My formal apologies...

[TransMonk]

to Jeremy Hefner. This may have been noted elsewhere, but he has been very, very solid since late April (a 2.93 ERA since 04/25/13).

I never figured he would be this decent for this long so I never really gave him a chance. I know the bottom could fall out at any time, but now when he takes the mound, I feel like he is an asset to the team instead of a liability.

Keep up the great work, Hef.

[Benjamin Grimm]

[Vic Sage]

ditto, for as long as it lasts. I didn't see this level of sustained solid production coming from him.
Of course, now that we commented on it, it will stop.

[Guest vtmet]

most of the scouts also said that Gee could not get guys out at the Major League level...as Tom Seaver would say: there are 3 elements of pitching, with the least important element being velocity...

[Vic Sage]

uh, hate to mention it, but GEE has had incredibly mediocre numbers in the majors to date, with an overall ERA of 4.20 (4.6 this year), and a WHIP of 1.35. While those are not terrible numbers, they're not great either. In fact, Hefner has pitched better for the last 2 months than Gee has for any similar stretch of his career to date. I could be wrong.

But I've been unimpressed by Gee since he showed up and, unlike my view of Hefner, i remain unimpressed. I hope his performance, however, forces me to offer him my formal apologies at some point.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah, Hef's been at a whole nother level than Gee this year, although Gee has improved considerably recently.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Since May 30 Gee has made six starts, and is 4-1, 2.45, 7 BB, 40 K, with an opponent's OPS of .699. If that's his future, I'll take it.

Today's episode of Small Sample Size Theatre is brought to you by the "Magical" World of Shrinky-Dinks.

[ashie62]

Hefner has become one of my favorites..

He does seem to throw strikes...

[Edgy MD]

Since May 30 Gee has made six starts, and is 4-1, 2.45, 7 BB, 40 K, with an opponent's OPS of .699

That'll qualify for Vic's two-month standard by the end of the week.

We don't want to admit it, but a lot of guys are playing well. If they can squeeze a little productivity out of centerfield and/or catcher, folks will notice.

[Ceetar]

There are 18 qualified starters with a higher ERA than Gee this year, and 28 of them that have higher than his career 4.2. (i.e. every team has someone worse that they're starting regularly)

That's certainly getting guys out at the major league level.

(Has there been a trend of guys not being quite 'ready' and taking a month to round into form, or is that just Warthen hate bleeding into the facts?)

Now just hit.

[metirish]

Hefner while not the playboy of the staff is certainly letting it all hang out these last few months, he is really showing his assets, dare I say he turns me on when he straddles the well worn rubber.

[Frayed Knot]

Hefner's last Nine starts (since May 24): 56 IP; 13 ER; 51 Hits; 10 BBs; 49 Ks; 2.09 ERA; 1.09 WHiP

About the only thing he's not excelling at is length (no game over 7 innings) but he's giving a consistent six or seven just about each time (one game was just 5 IP) and some of it all can be blamed on lack of offensive support and lack of defensive support (9 unearned runs over those games).

And for comparison purposes only, Harvey over his last nine starts: 59 IP; 20 ER; 53 Hits; 13 BBs; 73 Ks; 3.05 ERA; 1.07 WHiP

[Edgy MD]

Every two weeks, one has had to reassess. He's gone from a poor pitcher on a hot streak, to a fair pitcher on a hot streak, to an average pitcher on a hot streak. A couple more weeks of this, he might start looking pretty good.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah Harvey has jumped the shark, what with his bare butt, Russian supermodel girlfriend and un-beating-the-Diamnondbackness.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Gee might be mediocre, but, with this team, mediocre from the fourth or fifth starter might not be a bad thing. I don't think anyone is counting on Gee to be our ace.