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Start/Sit: Thurs, 5/16
There are only nine games today, but a bunch of good options. It should be a fun day so let’s get right to it. As always, bold = start.
Jonathon Niese, NYM @ Adam Wainwright, STL
Wainwright’s strikeouts per nine have gone up every year since 2009. That includes last year coming off of Tommy John surgery. This year he has 55 K and only 4 BB in 58.2 IP.
Hiram Burgos, MIL @ Francisco Liriano, PIT
Liriano looked really good against the Mets. I have to seem him do it at least twice in a row, and not against the Mets before I trust the control. He owns a career 9.9 BB%.
Aaron Harang, SEA @ Andy Pettitte, NYY
Overall, Pettitte has been good so far this year. At Yankee Stadium, not so much. When pitching at home he has an ERA of 5.71 and opposing hitters have an OPS of .912. The platoon splits for Seattle are also slightly better against lefties.
Felix Doubront, BOS @ Alex Cobb, TB
Cobb is coming off a very weird, record-setting start in which he struck out 13 batters in 4.2 IP. He comes into this game with 3.09 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The peripherals all suggest that it’s for real. If Doubront continues to give up 6 runs per game, Cobb could make some mistakes and still win.
Mat Latos, CIN @ Jose Fernandez, MIA
Pitch everybody against Miami. Especially a bonafide ace with four straight victories. For Fernandez, the matchup against Cincinnati might scare you a little, but anybody averaging close to 10 strikeouts per nine innings has the ability to quiet any offense on a given night. Fernandez’s curveball, nicknamed “The Defector,” is inducing swinging strikes 10.2% of the time. Both pitchers get the benefit of the cavernous confines of Marlins Park.
Justin Verlander, DET @ Yu Darvish, TEX
This has all the makings of an incredible game. Two top-ten offenses against two top-five pitchers. Could be a preview of the AL Cy Young ballot.
Matt Cain, SF @ Jhoulys Chacin, COL
Cain has started to turn it around a little as of late, but he is an extreme fly ball pitcher which tends not to play well at Coors Field. Especially when you consider his 16.1% HR/FB rate this year. I might get burned on this one, but I’m not convinced Cain has his best stuff yet. On the other hand, Chacin is quietly putting together a very good season. He’s only given up more than 2 runs once this year.
Jose Quintana, CWS @ Jerome Williams, LAA
I like Quintana, but I feel like the Angels bats are starting to awaken, and if they knock him around a bit, I don’t have any confidence in the White Sox to keep it close.
Stephen Strasburg, WAS @ Edinson Volquez, SD
This is a great matchup for Strasburg to get back on track. Some people are doubting him a bit, but his numbers are almost identical to last year. This should be the first in a string of very good starts from him.