A.L. TWO-START STUDS
Scott Kazmir (Hou, @Pit) – Rick Peterson has a lot
more time on his hands now these days, so maybe he can finally get around to
fixing Victor Zambrano.
Dustin McGowan (@Pit, Atl) – McGowan gets the nod
over Javier Vazquez because the former gets Atlanta in road Jekyll mode,
while the latter has to face the Cubs twice.
Justin Verlander (@SD, Col) – Verlander is getting
back on track after a frustrating start to the beginning of the season. Plus,
he gets to face San Diego at Petco, something approximately as difficult as
finding casual sexism and homophobia on sports blogs.
A.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Paul Byrd (@LAD, Cin) – Maybe the Indians can produce
a porn film with a plot that centers around how to get your ERA below 5. I
bet Kaz Tadano would be willing to help his old team out.
Livan Hernandez (Ari, Mil) – If Hernandez can strike
out five guys in his next start—something he hasn’t done since last July 24th—he
can bump his average up to two per game!
Carlos Silva (@Atl, @SD) – Exhibit G or so in the
murder trial of Bill Bavasi, who was later convicted of the double homicide in
which both the Seattle Mariners and their fanbase were slain.
A.L. TWO-START WILDCARD
Justin Duchscherer (Flo, SF) – I’m not sure whether
to buy Duke’s success in his conversion to starting. He’s not THIS good,
obviously (2.08 ERA), but Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projection system liked
him as a starter coming into the season. More data needed (yes, I’m still
saying that about Ryan Dempster too, but am completely convinced that Seth
McClung awesome; so my true colors bleed through a bit—sue me.)
N.L. TWO-START STUDS
Chad Billingsley (Cle, LAA) – Billingsley is second
in the NL with 9.75 K/9. You are witness the birth of an ace. Not as cool as
the birth of a star, but cooler than the birth of a hippo.
Cole Hamels (LAA, @Tex) – Remember when Hamels was so
injury-prone that nobody could even figure out quite how good a prospect he
was? The other 29 teams do, and fondly.
Tim Lincecum (@KC, @Oak) – Trivia question: who has
the highest strikeout rate on the Giants? It’s not Timmeh, but his teammate Jonathan
Sanchez, who’s enjoying a breakout season. Yes, I’m running out of ways to
tell you that Lincecum is good and you should use him.
Johan Santana (Sea, NYY) – Carlos Gomez sure is exciting
isn’t he, what with his .308 OBP and .388 SLG? Meanwhile, Santana is turning in
another boring Cy Young-quality season.
In a loaded week for NL starters, Brandon Webb and Tim
Hudson are both also good choices.
N.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Brandon Backe (@TB, Bos) – Backe has started 15 games
this year, and he’s allowed a home run in 14 of them. But hey, he’s hit one,
too!
Greg Reynolds (NYM, @Det) – I’m sure Greg Reynolds is
a nice guy, and someday he may even be a competent Major League pitcher, but
neither Sunday nor Saturday next week is that day.
Mike Pelfrey (@Col, @NYY) – A 38/32 K/BB with 91 hits
allowed in 76 innings is a recipe for missing Kevin
Mulvey.
N.L. TWO-START WILDCARD
Andrew Miller (@Oak, Ari) – Last week I wrote a bit
about Miller’s resurgence, and his most recent start did nothing to convince me
I was premature in that declaration. Keep an eye on him as he comes into his
own.
QUICK HITS
What does Hong-Chih Kuo have to do to get a shot in
the Dodgers’ rotation? He’s sporting a 54/11 K/BB in 45 innings and has allowed
only 35 hits and 2 home runs. Perhaps the Dodgers have confused “Chan Ho
Park” for “Hong-Chih Kuo”, though Eric Stults’ presence is harder to
explain.
I touted Reds’ farmhand Daryl Thompson in this space
a few weeks ago, and he made me look good in his first Major League start,
tossing five shutout innings at Yankee Stadium. His peripherals weren’t great,
but he’s a better bet for quality innings than Homer Bailey.
Surprisingly to some, Milwaukee is the favorite in the C.C.
Sabathia sweepstakes as it currently stands. It makes sense, though: the
Brewers’ two biggest trade chits, Matt LaPorta and Mat Gamel,
have no position on the team as it currently stands due to their defensive
limitations, and both are legitimate top-20 prospects. The Brewers have a
quality backup plan, though, in case Sabathia doesn’t work out: The Shousenator.
Proof of the Cubs’ unholy pact with Satan came Saturday,
when The Reanimated Corpse Of Jim Edmonds hit two home runs in the same
inning. The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!