Week Eight Starter Stats - 24.2 Innings Pitched - 13 Strikeouts - 4.74 K/9 - 1 Win in 3 Starts - 2.19 ERA - 1.18 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 420.2 Innings Pitched - 304 Strikeouts - 6.50 K/9 - 26 Wins in 66 Starts - 3.53 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here
Vogelsong makes three straight days of very good starts. Kyle McClellan and Erik Bedard each went six innings with no earned runs over the last two days, and Vogelsong went eight innings here on Thursday and let up just one earned run. The strikeout numbers haven't been there this week, but the ERA and WHIP have been great, and sometimes you have to be careful with the spot starters to avoid getting beat up chasing strikeouts. The deep league players WHIP didn't get hurt too bad by Dickey's 2.2 scoreless innings before he left the game with a heel injury covering first base, but it wasn't a great use of a start for those in start limit leagues.
Friday's recommendations coming up right here...
Thursday's Starter Recommendation - Scott Baker - Minnesota Twins vs Los Angeles Angels - 8:10 PM ET - 8.9% Owned in ESPN Leagues
Baker hasn't been great over the whole year, but he has put together solid starts throughout the year and the 4.12 ERA and 1.32 WHIP aren't bad. He gets the pick here because of his strikeout potential. There are plenty of other solid spot starters available on Friday but none of them have very good matchups. Baker's matchup against the Angels isn't great, but it isn't awful, and Baker has struck out more than a batter per inning so far this year. The Twins haven't been amazing offensively, but wins are a fairly volatile stat all around. Maybe he can pick one up on the way to good ERA and WHIP with a bunch of strikeouts.
Thursday's Starter Alternate - Rick Porcello - Detroit Tigers vs Boston Red Sox - 7:05 PM ET - 21.4% Owned in ESPN Leagues
Porcello is riding a long hot streak into this game, but he's running up against a super hot Red Sox team on Friday night. It's strength meets strength here, but Porcello is still a fairly safe play Friday. I don't trust him as much as Baker with the better matchup, but Porcello's results are really more important here Friday night. If he can hold down the Boston Red Sox offense Friday night, he raises himself to another level as a starter choice and basically becomes a must own option. It would make seven great starts in a row, and would make three top offenses (Boston, NYY, and Cleveland) he's held down. If you can't get Baker, play Porcello here, and hope he stays consistent, and know it shouldn't get too bad.
Thursday's Deep League Starter - Tyler Chatwood - Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins - 8:10 PM ET - 0.3% Owned in ESPN Leagues
Chatwood hasn't had a great WHIP on the year, but the ERA has been decent enough at 4.06 and he has picked up three wins. This is very much a matchup play here, as any pitcher playing at Minnesota has been all year. Start him here with confidence if you need him in your deep league.
Chatwood hasn't had a great WHIP on the year, but the ERA has been decent enough at 4.06 and he has picked up three wins. This is very much a matchup play here, as any pitcher playing at Minnesota has been all year. Start him here with confidence if you need him in your deep league.
-Fred "Big Derf" Tobin
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