Kyle Kendrick (SP-PHI) – Overall, the Phillies have a team to be reckoned with, but if there’s ever a weak spot, it’s the back end of the rotation (bullpen too?). Sunday, Kendrick allowed five runs over five innings, including a pair of home runs and a 4:4 K:BB. Kendrick is averaging less than five innings over four starts and has a 7.71 ERA and 9:9 K:BB in 18.2 innings. That Kendrick is struggling isn’t a huge surprise, so it’s time to look at potential replacements. Problem is, the Phillies lack options. Should the Phillies decide to cut bait on Kendrick, their options down at Triple-A appear to be (in this order): 33 year-old Brian Mazone (3.68 ERA, 16:3 K:BB, 22 IP), Nate Bump (1.35 ERA, but 5 K in 20 IP), and Drew Carpenter (7.35 ERA, but hey, his last name is Carpenter). Kendrick isn’t quite finished, but picking things up would be advised.
Chris Young (OF-ARI) – Young was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and an RBI on Sunday, leaving him with a .292/.333/.500 line in 72 at-bats. Young has also been quite productive with 16 RBI. He’s stolen just one base, but then again, Young is also on pace for 27 homers and 144 RBI. After dropping to .212/.311/.400 last season, Young is rebounding well. A .270 BABIP can be partially to blame for last year’s line, so yes, I’m buying the rebound so far.
Mike Pelfrey (SP-NYM) – The greatness that is Mike Pelfrey continued on Sunday in a weather-shortened game. Pelfrey got the win, spinning five shutout innings while allowing five hits, no runs, and a 3:5 K:BB. All Pelfrey has done this season is go 44-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 26 innings. A couple reasons for skepticism – 19:13 K:BB this year and a 5.2 K/9 for his career. Pelfrey though is a former top-10 overall draft pick with exactly 500 career big league innings under his belt at age 26. Perhaps he’s come into his own, though the sub-2.00 this year makes one skeptical. I still like him solely for his pedigree as a former top prospect however.
Madison Bumgarner (SP-SF) – Much has been made of Bumgarner’s diminished velocity the past several months. After a horrific spring in which Bumgarner lost out to Todd Wellemeyer in the battle for the No. 5 starter job, Bumgarner continued to raise concerns after allowing 11 runs on a whopping 21 hits over seven innings in his first two Triple-A starts. There’s been no reasonable explanation for this, but in his last two starts, Bumgarner’s velocity has increased 3-4 mph and after Sunday’s outing, he’s allowed just two earned runs on seven hits and a 6:4 K:BB over 11 innings. That’s not overly impressive, but it’s step forward, and considering Wellemeyer’s 8.16 ERA and 11:11 K:BB in 14.1 innings (three starts), Bumgarner’s path to the big leagues is clear.
Tyler Colvin (OF-CHC). – The Cubs’ starting three outfielders: Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd, and Kosuke Fukudome. Fourth outfielder: Xavier Nady. Crowded? Yes. Colvin though batted fifth on Sunday against Milwaukee, going 3-for-5 with a double, homer, and three RBI. Through 33 at-bats, Colvin is batting .333/.405/.697 with three homers and a 7:4 K:BB. He’s a former first-round pick, but considering Byrd has a .923 OPS himself and Soriano and Fukudome have the bloated contracts, it’s hard to see Colvin getting a whole lot of playing time. At a minimum, he’s putting himself in competition for a starting job next year, but he’ll need an injury or two to guys ahead of him to get significant playing time the rest of the way this year.
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