Daily Joust – Wk 4: Did We Learn Anything?
April 30th, 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
R.A. Dickey (+72 to $258K in the DailyJoust salary)
Dickey had a rough start on April 18th (8 ER in 4.1 IP), but in his other three starts he’s posted a quality start each time out allowing a total of four runs. Overall his ratios aren’t that bad consider that one abysmal start (4.44 ERA, 1.36 WHIP), but it should be pointed out that he’s allowed at least one homer in each of his four starts and his total of six longs balls allowed is already a third of the way to his total of 18 allowed last year.
Alex Gonzalez (+24, $89K)
He is what he is. That means Alex is a middling average producer with no stolen base speed and decent pop in his bat. Hitting .254, seven points above his career mark, Gonzalez has also not stolen a base (shocker since he has only six the past five years. Alas, there is that power. With four homers and 12 RBI through 19 games for the Brewers he’s well on pace to better his totals of 15 and 56 from last season with a shot at numbers akin to his 2010 effort (23 HR, 88 RBI).
Carlos Gonzalez (+17, $120K)
Come on, were you really worried? I know that some of you were, you know who you are, so hopefully his huge effort last week will put those concerns to bed. Over his last six games CarGo has four homers, 11 RBI, seven runs scored and two steals. All of a sudden he is hitting .288 with four homers/steals, 16 RBI/runs in just 18 games of action. Elite thy name is Gonzalez.
Ramon Hernandez (+26, $105K)
A big couple of games for the aging catcher leave him with two homers, six RBI and three runs scored in his last three games. Alas, he’s still hitting a measly .241 on the year and he hasn’t walked once in 15 games. Really Ramon, not one walk? He can still be a productive bat when he plays, but the last three years he hasn’t played 100 games once. If not for Willin Rosario struggling so much (.194 with 12 Ks in 31 at-bats) Ramon might already be losing playing time.
Mike Minor (+76 to $293K)
In three games since giving up six runs in his first outing, Minor has gone 2-0 while allowing four runs on his way to three quality starts. Minor also has a 15:1 K/BB ratio in those three starts showing everyone why he was taken 7th overall in the 2009 draft by the Braves. He’s not quite on par with Brandon Beachy, but Minor’s star is certainly on the upswing.
Vance Worley (+68, $287K)
Worley has gone at least six innings in all four of his starts, an only one time has he allowed more than a run (he gave up four runs to the Mets in six innings). Stung by the long ball, he’s allowed four in four starts after giving up just 10 last season, Worley also has 27 punch outs in just 25 innings of work.
LOSERS OF THE WEEK
Chase Headley (-30, $80K)
Come on, you knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep up the pace. Over his last 10 games he has no homers and just two RBI, but on the year he has still produced 14 RBI and an .875 OPS. He has his issues, not the least of which being a ballpark that is going to keep his power numbers down, but overall this has been a pretty impressive start for Headley (see that .394 OBP).
Jason Heyward (-47, $67K)
With eight steals in 22 starts Heyward looks like a big time base stealing thief. Unfortunately, no one has ever thought of him in that light. Maybe 20-25 steals, but not 40+ like his early season base certainly suggests. Heyward has also gone deep just twice in 22 games, and his performance over his last 10 outings, other than the four steals, has left a lot to be desired (only seven hits, three RBI and four runs scored). Still, a heartening start.
Bud Norris (-53, $168K)
Eleven runs allowed in two outings will get everyone up in arms about your outlook. At the same time, Norris still had 12 Ks in those 11.2 innings, and four walks in that time isn’t an obnoxious number (seems like people over at Fleaflicker are plenty nervous though, just look at that ownership rate). The fact is, he just got pounded with his pitches in the strike zone leading to 19 hits. On the year he still has 22 Ks and just eight walks in 24.2 innings, solid numbers the both of them, and there is no way he’s going to allow four homers every two times he takes the hill.
Jose Tabata (-30, $55K)
Through 65 at-bats he has no homers and two runs scored. He’s also been caught on half of his six steal attempts. At the same time there has been some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel as he has raised his average from .111 to .231 over the last seven games as he has produced 11 hits. He still has an awful long way to go to get back to being the player who hit .299 with 19 steals in just 102 games in 2010.
Randy Wolf (-33, $165K)
Wolf was beat around for 11 runs in his first two outings, so allowing a mere six runs in his last two forays onto the bump is clearly progress. At best a 7.17 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 1.44 K/BB ratio says that Wolf should not be in your starting lineup. At worst it might be time to cut Wolf loose and replace him with someone else that at least won’t kill your ratios while he tries to figure out what ails him.
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: Alex Gonzalez, Bud Norris, Carlos Gonzalez, Chase Headley, Jason Heyward, Jose Tabta, Mike Cameron, R.A.Dickey, Ramon Hernandez, Randy Wolf, Vance Worley
By Greg on Apr 30, 2012
Any way I can touch Campana in 10-team w/ AVG & OPS? Would be 5th OF over Parra or Presley. Also Headley, Roberts or loathsome Reynolds at CI in that format?
One addendum, Ray – dare I say your boy Chris Davis over any of those
3Bs above for my CI slot? Believe the hype?!
By wesley on Apr 30, 2012
Would u drop danks for stauffer? In a deep 12 team weekly roto league
thanks ray
By Casey on Apr 30, 2012
Hey Ray-
In a vacuum, would joe Nathan for ichiro be a fair trade? The league is 12 team 5×5 head to head.
Thank you
By Jason on May 1, 2012
Ray,
I’m in disgust with Heath Bell. I’m in a 14-team league (H2H, Points) where I can only keep two RP. However, I also own Luebke (SP,RP eligible), so I can really only own one true RP (stupid rule). Therefore I am stuck with watching Bell suck it up every week. Here’s who’s on the wire:
Casilla, J. Johnson, Aceves, Broxton or Jansen.
Who (if any) do I pick up for Bell?
Thanks!
By George Borden on May 1, 2012
In a 9-team mixed roto and need an outfielder until Chris Young comes back and as a backup after that. Lots of people on the wire. Who do you like best as between Pagan, Rios, Rasmus, Schafer, Maybin, Luke Scott, Span, Moreland, Craig, Ibanez, Schierholtz, Bourjos, Niewenhuis, Reddick, Presley, Crisp, Parra.
By Steve on May 1, 2012
Ray,
What do you think of my recent trading? My team is the one that had Pineda and Ellsbury. I’m in an AL only, 5×5 league and have been trying to deal Ellsbury for Choo or Gordon, but have been turned down. However, I strongly believe he will need surgery, but the Sox want to hold out hope he can return. My colleague at work has the same injury and his doctor said he WILL need surgery. That’s good enough for me. I’d rather let someone else hold the High Risk, High Reward Ellsbury. So, that being said, this is what I completed:
Ellsbury, Kendrys, and Alvarez Henderson
FOR
Span, Lind, and Sale
I overpaid, but if I’m going on the premise Ells isn’t going to play much this season if at all, then it’s Kendrys/Alvarez for Span/Lind/Sale. This is what I have on the table now, which the owner is 95% on board:
Lind, Murphy, Delmon
FOR
Butler and Viciedo
He just wants to make sure DET doesn’t impose longer suspension on Young.
So, essentially, I’m replacing Ellsbury, Kendrys, Delmon, Murphy, and Alvarez for Sale, Butler, Span, and Viciedo. What do you think?
This leaves me with the following group:
C – AJ
CI – Tex, Lawrie, Dunn
MI – Kelly Johnson, Alexei, Kipnis
OF – Grandy, Damon, Reddick, Span, Viciedo
UT – Butler
SP – Beavan, Beckett, Holland, Niemann, Sale, Hochevar, Hultzen
RP – Downs, Nathan, Strop, Walden
This will leave me with an open spot. This is among the FA players:
Arencibia, Martin, Carroll, Betemit, Dyson, Jeanmar Gomez, Pavano
Who would you suggest I add? Sorry for long comment.
Steve in Arlington, MA
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
Greg – In an OPS lg, Campana will be bad. In a 10 tm OPS lg, not interested.
Headley is the only CI guy on your roster worth a damn right now, though it’s hard for me to suggest giving up on Reynolds.
I don’t have an issue with Davis over Roberts.
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
Wesley – I would not have a huge issue with moving from Danks to Stauffer, but if it was my team I’d keep Danks.
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
Casey – Nathan for Ichiro is a fair deal based on team makeup.
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
Jason – I still think Bell figures things out, but in your situation he is killing you.
I would add Jansen.
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
George Borden – Your best option would be Rios.
For speed, go Schafer.
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
Steve – I haven’t heard that Ellsbury will need surgery and miss the year from any of my sources. We will see. I also haven’t heard Young will have longer than a seven game suspension. Boy, you guys really deal in supposition in this league don’t you?
Deal you made isn’t a bad one at all.
You should be starting two catchers, but since you aren’t, you don’t need to add the guys on waivers.
I don’t think there are any obvious waiver moves.
By Steve on May 1, 2012
Thanks, Ray. I know nobody is saying it, but its a feeling from what my colleague was told with the same injury. Plus, the Boras factor and teams not disclosing all details are causing too many red flags. At the very best, he’ll be back in June/July, right? If not then, hopefully August, but that is too long of a wait for my team plus, I needed the K’s and Sale should provide more of that with decent ERA and WHIP numbers.
Regarding FA players, is there a diamond in the rough you can think of who will have fantasy relevance? Maybe someone in the minors on the cusp of coming up to the Show? Trout is gone. Middlebrooks is gone. I took Hultzen who I’ll wait on. His strong K ability and Noesi’s failures hopefully will get him up this summer. Anyone else you can think of? Maybe a closer in waiting?
Thanks, Ray. Love your Show!
By Joe M on May 1, 2012
Hey Ray
I hate to be beating the same drum every day, but I completed an Encarnacion trade on one of my teams and curious if you think I did ok with it (I needed pitching bad).
I gave Edwin and De Aza (De Aza was mostly on my bench)
I got Beachy and Beltran
(3 year keeper league, so I can keep Beachy in the 11th for 2 more seasons)
Still trying to move Edwin in my other league
Sorry, I promise I wont be bothering you about this for too much longer, I’ll find plenty of other things to bother you about
By Ray Flowers on May 1, 2012
Joe M – Whether you did OK or not is immaterial at this point. I often wonder why people make a deal and then ask what I think about it. I can tell you great or horrible – no matter what I think there is no way to change what has been done.
I don’t mind your deal at all. If you can keep Beachy for two more years at 11th rd, you should be in good shape.
By Joe M on May 1, 2012
I hear what youre saying, However…
I have both Edwin and De Aza in another league as well and trying to deal them, so I figured your input on this deal would give me an idea of what to do or what NOT to do in my other league (also a 3 year keeper league)
So this “did I do ok” question was more than just asking you for a pat on the back or a kick in the ass.
So, was the direction ok?