30 Fantasy Baseball Thoughts – March 29th

In what will be a weekly piece, I will be covering one thought from each team in less than two sentences. Since we are one day in and the excitement/overreaction is at an all-time high, I will be doing an article based on the Opening Day games.

East

Baltimore Orioles: Granted it was against the Yankees, but Andrew Cashner had four innings pitched, a 13.50 ERA, and four walks to three strikeouts…yikes!

Boston Red Sox: Andrew Benintendi, two RBIs down, 98 to go to hit my bold prediction of 100 from him this season.

New York Yankees: Luke Voit, cleanup hitter: a three-run HR, a HBP, and two walks.

Tampa Bay Rays: Begin the process of multiple Fake Teams writers breaking their arms patting themselves on the back over the Austin Meadows love.

Toronto Blue Jays: Marcus Stroman, Joe Biagini, Ken Giles and Daniel Hudson combined for 15 Ks in yesterday’s game. That’s not exactly a group most people would have been bragging about in preseason.

Central

Chicago White Sox: From ESPN’s Tristan Cockcroft – Carlos Rodon was one of three pitchers to throw at least 100 pitches yesterday, in 2014, 15 pitchers did such a thing.

Cleveland Indians: In his first at-bat this season Jose Ramirez (2^nd in the lineup) laid down a bunt.

Detroit Tigers: Christin Stewart’s HR and two strikeouts on Opening Day sums up perfectly what I would expect out of him this season.

Kansas City Royals: That Adalberto Mondesi slide tho….

Minnesota Twins: Jose Berrios, 7.2 IP, 10 Ks, 1 Walk, so…ummm yeah.

West

Houston Astros: Justin Verlander takes the co-star pitching award with Berrios yesterday – 7 IP, 9 Ks, 1 walk, 1.29 ERA.

Los Angeles Angels: Justin Bour leads the league in GB:Fly Outs with three ground outs to one fly out.

Oakland Athletics: Mike Fiers has three wild pitches, most in the MLB.

Seattle Mariners: Marco Gonzalez is off to a good start. Two starts, twi wins, 163 batters faced, and six earned runs allowed.

Texas Rangers: Joey Gallo is supposedly slowing down his swing to make better contact this year. One game in with 1 strikeout and 1 walk – looks like this is true.

NL East

Atlanta Braves: Despite the loss every non pitching player except Ender Inciarte and Josh Donaldson had a hit…

Miami Marlins: Nick Anderson, Tayron Guerrero, Austin Brice and Tyler Kinley combined for 4.1 IP with no hits allowed, no earned runs, five Ks and two walks after Jose Urena allowed four as the starter.

New York Mets: Robinson Cano first at-bat this season: HR.

Philadelphia Phillies: Rhys Hoskins 4 RBIs helped snap a five-game streak of Opening Day losses to the Braves.

Washington Nationals: Trea Turner – 3/3 on Stolen Bases, Washington Nationals 0/0 on Runs scored.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs: Jon Lester and Willson Contreras picked off Delino Deshields yesterday. Wllson was 2^nd among catchers last year catching runners stealing.

Cincinnati Reds: Jose Iglesias leads the league in doubles per game.

Milwaukee Brewers: Lorenzo Cain’s WAR should be higher after that amazing game-saving catch yesterday.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Corey Dickerson averaged almost six pitches per at-bat yesterday.

St. Louis Cardinals: Kolton Wong tied in four-way lead for most Home Runs per game?!?

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks: For just the fifth time in his career, Zach Greinke allowed four home runs.

Colorado Rockies: Kyle Freeland had 12 groundouts yesterday, 2^nd most this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Despite the pitching staff being LA’s power point, three players had two or more RBIs and four players had two or more runs yesterday.

San Diego Padres: Just so I can beat a dead horse here – Ian Kinsler batted leadoff with a hit and a run yesterday. He was one of four Padres to get a hit.

San Francisco Giants: Despite the loss, Madison Bumgarner threw a strike on his first pitch with 22/25 batters faced to get himself of to a strong start.