Thursday’s streaking and slumping starting pitchers

STREAKING

Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds (3-6, 3.96 ERA)

A couple days ago, we got Travis Wood confused with Leake in Streaking and Slumping. Thankfully, one of our loyal readers out there reminded us it was Leake, not Wood, who got caught stealing designer t-shirts. 

Leake is pitching fantastic these days but the Reds aren’t taking advantage. The club is 2-3 in his last five starts even though Leake carries a 1.95 ERA over the same stretch. The under is also 5-0 in his last five trips to the hill.

Mark Buehrle, Miami Marlins (9-8, 3.13 ERA)

Offseason pickups Heath Bell and Carlos Zambrano haven’t worked out but Buehrle is living up to his big contract. The Marlins are 4-0 in the soft-tossing lefty’s last four starts and the under is 3-0-1 in those same four games.

Buerhle struck out seven in his last start against the Nationals, making it four straight outings with at least seven punch-outs. 

“I’m still scratching my own head to try to figure out what I’m doing striking all these guys out because it’s a lot of guys,” Buerhle told reporters after the game.

SLUMPING

R.A. Dickey, New York Mets (12-1, 2.66 ERA)

It’s only a two-start slump, but it’s noteworthy this early because of who we’re talking about. Dickey is still the runaway favorite to win the National League Cy Young award but he’s been tagged for five earned runs in each of the last two appearances.

Are we beginning to see 37-year-old knuckleballer come back down to Earth? Is the law of averages in play here, or will Dickey’s magical campaign continue? 

Jerome Williams, Los Angeles Angels (6-6, 4.67)

It’s been four consecutive forgettable outings for the Angels' fifth starter. Williams has surrendered four or more runs in each of those starts. That’s not terrible for a fifth starter but it still stings because the Angels were favored in three of the four contests.

This last appearance on July 14 was his first since coming off the DL. Reports are he suffered an asthma attack in the dugout after getting the hook against the Yankees.

“Although he gave up a couple of home runs, pitched better than his line score shows,” Halos manager Mike Scioscia told Associated Press.