Oh Wacha Cheese Is The Best Kind Cheese

What on earth is going on with Michael Wacha? After a pair of 9 K starts, he now tossed a CGSHO against the Mets (lol Mets) with a total of 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks. Well ain’t that a beautiful thing. Last time I wrote that there wasn’t anything we could easily pinpoint about Wacha’s last two starts that dictated lengthy success. I did peak a bit into this one and man oh man was his command gorgeous. Painting the corners, working in that Cutter, mixing in Curveballs and Changeups…it was Wacha as we always wanted Wacha to be. I don’t see this as much as a change of approach but more that the kid is locked in. I’m not sold enough to tell you that you’ll want to start him without a doubt against the Diamondbacks in two weeks + he’ll be golden for your playoffs as well. However, he gets the Cubs next and you have no choice but to roll with him there. I think this is a sell high as Wacha hasn’t made an apparent change to his approach like others we’ve seen, but he clearly is in a groove. I’ll make the bet that the groove doesn’t last through the end of the year.

Let’s see how every other SP did yesterday:

Mike Clevinger – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. I could lead with Clevinger, but you guys already know that you want to own him. Four straight QS allowing 2 ER total and earning 26 Ks. Yes please.

Clayton Kershaw – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. Aces gonna ace. Come on Kersh, just seven frames today? Enjoy you Gallows Pole with just 17 whiffs. Pffft whatever.

Ty Blach – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. Blach. I wonder what his K/9 is now…4.36?! Oh wait, that’s his ERA…4.18?! Jeeeeeez.

Dylan Bundy – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Hey, look at that! Bundy didn’t blow up against the Rangers. He also still still has a super low strikeout rate to prevent me from taking the risk. Weird to say that Bundy is forcing us to make a Grave Mistake but that’s what he’s doing and I don’t want nothing to do with that.

Miguel Gonzalez – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 5 BBs, 5 Ks. Miguel…No.

John Lackey – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks. Sure, I know it’s just five frames, I know it’s the Braves, I know it’s a 0.50 K/BB with just one strikeout, I know Lac is worst kind of Key. But hey, this one wasn’t bad.

Brad Peacock – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks. For those that listen to the Podcast, I’ll have you know that this is Peacock’s fourth QS of the season. But more importantly, I hope this creates some possibility that Peacock sticks in the rotation with Collin McHugh coming back and Keuchel close behind. Joe Musgrove gets the first hook, I just want Peacock to survive the second.

Chris Smith – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. The award for the name you can’t even have in a one-season CW show because it’s too boring goes to Smith. Sorry to make you read that, three’s nothing to see here, just your standard Cup of Schmo. Sidenote: I kinda miss my mug a ton as I’m on the road right now. Please don’t hate me as the next SP Roundup will come out super late on Thursday, I’ll be traveling Wednesday night –> late Thursday morning for my sister’s wedding, but I’ll get to writing the first moment I can.

Vincent Velasquez – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. DLH has been weird lately and Velasquez avoided it by following the WHARF method – Water Hydration Aspirin Rest Food. Should you pick him up though? In a 12-teamer, why not if you have the spot and someone to drop. Love the other Spice Girls more, though. Odd fact: VV had the lowest whiffs today of any starter at just 2. Two! That’s not good.

Jesse Chavez – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. Sure, whatever Jesse.

Adam Conley – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. Hey! Conley’s back from the minors! Looks at line. 

J.A. Happ – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. Ehhhh this is pretty boring. I want the whiff heavy Happ, not this lame-o version from 2013.

Edwin Jackson – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. The Nationals needed a starter and brought EJax along. Oh lord, of course this went well. It’s like your uncle saying he can pull the cloth out from a table and he does it. Afterwards he looks at you with more surprise on his face than you.

Rafael Montero – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Good for Montero to have a decent start. Bad for those who don’t know any better in future starts.

Robbie Ray – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. Huh. I don’t expect boring starts from Ray, either really good or really bad. This one is…there. It’s just there. Welp, see you next time Ray.

Matt Boyd – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. I’m still Boyd Watching and so should you.

Luis Cessa – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks. It’s only a matter of time before the Yanks either call up Chance Adams or trade for another starter. I wonder how many times I’ll have to write about Cessa again in the future…

Junior Guerra – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. You’re still not banking on Guerra to resemble anything close to his 2016 self, right?

Brian Johnson – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. It’s a long way to the top, kiddo. Just a Cup of Schmo here.

Ivan Nova – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Nova got Singled Out, but at least it came with a K per inning. SWEET! But that WHIP is terrible. Oh, right. A VVVPQS.

Antonio Senzatela – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks. Senz-a was called back up for the Rockies and did just as we’d thought he would. It’s all going according to plan…Okay creepy voice, what plan? The plan to not own Senz-a on my team. Oh. I wish I had that same enthusiasm for simple everyday choices.

Blake Snell – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks. Why is Snell even pitching for the Rays? There are competitive and Snell hasn’t thrown six full innings in any of his last 10 starts. It’s dumb, just call up Honeywell already.

Bartolo Colon – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. The Giant Peach returned and it felt so wrong seeing in a Twins jersey. You should be in a New Jersey. Okay, that joke almost works. Let’s just imagine he lives there and commutes to Citi Field, okay?

Sean Newcomb – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Whoa whoa whoa, so Newcomb has more problems than just facing the Astros and Nationals? You don’t say…Cough no third pitch Cough Cough Fastball command is questionable Cough Okay I realized this kinda sounded like JP from Grandma’s Boy and I’ve been debating for 5 minutes if I should delete this or not. So be it. What’s more important is I have to take another Loss. This is the worst week for streamer choices…maybe it’s because all the obvious arms are being owned these days? No more streams of Morton, Cahill, Faria, Clevinger, etc. Streamer Record 47-35-12.

Sam Gaviglio – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. Remember when he had a sub 3.00 ERA after his first five starts? Sometimes you just can’t run from the Schmo.

Dinelson Lamet – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks. Okay, Ks are alive. Command is still bad. Long way to go…

Sal Romano – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks. Awwwww, Romano is actually an intriguing arm but he clearly isn’t where he needs to be for you to consider owning him in your 12-teamer. Deeper leagues I’d still consider him.

Travis Wood – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. It’s the wrong Wood! YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN. When would that ever apply as an innuendo? I can think of something.

Tyson Ross – 3.1 IP, 8 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. Womp womp. There are just so many problems to fix here. It’s getting tougher and tougher to believe that he’ll help you for your fantasy playoffs. It’s possible but there are plenty of obstacles to climb here.

Today’s Streamer

NONE – There are only three legit choices today and I don’t want any of them. Kevin Gausman against the Rangers is the most plausible, but he’s coming off 13 ER in two starts (albeit a 12/1 K per BB as well). Mike Montgomery has been struggling and I don’t want to start him even if it is the Braves. Then there’s Nick Pivetta, which might be the most logical choice, but I have my fears going against the top-heavy Marlins offense.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Jhoulys Chacin vs. San Francisco Giants – Okay I hate this but I don’t want to go two days in a row without a streamer. The only other choice is Seth Lugo against the Cards and he has been pretty poor lately so I have to go Chacin. This is dumb. Don’t do it.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Ian Kennedy vs. Chicago White Sox – Okay so I’m bumping up the minimum to 30% today because there are no options. Understand this, I am bending the rules for Ian freakin’ Kennedy. I feel so dirty.

Game of the Day

Jordan Montgomery vs. Jose Berrios – Two young arms I enjoy watching are squaring off. Here’s to hoping it’s a solid duel, they could both use one.