Some pitchers have a “Hitters can’t get comfortable against them” quality. Whether it’s fear that they’re going to get hit because of the pitcher’s lack of control or if it’s the movement on the stuff, it’s a quality that I don’t think any stats measure well. Lack of command + Nastiness = Uneasy. The only way to measure Uneasy is you have to watch the guy throw so, enter: Grey Albright, Fantasy Master Lothario (don’t abbreviate it) watching Luis Gil (5 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 5 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 2.75). He makes hitters as Uneasy as I’ve seen early on that came into the season with very little MLB history. (Speaking of history, I like to go back and read everything I’ve written on a guy before writing him up, and Gil was called up in 2022, in a post where I wrote, “Oh, no wonder Adley Rutschman’s still in the minors. They have Anthony Bemboom. His last name sounds like someone talking to their mechanic. ‘It was driving fine, and Bemboom.'” And that’s me quoting me!) Any hoo! Luis Gil has the giddy up:
Luis Gil’s 3Ks in the 3rd.
7Ks thru 3. pic.twitter.com/WJgAK4Lb1M
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 21, 2024
Currently, sitting at 13.3 K/9, 7.8 BB/9 and 3.03 FIP. He’s not Jared Jones. Jones is better (as of now), but Gil’s only wonky command away from being an ace, and, while I don’t think he straightens that out completely, a 5 BB/9 would play with a 13+ K/9 as he makes it look Uneasy. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:
Nestor Cortes – 7 IP, 0 ER, 6 hits, zero walks, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.41. When Nestor is commanding his pitches, i.e., not throwing walks, he can be silent but deadly like a good fart. Like if you have bad gas and it’s upsetting your stomach and you’re curling your legs up–Anyway! Cortes looks good so far this year.
Francisco Alvarez – Hit the IL with a torn UCL in his thumb. He will have Thumby John and the Mets said they’re hopeful he’s back this year, so, well, I guess he’s out for the season, but for at least a few months.
Gavin Stone – 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 9 baserunners (5 BBs), 1 K, ERA at 6.00. Waivers are just a Stone’s throw away!
Tyler Glasnow – 8 IP, 0 ER, 7 hits, zero walks, 10 Ks, ERA at 2.92. Can I write the Tyler Glasnow overrated for 2025 now?
Shohei Ohtani – 2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and his 5th homer. Someone banged the over!
Andy Pages – 2-for-4, 2 runs, 3 RBIs and his 1st homer. I was going somewhere with my FAAB bids, then I got behind a Sunday Driver.
Triston Casas – Hit the IL with a rib strain. Left Saturday’s game grabbing his side after a swing, and it sounds bad. Reports on Sunday seem to think it would be a lengthy IL stint. Thinking back to the 80’s when hitters didn’t have obliques and pitchers didn’t have UCLs, and everyone is skipping up and down a rainbow.
Kutter Crawford – 6 IP, 1 ER, 10 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 0.66. Draft Strider in the 1st round, they say. Draft Kutter Crawford about 200 picks later because of the sleeper I wrote, I say.
A.J. Puk – Hit the IL, and we have our first instance of the Ineffective List! Congrats, Puk! Show him what he wins! An all-expenses trip to…waivers!
Jesus Luzardo – 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 6.58. Not ready to declare him fixed, but he had a 6 ERA during August last year and you still drafted him, so be patient.
Adbert Alzolay – 1 IP, 0 ER, ERA at 4.09, as he worked the 8th inning of a loss. He blew chunks with his 4th blown save on Saturday, and Counsell said he’s not *pinkie to mouth* Counsold on him being the closer. Mark Leiter Jr.’s been excellent, but Hector Neris (1 IP, 0 ER) got his first save on Saturday, if you want to speculate. I’d go Neris 1st.
Shota Imanaga – 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 hits, zero walks, 5 Ks, ERA at 0.84. “Welcome back to Game 7 of the NLCS and, boy, do we have a barn burner! Shohei Ohtani, starting for the first time all year, is taking the hill vs. Shota Imanaga, the likely NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young.”
DL Hall – Hit the IL with “who exactly is checking to make sure there’s an actual injury if we lie about it? Uh, I mean, knee sprain. Feel better!”
Sonny Gray – 6 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 12 Ks, ERA at 1.04. And drafted like he’s a number three. Oh…[climbs to the top of Mt. Rainier]…kay.
Colin Rea – 5 IP, 0 ER, 8 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 2.08. Someone point the Regression Fairies in this guy’s direction.
Gio Urshela – Hit the IL with a hammy strain. John Kennedy voice, “Era, Buddy Kennedy of Brookline, Mass., was called up, but, era, prolly won’t play much. Era, is this an error? Era, maybe since he homered on Sunday in his first start, but Vierling is playing 3rd and Keith is playing 2nd, at least for the time being, era, before the beginning of the Buddy Kennedy era, era.”
Bailey Ober – 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 4.91. Has now allowed two runs in the last 17 IP. BO, but a good stink!
Louie Varland – 2 2/3 IP, 4 ER, ERA at 9.18. Home vs. the Tigers? Man, this guy sucks. His initials might stand for Louie Vuitton, but I am oh-Fendi’d by his pitching.
Austin Martin – 1-for-4 and his 1st homer. He’s been playing left for the Twins, since Kepler was injured, and prolly should’ve mentioned Martin sooner, but he’s done nothing to warrant it. He kinda reminds me of Steven Kwan. Not much power, but could hit .280+ with 20+ steals. At best, he’s 15-team mixed worthwhile, if desperate, but could move onto radars and become My Favorite Martin.
Cristian Javier – Hit the IL with a neck injury, which sounds minor, because, of course it will be, since I don’t roster him anywhere this year so naturally he’s going to be fine. Arrighetti was recalled. That his first and middle name isn’t Al Dente is such a missed opp.
Mitchell Parker – 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 hits, zero walks, 8 Ks, ERA at 1.50. Two starts to start (learn new words, Grey!) his career and it was two gems. Can’t spell sparklers without Parker. Zero walks in 12 IP, and his stats say he should be terrible in the minors leagues, forget the majors. If you want to take a chance that he figured something out, be my guest, but he has three pitches and two of them stink.
Ronel Blanco – 6 IP, 2 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 1.33. Blanco was never more than a Streamonator which sounds about white.
Cole Ragans – 1 2/3 IP, 7 ER, ERA at 4.32. I ran 10,000 simulations for Ragans start and his result was contra to all of them. His ratios went Ollie North. I’ll be honest, I think it’s too easy to say a pitcher is going to be overrated, because they all either get hurt or just need one bad outing from having a 4+ ERA. Which is also why it makes no sense to push them up your draft board ever. If you missed out on Ragans, are you serious that you couldn’t find someone else just as good?
Jordan Westburg – 2-for-3, 2 RBIs and his 5th homer, hitting .333. Nice, and I wrote a sleeper. Toot toot! What I wanted to quickly mention is: What on earth is going on with Jackson Holliday? Are we sure they didn’t promote the wrong brother, Billy Ripken Holliday?
Colton Cowser – 1-for-3 and his 5th homer, hitting .373. Peek Freans are a very serious cookie and Colton Cowser is a very serious hitter.
Zack Wheeler – 7 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 hit, two walks, 8 Ks, ERA at 2.30. This start was vs. the White Sox, so, honestly, one hit seems like he got rocked.
Kyle Schwarber – 1-for-1, 3 runs, 2 RBIs and his 6th homer, hitting .217. As bad as that average is, if he can keep it there for the season, he’s not that bad. At leadoff? Oh terrible! But this isn’t about that.
Eloy Jimenez – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 1st homer. Even more remarkable, no injuries!
Brent Rooker – 1-for-4 and his 4th homer, and 2nd homer in as many games. He now has four homers in 11 games played. Schmotato? Sure, but also, damn.
Will Brennan – 2-for-3, 2 runs, and his 2nd homer, and 2nd homer in the last five games. The Guards willed themselves Will Brennan over Will Benson, Nolan Jones, and Richie Palacios, so you gotta think they like him at least a bit.
Jose Berrios – 6 IP, 0 ER, 7 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 0.85. What do we say? Thank you, War Room!
Xander Bogaerts – 2-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 2nd homer. If this is what his April is looking like, he’s going to hit less than ten homers this year and .180. I’m only half-kidding.
Davis Schneider – 1-for-3, 2 RBIs and his 3rd homer, and can’t play every day because the Jays have to play *checks notes* Cavan Biggio?
Slade Cecconi – 6 IP, 2 ER, 2 hits, zero walks, 3 Ks, as he was called up for Ryne Nelson’s rotation spot. Fun fact! Slade Cecconi is the name of the company that makes concrete boots.
Mike Yastrzemski – 1-for-3, 2 RBIs and his 1st homer, hitting .186. Carl’s Jr. Jr. is overdue like the button to get tap water on the soda machine.
Jordan Hicks – 5 IP, 1 ER, 1 hit, 4 walks, zero Ks, ERA at 1.61. Somehow he’s managed to avoid the Regression Fairies, but their stilettos are high-stepping towards him.
Brenton Doyle – 2-for-3 and his 2nd steal. So, I am too thoroughly disgusted by Nolan Jones, but on the bright side: Doyle. Well, until you look under the hood, but he has been hot at least. Don’t start with the K%, please.
Charlie Morton – 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 4 Ks, ERA at 4.70. Started Morton in deeper leagues, because he’s worth his salt, but dropped him in shallower leagues and that’s salt in the wounds.
Travis d’Arnaud – 0-for-1 and his 4th homer on Saturday, and 12 homers this weekend. D’Arnaud is le caud schmotato.
Marcell Ozuna – 1-for-3, 3 RBIs and his 9th homer. He’s going to have 100 RBIs by May.
Adolis Garcia – 2-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 6th homer. If you would’ve said to someone in March, you can have Wyatt Langford, but you’re only going to get half as many homers as Adolis, would anyone have taken that deal? Cause I would now!
Evan Carter – 2-for-4, 2 runs and his 3rd homer. At least one of the Rangers rookies is doing something. Like Jimmy in Goodfellas, I have some nice furs I’d like Nolan Jones, Langford, Jordan Walker and Oneil Cruz to see.
Nathan Eovaldi – 5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 11 baserunners (6 BBs), 6 Ks, ERA at 3.30. Gonna ignore that awful command for one game. Let’s say a free pass, like he gave all those hitters.
Frankie Montas – Left after 2/3 IP taking a comebacker off his arm. Imaging came back saying he was fine, and then people ran out of the room screaming, “The imaging is talking!”
Jose Soriano – 6 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 3.43. So, finally watched Soriano and I see why the people are trill with excitement, as no one says. He’s not quite as nasty as Luis Gil from the guys I watched yesterday, but the smoke does lead to fire. His 95 MPH splitter is something, and that something is nasty. Streamonator likes his next one, and I don’t see why not.
Anthony Rendon – Hit the IL with a hamstring strain that he injured running to 1st. This injury comes at a bad time because, well, check Anthony Rendon’s Statcast:
