Pitching – Good or Bad, Part I

Andrew Cashner tossed 5.1 shutout frames against the Phillies his last time out with nine punchouts. That’s the third time in four starts that he allowed one or fewer earned runs. The fourth outing in the run though was… brutal. In that fourth game Cashner walked six batters and allowed six runs. And that’s the issue with Cashner – how can you trust him when he goes out and gets bombed? Think of it like this. Cashner has 20 strikeouts his last 21.1 frames and he hasn’t allowed a single homer in this stretch. That’s great stuff. However, he’s also walked 14 batters leading to a horrific 5.91 per nine mark. Don’t know how you can throw him out there with any level of confidence.

Jharel Cotton tossed 6.1 innings of one run ball in his big league debut. That was the first time an A’s pitcher has worked six innings while allowing two or fewer hits in his big league debut since 1940. This effort came on the heels of six outings with the Athletics Triple-A affiliate with a 2.82 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 8.45 strikeouts per nine and 1.64 free passes issued. The 24 year old righty has a potentially devastating change up that you can view here. His other offerings aren’t great, but he’s got the look of a 4/5 starter at the big league level, and he’s pitching very well right now.

Danny Duffy has been great and he’s outpaced every preseason prognostication for his level of success as he’s gone 11-2 with a 3.13 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 155.1 innings. He’s had the punchout working his last two outings with 18 strikeouts, and he’s posted 20 whiffs over his last 16.2 innings. However, there are concerns over his recent struggles. Over those three starts he’s been battered for 26 hits with five of those hits, including at least one each outing, ending up in the seats. It’s just three starts, but this has to make all the Duffy owners out there hella, and yes I used the work hella, nervous.

Doug Fister has been Mr. Quality Start, and as we are all aware, that can often times be really boring stuff. With a lack of swing and miss stuff guys like Fister are always up for a beating when their control is off. Those beatings are growing in frequency of late. Over his last two outings the righty has lasted just eight innings as he’s allowed 19 hits, including three homers, leading to a 14.63 ERA and 2.88 WHIP. Fister has three strikeouts in three starts. Time to get off the streaming Fister train.

Kyle Gibson stinks. He’s allowed at least four runs each of his last four outings with a 7.36 ERA, 1.91 WHIP and a 1.50 K/BB ratio. Again, he stinks.

Mike Leake returned to the Cardinals rotation, bumping Alex Reyes, to allow three runs over 4.1 innings against the Pirates. Leake has the history but Reyes simply has better stuff. Don’t know why the Cardinals made the decision to go back to Leake so quickly in his return from injury.

Mike Montgomery seems likely to lose his rotation spot with the Cubs as John Lackey is back from the disabled list. Over 88.2 frames this season MM has a 2.74 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He’s also got an uber-exciting 57.6 percent ground ball rate with 83 punchouts. The walks have been the issue as the BB/9 rate rests at 3.45. Over his last four outings, all starts, he owns a 3.93 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a terrible 5.40 BB/9 rate. Not overly interested.

Anibal Sanchez has made eight starts since the beginning of August. He’s posted a passable 3.97 ERA though he’s pitched better than that. In six of the eight outings it’s three or fewer runs allowed. Remove his one beating and you get seven starts with a 2.68 ERA. Even with the beating in the mix it’s a 1.15 WHIP over eight starts with just nine walks allowed. Removing the beating it’s also just three homers allowed in seven starts. Hard to ever trust him, but he’s been pitching at an effective level of late.

Drew Smyly is back at it again, and by “it” I mean getting beat around the yard. His last two outings include three homers allowed and 10 runs over 8.2 frames. The frustration is never ending with this guy. Still, over his last nine starts he’s 4-0 with a 3.88 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a passable 2.75 K/BB ratio. I don’t know if you have the stones to use him though to enjoy any of that.

Marcus Stroman has had just one hiccup his last seven starts. The other six times he has taken the bump he’s allowed three or fewer earned runs every time. In those seven starts he’s also won just one game. You might think, oh well and move on. I think that would be a mistake. Over those 42.2 frames he’s struck out 50 batters leading to a 10.55 K/9 rate. That’s elite. He’s walked right batters leading to a 1.69 BB/9 rate. That’s elite. He has a 60.2 percent ground ball rate. That’s elite. The only negative is a 1.05 HR/9 mark that is merely league average so it’s not a killer at all. He’s pitching really well despite a very moderate effort over the course of the entire season.

Jameson Taillon will have his next turn in the rotation skipped. This should not surprise at all. I mean, how many times have I noted that he didn’t throw a pitch that counted the last two years? Let’s just say a lot. Drew Hutchison and his power arm will start in Taillon’s place. Sounds like Chad Kuhl will also have his next start skipped as Gerrit Cole is scheduled to return from the disabled list. By the way, Taillon won MLB.com’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award for the second time in three years.

 

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 11 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).