Fantasy notes for July 20
Click through for information on specific matchups and injuries for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for July 20
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Justin Verlander | R | CHW | 10 | 10-5 | 2.43 | 0.93 | 2-1 | 1.96 | 0.74 |
| 2 |  | Stephen Strasburg | R | ATL | 10 | 10-4 | 2.66 | 1.10 | 1-2 | 3.00 | 1.47 |
| 3 |  | Jered Weaver | R | TEX | 8 | 11-1 | 2.26 | 0.95 | 3-0 | 2.05 | 1.05 |
| 4 |  | Johan Santana | L | LAD | 7 | 6-6 | 3.59 | 1.21 | 1-2 | 6.62 | 1.58 |
| 5 |  | Jake Peavy | R | @DET | 6 | 7-6 | 3.12 | 1.04 | 1-2 | 4.43 | 1.25 |
| 6 |  | James Shields | R | SEA | 6 | 8-6 | 4.44 | 1.48 | 1-2 | 6.08 | 1.91 |
| 7 |  | Tommy Hanson | R | @WAS | 7 | 10-5 | 4.02 | 1.35 | 1-1 | 6.05 | 1.34 |
| 8 |  | Kyle Lohse | R | CHC | 6 | 9-2 | 2.80 | 1.10 | 2-0 | 2.66 | 1.18 |
| 9 |  | Trevor Cahill | R | HOU | 7 | 7-8 | 3.71 | 1.28 | 1-2 | 3.93 | 1.31 |
| 10 |  | Ivan Nova | R | @OAK | 5 | 10-4 | 4.18 | 1.40 | 1-2 | 3.91 | 1.46 |
| 11 |  | Drew Pomeranz | L | @SD | 8 | 1-4 | 3.79 | 1.36 | 1-2 | 2.60 | 0.87 |
| 12 |  | Ryan Dempster | R | @STL | 5 | 5-3 | 1.86 | 1.02 | 2-0 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| 13 |  | Ricky Nolasco | R | @PIT | 5 | 8-7 | 4.47 | 1.35 | 2-1 | 2.95 | 1.31 |
| 14 |  | Vance Worley | R | SF | 7 | 5-5 | 3.47 | 1.38 | 1-1 | 5.94 | 1.92 |
| 15 |  | Tim Lincecum | R | @PHI | 7 | 3-10 | 5.93 | 1.52 | 0-2 | 7.98 | 1.70 |
| 16 |  | Tommy Milone | L | NYY | 4 | 9-6 | 3.54 | 1.22 | 1-1 | 2.00 | 1.33 |
| 17 |  | Josh Beckett | R | TOR | 5 | 5-7 | 4.44 | 1.23 | 1-0 | 5.82 | 1.59 |
| 18 |  | Homer Bailey | R | MIL | 4 | 8-6 | 3.93 | 1.31 | 3-0 | 1.99 | 1.06 |
| 19 |  | Marco Estrada | R | @CIN | 6 | 0-3 | 4.13 | 1.04 | 0-0 | 3.07 | 0.82 |
| 20 |  | Miguel Gonzalez | R | @CLE | 7 | 1-1 | 2.59 | 1.27 | 1-1 | 2.65 | 1.35 |
| 21 |  | Luke Hochevar | R | MIN | 4 | 6-8 | 5.16 | 1.40 | 1-1 | 5.63 | 1.38 |
| 22 |  | Aaron Harang | R | @NYM | 4 | 6-5 | 3.53 | 1.37 | 1-1 | 3.66 | 1.02 |
| 23 |  | Derek Holland | L | @LAA | 5 | 6-4 | 4.57 | 1.28 | 1-0 | 1.98 | 1.02 |
| 24 |  | Derek Lowe | R | BAL | 4 | 8-7 | 4.43 | 1.56 | 1-1 | 5.19 | 1.56 |
| 25 |  | Kevin Correia | R | MIA | 4 | 6-6 | 4.25 | 1.27 | 3-0 | 5.29 | 1.24 |
| 26 |  | Bud Norris | R | @ARI | 3 | 5-7 | 4.70 | 1.42 | 0-3 | 4.26 | 1.42 |
| 27 |  | Jason Marquis | R | COL | 2 | 4-9 | 5.59 | 1.61 | 1-2 | 5.40 | 1.37 |
| 28 |  | Aaron Laffey | L | @BOS | 1 | 1-1 | 3.38 | 1.16 | 1-1 | 4.76 | 1.41 |
| 29 |  | Hisashi Iwakuma | R | @TB | 2 | 1-2 | 5.13 | 1.46 | 0-1 | 6.30 | 1.60 |
| 30 |  | Nick Blackburn | R | @KC | 1 | 4-5 | 8.10 | 1.77 | 0-0 | 13.50 | 2.25 |
Rk.: The author's ranking of that pitcher for that day only. T: Pitcher throws left-handed or right-handed. Opp: The pitcher's opponent for the day. QR: "Quality Rating," or the starting pitcher's matchup rating -- separate from the author's ranking -- which accounts for past history (three years' worth as well as past 21 days), opponent and ballpark. OPS is the primary statistic used in the calculation. Ratings range from 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst. So, for example, a 10 is a must-start rating, while a 1 should be avoided (if possible); a 1-2 is poor, 3-4 is fair, 5-6 is average, 7-8 is very good and 9-10 is excellent. W-L: Pitcher's win-loss record. ERA: Pitcher's earned run average. WHIP: Pitcher's average number of walks plus hits surrendered per inning.
Rankings Notes
In the category of what have you done for me lately, Justin Verlander takes top honors. Although his career record against the White Sox is a very ordinary 12-10 with a 4.13 ERA, since 2009 the numbers take on a whole new look: 10-1 with a 2.33 ERA. Not too shabby.
Johan Santana is 5-0 with a 0.50 ERA against the Los Angeles Dodgers who, with the exception of two single-series visits to Arizona, have lost the first game of every road trip they've made since April 17.
Although Tommy Hanson has gone 3-1 in his past five starts, his ERA in those games is a gaudy 5.87 and his BAA is .283. We'd rather take our chances with struggling James Shields against the Seattle Mariners, a team that is hitting just .226 against right-handed starters.
Tim Lincecum fanned 11 batters and threw eight shutout innings in his last start. Of course, the opponent was the Houston Astros, who lead the majors in the whiff department, so we're not completely convinced the Freak is back. As such, we'll temper expectation as he faces Philadelphia, the team with the fewest strikeouts in the National League.
Homer Bailey has never defeated the Milwaukee Brewers (0-5, 6.50 ERA). That record of futility includes an 8-3 loss on May 8 and an 8-4 loss on June 27. It seems that unless the Reds are going to put up nine runs, something they've done just once in the past 28 games, this one is a lost cause.
Not only is Bud Norris 0-6 with a 7.50 ERA in his past six starts, for his career he is 0-3 with a 10.91 ERA versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. No matter how you slice it, it comes up peanuts. Look elsewhere for your pitching needs today.
Brian Duensing gets "demoted" back to the bullpen, as the Minnesota Twins have decided to end the Triple-A exile of Nick Blackburn. Although Blackburn was 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in the minors, that 8.10 ERA in his 13 big league starts still hangs over him like the sword of Damocles.
Hitter matchup ratings for July 20
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | |
| | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | | 8 | 10 | 5 | 8 | |
| | 7 | 8 | 5 | 4 | | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | |
| | 10 | 6 | 10 | 5 | | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | |
| | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 7 | 6 | 7 | 3 | |
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | |
| | 5 | 7 | 2 | 8 | | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | |
| | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | 5 | 5 | 3 | 9 | |
| | 9 | 10 | 5 | 7 | | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | | 5 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 | | 9 | 5 | 10 | 4 | |
| | 6 | 1 | 7 | 4 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
| | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | |
| | 7 | 5 | 7 | 7 | | 4 | 6 | 1 | 8 | |
Hitter ratings account for the opposing starting pitcher's past history (three years' worth as well as past 21 days) as well as ballpark factors. "LHB" and "RHB" ratings account only for left- and right-handed batters, respectively. OPS is the primary statistic used in the calculation. Ratings range from 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst. So, for example, a 10 is a must-start rating, while a 1 should be avoided (if possible); a 1-2 is poor, 3-4 is fair, 5-6 is average, 7-8 is very good and 9-10 is excellent.
• Adam Lind is 20-for-62 (.323 BA) with 5 homers and 15 RBIs since being called up from Triple-A on June 25. He is also 8-for-19 (.421 BA) with 4 doubles, a homer and 4 RBIs career against Josh Beckett.
• Ivan Nova has been more effective on the road this season, going 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA away from Yankee Stadium (3-3, 5.19 ERA at home).
• Tommy Milone has been significantly better at home this season, going 5-1 with 1.03 ERA (4-5, 5.69 ERA on road). Opponents are hitting .177 off Milone at home, compared to .316 on the road.
• Derek Lowe is 5-1 with a 2.86 ERA at home this season (3-6 with a 5.81 ERA on the road).
• Jake Peavy has a 5.48 ERA against AL Central opponents this season, including a 5.03 ERA against the Tigers. Against everyone else, Peavy has a 1.78 ERA.
• Ryan Dempster has pitched better in road games than at home this season, with a 0.95 ERA in 47 1/3 IP on the road (2.82 at home).
• Twins starter Nick Blackburn, who will be recalled from Triple-A on Friday, has a 0.61 K/BB ratio against left-handed batters this season and is allowing them to hit .390. Against righties he has a 4.75 K/BB ratio and .289 opponents' BA.
• Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus is 21-for-49 (.429) with six extra-base hits in his career against Angels starter Jered Weaver.
Colby Lewis, P, Rangers: Left Wednesday's start with forearm tightness after five innings. Although both the pitcher and the team are downplaying this, calling it precautionary, whenever this happens to someone fresh off the disabled list, you have to pay close attention.
Cameron Maybin, OF, Padres: Day-to-day with a sore right wrist, but at least for the moment will not require an MRI.
Tyler Pastornicky, SS, Braves: For what it's worth, the shortstop has been shagging flies in the outfield with the premise that he may get a start in left. While that might increase his value to Atlanta a tad, it does little to add any appeal to fantasy owners.
Andrew Brown, OF, Rockies: Hit cleanup for Colorado and could continue to get some quality at-bats with Todd Helton out with his hip injury.
Brett Lawrie, 3B, Blue Jays: Day-to-day after bruising his right calf while diving into the camera well after a foul ball. X-rays were negative, so any absence should be short-lived.
Trevor Bauer, P, Diamondbacks: Optioned back to Triple-A Reno after a less-than-stellar first set of starts at the major league level. He'll be back at some point, but clearly, the future star was not quite done cooking yet.
Drew Storen, P, Nationals: Expected to be activated from the disabled list in time for the weekend series with Atlanta, though Tyler Clippard will remain in the closer's role for now.
- AJ Mass is a fantasy football, baseball and college basketball analyst for ESPN.com.
- Author; How Fantasy Sports Explains the World.
