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The infusion of youth in the National League is really starting to flex their collective muscle. Gerrit Cole, though the losing pitcher on Wednesday against the Reds, is coming off an April in which he struck out 35 batters in 30.2 IP and was good enough to be awarded the NL Pitcher of the Month. Matt Harvey is picking up right where he left off in 2013, prompting more GMs to consider the option of forcing their young pitchers to get mandatory Tommy John surgery. Just kidding, but maybe that’s true….
The real youth movement in the senior circuit is within the hitting ranks. Kris Bryant, after getting called up April 17, has shown great patience swinging the bat en route to 13 RBI in only 81 PA. Joc Pederson has already crushed nine homeruns- his last seven hits have been dingers- as he has posted a simply ridiculous 193 wRC+ for a potent Dodgers’ offense. Before Joc hit another two homeruns in Wednesday’s game, Bryce Harper texted him Tuesday night so that Joc would keep doing Joc.
Let’s not forget about Harper. The Nationals young stud crushed three homers in Wednesday’s win against the Marlins, his first three homerun game of his career. Harper is displaying the most power he has ever produced as evidence by his career-best .298 ISO as he is clearly blossoming into the player that almost everyone thought he could become. And to all those Harper Haters out there, just remember this. He is only 22 years old; younger than Bryant, Pederson, Cole and Harvey. Let that soak in.
Below are some of my starting pitcher streamer sleepers for the second half of Week 5 to consider adding off your league’s waiver wire. Some of these SP options can be considered sleepers for your team depending on the league format and depth, including NL-Only, AL-Only and head-to-head formats.
Thursday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Carlos Frias (LAD at MIL)
Ownership: 8% Yahoo!, 3% Fleaflicker
The best value that Frias brings to the table, other than his being available in most leagues, is his win probability at the RP position. That being said, do not expect him to go much longer than five innings as he is basically in a spot starter role for Thursday afternoon.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Nick Martinez (TEX at TB)
Ownership: 42% Yahoo!, 26% Fleaflicker
The production that Martinez is putting up may be a bit of Fool’s Gold instead of 21 Karat. He is not really forcing hitters to swing and miss and the defense is helping him induce a mere .264 BABIP. Still, he will be facing a sub-par Rays lineup in a hitter’s park.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Tim Hudson (SF v. MIA)
Ownership: 13% Yahoo!, 12% Fleaflicker
It’s always a good idea to stream starting pitchers at night in PacBell Park. Especially when that pitcher owns the name above. Hudson won’t strike a lot of guys out, but he will help any owner in every other category.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Friday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Mike Pelfrey (MIN at CLE)
Ownership: 6% Yahoo!, 9% Fleaflicker
The Twins are hot right now. Not quite Kansas City-hot or last week Houston-hot, but hot nonetheless. Pelfrey has been merely okay over the season but his peripherals suggest he will get dominated over the summer. He is an intriguing option off the wire mostly because of the Twins’ current win probability. Buyer beware.
Matchup Rating: Desperate Stream
Nathan Karns (TB v. TEX)
Ownership: 4% Yahoo!, 10% Fleaflicker
If it wasn’t for that ridiculous 12.3% BB rate, Karns would be a decent pitcher. He stymies hitters, gets his fair share of strikeouts, and doesn’t allow too many hits. That walk rate, though.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Jarred Cosart (MIA at SF)
Ownership: 17% Yahoo!, 12% Fleaflicker
For whatever reason, the Giants seem to have better success against pitchers with high K rates as opposed to pitchers that throw to contact. As his career has shown, Cosart is one of those pitchers that pitches to contact extremely well. On a side note, it’s pretty clear the word and variation thereof “pitch” has been used entirely too much in this blurb to persuade Cosart’s ownership.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Saturday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Chase Whitley (NYY v. BAL)
Ownership: 6% Yahoo!, 9% Fleaflicker
It is a very small sample size of 12 IP, but boy has Whitley looked good. Great K and BB rates leading to a quite respectable 20.4% K-BB rate, excellent 57.1% GB rate and he is leaving runners stranded all while giving up a .324 BABIP. If he can keep this up all season, Yankees fans will clearly be plugging for the Whitley Cy Young campaign. However, if any team can present him problems, it’s the Orioles.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Jon Niese (NYM at PHI)
Ownership: 17% Yahoo!, 13% Fleaflicker
Watching Niese pitch this season, one can sense that he just has not put it all together quite yet. The velocity on his cutter has dipped a bit and as a result, his changeup is getting decimated by opposing bats. Of course, Philadelphia’s offense is a great cure for any struggling pitcher’s ailments.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Travis Wood (CHC at MIL)
Ownership: 26% Yahoo!, 21% Fleaflicker
The way the Cubs offense is scoring and the way Kyle Lohse is “dealing” right now gives Wood an excellent win probability. Don’t put too much stock in Wood’s last outing. He usually gets roughed up by the Cards. Wood posts an excellent K rate and a solid WHIP. He should be a fine addition to any lineup on Saturday.
Matchup Rating: Must Stream
Sunday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Wandy Rodriguez (TEX at TB)
Ownership: 1% Yahoo!, 3% Fleaflicker
Rodriguez looked great in his last start against Houston, but in all probability it was just the law of averages evening out for the Astros. Realistically his line on Sunday will look something like 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 K, 1.50 WHIP. Plan accordingly based on that knowledge.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Dillon Gee (NYM at PHI)
Ownership: 5% Yahoo!, 8% Fleaflicker
My favorite player-name-rhyming-with-a-Michael-Jackson-song pitcher is due for a real solid outing against the lowly Phillies. Philadelphia owns a league-worst 69 wRC+. That means they’re really, really bad. Gee should give his best performance of the young season Sunday.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
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