Flat Manning

Matt Manning @ CLE (L) – 3.2 IP, 9 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 75 pitches.

Look, we didn’t have high expectations for Matt Manning this year after watching an MLB debut containing a low-to-mid 90s with a pair of secondaries that did little to impress, but he seemed serviceable. A Toby who could take advantage of weak teams. Like Cleveland? Sure like–oh no. 3.2 IP, 9 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks?! Manning, NO. Streaming Record: 48-38.

Does this mean we’re done with Manning now? He sat 94 mph on his heater and heavily struggled to do anything with his changeup or slider (1/28 whiffs combined, yikes), allowing his heaters to get mashed as they found the heart of the plate. In short, this was the nightmare we saw as a possibility in his debut. It gets worse now — CHW + @MIN next — and this lead is a warning to stop if you’ve in any way invested. There’s still plenty of time for Manning to develop down the road, that doesn’t mean you have to endure all the bumps on your fantasy squad in 2021.

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:

 

Paolo Espino vs NYM (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 67 pitches.

I mean, sure, I guess that happened. His heater sat 89.7 mph and his secondaries were…fine. Yay.

Kyle Freeland vs PIT (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 79 pitches.

Hot dang! Freeland earned whiffs on both his slider and curveball (he has a curveball?!), electing to throw just 32% fastballs overall as they returned 40% CSW. Ah, yes, the Gomber way. It’s obviously the best we’ve seen from Freeland in a very long time and not something I’d latch onto, but at least I’m paying attention now. That’s all you need to do right now. That’s a thing and maybe it can be my thing in the future, too.

Jake Faria @ STL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 67 pitches.

Whoaaaa, it’s cool to see Faria getting a somewhat legit chance to start once again — I feel like I’ve been waiting five years for this — and he wasn’t so bad. Sure, nothing close to the man we got amped for in the good ole days, but cool for him. These days are the fun ones.

Wade LeBlanc vs ARI (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 71 pitches.

This whole matchup (LeBlanc vs. Faria) was a game of “Wait, he’s still a thing? And pitches for THEM?!” Y’all know LeBlanc ain’t no Bosco and not the drink for you, let’s not kid ourselves.

Freddy Peralta vs CHC (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 94 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. Isn’t it lovely that Peralta can make sure the hits are few when he walks four? It’s just so dang considerate. Weird to see this success despite a poor evening for the slider, but hey, that could be seen as a positive. He did so well and he didn’t even need the sweeper! Spin city, indeed.

Thomas Eshelman @ HOU (ND) – 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 0 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 75 pitches.

Oh Tommy, I didn’t expect anything and I’m still upset. Not a single strikeout? HAISTFMFWT?! But seriously, don’t expect anything.

Trevor Bauer vs SF (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 98 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. Phew, I’m glad Bauer can still earn a King Cole, albeit with some slight help from Angel Hernández. I can’t ignore the poor 1.50 WHIP along the way, and how his four-seamer (aka formerly “MLB’s best pitch”) is kinda meh these days at 27% CSW and just 15% usage. Seriously, the heater saw a near 300 drop in rpm in this one. Yikes. This outing should be good proof that he’s still a Top 20 pitcher without Spider Tack, though. His stuff ain’t gone and he’ll help your teams through the year with solid cutters, sliders, curves, changeups, and yes, fastballs.

Michael King vs LAA (L) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 77 pitches.

King is a Toby at best, but that would require going reasonably deep into games, which he most certainly does not. You’d think with his regality he’d be able to arrange something like that.

Dylan Bundy @ NYY (ND) – 1.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 43 pitches.

The man did what us managers have done for the last two months — he puked behind the mound and was pulled from the game early. Maybe this is the purge we’ve been looking for, a physical representation of the internal struggle exorcising from himself like The Babadook. I think this is the only time in my life I’m actually hoping The Babadook exists.

Spencer Howard @ CIN (ND) – 2.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 39 pitches.

We’re acting like Michael Jackson as we take smooth steps backward with Howard, now tossing just 39 pitches. Oh, and he’s still throwing 70% heaters without a strong secondary pitch. Cool. Cool cool cool.

Tyler Anderson @ COL (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 82 pitches.

I mean, the fella went into Coors. This is kinda fantastic, no? What’s even crazier is 48% on 25 four-seamers and still finishing with a 26% CSW total. Yes, the changeup was that blegh. Milwaukee is next and I can fathom a deep stream there.

Anthony DeSclafani @ LAD (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 86 pitches.

Blegh. Sadly, this is the book on Tony Disco — he’s great save for the times he faces the top 10 offenses or so. And that’s completely cool, I’m very happy enjoying him for 67% of his outings and you should too.

Zack Greinke vs BAL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 96 pitches.

Hmmmm Greinke, you’ve been a stable rock for a bit, why are you interrupting our zen. How could you do this to us, even when your four-seamer and curveball each sat above a 40% CSW and you got a bit Singled Out. How could you. He’s fine, y’all.

Wade Miley vs PHI (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.

If you told me that Miley was going to earn a Gallows Pole, I’d wager he would do better than a 6.00 ERA and a near 2.00 WHIP. His cutter racked up the whiffs but he made too many mistakes and voila, a rough outing. Shake this one off, he gets a solid schedule of CHC + @MIL to make up for it.

Kyle Hendricks @ MIL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 90 pitches.

Awwww Hendricks, you were doing so well! You had two six-inning, zero-ER games at your back and this start, against the Brewers, is when you slip up? Great, now you head to Cincy and you’re making us all uncomfortable. I guess that’s a “Questionable Start” over the weekend that I’ll reluctantly slot Hendricks in the lineup for, BUT I AIN’T HAPPY ABOUT IT.

Danny Duffy @ BOS (ND) – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 62 pitches.

Hey, I’m happy he got 62 pitches and sat 94+ mph on heaters. Maybe it means he can go 75+ pitches next time out? I have to believe April Duffy is still in there somewhere, the man was just too dang beautiful.

Eli Morgan vs DET (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 69 pitches.

The man had some nice changeups, but there’s just not enough in that repertoire to handle…yeah, the Tigers. At least you got a Win? Yay? I’d stay away.

Garrett Richards vs KC (ND) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 11 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 94 pitches.

Richards doesn’t have his slider of old, and the gloopgate is hitting him hard as his spin rates are down 200-250 rpm on heaters and sliders, while his curveball was down…518 RPM. Yeah. He’s so desperate he whipped out changeups for the first time. Can’t have lower spin rates on my changeup if I never threw them before. That’s some serious big-brain stuff.

Jerad Eickhoff @ WSH (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 74 pitches.

Nothing like earning 3/74 whiffs across an outing. I miss the old Eickhoff with the legit hook. Now he’s just EickSUPERoff and it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

 

Game of the Day 

 

Kevin Gausman vs Walker Buehler – Aces gonna ace and why wouldn’t you want to watch that.

 

But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.

 

Have Questions? – Join my morning Twitch livestream! I answer all questions there for free: 8:30 am – 11:00 am EST Monday through Friday.

 

Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)