Ian Kennedy loves each and everyone. That’s why he gave you 12 Ks yesterday over 8 innings while only allowing one hit. You say, “No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t even know me. How could he love me?” You remember when you couldn’t find a parking spot at Chick-fil-A last week and you were about to give up when a chicken sandwich fell into the flat bed of your El Camino? That was dropped there by Ian Kennedy. So you tell me he doesn’t love you. You tell me he doesn’t love you when he has a sub-3 ERA over 216 innings. Tell me that. A 1.08 WHIP and 194 Ks, he gives you that too, unconditionally. Tell me he judges you when you try to fashion a belt out of twine. He doesn’t judge you. He loves you. Love him back. I do. As for 2012 fantasy baseball, I’m thinking Kennedy could be a tad overpriced. Yeah, my love just went out the window. His BABIP’s a bit low and his LOB% is a bit high. She says she likes the ocean. I’ll look at him more in-depth over the offseason, but he’s got FIPping problems I need evaluate. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Wily Mo Pena – 1-for-1 with 3 walks. He has a career .303 OBP. That’s like an 80 to 1 shot he can avoid making an out in four at-bats. There must be a kid in a Seattle hospital who really cares about OBP. (BTW, his hometown was the winner of the “Best Town To Substitute Into The Lion King Song” contest.)
Mike Carp – 2-for-4, 5 RBIs and a homer. Now has two homers in the last three games. The one nice thing about playing for a non-contender at this time of year is the collective you has nothing to play for so players can go out and be selfish to prove their worth. Unlike those silly playoff teams saving their players for games that matter.
Alex Liddi – 2-for-4 with a homer and he became the first paisan born in Italy to play in the major leagues in 50 years. That’s a one spicy prospect!
Dustin Ackley – Mariners scored 12 runs and Ackley didn’t play. Holy sit!
Asdrubal Cabrera – 3-for-4, 3 RBIs and his 23rd homer. Has tailed off quite a but after the ASB (.233, 5 steals), but his power numbers have stayed fairly consistent. Definitely peaked in May but 4 homers in August isn’t too shabby.
Chris Parmelee – 2-for-5 with his 2nd homer in three games as he bats .368 through 38 ABs. In related roundup news, Alex Liddi likes to call him Chris Parm.
Ben Revere – 3-for-5 with 2 steals. Now has 32 steals and is getting dangerously close to the point where he’s going to elicit questions next year. “Hey, Grey, magnificent ‘stache. Magnificent! So what do you think of Ben Revere? Obvious bargain, right?” A guy with no power, around 30 steal speed is a dime a dozen in most mixed leagues. Good waiver wire pickup is different than a good draft pick.
Ricky Romero – 9 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 5 Ks. Similarly to Kennedy, he has some FIPping issues too. We’ll look at in the offseason. We’ll debate, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry, we’ll scratch ourselves, we’ll scratch someone else thinking it’s ourselves.
Craig Kimbrel – 2/3 IP, 2 ER. Bad week to quit closing out games.
Troy Tulowitzki – Getting closer to getting back on the field after taking batting practice and participating in other baseball activities. Ya know, like spitting and grabbing himself.
Cory Luebke – 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 baserunners, 9 Ks. Even if this start was in Coors, it was another solid year for Hodgepadres, and next year I’m definitely drafting only Padres pitchers on one team. I gotta try it before the apocalypse.
Octavio Dotel – Got the save yesterday. Motte came in for the ninth, messed around and gave up a triple, double, but it was not a good day. La Russa lifted him with the bases empty and now who knows who’s the closer. My guess is it’s still Motte, but we shall see. Or not. Or probably.
Jarrod Parker – Was officially called up yesterday. I already went over my Jarrod Parker fantasy. I wrote it while waiting in line at the DMV to have them change my height from five-seven to five-eight.
Mariano Rivera – Everyone’s heard by now that he broke Trevor Hoffman’s save record. Surprised there wasn’t more made of this, but another record was broken yesterday. Kerry Wood was deemed “done for the season” before the end of the season for a record 11 of 13 seasons.
Matt Angle – 3-for-8 with 2 steals in the doubleheader. Far from an exciting name, but if you’re desperate for steals, he should get them over the next week-plus. That’s your Angle.
Jed Lowrie – 2-for-5, 4 RBIs, 3 runs and a homer. Hasn’t been playing because of a bum shoulder. Try some soap and getting rid of the shopping cart filled with junk. He’s back now and, if his bat is hot, the Sawx will play him.
Geovany Soto – 3-for-3, 5 RBIs and 2 homers. I’ve been behind the scenes at Razzball HQ preparing the end of the season lists that will come in October and Soto wasn’t even in the top 20 catchers. Though one big night may change that. That was what they call a tease.
Mike Stanton – 2-for-3, 3 runs, 2 RBIs and 2 homers. After the game, he dedicated the 2nd home run to his biggest fan. Me. At least that’s how I cut the interview together with my iMovie.
Omar Infante – 2-for-5 and his 6th homer. Nobody puts Infante in the corner.
Brad Hand – With the innings starting to creep up, the Marlins might shut him down. Right now, the Marlins are talking to the Hand.
aren’t you afraid that by drafting by drafting only hodgepadres ,
you may actually be causing the apocalypse and that nostradamus ,
or , worse yet , the costra nostra will take all the credit for it ?
don’t mean to probe , but i have difficulties mayan my own business .
Mr. Albright, could you channeling some February Grey and enlighten us the favor between Geovany Soto and Wilson Ramos?
Mike Stantons one HR was a BOMB, and thats an understatement….
Hola Grey…..I’m trying to hold on to first in a dogfight and am 20 innings under the 1500 IP pace….got Hudson going, stream Vargas and/or Chacin?
Grey! My fake baseball team checked out two weeks ago when I had a chance to win my NL-only league (I hate you Jay Bruce, Han-Ram, Ryan Zimmerman, Freddie Freeman … and especially you, Jayson Werth) but you, Grey, are still bringing it every day. A Chik-fil-A sandwich in the flat bed of my El Camino? Ha!!
Dylan Axelrod pitches tonight in the night game for the Chicago White Sox against the Cleveland Indians in a double header.
start Axelrod?
I’m not really concerned over ERA/WHIP. I’m in 1st in both categories. ERA 2.98 to 3.22 and WHIP 1.11 to 1.17.
looking mostly for a win and K’s.
Call me crazy, but if neither Kershaw or Halladay reach the magical 20 win mark, could Kennedy nip the CY or is man love getting in the way of the true numbers? I suppose it’s the latter.
And I propose that K heavy pitchers be bestowed as a “K-rapshoot”…self explanatory!
I am in a fight for first in my NL-only with K’s, WHIP and ERA all up for grabs. The difference between 1st and 2nd is $1K. I assure you, dear reader, that Ian Kennedy loves me…and I love him back. He did not ask what my fantasy team could do for him, he asked what he could do for my fantasy team.
The Cam Maybin slam and legs deserves some ‘stache love!
Kennedy may have FIPing problems, or he may not. My gut tells me he is a Merry K Salesman (i.e. he gots the makeup) and could outperform his peripherals for awhile. Then again, my gut told me to eat a dozen habanero wings last night and that didn’t turn out so well.
who is a better pick up between these guys. looking more for R, but any stats are good.
Maicer Izturis, Allen Craig, Jerry Sands, Juan Rivera, Eric Thames
I read where K. Drabek might get a spot start for Toronto before the seasons end. Would he be worth a stream?
I’m in desperate need of some of some RBI and HR’s here in the final week. Who ya like the best out of Carp, Reimold, Morel, and Belt?
The Infante blurb was the time of my life. Nobody puts Jennifer in the corner Grey…
Falling into a K-Hole.
Um yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and disagree with you about starting Chacin over Beachy this week. Yes, Beachy has been getting hit lately and may indeed be tired, but he’s still striking out people. Chacin is getting hit and striking out NO ONE. That’s more worrying to me than anything else.
If you’re not striking out people, then you’re not fooling anyone and you’re likely to get hit early and often. Which is exactly what’s happened to Chacin for-(what seems like) EVER!
So, in short, on your Chacin recommendation, I’m not feeling it! ;)
Kimbrel had the save but Chipper “lost the ball in the lights”…ruled a hit of course. Personally I think Larry was being heckled by the fan in attendance.
So does Maybin finally take the step forward next year? 20 HR/40 SB seems within reach. K’s seems to be declining, BABIP about where it should be. He’s pretty good at hitting strikes if he could just learn to lay off the balls(that’s so maybin!). So, viable option or simply SAGNOF!?
Who’s a better keeper, Grey?
Jarrod Parker or Shelby Miller?
Is Crawford doomed to suck for the life of his contract in Boston or can we expect a bounce back 2012?
Geo Soto can permanently bite me. Finding a franchise catcher like Yadier would be job one if i were the new Cub GM. I wonder if Mrs Molina has any other boys in the woodshed?
Varitek–Yaddy–Matheney–AJPierzinski even–guys who are true field generals. Not guys who sizzle then fizzle–then almost sizzle–then suck.
Who would you keep? Pick 8
Bruce
Matt Holliday
Asdrubal Cabrera
Andrew Mccutchen
Ben Zobrist
Ian Kennedy
Cole Hamels
Tommy Hanson
Strasburg
Ackely
Posey
I know I’m keeping Mccutchen, posey, hamels, Holliday, and strasburg. Who would your final 3 be?
Also, Chick-Fil-A is my all-time favorite fast food. I had to get some for lunch after you mentioned it in this article.
Thinking about benching Kimbrel (after two poor performances, and 3 straight outings in general) for Joaquin Benoit for today in my holds league…crazy or genius?
In my “finals” and not off to a good start. 2 moves left and could use some power. lotsa hot bats available. also need a pitcher for thursday (22nd)….though Homer B. could be snatched up for tonight.
need a little fire to pt me “over the top”–stallone style.
moose is avail. duncan, duda, carp, morel, carp and kapinis all still hanging loose.
colon pitches thursday…gotta make these last two moves count. could go with bailey tonight and nobody on thursday….or el gordo (i love the yanks and colon). im stuck. also, my cherry popping season and i made it to the finals in h2h but got my arse handed to me in roto. mainly pitching being my undoing. anyway…whatchoo think?
thanks. cant stop reading this site. thank filthy rich.
–anchovies
dont know why i said carp twice ( i like Carp!!). your boy lonnie chis is dangling on this wire, too. man…
Need to decide on a contract for Kendry Morales in my keeper league. Thinking either a 1 yr deal at 6 bucks or an option deal at $9. Option deal means I can extend it further after that for a few more bucks later. Which do you like?
two doubles today for Adam Dunn.I think he’s starting to heat up….what?….is it too late?
I meant to point this out at the time, but the only hit Kennedy gave up yesterday?
Karstens.
I swear, this is the worst season I can remember for my pitchers being unable to get the other pitcher out…
like anyone going thursday night? the ‘i like carp!’ thing was a Blazing Saddles reference….but you like him right now?
You don’t think Kendry can bounce back then? As long as he’s healthy I don’t see why he can’t get back to his 30-100-.300 days, and he’s had long enough to rest now surely… Or is the injury potentially career threatening?
Ugh – Cecil pitching more like Beany.
Grey,
Pomeranz @ Houston
Humber @ Cle
H. Alvarez @Tor
Surkamp @ Arizona
Britton @ Boston
i guess i sorta need some dudes for the weekend so i shouldnt panic (or should panic) since i can only go with 2 a night.
thanks again
In the RCL, or any standard ESPN roto w/ limited GS, do you still get your RPs stats after you’ve maxed out your GS? I am certain I asked this last year, but I just got off a three day basically booze cruise to Catalina and do not trust my ability to recall anything but hazy outlines.
Look at little Danny Espinosa joining the party…
Since I have Dee Gordon at SS, who’s better for the Util spot – Hardy or Carp?
It’s H2H (stinkin’ 3rd place playoff)…
Any clue when Willie Fister is gonna pitch again?
you guys ought to pay me to sit chacin .
Okay. I give up. You can have Stanton. I’m taking Hosmer to Sadie Hawkins. I sincerely hope you enjoy getting mollywhopped.
@anchovies: I like Carp, yeah. I might like a SP for Thursday, but not the two you offered, who else is available?
so…looks like these i have at my disposal for either thursday or saturday:
macdonald (cincy)
happ (col)
moscoso (@laa)
saunders (sf)
sanabia (@mil)
guthrie @det)
WANG (phil)
huff @ min
hammel (singular) @ hou
and i could use carp quick. but need a few pitchers…quagmire because i only have two moves left. luckily, we’re both kinda thin with pitchers for the week. need runs and hits. the team has gone limp.
thanks for your time.
i promise i’ll be done with this now! thanks!
H2H finals, limited moves league. Tulo was dropped last week by someone in a tight matchup. I have 2 moves left and am starting Asdrubal at SS and Votto at Flex. Asdrubal apparently strained his back today. Worth using one of the moves on Tulo? Would you drop Asdrubal or Cruz? Cruz is currently bench bat, though I could put him in at RF for Swisher or LF for Jennings. Or given Tulo’s injury, would you move for a different SS, like Scutaro, Furcal or Gordon?
I also have a decided disadvantage in # of starts, as my opponent’s carrying 10 SP. Use a move to pick up McCarthy for his 2 reasonably favorable starts (v TEX-Wilson, @ SEA-Vargas)? If so, would you drop Cruz, Cain (1 start @ ARI) or E. Santana (2 starts @ TOR, v TEX)?