Happy Sunday, everybody! Let’s just pretend that whole Rick VandenHurk thing last week never happened.
A.L. TWO-START STUDS
Nick Blackburn (@Det, Cle) – Blackburn is good, but is he as good as he’s been so far, especially with regard to his K-rate? His minor league stats say no, but they also say that he’s a pretty fair pitcher, and I like his chances against two struggling offenses.
Zack Greinke (@Sea, @Oak) – How old is Zack Greinke? If you answered 24, you’re probably a Royals fan. Despite seemingly having been around for half a decade at this point, Greinke is still getting better, as evidenced by his jump in velocity—touching 96—at the end of last year, an increase he has sustained this year. Greinke always was preternaturally gifted at pitching, and now both his mental health and physical tools have caught up to his poise.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (NYY, Tex) – Dice-K still has some command problems, which could contribute to another four-hour war of attrition between baseball’s two superpowers, but he’s been nigh-unhittable so far and racking up impressive strikeout totals.
A.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Jeremy Bonderman (Min, @Tor) – I don’t know what’s wrong with Bonderman, who used to be a pitcher that underperformed his peripherals, but this year he’s flipped the script as the proud owner of a below-4 ERA despite allowing 13 hits and 6 walks against only 3 strikeouts in 11.3 innings. Stay away from him until his K/IP and K/BB ratios improve.
Jason Jennings (LAA, @Bos) – Yikes. Might want to build one of those bomb-disarming robots and detonate Jennings inside of a concrete bunker before he injures someone. With the way he’s been pitching over the last year-plus, he’s running the risk of being out of baseball pretty soon.
Phil Hughes (@Bos, @Bal) – His velocity is down so far this season, which is not a good sign for a pitcher who ‘s always had problems staying healthy. Count the DL tripzzzzzz!!!
Jeff Niemann (Bal, ChW) – The former Rice Owl has been good-but-not great (but reliably tall) in the minors, and now he gets his chance to be a mediocre major league starter.
A.L. TWO-START WILDCARD
Francisco Liriano (@KC, Cle) – Johan Jr. makes his first appearance since the end of 2006. He was scary good then, and could easily be again. Then again, he could also flop. He’ll probably post some nice strikeout numbers, but also struggle with his command as he gets his feel for pitching back. Stash him away if you can and see what happens.
N.L. TWO-START STUDS
Johnny Cueto (@Pit, Mil) – Hop on the Johnny Quest bandwagon now, but watch out for Race Bannon sneaking up behind you with lust in his eyes.
Brad Thompson (SF, @SF) – Thompson has posted good peripherals in his first two starts, and managed a 12/2 G/F ratio in his first start against Colorado. Most importantly, however, he is facing the Giants. Yes, he’s matched up against Lincecum both times, so he may not get the dubya, but he should throw up some nice overall numbers against what is essentially a mediocre AAA offense.
Wandy Rodriguez (Flo, Col) – The Wandy Man is sporting a nifty 12/1 K/BB ratio in 12.3 innings this year; he’s not as young as you think he is, but he’s not as bad as you think he is, either, the gains he made last year not being entirely reflected in his ERA. He’s a great under-the-radar pickup to shore up your rotation
N.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Jason Maquis (@Phi, Pit) – On the bright side, he’s not a half-bad pinch hitter…
Jamie Moyer (ChC, NYM) – Moyer, just over six in dog years, is not a good bet to make good starts against powerful offenses in his home bandbox. A game against Moyer, who allowed 30 bombs in 199 innings last year, is just what the Mets need to cure their home run woes.
Jeff Suppan (@NYM, @Cin) – Suppan is a two true outcome pitcher, a modest fan of both the gopher ball and the free pass; it’s that pesky third true outcome, the strikeout, that seems to turn him off. I expect him to get pummeled in one of his two starts this week.
N.L. TWO-START WILDCARD
Burke Badenhop (@Hou, Was) – Great last name for a guy with a huge G/F ratio. He won’t rack up the punchouts, but his high groundball rate might allow him to be Jake Westbrook. Then again, with the Marlins’ iron gloves backing him up in the infield
QUICK HITS
If you missed the Presidential address regarding the subject, Evan Longoria has been called up by the Rays. No, I’m not going to make a Desperate Housewives joke.
Just because Gavin Floyd almost threw a no-hitter on Saturday doesn’t mean he doesn’t suck. Now might be a good time to pick him up and try to trade him immediately to someone who doesn’t know any better, though.
Take a flier on Edwin Jackson. The Rays’ starter still has the stuff that got everyone so excited about him what seems like a decade ago, and he’s been impressive in the early going. Yes, he might blow up next start, but how you can say no to that pedigree and those puppy dog eyes?
Another starter you may want to kick the tires on is the Jonathan Sanchez. Not many port-siders have Sanchez’s stuff, and after his 10-K, no-run performance last time out, the Giants’ lefty may have relegated Barry Zito to glorified fifth starter.