-0.5 Points: An Ugly Way to Stay in First

Derek Lowe was awful yesterday, allowing 13 hits and 8 runs in 3.1 innings vs. the Cards. I didn't watch the game- thank god- but Lowe told the LA Times that he left flat sinkers up and over the plate. I'll give him a mulligan on this one because I'd rather have Lowe lose with his sinker than with any other pitch. It's been a consistent pitch for him for years and it will come back, so I'm going to start him next time out against the Phillies at home.

Justin Verlander's line was awful yesterday, and there's no denying that he's really hurt me in his last three starts (vs. CHW, @CLE, @CHW). However, the dilemma that I face regarding Verlander's a lot easier to handle than it seems. Jim Leyland had to lean on Verlander after using 7 of his relievers to the tune of 133 pitches in a game that proved to the Tigers and everybody else that they have no chance of making noise down the stretch this year. So Verlander was going to have to suck up a couple extra innings to save the 'pen a little. When I saw that Verlander had thrown 130 pitches, I was miffed, but it sounds worse than it really was. Going into the 8th inning, Verlander had thrown 107 pitches and retired 18 of his last 21 opponents. He retired the first two batters before allowing a double and a couple of walks. He left the game trailing 3-0, but Aquilino Lopez couldn't hold the runners so, for the second straight game, Verlander's bullpen allowed more than one inherited runner to score. This isn't to say that Verlander was great yesterday, but after his first inning troubles he stuck around long enough to help his bullpen and long enough for his bullpen to hurt him.

On a more positive note, I picked up "Everyday" Eddie Guardado, who has the best 87 mph fastball in baseball and the chance to save games with it now that CJ Wilson has finally admitted that he's hurt. It's a good move for me since it gives me the depth at closer to make a deal for another bat. I'm working on a deal for Xavier Nady now, trying to figure out which one of my closers to give up for the Yankees' newest bat.