I’m not much for news on this site, I usually try to do weekly analysis of a topic. But John Patterson was cut by the Nats today, and that I had to mention. He had a pretty bad spring, ending with a 7.00 ERA. What’s surprising is that he had 7 Ks and 0 BBs. From a statistical standpoint, it looks like he has something to build on. But stats don’t tell the whole story. My guess is that his formerly wicked fastball is no longer moving the way it was (the Washington Post confirmed my hunch on Friday when they said “his fastball has been clocked consistently in the 83-86 mph range, down from the low 90s”). His curve looked decent enough when I watched him pitched the other day, but if he doesn’t ever get the velocity he had before, he’ll never be that great pitcher.
It’s not as if Odalis Perez has emerged yet as a viable starter*, although Redding has looked good this summer. Maybe the front office realized that Patterson was still a longshot, and didn’t want to spend every 5 days with their fingers crossed hoping for something special and never getting it. It’s tough on the psyche, and as others have pointed out – it’s easier to get down on Patterson for being hurt than Hill because we expected more from Patterson while Hill was a surprise. Either way, the false hope won’t be missed, even if the player will be a bit.
*On Thursday afternoon when this was posted he hadn’t – then on Thursday night he went 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, 0 BB. And apparently the Nationals have said he is definitely starting out in the rotation.