Time to panic on RJ?

[slomo007]

Seems to me like it's time to buy low on RJ.

[mkultra]

He's junk- you better drop him

[ramble2]

In my league, I offered Wood for RJ - though it was more of a joke than anything else.

[Secret Avatar]

He'll be fine. His WHIP is low, he's over 9 K/9, and he's not walking anyone. Although I'd like to see his fastball over 95, he's throwing consistently in the 90 to 95 range. It's early in the season, it's been cold, and the Yanks have been in a team-wide funk. If you have him on your team, keep him. If you want him, now's the time to try to get him cheap.

[Phatferd]

I would be worried once the weather warms up a bit and his velocity stays where it is now. I think I saw last night that he topped out at 94-95 when he usually hits 97-98. Maybe the cold has something to do with it.

I am not positive, but aren't his days of 97-98 behind him? I don't think he hits those speeds anymore, I may be wrong. If he does he only does it maybe a couple times a game.

For a couple years he has been average 93-95.

[tuff_gong]

i was starting to semi-worry about randy, but you guys just reassured me, thanks.

[LBJackal]

If you were expecting a repeat of last year - that's your problem. Everybody ignored the move to the AL saying "He's RJ - it doesn't matter where he pitches". He struggled with ontrol his first couple games, and with HR his last couple games. There's still probably no pitcher I'd take over him - I'd think twice about Santana though - but he won't put up video game numbers like some people thought he would. He's human, and to me there's no reason to think he'd repeat last year's numbers, let alone improve on them.

[duckbillgates]

His numbers are not as bad as some say. No reason to panic at all.
The ones that look bad are the ones that are the worst indicators of how a pitcher is pitching: his record (1-1 after four starts isn't what most were expecting) and his ERA (5.13).
On the other hand, his WHIP is just over 1, and he's averaging a little better than 9 Ks per nine.
He has 15 earned runs on just 27 hits allowed. The five homers allowed are the only number that actually looks bad to me.
I'm hoping for one more mediocre start so I can offer Prior for him. The rest of you should sit tight.

[CubsFan7724]

If you were expecting a repeat of last year - that's your problem. Everybody ignored the move to the AL saying "He's RJ - it doesn't matter where he pitches". He struggled with ontrol his first couple games, and with HR his last couple games. There's still probably no pitcher I'd take over him - I'd think twice about Santana though - but he won't put up video game numbers like some people thought he would. He's human, and to me there's no reason to think he'd repeat last year's numbers, let alone improve on them.

I didn't expect him to improve. I just expected him a minimal drop, since while he was moving to the AL, he was going from a hitters park to a pitchers park.

[duckbillgates]

If you were expecting a repeat of last year - that's your problem. Everybody ignored the move to the AL saying "He's RJ - it doesn't matter where he pitches". He struggled with ontrol his first couple games, and with HR his last couple games. There's still probably no pitcher I'd take over him - I'd think twice about Santana though - but he won't put up video game numbers like some people thought he would. He's human, and to me there's no reason to think he'd repeat last year's numbers, let alone improve on them.

I didn't expect him to improve. I just expected him a minimal drop, since while he was moving to the AL, he was going from a hitters park to a pitchers park.

And was going from having one of the worst defenses in the league behind him in Arizona to going to a solid fielding team. And a team with a solid bullpen who shouldn't send too many of his inherited runners across the plate. (Except, of course, for Gordon yesterday.)
These things make me believe that his jump in ERA from the league switch won't be as drastic as some naysayers believe.
Oh, and don't forget, it would be a miracle if he doesn't win 20 games, even with this start.
Top-two pitcher, even with this start.