Matt Cain: 5 Reasons Why He Will Rebound Against Los Angeles Dodgers
By zacklosel
# 2 – Falling Behind In The Count / Pitching Out Of The Stretch
This has been a big problem for Cain. It’s interesting because for the most part, he’ll get the first pitch strike, giving him an opportunity to get ahead of the batter. The problem is that he’ll easily fall behind in the count, a result of the minor command issue that has been plaguing him through this first month.
Apr 12, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Cain (18) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Luckily for Cain, he doesn’t get so far behind that he walks the batter — he’s issued an encouragingly low 10 batters through his first six starts. However, more often than not, it doesn’t make a difference, as his poor command after getting strike one usually results in either a hit or a home run. This ends up extending or starting a huge inning, putting him in the stretch once again.
So, he often gives himself a chance for success, but for whatever reason, his command becomes a problem out of nowhere, much like Tim Lincecum. Once he smooths out this problem, it should be right back to whiffing batters at a much healthier rate.
That being said, what are the chances Cain turns things around in his next start? He’ll see the Giants’ arch-rivals in his next match up. Surely, a tough divisional opponent such as Los Angeles represents a problem for the veteran righty during his well-documented struggles, right?
Well, you’d probably be quite surprised that his chances are actually good, because…