Roto Riteup: September 13, 2013
Today is Friday the 13th. If you happen to be the superstitious type, or maybe one that happens to believe in hokey religions, just know that Han Solo thinks otherwise.
On today’s agenda:
1. Angel Pagan is still hitting, still available
2. Another week in the boot for Allen Craig
3. Mark Reynolds keeps hitting
4. The lateness of Adam LaRoche
Angel Pagan is still hitting, still available
When we last took a look at Angel Pagan he was coming back from a stint on the disabled list. Since then, Pagan has posted 15 hits in 10 games as well as stealing two bags and scoring six runs. He is up to a .284/.336/.397 line and should be grabbed wherever possible for the home stretch. Pagan is available in 62% of both ESPN and CBS formats and 68% of Yahoo! leagues.
Another week in the boot for Allen Craig
Following up on last Friday’s Roto Riteup, we have an update via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Goold reports that Allen Craig will be in a soft walking boot for another week. The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping that Craig will return some point later this season, but time is running out. If Craig is still eating up a roster spot in your redraft league, it seems as though it is time to find a replacement first baseman.
Mark Reynolds keeps hitting
Even before yesterday’s home run is factored in, Mark Reynolds was hitting an impressive .281/.361/.516 as a member of the New York Yankees. His batting average may be a complete illusion thanks to a .375 BABIP, but the power shouldn’t be doubted. Sure, he is up to 23 strikeouts in 22 games now, but we can look past a slugger’s terrifying truth and watch him sock a few dingers.
Not only does he have a solid lineup around him, but Reynolds also has a favorable schedule for the rest of the season. The Yankees travel to the hitter friendly parks of Toronto and Boston followed by the Bronx Bombers going home for a six game home stand. They’ll then finish out the season’s final three games in Houston against the worst pitching staff in baseball. Reynolds could provide a serious jolt of power in the closing weeks. He is available in 57% of CBS leagues and 72% of both Yahoo! and ESPN formats.
The lateness of Adam LaRoche
It’s widely believed in some fantasy circle that Adam LaRoche is a slow starter. To be fair, LaRoche’s 2004, 2006-10, and 2012 seasons all support this theory. In those years (in varying amounts of playing time, of course) LaRoche hit for a higher wOBA in the second half, occasionally much higher. This season appears to be the exception to the rule, as LaRoche’s first half 107 wRC+ is currently outpacing his second half sub-100 wRC+ mark.
A brutal month of July saw him hit for a 38 wRC+ in 97 plate appearances. August was a slight improvement, as the needle moved up to a 96 wRC+ in 104 PA’s. LaRoche must have seen his shadow coming out of the All-Star break, as his first half reputation continued another eight weeks into the second half. September might have been the wake up call that we’ve been waiting for as now LaRoche has heated up over his past 11 games. Not even including yesterday’s 2-for-4 performance that delivered his 20th home run, LaRoche was hitting .321/.487/.500 since the calendar flipped to September. Small sample size issues abound, however LaRoche can still help with his power and his position in the batting order. He’s shuffled around the middle of the lineup some, but he has hit clean up four times this month already.
Despite his recent hot streak, LaRoche is still widely available. His ownership rate is just 64% in CBS leagues, 57% in ESPN formats, and 50% in Yahoo! leagues. If one is looking for a first base eligible replacement for Allen Craig, LaRoche or Reynolds could be it. In a vacuum LaRoche is probably the better player, however given Reynolds’ schedule and his third base eligibility, the scales tip slightly in his favor.
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Looking for advice, need K and potential W (WHIP would be nice, but not necessary. Options for streaming are Straily, Redmond and Hand.
I have Holland in same game as Straily, so would increase likelihood of W in that game, but tough matchup.
Redmond good K/9 + Home #s, but BAL crushes RHP and doesn’t strike out much at all, which surprised me.
Hand is a total mystery, but has best matchup and good K #s from minors and Mets are Top 5 in strike outs. Just not sure he even pitches 5 IP and chance for W always small w/ Marlins.
Thoughts?
I presume Danny Salazar isn’t available?
For today, I like David Hale at home vs San Diego. The Padres are terrible vs right-handed pitching (their .292 wOBA vs RHP is second worst and their 90 wRC+ is fifth worst) and struggle on the road .306 wOBA, 92 wRC+.
As much as I love Straily — I’m an A’s fan after all — pitching in Texas is such a tough task. Of the options you listed, I’d rank Straily, Holland, then Hand, and finally Redmond. For me, I’d roll with Hale today and hope I know what I’m talking about!
Hale actually already owned. It’s an insanely attentive/competitive league. Probably going to have to roll w/ Straily and hope all goes well. Thanks!
Oh wow. That is a deep league. Well, hopefully for your fantasy team and my favorite team, I hope Straily goes 8 shutout innings with 12 K’s.
David do you guys have a hitting/pitching strength of schedule by team for remainder of the year?
No, although that is an excellent idea.
I just look at stream candidates for SP and sub 40% in CBS leagues for good picks on position players to look at. If you had a question on a particular player, I’d be happy to try and help.
Someone like Junior, Valencia or Kole. All 3 have been pretty hot and would fill in at utility but none are guaranteed PT. Pagan is another one but will they let him play or since they are out of it take a look at some youth?
Junior Lake:
Isn’t terribly useful in OBP leagues, though in standard 12-team mixed 5×5 leagues he is worthwhile. His lack of walks (4.7% BB%) and high BABIP make me think he could be a poor man’s Adam Jones some day. I can’t say I like him much given the rest of the season, however. He faces the Brewers for four games next week and that could be great for him, but he sees the Pirates, Braves, and Cardinals for his final 13 games. Maybe grab him Sunday and let him go on Friday.
Danny Valencia:
He seems to have settled in as the O’s primary DH, despite the club acquiring Michael Morse. Valencia has a little pop — not as much as Morse — but won’t contribute significantly to anywhere but a mostly empty average. He’s been moved up to hitting sixth or seventh in the lineup lately, but I doubt he becomes an RBI guy any time soon. He faces a mixed bag of bad pitching and good pitching in Toronto and Boston respectively, but I’ll pass on Valencia. I’m not sold on him.
I assume you meant Kole Calhoun here? For that, I’ll refer you to the smarter and more talented J.P. Breen. He just posted a great writeup on Kole that I largely agree with: http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/who-is-kole-calhoun/
Hope that helps!
Who would you say is the best option for HR/RBI/OBP the rest of the way among Reynolds, Matt Adams, Dom Brown, or Yan Gomes?
Adams, Reynolds, Brown, Gomes in that order.
Just as a heads up to anyone thinking of adding Reynolds, I was looking at him and noticed his first 2 games next week are scheduled to be against Dickey and Happ, against whom he is a combined 0 for 25 lifetime. Maybe those ABs all came during one of his various cold stretches, but it seemed worth mentioning. If he homers either game I disavow ever writing this.
If he hits three home runs in his next two games, I’m printing this comment out and framing it.
I kid, I kid.
I’m the guy who called for Jose Reyes to hit 20 triples this year, so…yeah. Whoops!