With Stephen Strasburg’s recent placement on the disabled list, the Nationals need a starter for Tuesday, and Pete Kerzel of MASNsports.com writes that it looks like Triple-A right-hander Austin Voth and Double-A righty Lucas Giolito (the game’s top prospect according to MLB.com and ESPN) are the likeliest candidates. Neither pitcher is on the 40-man, though Kerzel points out that the Nationals can create room simply by transferring Taylor Jordan, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, to the 60-day disabled list. Kerzel notes that Giolito could potentially force his way into the rotation in place of the struggling Gio Gonzalez even when Strasburg returns, but he also notes that Giolito is on an innings limit and figures to be capped just shy of 140 innings. He’s already tossed 71 frames this season, so turning to him for three full months of starts may not be an option. Kerzel runs down the cases for and against a Giolito promotion, and the analysis is well worth a look for Nats fans or prospect chasers in fantasy leagues.
More from the Senior Circuit…
- Cardinals manager Mike Matheny called backup catcher Eric Fryer a “pleasant surprise” and heaped praise onto the veteran backstop when speaking to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, as Goold notes, today’s expected return of Brayan Pena could spell the end of Fryer’s time on the big league roster, as the team hasn’t expressed a willingness to carry three catchers. Matheny called Fryer “an asset to our organization” and said he’s happy to have Fryer in whatever role possible, so it seems that even if he’s designated for assignment, the Cards will hope to retain him via an outright assignment.
- Goold also notes that the Cardinals had right-hander Seung-hwan Oh warming up in advance of a potential save opportunity in yesterday’s contest, but he took a seat once the Redbirds scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, thus erasing the save situation. The Cardinals, who over the weekend removed the struggling Trevor Rosenthal from the ninth inning, have an undetermined situation at the back of the bullpen. However as Goold points out, the fact that Oh was seemingly first in line could be telling of Matheny’s ninth-inning intentions. Oh has been brilliant this season, working to a 1.66 ERA with 12.1 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9 in 38 innings. Those chasing saves in fantasy leagues can follow MLBTR’s @closernews Twitter account for updates on ninth-inning situations around the league.
- The Phillies activated Vince Velasquez from the disabled list today and will insert him into the rotation, with lefty Adam Morgan shifting to the ’pen, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We’re going to get a look at him in that role for the time being, which doesn’t mean he’s never going to start again for us,” said manager Pete Mackanin of Morgan. In 57 2/3 innings out of the rotation this season, Morgan has a 6.55 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9. However, he’s also an extreme fly-ball pitcher that has been highly homer-prone this season, which has negated his otherwise solid K/BB numbers.
- The Marlins continue to search for starting pitching on the trade market, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but the organization also believes that there are better days ahead for lefty Justin Nicolino now that they’ve convinced him to stop throwing his cutter. Nicolino has limped to a 5.17 ERA in 10 starts this season, and while his cutter has indeed graded out as a negative pitch, so too has his four-seamer. From my vantage point, it seems optimistic to expect that change to alleviate the need for rotation help in a significant fashion. Over the past week or so, Miami has been connected to controllable arms Jake Odorizzi and Drew Pomeranz on the trade market in addition to a more short-term fix such as Bud Norris.
Ignoring the presence of Kendry Flores is ridiculous. He is off the DL and has pitched 11 innings of one run ball in two MIL starts since. He should be given every opportunity at this point.
To all of you who think Tehran is not a ace and can’t pitch in American League
well I’m going to prove to you all he is . Now Tehran is in his 4th full season.
Well I have stats that prove he compares to one hall of fame pitcher and
red sox legion Pedro Martinez and ace of today Jonny Cueto .
Some of stats he better then both of them when they where in there
4th complete major league season . Here we go
Pedro Martinez. Jonny Cueto. Julio Tehran
Wins- 48. Wins- 41. Wins- 42
Lose-20. Loses-37. Lose- 36
G.S.- 88. G.S.-116. G.S- 116
INGS- 663. Ings- 687. Ings- 713.1
So- 657. So- 532. So- 626
BB- 238. BB- 232. BB- 193
Hits- 538. Hits- 653. Hits- 620
Tab- 1989. TAB- 2061. TAB- 2140
Avg-.271. Avg- .316. AVG- .289
Runs- 271. Runs-321. Runs- 282
ER- 251. ER- 292. ER-256
HR- 56. HR- 80. H.R. -84
Fip- 3.39. FIP. 4.25 FIP- 3.81
Whip- 1.363. Whip- 1.285. Whip- 1.112
Cwar- 14.1. Cwar- 8.3. Cwar- 12.0
H.P.G. -6.1. H.P.G.- 5.6. H.P.G. 5.5
So/BB%- 2.76. So/BB%- 2.29. So/BB%- 3.24
HRPAB- 35.5. HRPAB- 25.8. HRPAB- 25.5
SoPG- 7.5. SoPg- 4.6. SoPg- 5.6
Era- 2.86. Era- 2.52. ERA- 2.28
HR/bb/hits- 832. HR/BB/hits- 965. HR/BB/Hits- 897
Tab-2227. Tab- 2293 Tab- 2333
Obp hr-3.73. Obp hr-4.20. OBP hr-3.84
Also Tehran has started 11 games vs American League teams ,and
he has a 2.93.When it come to him giving up home runs.
Well when you more around the plate , your more likely give up
home runs and when it comes to strike out .
Rather you know this or not . Braves don’t want there pitcher to strike every batter
Out . They want them to change speeds .Hit there spots ,and let there
fielders behind him to make the plays and keep his pitch count down.
When you go for strike outs . It pushes your pitch count to go up .
I gotta say man, right or wrong, you put more effort into your comment than anyone else.
Please don’t tell me you compared him to Pedro. Lord.
Wrong threaded
I can’t believe you don’t work for Billy Beane.
Tehran has 2.93 era in 11 games against American League teams
This post didn’t even mention the Braves, man.
Don’t you know that every post is about the Braves? Or at least to Chris815
So basically pmart was better at everything
Better at everything in less innings
Once again I have to to prove you wrong again . So if you equal Martinez to Tehran start total from 88 to 116 . You will see that Martinez number would be hits 684 where Tehran has 620 hits Martinez would have given up 332 ERs. And he his walk total is already hire then Tehran’s with less starts . So how is p Martinez a lot better then Tehran
Gee, I don’t know, but maybe because Pedro did it for another 12 years and is heading to the hall of fame. I like Tehran and all but let’s relax a bit. No need to keep up the propaganda every 5 articles.
Maybe you should figure out a better format to post stats. That way people will take you more seriously. Also, use a different translator. Whichever one you are using to get your English is not working very well. If you are not using a translator and English is your first language, you might want to re-do High School. Otherwise, no one is ever going to take you serious around here
I am a Cardinal, but a realist too. For some unknown reason, the Cardinals fall in love with their closer and will rarely take him out when he in danger of blowing a save. Eckersly, Issringhausen, Franklin, Mott, Mejica, and now Rosenthal all hit a wall were they were blowing as many games as they saved. But…..managers and the GM were bull headed enough to keep running these guys out there in the 9th. Einstein said, the definition of insanity is; “Repeating the same thing over and over getting the same results while expecting a different result!” Thus has been the practice and philosophy of the Cardinals regarding their closers when it’s obvious their electric magic is gone. Numerous outstanding pitching performances through 7, or 8 innings, a full days work, is ruined in 10 pitches or less. Just imagine being a starting pitcher handing the ball over late in the game and it ending up being tie or lost on another guys inefficiencies on minimal pitches. Depressing at the least. Mike Matheny says these closers need work and doesn’t want a bad outing effect the closer mentally. Well what about that great starting pitches performance, the hitters scrapping out runs? What about their mental out look?? At the end of a game you can find the best managing being done to protect leads. That separates the great managers from the also rans. If Mike Matheny can improve on this, he should!!! Rather than get mad at individuals that point this out time and time again with the relievers and closers he’s had in the past. He should recognize there IS a pattern and take constructive criticism, learn from it, and better himself and the team
It’s the sane with every manager in baseball. The defined closer role is bad for winning games. But as long as it’s still being awarded in contracts and arbitration, it will natter to the players and managers.
How was he blowing as many as he saved? He has saved what? 16? And blown 3? Those two numbers don’t look anything alike.
Hard for Batters to get a “feel” for seeing a pitcher one time during a inter-league series. It takes swing and miss stuff or heavy sink with a good defense playing behind you to be a successful pitcher in the AL. I’ve seen too many pitchers coming from the NL that were then pitching in the AL looking towards the on deck circle waiting for the pitcher’s slot to come up when there is a DH. It takes a special talent to perform in both NY and in Boston because of constant scrutiny. All those intangibles come into play when making decision on trades, not simply just numbers. Opinions like those expressed on this site have to be compiled and then someone with a high pay grade pulls the trigger.
i guess it’s like an abusive relationship. you want to believe things will be the same so it’s hard to pull the trigger. I saw that here in Texas, too when it took several bad outings for Rangers manager Bannister to give up on Tolleson. And last year, it was difficult to end things with Feliz.
The Cardinals Manager is the most predictable manager in MLB when it comes to the 7th inning and on. A Starting pitcher can be pitching a shutout through 6 innings. He will bring the starter back to start the 7th. If the first or second batter gets on base, no matter how, he already has a reliever warmed up and brings them into the game. From the time the first reliever is brought into the game until that reliever gets in trouble, no one is warming up, as they were when the starter was pitching a shutout such as Martinez has seen 3 times himself. On other occasions, the starters have only given up 1-2 runs then settled into a positive grove. When the 7th inning comes, the Cardinals bring in the relievers regularly, needed or not. All of this said, to support the fact that the Cardinal manager is extremely below the average MLB managers in evaluating how strong a starter is going into the 6th and 7th innings. And below average in over using the lefty – righty pitching match ups, and below average in his evaluation
Of his relief Corp. late in the games. He manages his relievers with his heart rather than with his brain.