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Matt Wisler: Experiencing Some Control Issues?

By John Buhler

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Matt Wisler came to the Atlanta Braves in the much-debated Craig Kimbrel deal with the San Diego Padres.  Starting against his former organization tonight, will Matt Wisler avoid some of the control issues he’s experienced in his last few starts?

The stuff is certainly there.  Matt Wisler has four Major League ready pitches in his arsenal as a 22-year-old.  Most 22 year olds are frantically searching through job boards trying to understand why nobody is hiring them.  And here’s Matt Wisler winning 71% of his games with the Atlanta Braves.

-= Atlanta Braves Fall to Padres 5-3 Despite Maybin’s Whammy =-

But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the young right-hander, especially of late.  In his last three starts dating back to August 1st, Wisler has gone 0-1, allowing 14 earned runs in 15 innings pitched.  The hits and home runs are up, averaging 8 base knocks and 1.3 homers in roughly five innings of work in each start.

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    • Matt has not shown that he’s a strikeout pitcher (37 K’s in 10 MLB Starts), nor is he really a ground ball pitcher ( 0.90 GO/AO).  He’s that third type of pitcher that we’re not all that crazy about: a fly ball pitcher.  Though a pitcher can certainly record a great deal of fly outs and have success, it’s not as comfortable to watch as is witnessing minimal (groundouts) or no contact (strikeouts).

    Julio Teheran and Mike Minor have shown that Atlanta Braves pitchers can thrive in the rotation at times even if they are a fly ball pitcher.  The major caveat is that guys can’t get on base via walks and that you have to throw strikes.  Wisler averages 2.8 BBs per 9 innings and has only thrown 60.3% of his pitches for strikes in his last three starts.  Essentially, Matt Wisler is either getting too much of the plate or not enough of it with his offerings.

    -= Atlanta Braves: All But Eliminated, Hope Remains =-

    I see this past month as an adjusting period for the young prized prospect.  He has to learn the finer nuances of a Major League strike zone.  When he does, hopefully by the end of the 2015 Regular Season, Matt Wisler can continue on his path towards becoming a strong front-line starter for the Atlanta Braves.

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    Being that he is going against the organization that drafted him, in a very pitcher friendly park due to the constantly lingering marine layer hovering over Petco Park, and that he is going against one of the best pitchers in baseball in the last decade in James Shields, I hope that Matt Wisler puts it all together for the Atlanta Braves tonight in his fourth start in the month of August.

    Next: Hector Olivera: Who Are the Atlanta Braves Getting?

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