By Jeremy Tiermini
It is near the end of the season and fantasy baseball players should do their final assessments of their team’s needs as they make the push towards finishing “in the money” or, better yet, winning a championship. As I mentioned in a previous article, it is important to know your league’s standings. In my roto league 5 wins separate the team scoring 4 points and the team scoring 9 points. This 5 point swing can make a huge difference in our league standings, as 5 teams have a shot at first place and need to score points wherever possible. In this article I will focus on pitchers that can make a difference and can push your team towards the title.
John Smoltz (Cardinals): Smoltz showed what he is capable of in his Cardinal debut, striking out 9 over 5 shutout innings and earning the win. Keep in mind it was against the Padres, but Smoltz certainly showed better command of his pitches than he did during his stint with the Red Sox. He still has a potent offense behind him and will face the weak lower-third of the NL lineups. If he gets 5 more starts he could earn 3 wins with 30-35 K’s.
Vicente Padilla (Dodgers): The man certainly knows how to annoy teammates. However, Joe Torre has a way of maintaining a calm clubhouse and Padilla will be quick to toe the line since this could be his last chance of pitching for a contender. Padilla does have good stuff, when he maintains his control. I expect a modest bump from him with the move to the NL and to the roomy confines of Dodger Stadium. I would not be confident in his starts on the road, but I would use him as a spot-starter when he pitches at home.
Barry Zito (Giants): Okay, calm down. I know you are thinking “This guy is crazy and knows nothing of fantasy baseball.” But look at his numbers over his last 7 games: 42 innings pitched, only 11 earned runs allowed, a WHIP of 1.09, 34 K’s, 3 wins, and 2 no-decisions (where he allowed only 1 run in those 2 starts). It’s the stretch run…if you need to take a shot with a SP Zito could be a worthwhile risk.
Good MLB teams that want to advance deep into the playoffs need to have solid performances from their bullpens. Fantasy players, especially those in roto leagues, often overlook the role middle relievers can play in helping accumulate stats, especially wins and K’s. When I look for MR I try to target pitchers that strike out, on average, one per inning and that are on teams that are in the midst of the playoff hunt; those teams are playing with a “win every game” mindset, which gives the MR a chance to vulture a few victories.
Ramon Ramirez, Hideki Okajima (Red Sox): Ramirez was pitching well prior to his meltdown in the 20-11 loss to the Yankees; his previous 5 appearances consisted of 4.2 innings with 7 K’s and a win. Okajima has been his consistent self, striking out 47 in 52 innings this year, with an ERA of 2.77 and a WHIP of 1.12.
Phil Hughes (Yankees): Much has been made about Hughes’ transition to the Yankees bullpen. However, when I checked in with leagues played on Yahoo, Hughes was only owned in 33% of them. Since his conversion to a relief pitcher Hughes has pitched 35 2/3 innings with a WHIP under 1.00, earning 2 wins and striking out 45. Hughes could also score a few saves if the Yankees continue to extend their lead on the AL East and Joe Girardi wants to give Mariano Rivera some time off.
Matt Thornton (White Sox): Another check of Yahoo leagues shows Thornton owned in only 16%. For the season he has pitched in 54 1/3 innings, getting 6 wins while striking out 65, with an ERA of 2.65 and a WHIP of 1.07. If a starting pitcher did this he would be the ace of a fantasy staff. I am surprised more players don’t use MR to their advantage, especially with the numbers Thornton has put up.
Trever Miller (Cardinals): Miller is another reliever that has quietly put up solid numbers all season. In 35 innings he has 37 K’s with 4 wins, posting an ERA and WHIP of 1.80 and 0.89, respectively. With the Cardinals, Miller is on a very good offensive team and might sneak another win or two this season.
Rafael Betancourt (Rockies): Since his trade from the Indians, Betancourt has been stellar for the Rockies, pitching 11 innings in 13 appearances. He has struck out 13 with a WHIP of 0.73; he has yet to allow a run for the Rockies, who are currently leading the NL Wild Card race. A few vulture wins could be in store for Betancourt based on his recent performance.
{ 2 comments }
I was surprised to see Smoltz pitch so well in his Cardinals debut. I thought maybe he’d hook on somewhere as a reliever. The first time through the order this year he’s held opponents to a .230 average and .597 OPS. The second time through those numbers jump to .373 and 1.008. Third time through: .400 and 1.329. That’s a disturbing pattern for a starter, but for a guy throwing 1-2 innings at a time, that could work out well.
I looked at those numbers, as well. I think, if Smoltz continues this performance, this will be another feather in the cap for the Cardinals and how they improve pitchers…Jeff Weaver, Joel Pineiro, John Smoltz. There was an article on MLB.com about the Cardinals’ belief that Smoltz was tipping pitches, which would lead to those poor numbers the second and third time through a lineup.
Comments on this entry are closed.