Offensively, Andrew McCutchen declined for the second straight year, but Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Jung Ho Kang provided enough offense, and really, a half-decent rotation would've been enough to get them to a fourth consecutive playoff appearance, considering the competition.
He was thrust into the same role in Game 1 last year — a young left-hander counted on to anchor a decent, if unstable, rotation — and handled it with aplomb, guiding the Phillies to victory that night, and again in the clinching Game 5, exactly a year ago Thursday.
Gorzelanny 14-100, 3.88 earned run average) and Snell (9-12, 3.76) provide a young, decent front of the rotation, and Matt Capps (18 saves) has emerged as a promising closer.
The Yankees chose not to add Millwood, who was signed as an insurance policy, because their rotation is in decent shape, even with the uncertainty over the health of the right-hander Phil Hughes.
I don't resent these other, lesser comedies (much), partly because the maxim that talent has to be nurtured is probably true, and partly because, when the terrestrial schedule flops, I have a superhuman capacity for re-watching the four decent shows Netflix features on rotation, while retaining some slim and feeble will to keep breathing.
The opportunistic offense and deep set of relievers allowed the Angels to wriggle by with a rotation that was merely decent.
Since Moore and company have given Drew Brees plenty to work with this season, Payton can take his time working Colston back into the rotation, meaning Moore should still see a decent number of looks this week.
The Rays will have a decent chance if Rafael Soriano strengthens their bullpen and the young starting rotation improves.
