A.L. TWO-START STUDS
Scott Baker (Cle,
@Tex) – He’s given up six home runs over the last two starts—and six runs
total. He’s got a great WHIP and a passable strikeout rate, and he can’t give up
three homers every start, can he?
Shawn Marcum
(Det, @KC) – Marcum has a 2.61 ERA and the solid peripherals to back it
up. He’s making the transition from
solid waiver-wire grab to legitimately valuable pitcher.
A.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
A.J. Burnett
(Det, @KC) – Burnett has been giving up hits in bunches and isn’t striking
anyone out. Might he be hurt? Nah, not Burnett!
Luke Hochevar
(@Oak, Tor) – He was a first round pick twice, but his minor league numbers
have been pretty uninspiring for that pedigree. Temper your expectations.
Steve Trachsel (NYY,
@ChW) – Trachsel posted an unholy .74 K/BB ratio (76/56) last year and still
somehow managed an ERA+ (94) within shouting distance of league average. The only pitcher in the last 50 years to register a K/BB of .75 or worse in 150 innings or more (Trax
had 158 in 2007) and come out above average was Bill Lee, back in 1978.
Safe to say, the end is near.
A.L. TWO-START
WILDCARD
Armando Galarraga (@Tor,
LAA) – Galarraga has a solid, if undistinguished, track record, but has in his
favor an 17/1 K/BB ratio covering two starts at AAA Toledo and one for the
Tigers. In a weak week for AL double starters, he might be worth a gamble.
N.L. TWO-START STUDS
Aaron Harang
(Mil, @SF) – The trivia answer to which Red is actually physically larger than Adam
from Milwaukee also happens to be a pretty fair pitcher, one who this week gets
to face an impatient Brewers lineup he already dominated on ten days earlier
and then a gimme against the Lilliputian bats of the Giants.
Randy Johnson
(SD, @SD) – He walked four in five innings in his first start, but he also
allowed only three hits and struck out seven. Two starts against a Padres
offense that has scored all of three runs in 40 innings over their last three
games should be nice tune-ups for the future Hall-of-Famer.
Carlos Zambrano
(NYM, @Was) – His H/IP ratio is up a little so far this year, but the former
Wyld Stallyn seems to have discontinued his excellent free pass adventures,
walking only three batters in four starts.
N.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Josh Fogg (LAD,
@SF) – Fogg has allowed 18 runs in only 11 innings so far in 2008. He’s so bad
that it’s impossible to recommend him even against the Giants; however, the
most important stat regarding his future may be the 7.3 scoreless innings that Homer Bailey tossed for AAA Louisville
Saturday night.
Ubaldo Jimenez (@Hou,
@LAD) – U walk ‘em, U lose ‘em.
Matt Morris (Flo,
Phi) – How inexplicable was the Pirates’ trade for Morris last year? He isn’t
much of a pitcher anymore, but he’s delicious with a fried egg for breakfast.
Randy Wolf (@Ari,
Ari) – Wolf has pitched well so far this year, but he draws the powerful
Diamondbacks offense twice this week. In bocca al lupo, Randy.
N.L. TWO-START
WILDCARD
Roy Oswalt (SD,
@StL) – After three awful games to begin the season, it’s going to take more
than one good start to restore my confidence in Oswalt. Pitch like your bulldozer is on the line, Roy.
QUICK HITS
C.C. Sabathia
may just be off to an unlucky start—or he might be injured. For an interesting
take on the issue, read this article from Peter Bendix of Beyond the Box Score.
Does Ben Sheets
just have a triceps strain, or is it a sign of a rotator cuff problem? Given
Sheets’ various and sundry injuries over the last three years and the Brewers’
own less-than-forthcoming nature regarding the severity of medical problems,
you wouldn’t be blamed for leaning toward the latter.
With both Rafael
Soriano and Peter Moylan on the
DL, Manny Acosta has assumed closing
duties for the Braves. Though Soriano is due to return soon, he’s still a big
injury risk, and Moylan will probably need elbow surgery, so Acosta may have
more saves in his future this season.
As if starting Brian
Bocock at shortstop wasn’t bad enough, the Giants have also decided to
throw 2006 first round choice Emmanuel Burriss
into the mix at the position; Burriss really wowed the team by hitting .258/.281/.306 at AAA. It’s one thing to screw around with non-prospects
like Bocock while Omar Vizquel is
out, since a real Major League shortstop is hardly the only thing standing
between the Giants and success, but Burriss should be in High-A or AA starting
every day, not splitting (and wasting) time up with the big club.