Crunched Berrios

WHAT IS HAPPENING. I have to say, I’ve felt a bit naked this past week – not because I don’t wear pants when I work but because I’ve missed watching games and talking about them here. But tonight was everything I could hope for, some studs killing it, others faltering in a big way, and questionable arms forcing me to explain their lack of overall relevancy. What a dream. Taking this back to reality (oh there goes gravity) Jose Berrios got hit with a smack of real life as he faced the Astros, giving us a line of 1.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks. as he was pulled with 59 pitches and 7 Runs total. Jeeeez, this is really terrible. I put out my sit/start of the weekend Friday morning and I admit I had Berrios initially as a Start without realizing it was the Astros and changed it to a Maybe after some of you pointed it out. I would have still thrown him out there – even with the lack of domination lately – and if you guys watched this, his 2nd inning was just such a struggle. Strikeout, walk, error that should have been a double-play. That should have been it. Then a single to right, scores a run, a double off the wall on a hanging 1-2 Curveball (he deserved this one), the worst kind of infield single you’ll ever see on a check swing, a walk to load the bases, a sacrifice fly, and a groundball single up the middle. Berrios gets pulled because his pitch count is too high and the first batter hits a 3-Run HR off Hughes. Ugggggh. This was terrible but I don’t think Berrios pitched that badly. If someone is looking at his last three starts and thinking regression is here and will be here the rest of the way, awesome, give him to me. Better yet, Berrios has two questionable starts next – Yanks and Dodgers – and has a super easy schedule rest of the way. Maybe wait until that July 25th game to pull the trigger, but regardless I want Berrios for my playoffs.

Let’s see how every other SP did yesterday:

Jacob deGrom – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 11 Ks. Aces gonna ace. Mmmmm this is pretty.

James Paxton – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks. Aces also gonna ace. We’ve done this ceremony already, right?

Gio Gonzalez – 8.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. And Gio just keeps rolling. Everything is pointing to major regression, but Gio was able to handle the Reds and you can’t stop starting him until he gets there. Not someone I’d target as your trade deadline approaches – someone I’d rather sell high on – but otherwise keeping rolling until we hit that wall.

Sonny Gray – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Good stuff Gray, much better than expected against a solid Indians offense. This will definitely help get him out of Oakland, but if he survives until the end of July, I’m throwing him out there against the Rays and Jays next.

Aaron Sanchez – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Great to see Sanchez have a start where he looked comfortable, though a 1.50 WHIP and just 4 Ks aren’t great. I wanted to see him not get flustered in one start before trusting him – this was the Tigers as well – and I think I’m cool starting him next time out against the Red Sox.

R.A. Dickey – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Dickey has been telling people that we based our new DTAK shirt on his appearance. Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer. 

Jacob Faria – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Santa Faria! Great to see that right after Ian Posts’ fantastic GIF Breakdown of Faria that the man continues to deal. Sure it was the Angels and yes we clearly need to make a Santa Faria shirt now but I’d be a happy owner if I had him. Barring any major setbacks you’ll see him around #30 come next Monday. Not this Monday? No List this week, just three games and everyone knows the Pineda is removed from The List already.

Carlos Carrasco – 6.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks. On one hand, Carrasco earned the Gallows Pole as he earned 19 whiffs en route to those 10 Ks. On the other, he allowed a pair of HRs and struggled with men on base against Oakland. We need you Carrasco, don’t do this to us.

Ricky Nolasco – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Sure, whatever Nolasco. Suit Man whispers in my ear. Wait, he also got the Gallows Pole? 19 Whiffs? Really?

Gerrit Cole – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. Cole, you are really reinforcing that “King of really good” as this start is suitable n all but does little to raise the banners in celebration of your ownership. You couldn’t give us more than 4 Ks? Tim Adleman had four Ks tonight. That’s the company you’re with. Anyway, he’s in this grey area right at #39 and I think he hangs around there a little.

Mike Leake – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks. Blegh. Still don’t like trusting Leake in 12-teamers.

Dan Straily – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. This is super boring but I guess I’ll take it? Watch all the hype die down now as people see his K/9 fall under 9.00 because of this one start. This is going to be fun.

Justin Verlander – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Ugggggh can we get out of purgatory yet? Make up your mind already. There are signs that this won’t get better as Verlander threw 67 strikes over 114 pitches – good for a poor 58.8% mark – and the fact that he couldn’t escape the 6th with that many pitches speaks volumes. But the “stuff” is there, velocity is too, just not the precision we’re used to seeing. I’m tired, I’m waiting, I love you darling! Wait, that’s not right.

Taijuan Walker – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. Solid outing from Walker, now let’s see it again, please.

Johnny Cueto – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. He’s now complaining about the balls being different and causing him blisters. Make any trade you can with Cueto before it’s too late.

Jason Hammel – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. So close to that Quality Start and justifying the only reason why people own you. So close. 

Jordan Montgomery – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. Soooo we have to talk. The Bear’s last three starts have been…disappointing. 11 Ks total, 8 ER in just 13.2 innings, and this just isn’t the guy I was thinking he’d be. Now there are things to still like – whiff rate hasn’t fallen in this time, still holding a low hard hit rate, etc. The problem has been the HRs, which have risen to 4 across these games., That really isn’t that bad and if he could just not go so deep into at-bats, Quality Starts would be in order. I think you hold here and I really do see JorMont making the steps in the future to be a sturdy #3 for your squad. I see him as a target for my 2018 drafts already.

Martin Perez – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. This is such a Perez start. I’d give this line for Perez as a joke. Maybe because he is a joke. Your words, not mine.

Brandon McCarthy – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. Ugggh, this is terrible McCarthy. Now you haven’t had a game over 4 Ks in seven starts and that was a middling 6 Ks. Just 8 Ks in your last three! I’m not suggesting a drop – I definitely want to roll with him against the Braves next – I’m just choking up on that leash.

Mike Montgomery – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. Yeah, go ahead and drop MiMonty.

Charlie Morton – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 10 Ks. 10 Ks! But 5 walks…Only 3 Hits! But 4 ER in 5 IP…Morton, that fourth inning really killed you, but you gotta stop walking batters. Find a way, your stuff is good enough that you don’t need to do this.

Drew Pomeranz – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Ehhhh 7 Ks is salvagable here but I was hoping The Dirty Cheerleader could give us just one fewer ER to leave with a QS against the Yanks. Whatever, still trusting him every 5 days.

Clayton Richard – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 11 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. It’s the wrong Clayton!

James Shields – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks. What’s amazing is that Shields is the “veteran leader” on the White Sox staff with Quintana gone. Ho boy…

Tim Adleman – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. There’s the Adleman we know and hate.

Zach Davies – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 5 BBs, 6 Ks. I wonder if there are still some that trust Davies. A familiar face does a lot.

Kevin Gausman – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. I know it sounds silly, but seeing just one walk and five Ks across three frames makes me somewhat believe in a longterm Gausman. This isn’t the same ghastly evil we saw at the beginning of the year. Still horrible n all but a step in the right direction at least.

Jon Gray – 2.0 IP, 8 ER, 9 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks. Great, now we need to worry about Gray too? Just one whiff across the entire start (I feel like I need a term as the opposite of Gallows Pole. The Fresh Prince of Still Air? That might be the worst I’ve ever come up with.) and he was getting lit up in every way. Slider wasn’t good. Fastball was horrendous. Command terrible. It’s all there. This could have just been a bad day and I’m still starting him next time out against the Padres + he gets the Cards next. I’d be shocked if he’s healthy and suddenly “lost it.”

Nick Pivetta – 5.0 IP, 9 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. If I had the normal Streamer choices for yesterday, Pivetta would have been the choice against the Brewers and that went…really really badly. Hold back on starting Pivetta until he gets the Braves or Angels at the end of the month.

Today’s Streamer

Tyler Chatwood vs. New York Mets – I’ve said it before, Chatwood can be productive when he’s facing a poor team outside of Coors. Here’s his chance. If you think you need strikeouts, Patrick Corbin against the Braves could be a better option.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Andrew Moore vs. Chicago White Sox – Very few options meet the sub 25% threshold today, leaving me with Moore against the White Sox. Really don’t like this one, but it’s all I’ve got.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Jerad Eickhoff vs. Miami Marlins – The Marlins are a stronger offense than in previous years, though Eickhoff looked great in his return last weekend and this could turn out well for him on Monday.

Game of the Day

Chris Sale vs. Luis Severino – There is also Luis Castillo vs. Max Scherzer…and Aaron Nola vs. Jimmy Nelson…but this one has the Sawx/Yanks rivalry attached giving it a slightly added boost.