More Fantasy Baseball: Podcast | Regression starters | Re-drafting Rounds 1-2
The best laid plans, or something like that. I had planned on writing about Marco Gonzales as a regression candidate. Then he went out and made it a moot point.
Gonzales shut the Athletics out over seven innings and lowered his ERA to 4.05. It was his third start of the season with at least 5.2 innings and zero earned runs, and his second in a row. He's still under-owned because he'd been pretty unlucky.
Even after Wednesday's start, Gonzales has allowed a .352 BABIP and has a FIP (3.22) and SIERA (3.54) that make him look like a near must-own starting pitcher. He's done it with elite control (1.86 BB/9), which has allowed him to throw at least six innings in five of his last six starts. Over those six starts he has a 2.45 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. It's time to add him and plan on starting him next week against the Rangers.
Before we get to the Rangers, let's talk about two more starters who had good outings on Wednesday.
Tyson Ross was just as awesome as he's been for most of the year on Wednesday. He struck out nine Nationals over six innings while allowing just one run. He's given up more than two runs once in his past five starts and twice since April 8. He owns a 9.55 K/9 and an ERA of 3.13. He may have a small amount of regression coming, but he looks remarkably similar to the ace he was from 2013-15. He should be owned in any league 10 teams or deeper.
Adam Plutko was pretty great on Wednesday as well, or at least his results were. He shut out the Cubs over six innings, but he had as many walks (four) as strikeouts. He's a 26-year-old rookie who is only eight percent owned, but I'm having a hard time getting excited about him.
Plutko threw 135.2 innings at Triple-A last year and had a 5.90 ERA. In 657 minor-league innings he owns a 7.5 K/9, and it was even worse at Triple-A. I wouldn't be adding him in anything other than AL-Only.
I don't generally take requests in this space, but I did get a tweet last night that got me thinking.
@AdamAizer @CBSScottWhite @heathcummingssr I’m telling you guys, Kiner-Falefa is a baller. A gamer. He looks really good to me. Take a look if you get a chance! Dude is straight baseball. And fun to watch.
— Eric Spikes (@DeeperLeague) May 24, 2018
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is a 23-year-old who has played a lot more this year than the Rangers ever expected, and has been a slightly above-average player. He also has four hits in his past two games and just stole a base and drove in three runs. Unfortunately, he has almost negative power, with just five home runs in his professional career, and he isn't an elite speed guy. He also won't have a job if all of the Rangers ever get healthy at the same time. But this isn't all for naught, because there are a few interesting Rangers who are under-owned.
- We'll start with the always under-appreciated Shin-Soo Choo. Choo is doing what he always does, getting on base at a good clip and compiling. He's been a top-40 outfielder in both formats and I would expect he'll stay there as long as he stays healthy. Choo should be owned and started in any points league or five-outfielder category league. Somehow he's just 61 percent owned.
- Delino DeShields went through a major funk, but after a day off he got back on track on Wednesday with two hits and another steal. DeShields is going to be must-start in Rotisserie leagues because of that speed, but I still believe he'll be valuable in points as well. He's not going to have a BABIP below .300 much longer.
- A guy who has not been in a funk is Jurickson Profar. In the past two weeks he has a .277/.308/.489 slash line with seven doubles and two steals. It's easy to forget that the former top prospect is still just 25. Profar is still just owned in 28 percent of leagues and that should climb. With eligibility at second, shortstop and outfield he can provide a lot of flexibility in a five outfielder Roto league.
