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Padres News: Cashner Looks For Support In Rubber Game

By Nick Wilson

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Andrew Cashner:  54 strikeouts.  Team leading 2.89 ERA….1-7 record.

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Cashner has had an incredible run of bad luck in the 2015 season.  The San Diego Padres fire-baller will look for some run support and a series win against the Los Angeles Angels tonight.

Cashner opened up the season with a dreadful start, giving up 3 home runs to former Padre Adrian Gonzalez.  “I think [the Gonzalez game] made me work harder to get back to locating my fastball.” Cashner said – quote courtesy of Corey Brock of Padres.com.

I love the intensity Cashner pitches with.  He is a guy that can consistently dial up the velocity past 100 MPH, and did so out of the bullpen; but has toned it down since switching to the rotation.  What’s interesting about Cashner is he seems to be less effective the faster he pitches.

In 2014 Rene Rivera seemed to help Cashner’s style, allowing him to dial back the velocity and force more ground balls.  I don’t know if having Derek Norris behind the plate has changed things for Cashner, but early in the season he gave up some big home runs off very straight fastballs.

Cashner has looked much improved since his first start of the season, pitching coach Darren Balsley has been getting Cashner to try to “sink it down and try to get as many ground balls as possible.” However, Cashner never seems to get the run support he needs to get the win.

With the Padres volatile offense, it’s only a matter of time before Cashner’s improved pitching efforts and the runs add up to give Cashner a better record.  Let’s hope this starts tonight against the Angels and Garrett Richards.

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