It’s time to do a buddy check on Carlos Martinez, especially after he went 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks against KC last night. This should be a blurb praising him, right? I mean that’s shutout baseball and that’s a good thing, after all. Yeah…I’d be selling Cmart everywhere I owned him. After featuring a 9.00+ K/9 last season, his rate sits under 7.00 now at a horribly mediocre 6.89 per nine. Sure, the walks are slightly lower (3.16 per 9 vs. 2.93 per 9 now), but he also has an average FIP/xFIP of 3.58 and 3.98 now, which doesn’t help his cause. People are expecting him to be Top 30 the rest of the way, but what you’re getting is a slightly better Jordan Zimmermann and that sure isn’t worth the same as a guy like Kyle Hendricks or Matt Shoemaker.
Let’s see what every other SP did yesterday:
Brock Stewart – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. I know what you’re thinking. A Cup of Schmo, right? Nope. We talked about Stewart (I just typed Sampson and had to delete it) in today’s Podcast, describing the solid movement he gets with his Fastball on both sides of the plate with a Two-Seamer and Cutter. He was just as advertised when it comes to location with his pitches and movement. Those five ER? All came in the second inning, which included a jam shot into the shift, a weakly hit bloop + a 3-run HR. Then a single from the pitcher and a decently hit ball up the middle for another single. The kid is super exhausted at this point, walking the bases loaded and then make his worst pitch of the night for a 2 RBI double to Braun. Intentionally walks the next guy and fans Carter. Why tell you all of that? Because the kid was dominant outside of that inning – 6 Ks, 0 BBs, 2 Hits, 0 ER in 4 IP. It doesn’t mean I’m endorsing him for his next start against the O’s, but I really want to own him for his start against San Diego and hopefully he sticks for a while in the rotation.
Junior Guerra – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Sampson (Dammit! I’m leaving it this time) was matched up against Guerra who was simply in the zone against a fragile L.A. offense. Keep playing the matchups with Guerra and you’ll be a happy man.
Max Scherzer – 7.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks. Aces gonna ace.
Danny Salazar – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks. Super awesome to see zero walks from Salazar. Like for realsies.
Matt Moore – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. He’s coming off a 5 ER start, which was only three removed from another 5 ER start. Don’t be a fool and buy into this, even if it came against the super strong Sawx.
Aaron Sanchez – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. It’ll be tough to see you go Sanchez.
Edinson Volquez – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Don’t care Volquez, I’m not falling for this again.
Jameson Taillon – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. A strikeout per inning? Against the Mariners??? GET HYPED.
Sean Manaea – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. I want to think that Manaea is figuring it out, but even if I’m cherry-picking stats, he still has a 4.17 ERA across his last six starts.
James Shields – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. I’m envisioning an unassuming owner who doesn’t know what Shields has done this year and gets excited when he can add him to his team. Poor fella.
Yovani Gallardo – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks. Our secondary Call Boy was cruising through five, then remembered that he’s supposed to be bad and took his foot off the gas fella. You really don’t want to be rostering YoGa.
Kyle Hendricks – 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Blegh, it’s a dub and a QS and five Ks, but that WHIP is questionable. Whatever, keep rolling with that high floor.
Dallas Keuchel – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. Nah, I ain’t buying a major Keuchel rebound. If someone wants to take the chance by all means let em.
Daniel Norris – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. Hot damn! Sure, the Marlins aren’t the best offense, but seeing Norris with eight Ks is ballllller.
Nick Martinez – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 2 Ks. Bleeeegggggh. Chill with the handouts, will ya?
Tyler Anderson – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Anderson has limited upside, pitches his home games at Coors Field, and doesn’t deserve a spot on your team. This should be the blurb for every Colorado starter not named Gray and maybe even Gray.
Zach Eflin – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. I’m telling you guys, you’re going to be happy with Eflin at the end of your staff when he gets an easier schedule. This isn’t so bad against the Dbacks, anyway.
Logan Verrett – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 1 Ks. If you’re seeing Verrett, it means a Mets starter is injured. Poor Matz. :(
David Price – 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks. This is such a Price start. Elite K/BB, bottom of the barrell ERA + WHIP. When I did my VPR and kVPR stats for 2014, Price had a below average VPR (ERA) and studly kVPR (Ks + WHIP). Looks about right to me, though I will tell you that he got a bit unlucky in this start (FIP and xFIP under 3.00). Still, these starts are too typical, and it makes me want to demote him again on Monday. We’ll see.
Archie Bradley – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Our Call Boy go the Quality Start but didn’t do much of anything else to make us happy. Just four Ks against the Phils Bradley? What gives duder.
Joel De La Cruz – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Ahhh, now here’s a Cup of Schmo.
Christian Friedrich – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. I can see why some people have chased Friedrich but he was a TEEs for a bit, and it’s start to bite him in his last two starts.
Masahiro Tanaka – 6.0 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. This is the day of the bad inning, eh? This blows, but there’s no reason to stop rolling with Tanaka.
Jered Weaver – 5.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks. This blows and there is every reason to stop rolling with Weaver.
Wade Miley – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. I am so happy that the Mariners moved Nate Karns to the pen and kept Miley in the rotation. GET OUT OF MY APARTMENT.
Tom Koehler – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. And this is why we never want to rely on Koehler.
Ricky Nolasco – 5.2 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. And definitely not Nolasco. Oh jeez, never Nolasco.
Jake Peavy – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks. Peavy had looked decent in the past month and got the A’s tonight. So of course he didn’t live up to expectations. I should have seen it coming…
Cody Reed – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks. He was faced with the Cubs, which is never an easy task. He did strike out five in just four with zero walks, though. Just trying to stay positive here. Well, who is he playing next? …The Cubs again. Oh…
Today’s Streamers
Michael Pineda vs. Texas Rangers – I’m feeling like this is the day to trust Pineda after looking solid over the past few weeks. Deeper streams include his opponent AJ Griffin who I can conceive skirting past a poor Yankee offense. There’s also Tom Koehler vs. the Braves for those in dire need.
Tomorrow’s Streamer
Jaime Garcia vs. Milwaukee Brewers – Ehhhhh I really don’t like this day for streaming. Garcia got walloped last time out, but it was against the Cubbies and he’s been successful against the Brew Crew this season. I can also understand people going with Nathan Eovaldi against the Friars, but he’s allowed at least 4 ER in five straight starts…but the Padres are bad against flamethrowing pitchers…but 8.65 ERA in his last five outings…
Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer
Bud Norris vs. Miami Marlins – I can’t believe I’m even suggesting this but here we are. Nud Borris has been rolling lately and he gets the best matchup of the day among mostly unowned starters. Of course now that I’m endorsing him the clock will strike midnight at 7:00pm, which totally makes sense.
Game of the Day
Carlos Carrasco vs. Toronto Blue Jays – Carrasco was baller against the Tigers last time out, going the distance for the CGSHO. If he can knock down the hot Blue Jays as well…
One more thing! We published our first podcast episode last night and make sure to give it a listen: One The Corner Episode 1. Let us know what you guys want to hear in next week’s episode in the comments.