Flat Bumgarner

Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants pitched poorly Tuesday night, giving up nine hits to the ten batters he faced.  The problem came from a lack of differentiation between his fastball and slider.  During this season, through June 15th, Bumgarner showed a difference between the pitches in three dimensions:

Madison Bumgarner, fastball and slider movement and speed, 2011 season through June 15th.Madison's fastball tends to stay up in the zone, while is slider dips and moves father in on a right-handed batter.  On Tuesday night, both pitches flattened out:

Madison Bumgarner, fastball and slider movement and speed, June 21, 2011.The fastball wasn't staying up in the zone as much as usual, taking away much of the difference between that pitch and the slider.  The fastball was also moving in more than usual, lowering that difference as well.  With both pitches coming in flat, Twins batters hammered them for eight of the nine hits, five doubles and three singles.

Chase Utley vs. Madison Bumgarner

Chase Utley has traditionally hit left handed pitchers well.  In fact, he holds an identical OPS of .894 against both RHP and LHP in his career.  In 2009, he actually hit lefties better than righties (.288/.417/.545 vs. a .279/.387/.489). and in 2010, the split was even greater (.294/.422/.581 vs. .266/.371/.381).

Tonight he faces a young lefty in San Francisco Giants starter Madison Bumgarner (.243/.304/.374 vs. LHB).  Bumgarner has featured a fairly effective curveball since his Major League debut.  Against the curve, opposing lefties have hit .154/.185/.269 with a .199 wOBA.

Madison Bumgarner's In Play SLG% vs. LHB

So how has Utley done against left handed curveballs? 

Chase Utley vs. LHP Curveball since 2008Since 2008, Utley has sported a line of .345/.431/.582 and a .442 wOBA against lefty curves.  As you can see from the heat map, Utley has hit the curve very well pretty much anywhere it's been pitched to him. 

Lastly, here are both players' overall In Play SLG% heat maps:

Madison Bumgarner In Play SLG% vs. LHBChase Utley's In Play SLG% vs. LHP since 2008

Make sure to watch this matchup closely tonight.  It will be very interesting to see how Bumgarner approaches Utley and whether or not he shies away from his breaking ball.