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Closing Time: Kyle Gibson's steady improvement

Closing Time: Kyle Gibson's steady improvement

For all the time a young player spends working out, practicing and honing his craft, there’s no substitute for experience. It still stands as the best teacher, the concept of learning on the job, making mistakes, adjusting the approach, growing into the gig.

With that in mind, we present to you the case of Kyle Gibson, third-year pitcher with the Twins. Maybe things are starting to clear up for him.

Although Gibson was the 22nd pick in his draft class six years ago, his first trip around the majors was a rocky one. He posted a 6.53 ERA in 10 starts two years back, and modestly improved (4.47 ERA) in a full season last year. He wasn’t on anyone’s mixed-league radar entering 2015.

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Halfway through Gibson’s third year, the stats are moving in the right direction. He’s posted a 3.04 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through 16 starts, including eight clean innings against the Royals Thursday (8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K). Here’s your scouting video, take a look.

Gibson’s best skill is inducing ground balls - he’s at 54.2 percent this year and around that for his career. But skeptics will quickly point out that it’s difficult to be successful with a strikeout rate under six, and a K/BB ratio barely over two. Pitching to contact works for roto purposes sometimes, but it’s the sort of case you talk yourself into.

But maybe Gibson is starting to figure out how to put batters away. The seven strikeouts at Kansas City were impressive - that’s a team that does all it can to avoid swings and misses. And consider Gibson’s monthly strikeout percentage this year, starting with April: 5.9, 15.2, 21.9, 22.6 (one start, of course). That’s a trend moving in the right direction.

If you write off Gibson’s April brief struggles, you’re left with a remarkably consistent pitcher over his last 13 starts (2.53 ERA, 1.11 WHIP). He’s made strides against left-handed batters (to the point that he’s just about platoon-neutral this year) and the strikeouts are on the rise. Maybe this is growing up at age 27.

Gibson is owned in just 13 percent of Yahoo leagues, though I added to that total over the last day or so. Perhaps you’d like to join me; chase some pedigree, nod to the steady improvement. He’s at home against Baltimore (and Chris Tillman) next week, a game he'll be favored to win.

• All things considered, Jose Fernandez’s return start was a success. He picked up a win over six solid innings (7 H, 3 R, 6 K), didn’t walk anyone, sat in the mid 90s without much trouble. When he wanted extra gas, it was there - his best fastballs were in the 99 mph range. The Red Sox aren’t an easy draw next week, at Fenway no less, but Fernandez is the type of pitcher you obviously throw against anyone.

Justin Bour’s home run sparked the Miami offense, and it’s the third straight day he’s gone into the seats. A .263 average doesn’t sound like much, but Bour gets on base (.340 OBP) and has decent power (nine homers, .496 slugging). He’s needed in this lineup while Giancarlo Stanton is out, and Bour’s free to add in 98 percent of Yahoo leagues. I'll take some hacks with that one.

Gallery God 
Gallery God

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For the first 10 weeks of the year, Boston’s right-field production was the worst in baseball, no team even close. But things have started to turn around of late, sparked by the addition of journeyman Alejandro De Aza.

Most of the Red Sox lineup had fun in Thursday’s 12-6 laugher at Toronto, with De Aza contributing a 5-2-3-1 line (double, triple). He’s off to a .338/.372/.662 binge since joining the team 23 games ago, with three homers, 10 runs, 16 RBIs. Over the past month, the Red Sox are the third-highest scoring team in baseball (behind Toronto and Baltimore; also note the Yankees are sixth).

De Aza can’t hit lefties and teams shouldn’t even give him a chance at that assignment going forward. But he’s ripping righties to a .293/.338/.531 tune this year, and the Red Sox face seven righties over the next eight games. We’ll have some fun with this one. De Aza is still unowned in 87 percent of Yahoo leagues.

About Last Night: Call me crazy, but I still think the A’s will get back into playoff contention. That run differential says something, and I don’t fully trust all the front-runners in the AL. Scott Kazmir’s eight dominant bagels carried Oakland to an easy win over Seattle, while Marcus Semien hit his first homer since the Taft Administration. Franklin Gutierrez had the only two Mariners hits . . . Carlos Gonzalez took a collar at Arizona, dropping to .241/.302/.410 . . . It’s cute that the Padres added outfielders and a closer, but it’s hard to trust their infield and their left-handed bats. Craig Kimbrel’s 20 saves don’t mean much when your team is five games under .500. Matt Kemp walked twice, but he still doesn’t look anywhere close to right. He’s slashing .241/.281/.362 . . . Francisco Cervelli is the most underrated catcher in the NL these days. He homered in a getaway win at Detroit, pushing his OPS up to .788 . . .The Mets took another day off, scoring just one run in a loss to Jake Arrieta and the Cubs. New York’s offense is just 11 runs from the MLB basement. All the pitching in the world isn’t going to get this team anywhere . . . The Yankees are taking their time with Jacoby Ellsbury (knee); he won’t be activate this weekend . . . Cole Hamels apparently doesn’t want to be traded to the Astros. Reality bites . . . I don't know what to say about Matt Cain. I have no expectations, and wasn't surprised the Marlins knocked him around. I didn't stash him anywhere or add him anywhere. See an angle? I'm all ears . . . Cesar Hernandez reached base four times in Philly's extra-inning loss . . . Miguel Sano went 1-for-4 in his first game (infield single, two strikeouts), batting sixth. The Twins pinch ran for him late in the game . . . Matt Moore was chased in the fifth after allowing six hits and four runs. I don't like him at Kansas City next week.