Scouting Report RHP Kevin Correia

The 29-year old Correia was a 4nd round pick by the Giants in the 2002 draft, and was the 1st player from that draft to make it to the major leagues in 2003. The San Diego native, spent the first six years of his career with the Giants, before signing with the Padres and cavernous Petco Park in 2009. He's made 88 career starts, sports a 4.34 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. He was 12-11 last year with the Padres with a 3.91 ERA, as he took advantage of his new home field (3.68 ERA at home), and well as adding a cutter into his repertoire. He faced the Mets twice last year (0-1), threw 11 innings allowing only two earned runs (1.64 ERA), while striking out eight. For his career against the Mets, he's 0-3 (three starts, six relief appearances), but has a 1.63 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

Correia throws a 90-93 mph fastball with improving command, a solid slider (84 mph), a 84-85 mph cutter, an occasional curve-ball (76 mph) and an improving change-up (81 mph). He made some mechanical changes last year as well that includes staying taller to gain more leverage/torque. This year he is throwing his change-up 14% of the time (career was 6%) and a lot more two-seamers/cutters than 4-seam fastballs. His two best pitches are his fastball and slider.

This year he's started nine games for the Padres, and is 4-4 with 51 innings pitched, with a 4.03 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He's striking out hitters at a higher clip this year (7.54 K/9, 6.59 for his career). He hasn't thrown more than six innings in any of his starts this year, and has let up two runs or less in four starts, but also has let up four runs in four starts. He's a journeyman 4th/5th starter who has found some comfort pitching in his home town.