I really like what I saw from Kyle Freeland last week in Miami. It wasn’t a strong slate of arms today and I felt with Freeland’s solid performance in Coors last year mixed with his increased whiffability last week, he could hold off the Braves for an evening. I was so very wrong, allowing a horrid 5.0 IP, 7 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks and I probably should have been a little more conservative in my daily rank. His slider earned just 6/38 CSW, barely touching his changeup and curveball, and 26 foul balls on just 91 pitches is a solid indication of Freeland’s inability to end at-bats quickly. Does this mean I’m out on Freeland? Definitely not. Does it mean I have to be a bit more cautious with the southpaw in his home field? Very much so. At the very least, his next start is in Oracle Park – a clear opportunity for a rebound – and let’s take it from there.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Jon Lester – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Today was the day of early removals, starting with Lester getting the early pull with hamstring tightness. Ah, to be not-young again.
Jameson Taillon – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. This was a dumb start. Taillon has six unearned runs to his name in a stupid second frame that included a bounced 0-2 pitch with two outs that Javy Baez threw that bat and earned an RBI single. I just feel for Jameson, especially after a start like this, flailing my arms wildly for the whiskey bottle. I feel for Taillon, too. He deserves better.
Blake Snell – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks. Aces gonna ace. Go to the strikezone plot. Study it. Execute it. And of course, enjoy the Gallows Pole via 23 “cut and a miss” pitches that I felt through my monitor.
Masahiro Tanaka – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. Tanaka pitched well here against the Astros and unjustifiably got pulled with fewer than 80 pitches after a stressful but manageable sixth frame. I loved his tact around the zone here and I think you can feel strong him moving forward for a bit.
Trevor Cahill – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. This may have been the most impressive outing of the night, as it came from the unassuming Cahill, leaving his mediocre Irish doppelganger Trevor O’Cahill behind. Now, I’ve said that Cahill is an arm that we can consider once he has that first good outing, though I’m not sure it’s this. Just nine whiffs on 90 pitches is kinda meh, with 25/90 CSW overall. I want to see a bit more than that under the hood to truly buy it, and a start against the Cubs next just isn’t for me.
Felix Hernandez – 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. The Prince was removed early with “virus-like symptoms.” That sounds terrible. Poor guy.
Hyun-Jin Ryu – 1.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Ryu left this game early with a groin strain because of course he did. I would expect him to miss significant time, which means Julio Urias is BACK ON THE MENU. Well, at least until Rich Hill returns in a few weeks as Clayton Kershaw will return for Ryu’s spot on Sunday.
Vince Velasquez – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks.What a weird line from VV. He earned just four whiffs on 80 pitches and that alone should make you pack up and leave. Seriously, go, I need my space after the Freeland and Taillon starts. PLEASE.
Madison Bumgarner – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. Ehhhhh this is terrible. Sure, that WHIP is low, but 5 ER and just 3 strikeouts? How am I supposed to buy that this is the Bumgarner of old?
Andrew Cashner – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Look at this line. Now look at me. Now back to the line. Now at your fantasy team. Nothing has changed. Nothing. Oh, just one strikeout? HAISTFMFWT?!
Jhoulys Chacin – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks. Is there anyone that chases WHIP and WHIP alone? I do. But why? And like Cashner, you just had to fan only one batter? HAISTFMFWT?!
Miles Mikolas – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. Mikolas had a tough first frame, then settled down nicely through the following five. I’m fine with this one as he needed a rebound start, and I think he can make this work moving forward.
Anibal Sanchez – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Ehhhhh Anibal handed you a Philly as he was one out away from a VPQS with six Ks. This was the Phils and I’m okay starting him against the Pirates next.
Justin Verlander – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. A true VPQS here from Verlander is not at all what you want. That’s two straight blegh from JV, though I’m not really buying that he’s degrading much. I’d buy low if that’s even a thing right now.
Carlos Rodon – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 5 BBs, 9 Ks. Rodon earned 20 whiffs in this one – 16/54 on just his slider! – but man was he wild. A ton of pitches were located over the plate, plenty more well out of the zone above and below, and it was weird. He looked so good and so bad during this performance against the Rays and I’ll continue having hesitation in the southpaw moving forward.
Homer Bailey – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Hey, at least he earned seven Ks, right? Right?!
Eric Lauer – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks. I’m shocked at the strikeouts, but the rest makes a lot more sense. He’s just not good.
Marco Estrada – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. I don’t like Estrada but took a chance here against the O’s because I didn’t have much else. Just like Estrada and his repertoire. Womp womp. Streaming Record: 7-4.
Julio Teheran – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. Teheran? In Coors?! Who would have thunkit. That’s not a word. YOU’RE NOT A WORD.
Today’s Streamer
For those unaware, I’m forced to make my Streamer picks under the condition of sub 20% owned in Fantasy Pros’ consolidated ownership rates.
Jordan Zimmermann vs. Cleveland Indians – He’s hot out of the gate and the Indians are not.
Tomorrow’s Streamer
Frankie Montas vs. Baltimore Orioles – Just 5% owned in leagues and armed with a new splitter. Paired with a date against the O’s, this looks like the safest stream.
Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer
Spencer Turnbull vs. Cleveland Indians – He has a solid ceiling and the Indians have a wonderful floor.
Game of the Day
Chris Sale vs. Matt Shoemaker – What’s Sale velocity going to be? Can Shoemaker keep going?
(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
Bumgardner wasn’t a QS though, charged 5 ER, or will there come a stat correction
He also hit Tatis twice with a pitch in this game, let Tatis hit a HR off him, Mejia hit a double off the wall, myers a HR. Worth mentioning because Bumgarner was all over the place if you watch this start. Put a fork in him.
You’re right, it’s 5 ER not 3 ER. Thanks Felix!
Underselling Lauer here imo, sat 93-94 instead of 90-91 like his last ST start. Bad luck sequencing for the salami but the upside is there.
Do you like any of Margevicius, Mahle or Dereck tomorrow?
JV’s stuff looks fine, he was touching 97 in the 6th. You think it’s more of a command thing right now? I don’t want to be nervous but it’s hard not to overreact to everything this early.
I think it’s more of a getting into his groove thing. I wouldn’t worry in the slightest.
Not sure that I recollect exactly, but did we say the same thing about The King? It happens justlikethat. I think we may be watching the demise of JV right before our eyes.
When Felix had his demise, he was throwing 90 mph.
I wouldn’t worry.
Pick one to keep in a H2H points league:
Aaron Sanchez, Steven Matz, SPARP Matt Strahm, or SPARP Luke Weaver??
Best website in the business…keep up the great work!
I have room to add a SP. Kelly or Burnes ROS.
Miley, P. Lopez, and Anibal Sanchez are also available.
Thank you
Decided to drop Freeland for Musgrove. Freeland’s BB/9 his first few starts in addition to his inability to put people away as you mentioned was the clincher. He should’ve dominated the Marlins offense and didn’t. He struggled big against two quality lineups after. Freeland to me is a ratio risk and may not be the innings eater and QS machine he was last year. Will see if Musgrove will be that pitcher.