Roto Riteup: April 17, 2015
I can only hope everyone reading today’s Roto Riteup has seen the new teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but if not, go ahead and watch it.
On today’s agenda:
1. Welcome to the big leagues, Kris Bryant
2. The return of Danny Salazar
3. Carlos Gomez to the disabled list
4. Streaming Pitching Options
Welcome to the big leagues, Kris Bryant
It took a couple of weeks, but the Chicago Cubs have apparently decided to call up the uber-prospect known as Kris Bryant today. The injury to Mike Olt is what brought about this decision, though Bryant probably could have opened the season as the Cubs’ third baseman. No official word has been handed down from the team, but as Carrie Muskat reports, Bryant contacted his family and said his “dream is coming true.” Presuming he is in fact getting the call, count me among the many who are eagerly looking forward to watching him in the majors.
The return of Danny Salazar
After a surprising move by the Cleveland Indians to send Salazar down to Triple-A to start the season, the club will bring him up for tomorrow’s game as they travel to Minnesota to face the Twins. He’s getting the call in order to give Carlos Carrasco, who was struck by a come-back line drive, an additional day of rest. The Indians are calling it a spot start so count on him being sent down immediately, but if he performs well, he is worth hanging on to. A lot of people bailed on Salazar when the Tribe sent him down, but I think he’ll contribute significant innings this year.
Carlos Gomez to the disabled list
Our own Jeff Zimmerman mentioned this possibility in yesterday’s MASH Report, but the Milwaukee Brewers made it official by placing Gomez on the 15-day DL with a hamstring defect. Gomez felt his right hamstring “pop” en route to first base on Wednesday and was held out of yesterday’s game as a result. A closer look by the team’s doctor revealed a small tear and thus the decision was made to shelve him. The Brewers haven’t announced a timetable, as the team staff applied a cortisone shot and will wait to re-evaluate Gomez next week.
Streaming Pitching Options
If you enjoy streaming pitchers, tune into the Roto Riteup for recommendations each and every day.
A pitcher for today: Jimmy Nelson at PIT (Jeff Locke)
With apologies to CBS owners where Nelson is already owned in 75% of leagues, he is a great stream option in the other two major sites. Nelson’s 35% ownership rate in Yahoo! and 10% in ESPN don’t do his solid strikeout rate justice. He may allow some walks here and there, but if his curveball is on, Nelson could repeat his nine strikeout day he had against Pittsburgh six days ago.
A pitcher for tomorrow: Danny Salazar at MIN (Phil Hughes)
As noted above, Salazar will be making a spot start, but I’ve been a fan of his for some time. He’s available in 60% of CBS formats and over 70% of both ESPN and Yahoo! leagues.
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LOL if you believe the Olt injury is what brought about the decision to call him up on April 17.
It’s a “wink, wink and nudge, nudge” sort of thing.
*PSSSHHHHHEEEEWWWWWWWW*
(sound of something going over head)
Unfortunately for all of us, Kris Bryant’s actual dream is becoming a door-to-door light bulb salesman.
That would be a pretty big twist. Worst sports movie ending ever? That.
Hi David. Another question for my 16 team pts. league.
Sounds crazy, but I’m nursing a small lead in a points league. Start Ubaldo tonight vs. the Red Sox? It’s only -2 for a loss and if he can make it through five innings, I’ll get 15 points for the innings pitched. Kelly is hardly a world beater, so there’s even a remote possibility of a win and 4 points.
I wouldn’t be asking this question if I knew for sure that Garrett Richards is coming off the DL this Sunday—maybe I’ll know more later today. Contributing factors to risk taking: the other guy has two decent starters going tonight.
I do have Hughes, McCarthy and Greene yet to pitch for me. I’d feel better if McCarthy wasn’t serving up homers at an alarming rate. Some positive regression is due, but with Tulo, Arenado and Dickerson pounding the ball, I’m not sure that’s going to happen this weekend, even if the Rocs are playing on the road. And Greene is due for some negative regression.
I guess it boils down to whether or not you think Ubaldo can pitch five innings without getting pounded. He really had his sinker and splitter working against the Blue Jays last weekend. Thanks.
I wouldn’t start Ubaldo tonight. I can’t trust him to not get shelled against a solid lineup.
Thanks. My gut and the way the Red Sox are hitting the ball right now say the same thing. Pedroia in particular has pounded Ubaldo (just looked this up) in the past.
I think this is the most specific question I have ever seen asked.
I would not trust Ubaldo even if he was pitching against my kids little league team.
Hi David,
Would appreciate an opinion.
Salazar is on my minor league roster. If this is only a spot start this is moot, because I can keep him there. If he replaces McAllister, I need to make a decision because we have a pitcher limit on our major league rosters and I need to keep my RP’s.
Ottoneu scoring H2H Dynasty format
My pitcher roster:
Sale, Wacha, Cole, Cashner, Odorizzi, Carlos Martinez. and now maybe Salazar.
Who goes? Also have Carlos Rodon on my MiL roster, so the situation could arise again this season.
Will try to trade first because these guys are better than some on rosters, but my batting roster is crazy loaded in every slot and I don’t need anything except maybe a catcher.
Thanks for your input!
PS Knew I forgot someone….also have Pineda
In a dynasty I’d probably look to making your bats younger, unless they are already pretty young. I think Sale is a must-keep, though you could get just about any top-25 hitter for him. I love Cole as well, and Cashner, Odorizzi and Martinez less so. I’d be most inclined to move Martinez as I’m still not sure the exact plan the Cards have for him is, but he’d also probably fetch the lowest return.
Or go nuts and offer Sale for Posey.
Thanks David.
Other than Miggy for whom I’m happily paying a fortune and Nellie Cruz who I picked up for $2 when he was dropped after his suspension, my roster is young like the pitchers. With the exception of Jose Abreu, Stanton and Rendon are probably the oldest of the bunch.
Catcher is really the only hole (Ramos) and I have a few on my MiL roster who may be up next year.
Sale for Posey? 🙂 Nah. I’m not desperate yet.
I really like Martinez’ stuff. Hard to say what will happen if and when Jaime Garcia gets healthy. It would make sense to move Garcia to the pen if Martinez is effective, but with Matheny and whatever the organization has planned, you never know.
Cashner is the oldest of my SP’s and his injury history and “name recognition” make him my first choice to move. Salaries are low on everyone except Sale and Cole.
Guess I was looking for you to give me a solid reason to keep him over the others.
I know crazy small sample size, but how concerned if at all should I be about Brandon Belt and Chris Carter. The two of them form my First Basemen options in a standard 12 team league. I knew Carter was a risk due to the streakiness of his hitting throughout his career, but I thought Belt would be a much safer option provided he could stay healthy. Well, of course he has the “minor” groin injury in the second or third game of the season and hasn’t done much since missing a few days.
My waiver wire options are bland, with the best being Mike Morse, Mark Canha and the ghosts of Ike Davis and Yonder Alonso’s potential. Do I just need to wait it out or should I look to try and make a trade?
Also, how concerned should I be about Russel Martin? I have been offered d’Arnuad for Martin and Archie Bradley and think it might be a good deal considering Bradley’s control issues could flare up at any moment.
Wait it out my friend! Like you said, Carter will have his ups and downs. A quick glance at last year’s game logs shows from 6/13 to 6/22, Carter posted a -66 wRC+ with zero walks and a 45% strikeout rate. These sort of things happen.
As for Belt, I’ve gone back and forth on him a lot throughout his career and given the uninspiring waiver wire guys, I’d hang tough with him.
Is it a keeper/dynasty? If so, don’t give up on Bradley, as I like his upside more than d’Arnaud. For re-draft leagues I’d go with Martin, as his surrounding team is much better.
I see over at Fangraphs there is speculation that Carlos Rodon will get called up next week. Regardless of when it actually happens, is he someone to pick up asap when he’s called up? I’m in a 10 person H2H league and would probably be dropping Wily Peralta for him. Thoughts?
I’m pretty low on Rodon personally. I worry about his fastball command, but I do love the slider.
In a 10-teamer there is probably a ton of pitching regularly available, so I’d be streaming already. To answer your question, yeah, I’d pick him up, but I wouldn’t drop any of the top-40 or maybe 50 SP to get him.
FWIW, in H2H I always punt saves and either steals or AVG, while streaming SP throughout the year. Think of it like a modified LIMA.
wOBA keeper league: Rendon or Bryant?
Bryant, but is very close. He’s barely 23 whereas Rendon turns 25 this season. Rendon being 2B helps, but he’ll probably lose that next year.
Here’s my BOLD PREDICTION!
The Cubs biggest call-up this year won’t be Kris Bryant — it will be Addison Reed!
Boom!
That would be something: to trade for him, send him down, call him up, and have a reliever outproduce Kris Bryant.