Hi-oh Silva!

Check out these two pitchers:

Guy One: 4-18, 7.03 RA; 1.4H/IP; 1.8 K/BB; 1.22 HR/9; 3.89 K/9

Dude Two: 2-0, 1.90 RA; .52H/IP; 6.0 K/BB; .47 HR/9; 5.7 K/9

Fellow #1 is a soft-tosser whom hitters have figured out like Monday's crossword puzzle. The opposition's taking him all over the yard, and out of it, because he's fooling a batter every third inning -- which could simply be the opposing pitcher. He's like Sarah Palin -- the opposition is begging to face him.

Fellow #2 has a much better clue. His pinpoint control is helping him keep people off base and inside the park. He's Bobby Jindal -- the other team doesn't want to reckon with him.

If you're never alone with a schizophrenic, Carlos Silva always has a friend. The first line is his last two years in Seattle. The second line is his 2010 so far for the Cubs. 

As you can see, past results are no guarantee of future earnings. Nor should we assume his hot start is a predictor going forward. The NL hasn't seen the 6'4" Venezuelan before and may take a few turns through the circuit before they start treating him like the Hacky Sack so beloved by AL batters and their agents. In addition, Silva has moved to a weaker league that sends a non-Major League hitter to the plate every ninth turn. 

Nonetheless, that's quite a transformation -- so far -- for a guy whose fastest pitches the last two years were clocked going in the other direction.

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