DFS PLAYBOOK PRO – An exciting offering from the Alarm is the DFS Playbook Pro. I will be doing a daily breakdown of the hitters – Hitting Coach – while Howard Bender looks into the Pitchers (Pitching Coach). You can find the link to the Hitting and Pitching articles under the DFS Playbook pro tab at the top right of the screen.
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PLEASE EXPLAIN IT TO ME
Luis Severino became the first starter in Yankees history – ever – to allow two or fewer batters to reach base in his major league debut. Moreover, he became just the third hurler since 1900 to allow two or fewer hits, without walking a batter and striking out seven in his debut (Johnny Cueto in 2008 and Manny Banuelos in 2015).
Here are a few of the questions I’ve received on Twitter since 7 PM last night after that effort.
Severino over Aaron Nola? Collin McHugh?
Severino or John Lackey in a 10 team H2H?
Should I be kicking myself for trading Severino for Carlos Martinez?
Severino was impressive, dominating and flat out stupendous last night. He’s also the top pitching prospect in the Yankees organization and a top-20 prospect according to Baseball America. I get the excitement, especially after his historic first outing, and being a Yankee doesn’t hurt, but…
Did you see who is listed at #12 on the prospect list, five spots ahead of Severino? Try Nola.
Severino was great for one start. You let me know when he’s made 20 starts as good as Martinez (22 outings in total): 11-4, 2.57 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.12 K/9. You cannot argue that Severino has a better arm than Martinez.
McHugh has won 13 games with a solid 3.18 K/BB ratio. His ERA (4.27) and WHIP (1.32) are elevated and disappointing, but since the start of last season he’s hurled 293.2 innings going 24-14 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 8.12 K/9, 2.30 BB/9. That’s not elite, but it’s damn good.
Lackey has a 2.85 ERA and 1.19 WHIP this season. Do you know how many hurlers can match both those numbers who also have thrown enough innings to qualify for the ERA title? Lackey is one of 16 men.
I get it. Severino was dominating/historic, he pitches for the Yankees and he has a great arm. At the same time I don’t get it at all. This is the perfect encapsulation of what is wrong with fantasy baseball, hell fantasy sports. The move to the daily game has caused everyone to adjust their outlook from the big picture to one day snippets of time. It’s caused folks to think merely about 24 hours and not what is really going on in front of them. Baseball is a long season. Things tend to even out if given time. Severino isn’t going to reinvent the art of pitching. Maybe he has a great run the final two months and helps lead the Yankees to the playoffs. Possible certainly. At the same time dropping guys like CMart or Lackey seems nuts to me. If you’re playing the ‘add a rookie game’ why would you be moving on from Nola a couple of weeks after you added him off waivers? Is there something wrong with two victories in three outings with a 7.23 K/9, 1.45 BB/9, 52 percent ground ball rate and 0.96 WHIP? Those are borderline elite numbers folks.
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It just ain’t.
PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME, PART II
Look, I’m no fan of Yasiel Puig. He’s immature, a total punk and has no respect for the game. At the same time he’s an immense talent, something many in the fantasy game seem to have forgotten judged by some of the trade questions I’ve received regarding the Dodgers outfielder of late.
Nothing about his game is good.
He’s hitting .252 with a .325 OBP and .431 SLG.
His career numbers are .295, .375 and .489.
He stole 11 bases each of the last two seasons.
He has one theft right now.
He hit 35 homers the last two seasons.
This year he has eight.
But let me repeat, he’s an elite talent. You don’t trade him to get Curtis Granderson, Torii Hunter or David Peralta. Stop that nonsense. What you do is to trade a guy like that to get Puig. You should be adding him right now at a discount as he starts to turn things around (his last six games: .286-2-7-4 with a .395 wOBA). I can’t believe I’m defending Puig but he needs it at the moment.
THE RETURN IS NEAR
Stephen Strasburg will return from his oblique issue to pitch Saturday for the Nationals… we think. Manager Matt Williams isn’t going to make the official call to Friday but is seems a near certainty that Stephen will be on the bump. Would I be starting him? Nope. But that’s me. Over his last four outings – and we have to go back to May 29th to get four starts to discuss – Strasburg has a 1.62 ERA with a 9.72 K/9 and 2.70 BB/9. I just have no idea what to expect from him at this point.
If you have time, read this biography on Josh Gibson from SABR. One of the all-time greats.
WOWZAHS
Just a note.
Paul Goldschmidt is having a historic season. Goldy is batting .339 with a pace for 34 homers, 120 RBIs, 105 runs and 29 steals.
That is all.
BREWERS MAKE MOVE
It’s finally over. Finally.
After fooling batters for years with an assortment of less than elite pitches, Kyle Lohse had the bottom fall out this season with simply dreadful work (5-13, 6.31 ERA, 1.47 WHIP). It’s a profound mystery why the Brewers would wait until today to demoted him to the bullpen. In his stead Tyler Cravy will be inserted into the rotation and start Friday.
Cravy has all of 15 big league innings under his belt and is far from an elite talent (he was ranked as the 26th best prospect in the Brewers organization). He’s nothing other than an NL-only option. Now the next guy…
BREWERS RISING STAR?
Jimmy Nelson has had some bumps in the road this season, but right now he’s cruising on the track in overdrive 
at 160 mph in his Corvette. Over his last eight times on the bump Nelson has gone 6-1 with a 1.88 ERA. Oh yeah, he’s also gone 20.2 innings without allowing an earned run. That run of pitching has lowered Nelson’s ERA to 3.57 and his WHIP to 1.23 (Michael Pineda has marks of 3.97 and 1.22). Nelson has struck out 7.54 batters per nine while inducing a ground ball rate of 50 percent. Impressive. He could stand to cut the walk rate, 3.18 per nine is a bit steep, but overall this is a nice skill set pitching at optimal levels.
HAMILTON UPDATE
He has 51 steals. Stupendous.
His slash line is .222/.265/.281. Horrendous.
IN THE DUMPER
Finally, as of this writing, Joc Pederson is hitless in his last 21 at-bats. Don’t tell me that being unable to make consistent contact doesn’t matter. Domonic Brown is batting .333 with two homers and nine RBIs his last 40 plate appearances. Just rubbing salt in those wounds.
Player News
Christian Yelich is leading off for the first time this season on Monday against the Padres.
Yelich has been moved up to the top of Milwaukee’s batting order with Jackson Chourio hitting fifth and Sal Frelick moved down to the fifth spot. The 33-year-old has been on a roll lately, batting .296 (8-for-27) with one homer and four RBI over his last seven games.
Brendan Donovan was scratched from the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Giants.
No word yet on the reason for the move. It’ll be José FermÃn taking over at second base with Lars Nootbaar moving up to the leadoff spot in his absence.
Bruce Zimmermann will start on Tuesday against the Padres.
Zimmermann was called up over the weekend to pitch in long relief for Milwaukee, but he’s going to take the ball on Tuesday in place of an injured Brandon Woodruff (lat) to kick off a bullpen game. It’ll likely be a one-and-done outing for the 30-year-old southpaw as part of Milwaukee’s rotation. He’s not a recommended fantasy option, especially in a road tilt against the playoff-bound Padres.
Masyn Winn (knee) is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on Thursday, according to Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol.
Winn was shut down for the rest of the season back on September 13 with a torn meniscus in his right knee that he played through for the majority of the year. The 23-year-old shortstop wrapped up his second big-league season with a .253/.310/.363 triple-slash line with 72 runs scored, nine home runs, 51 RBI and nine stolen bases in 537 plate appearances over 129 games. He’s expected to be fully recovered in time for spring training.
Angels activated RHP Ryan Zeferjahn from the 15-day injured list.
Zeferjahn returns to Los Angeles’ relief mix prior to Tuesday’s series opener against the Royals following a two-week absence with right knee tendinitis. The 27-year-old middle reliever has posted a pedestrian 4.77 ERA and 72/33 K/BB ratio across 54 2/3 innings over 59 appearances this season.
Angels optioned LHP Sammy Peralta to Triple-A Salt Lake.
Peralta heads back to the minors with Ryan Zeferjahn coming back from the injured list for Tuesday’s series opener against the Royals. The 27-year-old southpaw was hit hard in four relief appearances for the Angels after being called up back on September 7.