The new Dr. Strange movie introduces us to the idea of being able to explore other universes or multi-verse. I sure wish I could take that idea and incorporate it into the ever-changing paradigm of baseball. For starters, there has to be a world where the use of performance-enhancing drugs is actually healthy for us to use. Like if you could eat a can of spinach and get stronger. That would make for a really good movie! I don’t know, I just miss the days when you could have an exit velocity of 110 mph with a launch angle of 20 degrees and not have the ball die at the warning track. Clearly, the pitchers don’t need anything like that, since 94% of all pitchers can throw 102. Now, give me some of that healing juice to offset the inevitable TJS that comes with such velocity. It would also be nice to have a universe where Byron Buxton stays healthy all season! Ok, that might fracture the fragile multi-verse! Maybe just 140 games…Baby steps.
Why, you may ask, would we want to change the game that we love so much? Well, for starters, I imagine the marketing dept for MLB is a room full of old white men who want to suck the fun out of everything. The unwritten rules and all! I can remember the buzz around StL when McGwire and Sosa were exchanging knockout blows….but I guess we would rather see the like of Edwin Jackson, Dallas Braden, and Phil Humber collect no-hitters like Pokeman cards.
Oh well, maybe we will just have to settle for today’s game. If we have to settle for that, then you have to settle for this next installment of Getting Ahead in Head to Head!
What to look for!
- Favorable Team Schedules: Which teams will play the most/fewest games.
- SPARP(S) of the Week: Starting Pitchers w/RP (Yahoo Eligibility)
- R/L Matchups to Exploit
- SAGNOF (SV & SB)
# of Games!
9 Games!
OAK (@DET/vLAA)
8 Games!
DET (vOAK/vBAL)
7 Games
CIN (vMIL/@PIT)
CWS (vCLE/vNYY)
LAA (vTB/@Oak)
LAD (@PIT/vPHI)
PHI (@SEA/@LAD)
PIT (vLAD/vCIN)
5 Games
ATL (vBOS/vSD)
BOS (@ATL/@TEX)
TOR (@NYY/@TB)
SPARP(S) Of The Week!
Michael Wacha-SP/RP (@TEX) (30% rostered in Yahoo)- You could have convinced me that Fozzie from the Muppets had a better chance to be a viable option than Wacha before the season began. Here we are 4 weeks later and I’m still waiting for the rug to be pulled out from underneath me. Wacha has now gone at least 5 innings in the past 4 starts and has yet to allow more than 2 runs. You may be asking, “How are the Red Sox allowed to play AA teams when Wacha is pitching?” That’s just it, he is doing this against LAA, TOR, TB, and MIN.
This week, Wacha gets to face the Rangers at Fenway. The Rangers on the season have struggled on the road vs RHP (.202 ave/71wRC+).
Jose Quintana-SP/RP (vLAD/vCIN) (3% rostered in Yahoo) – If you are in a weekly setting format, I might skip this option. I barely trust Quintana against the Reds, let alone the Dodgers. If you are lucky enough to have daily changes, here you go! Quintana has surprisingly been effective, going 5+ innings in 3 of his 5 starts, and not allowing more than 3 ER. What isn’t surprising is that the Reds are atrocious, but what do you expect when their own beat reporters have to google who Ronnie Dawson is? If you need any more validation for the suggestion, the Reds have hit a measly.186 vs LHP on the road.
R/L Matchups to Exploit!
Edward Olivares, OF, KCR (3% rostered in Yahoo) – The collective soul has been crushed here at Razzball when “The Mondesi, formerly known as Raul” went on the IL with ligament damage to the knee. If we are going to take anything positive out of this, we have seen them bring up MJ Melendez. (I’m waiting for him to start mashing so I can title an article “Melendez killing the ball as if his name was Menendez”). Totally unrelated, Edward Olivares has been getting the nod at leadoff and has taken full advantage (6 for 13 and currently has a 6-game hitting streak). The Royals will face 4 lefties next week, so hopefully, there is no fear of him being optioned anytime soon.
Ramon Laureano, OF, OAK (30% rostered in Yahoo) – I am happy to see Laureano come off of his suspension on May 8th, just in time to see the A’s play 9 games in the week. Yes, as you saw above, the A’s get 9 games. Will they win many of those games? That remains to be seen. The fact of the matter is this: you rarely get a Slam n Legs threat on the waiver wire with the potential for 30 ABs.
Adam Frazier, 2B, SEA (39% rostered in Yahoo) – Looking for a source of runs and surprising RBI from a leadoff hitter? Look no further! Frazier has a lot working in his favor this week. He gets to face all right-handed pitchers and is bound to see his average rise with his poor BABIP to date. The matchups are on the difficult side, but I’ll gladly take a leadoff hitter who is top 6 in Runs among 2B.
Rowdy Tellez, 1B, MLW (35% rostered in Yahoo) – What an absolute monster he has been over the past week! Hell, his 8 RBI on 5/4 is more than the Reds have totaled over the past week (hyperbole, but not too far off). The Brew Crew are set to face the Reds in GABP. Get your gloves ready! Yes, even you!
SAGNOF
Dany Jimenez, RP, OAK (55% rostered in Yahoo) – Yes, I am aware he is rostered in more than 50% of leagues. I am also aware that I mentioned him last week and you picked him up. But this is for the people in the back that need me to shout. The A’s play 9 games. They will most likely not lose all 9. I also watched Trivino return to give up half as many runs as Rowdy drove in.
Ian Kennedy, RP, ARI (15% rostered in Yahoo) – The team is still waiting on Melancon to receive his 2nd negative COVID test, so until we get clearance Clarence, I’m going to stick with Kennedy. He has probably gotten more saves in the past week than most H2H teams compiled all week.
Hansel Robles, RP, BOS (8% rostered in Yahoo) – The Red Sox bullpen is a mess. This might be the understatement of the century. Robles will get opportunities, there is no doubt. Most recently the Sox went to Robles in the 9th, turned it over to Diekman, and ultimately lost the game. In other news, Barnes is still pitching like garbage. All in all, Robles is still my frontrunner for save opps.
SAGNOF (PART DEUX)
Ramon Laureano, OF, OAK- Just a little reminder from the blurb above. Laureano is a legit threat on the basepaths. Doesn’t hurt that he is facing the Tigers and Angels, two teams that are both in the Top 10 of SB allowed.
