:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6837535/143997531.jpg)
Rangers starter Colby Lewis had an incredible day yesterday. He tossed 7 innings, giving up just 5 hits, one walk and struck out 12. Dominating start right? Not so fast. Each of those hits were homers and he gave up 6 runs in those 7 innings. His K rate jumped along with his HR/9. He induced 18 swinging strikes which is pretty damn good. He currently owns a 43-6 strikeout to walk ratio in 46.1 innings with a 3.69 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.
Brett Gardner aggravated his right elbow and will be shut down for 10 days, and won't swing a bat during that time. ESPN's Andrew Marchand tweeted last evening that Gardner will be out 2-4 weeks. Ouch.
Yankees ace CC Sabathia has always been an innings eater, and is continuing that trend this season. He has thrown 8 innings in each of his last 4 starts, including last night's 5-3 win over David Price and the Rays. Sabathia gave up 2 runs, both unearned, on 7 hits, a walk and a season high 10 strikeouts. He is now 5-0 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. He has thrown 51.1 innings over his 7 starts, good for 7+ innings per start.
More Roto Roundup after the jump:
Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg has plenty of fantasy writers in his camp. Some think he is the best starter in the game. I am beginning to think they may be right. Strasburg held the Buccos to 2 runs, one earned, in 7 innings last night, giving up 5 hits, walking 3 ( all in the 6th inning) and striking out 13. He moves to 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP and a 51-10 strikeout to walk ratio in 44 innings.
Who saw this triple slash line from Adam Laroche on draft day-.327-.421-.582? I laughed at someone in my NL-only league draft when he drafted him. He's laughing at me now. Laroche went 2-3 with a double, HR and 2 RBI. He now has 6 HRs and 21 RBI this season, and appears to be on his way to his best year since 2006.
Josh Beckett didn't want to pitch in the Red Sox recent 17 inning game because his of his back injury. The next day, he goes golfing with Clay Buchholz in the rain. Last night, it looked like he played 2 rounds of golf, as he lasted just 2.1 innings, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and just 2 strikeouts. And here is a quote from Beckett after the game, via a tweet from Gordon Edes:
Q to Beckett: Do people have right to question why you were golfing when you skipped a start: "Not on my off day"
Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis is off to a hot start thus far in 2012. He went 2-5 with a HR and 2 runs scored last night and is hitting .270-.343-.492 with 6 HRs, 21 runs, 21 RBI and 6 stolen bases so far this season. If he keeps this up, he will be a top 5 fantasy second baseman in 2013.
Who is having the worse season at the plate-Albert Pujols or Jose Bautista? Two easy first round picks on draft day and both are hitting worse than James Loney. Bautista went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout and is now hitting JUST .171-.319-.336 so far. Per FanGraphs, his BABIP is .170, so the BA should improve from here. Should.
How does Jason Marquis still have a major league job?
If you saw a starting pitcher with a 14-13 strikeout to walk ratio, you would think he is a a spot starter or one terrible starter. Well, not when you are talking about Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez. Alvarez held the Twins to 2 runs, one earned, in 7 innings, giving up 7 hits, walking 3 and striking out just 2. For the season, he is 3-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. His FIP coming into Thursday was 5.20 and his xFIP was 4.62. I think his ERA rises from here.
Top 5 NL Starters-K/9
Anibal Sanchez: 10.26
Gio Gonzalez: 10.06
Tim Lincecum: 10.06
Johan Santana: 9.87
Cole Hamels: 9.82
I didn't expect to see Santana and Sanchez in the top 5 for sure. Right now, there are 16 starters in MLB with a K/9 of 9.00 or higher, and 13 of the 16 pitch in the National League. Something to watch as the season progresses, and to consider in 5 x 5 mixed leagues in 2013.