One Night Only: Hot Game Previews for April 13th

With six games, today’s edition of One Night Only is ideal for the indecisive — or, maybe it isn’t.

Texas at Detroit | 1:05pm ET
Starting Pitchers
Rangers: Dave Bush
157.0 IP, 5.50 K/9, 3.04 BB/9, 4.86 FIP, 119 FIP- (ZiPS)

Tigers: Max Scherzer
170.0 IP, 9.69 K/9, 3.34 BB/9, 3.26 FIP, 80 FIP- (ZiPS)

Notes
• The Rangers have been successful in helping both C.J. Wilson and, in a smaller sample, Alexi Ogando transition from relief to starterdom.
• Today, Dave Bush — relegated to the bullpen — will attempt to make it three for pitching coach Mike Maddux.
• In math, it’s a well-known fact: three = a charm.

Toronto at Seattle | 3:40pm ET
Starting Pitchers
Blue Jays: Kyle Drabek
157.2 IP, 6.22 K/9, 4.62 BB/9, 4.72 FIP, 116 FIP- (ZiPS)

Mariners: Jason Vargas
165.3 IP, 5.72 K/9, 2.61 BB/9, 4.17 FIP, 102 FIP- (ZiPS)

Notes
• A thing about Jason Vargas: he’s so anonymous, I actually wrote his name as Justin Vargas initially.
• Justin Fargas, with an -f-, was/is an NFL running back.
• Jason Vargas, with a -v-, actually has a pretty excellent change (+1.83 runs per 100 thrown last year, good for 14th among qualified pitchers) and has felt the scourge of bad luck (7.20 ERA vs. 3.26 FIP vs. 3.65 xFIP).

Philadelphia at Washington | 7:05pm ET
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Roy Halladay
222.2 IP, 7.76 K/9, 1.33 BB/9, 3.03 FIP, 74 FIP- (ZiPS)

Nationals: John Lannan
189.7 IP, 4.79 K/9, 3.13 BB/9, 4.43 FIP, 109 FIP- (ZiPS)

Notes
• Today forces us to ask — and really answer — the question, How much do you enjoy watching Roy Halladay pitch?
• Is it enough to watch John Lannan pitch, too?
• Philosophy!

Florida at Atlanta | 7:10pm ET
Starting Pitchers
Marlins: Josh Johnson
179.0 IP, 8.70 K/9, 2.36 BB/9, 2.73 FIP, 67 FIP- (ZiPS)

Braves: Tim Hudson
148.1 IP, 5.58 K/9, 2.97 BB/9, 3.97 FIP, 97 FIP- (ZiPS)

Notes
• This is probably the closest thing we have to a pitcher’s duel this evening.
• And actually, it should feature two baseballing wunderkinds: Messrs. Jason Heyward and Mike Stanton.
• Personal aside: I saw Stanton hit a home run on a backfield at the Marlins’ spring-training facility. The velocity at which the ball fled (screaming, afraid) from Stanton’s bat was legitimately surprising.
• Not like “boo” surprising, either.
• More like “you just fell from the third storey of a building and only twisted your ankle” surprising.

Colorado at New York Nationals | 7:10pm ET
Starting Pitchers
Rockies: Esmil Rogers
142.0 IP, 6.27 K/9, 3.49 BB/9, 4.22 FIP, 103 FIP- (ZiPS)

Mets: Jonathon Niese
164.3 IP, 7.18 K/9, 3.23 BB/9, 3.91 FIP, 96 FIP- (ZiPS)

Notes
• This game was rained out yesteday.
• But look at Rogers’ numbers from his start (8.59 K/9, 1.23 BB/9 57.9 GB%) and Niese’s numbes from his two starts (8.18 K/9, 1.64 BB/9, 56.3 GB%).
• These guys are big frigging copycats of each other.