In last week’s Two Start Pitchers post I, to the surprise of many, included one Bartolo Colon ($7,400) among the top starting options of the week. Looking down the schedule at his two opponents it was difficult to ignore the opportunity regardless of how poor the old butterball had been pitching. It paid off earlier in the week as Colon pitched a solid 8 innings of one run ball scattering 7 hits and punching out 5. Today the Amazin’ Mets and Señor Moobs take on the Punch and Judy Rays at the Trop. When it comes to hitting RHP, the boys from Tampa are the dregs ranking 26th in wOBA while also striking out at the 3rd highest percentage in MLB. With aces widely available today (Scherzer, Hernandez, Brad Hand) Bartolo and his flowbee made hair cut are an excellent second arm or contrarian play in contests and GPP’s. Hell, anytime Bartolo doesn’t have to hit it’s a boost to the Mets chances of a W and Bartolo’s chances of getting deeper into the game. Those things are good for you too, you know, because….points!
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Chris Archer, SP: $12,300 – On the other side of the Mets – Rays matchup is Archer, an excellent pitcher who’s in fact still in his prime and devoid of a “shapely” build. All Archer has done this year is bring the pain Wu-Tang style circa 1993. His 2.54/2.55/2.56 ERA/FIP/xFIP and 10.90 K/9 are otherworldly, and though he faces an improving Mets lineup. It’s still one that ranks 27th in wOBA vs RHP and one that strikes out 20% of the time. Call me crazy but I’m putting my money on Archer being the highest scoring pitcher on DK today. Crazy like a Fox!
Shelby Miller, SP: $8,800 – Sometimes I feel like I’m just stating the obvious with these suggestions. Well here’s another example. Shelby Miller has been excellent and the Giancarlo-less Marlins, not so much. I’m a bit shocked by the low price tag but you’ll see that’s a theme of today’s post as you read on.
Ryan Howard, 1B: $3,400 – This is a bit of a head scratcher to me. Howard’s been carrying the boom stick the past few weeks putting up a .354/11/3/17 line. He’s also doing 99.9% of his damage against right-handed pitching. As far as I know, Andrew Cashner is still throwing with his right hand. He is right? Okay good. Then why is Howard soooo cheap? He’s middle infielder cheap not just cheap for a first baseman. He’s cheap cheap.
Jimmy Rollins, SS: $3,200 – I swear to god I’m not a Phillies fan trying to relive the glory days. The data with Howard and his old buddy Jimmy Rollins is just too good to ignore. Lifetime off Charlie Morton Rollins is batting .636. I’m not sure if that’s good though. Hitting .500+ off Charlie Morton seems par for the course. So in other words you should stack Dodgers.
Mike Zunino, C: $2,200 – Wow this is a discount and a half. Trust me I know, Mike Zunino is garbage on a hot day in Death Valley. But 1: I have no idea where Death Valley is. 2: Z-Pac has 3 taters off Colby Lewis in 10 at bats. I almost always punt catcher anyway, why not go with one that has some data behind it?
Todd Frazier, 1B/3B: $4,600 – Frazier loves the lefties the way I love redheads, or blondes, or brunettes, or those punk girls with that white hair. Have you seen this? Anyway, Frazier ranks 13th in MLB in weighted on base average vs LHP, he’s also ranks 1st in both homers and ISO. Guess what? No I don’t have on clown underpants! Really why clown underpants? That doesn’t even make sense. Yeah I was trying to explain that Frazier faces lefty Patrick Corbin in Arizona, a great hitters park. This is my top hitting play of the day. Plan your lineups accordingly.
Adam Jones, OF: $3,700 – I’m not going to throw a bunch of data at you with this one. It’s simple: Jones at $3,700 is a stupid discount. Take a chance, start Jones, see what happens. How much better can you do at $3,700 or less. Sorry this was extremely trite advice. Sometimes trite is right….Hey that rhymed!
Dexter Fowler, OF: $3,900 – Fowler is streaky and when he’s going right he’s always one you want to own. Today he faces old man Jake Peavy. Fowler’s one of those guys that has the ability to steal a base, hit a homer, and cross the plate thrice. Problem is he’s also got a tendency to go 0-4.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
There’s a 40% chance of showers at Wrigley. Other than that, it’s good day sunshine. Boring day on the weather side. Quick go read Razzball Soccer!
Doing Lines In Vegas
Veags is a place full of lines. Buffet lines, lines for rides and entertainment, betting lines, and the lines on your face when you’re boarding a plane to head home to your mundane existence in Toledo. Why Toledo? Because I like saying it. Toe-Lead-OOOOO. It’s like roads, or row-adds. You know, word stuff. The sharks agree with my love for the pitchers in the Mets – Rays shwodown, slapping them with the lowest total of the day at 6.5. The oddsmakers and legbreakers prefer Chris Archer (-175) and who could blame them. He can at least do 5 situps to my knowledge. Bartolo…not so much. The highest total on the day is the Tigers – Red Sox matchup in the D at 9. Cleveland (-165), the Rays (-175), The Nats (-290), and the Padres (-190.. Really?) are the big favorites.
R.I.P Sean Price – Here’s a handful of my favorite Sean Price jams.
