After a great first start of the year there was a lot of anticipation for Drew Pomeranz’s start in Houston. Before the season began I wasn’t buying Pomeranz as a starting pitcher for two reasons. The first being he’s only a two-pitch pitcher. The second and most important is he’s a fastball and curveball pitcher. With that repertoire the fastball command has to be at least 60 (on the scouting scale). The success of his curveball is dependent upon his fastball command. Basically, if hitters aren’t waiting for a fastball then the slow breaking pitch won’t fool them. Last year Pomeranz didn’t have good fastball command and I thought his ERA was fluky. In his first start of 2015 Pomeranz threw the fastball for strikes 72% of the time and he put up great numbers. Yesterday only 63% of the time and he got lit up. For a reference, as a starter last year he only threw the fastball 63% of the time for strikes. ForI’m curious to see how he looks in next start (at the Angels), but as of right now I’m not buying him until he starts throwing more strikes with the fastball.
LIke Pomeranz I wasn’t high on Taijuan Walker entering the season. My biggest concerns was his ability to throw strikes consistently and whether or not he would he would have a quality secondary pitch to keep hitters off his fastball. Specifically, he has a great fastball and cutter, but they’re thrown at the same velocity. In for those pitches to play up he needs another secondary pitch that’s thrown at a slower velocity. For my money the split-changeup has the best chance to be that pitch. I’ve seen a couple of good ones, but overall it’s still well below average. He can’t throw it for strikes consistently, which means hitters will eliminate that pitch (because if they see it’s a split-change they know it won’t be a strike and they won’t swing) and will look for the fastball and that point it doesn’t matter how fast the ball is thrown. If you watch the at-bats of hitters you’ll notice they’re all waiting (hunting) for the fastball. If I own Walker I’m leaving him on my bench until I see better command of his secondary pitches.
Brandon Morrow has looked really good in his first two starts of the year. The question is the performance sustainable? Obviously injury is always going to be a major question mark with him, but if he were able to stay healthy Morrow is going to have fantasy value. This year he’s not throwing the fastball as much, opting to have his secondary pitches set up his fastball. What’s impressed me is the fastball command; he’s throwing strikes 69% of the time. Since he’s throwing the strikes with the fastball it’s allowing his secondary pitches to play up and generate swings and misses. He’s faced two really bad offenses in the Giants and Diamondbacks so I want to wait and see how he looks against better competition. He’s not going to continue to have a sub-2.oo ERA, but he’s going to have a 3.30-3.45 ERA with enough strikeouts to matter in 12-team mixed leagues. At this point he’s a stream option based on the matchup.
Yasmany Tomas was called up and if you own AJ Pollock or Jake Lamb I would be very concerned. Since the Diamondbacks spent so much money on Tomas I have to assume he eventually gets an opportunity to play every day. Judging by what all the scouts are saying it will probably come in the outfield. If that happens the outfield is going to become very crowded. Mark Trumbo is going to play every day in right and if Tomas is playing in left that means Pollock will have to share time with Ender Inciarte.
