Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Brandon Webb became the majors’ first four-game winner after allowing one run over eight innings and driving in two against the Giants on Wednesday. The way he was going and getting quick outs, Brandon Webb thought for sure he would finish the game. Webb pitched another gem and, for the first time, has begun a season by winning his first four starts. Brandon Lyon finished the three-hitter. Webb’s two-run single opened the scoring against Barry Zito in the 4-1 victory. It’s one of the very few times the career .106 hitter has helped himself offensively. Fortunately, he’s usually able to hold his own in the mound. (Rotoworld)

“That’s a good start,” Webb said. “It makes you feel confident.” Webb hit an early two-run single and made it stand up. The 2006 NL Cy Young winner gave up three hits over eight innings and won his sixth straight outing since last September. He has a 1.86 ERA this season. The sinkerballer struck out the side in the first inning, throwing 10 of his 11 pitches for strikes. He got through both the fifth and sixth innings on only five pitches each time, and wound up with five strikeouts. “With 62 pitches through six innings, I felt I was going to finish this thing, but I kind of got out of sync,” Webb said. “A couple really quick innings, I was able to make pitches when they were swinging early.” Webb only went 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA last April, so he is off to a much better start in 2008. You don’t need us to tell you that Webb is a must-start Fantasy option. His next scheduled start is for Tuesday in a rematch against the Giants. He is on track for two starts Fantasy Week 4 (April 21-27) with his second coming against San Diego. (CBS Sports)

Deadspin had a review of the game:

That sonic boom you heard in San Francisco on Wednesday was caused by pitchers Brandon Webb and Barry Zito. The former Cy Young winners are moving so quickly in opposite directions that the rapid heating and expansion of air has created enough pressure to cause explosive sound waves in China Basin. Webb (4-0) allowed one run on three hits through eight innings in the Diamondbacks’ 4-1 win over the Giants. Zito (0-4) lasted six innings, and is now 11-17 since signing for $126 million as a free agent in 2006. That other loud sound you hear is Giants owner Peter Magowan banging his head on his desk, which he will be doing repeatedly until Zito’s contract runs out in 2014.

But back to the Snakes. If there is one team that has the potential to wrap up its division race by June, it’s the Diamondbacks. At 11-4, they’re three up on second-place San Diego, the largest margin in the majors. Webb — the only four-game winner in the majors — was brilliant (I was there; and even though seated pretty far away, that sinker is impressive). Giants’ hitting coach Carney Lansford: “He’s a good pitcher, but if you make him get his sinker up you can hit him. You have to execute your game plan and not chase so many pitches out of the zone. You just can’t do that. You’ve got to be disciplined against a pitcher like that.” And Lansford knows what he’s talking about; he’s one of only 12 players who has played in both the Major League World Series (1988, ‘89, ‘90) and the Little League World Series (1969). Webb had a two-run single for the Diamondbacks, and Eric Byrnes had a run-scoring double. To recap: Webb, 4-0, 1.86 ERA, 22 strikeouts, eight walks, 2008 salary: $5.5 million; Zito, 0-4, 4.50 ERA, eight strikeouts, nine walks. 2008 salary: $14.5 million.

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