Roto Riteup: June 6, 2013

Today’s Roto Riteup lacks a witty introduction due to author burnout.

On today’s agenda:
1. Johnny Cueto gets scratched
2. Wandy Rodriguez has a boo-boo
3. Beckett’s owie and Familia’s faulty elbow
4. Fun with arbitrary endpoints

Johnny Cueto gets scratched
Is it entirely possible that Cueto never has a 30 start season again? The answer to that question is “yes, it is entirely possible, but this author wouldn’t put much money on it.” After missing time at the end of last season and again at the beginning of the 2013 campaign, Cueto’s start was scratched yesterday due to a re-aggravation of his lat, and he’s now hit the 15-day DL to make room for his replacement(s). While Cueto can’t stay healthy, he’s been his excellent self when given a chance to run out on the field, and that may be the story of the rest of his career if he can’t figure out an effective and efficient new delivery to the plate.

Wandy Rodriguez has a boo-boo
Overshadowed by Julio Teheran’s no-hit bid, Wandy being pulled in the first inning with forearm tightness is a pretty big deal. Wandy has been almost impossibly durable throughout his career, as well as consistently good but not great. Wandy is having problems getting batters to swing and miss this year, but he’s still got some overall numbers that many pitchers would be jealous of. Wandy’s forearm could turn out to be no big deal, but forearms don’t seem to go that way. Be very wary of this situation, people.

Beckett’s owie and Familia’s faulty elbow
Josh Beckett has been on the DL awhile now, but after “feeling” some numbness in his fingers, doctors have shut Beckett down for a month after discovered a problem in his throwing arm. Odds are we won’t be seeing Beckett again until August now, and there’s a pretty good chance this could end Beckett’s 2013 season. Beckett has even made mention about walking away from the game, and it would be a shame to see him go out like this.

Jeurys Familia, like Beckett, is going to miss quite a bit of time. Familia requires surgery on his throwing elbow to remove some pesky bone chips, and it sounds as if he’ll be out at least six weeks. Familia is still an interesting fantasy prospect if the Mets let him pitch at the back of the bullpen, but that talk will likely have to be tabled until next year.

Fun with arbitrary endpoints

• Jarrod Parker’s last five starts: 33.2 IP, 26 K, 10 BB, 3 HR, 2.41 ERA
• James Loney’s last 19 games: .239/.337/.451, 4 HR, .228 BABIP
• Andrew McCutchen’s last 31 games: .341/.397/.520, 5 HR, 8 SB, .366 BABIP
• Adam LaRoche’s last 31 games: .327/.416/.598, 7 HR, 2 SB, .384 BABIP
• Mark Reynolds last 25 games: .190/.284/.274, 2 HR, 1 SB, .269 BABIP