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I haven't had an opportunity to post the game thread for many Ubaldo starts this season (but good news for the superstitious among you, the last one I did have the game thread for was June 1's shutout against the Dodgers) so there have been some interesting aspects of his season that I've failed to note. For starters, it's interesting to point out that he's still in the top 10 of pitchers in f-WAR (well, tied for tenth, with Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw) when you combine 2010 and 2011, and still in the top 20 when you add in 2009. Large sample hawks should be pleased, as the hope that his poor start to the 2011 season is nothing more than a correctable blip on the way back to canonization should still be viable.
The second thing I'd like to point out is that going from the euphoria of that complete game shutout to the misery of his outing against the same team on Sunday is telling as the only discernible difference was a mere mile of altitude. His game scores at home:
- 36
- 43
- 36
- 32
- 55
- 26
- 29
Average: 36.71
His game scores on the road:
- 56
- 66
- 67
- 86
- 65
Average: 67
In 2011 so far, Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't had one start at Coors Field as good as his worst start on the road. Whatever his issues are this year, they seem to be exacerbated by the altitude in ways they haven't been for the rest of his career (you humidor theorists take note, it's a pitcher that's getting hammered.) So, that's easy to fix then, we just make sure that Ubaldo doesn't pitch at Coors anymore this season. Which brings us tonight... err... wait...
GO ROCKIES!!!!