Smells Like Dean Spirit

Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Friday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch weekday mornings from 9 am-11 am ET.  

Dean Kremer (BAL) vs HOU (W) – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 106 pitches.

What has gotten into these Orioles pitchers against the Astros?! Watching his teammate Bradish nearly go the distance the night before, Dean Kremer had to show up his peer with an astounding 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 106 pitches performance in Camden. Seriously, incredible.

There must have been a conversation with their pitching staff as Kremer did the same thing Bradish did – he pulled back heavily on his four-seamer (34% usage this season, just 12% in this game!). Instead, Kremer featured cutters + curves + changeups 72% of the time and they soared. 14 whiffs between them and a good amount of strikes and this…this could work.

However. Are we confident this change can carry over into starts against the Red Sox and Yankees? We’ve seen ups and downs all season from Kremer and it’s hard to be sold that poof everything is fixed and good to go. I’ll not rule him out automatically against those solid teams and at least enter him into the mix now, but let’s not run to the wire and let our season come down to this sticking.

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:

 

José Quintana (STL) @ LAD (W) – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 101 pitches.

Did you have the guts to start Quintana here? You deserved this if you did. It’s smooth sailing now with two starts against the Pirates up next and you better start him there.

Aaron Nola (PHI) vs ATL (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 104 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. Thank the four-seamer earning a 44% CSW for that Golden Goal. You could say the fours were with him. You’re not sorry, are you. Not one bit.

Jon Gray (TEX) vs CLE (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 87 pitches.

What a weird start. HAISTBMBWT?! His heater was a tick down to 95 mph and the slider returned all four whiffs across 30 thrown…and he cruised through five. Weird. It makes me a little more hesitant to start him against the Mariners, but I think you gotta do it now that he’s at 87 pitches.

Brady Singer (KC) vs SEA (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 110 pitches.

Atta boy Singer. It’s your standard Slider whiffs, Sinker tiffs start as the slider went 11/44 whiffs and sinkers went 13/59 called strikes (those are tiffs? Sure, the batter is upset at the pitch and ignores it. CLEARLY.) and as long as we get the SwSt from Singer, it’s gonna be a good time. Gotta keep playing him for the chance it hits.

Braxton Garrett (MIA) vs WSH (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 80 pitches.

Ayyyyy it worked! The slider came back (8/27 whiffs) and a 47% CSW sinker cleaned up the rest. I think you’re okay against the Brewers next for one more try before a potential start (well, sit) against Atlanta.

José Urquidy (HOU) @ BAL (L) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 94 pitches.

Hey that’s great. Urquidy struggled in his last two, and to see him excel here (finally changing the pitch mix, thanks!) makes me a happy man. It may be enough to let us trust him against the Rays now, that’s up to you.

Cody Morris (CLE) @ TEX (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 80 pitches.

Ayyyy this is still alive and well. For someone I completely wrote off two weeks ago, then kinda jumped in on last week, I’m now raising an eyebrow to consider him against the Rays next week. He’ll be in the same Questionable Start as this one, but it can work, y’all, and no one seems to care in your leagues.

Chris Bassitt (NYM) @ OAK (W) – 8.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 91 pitches.

Aces gonna earn just two strikeouts across eight frames and we’re just gonna look past that today. Let out the howl, Bassitt hounds.

Ryan Feltner (COL) vs SD (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 89 pitches.

[ColoradoStarter.blurb] I’ve got things to do, places to see. No you don’t, we’re just playing Halo this afternoon. WHY HAVEN’T YOU MOVED OUT YET.

Bryse Wilson (PIT) vs CHC (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.

Mmmmmm okay. I don’t trust people with two first names.

Shohei Ohtani (LAA) @ MIN (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 6 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 100 pitches.

Aces gonna walk the farm (and the sheep!) but still come through. That’s 203 strikeouts on the year and I’m so happy I was wrong on Oh Tony Ohtani in the preseason.

Luis Cessa (CIN) vs MIL (L) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 88 pitches.

Should we just avoid Cessa moving forward? Yeah, I think that’s best.

Eric Lauer (MIL) @ CIN (ND) – 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 66 pitches.

He came back from the IL and was limited as we expected. The eight baserunners were not, though he could conceivably go 75-80 pitches against the Reds next and that’s kinda interesting, isn’t it. It’s 2022, I feel like it can be summed up by our uneasiness starting Lauer.

Lucas Giolito (CWS) vs DET (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 90 pitches.

Giolito held a 51% CSW across 39 changeups + sliders. I cannot thank the Tigers enough for existing. Tough decisions are on the horizon with Giolito ending the year with two starts against the Twins and if you buy into 10/31 whiffs on the change, then it should work out. Maybe start the first and go from there?

Eduardo Rodriguez (DET) @ CWS (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 85 pitches.

A VPQS with a Win is kinda great from Erod as I had zero faith he would come through in this one. His heater is still meh, the change went 2/13 whiffs, and the cutter is…fine. No thanks.

Louie Varland (MIN) vs LAA (L) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 88 pitches.

Blegh. You gained three strikeouts if you were desperate for something here. I think there’s some intrigue across the long term for Varland, but we can forget about him for 2022.

Jeffrey Springs (TB) vs TOR (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 83 pitches.

Ehhhhh. Those ratios hurt, but he still had his changeup (nine whiffs!). He’s in a good enough place that you still start him after this.

Marco Gonzales (SEA) @ KC (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 79 pitches.

The changeup was good, everything else wasn’t. Come on Marco, you have two starts left against middling offenses. PULL IT TOGETHER.

Javier Assad (CHC) @ PIT (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 91 pitches.

Blegh. The cutter was better than last time, but still not the pitch we want it to be. Now it’s the Reds and there’s still some temptation there – can he make the adjustment? Still not a bad dart throw.

Mitch White (TOR) @ TB (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 64 pitches.

Yeaaaaah. This isn’t a grey area, you’ll get a black eye if you start White.

Sean Manaea (SD) @ COL (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 69 pitches.

This was as obvious of a bench as that slab of perpendicular concrete at the entrance of a meadow. It’s not comfortable, but it’s clear.

Josiah Gray (WSH) @ MIA (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 92 pitches.

4/53 whiffs on sliders + curveballs is so far away from the Josiah we want to see. Shut it down, folks. SHUT IT DOWN.

Gerrit Cole (NYY) vs BOS (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 103 pitches.

Aces gonna nearly have this. He juuuust missed a 1-2 fastball on the corner to end the sixth, then the 2-2 pitch was a three-run shot. So for everyone who wants to say “COLE IS TERRIBLE” realize how minute the difference is between success and failure. His stuff is too good, this is more bad luck than a proper outcome.

Rich Hill (BOS) @ NYY (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 83 pitches.

Yeaaaaah, can’t say I’m shocked. It was a bit of a longshot and if you squint, you can see how this could have come through for ya. He’s a Cherry Bomb at best and that may be good enough to give it the ole try against the Orioles.

Carlos Rodón (SF) @ ARI (ND) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 93 pitches.

Blegh. Velocity was down to just 94 mph, his slider wasn’t working, and it’s clear the cracked nail messed him up a bit. The heater sailed higher than usual and he just wasn’t in the groove we know and love. Let’s hope it gets corrected by his next outing.

Andrew Heaney (LAD) vs STL (L) – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 86 pitches.

Awwww. I wouldn’t say his stuff was particularly bad, it just wasn’t as smooth pitch-to-pitch as we normally see it. Whatareyagonnado. At least he was able to go 86 pitches…? He may get just one more start as the final member of the six-man rotation, though it’s against Rockie Road next week and you don’t want to miss that.

Tommy Henry (ARI) vs SF (ND) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 82 pitches.

There’s a reason why I don’t trust people with two first names.

Cole Irvin (OAK) vs NYM (L) – 4.2 IP, 8 ER, 11 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 77 pitches.

THERE’S A REASON WHY I DON’T TRUST PEOPLE WITH TWO FIRST NAMES.

Jake Odorizzi (ATL) @ PHI (L) – 4.0 IP, 8 ER, 10 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 95 pitches.

Oh dear. I had hopes that Odorizzi could come through after featuring good command the previous outing, and well, nope. But he kinda did locate well, it just didn’t work out. Like really didn’t work out. So we’re done with him, right? Ehhhhhhh. NICK. I’m just saying, this is a sample size of one and it’s Natty Lite + Miami next. I still think those could help.

 

Game of the Day

 

Jacob deGrom vs. Oakland Athletics – THROW A PERFECT GAME ALREADY.

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

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Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire | Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire