RADIO
Entering the final weekend of the first half, let’s pause a moment and analyze the chances of all the teams in the majors. There seem to be basically three separate tiers of teams. The first contains teams that are clearly playoff favorites. This will be the Royals, Astros, Angels, Nationals, Cardinals, Pirates and Dodgers. Kansas City, Houston, St. Louis and Los Angeles (N) have sort of just survived by playing close to .500 ball after coming out of the gates hot. The Nationals used amazing performances in the month of May by Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer to build a nice lead in their division. The Angels have finally found their collective swing over the last two weeks and are serious contenders to overtake the Astros. And after starting 16-22, the Pirates have looked like the most complete team playing .739 baseball since.
In the third group of teams we have teams that are clearly playing for the future. Here we can find the Phillies, Rockies, Brewers, Athletics and Sox. The Phillies and Rockies should be shipping out players by the end of the month. If the White Sox were smart, they too would send some main pieces packing. Milwaukee and Oakland are odd cases. The Brewers started really, really bad but have no looked like a solid and healthy team that should give every team fits. And I’m scratching my head over the A’s. Despite having a solid rotation and a great lineup, the find themselves nine games under. The bullpen is their problem.
That leaves the second, and middle, group. This will be every other team. The AL East is a complete wasteland of parity, Detroit and Cleveland are having poor seasons in relation to their expectations, the Mariners and Padres have shown us, yet again, that adding big pieces in the off-season does not work. Despite wanting to play for 2016, the Atlanta Braves are growing up right in front of us while the New York Mets need to find offense and fast. And Miami? Oh, Miami. Just two words: Dan Jennings. (It also does not help that arguably the best player in the NL is hurt.)
So, what are we left with? We’re left with a lot of teams that think they’re in contention which could mean two things. Either there are a ton of deals at the trade deadline. Or there are no deals because GMs are afraid to pull the trigger. Either way, it leaves the door wide open for guys like me to pull a Simpsons Comic Book Guy move and get “on the internet within minutes registering my disgust throughout the world.”
Below are some of my starting pitcher streamer sleepers for the second half of Week 14 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
Jeff Locke (PIT v. STL) – Ownership: 7% Yahoo!, 9% Fleaflicker
Locke may own a sub-par 4.15 ERA, but he has been as close to automatic at home as possible. At PNC Park, Locke owns an ERA of 2.64, an FIP of 3.31 and he is coming off his best start of the season. In fact, over his last five starts, Locke has allowed only five earned runs in 29 IP while striking out 21 batters. Most important, he looks completely in the zone right now to the point where he’s got a murderous look in his eye. I like that.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Cody Anderson (CLE v. HOU) – Ownership: 24% Yahoo!, 15% Fleaflicker
Houston is one of those teams that struggles when they saw a pitcher for the first time, but they have the free swinging ability to really take advantage of that same pitcher the second time out. Anderson’s 3.80 K/9 is far from ideal, in fact it’s pretty awful, but the Astros are striking out against righties in over 25% of all plate appearances.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Friday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Kyle Hendricks (CHC v. CWS) – Ownership: 17% Yahoo!, 12% Fleaflicker
It seems like only a matter of time before the White Sox blow up the whole thing and go into full blown rebuilding mode. At least that is what they should do. Hendricks has done a really nice job with limiting his walks, which helps considering his 10.1% HR/FB rate is a bit higher than what it should be. He may give up a long ball or two, but don’t expect anyone to be on base for them.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Chase Anderson (ARI at NYM) – Ownership: 14% Yahoo!, 13% Fleaflicker
The Mets are really bad at the plate. That’s all you really need to know. On a side note, if the Mets are serious about setting records for limited run support and offensive ineptitude, please tweet or email the author. I hear he’s available but struggles hitting the breaking ball. He should fit right in.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Mike Leake (CIN at MIA) – Ownership: 29% Yahoo!, 13% Fleaflicker
Other than making fun of the Mets, my second passion is airing the Dan Jennings factor. As the manager of the Marlins, Jennings is now 19-28 and just sent his other power hitting outfielder down to the minors. I would love to interview a lot of the Marlins players and ask them how they really feel about playing for him. As for Friday’s game, Miami owns a second-worst wRC+ of 81 against right-handed pitchers and Leake has really been dealing away from the Great American Ballpark. He’s holding hitters to a .208 AVG and 0.95 WHIP when on the road.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Kendall Graveman (OAK at CLE) – Ownership: 23% Yahoo!, 14% Fleaflicker
Graveman has looked extremely solid since his return to the big leagues, but he’s going to square off against one of the league’s top offenses against right-handed pitchers. The young stud has gone 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA in his nine starts since returning in late May. However, his 4.35 FIP suggests that he may get hit around by a solid team. I fear Cleveland’s .279 BABIP will be heightened after Friday.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Saturday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Mark Buehrle (TOR at KC) – Ownership: 44% Yahoo!, 25% Fleaflicker
The crafty veteran lefty is listed as day-to-day with an ankle injury, but there is no evidence to support he will miss Saturday’s start. In terms of shocking resurgences, Buehrle’s return to prominence has to rake in at number one. He has gotten much better as the season has progressed. In June, he had an FIP of 3.55 and a WHIP of 0.97. He backed that up with eight solid innings in his first start in July. But Kansas City is a team that can hit to contact very well. All evidence points to Buehrle coming back down to earth.
Matchup Rating: Desperate Stream
Patrick Corbin (ARI at NYM) – Ownership: 15% Yahoo!, 14% Fleaflicker
If the Mets trade Curtis Granderson, Lucas Duda, Wilmer Flores, Daniel Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud for some top young starting and relief pitchers, then they can absolutely set the record for least runs in a season. They can do it. They just need to put their minds to it.
Matchup Rating: Solid Stream
Anthony DeSclafani (CIN at MIA) – Ownership: 21% Yahoo!, 24% Fleaflicker
So, what’s the next step for the Marlins? Or more accurately, who’s the next one on the chopping block? For Saturday’s game it will probably be a bit of everyone with the way DeSclafani has been looking this season. His awkward delivery really throws batters off but it apparently is hurting his command a bit. He needs to lower the 9.4% BB rate.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Ryan Vogelsong (SF v. PHI) – Ownership: 9% Yahoo!, 11% Fleaflicker
Normally a streaming start versus the Phillies is a good idea, especially with Vogelsong and his 2.63 home ERA, but the young team has done a tremendous job and hitting to contact on the year. That is sort of Vogelsong’s strength at home because he can rely on that solid defense behind him. But I’m not completely trusting his 9.9% BB rate at home.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Sunday Starting Pitcher Streamers
Rubby de la Rosa (ARI at NYM) – Ownership: 13% Yahoo!, 15% Fleaflicker
Okay. Maybe I haven’t been fair to the Mets. Of all the Diamondback starters this weekend, de la Rosa has the most upside and the most blow up potential. He should project for high strikeout numbers and should get tagged for a run or three. Rejoice in Citi Field.
Matchup Rating: Risky Stream
Chris Heston (SF v. PHI) – Ownership: 50% Yahoo!, 41% Fleaflicker
Heston is a guy that needs to be added on most teams in most leagues and should be automatically started at home every time he starts in San Francisco. At home, he has an FIP of 2.85, a nice 7.35 K/9, but a weird 1.31 WHIP. The Phillies will get runners on but Heston should shut them out for a large portion of his start.
Matchup Rating: Must Stream
Andrew Heaney (LAA at SEA) – Ownership: 22% Yahoo!, 14% Fleaflicker
Though the Mets have been the punching bag and scapegoats of offenses everywhere, it’s actually the Mariners that have the worst bats. Heaney should put up amazing numbers in a pitcher’s park against a terrible offense. If you cannot get Heston, definitely start Heaney.
Matchup Rating: Must Stream
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