Down the stretch, we’ll be covering the probable starters and highlighting our favorites to stream as you chase down your fantasy titles. The pitcher in question must be available in 50% or more of leagues according to FantasyPros.com which combines ESPN and Yahoo! roster rates (sometimes exceptions just over 50% will be mentioned if they are really good and should have a much higher roster rate). I’ve listed the players in order of interest. Read the rest of this entry »

A September surge doesn’t guarantee success the following year. For every Luke Voit (208 wRC+ in September 2018; 128 in 2019), Ketel Marte (148; 151), Yuli Gurriel (160; 134), there’s a Ryan O’Hearn (157; 68), Kevin Kiermaier (162; 77), or Willson Contreras who actually had the worst September wRC+ (min. 70 PA) at 27 but rebounded for an excellent 2019 and career-best 129 wRC+. It doesn’t need a 100% success rate to be a worthy exercise, though.

Let’s look at a handful of September standouts (focusing primarily on guys who weren’t great through August) and see if they are worth buying into for 2020.

Eloy Jiménez, CWS | 188 wRC+ in September

Jimenez came into the season with major expectations only to labor through the first two months hitting just .220/.273/.390 with 6 HR and a high ankle sprain that shelved him for nearly a month. He soared from June 1st through the first week after the All-Star break (.921 OPS, 11 HR) and it looked like he was cool for the summer. But a bruised ulnar nerve shut him down for a minimum stay and curbed some of the momentum.

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Down the stretch, we’ll be covering the probable starters and highlighting our favorites to stream as you chase down your fantasy titles. The pitcher in question must be available in 50% or more of leagues according to FantasyPros.com which combines ESPN and Yahoo! roster rates (sometimes exceptions just over 50% will be mentioned if they are really good and should have a much higher roster rate).

Note: The starters are listed in order of value

Hell Yea

None

Multiple Category Contribution

Joe Musgrove (46%) at CHC: Musgrove was the closest to making the Hell Yea group but I’m not sold on the Win and afraid the Cubs will hit him around. He’s the best option, but just not a slam dunk.

Aaron Civale (46%) at CWS: He’s good but not 1.82 ERA good. Somehow he’s maintained a 0.3 HR/9 with a mediocre 40% GB%. With regression coming now or next season in the ERA department, he doesn’t walk anyone (2.2 BB/9) and should get a Win against the White Sox.

Chase Anderson (16%) at CIN: Chase the Win and get a few strikeouts (8.2 K/9) along the way without completely destroying a team’s ERA (4.30) and WHIP (1.26).

Devin Smeltzer (3%) at DET: He’s in the Civale camp with a decent chance for a Win and his 2.5 BB/9 helps keep his WHIP (1.18) low.
Read the rest of this entry »

Down the stretch, we’ll be covering the probable starters and highlighting our favorites to stream as you chase down your fantasy titles. The pitcher in question must be available in 50% or more of leagues according to FantasyPros.com which combines ESPN and Yahoo! roster rates (sometimes exceptions just over 50% will be mentioned if they are really good and should have a much higher roster rate).

I’m listing them in order of interest.

SCOOP ‘EM

Jordan Lyles (11-8, 4.17 ERA) at CIN | 40%: He’s only been good since shifting over to Milwaukee (2.35 ERA, 1.12 WHIP in 10 starts) so that probably explains the roster rate, but don’t sleep on him. The Cincy offense is a little chilly, too, toting a .291 wOBA against righties in September.

Jeff Samardzija (11-12, 3.64) v. COL | 43%: I’m surprised his roster rate is this low, but he should be on a roster in most competitive. Check your wire juuust in case.

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It’s been a long season, but we are almost done:

New day, who dis? pic.twitter.com/tJM0yykZmG

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 24, 2019

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Down the stretch, we’ll be covering the probable starters and highlighting our favorites to stream as you chase down your fantasy titles. The pitcher in question must be available in 50% or more of leagues according to FantasyPros.com which combines ESPN and Yahoo! roster rates (sometimes exceptions just over 50% will be mentioned if they are really good and should have a much higher roster rate).

Note: The starters are listed in order of value

Hell Yea

Homer Bailey (30%) at LAA: He meets all the requirements for a good streamer, especially since joining the A’s, with an 8.6 K/9, just a 2.0 BB/9, six Wins, and a 4.21 ERA.

Partial Category Contribution

Rich Hill (39%)/Ross Stripling (39%) at SD: If Stripling starts, I love him in the follower role here. The only red flag may be a limited number of innings.

Dylan Bundy (19%) at TOR: Strikeouts (9.1 K/9) and a possible Win against the Jays. The strikeouts may not be as high since he’s reinventing himself as the season goes on. He’s starting to mix in a sinker and throw his four-seamer less. His strikeouts have gone from 9.5 K/9 in the first half to 8.5 K/9. Over the same time, his HR/9 has dropped from 2.0 to 1.1. The problem is the Orioles defense which has let too many groundballs through and his BABIP has increased from .276 to .339.

Anthony Kay (3%) vs BAL: I guess I’m the most interested in the Baltimore-Toronto game. Kay’s been striking out batters this season (8.4 K/9). He’s keeping the ball on the ground so far in the majors (52%) and has limited the homers. While his ERA is near 6.00, his ERA estimators are around 4.00. He’s a fine option.
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9/22/19

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Paul runs through the scheduled two-start pitchers and righty/lefty schedule splits of each team for next week highlighting who to start and potential platoon bats who could benefit.

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Angels

• While it wasn’t obvious since the Angels hadn’t face a lefty starter in eight games, the team has platoon lineups.
• Several injuries (Trout, Ohtani, Rengifo) has moved some bench players to the starting lineup.

Astros

• The same steady lineup with Carlos Correa starting to work himself back at shortstop.
• Kyle Tucker seems to be the fourth outfielder giving guys a day off. He has started four of the last five games.
  Read the rest of this entry »

The newfound depth at shortstop and third base has sort of covered the fact that second base comes up a little light. Consider a dual-eligible player like Gleyber Torres. He ranks 5th at 2B on Razzball’s Player Rater, but sit 9th at SS. There are a host of dual- or even triple-eligible guys at the position, but they are often best deployed here at the keystone.

A wave of rookies who have burst onto the scene could give the position a modicum of depth for 2020, but that’s not a guarantee so we look at the position with some trepidation at this juncture. The top still has some major firepower so don’t be afraid to invest early, but then we get some big globs of sameness.

Other 2020 Rankings:

• SP
• C
• 1B

Let me know what you think in the comments.

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