On a chalkboard someone has written, “K/9 Revolutionaries — Donuts in back, the kind of donuts you can eat.” In a semi-circle, Patrick Corbin, Gerrit Cole, and Garrett Richards discuss a knuckle curve. “If you dig your index finger in like you’re Richard Gere trying to get a gerbil out–” When Kyle Gibson walks in, startling them. “What’s up, guys?” The other pitchers frantically hide their K/9 Revolution propaganda; Richards tries to wipe down the chalkboard but the eraser is just streaking the writing, then Michael Pineda appears, wipes pine tar over the chalkboard writing and leaves from where he came. So, they don’t want Kyle Gibson part of the K/9 Revolution, but he looks like he might be down for the cause. Yesterday, he went 6 IP, 0 ER, 1 hit, 3 walks, 10 Ks, lowering his ERA to 3.33. His 10 K/9 would be an easy career high. This follows a trend we saw with Gibson last year in the 2nd half of the year. He’s not doing it with gas either. He’s dropping well-meaning, nonchalant off-speed pitches. He scaled back his slider usage, but it’s working much better in a lesser-seen capacity, and his curve he’s using more — outside the zone. This has upped his walks, but the number of swings he’s generated outside the zone has leaped like 12 lords. His pitches may lack command, but the K/9 Revolutionaries should put him in charge of at least the northern border to guard against Ontario, eh. And if you think the K/9 Revolutionaries are not real, this year 35% of plate appearances have ended without the ball in play, and, for the first time in the history of baseball, we’ve played nearly a month with more strikeouts than hits (h/t Joe Sheehan). Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?