So far so good in Week 7. Rubby De La Rosa pitched a gem in his first turn, allowing two runs on six hits in nine innings with five strikeouts and no walks. He was on his way to a second quality start against the Cubs until hitting Kris Bryant with the bases loaded on a 1-2 count and then giving up a bases-clearing double to Anthony Rizzo. Still, RDLR only gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked a pair in six innings. Drew Hutchison lost his two-start status and had a so-so outing against the Angels, allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings, while Carlos Frias tossed a quality start against the Giants by allowing one run in six innings.Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for Frias, who was saddled with the loss.
The overall numbers were much better in Week 7 even without a win (with one start to go), and I knocked off 25 points off my earned run average! Progress.
My results so far
7-16 record
5.13 ERA
7.37 K/9
2.47 BB/9
1.33 WHIP
Start!
Madison Bumgarner: Tue-@MIL (Garza), Sun-ATL (Teheran)
David Price: Tue-@OAK (Chavez), Sun-@LAA (Shoemaker)
Jordan Zimmermann: Mon-@CHC (Wada), Sun-@CIN (Marquis)
Dallas Keuchel: Mon-@BAL (Chen), Sun-CWS (Danks)
Tier 1
Danny Salazar: Tue-TEX (Rodriguez), Sun-@SEA (Happ)
Julio Teheran: Tue-@LAD (Kershaw), Sun-@SF (Bumgarner)
Tyson Ross: Mon-@LAA (Weaver), Sat-PIT (Locke)
Jake Odorizzi: Mon-SEA (Elias), Sun-@BAL (Tillman)
Tier 2
Carlos Martinez: Mon-ARI (Anderson), Sun-LAD (Anderson)
Tim Lincecum; Mon-@MIL (Lohse), Sat-ATL (Perez)
Bartolo Colon: Mon-PHI (Gonzalez), Sun-MIA (Phelps)
Clay Buchholz: Tue-@MIN (Pelfrey), Sun-@TEX (Rodriguez)
Shane Greene: Mon-@OAK (Hahn), Sat-@LAA (Weaver)
Drew Hutchison: Mon-CWS (Rodon), Sun-@MIN (Nolasco)
Brett Anderson: Mon-ATL (Perez), Sun-@STL (Martinez)
Jesse Chavez: Tue-DET (Price), Sun-NYY (Warren)
Chase Anderson: Mon-@STL (Martinez), Sun-@MIL (Lohse)
Tier 3
Yordano Ventura: Mon-@NYY (Eovaldi), Sun-@CHC (Wada)
J.A. Happ: Tue-@TB (Colome), Sun-CLE (Salazar)
David Phelps: Mon-@PIT (Locke), Sun-@NYM (Colon)
Wei-Yin Chen: Mon-HOU (Keuchel), Sat-TB (Ramirez)
Jered Weaver: Mon-SD (Ross), Sat-DET (Greene)
Nathan Eovaldi: Mon-KC (Ventura), Sat-@OAK (Hahn)
Matt Shoemaker: Tue-SD (Despaigne), Sun-DET (Price)
Jesse Hahn: Mon-DET (Greene), Sat-NYY (Eovaldi)
Roenis Elias: Mon-@TB (Odorizzi), Sat-CLE (Marcum)
Adam Warren: Tue-KC (Guthrie), Sun-@OAK (Chavez)
Carlos Rodon: Mon-@TOR (Hutchison), Sat-@HOU (Hernandez)
Charlie Morton: Tue-MIA (Latos), Sun-@SD (Despaigne)
Tsuyoshi Wada: Mon-WSH (Zimmermann), Sun-KC (Ventura)
Not this week
Eddie Butler: Mon-@CIN (Marquis), Sun-@PHI (Gonzalez)
John Danks: Tue-@TOR (Dickey), Sun-@HOU (Keuchel)
Odrisamer Despaigne: Tue-@LAA (Shoemaker), Sun-PIT (Morton)
Severino Gonzalez: Mon-@NYM (Colon), Sun-COL (Butler)
Joe Kelly: Mon-@MIN (Nolasco), Sat-@TEX (Klein)
Phil Klein: Mon-@CLE (Marcum), Sat-BOS (Kelly)
Jeff Locke: Mon-MIA (Phelps), Sat-@SD (Ross)
Kyle Lohse: Mon-SF (Lincecum), Sun-ARI (Anderson)
Shaun Marcum: Mon-TEX (Klein), Sat-@SEA (Elias)
Jason Marquis: Mon-COL (Butler), Sun-WSH (Zimmermann)
Ricky Nolasco: Mon-BOS (Kelly), Sun-TOR (Hutchison)
Williams Perez: Mon-@LAD (Anderson), Sat-@SF (Lincecum)
Wandy Rodriguez: Tue-@CLE (Salazar), Sun-BOS (Buchholz)
Chris Tillman: Tue-HOU (Feldman), Sun-TB (Odorizzi)
My Week 8 Picks
Drew Hutchison, Blue Jays (CHW, @MIN)
2015: 3-1, 6.06 ERA, 1.47 WHIP
Hutchinson was a pick of mine last week, but Toronto shuffled their rotation around and the righty will now get two starts in Week 8 (fingers crossed). He was very average in his one start last week, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts against the Angels. I was still encouraged, however, as he pounded the zone and got batters to whiff at about 10 percent of his offerings. This week, Hutchison faces a pair of American League Central teams in the White Sox and Minnesota. Neither team has been particularly strong against right-handed pitching, with Chicago ranking 19th and Minnesota 28th in terms of wRC+. The Twins also have one of highest strikeout rates against righties (23.4 percent), only better than the Cubs (25.9) and Astros (25.1). Again, I only prefer to use Hutchison in a streaming situation, and I believe both matchups in Week 8 are to Hutchison's advantage. If the overall numbers scare you, keep in mind that in his last three starts, Hutch is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA, 1.25 WHIP (18 hits allowed) and a 20/4 K/BB ratio in 17 2/3 innings.
Brett Anderson, Dodgers (ATL, @STL)
2015: 2-2, 3.61 ERA, 1.37 WHIP
I thought about Chase Anderson here, but decided to go with Brett Anderson (no relation). The latter Anderson gets the Braves at home before traveling to St. Louis, while the former Anderson is on the road for both starts (St. Louis and Milwaukee). Brett Anderson owns a 3.61 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and a 31/9 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings. Strikeouts aren't his game, but he's shown great command with a 5.1 percent walk rate (down from 7.2), while not giving up a lot of hard contact (26.5 percent (league average is 28.4, according to FanGraphs.com). In his last three turns, the left-hander is 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. The Cardinals are average against southpaws (19th in wRC+), while the Braves really struggle (27th). Anderson doesn't work deep into games, but I I'll continue to ride his hot streak with a pair of favorable matchups in Week 8.
David Phelps, Marlins (@PIT, @NYM)
2015: 2-1, 3.21 ER, 1.31 WHIP
Phelps isn't a sexy pick, but there's a lot of two-starters this week with one favorable starts and one not so favorable start. Like Jesse Chavez against the Tigers. And Chase Anderson at the Cardinals. Therefore, I'm going with Phelps, who has a couple of what I'd call "neutral" starts in Week 8. Pittsburgh is 21st in wRC+ against righties, and the Mets are all the way down at No. 29. Miami is really struggling, but Phelps has at least been consistent. His last start against the Diamondbacks was just the second time all year in nine starts that he's allowed four runs. Before that start, he had tossed five straight quality starts. I'm just looking for Phelps not to blow up, really. It's been that kind of year.
Stats from FanGraphs.com