Technically, Anything is Arguable

This was news to me:

By pitching arguably his best game in a Nationals uniform, Marquis proved that his right elbow problems are a thing of the past.

We've already established that Ladson is a little hazy on the concept of proof*.  This is old news.  What did surprise me was the suggestion that Marquis' performance yesterday (6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K on 109 pitches) was potentially his best as a Nat.  Let's investigate.

Arguably, Creed isn't a terrible, terrible band.

It turns out that Marquis has had eight other starts as a National where he's given up fewer earned runs.  Of those eight, Marquis went at least 6 IP in six of them.  In all six of those starts Marquis allowed fewer baserunners on less pitches than in his performance against the Mets.  That is a full 40% of his games started for the Nationals.

Was Jason Marquis making 40% of his starts in a 'Natinals' uniform?

The basis for a Ladson claim seems to constantly be floating further adrift from reality.  I expect things to get downright metaphysical by September.


*Ladson's also a little fuzzy on baseball injuries, as evidenced by a mailbag question he termed 'ludicrous' asking whether pitching coach Steve McCatty had a role in preventing injury to the staff.  The full quote was:

I think it's ludicrous to ask if he could have prevented those injuries. He is not a doctor.

The job of a pitching coach is to understand how pitching mechanics affect performance and work with their staff to maximize talent.  A lot of research has been done to identify particularly stressful arm positions and throwing mechanics that may lead to injury over time.  Staying off the surgeon's table is a great way to maximize talent and thus falls under the purview of the pitching coach.  How much responsibility does McCatty bear for the rash of arm injuries in 2010?  I don't know.  But I do know that it's not ludicrous to ask that question.