Athletics 8, Rockies 5: Jeremy Guthrie Allows Seven Runs for Second Straight Start

Pitching is not like riding a bike. Once you fall off, be it by losing your release point, mechanics, velocity, etc., you can't just get back on the mound and will your way over the next hill. Jeremy Guthrie has fallen off his "bike," and he cannot figure out what is wrong. Of course, even if pitching was like riding a bike, we couldn't be confident he could get back on without crashing.

Tuesday's game started well. Guthrie stranded three runners in the first, then the Rockies aggressively assaulted Bartolo Colon in the first inning, with three singles, a walk, a Marco Scutaro triple and Tyler Colvin leadoff home run. A quick bottom of the second inning gave Rockies fans a brief feeling of hope Jeremy Guthrie would be on tonight.

Then Oakland scored six runs off him, slugging two doubles and two home runs after Guthrie gifted two baserunners with a walk and hit batter. Brandon Moss added his second home run two innings later. Ironically, Guts managed to strike out five batters, tied for a season high, but the 7 earned runs shot his ERA up to 6.91. He has allowed 5 ER or more in 6 of his last 9 starts. He's allowed multiple home runs in 4 of his past 5 starts.

Of his 48 runs allowed this season, 29 have come in the 3rd or 4th inning. The second time through the lineup, opponents are hitting .397/.414/.923 with 10 home runs the second time through the order in his 10 starts.

I don't know what's wrong with Jeremy Guthrie. He doesn't appear to know either. Even if he did, the change would not be so simple as jumping on the bike again. I'd be joining Guthrie in his opinion that he doesn't belong in the rotation, but there just aren't any capable replacements at this point.

The Rockies are now 0-7 in interleague play, and they haven't even played in an AL park yet.

Source: FanGraphs

WPA Heroes

Wil Nieves (+.111): 2-for-3, RBI, BB
Tyler Colvin (+.109): 1-for-2, HR, 2 BB
Eric Young Jr. (+.087): 0-for-0, PH BB.

WPA Zeroes

Jeremy Guthrie (-.400): 6.0 IP, 7 ER, 9 H, 3 HR, 5 K, 2 BB. (-.074): 0-for-2, K.
Carlos Gonzalez (-.210): 1-for-5, 3 K.
Michael Cuddyer (-.154): 1-for-5, RBI

Row Call

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