I guess you need to make 23 18+ out starts in a row before you start to get some love. Bloomberg Sports has a new post in which they implore you to trust Brett Myers.
Myers should appreciate the fact that he's no longer in Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, traditionally one of the most friendliest to sluggers. Last season, Myers gave up an astronomical 2.29 HRs every nine innings. This season, he's only giving up 0.80 HRs per nine innings. The massive improvement has been aided by a slightly low 8.9% HR/FB, but also a better home environment, more induced grounders, and regression from a ridiculously unlucky HR/FB of 23.4% last year - which can't possibly all be attributed to the Phillies' home park.
Just as impressively, Myers seems to be getting better month-to-month. He's no longer the strikeout master that he was five years ago, but his K-rate has been steadily rising: 6.27 K/9 in April, 6.88 in May, 7.36 in June, and 7.41 in July...
...Added up, Myers has a 3.87 xFIP this year, which indicates some good luck compared to his 3.21 ERA, but still very solid. Only 25 starters this season have a better xFIP than Myers.
There are a lot of points in here that we brought up in discussing his extension. Will he be worth the extension two years from now?
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
