Fantasy notes for August 23
Click through for information on specific matchups, injuries and weather for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for August 23
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Cole Hamels | L | CIN | 8 | 14-6 | 2.94 | 1.11 | 3-1 | 1.38 | 0.92 |
| 2 |  | Justin Verlander | R | TOR | 10 | 12-7 | 2.53 | 1.01 | 1-0 | 1.71 | 1.29 |
| 3 |  | Johnny Cueto | R | @PHI | 8 | 16-6 | 2.44 | 1.13 | 3-1 | 2.67 | 0.76 |
| 4 |  | Tommy Hanson | R | @SF | 8 | 12-5 | 4.27 | 1.44 | 0-0 | 4.05 | 1.35 |
| 5 |  | Jake Westbrook | R | HOU | 6 | 12-9 | 3.50 | 1.28 | 3-1 | 2.96 | 1.28 |
| 6 |  | Scott Diamond | L | @TEX | 2 | 10-5 | 2.95 | 1.20 | 1-1 | 3.21 | 1.25 |
| 7 |  | Roy Oswalt | R | MIN | 7 | 4-2 | 6.04 | 1.57 | 1-0 | 4.50 | 1.00 |
| 8 |  | C.J. Wilson | L | @BOS | 6 | 9-9 | 3.62 | 1.31 | 0-2 | 8.31 | 1.98 |
| 9 |  | Alex Cobb | R | OAK | 7 | 7-8 | 4.74 | 1.35 | 3-0 | 4.18 | 1.18 |
| 10 |  | Barry Zito | L | ATL | 5 | 9-8 | 4.42 | 1.40 | 1-1 | 7.52 | 1.67 |
| 11 |  | Tyson Ross | R | @TB | 3 | 2-8 | 6.35 | 1.75 | -- | -- | -- |
| 12 |  | Franklin Morales | L | LAA | 5 | 3-4 | 3.67 | 1.17 | 1-2 | 4.86 | 1.14 |
| 13 |  | Collin McHugh | R | COL | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 14 |  | J.A. Happ | L | @DET | 1 | 9-10 | 4.88 | 1.40 | 2-1 | 5.00 | 1.22 |
| 15 |  | Dallas Keuchel | L | @STL | 3 | 1-5 | 4.99 | 1.54 | 0-1 | 3.38 | 1.29 |
| 16 |  | Tyler Chatwood | R | @NYM | 1 | 3-3 | 5.46 | 1.63 | 2-2 | 3.93 | 1.36 |
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
Three substitutions have already been made to Thursday's original pitching matchups. Bartolo Colon, who is serving a 50-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy, will be replaced by Tyson Ross. As you can likely deduce from Ross' season numbers, a more permanent solution (Dan Straily?) will likely follow, but Ross gets the spot-start for now. Johan Santana and Yu Darvish could have generously been considered "Doubtful" for their assignments, but the Mets and Rangers ended the suspence early. Collin McHugh and Roy Oswalt get the starts in lieu. Oswalt is likely worth a go at home against a moribund Twins offense, but Collin McHugh is a coin-toss, as is any starter making his Major League debut. The 25-year-old was 2-4 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 12 starts at Triple-A Buffalo, striking out 67 but walking 27 (2.48 K/BB). He started the season repeating Double-A where he posted a 2.41 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, also in 12 starts, striking out 65 in 74 2/3 with a much more attractive 3.82 K/BB.
Neither Justin Verlander (2-2, 5.18 ERA versus Toronto) nor Johnny Cueto (1-2, 5.65 ERA versus Philadelphia) have solid track records against their scheduled opponent, so we're going to elevate Cole Hamels to the No. 1 spot for the day. After all, Hamels has never lost to Cincinnati, with a 7-0 lifetime record and 1.44 ERA versus the Reds.
Even though Jake Westbrook is facing the Houston Astros, we'll rank Tommy Hanson ahead of him. Hanson is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA when facing the San Francisco Giants, and current members of the team have only a .189 batting average against the Atlanta right-hander.
Scott Diamond has a 2.43 ERA and 6.7 K/BB rate over his past five starts. Compare that to C.J. Wilson's 6.99 ERA and 1.8 K/BB rate over the same stretch and you'll understand why we ranked the unheralded Diamond higher than Wilson.
Hitter matchup ratings for August 23
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | |
 | No game scheduled | | 10 | 10 | 7 | 2 | ||||
| | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
 | No game scheduled | | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 | ||||
 | No game scheduled | | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
 | No game scheduled | | 7 | 10 | 5 | 8 | ||||
| | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 9 | 5 | 9 | 4 | | 4 | 5 | 2 | 7 | |
| | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
 | No game scheduled | | 5 | 8 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| | 6 | 1 | 8 | 6 | | 8 | 10 | 6 | 7 | |
 | No game scheduled | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
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.
• Entering Wednesday, Daniel Murphy had a .340 batting average (71 for 209) at home in 2012 compared to a .241 batting average (55 for 228) away from Citi Field.
• Brandon Phillips is hitting .143 (4 for 28) against Cole Hamels in his career.
• C.J. Wilson is winless in his last 10 starts and has seen his ERA balloon to 8.31 in the month of August. This month, he has pitched 21 2/3 innings, given up 20 earned runs, and opponents are hitting .326 against him.
• Omar Infante has struggled in his career against J.A. Happ, going 3-for-19 (.158) with 3 strikeouts.
• Ben Zobrist has terrific numbers against Bartolo Colon, Thursday's scheduled starter for the A's. In 14 career at-bats the Rays utility-man has eight hits including four home runs and a triple.
• Barry Zito has been struggling in the month of August with a 7.52 ERA. However, in his only start against the Braves this season, he went 7 IP and allowed only 3 hits and 0 ER in the 9-0 win. Braves batters had an average of only .130 in the game.
• Jake Westbrook is 5-1 with a 2.61 ERA in his last 6 starts. Entering Wednesday, the Astros are hitting .225 and averaging 2.8 runs per game this month.
John Axford, P, Brewers: The Jim Henderson experiment is over in Milwaukee as manager Ron Roenicke has reinstated Axford as the team's closer, effective immediately.
Josh Rutledge, SS, Rockies: After missing time with a quad injury, the shortstop pinch-hit on Tuesday, indicating that a return to regular action may be imminent.
Emilio Bonifacio, OF, Marlins: Left Tuesday's game with some pain in his right knee. Consider him day-to-day for the time being, with Gorkys Hernandez possibly getting some playing time in his stead.
Justin Upton, OF, Diamondbacks: Left Tuesday's game after suffering an apparent injury while running the bases. If he were to miss any significant time, Gerardo Parra would be the likely beneficiary.
Joe Saunders, P, Diamondbacks: Has been placed on waivers in the hopes that the team will be able to trade the pitcher to another team in order to make room in the rotation for younger arms like Tyler Skaggs.
- AJ Mass is a fantasy football, baseball and college basketball analyst for ESPN.com.
- Author; How Fantasy Sports Explains the World.
