DFS PLAYBOOK PRO – An exciting offering from the Alarm is the DFS Playbook Pro. I will be doing a daily breakdown of the hitters – Hitting Coach – while Howard Bender looks into the Pitchers (Pitching Coach). You can find the link to the Hitting and Pitching articles under the DFS Playbook pro tab at the top right of the screen.
OTHER LINKS TO BOOKMARK
GRAY CALLED UP
Jon Gray came into the 2015 season as a top-25 prospect according to Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB.com. He’s 6’4”, weighs 235 lbs, and has the look of an elite option on the bump after being selected 3rd in the 2013 draft. He can reach the high 90’s with his heater, it ranks out as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. It’s a dominating pitch. His slider? That’s only a 70. Do you know how many hurlers have two pitches at 70+? The number is small enough that not even ever team in baseball has one. His change-up is the lone offering that needs work (he can throw it too hard or too soft on occasion. He’s learning to find the feel on the pitch).
Gray has been rolling of late as well. Over his last six outings he has a 2.70 ERA with 38 strikeouts and just 13 walks.
His body is big.
His arm is huge.
His stuff is elite.
He will be pitching in Coors Field.
That last part just kills me. No matter how talented Gray is he pitches at Coors Field. According to ESPN’s Park Factors, Coors Field is the top ballpark in baseball for runs (35.5 percent more than average). The park is first in baseball in doubles (24.2 percent better than average). The park is second in baseball in triples – it’s a big outfield (127.7 percent better than average). The park is ninth in baseball in homers (15.9 percent better than average).
I cannot get past the park.
Be cautious.
I’M STRUGGLING
Kris Bryant over his last 97 plate appearances - .138/.268/.288. That’s just awful. He’s dealing with a blow to the head right now as well (he’s back out there Monday), but it’s the performance that has me nervous. On the year his average is down to .246 and he’s struck out a horrible 126 times in 95 games (31 percent K-rate). If not for a high-ish .336 BABIP his numbers would be even worse.
I’M HURT
A.J. Burnett has a flexor strain in his pitching arm which will require a recovery time of about four weeks (he had a PRP injection Monday). If he missed a month that will bring him back in early September meaning he might make four starts the rest of the way. If you don’t have the ability to slot him on the DL you might as well move on in mixed leagues, and please, don’t replace him with J.A. Happ who is likely filling in for Burnett in Pittsburgh.
I’M HURT TOO
Joe Panik has been an amazing find off waivers in most leagues hitting .309 with a .374 OBP, seven homers and 56 runs scored for the Giants as their everyday second sacker. Oops. We have to put aside his great effort for a bit as he was placed on the DL Monday by the Giants due to a back issue that he tried to play through. He just couldn’t gut it out. The hope is that he will be back in two weeks, but we will see (Panik expressed some concern about whether two weeks would be enough).
What will the Giants to at second? Sounds like Ehire Adrianza and Kelby Tomlinson will share work at the keystone. Tomlinson was hitting .321 with a .376 OBP at Triple A this season, so he’s obviously swinging a good bat, but he’s a slap hitter, albeit one with speed (he’s stolen 21 bases this season). Adrianza is getting the start Monday for the Giants but the club has put Nori Aoki into Panik’s old spot in the order – second – so whomever the Giants go with the value will likely be diminished with the move of the second sacker to the bottom third of the order (Adrianza is batting 8th Monday). Meanwhile, Adrianza is batting .214 with a .255 OBP and .293 SLG over 320 big league plate appearances the last three years. He brings no fantasy value, so let’s hope Tomlinson gets a chance to run for the Giants.
ATHLETICS ADD VALENCIA
One result of all the Blue Jays flurry of moves was that they had too many players. As a result, they had to release Danny Valencia. The Athletics said thank you and added Valencia Monday. According to Susan Slusser, Valencia will play third pushing Lawrie over to second, where the Athletics love him.
Here’s what we know.
Valencia kills lefties. This season he has hit .316 with a .366 OBP and .461 SLG leading to a solid .826 OPS.
That’s not a one year development either.
For his career Valencia has hit .326 with a .368 OBP and .497 SLG. Another way to look at it. Over 586 career at-bats against lefties Valencia has an impressive 5x5 fantasy line: .326-16-91-69. Not many are better against lefties than Valencia. It sounds like not only will Valencia play against all lefties but that he might get some work against righties as well.
The big loser with the Athletics is Eric Sogard who is batting .245 with a .561 OPS. He’s likely to barely maintain value in AL-only leagues now.
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MOORE DEMOTED
Matt Moore has been sent to the minors as he was demoted to Triple-A. Can’t say I’m shocked. Over and over I warned about the perils of players returning from Tommy John surgery. Moore went 1-3 with an 8.78 ERA and 2.06 WHIP as he struck out just 5.74 batters per nine and 4.39 walks per nine. He’s a complete mess right now. That’s the way it goes. You just never know how a fella will do as soon as he’s back from surgery. Moore has bombed. He may not be of use at any point in 2015.
Patrick Corbin has been the success story to this point for the D’backs in his return from the surgery. Through five starts Corbin has a 9.32 K/9 mark, well above the 7.5 mark he entered the season with. His walk rate is 1.61. His career mark is 2.20. Can he keep up either of those marks? Unlikely. But he certainly looks sharp. He’s also rocking the 1.52 GB/FB ratio (career 1.49), and the only really negative has been the five homers he’s allowed.
You just never know how things will go the first year back from TJ.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday at 8 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 7 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).