KLUBER HURTS GROIN
Corey Kluber has been marvelous this season. Monday night he lasted into just the fourth inning before being removed with a groin issue. Ugh. "He's good, but he has a groin thing that he's fighting," manager Terry Francona said. "It started getting him in the third and again in the fourth, so I grabbed him. I told him we need to find a way to win a game, but we aren't going far without him, so we need to get him healthy and let him do what he does." You have to think at this point that Kluber will not be making his last start Saturday against the Royals so make other plans.
By the way, Andrew Miller has 42 strikeouts and has issued just two walks over 26.2 frames since joining the Indians. Miller has 10 wins, one more than Marco Estrada and everyone’s favorite – Rich Hill. Oh what the hell. Let’s compare the duo.
Hill is 12-5 with a 2.05 ERA and 0.98 WHIP.
Miller is 10-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 0.69 WHIP.
Hill has a .189 BAA, 10.68 K/9 and 3.91 K/BB ratio.
Miller has a .161 BAA, 14.87 K/9 and 13.22 K/BB ratio.
Oh yeah, Miller also has 12 saves.
NEARLY 20/20, REALLY?
Jean Segura has never gone 15/15. In fact, he hit a total of 11 homers the last two seasons and 23 the past three years.
Jonathan Villar has never gone 10/10. He hit 10 homers his first three seasons (589 ABs).
As of this writing Segura is one homer from a 20/30 season while Villar is two homers and one steal from a 20/60 season.
OMG.
That’s insanely good work from both men. They are winning championships for folks. Segura is on the cusp of a 20 homers, 30 steal, 40 double, 200 hit season. In the 20th century that has only happened three times (Jacoby Ellsbury, Hanley Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano).
Meanwhile, Villar is on the cusp of a 20 homer, 60 steals, .800 OPS season. No one has done that in the 21st century.
Just amazing work.
FINALLY FINDING HIMSELF
Carlos Gomez has had a really bad season. Period. He’s been much better of late though, in fact, he’s been flat out good. Seriously. Since joining the Rangers, Gomez has appeared in 29 games and he has hit six homers and five steals, a full season pace of 30/25. He’s also hit .275 with a .357 OBP and .500 SLG. That’s the Carlos Gomez folks remember from years past.
NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT ME BUT…
I had five hits Monday night including a homer and four RBIs.
I have a hit in seven straight appearances, twice in games in which I was merely used as a pinch hitter.
Over my last seven outings I have two homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored.
I play for the Reds.
In the outfield.
My name is Steve Selsky.
Selsky appeared in 85 games at Triple-A this season hitting .280 with nine homers and two steals. He’s obviously not a big time power bat and really doesn’t have a track record of doing much other than wrapping out singles, but he’s hot right now.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Mike Zunino has tanked as the at-bats have piled up. Over his first 14 games with the Mariners he hit .268 with six homers and 10 runs batted in. Over his last 36 games he’s hit .183 with five homers and 19 RBI. He’s also batting .182 with two homers his last 17 games. He’s been just awful, and the same guy he’s been in the past.
So much for that growth.
WHAT HAPPENED TWO
Bartolo Colon allowed seven runs Monday against the Marlins.
He allowed seven runs his previous five outings.
HERE ARE THE WEEK 26 PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS.
ITS STILL HAPPENING
Asdrubal Cabrera, just wow. ACab has three homers and 11 RBI his last six games. In September wOBA is .456, 5th in baseball. Pretty amazing.
Others in the month who are doing extremely well.
Jung Ho Kang has hit six homers with 18 RBI and a league leading .499 wOBA in September.
Freddie Freeman is batting .405 with a .495 OBP and .709 SLG on the month. He’s gone deep with five homers and 21 RBI in 21 games.
No one is talking about Elvis Andrus even though he’s pushing extremely hard for the finish line with four homers, four steals and a .465 wOBA in the month.
DFS DIAMONDS
*The following list of players are guys that Ray recommends as daily plays.
CATCHER: Nick Hundley has a hit in 9-of-10 games and that effort includes two homers, three doubles and six runs scored. He has crushed lefties this season with a .323/.360/.559 slash line. He takes on Matt Moore.
FIRST BASE: You did read about how hot Freddie Freeman was above, right? He’s also facing off with Jerad Eickhoff whom he’s hit .357 with a homer against in 14 at-bats. Freeman has a 28 game hitting streak and hits in 39 of 40 games.
SECOND BASE: Brian Dozier has two homers in 13 at-bats against Ian Kennedy, the guy who has allowed a massive 31 homers this season, after allowing 31 last year. Dozier has been the best power hitter in baseball in the second half and has 31 homers and a .573 SLG on the road.
SHORTSTOP: Freddy Galvis has hit .389 with a .476 OBP against Julio Teheran (22 plate appearances). Galvis also has a hit in 7-straight games batting .367 with a .372 wOBA with one homer and two steals.
OUTFIELD: Chris Davis has hit three homers with a 1.779 OPS over 22 plate appearances against Aaron Sanchez. The righty has allowed three homers his last three outings and 10 runs over 16.2 innings while issuing nine walks. Davis has a .517 SLG and 21 homers on the road.
OUTFIELD: Adam Duvall has two homers, five runs and seven RBI his last three games. He has 26 homers, and a .515 SLG, against righties this season. Adam Wainwright has a 4.88 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in four September starts as he’s allowed six homers.
OUTFIELD: Andrew McCutchen takes on John Lackey hitting like… Andrew McCutchen. In 25 games in September McC has hit .305 with a .393 OBP and .579 SLG. He’s also gone deep six times with 18 RBIs, 14 runs scored and 15 walks.
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).