The deadline is here. Nobody has any money, but want top starting talent. Huh? Whatever happened to, you have to spend money to make money? Several big deals are coming. Haren and Oswalt top most teams wish lists. As I sat at the Yankee game on Friday, dancing in the rain(literally), I realized that you need two people to do the Kid N Play dance. Huge fail. I still can’t believe that it’s week 17 already for fantasy. Teams that are out of it you won’t hear from again until the draft next year. Top teams are trading pennies for dollars, and the middle teams are saying what about us. Not a great list of viable options this week, continue reading you’ll see, but that doesn’t mean that one start from one of these guys won’t help turn your 4-6 into a 6-4 week. It’s getting late in the game to try and make a move so you may have to start gambling if roster space is an ally. Here are the low end two start options for week 17 in fantasy baseball:
Dallas Braden (@ Tex vs. Lewis) (@ Chw vs. Floyd)
Someone tell Dallas that everyday is Mom’s day. Winless since May 9th. ERA hasn’t suffered, still under 4. May get start Sunday, which takes him off the list. ERA 2 runs higher on the road.
Ryan Rowland-Smith (@ Chw vs. Floyd) (@ Min vs. Liriano)
Hyphens are the Malachi of punctuations. Huge disappointment this year. ERA and win total are poor. Seattle is a team in turmoil, and the S.S Mariner is sinking, call mayday.
Jonathon Niese (StL vs. Garcia) (Ari vs. Haren)
Another fledging team, the Mets, are stumbling to the deadline with Minaya still as GM. He has to have blackmail photos somewhere of the Wilpons. 2.89 ERA over last 10 starts, will get you 5 Ks per start.
Zack Duke (@ Col vs. DeLaRosa) (@ StL vs. Garcia)
First win since May in his last outing. I wanna like Pittsburgh, but they suck out loud. A peripheral nightmare. When was the last Pirate SP that you had to own? Yeah, that’s right, it was Oliver Perez in 2004. Mercy.
Jon Garland (Lad vs. Billingsley) (Fla vs. Johnson)
Home cooked, numbers don’t lie. 2 starts at home and I’m buying. Has scuffled as of late, but he is still named Jon Garland. Rely on the facts here: 2 home starts, but temper expectations when chasing wins.
Jason Hammel (@ Phi vs. Blanton) (ChC vs. Dempster)
9 wins already, that’s pretty nice for a #3 guy, the Rox are going to go on a tear soon. 3 ERA in last 10 starts is nice. 3/1 K-rate is sneaky. 53 k’s in last 62 innings. ERA 2 runs higher on the road, so may be a sit at Citizens.
Jake Westbrook (Nyy vs. Vazquez) (@Tor vs. Litsch)
Probably only makes one start for the Wahoo’s, likely to be dealt. He will be a completely different pitcher in the NL, hop on early in deep leagues as he may be a trade deadline darling for the playoff push.
Randy Wolf (Cin vs. Arroyo) (@ Hou vs. Wright)
Seriously gets left in for 12 runs, against the Pirates, nonetheless. Ugh, fantasy ineptitude at its best. I miss the days of the Wolf masks and dancing around like Thriller when he pitched.
Brandon Morrow (Bal ve Bergesen) (Cle vs. Huff)
K/9 leader for starting pitchers. ERA is getting to a respectable level. Awesome matchups this week. Ride the Ks, wins should follow.
Joe Blanton (Col vs. Hammel) (@ Was vs. Atilano)
Name sounds like the guy who runs the neighborhood junkyard. Gives up way too many hits. Throws an 8 K game and then craps the bed, that’s fantasyspeak for waiver fodder.
