The same as the old Javy Vazquez. Vazquez was amazing last year in Atlanta, following up on a solid season with the Diamondbacks. After the Yankees reacquired him all the writers, fantasy and regular, told us baseball fans not to think that the Javy Vazquez from his last stint with the Yankees (4.91 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) would reappear. Vazquez has always been a bit of a stathead darling. His strikeout rate and walk rates are elite, yet he always seemed to underperform with regard to ERA. The conventional wisdom was that Vazquez had trouble pitching with runners on base, which was supported by Derek Carty's article at Hardball Times, among others.
Despite being a stathead darling and having posted a 2.87 ERA and 1.03 WHIP last year with Atlanta, I'll admit I was ecstatic when the Yankees reacquired Vazquez. Sure, the Yankees didn't give up much in terms of prospects to get him, nor does he have a long term contract which will hurt the Yankees, but he sure can hurt the Yankees in 2010. Well, after the first start, Vazquez is now sporting a gaudy 12.71 ERA after giving up 8 runs in 5 2/3 innings. Vazquez pitched well with the bases empty, holding the Rays to a .214/.313/.286 line in 14 at bats, with 4 strikeouts. Unsurprisingly, Vazquez got annihilated with the runners on, with the Rays going 7/14, picking up 15 total bases good for a .500/.533/1.071 line.
It sure is nice to have Javy Vazquez back in the AL East.
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