MLB Predictions 2012: Jose Valverde and 3 Pitchers Who Will Disappoint

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The 2012 Major League Baseball season started on March 28 and we already saw some major disappointments.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez has only one RBI in eight games played. I expected more. The same goes for second baseman Robinson Cano, who is doing even worse with only one in nine games.

And the biggest surprise of all is Albert Pujols not having registered a home run in nine games. I understand it’s only been two weeks since the start of the season, but I’m starting to wonder whether he just doesn’t feel comfortable with the Los Angeles Angels.

Let’s focus more on the pitchers this season. With 162 games per team, these four pitchers are likely to continue to disappoint.

Jose Valverde

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Blowing a 2-0 lead to the Boston Red Sox does not inspire a lot of confidence. Yes, the Tigers ended up winning 3-2, but a closer surrendering two runs is never what you want to see.

I’m not sold on the idea that this was just a minor one-time slip-up because the Boston Red Sox were not playing well at all. They started on a three-game losing streak.

His ERA doesn't inspire too much confidence, either. He has been inconsistent throughout his professional career starting in 2003. For April, his ERA is 4.91—disappointing indeed.

Ricky Nolasco

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I’m still not sure whether Ricky Nolasco is actually talented or if he is just not a good pitcher.

His inconsistency has been rather worrisome. Every once in a while, he would have a game like the one against the Astros on Friday. He surrendered two runs on four hits in just five innings.

Even though his control has gotten better, it is not lastingly better.

In his six years as a professional baseball player, Ricky Nolasco had an ERA of less than 4.00 only once (2008, 3.52). He has been doing worse ever since.

For the two games he has played this season, his ERA is 3.46.

Adam Wainwright

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When a player is coming back after missing the entire 2011 season with an arm injury, the standards are not very high. But Adam Wainwright didn’t meet any.

The Chicago Cubs hit Wainwright hard. He played for only three innings in the Cardinals' 9-5 loss on Friday. Wainwright said this was the worst day of his career. (They won the other two games against the Cubs.)

The 2011 World Series Champions, the Cardinals, have so far lost three games. In two of them, Wainwright was the starting pitcher.

Prior to his surgery in February 2011, Wainwright had pretty good ERAs. He had his best mark in 2010, posting a 2.42 ERA.

Brandon Morrow

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Brandon Morrow allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings during Friday's 7-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

His ERA in the two games he played so far is 2.57, but his career average is 4.32. Morrow needs to fix that if he is to be a great player.

Morrow has another weakness—WHIP. His WHIP last season was dangerously high at 1.29. Currently, for the two games he started, it’s 0.79.