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5 Guys Ready to Become Big Stars - Mat Latos


Jason

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[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/32031/five-guys-ready-to-become-big-stars"]http://espn.go.com/b...ecome-big-stars[/url]

[b]1. [url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30196/mat-latos"]Mat Latos[/url], SP, Reds.[/b][color=#333333][font=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3] With [/size][/font][/color][url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28955/johnny-cueto"]Johnny Cueto[/url][color=#333333][font=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3] having a Cy Young-caliber season and [/size][/font][/color][url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30442/aroldis-chapman"]Aroldis Chapman[/url][color=#333333][font=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3] dominating out of the pen, there weren't many headlines left for Latos in 2012. With Latos coming over from the Padres in that big offseason trade, some projected that he would suffer moving out of Petco Park, but he finished 14-4 with a 3.48 ERA. He did allow a few more home runs, but that's going to happen in Cincinnati -- 18 of the 25 home runs he gave up came at home. Importantly, however, he didn't let the home runs affect his approach, and he actually finished with a lower ERA at home than on the road.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]Latos got off to a slow start in April -- including a blow-up, eight-run outing in St. Louis -- but posted a 3.09 ERA over his final 28 starts, losing just twice. He's a big horse out there at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds or so, and he crossed the 200-inning barrier for the first time. Although he sets up his fastball/slider/curveball arsenal with a solid 92-95 heater that he throws up in the zone, it's his slider that is developing into his key pitch. As you can see from the heat map, he gets it down and in to lefties and away from righties, exactly where you need to go. In 247 plate appearances ending with the slider, batters hit just .169 against him -- righties .161 and lefties .185. [/size][/font][/color]

[img]http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/0111/mlb_e_latos_b1_300.jpg[/img]

[color=#333333][font=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]I view Latos as a guy maturing into a staff ace and a sleeper Cy Young candidate in 2013, although it will be tough keeping that ERA under 3.00 pitching half his games in Cincy.[/size][/font][/color]
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I think Latos will have a huge year and probably have a better year than Cueto. My opinion anyways.

If Latos and Cueto can keep doing what they do, Bailey can keep improving, and Chapman pitch half as well out of the rotation as he did out of the pen, this rotation/team could be sick.
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[quote name='JBandJoeyV' timestamp='1358112810' post='1207833']
I think Latos will have a huge year and probably have a better year than Cueto. My opinion anyways.

If Latos and Cueto can keep doing what they do, Bailey can keep improving, and Chapman pitch half as well out of the rotation as he did out of the pen, this rotation/team could be sick.
[/quote]

I hope they work out a decent extension before he does blow up. Big Latos fan here.
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Latos has to start much better than he did last year. The team really balled him out the first couple months from having a few more losses. If he can get off to a hot start, there is no doubt he should be a Cy Young candidate. Hopefully he uses his final outing against the Giants as motivation and comes out pissed off and pitches lights out.
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