Blue Jays in June: Starting Pitchers

After a terrific May, June wasn't great. We went 12-15 in June (same record as April), but any month that we finish in first place is a good month, in my humble opinion.

Our pitchers put up a 3.93 ERA, not quite the 3.74 they had in May, but better than 4.64 in April. Our starters were 8-14 with a 3.89 ERA. They averaged 5.91 innings per game.

Mark Buehrle: 1-4 with a 2.79 ERA. In 6 starts he pitched 42 innings (7 innings per start). He allowed 39 hits, 6 home runs, 11 walks with 24 strikeouts. Batters hit .244/.292/.431 against him. Going 1-4 with a 2.79 ERA is a pretty glaring indictment of our offense.  Mark's luck on home runs ran out, he allowed 2 homer in the first two months of the season, but 6 in June. We knew it wouldn't last, but he's still pitching great.. He is great to watch. Does he get the start in the All-Star game?

R.A. Dickey: 1-3 with a 4.11 ERA. In 5 starts he pitched 30.2 innings (6.1 innings per start). He allowed 32 hits, 10 home runs, 11 walks, 27 strikeouts. Batters hit .262/.331/.549 against him. Again, the luck on the home runs ran out on him, he gave up 6 home runs the first two months of the season (not exactly terrific), then gave up 10 in June. I really think Gibby is going to have to go to a hard ceiling of 90 pitches for the guy. It seems like he does pretty good for 90 pitches and then it falls apart. After his 100th pitch, batters hit .407/.529/.815 against him. We have to stop letting that happen. He is 39, we might like to think knuckleball pitchers can go forever, but maybe we should think of these things in a case by case way. I understand wanting him to pitch late into games, but it isn't working, let's stop hoping it will.

Drew Hutchison: 1-3, 4.28 ERA. In 5 starts he pitched 27.1 inning (5.5 innings per start). He allowed 28 hits, 3 home runs, 7 walks and struck out 20. Batters hit .269/.310/.423 against him. For a guy that seems to alternate good and bad starts, his monthly numbers are very consistent. He's OPS against by month has been .732, 740, 733. Game to game he isn't consistent, this month he's had Game Scores of 78, 27, 68, 34 and 46. Considering he's 23 and just off missing a year after Tommy John, that he isn't consistent shouldn't surprise us, but I hope he improves as the season goes on.

J.A. Happ: 3-2, with a 4.55 ERA. In 5 starts he pitched 27.2 innings (5.5 innings per start). He allowed 31 hits, 2 home runs, 11 walks with 24 strikeouts. Batters hit .290/.350/.439 against him. He had 2 terrible starts, one ok start and 2 good starts. I guess I can live with that ratio from a fifth starter, but I wouldn't mind moving him to the bullpen if Alex can find us another starter. His last start was great, 7.2 shutout innings. I guess hoping that he can continue like that is a bit much.

Marcus Stroman: 2-2, with a 2.67 ERA. In 5 starts he pitched 30.1 innings (6.1 innings per start). He allowed 25 hits, 3 home runs, 8 walks with 26 strikeouts. Batters hit .223/.279/.366 against him. 4 of his 5 starts were 'Quality Starts', the one that wasn't was the game in Yankees Stadium, where the home plate umpire might as well have worn pinstripes. It is easy to say that Marcus is going to have to learn to deal with terrible umpiring, but no starter could have put up a good showing with an umpire that bad The most he's walked in a start is 3 (the Yankee Stadium game). Really have to like a rookie that throws strikes.

Liam Hendriks: 0-0, 32.40 ERA. Called up for 1 spot start, went 1.2 innings, allowed 6 hits, 1 home run, 1 walk, no strikeouts. I doubt we'll see him again.

Off topic, but I talked to Phil Naessens last night, here is a link: