As always, probable pitchers are subject to change. For a look at all fantasy baseball streamers, click that link.
It feels like there’s a lot of overreaction going on this year. Maybe it’s just because I live in the Philadelphia sports market, where one day you’re a popular All-Pro with a banner on the side of the stadium and the next you’re slandered and labeled a malcontent gang-banger.
Or maybe it’s some of the fantasy writing I’m seeing this year where a guy changes course five times in the same thought – “Mike Olt was a great prospect for Texas, but we don’t see him holding onto the third base job in Chicago, then again it’s always possible his power stroke could be dangerous in Wrigley. Still, Olt is a rookie and should be treated as such, unless he gets on a roll. Then you should pick him up, if you want to. But you don’t have to. We would.”
Or maybe it’s because I see a lot of fantasy gurus tossing great 2013’s out the window after one bad start (8 ER in 5 IP for Cliff Lee) or, say, an 0-10 showing in a double header (Josh Donaldson). Wait, whoa, those actually are kind of bad.
I guess what I’m getting at is don’t get all caught up in the constant reaction and overreaction coming at you from the millions of websites, blogs and social media sources (except for Razzball, which is always solid). Stay the course. Toe the line. Ride the snake.
Must Start
Max Scherzer (@LAD, @SD), Gio Gonzalez (MIA, @ATL), Michael Wacha (CIN, CHC), Tony Cingrani (@STL, TB), C.J. Wilson (@HOU, NYM)
Kind of tough to really gauge how good Scherzer’s start will go in Chávez Ravine since we don’t know who he’ll be facing. Puig or no Puig? Kemp or no Kemp? How about we just say Max will bring the awesome and leave it right there. It kind of feels like Wacha, Cingrani, Andrew Cashner, Sonny Gray, Zach Wheeler and Gerrit Cole are all connected in the same way as the Frat Pack – Will Ferrell, the Owens brothers, Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller etc. Those pitchers came up around the same time and I always want them on my team. But Wacha and Cingrani are really busting out of the pack – they’re like the Ferrell and Stiller of the group and are reaching the point where they’re automatic must-starts.
First Tier
Hiroki Kuroda (BAL, BOS), Scott Kazmir (@MIN, @SEA), Ivan Nova (BAL, BOS), Matt Moore (@KC, @CIN), John Lackey (TEX, @NYY), Dan Haren (DET, @ARI), Corey Kluber (SD, @CHW)
I was thinking about dropping Moore down to the second or third tier because he’s just downright scary at the moment, and not in a good way. The walks are still up, making the WHIP a concern. And while he’s getting K’s, hitters aren’t missing his pitchers as much. For now, he deserves to stay here, and he deserves to start for your squad. Meanwhile, is it weird if I want to take Kazmir out to the Blue Oyster Bar next week after he stifles the Twins and Mariners on the road? The ample amount of fly balls he coaxes won’t always be the best thing, but in Minnesota and Seattle, they’ll work just swell.
Second Tier
Tim Hudson (ARI, COL), Ubaldo Jimenez (@NYY, TOR), Mark Beuhrle (HOU, @BAL), Kyle Lohse (@PHI, PIT), Charlie Morton (@CHC, @MIL), Jason Vargas (TB, @MIN), Tyson Ross (@CLE, DET), Bartolo Colon (@ATL, @LAA)
Morton had a super spring and a tremendous first outing against the Cubs, striking out 6 in 6 innings. You can see how he would be someone who was brought up by the Braves, and I love that he can use his sinker to negate the unfriendly confines of places like Chicago and Milwaukee. But Stream-o-nator hates his first start of the week, so I’m shoving him in the middle of the pack here. Vargas always has this look like he just wet himself and thinks it’s funny. That doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s an OK guy to use this week.
Third Tier
Jarred Cosart (LAA, @TEX), Jose Quintana (@COL, CLE), Zack McAllister (SD, @CHW), Kyle Kendrick (MIL, MIA), Felix Doubront (TEX, @NYY), Kevin Correia (OAK, KC), Aaron Harang (NYM, WAS), Henderson Alvarez (@WAS, @PHI), Trevor Cahill (@SF, LAD)
One of 27 solid prospects the Astros received from the Phillies in return for Hunter Pence a few years back, Cosart can juice it into the mid-to-upper 90s and took a no-no into the seventh in his first MLB start last year. He’d jump up a tier or two if it wasn’t for the bad matchups, including that football game in Texas. Speaking of Texas, Kendrick actually had a nice outing there (7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 K), and was getting good movement on all of his pitches. If his name wasn’t Kyle Kendrick he’d sound a lot more appealing.
Don’t Start
Brett Oberholtzer (@TOR, @TEX), Tanner Scheppers (@BOS, HOU), Felipe Paulino (@COL, CLE), Edwin Jackson (PIT, @STL)
The lawfirm of Oberholtzer, Scheppers, Paulino and Jackson. If you’re looking for a starting pitcher to crap the bed, we’ve already got our pants halfway pulled down.
