AGE: 29
POSITION: Starting Pitcher (rp)
NUMBER: 47
NICKNAME: "Fuego," "Joey Fuego"
fWAR IN 2021: 0.7
ZIPS PROJECTION FOR 2022: 1.7
Some might say ZIPS don't know zips. Those people might be the ones asking how a starting pitcher whose prior season ended with Tommy Johnnican surgery in late June gets an fWAR prediction this year that's 11th best on the team.
Well, ZIPS might not know zip, but they certainly don't seem to know why my 2021 was abbreviated, and they likely don't have much of an idea how abbreviated my 2022 is looking as I entered camp making noise about coming back mid-season to pitch out of the bullpen. If that's the goal, as unlikely as it is, and knowing how miserly fWAR is with relievers, it all may seem unlikely. For what it's worth, STEAMER predicts a big, fat, steaming 0.0 for my 2022 fWAR total.
That may be more realistic. But neither ZIPS nor STEAMER knows me. They don't know me, they don't know my indefatigability, they don't know my churve, and they don't know how many times my girlfriend has made me see Pitch Perfect 2. (Good God! I get it! Beca "speaks" to you!)
But you? You have some idea? You've seen a little of me, and you probably have some experience with making nuanced adjustments to your expectations following UCL reconstruction. I bet you do. And I bet you're going to tell me everything you know in the space below.
