THIS AND THAT

Yoenis Cespedes seems extremely likely to file for free agency and get out of the final two years of his contract with the Mets. He will get a huge contract from someone. I get it. He has one of the best power bats in baseball. I also understand that he’s failed to appear in 136 games three times in five years meaning he misses about a month a year. He also doesn’t run anymore, just 24 thefts the last four seasons, and he’s a head case that often lacks fundamentals of any kind. Great power bat, but he will likely be overpaid in a thin free agent class.

Devon Travis was batting leadoff for the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the ALDS. He only appeared in 101 games cause of that shoulder of his, but did you notice how impressive he was pulling a ‘Jason Kipnis’? Travis hit .300 with 11 homers, 50 RBI and 54 runs scored. Only thing I see a need to really work on are the walks. Travis only took 20 of them in 2016.

Michael Wacha is being looked at as a potential starter next season, even after the Cardinals expressed some serious concern about whether or not he would be able to continue to fulfill that role after shoulder woes popped up again. The team is very concerned about the continual issues Wacha has had with his scapula, so they have recommended that Wacha eats a whole lot of calories this offseason in order to better prep his body. "As he came into the league, you could almost envision 15-20 more pounds of muscle as he would just mature," manager Mike Matheny said. "As you start to look for some compensation and where there might be weaknesses, how can he build up some parts of his body muscularly that will help support maybe the arm and the demand that comes with being a starting pitcher?" Adding 15 pounds in an offseason of five months is nearly impossible to do. Even if he does, will the added weight effect the mechanics of the 6’6”, 215 lbs righty? Wacha has failed to throw 140-innings in two of the last three season, and this past season his performance was dreadful including a 5.09 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. He’s nothing but a reserve round type in fantasy at this point in a mixed league.

PLAYOFF NOTES

Carlos Beltran has a 1.115 OPS entering playoff action Thursday. That mark is third in history behind only Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (minimum 100 plate appearances). Beltran has hit .332-16-40 over 52 games.

Kenley Jansen could be used for more than three outs in the postseason. Coming off his best season, one somewhat overshadowed by the effort off Zach Britton, folks may have failed to realize just how insanely good Jansen was. Over 71 outings he posted a career best 47 saves, but it was how he did it that was so damn impressive. Jansen struck out 104 batters in 68.2 frames, leading to a 13.63 K/9 rate that was actually below his career mark (13.92). He also walked 11 batters leading to a 1.44 BB/9 rate, just slightly above the 1.38 mark he posted last season. Simply dominant.

Craig Kimbrel believes that he found a mechanical issue that he is working to repair as the playoffs begin. Kimbrel allowed seven runs over his last nine innings, six were earned, but it was how it happened – nine walks – that was the biggest concern. Kimbrel had his worst season since becoming a full time big leaguer, but that’s a relative statement. Kimbrel had 31 saves in 33 chances, and struck out 14.09 batters per nine, a 4-year high. He also had a 1.09 WHIP, a 6-year high, but that’s just how great he has been. The 30 walks in 53 innings though led to a pathetic 5.09 BB/9 rate. Dominating stuff be damned, you cannot be putting guys on base with the free pass in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Koji Uehara has gone 15-straight games without allowing a run as he’s posted a 10.67 K/9, 1.26 BB/9 with a 0.63 WHIP. Can’t pitch much better than that, can you? He could see ninth inning work if Kimbrel struggles with his control.

Rick Porcello posted a 0.85 WHIP in the second half with a 2.6 percent walk rate. Both numbers were the best in baseball. I can’t believe Rick Porcello is going to get serious Cy Young consideration.

Noah Syndergaard threw 42 pitches that were 98 mph Wednesday night against the Giants. The Phillies (41) and Indians (35) didn’t have that many 98 mph pitches by their team this season.

MADBUM SECTION

I’m straight impressed, and if you know me, that don’t happen too often.

The immenseness of what Madison Bumgarner has established in the playoffs is mind boggling.

The Giants have won 9-straight games in which they could have been eliminated from the playoffs. Madison is the first pitcher ever to toss shutouts in back-to-back winner take all games. The all-time shutout mark in playoff history is three – Christy Mathewson.

Madison has 23-straight scoreless outings in the playoffs.

Madison has started 13 postseason games. He’s left without allowing a run six times. That ties the record of Tom Glavine who made 35 starts in the second season.

Madison has made eight starts on the road. He hasn’t allowed a single hit in those eight outings with a runner in scoring position.  

Utterly u n b e l I e v a b l e.

Career playoffs stats.

15 outings, 13 starts: 8-3, 1.94 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4.88 K/BB ratio with 83 strikeouts in 97.1 innings.

 

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).