OH, POOR BABY, DAHL IS TIRED
I wish I could just take time off, like today actually as I’m really dragging, because I was tired. Can you take work off if you’re tired? Yeah, you can’t, cause like me we’re all working stiffs (though I do love my job as I hope you do). Alas, when you’re a pro athlete you can take time off cause your tired. Shouldn’t we all be so lucky.
David Dahl has appeared in 47 games for the Rockies with a .308/.357/.494 slash line leading to a .851 OPS. That’s tremendous for any player, let alone a rookie. He’s also hit six homers with five steals putting him on a 150 game pace to go .300-15-60-95-15. Like I said, that would be a hell of a season.
Dahl has appeared in 139 games this season, 19 more than ever before, and his body feels it. “The last couple weeks, I’ve lost some weight, bat feels a little heavier, stuff like that,” Dahl said. “It’s just something that I’ve got to get used to, especially if I want to play here in the big leagues and play that long of a season.”
“I had that conversation with him,” manager Walt Weiss said. “His professional career has been a little uneven because of the injuries and he’s missed chunks of time here and there. So we’re paying attention to all that.”
Dahl played just 79 games last season after suffering a scary spleen issue, so it’s understandable he’s tired now, but still, come on, fight through it kid. He hasn’t been able to with a .206-1-3-1-0 slash line in September.
Hate to say it, but if you own Dahl it’s pretty hard to play him at this point, even if he’s playing in Colorado.
ITS NOT THE BACK FOLKS
Marco Estrada has allowed 25 runs his last 28.2 innings, and now we have the excuse. It’s his back. I’m not going to sit here and say he isn’t hurt. I don’t doubt he’s beat up And that his back is barking. What I am going to say is that the reason for his struggles are only partly related to his back. Here’s why.
He has been lucky as all get out all season long. Period.
Even with all the bombings of late…
Estrada has a 3.78 ERA.
His career mark is 3.92.
Estrada has a 1.15 WHIP.
His career mark is 1.15.
Yes, he’s been right on his career averages, even with the beatings, in the ratio categories.
Even with the beatings his K/9 of 8.37 is above his career rate of 8.04. His current K/9 rate is also a four year high.
Estrada has a 1.26 HR/9 mark this season.
His career rate is 1.34.
His homer to fly ball ratio is 10.8.
His career mark is 11.1.
Estrada has a 0.72 GB/FB ratio.
His career mark is 0.73.
His left on base percentage is 73.9 percent.
His career mark is 73.2.
Folks, even with all the beatings, Marco Estrada is still pitching EXACTLY THE SAME AS ALWAYS.
Regression to the mean can be a bitch.
FERNANDEZ STRUGGLES AGAIN
Jose Fernandez allowed four runs over seven innings Wednesday against the Braves. The effort pushed up his ERA to 2.99, a strong mark on any planet, but it’s also a 4-year high. Since July 2nd, a span of 13 starts, Jose Fernandez has a 3.84 ERA with a 5-5 record and a 1.34 WHIP. Over his last nine starts he has a 4.02 ERA with a 3-4 record and a 1.43 WHIP.
That’s more than two months with Fernandez being, when you remove the strikeouts, a league average arm at best. In fact, you can argue that he’s been worse than a big league starter for 13 outings. #JustSaying
JEANMAR GOMEZ SAME AS ALWAYS, BUT…
Jeanmar Gomez has pitched the same as he always has this season. He’s just a guy. The difference is that he’s plying his talents in the 9th inning so we care.
I said before the season started that I didn’t like Gomez in the 9th inning because he wasn’t overly skilled.
I still stand by that statement.
However, given how we value players in the fantasy game he’s been a star – despite seeing no appreciable change in performance.
Gomez is 3-4.
His career record is 24-25.
Gomez has a 3.66 ERA.
His mark the last three years, 2013-15, was 3.19.
Gomez has a 1.33 WHIP.
His mark the last three years is 1.31.
Gomez has a 6.11 K/9 mark.
His mark the last three years is 5.84.
Gomez has a 2.58 BB/9 rate.
His mark the last three years is 2.82.
His ground ball rate this year is 52.6 percent.
His career mark is 50.2 percent.
His SIERA this year is 3.99.
His career mark is 4.26.
His xFIP this year is 4.08.
His career mark is 4.28.
He’s pitched exactly the same as usual… he’s just been working the 9th inning so he has 37 saves and has been a star.
If there was ever an argument to be made for using Solds (saves + holds) instead of just saves…
MAYBIN A MESS
Cameron Maybin is out of the lineup again Thursday as the thumb he jammed in August is still bothering him. He’s played 79 games this season and is on his way to a third season, in four years, with less than 100 games played. He simply cannot be trusted with much of anything. Never has been trustworthy. The problem this season though is that he’s been extremely productive. If you double his production for 160 games, you end up with a .316-6-76-98-30 line. That’s nearly elite level stuff. Of course, unless you can change your lineup on a daily basis, don’t know how you have been able to take advantage of much of that with any level of happiness. Plus, his performance has slowed in the second half as he’s hit .277 with five steals in 30 games of action.
JaCoby Jones continues to see time when Maybin is out. He’s hit just .222 through 18 at-bats with eight strikeouts and no walks, so he’s only worth even kicking the tires on in AL-only leagues.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM EDT PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).