Attributes	Derek Lowe	Shane Victorino	Attributes
- effective sinking fastball (~90 mph) - mixes in slider and change (low 80's) - has struggled with command of his slider, making him rely on his sinker too much			- high average hitter - good eye at the plate - good power - great speed
Suggested Approach		Suggested Approach
Command the sinker! By getting out in front with a backdoor sinker, he can make Victorino chase more outside pitches. Might consider using an outside change to disguise as a backdoor slider. May be able to roll him over to second that way.		Batting lefty, I think he should sit on inside sinkers and sliders he can scoop over the RF wall. Until he is behind in the count, no need to chase anything outside. Then beware the backdoor slider.

April 22, 2010: First inning. Five straight sinkers from Lowe here all on the low/outside 'corner'.

0-0: Victorino makes him throw it for a strike, and he does.

0-1: Lowe tries to get him to chase one far outside, but Victorino doesn't bite and shows off some patience.

1-1: Lowe sees the patience and puts another one on the corner. His command of the sinker in this AB is paying off.

1-2: With Victorino on the defensive, Lowe can throw sinkers of the plate outside until Victorino chases one. Good eye on this one, though.

2-2: And he chases. Good swinging K for Lowe.

In his first at-bat in the May 7th loss, Lowe again gives Victorino four straight sinkers.

0-0: Victorino makes Lowe show command. Lowe misses.

1-0: Same. Lowe gets a call on a pitch up in the zone.

1-1: Victorino may be looking for something inside as Lowe buries strike two toward the outside corner.

1-2: Behind in the count, Victorino has to offer at a good 1-2 pitch and rolls a grounder to second.

It seems like neither guy wants to bend and try something new like Lowe coming inside, or Victorino being aggressive and poking one to left. It's worked out for Lowe so far, but Victorino may get more aggressive today.

I hope this makes more sense for tomorrow's line-up, (thanks to Quilvio Veras).  Hopefully it looks better too.

If you guys can think of anything more accurate to put in the graphic above for either player, please make a comment. Standard internet scoring (+1) by others will be used to validate the info, and I'll update it every so often.

Go Braves!