Happy Sunday, Bar Patrons!
I’ve been wondering if anyone out there has been doing any kind of tracking of these columns? I know I’m not, but maybe someone else is? Would be interesting to find the, say, median fantasy impact of the pitchers in each of my categories week to week.
Of course, if I’m not interested in doing something like that, I certainly can’t expect anyone else to be. C’est la vie.
This week, a pitcher who was on the Bar Mat last week finds himself up on the Top Shelf… before we dive in, any guess who that might be?
No, it isn’t Beau Brieske.
On to the pitchers.
The Top Shelf
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Rodon, SF | COL(TU) | LAD(SU) |
| Nestor Cortes, NYY | @MIN(TU) | CHC(SU) |
| Robbie Ray, SEA | @HOU(MO) | BOS(SU) |
| Blake Snell, SD | NYM(MO) | COL(SU) |
| Kyle Wright, ATL | OAK(TU) | PIT(SU) |
| Michael Kopech, CHW | LAD(TU) | TEX(SU) |
Notes
- Sometimes, matchups don’t matter. Carlos Rodon getting two starts in a week? Start him. Start. Him. No, I don’t care that it’s against the white-hot Dodgers, who are 18-9 on the road, 10-3 against teams with winning records, and 13-6 against lefties. Before that he gets the Rockies, who are quite bad.
- Last week, Kyle Wright was on The Bar Mat, this week he’s Top Shelf. That’s what a home-and-home against the A’s and Buccos can do for a hurler.
The Well
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter Greene, CIN | ARI(MO) | @STL(SA) |
| Carlos Carrasco, NYM | @SD(MO) | @LAA(SU) |
| Cristian Javier, HOU | SEA(MO) | MIA(SU) |
| Konnor Pilkington, CLE | TEX(TU) | OAK(SU) |
| Ranger Suarez, PHI | @MIL(TU) | ARI(SU) |
| German Marquez, COL | @SF(TU) | @SD(SU) |
| Bailey Ober, MIN | NYY(TU) | TB(SU) |
| Jon Gray, TEX | @CLE(MO) | @CHW(SU) |
| Kyle Bradish, BAL | CHC(TU) | @KC(SU) |
| Jeffrey Springs, TB | STL(TU) | @MIN(SU) |
| Cal Quantrill, CLE | TEX(MO) | OAK(SA) |
| Garrett Whitlock, BOS | @LAA(TU) | @SEA(SU) |
| Noah Syndergaard, LAA | BOS(MO) | NYM(SU) |
| Mitch Keller, PIT | DET(TU) | @ATL(SU) |
| Trevor Rogers, MIA | WSH(TU) | @HOU(SU) |
Notes
- Carlos Carrasco is a decent play this week, even with a pair of road games on the docket.
- Alternatively, German Marquez is a decent play this week, because of a pair of road games on the docket. Always nice to double-dip a Rox starter outside of Coors.
- Cal Quantrill is still Cal Quantrill, so watch out. But any time a pitcher gets two starts in a week and one is against the A’s, you have to at least consider them…
The Bar Mat
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Stripling, TOR | @KC(MO) | @DET(SU) |
| Michael Wacha, BOS | @LAA(MO) | @SEA(SA) |
| Brad Keller, KC | TOR(TU) | BAL(SU) |
| Graham Ashcraft, CIN | ARI(TU) | @STL(SU) |
| Daniel Lynch, KC | TOR(MO) | BAL(SA) |
| Madison Bumgarner, ARI | @CIN(TU) | @PHI(SU) |
| Mitch White, LAD | @CHW(TU) | @SF(SU) |
| Cole Irvin, OAK | @ATL(TU) | @CLE(SU) |
| Dakota Hudson, STL | @TB(TU) | CIN(SU) |
| Jason Alexander, MIL | PHI(TU) | @WSH(SU) |
| Evan Lee, WSH | @MIA(TU) | MIL(SU) |
| Kyle Hendricks, CHC | @BAL(TU) | @NYY(SU) |
| Caleb Smith, ARI | @CIN(MO) | @PHI(SA) |
Notes
- The fellas on this list are here either because of their matchups (Michael Wacha), their run support (Cole Irvin), their talent (Mitch White), or all of the above (Kyle Hendricks).
What does it signify that some players are listed in the tables in bold letters and some are not?
Sorry about that, the explanation was in a previous column and I will start including it as a footnote in all of them. They’re the most extreme version of each category. So the bold on the Top Shelf are the best of the week, the bold on the Well are the safest plays of that group, while the bold of the Bar Mat are the absolutely-must-avoid pitchers of the week.
How do we feel in general about Mr. Jeffrey Springs? Hope he sticks in the rotation now as a clear better 5th option than Yarbrough. Should be an interesting 2 start week.
I mean, he’s right there in the middle of the pack. I wouldn’t avoid starting him, but whether he’s someone to run out and grab, that’s got a lot more to do with your roster and how you’re doing this season.
I picked up stripling because of the 2 starts for a good team is the move just subtraction by addition?
I wouldn’t start him. /shrug