Detroit Tigers: Let’s Look At Akil Baddoo’s Strikeouts

Akil Baddoo Strikeout Four

Yusmeiro Petit’s fastballs have averaged 88 MPH or less in each of the last four seasons, but he has been one of the most dependable long relievers in baseball in that time. So Akil Baddoo should expect the kitchen sink from Petit, and that’s what he gets. Baddoo is ready for the first-pitch curve, but he just gets under it and fouls it away. It’s easy to lay off the fastball up and in, but that’s probably just to set up the changeup low and away. Petit does throw the change, makes a mistake with his location, but Baddoo swings right through it.

Baddoo stays on the fastball away and fouls it back, and then does a great job of laying off an attempted backdoor cutter and a changeup low to work the count full. But Petit doubles-up on the change, puts it in a great location, and gets an off-balance flail from Baddoo. He falls victim to a veteran arm here, and this was a nice AB, but once again we see Baddoo miss on his two chances to drive the ball.