Tim Hudson (5-1, 2.09), Atlanta Braves
It must be the early 2000s all over again because Tim Hudson is pitching like Cy Young.
The veteran right-hander has yielded a total of three hits in each of his last two outings – both wins. In his last five starts, Hudson is 4-0 while giving up only five earned runs and no more than two in a single game.
“My sinker feels really good, and for me that’s the key,” Hudson said. “Stay down in the zone with it, (get) good action, stay on top of it, (with) good downward tilt.”
“He’s got that extra, late movement and that makes it frustrating,” Pittsburgh’s Ryan Church said of the sinker. “He’s a ground-ball pitcher and it looks like he’s got his arm strength back from surgery.”
Hudson is 8-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 15 career starts versus Florida.
Chad Billingsley (5-2, 3.36), Los Angeles Dodgers
After a rough first month of the 2010 season, Chad Billingsley is starting to collect himself.
In his last three outings, the righty is 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA. Billingsley didn’t yield more than four hits in each of those three starts and he struck out 18 hitters.
Billingsley likes to work fast on the mound but some analysts attributed his early struggles to being too quick between pitches and hitters.
“He was great,” manager Joe Torre said after Billingsley shutout the Padres in a 1-0 victory last week. “He was so comfortable to watch for me. He had a good tempo all game. He didn’t try to rush himself.”
Slumping
Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.06), Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia’s third option in the rotation hasn’t found his form since returning from injury in early May.
Joe Blanton has historically been a second-half pitcher, dropping his ERA almost a full run in 2009 post-All-Star break, so maybe he’s still working out the kinks.
This season, Blanton has surrendered no less than three runs in each of his four starts and opposing offenses are averaging a hit per inning of the right-hander.
There aren’t too many times you’re going to find the Phillies around a pick ‘em against a pitcher making his second big league start (Takahashi, Mets) but Blanton’s struggles are likely the reason.
Kevin Correia (4-4, 4.57 ERA), San Diego Padres
Kevin Correia has made two starts since his 21-year-old brother fell to his death in a hiking accident. He lost both of those games and has dropped three straight outings overall.
Correia said that when he's been on the mound he's "just concentrating on the game" but you have to wonder if his mind drifts to more personal matters, which would be completely understandable.
The righty has been tagged for four earned runs in his last two starts and registered a 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio in those games while not getting past the sixth inning.
Correia called his brother’s death the toughest think he’s ever had to deal with and until more time passes San Diego’s No. 2 guy may continue to struggle.
