Saturday, April 4, 2015

You Can't Have Too Much Pitching

My analysis of starting pitching for 2015

1 -- Henderson Alvarez -- 12-7 with 2.65 ERA in 2014. What's not to like.  And he's only 24.

2 -- Jarred Cosart -- 4-4 and 2.39 with Marlins last year after a poor start with Houston. Also 24. Big upside but how consistent will be. In other words, um, he's a gamble?

3 -- Dan Haren -- 34 -- 13-11 with 4.02 last year. 3.77 lifetime. Has produced for 176-186 innings each of past three years. Probably a dependable inning-eater, but that's about all.

4 -- Mat Latos -- A Cincy fan says -- "he's good, when he's healthy, and he's not healthy quite a bit." So a question mark.

5 -- Tom Koehler -- 28 -- 191 innings last year 10-10 3.81. Probably another Haren.

Waiting in the wings:

David Phelps -- 28 -- 0.95 in 19 innings this spring. Last year with Yanks, 5-5, including 17 starts, with 4.38 ERA in AL, likely to be lower in NL. I'd like to see him get a chance  as soon as someone falters.

Jose Urena -- 23 -- Starting season in AAA -- 13-8 3.33 in AA last year. Organization says he has a lot of upside, as does the next guy.

Justin Nicolino -- 23 -- Also starting in AAA. Last year 14-4 2.85 in AA last year.

And oh yes, maybe at some point Jose Fernandez will be back. -


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