Hitters get hot and cold. They have baselines. But, since they play every day, you live with "oh-fors" because they will get hot, and for the most part, a couple of hits here and there and some RBI and runs mitigate a lot of frustration.
In short, hitters are our friends.
Pitchers are fickle. Take Dustin McGowan, or Jamie Shields, both of whom pitched shutouts a couple of starts ago, only to get pounded the next start. Shields has since bounced back with a gem, but, it is so up-and-down, which is hot-and-cold stretched out and combined with drama.
In short, pitchers are our lovers.
Which means when pitchers are going well, we love them, and when they are not, they hurt and frustrate us.
Naturally, I am having a love/hate thing with both Shields and McGowan because I have both on a couple of teams. But, as with all relationships--at least the long-term kind--it is just as confusing.
Last year, on my XFL (standard 5X5 roto) league team, Oliver Perez and Tom Gorzalaney were anchors on my very good staff. This year they are again anchors, but this time it is because they are a weight on my team's shoulders rather than the stabilizing force they were.
Worse, on my STATS team, I rostered (I swear Todd Zola says it is too a word) the same Perez and Grozalaney have helped me achive the worst pitching in the league with a scant 5.8 points per game. Of course, my #1 pick in the league, Justin Verlander, averaging -7.5 points a game is not helping either.
But, again, last year Verlander helped anchor my Tout AL team pitching staff that was the best in the legaue. (Unfortunately, that time my hitting was the worst.)
Even in Strat can this cunundrum be seen.
For example, I knew I was going to get Lenny DiNardo on my AL hometown team as I had frozen him as uncarded in 2006 (don't ask me why: I have no clue other than I could, but, I also froze Carlos Pena in the AL and Kelly Johnson in the NL, so I am not about to question my actions).
But, in looking at DiNardo's numbers, it seemed like he would be an acceptable fifth starter option in a deep league.
But, no. Why Livan Hernandez or Carlos Silva can post similar numbers and have a card that works is beyond me, but after three starts, I know Lenny is simply going to be clobbered just about every time. All I need to do is look at Lenny's Strat card, and I can seem doom.
As opposed to Jake Peavy or Matt Cain, whom I love to take the hill.
As I intimated. Pitchers: can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.
Just ask Cliff Lee owners.
It just doesn't make any sense.