only attempted seven steals in his 18 starts, which is something considering how many baserunners Garland allows.

Awards

Pitcher of the Week, July 2-9
Pitcher of the Weak, June 4-10
Pitcher of the Weak, May 7-13
Pitcher of the Weak, April 9-15