Roto Riteup: August 4, 2015
There are a scant three Daily Shows with Jon Stewart manning his role as host. Today’s Roto Riteup was penned while watching the first episode of his final week.
On today’s agenda:
1. Jason Kipnis to the disabled list
2. Matt Moore sent down
3. Lance McCullers gets a breather
4. Streaming Pitching Options
Jason Kipnis to the disabled list
The Cleveland Indians may have seen the last of their playoff hopes disappear with Kipnis’ right shoulder inflammation. For those still clinging to hope, he could miss the minimum 15-days and be back for the stretch run — not to mention head-to-head playoffs — as the club doesn’t expect a long stint nor surgery to be on the horizon. For replacement options, I like Brock Holt, Jonathan Schoop or in extremely deep leagues, Ketel Marte. I’m expecting Marte to get time at both second base (when Robinson Cano DH’s) or in the outfield. He was hitting a solid if somewhat punchless .314/.359/.410 with 20 steals in 287 plate appearances at Triple-A before being called up.
Matt Moore sent down
Among the pitchers I was way off on coming into the season, Moore ranks right up near the top of the list. Of course Tommy John survivor rates are pretty solid, but it isn’t a guaranteed comeback. The Rays sent Moore to Triple-A to work out issues that have lead to him posting a 5.74 K/9 and 4.39 BB/9 to go with his 8.78 ERA and 5.67 FIP. Skipper Kevin Cash told reporters the club will utilize a four man rotation for now as they recalled third/first base prospect Richie Shaffer. Hitting .261/.353/.592 with 16 home runs in 215 Triple-A PAs (to go along with seven dongs in 175 Double-A PAs earlier in the year), Shaffer brings a power bat to a Rays lineup that owns a .382 slugging percentage, ranking 23rd in baseball. FanGraphs’ own Chris Mitchell spoke on Shaffer’s offensive strengths and weaknesses, and Mitchell believes Shaffer could be a league average bat right now. Kiley McDaniel noted the plus-power and bat speed Shaffer possesses, along with a revamped offensive approach. I’m not sure I’d add Shaffer to any non-keeper rosters other than AL-only or deep 14-team mixed leagues just yet, but definitely keep the 24-year-old on your watch lists.
Lance McCullers gets a breather
The Astros were expected to limit McCullers innings in some fashion, and rather than going to a six man rotation, the club as sent him down to Triple-A.
Hinch said the move will give McCullers a break; he may not throw while in the minors. #Astros
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 4, 2015
He may not even pitch while in the minors, thus ensuring to keep the fatigue to a minimum. This is speculation on my part, but it seems likely McCullers’ work load will be kept very low for three weeks or in order to keep him fresh for the postseason. He’ll have to be recalled no later than midnight of August 31st to be eligible for the playoffs, so I’d expect to see him back in the majors around the last week of the month.
Streaming Pitching Options
If you enjoy streaming pitchers, tune into the Roto Riteup for recommendations each and every day.
A pitcher for today: Patrick Corbin at WAS (Max Scherzer)
Sure, the chance for a win isn’t great for Corbin today, but I think he’ll post solid rate stats with some strikeouts today. The Nationals don’t rate too well against left-handers, particularly their 22.1 percent strikeout rate against them. Corbin is free to stream in just 25 percent of CBS formats, however he can be picked up in over 65 percent of both Yahoo! and ESPN leagues.
A pitcher to tomorrow: Luis Severino vs BOS (Steven Wright)
Of course I have to recommend Severino. The 21-year-old has electric stuff and I’d like to see a big debut from him. He’s available in less than 30 percent of CBS settings but is free to stream in almost 70 percent of ESPN or Yahoo! formats.
You can catch David spouting off about baseball, soccer, esports and other things by following him on twitter, @davidwiers.
Hey Dave,
I’m cruising in first place and looking to hold on, wondering only about my OF spots. 10-team, 6×6 Roto (TB and OBP extra cats). In 5 OF format, my locks are JD Mart, Brantley, CarGonzalez. After that I’ve got 2 spots for Yelich, Fowler, Betts (when back) and Ryan Zimmerman. In this format, which two do you want for the duration? Thanks!
Yes! I love 6×6 custom leagues. My home league is one that replaced AVG with OBP and uses TB too.
Sorry, off topic.
I’d go with Fowler and Betts when healthy. I love Yelich’s power potential, but he’s stranded in Triple-A right now. Zimmerman is a solid player, but he doesn’t offer enough HR difference between himself and Betts to make up for the latter’s speed. Fowler hits leadoff in front of some very good bats, and he is an easy play in my mind.
just curious, what do you mean by Yelich being “stranded in Triple-A right now”?
thanx for the riteups!
I think he mentally flipped Ozuna and Yelich.
Doh, yeah. Mentally had them flipped.
I still stick with my original answer. It’s early.
David:
After some stunning upsets the last couple of weeks in my 16 team pts. keeper league, my team which seemed hopeless has vaulted from 9th to 7th.
My question regards keeper league strategy: is it poor form to intentionally lose a matchup to ensure that you don’t make the playoffs? The first two seeds have imposing lineups (e.g., #1 seed has Miggy, Trout, Harper, Machado, Correa, HanRam, Adam Jones and Cargo, and four really good SPs Greinke, Hamels, Price and Arrieta).
Two week playoff matches reduces the element of luck.
If I intentionally lose this week’s matchup, I can try to win the consolation bracket, where the prize is the first pick in the prospect and regular season draft. I can continue to build my team. Duda, Cano, K. Seager, Duffy, Corey Seager (to arrive soon hopefully), J.D. Martinez, G. Polanco, Dickerson, Carlos Martinez, G. Richards and Salazar among the projected 12 keepers. Probably keep Santana too because of his high walk rate.
Would you go for it (Carlos Martinez facing IP limit) or concede that the odds are so stacked against you it’s better to keep building?
The goal of any competition should be to win. It isn’t always the goal, but it should be. The key here is that I didn’t specify to win *now* or this season.
If you think tanking this year to improve your chances next season, go for it. If you don’t feel entirely comfortable with that option, go for broke and may the BABIP gods smile upon you in the two week match up.
Personally, I’ve done both things. I burned this season in FG 2 Ottoneu to build for the future, but I’m going for it ina semi-expert league and my home league.
To answer your question, I think I’d go for it. Your team isn’t in a position where you desperately need the No. 1 pick, as nice as it would be to have it. I say roll the dice. With Cabrera still on the DL, Trout playing with some day-to-day concerns and a ton of new Angels OF to give him time off, it doesn’t seem far fetched to think those two guys will have some days off ahead of them.
Thanks for the reply.
I agree with you I’m not in a desperate situation to get the #1 seed. I have some nice prospects already on my prospect bench (Bundy, J.P. Crawford, Brett Phillips, Nick Williams) and you can only keep five prospects before the prospect draft.
I guess I’ll roll the dice. Injuries do happen to other teams. And maybe Smyly and Montero will contribute to my team during the playoffs.
How did that first place team end up with that lineup?! Who let that happen???
Thoughts on Jesus montero? Chance to revive career/mixed league relevant or just a good first 40 abs?
Mixed leagues that are 14 or deep 12-teamers. I’m not ready to call this his breakout, but he’s still just 25. Being limited to 1B eligibility really hurts him.]
I’d leave him be in most league settings for now.
I am currently sitting in 4th place of a 5×5 league, with my three worst cats being steals, wins and Ks (and I’m not so far behind that I can’t make up ground). I am first in the power cats and runs and just offered Trout and Matt Duffy for Kershaw and Billy Hamilton. Probably a harder decision for him than me but he is itching to make a deal for offense. Do you make that deal if you are him (last in HR and AVG. and high in all pitching cats)?
Assuming this is a redraft league, yeah, I’d take that, as long as I had other SP to step in and help replace the loss of Kershaw.
Before you do that though, steals is usually something that can be found on the wire?
If someone like Jarrod Dyson, DeShields Jr., or Guyer now that Souza is hurt can be found on the wire, maybe you don’t need to move huge assets to get those steals.
It is a redraft league and Dyson and Guyer are on the wire (I have Delino) but I am basically guaranteed to jump a lot of teams in steals if BHam stays healthy (I will definitely jump 3 spots with the chance to jump 3 more). I’ll obviously miss Trout but have guys like Abreu, Frazier, Upton, Brantley and Crawford to keep me close to the top in the other offensive cats. Also an opportunity to make a big jump in Ks (less so in Ws) with Kershaw so I hope he goes for it.
Thanks for your reply.