A lot of attention early in a season naturally focuses on the hot starters, the players batting over .400 or sporting an ERA that starts with a zero.
For all the stories that are positive, there is at least someone on every team who was expected to do more than they have provided thus far. That doesn’t mean the season is doomed, of course; we’re not even a month in, after all. Still, we’re far enough along that if you’re struggling at this point, this can definitely be classified as a “slow start.”
Jimmy Herget comes at batters from varying arm angles, with frisbee-like, elite-level spinbreaking off both sides of the plate. It’s the ultimate skillset to send a batter, shaking his head, back to the dugout.
Lars Nootbaar grew up idolizing Ichiro Suzuki, and not only did he follow in his hero’s footsteps by winning a World Baseball Classic title for Japan, but he got to meet the legend himself.