They’re the world’s most fearsome fighting team, they’re heroes in the half shell and they’re green. When the Evil Shredder attacks these turtle boys don’t…. Oops sorry I got lost for a minute in quite possibly the greatest theme song of my childhood. Say what you will G.I. Joe fans, and followers of He-Man but the Turtles were killing the game back in the early 90’s. Maybe you’re not familiar with a little ditty called “Ninja Rap” by the God emcee Rakim Vanilla Ice! Is it bad that after watching that video I’m reminded that Ice was 100 times more legit hip-hop than Drake or Meek Mill? Seriously some solid scratches in the intro there. But that’s all besides the point, today’s post is dedicated to those down with the Turtle Power since Day One. Welcome to the sewer…Riggidy Raow! Oh snap who invited Das Efx? Sorry guys you disappeared faster than Chris Shelton’s short lived power surge. Go back down that man-hole cover. Now back to the lecture at hand, this week the tiers are all about the Turtles boi! Oh yeah and two start pitchers, because anyone reading this is in one of two positions. A. You’re in the playoffs, don’t have a bye and are loading up on the double dippers. or B. You’re making that last push to make the playoffs or lockdown that all important bye. Doesn’t matter what type of league you’re in this time of year, even roto players like myself are looking to stream and load up on starters to reach our limits after being patient boys and girls all year. So this is for y’all. Two Start Pitchers, Week 21!
Leonardo (Aces) – He was the official/unofficial leader of the turtles. He’s my son’s favorite turtle and that kid knows his turtles. Seriously….. this took me all X-mas eve night, and a 5th of JD. Let’s be real, he’s got the blue mask, the giant samurai swords, and the confidence of a giant rat. Need I say more? Only surprise here might be the appearance of one Mr. Strasburg. Quite frankly he has the best matchups of the week. If he falls flat I don’t care. I own him nowhere.
| Player | Opponents | Opp 1 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 1 K%vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 K% vs LH/RHP |
| Jake Arrieta | @SF, @LAD | .324 (T-4th) | .331 (2nd) | 18.3% (26th) | 20.1% (T-15th) |
| Stephen Strasburg | vs. SD, vs. MIA | .298 (26th) | .292 (30th) | 21.6% (6th) | 19.4% (20th) |
| Jacob deGrom | @PHI, vs. BOS | .296 (29th) | .315 (12th) | 19.6% (T-17th) | 16.8% (29th) |
Michelangelo (Good Starts) – This is my favorite Ninja Turtle but once again my son is a Ninja Turtle expert, I trust his advice when it comes to ranking turtles. He trust my advice when it comes to his fantasy baseball teams. It’s an even trade off…. I’m not sure how Harvey being skipped effects Thor or deGrom, or if wither see two starts, I don’t know. They’re included and I like but don’t love Thor like I usually do. The Red Sox are on fire of late. Ummmm too late dudes!….. Dallas Keuchel gets a rough matchup in the Bronx early and a sneaky tough lineup on LHP in Minny, let’s see how he does…. What say you Corey Kluber?….. Lester, Shark, and Shields are the meat in a disappointment sandwich…..Corbin, Montgomery, and Ray all have very good matchups so they’re bringing up the rear like Vida Guerra when people wonder what happened to her….
| Player | Opponents | Opp 1 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 1 K%vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 K% vs LH/RHP |
| Noah Syndergaard | @PHI, vs. BOS | .296 (29th) | .315 (12th) | 19.6% (T-17th) | 16.8% (29th) |
| Dallas Keuchel | @NYY, @MIN | .336 (3rd) | .310 (T-12th) | 18.6% (26th) | 19.9% (21st) |
| Corey Kluber | @CHC, vs. LAA | .308 (T-17th) | .307 (19th) | 24% (2nd) | 19.6% (T-17th) |
| Lance Lynn | @ARI, @SF | .317 (10th) | .324 (T-4th) | 20.9% (T-8th) | 18.3% (26th) |
| Hisashi Iwakuma | vs. OAK, @CWS | .305 (T-22nd) | .306 (T-20th) | 17.9% (27th) | 20.5% (T-12th) |
| Jon Lester | vs. CLE, @LAD | .309 (T-15th) | .326 (6th) | 18.8% (T-24th) | 20.6% (20th) |
| James Shields | @WAS, @PHI | .310 (16th) | .296 (29th) | 21.3% (7th) | 19.6% (T-17th) |
| Jeff Samardzija | vs. BOS, vs. SEA | .315 (12th) | .306 (T-20th) | 16.8% (29th) | 21.8% (5th) |
| Patrick Corbin | vs. STL, vs. OAK | .299 (22nd) | .297 (23rd) | 22.7% (T-6th) | 17.1% (28th) |
| Mike Montgomery | vs. OAK, @CWS | .297 (23rd) | .274 (30th) | 17.1% (28th) | 21.6% (12th) |
| Robbie Ray | vs. STL, vs. OAK | .299 (22nd) | .297 (23rd) | 22.7% (T-6th) | 17.1% (28th) |
Raphael (Why Can’t I Sit You) – Raphie is a tough one to figure. One minute he’s brass and cocky and I can dig that, the next he’s all emtional and jealous. Didn’t you ever listen to Fat Joe back in the day Raphie? Jealous Ones Still Envy. You know? Jigga said it best “Don’t be jealous that’s a female trait/don’t be mad because you move bags and he push weight”… Wow new age Jay-Z would never be so sexist. Ohhhh the 90’s such a simple time….. Julio Teheran has BRUTAL matchups this week. He’s actually been pretty alright the last month plus, this week should be ugly…. Derek Holland is here because he just came back and I don’t think he can be fully trusted….as…of..yet…
| Player | Opponents | Opp 1 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 1 K%vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 K% vs LH/RHP |
| Mark Buehrle | @TEX, vs. DET | .309 (T-15th) | .348 (2nd) | 22.5% (8th) | 22.1% (9th) |
| Jaime Garcia | @ARI, @SF | .317 (10th) | .324 (T-4th) | 20.9% (T-8th) | 18.3% (26th) |
| Julio Teheran | vs. COL, vs. NYY | .337 (1st) | .323 (6th) | 20.4% (14th) | 19.2% (21st) |
| Ubaldo Jimenez | @KC, @TEX | .319 (9th) | .321 (T-7th) | 15.7% (30th) | 19.1% (T-22nd) |
| Derek Holland | vs. TOR, vs. BAL | .328 (3rd) | .321 (T-7th) | 19.1% (T-22nd) | 22.2% (3rd) |
Donatello (One Good/One Bad) – So Donnie is the perfect one good, one bad turtle. He wasn’t a bitch like Raphie (good), but he was crazy boring (bad). Plus he wore purple and that can go both ways (literally…) for example prince is cool he wore purple, but so did Barney the Dinosaur and that was a woman playing a boy dino Cust Kayin. This tier is huge this week, but there seem to be a lot of guys with one good matchup and one bad. What can I say?
| Player | Opponents | Opp 1 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 1 K%vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 K% vs LH/RHP |
| Jose Quintana | vs. BOS, vs. SEA | .332 (4th) | .306 (T-20th) | 18.8% (24th) | 21.2%(15th) |
| Alex Wood | @CIN, vs. CHC | .323 (8th) | .308 (18th) | 19.6% (22nd) | 24.4% (1st) |
| Nathan Eovaldi | vs. HOU, @ATL | .316 (11th) | .299 (25th) | 24.2% (1st) | 17.5% (28th) |
| Nathan Karns | vs. MIN, vs. KC | .302 (24th) | .319 (9th) | 20.9% (T-8th) | 15.7% (30th) |
| Charlie Morton | @MIA, vs. COL | .292 (30th) | .337 (1st) | 19.4% (20th) | 20.4% (14th) |
| Miguel Gonzalez | @KC, @TEX | .309 (T-15th) | .309 (T-15th) | 15.1% (30th) | 22.5% (8th) |
| Ervin Santana | @TB, vs. HOU | .297 (T-27th) | .316 (11th) | 22% (4th) | 24.2% (1st) |
| Tom Koehler | vs. PIT, @WAS | .313 (13th) | .310 (T-15th) | 20.6% (11th) | 21.3% (7th) |
| Alfredo Simon | vs. LAA, @TOR | .307 (19th) | .328 (3rd) | 19.6% (T-17th) | 19.1% (T-22nd) |
| Jorge De La Rosa | @ATL, @PIT | .284 (27th) | .310 (T-10th) | 20.9% (17th) | 22.7% (T-6th) |
| Wily Peralta | @CLE, vs. CIN | .312 (14th) | .305 (T-22nd) | 19% (25th) | 19.5% (19th) |
| J.A. Happ | @MIA, vs. COL | .326 (T-7th) | .281 (T-28th) | 21.5% (14th) | 23.9% (3rd) |
| John Lamb | vs. LAD, @MIL | .326 (T-7th) | .281 (T-28th) | 20.6% (20th) | 20.8% (T-18th) |
| Jeremy Guthrie | vs. BAL, @TB | .321 (T-7th) | .297 (T-27th) | 22.2% (3rd) | 22% (4th) |
Michael Bay’s Abomination (Don’t just Don’t) – I refuse to let my son know this movie exists. 1987 cartoon, early 90’s movie or bust. The new Nick cartoon is passable.
| Player | Opponents | Opp 1 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 wOBA vs LH/RHP | Opp 1 K%vs LH/RHP | Opp 2 K% vs LH/RHP |
| Jered Weaver | @DET, @CLE | .324 (T-4th) | .310 (T-15th) | 20.1% (T-15th) | 19% (25th) |
| Danny Duffy | vs. BAL, @TB | .315 (10th) | .328 (5th) | 21.7% (T-10th) | 21.6% (13th) |
| Joe Kelly | @CWS, @NYM | .306 (T-20th) | .297 (T-27th) | 20.5% (T-12th) | 20.8% (10th) |
| Matt Cain | vs. CHC, vs. STL | .308 (T-17th) | .312 (14th) | 24% (2nd) | 19.1% (T-22nd) |
| Keyvius Sampson | vs. DET, @MIL | .324 (T-4th) | .308 (T-17th) | 20.1% (T-15th) | 20.5% (T-12th) |
| Brad Hand | vs. PIT, @WAS | .313 (13th) | .310 (T-15th) | 20.6%(11th) | 21.3% (7th) |
| Adam Morgan | vs. NYM, vs. SD | .286 (26th) | .289 (25th) | 24.2% (2nd) | 23.8% (4th) |
| Felix Doubront | @SEA, @ARI | .306 (20th) | .316 (9th) | 21.2% (15th) | 21.1% (16th) |
As always Shredder and The Foot Clan could bring the drama to these cats and make ish get real. Maybe they get skipper, maybe they get captured, maybe April O’Neil is looking real foxy in her yellow jump suit and they get busy in the turtle van these things happen. Then again these guys are lead by a mutant ninja master rat so it’s all relative.
