There are times during the year that bad pitchers suddenly look like studs, and Wade Miley gave us one of those last night with a line of 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks. Amazing. Just when the Orioles show they are interested in yet another pitcher that’s barely worth anyone’s time, Miley decides to throw his best start of the season. And when I say best start of the season, I mean best start of the season. The dude hadn’t struck out seven batters since the second start of the year (when he also allowed 6 ER..) and it’s only the third time he’s allowed fewer than 2 ER – sixth time under 3 ER. Jeez that’s a Soprano whack attack. I don’t care that this was against the Cubs, Miley isn’t worth your time and will wreck your team. Like a giant ball of some sort? Sure, let’s go with that.
Let’s see what every other SP did yesterday:
Justin Verlander – 9.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 11 Ks. Oh man I love you Jimmy V. I love you I love you I love you.
J.A. Happ – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 11 Ks. It’s crazy how Happ is cruising this season. This was against the Orioles, who do strikeout a bit, but also aren’t supposed to have just 1 ER in seven innings. Keep on keepin’ on if you own Happ, though I wouldn’t be running to buy him at the same time.
Mike Fiers – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Oh come on Fiers, I don’t trust this one bit.
Ian Kennedy – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. This is what Kennedy does. He has a few clunkers, then looks great, and then some more clunkers…it’s a gamble every time on a better scale than Hellickson, so be cautious.
Martin Perez – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Go away Perez. You’re a bigger TEEs than Giolito going to the Yankees. But hey, we got Frazier and Sheffield so that’s all good I guess.
Jake Arrieta – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. I’ve been saying Arrieta isn’t going to be the Top 5 stud that you want him to be, but he’s still firmly in the Top 10. Give me one or two more Ks and I’m still super happy.
Braden Shipley – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Alright so Shipley isn’t the worst thing since taxes. I still don’t see him bringing much upside to the table, and he still isn’t expressing much K production. He’s not the pitching prospect you should be chasing.
Anthony DeSclafani – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. There we go Tony Disco! That’s more like it. I mean, fine this was against the Padres but at least you’re not falling apart against weak teams (ahem, Joe Ross…).
Miguel Gonzalez – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Ehhhh, nah. Miguel…No.
Josh Tomlin – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Tomlin strikeout production is slowly climbing as he’s earned at least 7 Ks three times in his last five games. There’s a part of me that wants you to sell given his 4.81 FIP (4.09 xFIP, 4.12 SIERA), and this start was against the A’s…but there’s just something about Tomlin that has me sticking with him. Maybe it’s his 1.04 BB/9, or that he’s had 2 ER or fewer in 11 of his 19 starts. I don’t blame you either way.
Chase Anderson – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. I tried cherry picking some Anderson numbers, like how he hasn’t allowed more than 3 ER in five starts now, but even then he still has a 4.03 ERA, 6.04 BB/9 and a 5.27 xFIP. Yeah, don’t go near Anderson.
Colin Rea – 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. It was his first start for the Fish and he was removed with an elbow injury in the fourth. They only really wanted Andrew Cashner, right?
Drew Smyly – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Atta boy Smyly, good to see him continue to take advantage of a better schedule after a super tough stretch of top 10 offenses.
Christian Friedrich – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. Oh hey, Friedrich actually can do something good That’s cool, I guess.
Jameson Taillon – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. A QS with a 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 6 Ks? Awww yes Taillon I WANT MORE. And he gets the Reds next. Best pitching prospect of the year goes to…well maybe Michael Fulmer. Whatever.
Nathan Eovaldi – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Ehhhh it’s a QS if you needed if for your stream, and that sub 1.00 WHIP is nice. It’s kinda back to old Eovaldi where he wasn’t close to threatening Top 40, but still comfortably inside the Top 100.
Jorge De La Rosa – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. De La Rosa 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.
Hector Santiago – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 6 BBs, 6 Ks. Six walks? Jeez Santiago, I know this was the Sawx but that’s just not cool at all.
Scott Kazmir – 6.2 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks. I’m impressed with Kaz’s K/BB here, though I do worry that he will have a safe enough ERA to enjoy that production.
Julio Teheran – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. This isn’t so bad given the 1.20 WHIP, but everything else is pretty bleghy and it’s just another rung down the ladder of regression.
Jake Peavy – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. Seven Ks in four innings isn’t something to ignore, but then again, it’s just the fifth time all season he’s had more than five strikeouts. Yikes.
Reynaldo Lopez – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks. Dang. I’ll be eyeing him a ton in 2017, but for now he has to work out a few kinks and I’m sure it’ll be some time before he pitches in the MLB again.
Jeremy Hellickson – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. HE’S THE DEVIL. I mentioned this in the Podcast this past week saying that it’s best to avoid Hellickson wherever. No QS, a really poor WHIP, just 2 Ks and an ERA over 4.50. Yep, he’s burning villages alright.
Drew Pomeranz – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. The Angels have been a Top 5 offense over the last 30 days so don’t think of this as The Dirty Cheerleader suddenly falling apart. I consider him a good buy low right now.
Tommy Milone – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. Milone Schmilone – JUST CALL UP BERR–…what’s that? HE GOT CALLED UP?!?! There is good in the world. He gets the start tomorrow
Bartolo Colon – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. The Big Apple couldn’t handle the Rockies at home, and while he can be helpful here and there, it’s why he hasn’t shot up the rankings this season.
Yovani Gallardo – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 5 BBs, 5 Ks. Yep, that’s YoGa for you.
Jaime Garcia – 3.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. I highly doubt we’ll get to a point this season where we are trusting Garcia this season. Kinda nuts how this is how it is, but it’s how it is.
Dillon Overton – 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. I’m doing everything I can not to make any cheap shot jokes here. Fortunately none of you guys owned him, so you’ll get over him and not miss Dillon a ton.
Today’s Streamers
Bud Norris vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – He’s only owned in 20.1% of leagues for some reason and you best be chasing that. I’m super interested in Homer Bailey’s return from the DL against the Padres, but y’all know my rule about not starting a guy after an extended DL trip in his first start back, and Norris is the better pitcher anyway.
Tomorrow’s Streamer
Jimmy Nelson vs. San Diego Padres – Jimmy is coming off a 6 ER outing, but I expect him to bounce back against the lowly Padres.
Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer
Mike Foltynewicz vs. Pittsburgh Pirates – This could go very poorly or very well, that’s the life of a risky upside streamer. There’s also Luis Perdomo against the Brewers, but I’m not sure he brings enough upside to the table to take the risk on his floor just yet. Too bad guys like Matt Moore and Zach Davies are owned in over 30% of leagues as they are better options.
Game of the Day
Homer Bailey vs. San Diego Padres – Come on, who doesn’t want to see how the kid looks?