Daily Notes: Parker Debuts Again, For First Time

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Brief Previews of Select Games
2. Lightly Annotated Video: Jarrod Parker’s Repertoire
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Chicago (NL) Radio

Brief Previews of Select Games
Here are brief previews for four of today’s games — each including the preferred television feed of FanGraphs readers, per the results of our offseason crowdsourcing project. (Information on probable pitchers from MLB.com.)

Houston at Milwaukee | 13:10 ET
• The appeal of this game has less to do with the teams and/or pitchers involved and more to do with the fact that the present author will be in attendance.
• “But Carson,” perhaps a brazen reader is saying aloud, “I fail to see how your presence at the game makes it more appealing to me.”
• To which I respond: “I’m guessing you fail to do a lot of things.”
• And also: “Oh, snap.”
• Pitchers: J.A. Happ (18.0 IP, 102 xFIP-, 0.2 WAR) vs. Shaun Marcum (19.0, 106, 0.2).

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Houston.

Chicago AL at Oakland | 15:35 ET
• Notable Thing Alert: right-handed pitching prospect Jarrod Parker makes the second major-league start of his professional career tonight — and his first with Oakland.
• Regarding Jarrod Parker: our Marc Hulet ranked him first among all A’s prospects before the season.
• Also, regarding Jarrod Parker: here’s his line so far through four starts at Triple-A Sacramento: 20.2 IP, 9.15 K/9, 2.61 BB/9, 0.87 HR/9, 3.30 FIP.
• Thirdly, regarding Jarrod Parker: here was his Steamer projection for the season: 119.0 IP, 6.04 K/9, 3.95 BB/9, 0.79 HR/9, 4.28 FIP.
• Finally, regarding Jarrod Parker: he’s opposed by left-hander Chris Sale, who’s pitched excellently so far this year. Line: 18.0 IP, 28.0% K, 9.3% BB, 52.2% GB, 2.97 SIERA, 2.90 xFIP, 71 xFIP-.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Oakland.

Washington at San Diego | 18:35 ET
• The Nationals pitching staff entered Tuesday with the league’s highest WAR (4.2) and lowest xFIP (3.16).
• Regard, their starting rotation (prior to Gonzalez’s start last night): Stephen Strasburg (25.0 IP, 2.90 xFIP, 1.0 WAR), Gio Gonzalez (17.2, 2.08, 0.8), Edwin Jackson (19.0, 2.87, 0.6), Jordan Zimmermann (21.0, 3.43, 0.6), and Ross Detwiler (16.0, 2.73, 0.4).
• Regard, what Gonzalez did last night (box): 6.0 IP, 22 TBF, 6 K, 2 BB, 6 GB on 13 batted-balls (46.2% GB), 3.27 xFIP.
• In this game, tonight, it’s Zimmermann versus San Diego rookie right-hander Joe Wieland.
• Wieland, through two starts: 11.0 IP, 16.7% K, 6.3% BB, 34.3% GB, 4.20 SIERA, 122 xFIP-, -0.2 WAR.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: San Diego.

Boston at Minnesota | 20:10 ET ***MLB.TV Free Game***
• Right-hander Liam Hendriks, in his age-24 season, makes his third start of the season today — and the seventh start of his career.
• His line so far in 2012: 11.2 IP, 11.1% K, 4.4% BB, 40.5% GB, 4.64 SIERA, 105 xFIP-, -0.1 WAR.
• The pitcher to whom he’ll likely be compared during today’s telecast: Brad Radke.
• Meanwhile, pitching for Boston is Clay Buchholz (17.0 IP, 130 xFIP-, -0.3 WAR).
• And meanwhile, playing center field for Boston is likely Marlon Byrd.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Boston.

Lightly Annotated Video: Jarrod Parker’s Repertoire
Here’s video of Jarrod Parker’s major-league debut from last September.

Pitches you’ll see: slider at 83 mph (0:20), fastball at 96 (0:26), changeup at 80 (0:35), fastball at 91 (0:46), changeup at 80 (0:56), slider at 78 (1:05), fastball at 90 (1:13). Baseball America notes in their Prospect Handbook that Parker throws a two-seamer, of which the fastballs here at 91 and 90 might be examples (although they don’t necessarily appear to have two-seam movement).

Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Chicago (NL) Radio
Recently, we released the results of our television broadcaster rankings — itself the product of reader crowdsourcing that started in late November. Now, FanGraphs is asking readers to rate the radio broadcast teams for all 30 major-league clubs (Click here for more on this project.)

Rate other teams: Washington / Toronto / Texas / Tampa Bay / Seattle / San Francisco / San Diego / St. Louis / Pittsburgh / Philadelphia / Oakland / New York (NL) / New York (AL) / Minnesota / Milwaukee / Miami / Los Angeles (NL) / Los Angeles (AL) / Kansas City / Houston / Detroit / Colorado / Cleveland / Cincinnati.