2017 Fantasy Baseball Weekly Planner: Week 2

The first week of the 2017 season is in the books, and did it ever deliver a page-turning first chapter full of unexpected twists and turns. Heading into Saturday’s slate of games, one second-year player that few were quick to take in drafts was leading the league in hits and RBI. Another MLB sophomore, who just about everyone coveted at the fantasy draft table, labored through pretty much the toughest stretch of his young career.

Nomar Mazara came up with 10 hits and plated nine runs over his first 17 at-bats of the campaign while Trea Turner managed a mere two base knocks and a whopping seven whiffs across his first 18 plate appearances. Suffice it to say, neither of those first-week performances were anticipated by anyone.

What does the second seven-day period of the season have in store. Well, no one can be absolutely certain at this point and it is always safe to expect the unexpected on the diamond. However, taking a look at schedule breakdowns, pitching matchups and game venues does help give some idea of what is likely to transpire at the show. 

• One of the first things that jumps out regarding the week’s MLB schedule is the Red Sox’ seven game slate. Manager John Farrell’s club will play four different opponents within the same week - the Tigers, Orioles, Pirates and Rays.
• According to ESPN’s Park Factors, Yankee Stadium has ranked as the most homer-prone park in the bigs in two of the past three years (2014, 2016). The Bronx bandbox did not see any action during the first week of the season, but it will host six games across the next seven days.
• It is well known that the Cubs boast one of, if not, the best pitching staff in baseball. Just how good was it at home in Wrigley Field last year? The World Champions posted a ridiculous 2.72 ERA inside the “Friendly Confines” last season. The North Siders have yet to host an opponent in 2017, but they will do so six times during the upcoming week, beginning with Monday night’s opener.  

Interleague Outlook

• As previously mentioned, the Red Sox will host the Pirates Thursday afternoon in a makeup tilt that is 1-of-6 total interleague games, all of which will be played in A.L. parks, for the week.
• The three-game set at Yankee Stadium over the weekend should have the most fantasy implications, as the Cardinals will likely deploy sluggers Matt Adams and Jedd Gyorko given the extra DH spot in the lineup. 

SP Rankings

• Carlos Carrasco appeared to be quite healthy across 5.2 innings in Arlington, Texas this past Tuesday, limiting the potent Rangers’ lineup to two runs on just four hits and a walk while punching out seven. Carrasco is scheduled to climb atop his home mound for a couple of meetings with A.L. Central rivals. The second of those two outings will come opposite the Tigers, a team that the Indians’ righty limited to just one run on nine hits while posting a 14-to-4 K/BB ratio across 17.2 innings in 2016.
• Was Brandon Finnegan impressive during his 2017 debut or what? The Reds’ southpaw worked seven shutout innings against the Phillies last Wednesday, surrendering just one hit and one walk while racking up nine strikeouts. Finnegan has enjoyed past matchups with the Pirates and Brewers, owning ERAs of 2.03 and 3.22 against them respectively.
• Is it too early to begin Rookie of the Conversations? Nah, this is baseball after all. Antonio Senzatela definitely turned some heads with a stellar big-league debut at Milwaukee on Thursday. The 22-year-old Venezuelan was lifted after five innings, but made the most of his 93 pitches, as he held the Brew Crew scoreless while giving up two hits and three walks alongside six strikeouts. If he follows up with more good work this week, let’s go ahead and make “Scintillating” Senzatela a thing.