Avoiding Driftwood

So there were plenty of people believing in Brandon Woodruff as the man to own this week – I did put him in the third tier of last week’s two-start article after all – and as he faced the Pirates tonight, it was assumed he was the streaming pick to grab. Remember, he had a 1.52 ERA in his first four starts…but that .250 BABIP and 90.2% LOB rate caught up to him today as he went 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. I’m not going to ramble on today – you have plenty of things you need to do and there are more important remarks in this roundup like a terrible terrible Miranda blurb – but now Woodruff gets the Marlins + Cubs to close out the year and if any of you were really banking on him, I suggest you stop doing that. His stuff just isn’t all that great and I expect more bad than good. Also, The List is coming out tomorrow morning for those wondering, I went a bit crazy with adding extra pitchers and eventually elected to pull them back to get it out early Tuesday morning. It’s a whole lot of mess at the backend, by the way.

Let’s see how every other SP did yesterday:

Carlos Carrasco – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks. Aces gonna ace. Cookie has been lights out in six of his last seven starts, tallying 3 ER and 53 strikeouts in that time. Daaaaang.

Marco Estrada – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks. That’s a pair of impressive performances now from Estrada, though I’m not seeing anything startling that’s making me believe he’s figured it out. Definitely not the arm I want to trust with my playoffs on the line.

Zack Greinke – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. Aces gonna ace. 2.99 ERA thus far as he sits at 194 Ks and a 1.06 WHIP. Thing is, he’s been like this all year. What a stud.

Cole Hamels – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. This PQS Comes after four of his last five starts returning 4+ ER, coming off the Tigers, A’s, Angels, and Braves. So don’t go actin’ all silly when I say I’m not impressed.

CC Sabathia – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. CC is trying his best to stay fantasy relevant and while he couldn’t survive through the fifth, he still gave you six Ks if you ran with the big fella for a pair of starts this week. So that’s nice, but it doesn’t want to make me run to the wire.

Steven Brault – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. With Taillon getting a start skipped, Brault is getting another start and he sure capitalized against the Brewers. Now he gets a repeat matchup followed by the O’s and maybe the Nationals. I wouldn’t bet on another game anywhere close to this one, sadly.

Ubaldo Jimenez – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Sure, whatever Ubaldo.

Reynaldo Lopez – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. It’s a PQS with one strikeout. I’m a bit disappointed with just one strikeout here, but he was an easy two-start week as he was owned in under 10% of the leagues and I’m alright with this as he gets the Win as well. Just keep it at 2 ER for the Tigers, alright Lopez? Streamer Record 73-56-16. 

Kyle Freeland – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 1 Ks. Freeland left the game in the fourth after being struck in the collarbone with a line drive. Jeeeeeez Rick, that’s gotta hurt. Poor fella. This puts his next start in jeopardy, but it’s not like that was in your best interest in the first place.

Jake Odorizzi – 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Odorizzi had a tough time in the fourth as an error elongated the inning, forcing in four unearned runs en route to 51 pitches thrown. That’s half of a Kershaw game in just two outs! Anyway, he’s still owned at an absurd 36.5% mark and that needs to stop, even if it does include teams that abandoned the league in June.

Myles Jaye – 3.2 IP, 7 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. With Verlander dealt and Fulmer out, today’s edition of “Who’s pitching for the Tigers?” went to Jaye, who isn’t going to be turning many heads. Sure, he has a nice deuce, but he’s going to be sitting 89-90 and unless he’s the second coming of Dricks, he’s going to a be a limp member of anyone’s staff. Yeah but can he turn into a Limp Dricks? Why would you make this joke. Why.

Kenta Maeda – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. I feel bad for Maeda as the rain delay in San Fran messed up his routine for the day, leading to an exit at 47 pitches. He already had the Dodgers F.O. and Roberts limiting his innings, now mother nature? Poor Maeda.

Chris Stratton – 0.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 K. Man, he clearly was feeling it in those five pitches. Stupid rain ruining everything.

Jason Hammel – 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 10 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Hammel was streaking in a good way, and now he’s streaking in a bad way. What a Frank.

Ariel Miranda – 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks. I don’t want to be a part of this world. But look at this line, isn’t it neat? NO IT’S NOT. Because it’s easy to beat? I would think you’re a manager. A manager who has everything? Well, look at this streamer with upside galore. Have you taken a good look at his floor? Checking the wire makes you think…He could have everything…

Today’s Streamer

Kyle Gibson vs. San Diego Padres – He’s on a roll against weak teams and gets the Padres next. Let’s do this.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Lucas Giolito vs. Kansas City Royals – He’s in a great place and gets to face the blegh Royals.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Mike Montgomery vs. New York Mets – Call me crazy after the short start on Saturday, but I think Monty is much better than that and the Mets are fun.

Game of the Day

Garrett Richards vs. Justin Verlander – Now this looks like a party.