It’s time we had a chat about Michael Pineda. During the pre-season I adored the fella. He looked to have been incredibly unlucky last season, and his K/BB peripherals are astounding. Like Top 15 good. Well, it’s been a bit of a struggle for Pineda so far, especially after putting up a 5.0 IP, 7 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks line today to the Rays. This was actually kinda comical. After getting two quick outs (the first on a three pitch strikeout) and an 0-2 count on Longoria, Pineda proceeded to allow 5 ER in the first inning, four off a pair of 2-run shots. You can even see Pineda give a full “are you freakin’ kidding me?” look after the second bomb. Now, obviously I’m going to lower him tomorrow on The List, but he’s still someone I expect to rebound as the season continues. His stuff is better this what his 6.95 ERA tells you, especially when he’s packing a 3.22 xFIP supported by a 11.05 K/9 and a 2.05 BB/9. There will be bumps, but I think he’s a solid buy low guy still. The numbers under-the-hood are just too good.
Let’s see what every other SP did yesterday:
Jason Hammel – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. It’s hard not to like first half Hammel. Especially when gets the Braves/Nats/Padres/Brewers next. Talk about seduction…
Yordano Ventura – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. I was asked today where I’d rank Ventura if he harnessed his upside with no mental inhibitions. Top 20/25 is the answer, but the sad truth is that we’ll never see it. This hurts just slightly less than reading the news about Carrasco today.
Carlos Carrasco – 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks. Oh, you didn’t hear? Carrasco left the game in the 3rd inning after straining his hamstring covering first for a groundout. Why did it have to be Carrasco? Why not, say Greinke or Price or Harvey or Cole or any one of the starters that everyone else took ahead of Carrasco and were greatly regretting it? He’ll be hitting the DL and there isn’t a timetable in place yet. It’s usually something along the lines of 4-6 weeks or whatever. Who knows. What I do know is that I have a pint of Chocolate Fudge Brownie waiting for me. Nick, it’s like 2:00am. I’M SO SAD.
Drew Smyly – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Okay…sniff…I guess…sniff…this helps. I’m seriously tempted to put Smyly in the Top 25 tomorrow. He’s a freakin’ beast. No Carrasco, but still a beast.
Stephen Strasburg – 7.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks. I know it’s a tired joke of Dusty leaving people in too long, but Dusty, STOP LEAVING PEOPLE IN TOO LONG. This would have been a 1 ER, 4 hits, 9 Ks start, but nooooooooooo Dusty had to put Strasburg in for the 8th where he gave up a 3 run bomb on his 114th pitch. Thanks for nothing Dusty.
Drew Hutchison – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Hey look! Hutchison is back! Hey look! No one cares!
Aaron Blair – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks. Ehhh I didn’t really like what I saw today. He’s like a less serviceable Aaron Nola with a three pitch repertoire of a Two-Seamer, Changeup, and Curveball. His Changeup looked best but not terribly consistent, and his Curveball looked pretty meh. The Fastball can generate grounders, but I don’t see a major fantasy impact outside of an NL Easy stream here or there. It’s just one start, but I’m not impressed thus far.
Mat Latos – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. You know Latos, you’re doing a great job of making me not care about you even when you hold just a 0.74 ERA on the season. That’s what happens when your 4.81 K/9 looks lower than last year’s ERA. Dayyyyyyum.
Jacob DeGrom – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. While I am thrilled to have deGrom back to bring some sort of stability to the Top 15 – which is a total wreck, might I add from #6 to god knows where – this is pretty lackluster from a guy that normally plows through the NL Easy like me on this pint of Ben & Jerry’s. I already miss you so much Carrasco. Why? WHY?!
Wade Miley – 7.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. I’d still take DL’d Carson Smith over this.
Derek Holland – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. Our reluctant Call Boy was a big pile of blegh. Still Top 10 for the day, but still super blegh. I hope it helped…?
Shane Greene – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. To follow suit with Carrasco, Greene left after three frames with a blister on his finger. Fun fact: Starters in this game tallied just 5.2 innings pitched. Funner fact: I still think Greene is an intriguing upside guy that could be a sleeper in deep leagues.
Wily Peralta – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks. Stop being so Wily!
Francisco Liriano – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks. Remember when Liriano opened the baseball season with a 10 K performance as he shut out the Cards? What a tease. Well, I hope you guys believe that my ECR low #41 ranking of Liriano is completely justified. The guy currently has a higher BB/9 (7.17) than Johnny Cueto’s K/9 (6.99).
Tyler Duffey – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks. Duffman! Ohhhhh-Kay! It was just a spot start to give Ervin Santana a little rest for his ailing back, and I’m not sure he’ll stick in the bigs, especially with the way Ricky Nolasco is somehow defying all odds like he’s Keith Richards’ immune system.
Colin Rea – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. Yeah, I really don’t see a time when Rea enters my Top 100.
Mike Leake – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. It really wasn’t a good day for Mikes.
Mike Wright – 6.1 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. Double true. But is it every a good day for Wright?
Henry Owens – 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks. Owens is back up and being as disappointing as ever. Can you believe he was a Top 10 prospect at one point? Baseball is weird.
Adam Conley – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks. This is why you can’t judge a guy by just one successful outing against The Mets. Yes, he’s safe to drop.
Alex Wood – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. No one is getting Wood these days. What about Alex? Oh him? Some people are still going for it, but I don’t go that way.
Matt Cain – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Cain Cain go away, don’t come back another day.
Scott Feldman – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks. Feldman Schmeldman.
Jerad Eickhoff – 5.1 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks. Eickhoff was gassed in the 6th inning at it tore him to shreds for 5 ER. The good news is that he’ll be dropped in a lot of places tomorrow meaning that if you didn’t own him before, you can now. The bad news is that Eickhoff couldn’t take advantage of an outing against Milwaukee. Womp womp.
Robbie Ray – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Still waiting for those starts that will make everyone love Ray.
Matt Shoemaker – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. There will be a day or two of wonderful upside from Shoemaker, but I’d rather chase a slick goat in slippers (That’s totally a phrase trust me) than Matty’s fine days on the hill.
Eric Surkamp – 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks. Eric’s last name fittingly sounds like the most boring place to send your kids for the summer. Sir Camp again? MOM YOU PROMISED.
Jordan Lyles – 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 5 BBs, 0 Ks. Lyles 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.
Alfredo Simon – 2.2 IP, 8 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. During the two-start pitchers article, I called Simon’s described as possibly “the worst week I’ve ever seen from a pitcher.” The final line: 3.2 IP, 12 Hits, 11 ER, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Freakin’ Nostradamus over here.
Today’s Streamer
Ross Stripling vs. Miami Marlins –Stripling has the stuff to be an above-average Toby, which means he’s a solid guy to roll with against the Marlins.
Tomorrow’s Streamer
Bartolo Colon vs. Cincinnati Reds – The Big Apple still has some quality starts under his belt and could pull off a Win without the heavy repercussions.
Game of the Day
Kevin Gausman vs. Tampa Bay Rays – It’s the first start from Gausman of the year as he returns from injury, which is a bit exciting to say the least. I’m curious if he can break the trend of actually performing well after an extended DL stint, to say more than least but less than most.