We all know what shrimp is, right? The old walk-off walk, one of the most disheartening ways to lose a game, particularly for a pitcher? Well what, exactly, do we call what happened in the 10th inning in Baltimore last night?
A walk-off passed ball? You’re killing me, Josh Thole. I don’t even know. Is this…prawn? Krill?
Live from a coffee shop at 6 a.m. because I just moved and don’t have the internet set up yet, it’s the Roto Riteup! Have you ever tried to exist for three days without the internet? I don’t recommend it. I’ve been hiding out at coffee shops, spending far too long around the Raptors’ facilities, and killing my data with hot-spots.
Sure, you could say, “Just use the internet less,” but in 2016, that’s akin to telling a pitcher to “just get Bryce Harper out,” or, “Just make good contact” off Stephen Strasburg. Some things are easier said than done.
I survived the late night seagull attack in San Francisco last night. I appreciate everyone’s thought and prayers. Read the rest of this entry »
Today’s Roto Riteup focus on five things: some good, and some bad.
On the agenda:
1. Various News and Notes
2. Streaming Pitcher Options
Is there a better time of the year for sports? Baseball’s in full swing, the NBA and NHL playoffs are kicking off, and the NFL Draft is just a couple weeks away.
On the agenda:
1. Homer Bailey is on the way back
2. Various News and Notes
3. Streaming Pitcher Options
Today’s Roto Riteup is sponsored by Booty-O’s. They make sure you ain’t booty!
On the agenda:
1. Some Orioles are hot, others are not
2. Bumgarner vs Kershaw
3. Various News and Notes
3. Streaming Pitcher Options
The NL East is going to be a streaming pitcher haven all year, it looks like. We’ve mentioned this, and we’re still not even halfway to the point that team batting average, for example, begins stabilizing, but given our Bayesian prior for some of these teams, it’s time to start focusing on the Phillies, Braves, and Mets.
Those three teams entered Thursday’s action as the league’s three worst offenses by wRC+ at 68, 55, and 53, respectively, each with an above-average strikeout rate. Philadelphia scored three runs on four hits (three for extra bases), the Braves mustered two on five (and one), and the Mets mercifully had a day off. The Twins are your target in the AL.
We’re learning plenty about MLB in the early going. The Minnesota Twins’ offense is bad. The Atlanta Braves are very bad. The Roto Riteup occasionally has authors working at 3 a.m. And most notably, Yoenis Cespedes is a huge Shinsuke Nakamura fan.
Not that anyone should need evidence that the pitcher win is a bad stat at this point, but give this a spin: Noah Syndergaard struck out 12 batters Tuesday. He induced 26 swinging strikes on 99 pitches. He induced 10 on just 15 sliders. One of them looked like this:
Syndergaard’s slider is downright funny https://t.co/gPMK7ceUQk pic.twitter.com/WX1ZLHBl55
— Dan Toman (@dantoman) April 13, 2016
(OK, that’s against a pitcher, but you get it.) And still, Syndergaard drew a no-decision, because his team can’t score. Those 12 strikeouts and lone earned run over seven will just have to keep you warm, as will the knowledge that you probably got a top-10 arm at No. 15 on draft day.
We’re not going to do this again, are we, Justin Verlander? Et tu, David Price? We were hoping for more, Taylor Jungmann. And Yo…OK, we expect this from you, Yovani Gallardo. It wasn’t a sunny day for the pillars of your pitching staff.