CLA MEREDITH HAS OFFICIALLY RETURNED TO FORM

by Jason Martinez
sdpadrefan.com
posted 5/13/08


Padres reliever Cla Meredith was nearly unhittable during his rookie season with the Padres in 2006. Scoreless streaks,
stranding runners, making right-handed batters look silly. He was awesome, to say the least. After finishing the season with
a 5-1 record and a 1.07 ERA in 45 appearances, it looked like he would be a mainstay in the Padres bullpen for years to
come.

But a funny thing happened in 2007. He was not close to the same pitcher he was the previous year. It seemed like every
runner he inherited would score. When he did induce a groundball, it was usually hit hard and it would usually find a hole.
Right-handers batted .303 off of Meredith. While he finished the season with a respectable 3.50 ERA, he had six losses
and allowed 94 hits in 79.2 innings. Towards the end of the season, Manager Bud Black seemed to finally lose confidence
in the submariner, going with the veteran Doug Brocail and the rookie Joe Thatcher in the 7th inning instead of Meredith.

One thing I have learned from following baseball so closely for the past 25 years is that middle relievers are very
unpredictable from year to year. One season, they're great. The next, they're awful. They'll move onto another team, have a
good season and then follow it up with a mediocre one. So it's really no surprise that Meredith seems to have found his
groove again in 2008. Take away one really bad outing against Colorado on April 16th and Meredith has an 0.99 ERA with
just 10 hits allowed, two walks and 12 strikeouts in 18.2 innings pitched. He's working fast. He's got his confidence back
and it's certain that he has the confidence of his manager once again. For the first time this season, the 7th inning is in
good hands, Padre fans.