Planting Jake’s Stake

(Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)

Jake Arrieta went in the first 30 SP picks this year and has been an overall disappointment on the year, summed up decently well in last night’s 2.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks. I understand if you benched Arrieta here against the Braves and Spiderman was plenty lackluster here. It could be a continued downward trend for Arrieta in 2019, while his 3.94 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 19% K rate are sure to scare off plenty of owners in drafts. I wonder if it’ll be worth taking the chance he makes a tweak and rebounds in some fashion. His velocity is still significantly down from the golden years of 94.5, chilling at 92.5 this year and 92.6 last year. Yikes. And now it Coors next? It’s been real, Jake. Funny note: This is the closest we came to a False Start today as no one else threw under three frames. Huh.

Let’s see how every other SP did Saturday:

Marco Gonzales – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. Just 5/24 CSW on his cutter and going 14/15 on balls in play is preeeeeeetay ridiculous. He’ll get the Rangers again to close the year and it may work, but I think you’re better off rolling a different die. But my name is Tomorrow, and I never die. Paul, why do you do things like this. My name is Tomorrow, not Paul. PAUL STOP PLEASE.

Jose Urena – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. Urena has been a sneaky value play through September and he pulled it off at home against the Reds. I think this makes us cool for just one more against the Mets later this week, right? Yeah, let’s do it Urena.

Justin Verlander – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks. Aces gonna ace. Shouldn’t have allowed the hit, Jimmy V. Also, enjoy your Gallows Pole via 17 whiffs. I know this is going to sound weird as I break the fourth wall, but did any of you tally the Gallows Pole numbers through the year? I probably should have in some way myself, and I dropped the ball there.

Austin Voth – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. I remember talking a decent amount about Voth in the past, and I wouldn’t call him a flat out Cup of Schmo. I’m not sure if he gets another start (it would be in Coors if so) and let’s just forget this happened for now.

Trevor Williams – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. Ugh, of course you did Williams. Every year there’s one pitcher that succeeds regardless of everything dictating that you shouldn’t (such a TEEs). And here was the Brewers and you didn’t care. NOT FOR A MOMENT. I guess well done, now go defy odds for the last time against the Cubs.

Jaime Barria – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. He gets the A’s next – yeah, no – and it’s getting hard to watch the screen as I type with my eyes rolling this much.

Mike Fiers – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Okay, so I guess along with Williams, there’s also Fiers working his magic, but at least this was the Twins, which makes a bit more sense for a TEEs. Don’t draft him next year, feel free to start him against the Angels.

Rich Hill – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. There’s the Hill we want to see. I’m curious where he falls in drafts as a 3.61 SIERA with a 1.17 WHIP and 27% K rate helps across 126 innings. Just saying.

Lance Lynn – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. A popular streaming option for those that could do it, and it kinda worked? No win and a 1.80 WHIP hurt, but the matching 1.80 ERA is all kinda of cool and four Ks are a sure, whatever, throw it in the shopping cart kind of deal. He’s lined up for one more start against the Rays on Thursday and that could work. A little risky, though.

Antonio Senzatela – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks. Daaaaaang this is lovely. I know the Diamondbacks have been struggling a bit offensively, but not so much that they make Senz-A look like a stud. I hope you understand that it takes a lot to make Senz-A look like a stud. Because he’s not a stud. At all.

Mike Clevinger – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 6 Ks. Five walks? Bleeeegh. I know it was the Sawx BUT STILL. He gets the Royals next and I’m down, and I think I’ll have him right around the Top 20 for next season.

Zach Davies – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. It’s super boring and doesn’t really help. A 4.50 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 3 Ks? I don’t think that’s productive enough to earn a Win. Streaming Record: 99-49. Looks like I need to save the champagne for another day.

Chase De Jong – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks. Why give a Jong Chase when he has zero strikeouts? HAISTFMFWT?!

Mike Foltynewicz – 7.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Ahhhh that’s more like it Folty. Does he deserve to be a Top 25 SP in drafts next year? Maybe? Definitely Top 30, I wonder how I’ll settle on Folty during the off-season relative to the rest of the crowd. I don’t buy that he can climb to be Top 15, which may make me a little hesitant to rank him among the others. Should be a fun talk.

David Hess – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks. For disappointment this year, the Hess Truck’s here! I still stand by that, especially with four walks in five frames. I don’t think the Orioles have found a sturdy rotation option here.

Jon Lester – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. Lester has been reversing #TheGreatRegressionOf2018 during the second half, though a 3.60 ERA acts like the dude that doesn’t want to get involved. Hey man, I don’t know anyone here. I imagine he’ll get drafted in the 30s next year and that’s fine. I doubt I’ll be going for him, but we’ll see. Drafts are weird.

Corey Oswalt – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. The False King was as boring as his coronation. Not even his parents showed up, instead sending him a text to “get a real job.”

Thomas Pannone – 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. If you had to go with Pannone, this is a lovely surprise as you throw your fist up in the air. I really hate the longterm outlook for Tommy Panny and I’d feel weird trusting it one more time against the Rays.

Jordan Zimmermann – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Okay Jay-Z, this is spitting fire. We all know it’s a one-hit wonder, though.

Anthony DeSclafani – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks. Whoaaaa 10 Ks from Tony Disco here against the Marlins (Blame it on the Marlins) that I certainly didn’t expect. 14/30 CSW on his slider alone did the trick as he went full on two-pitch with heaters and slide pieces. The man knows his secondary stuff is whack. You can’t survive on this forever, Tony.

Tyler Glasnow – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. It’s a PQS with six Ks and a 1.33 WHIP. Sure. I guess. At least it wasn’t horrible like the last time he faced the Jays? His last start is against the Yanks and that just doesn’t seem ideal to me.

Jake Junis – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. A VPQS with 5 Ks from Junis? Ehhh I’d be happier if he also got the dub. Stupid Jay-Z ruining things. We’re done with Junis with the Indians next and I think I’m out save for deep leagues on Junis for 2019. I get it at the very end of your draft, but I don’t see a tangible ceiling of Top 40 or so here, which means I’d rather chase other options in my final picks.

Mike Minor – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. Bleeeeegh. Minor, you’re better than this. You let us down. Just the second start since May with under five frames and second in his last ten with more than 2 ER. He’ll get a chance for revenge against the Mariners again later this week and I think it can work. Don’t ignore it just because of one game.

Rick Porcello – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks. Porcello gave you absolutely nothing. NOTHING. Okay fine, one strikeout, but HAISTFMFWT?! I’m not seeing him as a Top 40 arm next year, he had some moments, but I’m only seeing poor trends instead of positives.

Patrick Corbin – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks. Nooooo Corbin, no! This was Rocky Road, not in Coors and his fastball was sitting pretty at 92+. Things just got out of hand with his command and it went south. Too bad to see him falter right when you needed him most.

Dereck Rodriguez – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. And here’s the floor of Dereck that I expect to see a decent amount in 2019. He got the Cardinals here and Dodgers next and I honestly think you won’t be too upset if you stream someone else instead of his start against L.A. this week. There’s a chance he hits them the day after they clinch the AL West, though, so monitor the situation.

Adam Wainwright – 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks. AHA! I never root for a pitcher to struggle, though I was calling this one a bit of a trap after his last sharp start and that’s what you got…kinda. If you can stomach the ERA, this actually may have helped you with six Ks and a decent WHIP. Regardless, it’s the Cubs next and that’s a no-go.

Lucas Giolito – 6.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Giolito got handed the Cubs, making this not worth your while. He’s no Reynaldo Lopez.

Jacob Nix – 2.1 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. One day, Nix. One day.

Today’s Streamer

Erick Fedde vs. New York Mets – I don’t want to trust the Feddes. I really don’t. But there’s nothing sub 20% else to chase here save for Trevor Richards against the Reds and I’m not loving his current state either. At least Fedde has 22 Ks in his last three games.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Framber Valdez vs. Toronto Blue Jays – He has it in him to succeed in Toronto. Other options include Felix Pena against the Rangers and Sandy Alcantara against the Nationals. Not a bad way to start off your week.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Touki Toussaint vs. New York Mets – I love this. You should too. I also love Josh James against the Blue Jays if he gets that start. If you have some brass, maybe consider Chris Stratton getting a second shot against the Padres, Edwin Jackson against the enigmatic Mariners, or Matt Harvey against the Royals.

Game of the Day

Aaron Nola vs. Anibal Sanchez – Happy Nola Day ya’ll.