One Night Only! (Boo Who? Edition)

This edition of One Night Only swears that it was only trying to help.

(NERD scores in parentheses.)

Texas (7) at Toronto (8) | 7:07pm ET
Starting Pitchers
Rangers: Colby Lewis (6)
170.2 IP, 8.70 K/9, 2.90 BB.9, .299 BABIP, 37.6% GB, 8.7% HR/FB, 3.99 xFIP

Blue Jays: Shawn Hill (N/A)
21.0 IP, 3.86 K/9, 2.14 BB/9, .218 BABIP, 4.30 FIP (Triple-A)

A Bad Thing
Even though there’s a show by that name, I don’t know for a fact that everybody loves Raymond. In fact, I seem to recall people — friends, acquaintances, I don’t know — saying explicity about how they don’t love Ray Romano and/or his comedy stylings.

That’s fine. I mean, I’m no Ray Romano apologist. He was pretty funny on Dr. Katz. But if there are people out there not loving Ray Romano — well, I guess I’m willing to accept that.

A much more sensible show — or so I would have thought — would be one called Everybody Loves Colby Lewis. Because, look, the guy was a prospect, and then he wasn’t one, and then he pitched awesome in Japan, and then he started pitching awesome in America. The only reasonable reaction to that whole scenario is, “I love it.”

But a couple starts ago — literally, the first start all year in which he’d conceded more than five runs — Texas fans started not-loving Lewis in an audible way as he was lifted in the sixth inning of an 8-2 loss versus Oakland. These people booed Colby Lewis, is what I’m trying to say.

Lewis wasn’t so happy about it, as he noted via ESPN:

“I thought we had better fans than that,’’ Lewis said. “I mean, it’s the first time I’ve given up more than five runs. I walk a guy, and now they boo me?

“It was disappointing,’’ he said.

Let’s assume for a second that you care what I think about this. This is what I’d say if that were the case:

I can’t even make clear the degree to which I’m in the pro-Lewis camp on this issue. With the exception of C.J. Wilson (3.60 FIP, 3.8 WAR), Lewis has been the team’s most valuable pitcher (3.69, 3.5). Also, he’s only making $1.75 million this year — i.e. less than Scott Feldman and Darren Oliver and Frank Francisco and some of the team’s more recent acquisitions, too. Also, his skin emanates a beautiful golden light to which certain young-ish sportswriters are drawn like moths.

Another Bad Thing
Listen, America, I don’t mean to turn your frown into an even harder frown, but another bad thing happened to Colby Lewis. In his most recent start — this time at Minnesota — he gave up 9 R (all earned) in just 3.2 IP. And he had only 2 K in 22 TBF. And he also had 2 BB.

On the slightly brighter side, it’s possible that he was unluckly. Like, he gave up 6 H on 15 BIP. And he also conceded 2 HR on only 7 FB.

The Bottom Line
Ask not what your Colby Lewis can do for you; ask what you can do for your Colby Lewis.

Additionally
Shawn Hill is pitching today. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because he had a nice (if brief) 2007, during which he posted this line for the Nationals: 97.1 IP, 6.01 K/9, 2.31 BB/9, 54.7% GB, 4.02 xFIP. His career since then is best described as a “cavalcade of injuries.”

Said cavalcade ended in Tommy John surgery a little over a year ago. Hill was then signed to a minor league deal by Toronto in January. He’s made 10 or so minor league starts and now, tonight, just miles from his hometown of Mississauga, makes his triumphant return to major league baseball.

Mitch Moreland Watch
Mitch Moreland is powerful: keep away from hands and face.

Line entering play yesterday: 106 PA, .253./.349/.451 (.269 BABIP), .342 wOBA, 110 wRC+.

Line yesterday at Toronto: N/A.

Also Playing
These games are very likely playing at some kind of sporty channel near you.

pNERD = Pitcher NERD
tNERD = Team NERD
Game = Time and Average NERD for Game
* = Estimated NERD