A.L. TWO-START STUDS
Cliff Lee (Min, TB) – They don’t talk about you as
much once you start allowing a whopping two runs a game, do they, Cliffy?
Ervin Santana (@Tex, @Oak) – Which Santana, Johan or
Ervin, has the lower FIP? Hint: It’s Ervin (3.17 to 3.56).
James Shields (KC, @Cle) – What you’ve got right here
is a prototypical #2 starter. In when the Rays add David Price to their
rotation of Shieds, Garza, and Scott Kazmir, it’s going to be scary.
In a stacked week for the A.L, Joba Chamberlain and
Matt Garza are also fine choices.
A.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Luis Mendoza (LAA, Chw) – Generally, it’s pretty safe
to disregard pitchers for the Rangers about whom you’ve heard not much.
Sidney Ponson (TB, @Tor) – Has it really come down to
the Judgepuncher for the once-proud Yankee franchise?
Ryan Rowland-Smith (Det, @KC) – Rowland-Smith had a
good year out of the bullpen last year, and he’s been better this year, with
the exception of a reduced strikeout rate. Still, he’s not a particularly good
candidate to succeed as a starter, and even if he’s passable, he might not even
last long enough in the game to get the win.
A.L. TWO-START WILDCARD
Rich Harden (@ChW, LAA) – Harden’s velocity was down
in his last start. Both he and the A’s downplayed it, but given his injury
history, I would assume the worst and start checking the obituaries.
N.L. TWO-START STUDS
Matt Cain (LAD, @ChC) – Cain has allowed 455 hits in
550.3 career innings, which would place him 29th on the all-time
list, just behind Johan Santana, if he had enough innings to qualify. He
must be praying for a trade out of San
Francisco so that he can finally win some games.
Edinson Volquez (Was, @Mil) – I think the pixie dust
might be wearing off a bit, but the Volqswagen’s raw stuff is probably good enough
to get him past the atrocious Nationals and undisciplined Brewers.
I can count to three, but I only count two N.L. starters
that I'm comfortable recommending.
N.L. TWO-START SCRUBS
Mark Hendrickson (@Col, @LAD) – Surely the Marlins
aren’t going to leave Hendrickson in the rotation all year, are they? It’s just
a couple minutes before Lima Time on the clock of Hendrickson’s career.
Randy Johnson (SD, @Phi) – Still has strikeout stuff,
but has become disturbingly hittable.
Eric Stults (@SF, Flo) – The Dodgers went to a
six-man rotation to accommodate this guy, but send Chad Billingsley to
the minors? You figure it out.
N.L. TWO-START WILDCARD
Oliver Perez (@Phi, Col) – I have no idea, and neither does
anyone else, including the Mets.
QUICK HITS
The Brewers have to be drooling at the prospect of firing
double-barrel ace action in a short playoff series with Ben Sheets and C.C.
Sabathia. After all, look how well that worked out for the Indians last
year with Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. Oh wait…
The Rays are officially using a closer-by-committee approach
in Troy Percival’s absence, but despite Dan Wheeler being the
favorite to assert himself as de facto closer, Grant Balfour already has
two saves. Balfour has electric stuff and seems like a good guy to take a flier
on, in case he ends up at the top of the heap.
The Indians signed Jeff Weaver. Haha.