No matter what the sport, injuries have the ability to play a huge role in the success or struggles of a team throughout a season. Even the best teams and organizations often fail to overcome a star player going down for any substantial length of time. Just like a starting quarterback in football, there is no more vulnerable position than a starting pitcher in baseball.
Teams historically will be in the pennant chase come September if they get good starting pitching. Of course that can’t happen unless the pitchers are healthy for the majority of the season. In baseball, the health of a starting pitcher effects the game in more ways than just one as it can impact a whole season by throwing an entire rotation out of sync. Below we have analyzed some early season injuries on the mound and how they have affected their teams. Keep these in mind when you are investing on or against these teams in the coming weeks and months:
American League:
Kenny Rogers (Detroit Tigers) – Out until at least mid-July after having a blood clot removed from his throwing shoulder just prior to the season. Rogers was the Tigers post-season hero on the mound last year. Although he does not throw as hard as Robertson or Verlander, his spot in the rotation will be impossible to replace. Now holding down the fifth spot in the Tigers rotation is Chad Durbin who recently made his first start in the majors since August of 2004. If the Tigers are going to repeat last season’s magic they are going to have to find a way to win on the fifth day in the rotation and hope that the first four starters do their job. The Tigers offense is also not as powerful as some of their American League brethren. That said, you will want to keep an eye on the starting pitching match ups as well as the status of the bullpen in Tigers games while Rogers is out.
Chien-Ming Wang (New York Yankees) – Expected to be out until at least early-May with a strained hamstring. It might be surprising that the concern for the Yankees is an injury to starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang considering how “stacked” the Yankees usually are. However, Wang was by far the Yankees best pitcher last season. He won 19 games and the effects of his absence have already been apparent as the opening day starter for the Yankees was Carl Pavano. While Pavano gave a solid outing in his second start of the season, his first start showed why there is reason for concern in the Bronx. The difference with the Yankees, compared to the Tigers, is twofold.
Wang’s injury offers much quicker recovery time plus the Yankees possess a very potent offensive attack. That’s good news for the Yankees because they will need all the runs they can get. Keep an eye on the totals in the Yankees games because they score well but many of their starters have struggled early this season. Their bullpen has been solid but we don’t see that lasting and it could get overworked with Wang not in the rotation. An overworked bullpen is a prime example of how an injury has a “ripple effect” on other areas of a team.
National League:
Pedro Martinez (New York Mets) – Rotator cuff surgery has Pedro out until at least mid-July. The Mets should be flying a World Series banner from last year but injuries to their starting pitching cost them the chance to put the National League’s best everyday line-up in the Fall Classic. If Martinez can come back in July, the Mets will have found new life in a rotation that is currently counting heavily on 40 year old Tom Glavine. If Pedro can come back healthy, a starting rotation currently including retreads and inexperienced starters will suddenly look much better. Until then, the Mets could be about as sure a bet as their cross-town rival Yankees. In other words, the Mets could be overpriced and inconsistent. The Mets offense has been solid so far this season and that has keyed their solid start. However, the losses will certainly come soon if the starting pitching doesn’t hold up. Totals (flying over) could become the play as the Mets starting pitchers will not have enough to get them to the All-Star break. Taking a side in their games could become very risky with the reliance having to be on the Mets solid lineup rather than it’s questionable rotation.
Chris Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals) – It’s uncertain how long he will be out as he has an elbow injury and has been placed on the 15 day disabled list. The elbow problem might turn out to be nothing too significant. However, if Chris Carpenter is out for any extended period of time the Cardinals already slim chances at repeating as World Series champions will have taken a hit from which we feel they would not recover. Their rotation already includes starting pitchers who were working out of the bullpen last year and losing their ace would simply be too much to overcome. The Cards’ everyday lineup, other than Albert Pujols and perhaps Scott Rolen, really does not scare teams. That said, if the Cards don’t have the pitching to keep games close it will be a long season for the defending champs. The sharp bettor could take advantage of some solid underdog line value as the champs will still carry some extra “favoritism” with the betting public based on last season’s title.
In summary, injuries can definitely make it tough on teams but they can also make it easy on our wallets! In baseball, keeping an eye on the health of starting pitchers can turn some of your bets into home runs. Just remember to keep an eye on how injuries are impacting a team. Is the bullpen overworked? Does the rotation seem to struggle as a whole because an “ace” is out?
Keep those thoughts in mind and also be sure to check in daily with Scott Rickenbach for selections in all the major sports right here at VegasInsider.com. Click to win!
