Thursday, October 05, 2006

Scouting Report

Surprise! Kuo, a rookie who went 1-5 with a 4.22 ERA this season, but who impressed in five late-season starts after relieving for much of the season, will replace veteran Greg Maddux as the Game 2 starter. Kuo had a dominant starting debut against the Mets, fanning seven in six innings.

Experience isn't always the asset it appears to be. Glavine (15-7, 3.82) has a postseason resume that is long but spotted, particularly in the last 10 years. His last 15 postseason starts -- those from 1997 forward -- have yielded a 4-9 record and 4.40 ERA. Postseason strike zones are not so liberal, and they and opponent's October-enhanced patience worked against Glavine even before Ques-Tec. But it's hardly as though he is incapable of turning away an opponent for seven or eight innings, especially if the Mets provide him a margin for error. The alarming issue with Glavine is how his effectiveness ebbs from inning to inning. His ERA by inning: 4.50 in the first, followed by 3.30, 4.25, 5.79 and 7.56.

mets.com

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