Jeff Karstens Takes Perfect Game Into Eighth Inning, Pitches Two-Hitter

by Charlie Wilmoth on Aug 6, 2008 6:00 PM EDT

This was my first look at Jeff Karstens as a Pirate, and it was certainly a pleasant introduction, as Karstens took a perfect game into the eighth inning.

Karstens was hardly dominant--he kept too many of his pitches up in the zone, which resulted in approximately eight million fly balls to the warning track and a very busy day for centerfielder Jason Michaels. Karstens' stuff wasn't terrible; he dialed his fastball up to 91 MPH and occasionally threw great changeups. But he was still working mostly on guile. My brother called me while it was in progress to describe it as "the least dominant perfect game ever."

That doesn't mean it wasn't extremely impressive in its own way. This was the kind of start where you could think along with the pitcher: "Okay, he just threw two changeups, so here comes the fastball..." One strikeout of Orlando Hudson was especially impressive this way. I don't know much about Karstens personally, but it wouldn't surprise me if he were a pretty bright guy, because he really seemed to be thinking a couple steps ahead of the Diamondbacks' hitters this afternoon.

Karstens was very efficient and didn't walk anyone, but again, it's more a case of him pounding the zone than an indication of dominant stuff. As Dejan Kovacevic put it today:

One thing about Karstens -- and that one thing would be higher than Arizona's hit total through four innings -- that the Pirates probably will like even when he does not pitch well: This kid appears to have no fear. He is throwing all four pitches for strikes, and it appears he could not care less that they are hit hard or not. Just gets outs. A very jarring sight after much of the other pitching all of us have watched this summer.

This is spot-on, I think. Karstens just throws the ball into the zone and doesn't really worry much what happens after that. He may have outings where he gets pounded, but when he has good outings like the one today, he'll probably be able to work deep into games.

Anyway, Karstens now has 15 innings pitched with the Pirates. He has allowed no runs and has pitched a two-hitter. That's a pretty good return so far on a trade that was supposed to be geared toward the future, eh?

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good return

And when Karstens, by most accounts, was the least desirable of the eight players that we got.

by basmati on Aug 6, 2008 6:55 PM EDT reply actions

Found this kinda interesting

Why so little offspeed?
“Because I knew they’d watch tape of what I did in Chicago,” Karstens said.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on Aug 6, 2008 7:42 PM EDT reply actions

Nice to see he does some type of thinking about it.

The Utah Jazz. The Jazz... duh.
The best NBA team in Utah... no doubts about it!
Playing For Pride. Pirates, Utes, Panthers, and more...
Because, in the end, only one team can "win it all".

by UtesFan89 on Aug 6, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Rotoworld=negative nancies

The fast start practically guarantees that he’ll remain in the rotation for the rest of the season, but it barely alters his long-term outlook. The poor man’s Bronson Arroyo shouldn’t last as more than a fifth starter or be a particularly good one of those.

North Side Notch

by northsidenotch on Aug 6, 2008 7:43 PM EDT reply actions

In other words,

every dog has his day, I guess.

by WestCoastBuc on Aug 6, 2008 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Whatever

he’s still an upgrade over what we did have in our “back end.” In fact, Rotoworld can kiss my back-end :P

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on Aug 6, 2008 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Definitely an upgrade over Herrera or any other bum of the week that we usually throw out there. So if next year’s rotation looks like:

1. Maholm
2. Gorzo
3. Snell
4. Karstens
5. Duke

That’s not too bad. Of course that’s IF Gorzo and Snell pitch to potential and everyone stays healthy. Obviously very big ifs. But I’m definitely excited however way you cut it, finally, something of sustenance, no more living off of the crumbs of a “way past their prime” free agent signing.

by OpiateOfTheMasses on Aug 6, 2008 10:54 PM EDT reply actions

Speaking of Maholm

Just caught this in the Coonely Q&A from the Pirates website…

gjs867: Why should we sign Maholm long term, after just half a year of good pitching?
Coonelly: gjs867, I’m glad that you asked that question. I am not sure where Dejan [Kovacevic] received information that we had made a decision to offer a multiyear contract to Paul. Paul has been our most consistent starter this year and has demonstrated the type of command and aggressiveness in attacking the strike zone that we are looking for.

I did stress to Dejan that we will be evaluating our arbitration-eligible players and making decisions regarding which players we will approach to discuss signing them to potential multiyear contracts. We have not made any decisions regarding which players we will approach as of yet.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on Aug 6, 2008 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

It's very important that Nutting and the gang

go after a FA starter…...CC and Sheets will be out of $ price, Burnett and Ollie are too enimatic. John Lackey is the answer. Here’s what next year’s rotation should be…...

Lackey
Maholm
Karstens
Gorzo
Snell/Ohlendorf/Duke – with the 2 losers being middle-relief

While I’m at it the bullpen should be…...
Capps (closer)
Bautista (set-up)
Yates (7th)
Hansen
cheap LOOGY

I feel that’s all we need from a pitching standpoint in 2009

by Bad Andy on Aug 7, 2008 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions

John Lackey is awesome...

and will be well out of the PBC price range as well as CC and Sheets.

by ElliottBayBucco on Aug 7, 2008 2:22 AM EDT up reply actions

The Pirates have no business wasting resources on high-priced free agents

by matskralc on Aug 7, 2008 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Dumatrait.

I have only watched Karstens pitch twice and so I’m hesitant to procaim him a SP for next year based solely upon these two starts. While I am optimistic that he could be a SP I think we need several more starts before we begin to form an opinion as to his abilities. On the other hand, I thought that excluding Dumatrait’s last couple of starts when it was obvious he was hurting, that he should some promise. In addition, I continue to worry about Duke and the extraordinarilly high amount of hits he gives up. If he ever exhibits any wildness and walks a few batters he’s dead meat because of all the baserunners he allows. I’m just not convinced he has what it takes to succeed in the major leagues. I hope I’m wrong.

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Aug 7, 2008 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

IPF

I agree with you about Duke. If we find at least 2 starters for next season out of Karstens, Ohlendorf, and McCutchen, with Maholm, Gorzo, Snell, and Dumatrait in the mix, I can see Duke being hard-pressed to keep his job in 2009.

I wonder if Dumatrait will ever be able to stay healthy, though.

I just don`t think the team is ever going to get anywhere with Duke. The time for blaming some of his problems on Colborn is over. He is just not a very good pitcher, and we have to find better ones for next season.

by patthatt on Aug 7, 2008 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Patthat

Your absolutely right…it’s time we stop blaming Colbert for Duke’s problems. Those problems should have been corrected by now and so this season is all on Duke. It is not his ERA that bothers me but rather his HITS/IP are attrocious. He makes everybody he faces the leading hitter in the league. I’d love to see film of when he first came up to see if he is throwing differently now or if the league has simply adjusted to his style in which case if that is true then he’s finished.

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Aug 7, 2008 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, Colbert has nothing to do with Duke’s problems. Stephen went to Northwestern! :)

by Charlie Wilmoth on Aug 7, 2008 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Jim Colborn:

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

by cocktailsfor2 on Aug 7, 2008 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions

It's like...

You know when you throw a couple of donuts on the bat to make it heavier, and then take them off right before your at bat? It’s easier to swing, right? Yeah, you may still strike out but the bat feels better in your hands.

That’s the analogy I think of when watching Pirate pitchers this year. We watched these pitchers all year with the donuts on. It was tough to watch. Now, it’s like the donut has been removed and it’s much easier on the eyes. Yeah, Karstens and company won’t always look this good, but it sure is a lot easier to watch.

by EStreet on Aug 6, 2008 11:08 PM EDT reply actions

mmmmmmm

donuts…... glkhghlkgkhkglhkhlgkhhhh

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

by cocktailsfor2 on Aug 6, 2008 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry cocktailsfor2

I don’t think that’s what you were supposed to get out of the analogy.

The Utah Jazz. The Jazz... duh.
The best NBA team in Utah... no doubts about it!
Playing For Pride. Pirates, Utes, Panthers, and more...
Because, in the end, only one team can "win it all".

by UtesFan89 on Aug 6, 2008 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Just want to add...

that McCutchen had a pretty good night tonight. All of the starters we got so far performing well. The line: 2 ER in 7 innings, 5 K’s and 1 BB.

by Slick1 on Aug 7, 2008 12:02 AM EDT reply actions

Nice game pitched yesterday against us,

bravo. I would only seek to warn you that - now, I don’t want to rain on your parade or anything, and I don’t want to minimize Mr. Karstens fantastic performance yesterday, but I DO think you should know something about the Dbacks - since we have a ton of young hitters, we tend to do VERY badly against pitchers we’ve never seen before, and pitchers who have little to no track record. Case in point, the Reds’ Johnny Cueto, he of the 7-11 record and 5.00 ERA, pitched 7 innings of 1 hit ball against us in the first series of the year, with ten Ks. (That one hit being a Justin Upton solo homer) Again, I’m not trying to say that Karstens doesn’t deserve the credit he’s getting, but I just want to warn you that, frankly, I’m not at all surprised that we were shutout and two-hit yesterday by a rookie.

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 7, 2008 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

Why do you think we've been adding all those pitchers

You’re never going to see Karstens again when we’ve got Ohlendorf, McCutcheon and we’ve even been saving JVB to face you for the first time when we meet in a really crucial series.

by WestCoastBuc on Aug 7, 2008 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Saving 'em for the NLCS, eh?

Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

by DbacksSkins on Aug 7, 2008 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

On a more serious note -

does anybody know if there is any statistical evidence to back up the often stated assertion that pitchers do better when facing a team for the first time? I am sure someone must have studied this. I’ve also heard the reverse – veteran pitchers hate to face a young team featuring batters they’ve never seen – it can’t work both ways can it?

by WestCoastBuc on Aug 7, 2008 6:05 PM EDT reply actions