Hey young world, the world is yours. Hey young world, the world is yours. Young world, young world, the world is yours. -Slick Rick
Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go! You know what the man says. The man says pitching wins championships. The man says you’re only as good as your next starter. Sparky Anderson says, “If I ever find a pitcher who has heat, a good curve, and a slider, I might seriously consider marrying him, or at least proposing.” Well, I found some guys. Sparky better go buy a ring. Heck, he should go all Big Love and buy five of them.
Rick Porcello – Detroit Tigers
21 year-old Rick Porcello was pretty good last year. Pretty, pretty, pretty good. As a rookie, he won 14 games for the Tigers last year. You may think of Porcello as a power pitcher. A tower of power pitcher. A man of the hour pitcher. You wouldn’t be wrong. The kid throws both a two-seam and four-seam fastball, both of which can reach the mid-90s with regularity. But know this, Porcello is no one trick pony. He also throws sinker. A stinker of sinker. He has a very, very nasty sinker that gets him out of trouble. Been getting him out of trouble all spring. He has yet to allow a run in nine exhibition innings over three appearances this spring. Ace, All-Star, Cy Young candidate, you name it, this kid’s got it.
Tommy Hanson – Atlanta Braves
Last year, Tommy Hanson was the young phenom. After a miserable debut last season, Hanson won his next four starts. Starts that included the Yankees and Red Sox back to back. Get the papers, get the papers. In a stretch of five starts, he allowed three earned runs in 30 innings. Yowza! He had 116 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings and posted the lowest ERA for a Braves’ rookie starter in 66 years. This year, he is the ace of the Braves’ staff. Ace is the place with the helpful hardware. Before all is said and done, Tommy Hanson will have some helpful hardware of his own.
Stephen Strasburg – Washington Nationals
You me and just about everybody else like this guy. What’s not to like? Stephen Strasburg is the guy to like if you like six-four, 220-pound, fireballing righties with a laser rocket arm. I do. I like-four, 220-pound, fireballing righties with a laser rocket arm. Mesmerizing, tantalizing. Captivating, he’s devastating. Sharp cheddar his heat is better. Sharp cheddar that’s led to five scoreless innings this spring. Unfortunately, word has it, he will be sent down to the farm as soon as Saturday. He won’t be there for long.
J.A. Happ – Philadelphia Phillies
Why the Phillies didn’t trot this guy out to the mound to start in the World Series is beyond me. This guy was the ace of the ballclub before Cliff Lee arrived in Philadelphia. Last season, when fifth starter Chan Ho Park struggled in his starts, J.A. Happ came along riding in on his white horse to perform many great signs and wonders. This spring, he’s picked right up where he left off. This spring, he has thrown 6 1/3 scoreless innings in two Grapefruit League starts. This postseason, I bet dollar to donuts he gets trotted out to the mound to start in the World Series.
Brian Matusz – Baltimore Orioles
In Baltimore, everybody’s jibbering about Matt Wieters. Everybody’s jabbering about the young stud catcher. Jibbering and jabbering. Blibbering and blabbering. Who they should be jibber jabbering about is the young stud pitcher. Who they should be blibber blabbering about is Brian Matusz. The young stud southpaw dominated of Double-A hitters last year. When necessity brought him to the Show, he did not disappoint. When necessity brought him to the Show, he pitched eight games and went 5-2 with a 4.63 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 44 2-3 innings. How about that? How about this? On Sunday, Matusz gave up three hits and a run in his five innings against the Phillies. It might not sound like much, but it was the longest and most effective outing by an Orioles starter this spring. Matusz may just end up the most effective Orioles pitcher of the regular season.
Public Spectacle:
Peace out homies. Six two and Even!
Need More? Atlanta Braves,Baltimore Orioles,Brian Matusz,Detroit Tigers,J.A. Happ,MLB,Philadelphia Phillies,Rick Porcello,Stephen Strasburg,Tommy Hanson,Washington Nationals
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