Binghamton Rumble Ponies @ Altoona Curve
July 5, 2017
Chris Flexen @ J.T. Brubaker
Teams
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
R
|
H
|
E
|
|
Binghamton
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
10
|
1
|
|
Altoona
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
8
|
0
|
W: Flexen (4-1, 1.87
ERA); L: Brubaker (4-4, 5.22 ERA); Save: Burns (9)
 |
| David Thompson learning some dance moves |
The Stats:
Pitchers
Chris Flexen
(W, 4-1, 1.87 ERA) – 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 HR, 9 TB, 3 BB, 5 K (2 K/Sw), 3
GIDP, 10 GB: 4 FB: 5 LD, 98 Pitches (65 Strikes), 4 Swinging, 25 Called, 4.1%
SwStr, 10% Whiff/Swing, 14 Pitches/IP, 28 BF
Tim Peterson (H, 5, 1.67 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 1 PU, 11
Pitches (8 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 3 Called, 18.2% SwStr, 40% Whiff/Swing, 11
Pitches/IP, 3 BF
Cory Burns (S, 9, 5.91 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 TB, 1 K (0 K/Sw),
3 GB: 1 LD, 18 Pitches (15 Strikes), 1 Swinging, 5 Called, 5.6% SwStr, 10%
Whiff/Swing, 18 Pitches/IP, 5 BF
Table 1 – Flexen pitch stats by inning
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
Total
|
|
Total
|
12
|
14
|
18
|
12
|
9
|
17
|
16
|
98
|
Strikes
|
7
|
9
|
15
|
5
|
8
|
12
|
9
|
65
|
Swinging*
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
*4.1% Swinging strike rate; 10% Whiff/Swing rate
Batters
2B - Luis Guillorme - 1-2, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 CS, 4.3% SwStr,
14.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA
RF - L.J. Mazzilli - 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K, 13% SwStr,
27.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA
LF - Kevin Kaczmarski - 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, 8.7% SwStr,
20% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA
3B - David Thompson - 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 3.2 Pitches/PA
1B - Matt Oberste - 1-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB, 3 Pitches/PA
C - Tomas Nido - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 16.7% SwStr, 27.3%
Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA
SS - Gustavo Nunez – 2-4, 1 K, 1 CS, 8.3% SwStr, 14.3%
Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA
CF - Champ Stuart - 0-4, 2 K, 14.3% SwStr, 30% Whiff/Swing,
5.25 Pitches/PA
P - Chris Flexen - 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K, 11.1% SwStr, 16.7%
Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA
PH - Tyler Moore - 0-0, 1 BB, 1 CS, 6 Pitches/PA
Recapish
After
taking a 6-0 loss in the opener of this series, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies
turned to new ace Chris Flexen as they looked to even the series Wednesday
night, and the Mets prospect delivered on the mound and at the plate. Flexen
went seven strong innings for his fourth win in five starts with Binghamton,
and he finished 2-3 at the plate, stroking his first pro double in his first
multi-hit game as a pro. A balanced Ponies offense provided Flexen with four
runs of support early and he made sure those runs held up while he was out
there. Tim Peterson and Cory Burns then combined to close out the 4-3 win with
a scoreless frame each.
The
final line was Flexen’s least impressive since he joined Double-A, but he
continues to look like an emerging stud in the Mets system. He’s always shown
potential in the past, but he’s taken a big step forward this year, so much so
that even Jeffrey Paternostro is quoted as calling him “a dude now” at Baseball Prospectus.
To find out what’s different this year, it would help to know what he was doing
last year, so I turned to St. Lucie Mets media relation’s manager and radio
broadcaster Adam MacDonald for some info:
“He was primarily fastball, two seam, curve and slider last
year, with his slider being the least frequently used. He’s definitely a guy
who likes to tinker and experiment, he will test all of his pitches early in a
game.”
Compare that to this year, when the
reports (Fangraphs,
Jeff
Paternostro) have him sitting mid-to-low 90’s (91-96 range) with a sinker
and four seamer, flashing a plus slider and changeup, and mixing in his already
above average curve for strikes too. From MacDonald:
“The only new pitch for him is a change up. He specifically
reported to instructs last year just to learn a change up.”
MacDonald
noted that it’s uncommon for a pitcher with Flexen’s experience to even go to
instructs, but that’s how much the Mets wanted him to learn the pitch.
So, what changed? Flexen went to
learn one new pitch and ended up improving another since last season. He’s
transformed from a fastball/curveball pitcher with backend starter upside into
a potential four-pitch stud with significantly more upside. I’m not trying to
compare their stuff, but I think Flexen is breaking out like Fulmer did two
years ago.
Getting
back to this game, the Rumble Ponies handed Flexen a 1-0 lead before he even
took the mound. Luis Guillorme was on base four times from the leadoff spot and
he started this game with a walk. L.J. Mazzilli would take his place on the
bases after a fielder’s choice, go to second on a Kevin Kaczmarski single, and
then come home on a Matt Oberste two out single.
 |
| Kaczmarski |
 |
| Oberste |
Flexen
started his night with a strikeout but then walked the next batter, which was
his first walk in Double-A (his 98th batter faced).
 |
| K #1 |
He
started his big night at the plate with a two out single in the 2nd,
and that started a little rally for Binghamton. Guillorme followed with a
single and then both runners came home on L.J. Mazzilli’s tenth double of the
season.
 |
| Flexen |
 |
| Guillorme |
 |
| Mazzilli |
Jerrick
Suiter greeted Flexen with a solo blast in the 2nd, which made this
a 3-1 game. Flexen struck out Wyatt Mathisen during the inning, and the frame
ended with a 463 double play.
 |
| Suiter |
 |
| K #2 |
 |
| 463 |
David
Thompson reached on an infield single to start the 3rd, and Bingo eventually
pushed their lead to 4-1 in the frame. Oberste replaced Thompson on the bases
after a fielder’s choice, stole second base, and then came around to score on a
Tomas Nido single.
 |
| Thompson |
 |
| Nido |
 |
| K #3 |
 |
| K #4 |
He
issued a second walk in the 4th, but then started an inning ending
double play and worked a perfect 5th.
 |
| Flexen thought he served up another homer, but it was just short |
 |
| 163 |
 |
| Thompson |
 |
| Kacz |
Flexen
led off the top half of the 6th with a double, but the Ponies
couldn’t get him around for an insurance run.
The
Curve finally got to Flexen in the bottom of the 6th, when a walk
and an E4 came back to burn him. Flexen’s third walk of the night came with one
out in the frame, and the next batter reached on a throwing error to put
runners on the corners with one out. Guillorme went for the force out at
second, but Gustavo Nunez couldn’t handle the throw, so everyone was safe (most
nights, inning ends there). Next three Curve batters singled for two more
Altoona runs (one was an infield single) before a double play ended the frame.
Flexen
bounced back for a perfect 7th, striking out Michael Suchy along the
way.
 |
| K #5 |
 |
| Guillorme |
 |
| Oberste |
Tim
Peterson and Cory Burns combined for two scoreless innings of relief behind
him, and Peterson struck out two batters during a perfect frame.
Looking
ahead, the Ponies send Mickey Jannis to the hill in the rubber match Thursday
night.
Thanks again to Adam MacDonald for
sharing some great info on Chris Flexen. You can listen to Adam calling St.
Lucie Mets games for free on their TuneIn radio station,
or by going to the St. Lucie
Mets site during game time and following the link to the radio feed.
The Fastest Stars in Our Galaxy Are Runaways From Another One https://t.co/EtjiSGbF04 #astronomy pic.twitter.com/6Bbam9pmW1— AfricaAstronomy (@AfricaAstronomy) July 6, 2017
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