Baseball-All-Starlytics: Jered Weaver

The Angels' Jered Weaver is a true All-Star. There is no arguing whether this pitcher deserves to be on the team, in fact, the only argument about Weaver should be whether there is a better pitcher in baseball right now.

Weaver's numbers are daunting. After defeating the Mariners last night, Weaver is now 11-4 with a 1.86 ERA and a 0.912 WHIP. After leading the majors with 233 strikeouts last season, he has whiffed 120 batters this season. In 19 starts this season he has thrown 140.1 innings, averaging 71. innings per start. He has thrown over 100 pitches in each of his starts and averages 115 pitches per start.

Surprisingly, his season has been streaky. Weaver won his first six starts, then lost his next four. In his last nine starts, he's 5-0. Those are the starts I'd like to look at.

Jered Weaver - May 23 - July 8

Weaver has made nine starts during that time period. Batters are hitting .182 against him and slugging just .252.

In 9 games, he's allowed 10 doubles, two triples and one homerWeaver has struck out 21.1% or 35 of the lefties he's faced.

Look how Weaver works the outside of the plate against leftiesWeaver is almost as brilliant against rightiesWeaver has struck out 20 righties, 20.8% whiff rate. Righties are hitting .180 and slugging .213 over these nine games.

Weaver OWNS the inside

As impressive as he has been working the outside of the plate, Weaver works the inside brilliantly.

Against lefties, batters are hitting and slugging .053 when Weaver pitches inside:

Lefties have just one single in 19 at batsRighties have two singles and a double against Weaver's inside pitchesRighties are hitting .150 (3-for-20) and slugging .200.

Right down the middle?

But to truly appreciate how nasty Weaver has been you need to see that in nine games, Weaver has only thrown 78 pitches right down the middle of the plate, and of those 78, only 21 have been put in play.

Even when throwing down the middle, batters are only hitting .120Batters are 3-for-20 and on these pitches right down the middle, they have swung and missed on 14.3%.

Weaver has been brilliant this entire season and if he gets the start in the All-Star Game, it will be well deserved.