Coach Fletcher’s Friday Scouting Edge
Friday, July 31
4:05 pm Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles
Tigers Trade Price, Soria – Start a Farmer
It appears that the Tigers have thrown in the towel for this season. Trading David Price is a pretty good indication that they are done this season. Buck Farmer will get the start today after Detroit moved Shane Greene from the starting rotation to the bullpen. That was necessitated because Detroit traded Joakim Soria to the Pirates. Buck Farmer has made 3 appearances for the Tigers – 2 starts and 1 relief appearance. Things haven’t gone well. Farmer has tossed a total of 13 2/3 innings and has a record of 0-2. Farmer’s been torched for 22 hits and 14 runs . Thus Farmer’s bloated era of 9.22. But that’s not the worst of it. Farmer made 1 appearance for Detroit in 2014 and the results were strikingly similar. In 9.1 innings in 2014 Farmer went 12 innings and allowed 12 hits and 12 runs. That puts him 0-3 with a 10.22 era. There is one plus when it comes to Farmer and it must be the reason he is still in the bigs. In the 23 innings he has pitched in the majors, Farmer has 23 strikeouts. But that hardly makes up for the fact that in those 23 innings he has allowed 34 hits, 6 round trippers, and 26 runs. Hitters are batting .347 against him lifetime.
4:10 pm San Diego Padres at Miami Marlins
Kennedy is Finally Coming Around
Ian Kennedy has long been thought of as a starter with a big upside. But other than one seasons, 2011, Kennedy has failed to live up to his promise. In 2011 Kennedy was 21-4 with a 2.88 era for the D-backs. Kennedy was 4th in the Cy Young voting that year and many felt that he could have won it. Kennedy may have turned the corner as he has been very effective of late, much better than his record and era would indicate. Kennedy is 6-9 with a 4.58 era, but in his last 7 games Kennedy is 3-4 with a 2.75 era. He beat Miami on July 25 allowing only 1 run and 7 hits in 6 innings. Kennedy walked 1 and fanned 7. Prior to that start Kennedy went 6 against the Giants giving up 2 runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and fanning 6. He’s 2-2 in July with a 3.53 era.
5:10 pm Arizona Diamondbacks at Houston Astros
Which Rubby De La Rosa Shows Up Against Astros
Rubby De La Rosa has had an up and down season. The last two starts have definitely been on the upside but his history against the Astros suggests he may be headed down. De La Rosa is 8-5 with a 4.52 erea for the D-backs. His last 2 starts have been nearly flawless. On July 20 vs. Miami, Rubby went 7 innings and gave up just 5 hits and 1 run. He came right back and on July 25 against the Brewers, De La Rosa went 8 innings without giving up a run and only surrendering 4 hits. In his last 7 starts Rubby has gone 3-2 with a 3.12 era. However, before getting too carried away, we need to see what he has done versus the Astros. It’s a painful sight. In 4 appearances, 2 starts and 2 relief appearances, De La Rosa sports a hefty era of 9.28 against Houston. On the other side of the coin, Houston is 4-13 against Arizona in their last 17 contests.
5:10 pm Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers
Jungman Could Cause More Problems for Struggling Cubs and Hammel
Things haven’t gone real well for the Cubs or Jason Hammel lately. In his last start, Hammel (5-5, 3.20) was tagged for 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings. He hasn’t won a game in his last 8 starts despite giving up more than 2 runs just twice. The Cubs have lost 4 of their last 6 going into Thursday night’s game. That has virtually knocked them from contender to pretender. The Brewers’ Taylor Jungman is going to try to slam the coffin shut. He has the tools to do it. He is a very much under the radar 5-2 with a superb 2.14 era this season. He hasn’t faced the Cubs previously but in 3 home starts he has recorded an eras of 1.58. He’s 4-1 with a 2.11 era in his last 7 starts.
7:10 pm Los Angeles Angels at Losa Angeles Dodgers
Kershaw and His Sore Hip Face Halos in Freeway Series
Clayton Kershaw was scratched from his Wednesday start due to a “sore hip.” I’m guessing it was more of a sore feeling the Dodgers have had lately due to their inability to score runs. Kershaw’s 29 inning scoreless streak may make the concept of scoring runs painless for the Dodgers. Kershaw is 8-5 with a 2.51 era and has tossed 2 straight shut outs. He’s 3-3 with a 1.36 era in his last 7 starts. On Wednesday, with Kershaw on the pine, the Dodgers exploded for 10 runs versus the A’s. Prior to that start LA had scored 3 runs or less in 6 of their last 7. Not counting the double digit bombing, the Dodgers had only averaged 2.3 runs per game in that 7 game set. Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, and Shane Victorino are the only Angels who are hitting above .300 versus Kershaw.