Don’t Go Straight To Cash

I’m a bit surprised that I feel the need to talk about Andrew Cashner, but after a start of 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks, I can see the tilted heads and curious eyes. Nick! He has a 3.17 ERA this season! Alright alright, trivia time! What is the lowest number of the following four stats? Which is the highest? K/9, BB/9, FIP, xFIP. Go on, take your time. Lowest = K/9 (3.99!). Highest = xFIP (5.42 pitching in Arlington!). With a 4.13 BB/9 and 4.65 FIP. Holy smokes that’s a TEEs alright and you want nothing to do with Cashner. Seriously. Sidenote: We’re designing a few shirts (Aces Gonna Ace, Cup of Schmo, Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer) to put on sale hopefully by the All-Star break and we’re brainstorming for a TEEs design for – obviously – a T-Shirt. Any ideas? Leave it in the comments and it could be on a shirt!

Let’s see how every other SP did yesterday:

Andrew Triggs – 3.2 IP, 8 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. I considered leading with Triggs who I was hoping would regain a step facing the Rays after a tough Mariners/Yankees/Nationals schedule behind him. The problem here is soft contact is down to just 15.2% and that’s not something I want to be a part of with Triggs. You can safely drop him in a 12-teamer, but be aware of he gets his feel back for his side-winding delivery.

Ervin Santana – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Cool. Nothing changes here – I like Santana against meh offenses (like the Giants) and I’m wary against good offenses (like the Rockies).

Jhoulys Chacin – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Chacin will do well when Jhoulyst expect it. But let’s be real, if he were to do well, it would be the Padres…so you’d expect Chacin to falter because that’s what he does, BUT THEN HE DIDN’T.

Jordan Montgomery – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. Last six starts from Monty: 9.00 K/9, 2.31 BB/9, 3.34 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 4.04 xFIP (9.1% HR/FB), 26.7% hard contact, 11.8% whiff rate overall. Ummmm why is he still not owned everywhere?

Alex Cobb – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Because it was totally safe to trust Cobb after allowing 9 ER to the Mariners, even if this were…the Athletics? Ah. Blame it on the A’s.

Rich Hill – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. So Hill is still walking people and went just five innings. Blegh. I think he’s on the border of droppable, honestly. I’d rather own Biagini or Montgomery easily.

Julio Teheran – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. Hey, Teheran still can do things! That’s nice, I guess.

Matt Harvey – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. This was the first time since May 30th of 2016 that Harvey allowed just 0 ER. Is he fixed? Do we pick him up now? Nah, he gets the Nats next and I need better and more starts first.

Joe Biagini – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Yeah, I’ll take this. One ER too much while a 1.00 WHIP and 5 Ks. Gimmie gimmie gimmie.

Sam Gaviglio – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Maybe if Gaviglio didn’t have a 13.3% soft contact to go with his .250 BABIP I could overlook his 5.39 FIP and embrace that 2.79 ERA. Yes this is a TEEs as he’s just a Cup of Schmo.

Dylan Bundy – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Seriously, this really does look like the Bundy we’re getting this year. Underperforming as far as ace-like ability goes, but overperforming in the peripherals. Just shrug and accept it.

Michael Wacha – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. This is so boring, but okay.

Corey Kluber – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks. A 1.50 WHIP and a PQS? Yeah, but the eight Ks are why Kluber is an ace. Even in the mediocre starts he helps. Also, I feel like pairing a 1.50 WHIP with a PQS makes a TPQS or VPQS (True/Very). Not sure if I’ll actually do that. I might, BUT WHICH ONE?

Jordan Zimmermann – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. I fail to believe J-Z is on the road to relevancy.

German Marquez – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. It was a struggled to get through three frames at 80 pitches for Marquez, no injury here. Pretty blegh, though.

Matt Shoemaker – 7.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Guys, don’t hold onto Shoemaker right now.

Mike Montgomery – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. With Hendricks on the DL, Montgomery finally got his chance to start again. He obviously needs to be stretched out, but I can see QS value in two weeks if the Cubs actually go to a six-man rotation to work in Monty. Keep an eye on this and I’d hold back starting him next time since he still has to ramp up first.

Zach Davies – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. You’re doing to have to do more than this if you want to get back on my side Davies.

Jeremy Hellickson – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. No one is still owning Helickson, right?

Amir Garrett – 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. Garrett left this game after sticking his pitching hand out in an attempt to catch a comebacker. Not the smartest thing, but instincts are instincts, you know? He should probably make his next start – maaaaaybe miss one, but we don’t know how swollen that hand is yet – but that doesn’t really matter if you’re in a 12-teamer as I wouldn’t be owning Garrett.

Matt Moore – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. This really has been a terrible year for Moore. Like super bad. I’m not sure why you would, but don’t keep holding onto this.

Randall Delgado – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. …Wait, why didn’t I take Joe Biagini or Jordan Montgomery as my streamer? Because you’re stupid Nick. Welp, this one didn’t work out as hoped, with a 1.80 WHIP and 7.20 ERA without enough Ks for me to forget it. Don’t worry about his rotation security, he’s sticking around and gets the Phillies back-to-back now. Sign me up! Streamer Record 31-20-10.

Tanner Roark – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 11 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Roark, you have a WHIP over 2.00 today. Stop hurting teams more than helping.

Brian Johnson – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. No, it wasn’t dynamite, Johnson. I know, I know, it’s a hard way to the top and you gotta tuck and roll.

Miguel Gonzalez – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks. Miguel…No. 

Vance Worley – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks. Don’t dance with Vance. He pulls out the robot and you have to sulk away like a jerk just to save face.

Eric Skoglund – 1.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks. Still really disappointed with Skoglund just because I want him to be a household name. Dad, how did Skoglund do yesterday? Well Johnny, Skoglund was…Sko-Good! Oh Dad…HAHAHAHAHA.

Brad Peacock – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 1 Ks. Well this is bad. Peacock is one of the guys ala Dinelson Lamet, Randall Delgado, Joe Biagini, etc. that we’re going to henceforth call Spice Girls (grabbed from reader David Johnston’s proposed “Wannabes”, as these pitchers show up and could be something that sticks for ages – Posh Spice – or something that fades in the public eye in moments – …I can’t remember the rest of their names). There is really just one takeaway here: the four walks. I imagine he’ll get another chance in the rotation and I think he’ll rebound against the Rangers.

Tyler Glasnow – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. At least he didn’t walk a batter! *Suit man whispers in my ear* Oh right, right…the issue wasn’t “Control” is was “Command”, which means he was overall wild, which includes misses badly inside the zone too.

Today’s Streamer

Jeff Hoffman vs. Chicago Cubs – Hoffman has the stuff to show up in Wrigley and light up the scoreboard.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Dinelson Lamet vs. Kansas City Royals – But he looked terrible against the Diamondbacks! Yeah, and now he faces the Royals.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Luis Perdomo vs. Cincinnati Reds – Don’t love this start, but Kyle Freeland is owned in above 25% of leagues, making his start against the Pirates not applicable. If you’re in a H2H league, I’d not put myself in the hole early with Perdomo

Game of the Day

Steven Matz vs. Atlanta Braves – Funny enough, both Matz and Newcomb are going against their respective teams, but on different sides of a double-header. Should be a fun day.