Stream, Stream, Stream: #2xSP (6.22-6.28)

Hey, we’re still making progress. And thanks for the “you suck” comments. I get it. But I’m working hard to try keep moving forward. The last two years were really good. But above all, thank you for reading regardless of if you love or hate the advice. That goes for all of you.

As an aside, do you all think I should start using team wOBAs against that pitcher’s handedness? I never know what’s an adequate sampling for that sort of thing. Your input is welcomed in the comments below!

As for this week, it’s an all-lefty trio of guys who aren’t terribly risky, but should provide decent results.

Here are the totals through half of week 10:

12-30 record
5.09 ERA
6.2 K/9
2.3 K/BB
1.41 WHIP

Here’s a look at this week’s recs, with team wOBA in parentheses. Y! ownership numbers pulled courtesy of twitter pal @Jake_in_MN, whom you should give a follow:

LHP Tommy Milone – 3.4% ESPN/2% Y! – v. CWS (.282), @MIL (.290)

It’s hard to imagine anyone has better matchups this coming week than Milone, who faces two of the three worst offenses in his two-start stretch. Milone wasn’t particularly good for the Twins in his first go-round with the team this year, but since coming back from a very strong stint at Triple-A Rochester the left-hander has done a nice job replacing Ricky Nolasco in the rotation. Milone allowed just three earned runs in 38.2 innings at Rochester (0.70 ERA), and since the return call has allowed just five earned runs (2.37 ERA) in his three starts. Opponents have hit just .236/.257/.389. Now is Milone more than a streamer? No, most likely not. But this is an extremely good week for him, and a chance for you to exploit some weak matchups.

LHP Jon Niese – 10.3% ESPN/9% Y! – @MIL (.290), v. CIN (.315)

Niese also gets a couple nice matchups, as he gets the same Brewers as Milone on the front end before facing a Reds offense that has been better in June (.325 wOBA) but not terribly impressive overall. The Reds are also much worse on the road (.294 wOBA) than at home (.336). Niese had a rough four-game stretch to end May — 9.00 ERA in 20 innings — but has been much more Niese-like since the calendar has turned to June: 3.60 ERA and .701 OPS against and a much-improved 8.1 K/9.

LHP Jeff Locke – 8.3% ESPN/5% Y! – v. CIN (.315), v. ATL (.305)

I’ve seen people pumping up Locke in recent days, and this seems like a good week to slot him into your two-start lineups. Not only are these a couple good matchups for the left-hander, but he’s also pitched rather well in three starts this month: 2.95 ERA, .605 OPS against and 14-5 K/BB ratio in 18.1 innings. He fanned eight last time out against the White Sox, so he can do that at times, and is also striking out over seven batters per nine for the first time in his big league career as a full-time starter. For my money this is the riskiest of the three plays, with these other pitchers as options: Matt Andriese, Drew Hutchison, Brett Oberholtzer and Joe Kelly. Chase Anderson is another good matchup play, but I thought the Coors matchup to start the week wasn’t particularly good for him.