One Night Only: On the Marcum
Tonight happens today, on this edition of One Night Only.
Kansas City at Toronto, 1:05 pm ET
Royals: Zack Greinke (R)
17.2 IP, 7.13 K/9, 3.06 BB/9, .334 BABIP, 41.4% GB, 7.7% HR?FB, 4.78 xFIP
Projected FIP: 2.85 (FAN) 2.98 (CHONE) 2.93 (ZiPS)
L-R Splits: 0.02 run normal split in 905.2 IP
Blue Jays: Shaun Marcum (R)
20.0 IP, 7.65 K/9, 1.35 BB/9, .276 BABIP, 43.1% GB, 9.5% HR/FB, 3.33 xFIP
Projected FIP: N/A (FAN) 4.43 (CHONE) 4.47 (ZiPS)
L-R Splits: 0.45 run normal split in 416.2 IP
Making his return from Tommy John surgery, Shaun Marcum has started the season better than even the smartest person in the world (i.e. Tavis Smiley) could’ve guessed. So far on the season he’s throwing his changepiece a quarter of the time and has registered a full 33% whiff rate on the pitch. That’s what we in the industry call “off the hook.”
You know what Carson Cistulli likes? (I mean, besides the ladies?) Answer: career minor leaguers getting their first real shot at the bigs. If you haven’t already, say hello to 29-year-old Mike McCoy. Here’s an interesting thing McCoy did in 2009 at Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate: slashed .307/.405/.400. Here’s another interesting thing he did: went 40-for-46 on stolen base attempts in 132 games. Before we all go peeing each other’s pants with excitement, it’s important to note that Colorado Springs (where McCoy plied his trade last year) has a park factor of right around a million*. But his profile suggests that he won’t be the terriblest player on the block, and CHONE thinks he plays a league-average short.
*Give or take.
If you’re like me, you have amazing hair and flawless skin. You also have a notion that Edwin Encarnacion might have a decent year, if and when he recovers from his current shoulder situation. In 2009, over stints with both Cincy and Toronto, Encarnacion suffered the baleful effects of a .245 BABIP. That number stands far below the .295 mark he’d posted over his career till then. Is he still kinda a sucky defender? Almost definitely, yes. But what in the H does my fantasy team care about that?
Fred Lewis is a lightning rod for nerd controversy. He’s also a Blue Jay now, and has batted leadoff and played left field for the past three games. When the aforementioned Encarnacion returns to third, Jose Bautista will stop playing there and the outfield situation will get crowdeder. How will this drama unfold?
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Finally, somebody who isn’t dry as a cracker.
You aren’t the terriblest writer in the game! You crack me up dude.
Tavis Smiley? Gimme Ira Glass anyday.
Sounds like we’re gonna have to take this outside.
For some Fresh Air, with Terry Gross?
Peter Segal, anyone?
Judas, I regret that there’s no button to award your comment a Nobel Prize.
Wrong Ira. In this fight, you want Flatow.
(Does anybody recall the early recording Glass put on TAL of him as a teenager trying to talk to his grandfather about baseball, a subject it was painfully obvious Ira knew nothing about?)
Wow. New discovery:
Stan Van Gundy:Jeff Van Gundy::Ira Flatow:David Paymer.
Stan’s moustache confuses things a little; otherwise, this’d be the greatest breakthrough since penicillin.
“*Give or take.”
I almost peed my pants after reading that line
Your pants or somebody else’s? Based on what he wrote, Carson is apparently expecting the latter.
This guy’s a top sleeper pick in fantasy sports writer leagues everywhere, no matter the format. Under 40% owned….
I require a start-by-start Colby Lewis recap in order to maintain my interest in baseball. In the same way that Entertainment Weekly and a few other publications have an online LOST recap every week, I need to know what camp Colby has aligned himself with, and what relationship he and Mike Maddux have in the alternate timeline (possibly distant cousins?).
There always seems to be a moment in each of his outings that just doesn’t make sense to me on the first viewing. I’m hoping you can clear up some of the inconsistencies.
Thanks.