No Doubt
| Player | Team | Opp. 1 | Opp. 2 | Player Rater | ERA 2nd Half | FIP 2nd Half |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Verlander | HOU | TEX | LAA | 39.3 | 1.93 | 1.94 |
| Stephen Strasburg | WSH | @STL | @MIA | 23.9 | 3.25 | 3.27 |
| Yu Darvish | CHC | CIN | STL | 8.3 | 2.44 | 3.06 |
Raise your hand if you passed up a Darvish trade, or even waiver wire pickup, earlier in the season. *Raises hand and puts head down in shame.* K rate is over 36% in the 2nd half and the walk rate down at 2.4%; it’s like I don’t even know who Yu are Darvish.
Please, blog, may I have some more?No Doubt
| Player | Team | Opp. 1 | Opp. 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Morton | TB | BAL | NYY |
| Patrick Corbin | WSH | MIA | KC |
There was a 3 start stretch where people we panicking over Patrick Corbin, but after consecutive starts of 7 IP and 1 ER, owners can again breathe a sigh of relief. The average velocity on the four seamer in those 2 starts is back over 93 mph and the command has improved, which allows him to throw the slider we all know and love.
The whiff rate on the slider in the last two outings were both over 32% along with the sinker over 70% GB rate and sub .130 batting average against. Small sample size, sure, but if you own Corbin, you know it feels a lot more secure starting him now.
Please, blog, may I have some more?No Doubt
| Player | Team | Opp1 | Opp2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer | WSH | @MIA | @DET |
| Gerrit Cole | HOU | PIT | SEA |
Gerrit Cole’s season has been a bit of a roller coaster, but the numbers have come around as the pro-gression (positive regression) has kicked in after a tough May. Despite the bad surface numbers in May, he had a 41.2% K rate, only a 2.6% BB rate, and the .362 BABIP screamed buy low.
Cole has bounced back in June despite the underlying numbers being worse than May, but has helped your fantasy team to the tune of a 2.16 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in his 4 starts. Cole is a bona fide ace and there is no reason to sit him down this week.
Max Scherzer looked like somebody broke his nose or something before his last start and still managed 7 innings with no earned runs and 10 strikeouts. While you may be terrified of at Miami and at Detroit, I think you should maybe…probably….definitely start him.
Please, blog, may I have some more?The Sophomore slump is typically something that I disregard as an easy narrative for people to use in order to explain a player’s struggle, and Luke Weaver is no exception. Sure, his second season in the league was rough, but it wasn’t because the league got a book on him or whatever reasons people give for a 2nd year struggle. Weaver had a disappointing 2018 because the curve and change up both flattened out and hitters teed off on what had been Weaver’s strongest 2 offerings. The curve in 2018 gave up a .329 avg. against and a .589 slugging percentage. Generally speaking, a velocity bump is a positive development, but the small velocity gains from Weaver seemed to mess with those 2 pitches. The curve flattened out and the change up gained spin (wrong direction for a change), which have both corrected themselves this year. The K rate is back to 26.1% from 19.9% last season, the walk rate is down to 5.7%, and the results are promising. He is giving up a bit more hard contact than we’d like to see, but the swinging strike rate is up 1.4% to 11.1% with the contact rates inside and outside the zone both improving along with the first strike percentage. The numbers point toward more of a high 3s or low 4s ERA from Weaver the rest of the season, but he has 2 pitchers parks against bottom half of the league offenses this week, so, ride the wave.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Thank goodness that first week of 2 start pitchers is over and done. Early season rain outs, 5th starters being skipped, 6th starters and openers being utilized, all played into the scheduling. It is important to remember early in the season that these 2 start guys may or may not make both starts due to any of these factors. However, the advantage of getting the extra start for the innings, strikeouts, and hopefully ratios, is generally to much to ignore. Plus, if they fail to be 2 start guys this week then you get them as 2 start guys the following week more than likely.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
