Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Zack Greinke was brought over from the Kansas City Royals to solidify the top of the rotation after Yovani Gallardo. He did his job during the season and he will continue to do well in his first postseason start.
He has been solid in 2011, posting a 16-6 record with a 3.83 ERA. He is also posting a 1.20 WHIP.
Even though Greinke will be pitching on three days rest, his home record is the reason why he gets the nod. He has an 11-0 record with a 3.13 ERA at Miller Park.
Greinke will use the energy from the home fans to his advantage against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is a player that gets motivation from the game atmosphere and crowd.
This is exactly the type of atmosphere that Greinke should embrace. He has waited seven years to pitch in the postseason and he will finally get his opportunity. He knows that he was put in this situation for a reason by manager Ron Roenicke. The coach believes in him, the fans believe in him, the players believe in him and most importantly, Greinke believes in himself.
Arizona has a tendency to lack contact from their hitters. They have struck out 1,249 times this season, the eighth highest in the MLB.
This works perfectly for Greinke who is a strikeout pitcher. He has struck out 180 batters four times in his career and 200 twice, including 201 in 2011.
The matchup edge goes to Greinke in this game. He has posted a 2.63 ERA against Arizona in two career starts.
If Greinke feels like he is an ace in Major League Baseball he must be able to perform on the biggest stage. Gallardo proved that he was an ace on Saturday and now it is Greinke’s turn. He will prove that he is ready for the big stage.
Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera
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