BETTS SLOWING

Mookie Betts has been a star, one of the best in the game this season. Period.

Betts has 30 homers and 23 steals.

Betts has driven in 105 runs and scored 109.

Betts is batting .312/.353/.539.

Outright superstar.

However…

Over his last six games Betts has hit .200 with a .241 wOBA.

He hasn’t hit a homer in 15 games.

He has only two steals in 20 games.

For those of you leaning on Betts to bring home a championship, perhaps it’s time to start biting those fingernails?

TANAKA, JUST WOW

Who is the only pitcher in the AL with an ERA in the 2’s?

Yep, it’s Masahiro Tanaka at 2.97.

Tanaka has allowed two runs his last two starts and six runs his last six outings. Part of the reason for the success is that he just doesn’t beat himself (over his last nine trips to the hill he’s walked a total of seven batters). He’s also done something I didn’t think he could, he’s stayed healthy and on the hill with 193.2 innings under his belt, his first season of 155 innings in three years in the bigs. Kudos to you Mr. Tanaka.

EROD UPDATE

Eduardo Rodriguez isn’t very good. I keep saying it, over and over. People keep arguing with me over and over.

Guess who is right?

Thursday night Rodriguez lasted just seven outs against the Yankees as he allowed eight hits and four runs. Eduardo now has a 4.98 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and a 2-7 record over 17 starts.

Sorry folks, like I said all preseason, he’s just not there yet.

CARDINALS MAKE ROTATION CHANGE

Jaime Garcia has been awful of late. Over his last six games he’s 1-4 with an 8.23 ERA and 1.83 WHIP. Utter disaster. He should have already been removed from the Cardinals’ rotation.

In steps Alex Reyes to start Sunday and take over for Garcia.

Reyes is a dominating, elite talent. Over 28 frames he has struck out 34 batters showing off that arm. He’s also walked 5.14 batters per nine which is terrible. Still, it was the right move for the Cardinals to make. If Reyes throws strikes he can dominate. For more on Reyes see his Player Profile.

OUTFIELD UPDATES

Randal Grichuk has failed to match expectations this season and his team agreed when they sent him to the minors. However, let me drop some knowledge on ya. Last year Randal hit 17 homers with 47 RBI and 49 runs scored in 323 at-bats. This season he has 22 homers, 58 RBI and 56 runs scored in 385 at-bats. He’s been exactly the same guy folks. Over his last 32 games he’s been mighty productive as well with 10 bombs with 23 RBI and 17 runs scored. He’s even hitting .299 in that time and his wOBA is .412 as well. He’s really rolling right now folks. I used “folks” twice in one paragraph, actually three times since I just used it again (I used it above too). Don’t know if that is a record, probably isn’t. I guess it just shows how lame and uninventive I am today.

Hunter Pence has only appeared in 90 games this season due to a variety of injuries. When he’s been on the field though he’s been the same guy as always – a very good player. Pence has hit .296 with an .836 OPS. That OPS by the way would be a five year best. He has a .364 OBP which would also be a five year best. Pence also has 12 homers, 52 RBI and 50 runs scored. He’s also been out of control good in September with a .370/.433/.685 line with four homers, 10 RBI and 13 runs scored in 14 games.

Steven Souza Jr. has had pretty poor season. He’s hit just .243 with a .300 OBP and .411 SLG showing himself to be just a guy. He’s struck out 158 times in 419 at-bats leading to a pathetic 34.6 percent K-rate. That’s the worst in all of baseball by the way. He’s only stolen six bases in 12 attempts showing much less than hoped for on the basepaths as well. He hasn’t shown any growth, and given that he’s 27 years old it’s fair to wonder if he ever will at this point. At least he’s hot now. Souza has hit .393 with a .550 wOBA the last eight games with four homers, six RBI, nine runs scored and a steal, so if you’re looking for a pickup off waivers to help you down the stretch, you might kick the ole Souza tires.

DFS DIAMONDS

*The following list of players are guys that Ray recommends as daily plays.

** Here is the Cubs lineup the day after the clinched the division: Matt Szczur RF, Javier Baez SS, Jorge Soler LF, Willson Contreras C, Chris Coghlan 1B, Alberto Almora CF, Tommy La Stella 3B, Munenori Kawasaki 2B. Yikes.

CATCHER: Russell Martin has two homers and six RBI his last two games. He’s never hit Jered Weaver well, 8-for-32 (.235), but Weaver can he a homer magnet with all the fly balls he allows (his HR/9 of 1.96 is absurdly high).

FIRST BASE: This is just absurd. Miguel Cabrera has five homers against Corey Kluber while going 21-for-42. Just nuts.    

SECOND BASE: Brandon Phillips has had a nice second half. He’s also been hot of late with nine hits his last four games. He’s also always ripped up Ryan Vogelsong with 12 hits in 24 at-bats.    

THIRD BASE: Manny Machado has two homers his last nine games and he’s produced a hit in 9-of-10. He takes on Chris Archer with a homer and a .889 OPS over 33 plate appearances.   

SHORTSTOP: J.J. Hardy has six RBI the last three games with a homer and double. He’s also hit .393 with a .475 wOBA over his last nine games. He takes on Chris Archer hitting .300 against the righty (20 ABs).
  
OUTFIELD: Nelson Cruz has homered each of his last two games. He has at least two hits in 5-of-10 games with 10 RBI in that time. He’s also hitting .400 with two homers against Colin McHugh over 15 at-bats who has a 1.37 HR/9 mark.

OUTFIELD: In September, Kevin Kiermaier has hit .365 with five homers, six steals, 10 RBI and 13 runs scored (13 games). He also has a .803 OPS on the road this season. He faces Ubaldo Jimenez.

OUTFIELD: Andrew McCutchen the last six games: .300/.462/.750 with three homers, four RBI and four runs scored. It’s limited work, but over 38 plate appearances righties have gone .324/.395/.526 against Robert Stephenson.

 

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).