Daily Joust – Wk 3: Did We Learn Anything?
April 23rd, 2012 | by Ray Flowers |
Monday’s I will be taking a look at the fantasy baseball game by breaking down players who have produced noteworthy performances. This week it’s all about hot starting batters and pitchers – can they keep it up?
To get your daily fantasy baseball fix make sure you head over to DailyJoust.com to set your salary cap club.
GAINERS OF THE WEEK
Bartolo Colon (+43 to $236,000 in Daily Joust salary): The A’s hurler has been fantabulistic this season striking out 19 batters while walking only two batters over 27.1 innings leading to a 2.63 ERA and 0.80 WHIP. This is as good as it gets. You can start him for the moment, he’s rolling right along after throwing 38-straight strikes in his last outing, but there is no chance he’ll keep this up so know that the good times will strop rolling – soon.
Jamie Moyer (+39, $179K): How he does it no one knows, but through three starts Moyer has a 2.55 ERA an a 1.30 WHIP. On the down side he has only six strikeouts through three starts, and check out the “offenses” that he has had success against: Astros, Giants, Padres. The only thing those three offenses have in common is that they are offensive on offense. Moyer has gotten batters out, and he’ll likely continue to do that at a respectable clip, but he’s not someone to count on.
Bruce Chen (+30, $220K): A younger version of Moyer? Not quite, but not too far off either. Chen is 0-1 through three starts but he has a 2.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP. That along would be exciting. Add in 14 Ks and just two walks, and the excitement meter moves higher. Over his last 15 starts he is 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Pretty impressive stuff.
Jake Peavy (+20, $272K): Last year he had a 3.96 K/BB ratio, a bit under the radar given his 4.92 ERA. This season he’s racked up 21 Ks in just 19.2 innings, while walking only two batters leading to an otherwordly 10.50 K/BB ratio. He’s obviously not keeping this up, but it’s great to see that this once proud hurler is back to being an effective big league pitcher once again. A nice depth option.
A.J. Pierzynski (+12, $107K): Hitting .348 on the young season, A.J. has a .324 career OBP in over ,5,300 at-bats. A.J. is always a solid option at the plate, he’s hit at least .270 in five of the past six years, and he’s always around 10 homers and 55 RBI as a serviceable catcher two in mixed leagues. Make sure you don’t use his hot start to blind you to the facts (people aren’t ever at Fleaflicker where A.J. hasn’t exactly been a hot add to fantasy squads).
Jason Heyward (+11, $105K): Back to bashing, this former “superstar in training” is once again performing like a superstar in training. The five steals aren’t likely to be a pace he will be able to sustain, but it’s heartening to see that he’s cut his ground ball rate from 54 percent, his total his first two seasons, down to 40 percent this year. If he holds on to that gain he should have little problem surpassing his totals of 18 homers and 72 RBI from his rookie season.
LOSERS OF THE WEEK
Jon Lester (-20, down to $265K): Lester’s numbers look bad with that 5.82 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Still, before his last outing when he was bombed by the Rangers, that ERA stood at 2.40. It’s a sample size situation people. A big concern though is nine walks and just 12 Ks in 17 innings. Given how stable he has been the past few years it would be wise to remain patient, but it’s been a rough start.
Matt Garza (-10, +281K): There are no certainties in life. Still, I’m pretty damn certain that Garza will be what he always is at the end of the season, and that is one of the better non-elite arms in the game. Sure he was shelled in his last outing allowed two homers and six runs to the Marlins, but he still has a 3.66 ERA and 1.07 WHIP for the year. Everyone would take that in a heartbeat if those were his season long numbers.
Brandon Morrow (-10, $245K): Concern is growing about his total of nine punchouts in 20 innings, so this is a big week for the righty who has starts against the Mariners and Royals. Lost amid concerns over his disappearing K-rate has been his 1.10 WHIP and the fact that he’s further dropped his walk rate down to 3.15 per nine (the number the last three years has been 5.68, 4.06 and 3.46).
DAILY CONTEST
Today you can sign up for the King Arthur’s $50 Free Roll on DailyJoust. No entry free is required to get a chance to play the game and earn your free chance to take home part of the $50 prize pool. All games that start at 7:05 PM EDT or later are open to add players to your daily fantasy baseball squad. So get over to DailyJoust, put together your one day lineup, and get ready to win some free $.
By Ray Flowers
Tags: A.J. Pierzynki, Bartolo Colon, Bruce Chen, Jake Peavy, Jason Heyward, Jon Lester, Mailbag, Matt Garza
By Icehole on Apr 23, 2012
12 tm 5×5 standard,
We discussed Gio for CCrawford, and you like the Gio side there.
How about Gio and Ackley for Crawford and Kinsler??
By Ray Flowers on Apr 23, 2012
Icehole – If there is some ace out there who would deal you Crawford and Kinsler for Gio/Ackely do it immediately. If you are the CC and Kinsler owner run, don’t walk, away from this deal.
By Trophyhunter on Apr 23, 2012
I noticed Matt Harrison is not scheduled to pitch
this week. Why skip a start when he has done so
well so far? Thanks
By Ray Flowers on Apr 23, 2012
TrophyHunter- My notes say Harrison is set to start the 27th, Friday.
Where are you seeing that he won’t be pitching this week?
By Jim on Apr 23, 2012
Ray, I know The Big Guy will keep making babes if I make the wrong choice, but help me out here, brother.
Matt Harrison (Friday) at home vs. Shields, or a struggling Masterson at home vs. Jared Weaver (Haren?).
It’s a deep 5X5 mixed roto league.
Thanks.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 23, 2012
Jim – First off, what’s a deep 12 tm lg? I think that term is thrown out to loosely. Hard for a 12 team mixed lg to be deep. A deep league is 23 starters (14 hitters, 9 pitchers) in a 15 tm mixed lg, or NL 13 teamer, AL 12 teamer etc.
Hard on the daily matchups as always, but I don’t know how you could bench Harrison right now given his hot start, even though I know it will never continue.
By Trophyhunter on Apr 23, 2012
ESPN schedule shows Feliz pitching Friday for
Texas. Also, Fleaflicker does not show a start
for Matt Harrison at all this week. I play a
daily league with no waiver system, so it is
important to start as many good pitchers as
possible every day. Harrison looks like he may
miss a start?
By Steve on Apr 23, 2012
Ray,
It is more and more difficult to be patient with Ellsbury and Pineda in my AL only league. Should I sell 50 cents on the dollar for some speed and lower caliber SP? All my players have provided the power numbers except for speed which Ells was to provide. Who do you think I can target if selling low? My offense is Tex, Dunn, Lawrie, Kipnis, Alexei, Kendrys, AJ, Grandy, Reddick, Murphy, Kelly Johnson, And Delmon with Ells and Damon on the bench. arencibia is on waivers but I don’t have a spot yet unless Pineda is worse than Yanks are letting on. If anything, I don’t do a thing and just suck it up. Just expressing my frustrations. How are your teams doing?
By JDW on Apr 23, 2012
Bautista looks just awful at the plate. Watching him again tonight – more god-awful groundouts to shortstop. “Double-Plays Galore” would be his Bond villainess name. Ugly at-bat tonight where he yet again grounded to short, but this time pulled up kinda gingerly. Wouldn’t be surprised if he sits for a few games or even hits the DL – just to get his head right. But he won’t. The Bautista era is OVAH!
By JDW on Apr 23, 2012
WOOOHOOO – you see what I did there? As a life long Red Sox fan I succumbed to fatalism and giving up – in the hopes that, upon giving up I might turn the fortunes of certain players around. It worked! Bautista just went yard less than an hour later with a 2run HR. The Bautista era is BACK!
By JDW on Apr 23, 2012
You’re welcome Bautista owners. Sorry I was holding him back. I should have given up on him two weeks ago. He’s have 5 Hrs by now!
Love you, Ray!
By greg on Apr 23, 2012
Hi Ray – so I’ve started Wainwright & Josh Johnson in each of their first 3 starts. You reckon the time has come to bench them in a 10-teamer until they show signs of improvement? I see it as pretty low-risk, but I’ve also had bad luck with streamers so far. My ERA and WHIP have been generally destroyed by the likes of JJ, Waino, Aceves, etc.
By Mick on Apr 23, 2012
Do you prefer Altuve or J. Weeks?
Thanks.
By Mark on Apr 24, 2012
5×5 mixed. Would you drop LaHair for JD Martinez?
By Matt K on Apr 24, 2012
Ray, Can you tell mw whats going on with C-Gon? Also, do u think beltre will be in the lineup tonight? thanks.
By Chris on Apr 24, 2012
Ray – I have a trade question.
I am in a 12 team yahoo 5×5. Offensively, I am good in all categories but steals. I have been offered…
Rollins
Maybin
J. Montero
for
Mauer
Bruce
Definite upgrade in steals, however, I already have Cabrera and Desmond at SS. I could move one to make room for Maybin but that still leaves Rollins/Cabrera on the bench.
I will also need to pick up a catcher until Montero is catcher eligible (should be one more game at catcher then he is eligible). We have a couple available in your top 20 so not too worried about that.
My OF will be Pence, Granderson, C. Lee, and Maybin.
To me it comes down to is the loss of Bruce’s HR worth the bump in steals.
What do you think?
Thanks much.
Oh, wanted to ask…is there another way to catch The Drive other than XM? I just got a new car without XM and so far have been ok without it but did like listening to you guys on the way home.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
TrophyHunter – Tigers-Rangers postponement from Friday and the twinbill on Saturday probably has led to the confusion (the stats provider for the companies likely hasn’t made the adjustment yet). Near as I can tell, Harrison is still on schedule to pitch Friday. MLB.com agrees too.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=mlb&date=2012/04/27
Fleaflicker now agrees too: http://www.fleaflicker.com/mlb/leaders?sortMode=2&position=1536&week=27&season=2012&searchFor=harrison&statType=6
By Cliff Prince on Apr 24, 2012
Just wanted to throw you a thanks on Rios. I actually got him on waivers after the draft, but before the season started. I was skeptical but figured what the heck, its a waiver pick. Hopefully he’ll continue back to his form of two years ago.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Steve – If selling Pineda, 50 cents on the dollar is ok to do. I guess I’d have to say the same thing with Ellsbury since he could miss roughly half the season, but I’d be less inclined to give away Ellsbury for such a discount.
My teams are doing OK. So early, and so many of them, but so far my NL LABR team, that everyone said was awful, is in 3rd place – with Quentin not playing a game, Chris Young on the DL, and Placido Polanco hitting .200.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
JDW – Hey, Bautista hit a homer last night. All isn’t lost.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Greg – Buddy, guess you did exactly what I always suggest people don’t do – build their staffs around injured guys. Maybe you got them at great deals, but it’s not a surprise either has struggled. As long as Johnson is healthy, he will be fine. Wainwright should be fine too though his mph is down a bit. He’s still getting Ks and keeping the walks down though, so a rebound should be coming there as well – if he’s fully healthy.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Mick – I’d rather have Weeks than Altuve. He’s slightly more advanced as a hitter.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Mark – I would drop LaHair for JDM. LaHair is really just keeping his spot warm until Rizzo is ready. Don’t forget, LaHair spent six years at Triple-A for a reason.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Matt K – I expect the Rangers will give Beltre a few days, but he could be active tonight. Just don’t know yet.
Carlos Gonzalez is fine. Its’ been 50 at-bats. He hit .228 with one homer last April and finished the year at .295 with 26 homers.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Chris – You can listen to SiriusXM in your car. If you have a radio you can remove from your car, you can hook it up to a stereo to listen away from your car. You can also sign up for on-line service so you can listen any time your at a computer.
Jesus Montero is a decent bat with a really bright future, but Mauer will likely smoke him in value this year.
If you already have Cabrera at SS, adding Rollins isn’t a huge need. If your lg, and it sounds this way, doesn’t have a middle infield position than there is no reason for you to do a deal where you will have to bench one of the top-10 SS.
I wouldn’t do the deal.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Cliff Prince – Rios has been effective so far. He only has one homer and one steal, but he’s hitting .360 with an impressive .934 OPS. It’s a long year, but I always said I thought he could be a top-25 OF this year.
By Matt K on Apr 24, 2012
Ray, some one just dropped jimmy rollins I should probably scoop him up and drop espinosa right?
By Ray Flowers on Apr 24, 2012
Matt K – Must add Jimmy Rollins. I’d drop Espinosa is that was my only option, but you don’t have someone else you can drop, maybe a SS since the guys play diff positions?
By Matt K on Apr 24, 2012
not really i got desmond and peralta
By Brad on Apr 25, 2012
Would you trade duda for
Smoak and Torres
Or Smoak and n Morgan
Or neither
By Ray Flowers on Apr 25, 2012
Brad – None of these guys are very interesting unless you are in a 15 tm mixed lg. Torres was superb and then awful last two years. Can’t trust him to be the impressive version. Smoak just isn’t right. He might start losing at-bats. Morgan is already losing at-bats.
Given that none of them move the needle I’d stick with Duda.