[illeracula]

The Cavaliers will be going up against 25 year old Bob McCord in game 3. McCord missed about 4 months this season with ulnar nerve irritation, but came back with vengeance, going 5-1 in 10 starts posting a 3.69 ERA.

McCord is fastball pitcher with low/mid-90's heat, good stamina (15), and uses his curveball effectively and will throw the occasional change-up.

He is a 3* pitcher, with decent stuff (10/11), above average movement (13/13) and great control (16/16).

Predicted Line-up for Game 3:
Line-up with career post-season batting average in parenthesis.

RF Jeff Lewis (.286-3-21, 199 AB's)
CF Javier Janchez (.295-3-9, 78 AB's)
2B Mauro Candelaria (.297-1-10, 111 AB's)
DH King Brock (.281-4-18, 135 AB's)
3B Tom Anderson (.125-0-0, 8 AB's, first post-season experience)
1B Sergio Galvez (.224-2-5, 49 AB's)
RF Ramon Granados (0-2, 2 K's, first post-season experience)
C John O'Donegan (.105-0-2, 9 AB's)
SS Augusto Rodriquez (.207-2-14, 150 AB's)

I have decided not to start Francisco Gallegos (.100-0-0, 10 AB's) who has struggled hits post season, and last. He will be a nice asset off the bench, since he is a switch hitter.

This lineup will have 3 lefties, Janchez, Brock and Galvez, with Galvez playing 1B. I felt like I should move Janchez out of the #2 hole, but I am more comfortable with him in the #2 slot than Galvez and I want a lefty there. Lewis is rated as "hot" and Brock as "cold". Not a good sign...

I am not sure who will be on the hill for me in Game 3. Takayuki Iemochi is scheduled, but he didn't fair well during his one start against the Barons this season (5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K) or his playoff start against them last (5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R). This is going to be a tough call, as Iemochi finished the season red-hot winning 17 games in his last 25 starts. One thing I like about Iemochi is he gets grounders (62%) and has a lot of stamina (20). He is a 3-pitch pitcher (all rated 13-15), who throws in the low 90's. He is only 89% ready for this start, so it might be wise to save him for game 4.

My other options is Vaughan Griffith. Vaughan had a good year, even though his record didn't show it (2-9 3.35) he just didn't get much run support (2.08). With Vaughan I do have some concerns, he gives up a lot of fly balls (48%), with about 10% of the hits he gave up this year ending up on the wrong side of the fence (81/10). He has decent stamina (12), great stuff (15/15), solid control (13/15), but lacks with his movement (8/8), which is concerning. He started 2 times in 2018 for the Cav's in the post season and went 1-0 4.63, and pitched 2 shut-out innings against the Barons in relief last year. During the regular season Vaughan didn't start against the Barons, but he appeared in one game allowing 1 hit in 1.2 innings of work.

I have a decision ahead of me.

Factors:
Lefty vs Right? Barons hit lefties better this year. (advantage Griffith)
Season stats? (advantage Iemochi)
Season stats against opponent (not enough data for Griffith, but Iemochi struggled)
Past playoff performance (slight advantage Griffith)
Current Rest (slight Advantage Griffith)

All signs are telling me to start Griffith. Can he handle the pressure? He really has done everything I have asked of him over the past 2 seasons. Maybe save Iemochi for Game 4, when he will be well rested.

But really in the end does it matter who I end up starting? Isn't really up to those 9 hitters to start scoring some runs? If we only score 1 run, then it really won't matter who started...

The pressure is on in Norfolk.