Stream, Stream, Stream: 2x SP 4.29-5.5

Let’s first start with results:

Week 1: 1-3, 30 IP, 3.00 ERA, 5.4 K/9, 2.3 K/BB, 1.13 WHIP (Kevin Slowey, Ubaldo Jimenez, Joe Saunders)
Week 2: 2-3, 25.1 IP, 5.69 ERA, 6.8 K/9, 2.4 K/BB, 1.74 WHIP (Joe Blanton, James McDonald, Eric Stults)
Week 3 (incomplete): 0-1, 19.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 7.0 K/9, 2.5 K/BB, 1.19 WHIP (Wade Davis, Carlos Villanueva, Patrick Corbin)
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Total: 3-7, 74.2 IP, 3.98 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 2.4 K/BB, 1.35 WHIP

In the words of the NBA Jam announcer, “He’s heating up!” But in all honesty, this week has been a lot better in a lot of ways, most notably in strikeouts and limiting baserunners. Now to just get some wins going here.

This week’s selections (h/t to Zach Swanson for help with Y! ownership figures):

Julio Teheran – 11.0% ESPN/26% Yahoo! – (v. WAS, v. NYM)

The early going hasn’t been kind to Teheran, . But last time out, he silenced a very good offensive club in the Rockies, in their home digs no less. The long ball has been an issue — 5 HR in 23.0 IP — but he oddly didn’t allow one at Coors. So the hope here is that Teheran is simply progressing as the season goes on. Teheran gets a couple inter-divisional foes this week, and while neither matchup is extremely advantageous — both in the upper-to-middle of the pack — both offensive clubs are considerably worse than the Rockies, who hold the top honor with a .351 collective wOBA.

Teheran’s always been long on talent, so maybe now is the time he flashes it on the big stage? Let’s hope so, at least for this week to come.

Jason Hammel – 10.9% ESPN/44% Yahoo! – (@SEA, @LAA)

Hammel was not-so-famously one of my bold predictions prior to this season, and it hasn’t been one who has come to fruition. Hammel’s 3-1, but home run rate is bloated, his groundball rate has evaporated, and as a result his 3.82 ERA is not as shiny as it would suggest (4.92 FIP/5.24 xFIP). To be sure, Hammel hasn’t been all bad, he just hasn’t been doing what he did last year to make him really, really good. I think there’s a chance he can get back to that, and this week seems like a decent time to do so.

This week’s matchup against the Mariners is the one which piques my interest, as the M’s have been among the five-worst offenses in all of baseball. The matchup against the Halos isn’t an ideal one, but like most two-start guys, you have to give to get.

Garrett Richards – 11.3% ESPN/16% Yahoo! – (@OAK, v. BAL)

In a lot with C.J. Wilson, Jered Weaver, Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas, and Tommy Hanson, it feels a bit odd to say that Richards is the Halos starter with the best ERA at this juncture. But injuries and ineffect have marred what was supposed to be a pretty steady rotation on an offensive juggernaut.

Richards has been effective this season by mixing a ton of grounders (55.1%) and just a touch under 7.0 K/9, as he brings the heat (95.0 mph on the four-seamer, with a cutter right around there) along with a slider (85.6 mph) and pretty much nothing else (96.5% of his offerings are these two pitches). He seems to have the talent, and he’ll need it with the two solid offenses that he’ll face this week.

Digging deep(er):

Without getting into too much detail, possible deeper streamer options include Jose Quintana of the White Sox (@TEX, @KC), and Ted Lilly of the Dodgers (v. COL, @SF). Each have pitched well so far this season — in limited duty in the case of Lilly — but don’t necessarily have great weeks ahead.