ANTHONY DESCLAFANI – 2-0, 0.86 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 6.86 K/9, 1.71 BB/9 in 21 IP

The 25 year old, right-handed DeSclafani throws hard (92-94 mph). His fastball and slider are plus pitches (not so much his changeup however). He has a solid understanding of how to pitch. He likes to attack the lower part of the zone and certainly is up for challenging hitters. Despite all of that, it’s hard to have continued success as a starter in the big leagues if you only can command two pitches, especially when they are both hard. What I’m saying is that right now he profiles a bit better as a reliever (think Tony Cingrani). Not that he can’t have success, but Anthony might struggle as teams get a look at his stuff and the “book” gets out.

In 21 starts at Double-A DeSclafani has a 3.66 ERA, 1.21 WHIP an a 7.6 K/9 mark.
In 12 games at Triple-A DeSclafani has a 3.49 ERA, 1.16 WHIP an a 8.9 K/9 mark.

Those are good numbers. Still, they don’t blow you away, and it stands to reason that he won’t be able to match that strikeout rate (the mark is 7.00 over 54 big league innings). 

There’s also this. Look at his innings pitched marks the last three seasons.

2012: 123 innings
2013: 129 innings
2014: 102.1 innings

Having that few innings on his arm, even with success, Anthony seems unlikely to be a solid bet for 180-innings in 2015 for the Reds. 

A depth arm in mixed leagues despite the hot start.


NICK MARTINEZ – 2-0, 0.45 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.05 K/9, 2.70 BB/9 in 20 IP

Come on. Folks, let’s be honest here. Martinez just isn’t very good. Here is the data.

Martinez has made 32 appearances with 27 starts in the big leagues covering 160.1 innings. In that time his walk rate of 3.42 is worse than the league average. His 4.83 K/9 rate is hideous and is more than 2.5 batters below the league average. It’s a rate that has led to, get this, 86 strikeouts over 160.1 innings. Awful. At this point Martinez has a 4.04 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. Those are worse than league average. His 1.01 HR/9 rate is slightly above league average. His 0.75 GB/FB ratio is way worse than league average. He’s been great for three starts in 2015. That’s it. He isn’t highly skilled, pitches in the AL, throws in a bad park in Texas… you won’t remember his name in three months.


EDINSON VOLQUEZ – 2-1, 1.99 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 6.75 K/9, 1.19 BB/9 in 22.2 IP

This is Edinson’s 11th season and he has 68 victories. Right? Over his last 35 outings, dating back to last year, he’s gone 15-8 with a 2.93 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. That’s some serious pitching – at least on the surface. Alas, even with all that success, his walk rate per nine is still just 3.09 – totally league average – and his 6.56 K/9 mark is just not very good at all. The lack of strikeouts really hurts Volquez in the fantasy game. As for his walk rate… come on. The best walk rate he’s ever had – last season – was 3.32 per nine innings. If you TRIPLE his current mark you will get 3.57. You don’t pitch as one guy for a decade and then become Cliff Lee. Doesn’t happen. The walks will go up. Also have to note that .210 BABIP is .086 points below his career average and only once in the last five years has that mark been lower than .292. Currently Volquez has a 0.40 HR/9 mark. That’s less than fifty percent of his career mark of 0.93. 

He has a solid 1.50 GB/FB ratio in those trips to the hill and who doesn’t like that? Still, and sorry to bring the bad news, he’s just not eared the ratios he’s tossed out there. Can easily see that in his SIERA (4.12) and xFIP (4.13) that are more than an entire run above his raw ERA (2.93).

Volquez is an AL¬-only option. You can spot start him in mixed leagues, and there’s always a chance he is successful, but it’s also fair to point out that even if everything goes like it did last year, he’s nowhere near an elite option with the lowish K-rate.