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Reds Tidbits (2012 Season)

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http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/27610/latos-shows-why-hes-reds-true-ace

Latos shows why he's Reds' true ace

This past winter, when the Cincinnati Reds traded for Mat Latos, I remember there being a lot of talk that he would really suffer without having spacious Petco Park as his home field.

Of course, there obviously were going to be some difficulties for a pitcher moving from Petco to Great American Ballpark, and the big righty already has allowed 20 homers, a career high. But when you see Latos throw like he did Friday night, it doesn't matter what park he is in.

The 24-year-old dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates, shutting them out over 7 1/3 innings while allowing just seven baserunners and striking out five in Cincinnati's 3-0 victory. Most importantly, he was working down in the zone, and induced 13 grounders and just three fly balls. (As you well know, ground balls never leave the park.) Latos added a two-run home run for good measure and helped the Reds extend their National League Central lead to 4 1/2 games.

Latos definitely struggled a bit early on this season in his new digs, but in his past eight starts, he has a 2.13 ERA with 52 K's in 55 innings, and his talent is really starting to shine through. And while Johnny Cueto has better overall numbers, Latos is much better at missing bats and has the kind of stuff to thrive in the postseason, which is where the Reds appear to be heading. Long story short, if I'm Dusty Baker, I try to set my rotation to make Latos my Game 1 starter.

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http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/48087/slider-gives-latos-sabathia-major-edge

Slider gives Latos, Sabathia major edge

In the last six weeks, Mat Latos has transformed himself into one of the top-performing pitchers in the National League.

The Pittsburgh Pirates were the latest victims, succumbing to both Latos? arm and his bat in Friday?s series-opening win for the Cincinnati Reds.

What?s the biggest difference between the Latos who struggled through the early part of the season, and the one who has used a 5-1 stretch over his last eight starts to bring his ERA under 4.00 for the first time this year?

One of the biggest changes has been the increased use of his slider. He?s increased the rate at which he throws it from once every five pitches (through his first 14 starts) to once every three pitches (in his last eight starts). In turn, he?s gotten more outs with the pitch in that eight-start stretch (63) than he did in that first 14 (61).

Friday, our pitch-performance data showed that Latos worked his slider to his glove side (away from righties, in to lefties) on 20 of the 24 that he threw.

The Pirates recorded only one hit against his slider. Six other hitters made outs, including two who hit into double plays.

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