Nick Swisher- CLE- Inj Update- Even if Swisher gets a second opinion on his knee that doesn't include surgery, that doesn't mean he will be productive for the final weeks of the season. He has a HR/FB ratio of 8.3% this year. His previous career low in a season with more than 60 PAs was 11.6% and last year he was at 13.7%. Swisher's performance has undoubtedly been affected by his injured knee and he is unlikely to be recovered enough by the end of this season for that effect to be over.
Jake Odorizzi- TB- Hot- Odorizzi has been experiencing some regression to the mean for the past couple of months. Heading into yesterday's start he had an ERA of 2.63 and FIP of 3.40 in his previous 11 starts. After yesterday's 7 IP performance in which he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 7 he had an ERA of 3.82 and FIP of 3.31 for the season so there is room for more positive regression. Odorizzi has only had 7 Quality starts in his last 12 outings. Yet he only allowed more than 3 runs once in that span. What held his performance down were stamina and a lack of efficiency. Yesterday he only needed 102 pitches to get through the 7 IP, which is a sign of progress. Odorizzi seems to be positioning himself for a key position in the 2015 Tampa Bay rotation.
Max Scherzer- DET- Hot- Scherzer continues to experience positive regression to the mean. Through June 30, his ERA was at 3.64 while his FIP was 2.98. Entering yesterday's game, Scherzer had posted a 1.99 ERA and 2.62 FIP since July 1. His 8 scoreless inning, 14 K performance yesterday still leaves him with room for positive regression. His ERA now stands at 2.98 but his FIP is 2.75.
Scott Downs- KC- Player Injury- Downs was placed on the DL on Tuesday with a neck sprain. It was a convenient move, since the Royals needed a roster spot for Josh Willingham. In leagues that counted holds, Downs had been valuable for some time. With the exception of 2009, when he only had 10, Downs had posted between 24 and 26 holds every season between 2007-2013. His ERA had ended up no higher than 3.15 in each of those seasons. This year age may have caught up with him. Downs turned 38 this year and saw his ERA rise to 5.29. He has had control issues this season, with a 5.03 BB/9. It would be hard to bet on Downs regaining his consistency in 2015.
Robbie Ross- TEX- Cold- Ross stepped in for the injured Yu Darvish and did not do anything close to an impression of the Rangers' ace. Ross gave up 6 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 in 4.1 IP. I was at his last AAA start in Nashville last Friday and he ran out of gas, giving up 3 runs in the 7th inning of the first game of a doubleheader to take a 4-2 loss. Ross had thrown 4 quality starts before that outing. Consistency has been an issue with Ross, who had a 5.10 ERA at AAA when called up and now has a 6.06 ERA in 65.1 IP with Texas. Maybe trying to turn him into a starter was a mistake. If he ends up back in the bullpen in 2015 he could have more value in very deep leagues.
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