Fantasy daily notes for Sept. 18
Click through for information on specific matchups, injuries and weather for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for September 18
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Max Scherzer | R | OAK | 6 | 16-6 | 3.77 | 1.26 | 2-0 | 1.23 | 0.64 |
| 2 |  | Kyle Lohse | R | HOU | 7 | 14-3 | 2.81 | 1.09 | 1-1 | 4.30 | 1.13 |
| 3 |  | Yovani Gallardo | R | @PIT | 7 | 15-8 | 3.72 | 1.29 | 2-0 | 4.38 | 1.38 |
| 4 |  | Jeremy Hellickson | R | BOS | 5 | 8-10 | 3.22 | 1.25 | 0-1 | 1.59 | 1.00 |
| 5 |  | Jered Weaver | R | TEX | 8 | 17-4 | 2.74 | 1.00 | 1-1 | 2.79 | 1.19 |
| 6 |  | Ian Kennedy | R | SD | 8 | 13-11 | 4.21 | 1.29 | 2-0 | 2.33 | 0.83 |
| 7 |  | A.J. Griffin | R | @DET | 10 | 6-0 | 1.94 | 0.91 | 3-0 | 0.89 | 0.79 |
| 8 |  | Jordan Zimmermann | R | LAD | 7 | 10-8 | 3.01 | 1.17 | 1-0 | 6.89 | 1.53 |
| 9 |  | Matt Harvey | R | PHI | 7 | 3-5 | 2.92 | 1.22 | 1-2 | 3.31 | 1.53 |
| 10 |  | Tim Lincecum | R | COL | 6 | 9-14 | 5.09 | 1.48 | 2-0 | 3.38 | 1.50 |
| 11 |  | Andy Pettitte | L | TOR | 7 | 3-3 | 3.22 | 1.09 | -- | -- | -- |
| 12 |  | Ryan Dempster | R | @LAA | 6 | 11-6 | 2.86 | 1.12 | 3-0 | 1.89 | 1.00 |
| 13 |  | Wei-Yin Chen | L | @SEA | 8 | 12-9 | 4.00 | 1.24 | 0-2 | 4.74 | 1.09 |
| 14 |  | A.J. Burnett | R | MIL | 3 | 15-7 | 3.66 | 1.25 | 0-3 | 3.86 | 1.29 |
| 15 |  | Gavin Floyd | R | @KC | 5 | 9-10 | 4.59 | 1.42 | 0-1 | 5.79 | 1.07 |
| 16 |  | Eric Stults | L | @ARI | 6 | 6-2 | 2.56 | 1.16 | 2-0 | 2.08 | 1.21 |
| 17 |  | Homer Bailey | R | @CHC | 5 | 11-9 | 3.93 | 1.33 | 1-0 | 1.66 | 0.83 |
| 18 |  | Erasmo Ramirez | R | BAL | 9 | 1-2 | 3.49 | 1.06 | 1-0 | 2.25 | 0.88 |
| 19 |  | Paul Maholm | L | @MIA | 4 | 12-10 | 3.90 | 1.26 | 1-2 | 7.36 | 2.02 |
| 20 |  | Aaron Harang | R | @WAS | 4 | 9-9 | 3.79 | 1.41 | 0-1 | 4.60 | 1.60 |
| 21 |  | David Huff | L | MIN | 4 | 1-0 | 0.00 | 0.67 | 1-0 | 0.00 | 0.67 |
| 22 |  | Tyler Cloyd | R | @NYM | 2 | 1-1 | 4.95 | 1.35 | 1-1 | 4.95 | 1.35 |
| 23 |  | Nate Eovaldi | R | ATL | 4 | 4-12 | 4.71 | 1.62 | 0-3 | 5.63 | 1.38 |
| 24 |  | Jeff Francis | L | @SF | 3 | 5-5 | 5.68 | 1.49 | 1-1 | 5.19 | 1.62 |
| 25 |  | Luke Hochevar | R | CHW | 3 | 8-13 | 5.46 | 1.39 | 1-2 | 9.00 | 1.76 |
| 26 |  | Felix Doubront | L | @TB | 2 | 10-9 | 5.11 | 1.51 | 0-3 | 8.10 | 1.88 |
| 27 |  | Justin Germano | R | CIN | 4 | 2-7 | 5.60 | 1.41 | 0-4 | 7.58 | 1.68 |
| 28 |  | Fernando Abad | L | @STL | 1 | 0-4 | 5.08 | 1.74 | 0-3 | 8.49 | 2.31 |
| 29 |  | Ricky Romero | L | @NYY | 4 | 8-14 | 5.87 | 1.62 | 0-3 | 9.00 | 2.33 |
| 30 |  | P.J. Walters | R | @CLE | 1 | 2-4 | 6.70 | 1.60 | 0-2 | 12.00 | 1.89 |
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
After Monday's short schedule, we're back to a full slate on Tuesday, but that doesn't mean there are a whole host of pitchers worth plucking off the waiver wire. With eight games featuring aces (those owned in at least 96 percent of the ESPN fantasy universe), there aren't a ton of great choices jumping out at me. But for owners pushing for those wins and quality starts to lower the qualitative categories, here are four decent options for Tuesday who are all owned in less than 45 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues:
Matt Harvey (43 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) will make what will likely be his final outing of his brilliant rookie season on Tuesday when his New York Mets host the suddenly slumping Philadelphia Phillies, fresh off losing three of four games to the dreadful Houston Astros. The Phils are also 5-10 against the Mets this year, including a 3-2 loss on Aug. 29 to Harvey, when they managed just two runs in 6⅓ innings, striking out six times. Harvey has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of nine starts this year while averaging seven strikeouts per game and 10.8 K/9. His last time out, Harvey dialed up 10 strikeouts in just five innings, allowing one run against the Washington Nationals. You'll have to find another option after Tuesday (such as A.J. Griffin, owned in just 55 percent of the ESPN universe), but Harvey should go out with a flourish here.
Andy Pettitte (9 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) returns to the mound for the first time since breaking his foot on June 27, and will reportedly be limited to 70 pitches, which equates to approximately five innings of work. That being said, five innings of Pettitte should be plenty of time for his New York Yankees to build a lead over the slumping Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto is 13-24 since Aug. 7, scoring 3.5 runs per game with a .214 BA/.276 OBP/.341 SLG in this stretch. Pettitte is 21-12 in his career versus the Jays, and carries a solid 3.87 ERA and 1.29 WHIP against them since returning to New York in 2007. Deeper league owners should pounce on Pettitte for Tuesday.
Wei-Yin Chen (28 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) has been up and down this year, but expect Tuesday to be one of the ups when he visits the Seattle Mariners. In his lone Safeco Field start on July 3, Chen threw an absolute gem, holding the M's to just two runs on two hits in 7⅓ innings with nine strikeouts and zero walks. He's also coming off a similar outing (7⅓ IP, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K's) in a crazy 14-inning game last Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Considering how horribly the Mariners have batted at home both for the entire season (3.0 runs per game, .216 BA/.288 OBP/.319 SLG) and for the past 10 home games (2.1 runs per game, .230 BA/.291 OBP/.326 SLG), Chen should be able to notch a win here with a quality outing.
Gavin Floyd (31 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) didn't pitch great in his return from his flexor strain in his pitching elbow, allowing three runs in just 4⅔ innings, but his seven strikeouts shows that he hasn't lost his velocity. Floyd should be able to improve upon this outing against the lowly Kansas City Royals, who failed to score in 7⅔ innings off Floyd the one time they faced him this season on May 11. Floyd's Tuesday mound opponent, Luke Hochevar, has had a difficult time getting people out in front of his home fans. In his past seven starts in Kansas City, Hochevar is 2-4 with a 6.47 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, allowing nine homers in 40⅓ innings. Start Floyd in deep fantasy formats on Tuesday.
Hitter matchup ratings for September 18
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 4 | 1 | 7 | 9 | | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | |
| | 8 | 10 | 2 | 6 | | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | |
| | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | | 10 | 10 | 2 | 2 | |
| | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | | 6 | 10 | 3 | 4 | |
| | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | | 6 | 8 | 2 | 5 | |
| | 8 | 10 | 5 | 6 | | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | |
| | 7 | 3 | 10 | 8 | | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | |
| | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | | 10 | 5 | 10 | 5 | |
| | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 9 | 4 | 10 | 3 | |
| | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | |
| | 6 | 7 | 3 | 7 | | 10 | 5 | 10 | 8 | |
| | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | | 4 | 1 | 6 | 4 | |
| | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | |
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.
• Joey Votto is hitting .358 with 10 of his 14 home runs against right-handed pitchers this season. He faces right-handed pitcher Justin Germano, who is holding left-handed batters to a .244 batting average this season.
• In his brief major league career, Oakland starter A.J. Griffin has enjoyed life on the road. The righty is 4-0 in five starts, having posted a 1.15 ERA and a WHIP of 0.99, while averaging nearly a strikeout per inning (31 in 31 1/3 innings). His unblemished record includes victories over high-scoring teams such as the Angels and Blue Jays, so you shouldn't be hesitant to start him against the Tigers.
• In two games against the Giants this season, Rockies lefty Jeff Francis is 0-2 with a 14.85 ERA. He has allowed 11 ER on 16 hits in only 6⅔ IP. Giants batters have an average of .457 against Francis.
• A.J. Pierzynski has been terrible in the month of September so far, going 9-for-45 (.200) with 2 HR and 2 RBIs entering Monday. He has also been terrible against Royals starter Luke Hochevar, batting 2-for-19 (.105) with no homers and 1 RBI against him for his career.
• Wei-Yin Chen has struggled in the month of September this season. The Orioles starter is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three starts.
• Lucas Duda of the Mets is having a stellar month of September. Entering Monday, his batting average is .306 in 36 at-bats with 7 RBIs. He is available in 73 percent of ESPN leagues and could be a great late-season addition.
• Adam Lind is 3-for-19 (.158) with eight strikeouts in his career against Andy Pettitte. However, he has hit eight home runs at the new Yankee Stadium, more than any visiting player on an active roster (Victor Martinez has 9).
Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers: Out indefinitely, sore hip. He was scratched from Sunday's start and will visit a hip specialist on Tuesday to determine the severity of his injury, which could reportedly keep him off a major league mound until next May if surgery is required.
Alex Avila, C, Tigers: Day-to-day, injured jaw. Avila was injured on Sunday when he collided with teammate Prince Fielder during a pop-up, but since there are no signs of a concussion, he should return to action shortly.
Brian McCann, C, Braves: Day-to-day, tendinitis in right hamstring. He left Saturday's game early with his injury and hasn't played since. However, McCann is expected to rejoin the lineup early this week.
Kenley Jansen, RP, Dodgers: Expected to return Tuesday, irregular heartbeat. Jansen has not pitched since Aug. 27 because of his heart condition, but has been cleared to rejoin the Dodgers on Tuesday. He could pitch a few innings as a setup man before reclaiming his closer role.
Joe Nathan, RP, Rangers: Day-to-day, "dead arm" phase. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 13, but expects to be available for Tuesday's contest.
Jed Lowrie, SS, Astros: Day-to-day, sore right leg. He did not play on Sunday because of his injury, but it doesn't appear to be very serious.
Edwin Encarnacion, DH, Blue Jays: Day-to-day, sore big toe on right foot. He was unable to play on Sunday due to his ailment, but he should return to action in a couple of days.
Danny Espinosa, 2B, Nationals: Day-to-day, left shoulder discomfort. He will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of his injury, but Espinosa is not expected to return to action until this weekend at the earliest.
Coco Crisp, OF, Athletics: Day-to-day, eye irritation. He did not play Sunday due to allergic conjunctivitis, an eye ailment. It's unclear when Crisp will rejoin the lineup.
Gregor Blanco, OF, Giants: Day-to-day, sore left shoulder. He injured himself on Saturday and has not played since. Expect him to miss a few more days before returning to the field. Justin Christian will play left field in Blanco's absence.
Chris Carpenter, SP, Cardinals: Expects to start Friday, thoracic outlet syndrome. Carpenter has not pitched yet this season because of his neck and shoulder injury, but he is the scheduled starter against the Cubs on Friday.
Aroldis Chapman, RP, Reds: Day-to-day, left shoulder fatigue. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 10, but expects to return to action by the middle of this week.
Michael Morse, OF, Nationals: Day-to-day, bone bruise in left wrist. He hasn't played since Sept. 11, but Morse hopes to return to the field on Tuesday.
Corey Hart, 1B, Brewers: Day-to-day, left foot injury. He hasn't played since Sept. 9, but the team hopes he will rejoin the lineup early this week.
Carlos Quentin, OF, Padres: Day-to-day, sore right knee. He hasn't played since Sept. 10, as he's been bothered by his surgically repaired knee. His return to action is still uncertain at this time.
Jason Hammel, SP, Orioles: Day-to-day, sore knee. It is unclear when Hammel will make his next start for Baltimore.
Lorenzo Cain, OF, Royals: Out for season, strained right hamstring. Jason Bourgeois expects to be the team's regular center fielder for the rest of 2012.
Xavier Nady, OF, Giants: Day-to-day, mild hamstring strain. He injured himself on Sept. 5 and hasn't played since. Nady should be back on the field in the early part of this week.
Sam Fuld, OF, Rays: Day-to-day, strained hamstring. He hurt himself running the bases on Sunday, but should be back to action by the end of the week.
Yunel Escobar, SS, Blue Jays: Day-to-day, illness. He did not play on Sunday due to flu-like symptoms, but should feel well enough to return to the lineup on Tuesday.
Alex Presley, OF, Pirates: Day-to-day, bruised foot. He was hit by a pitch on Friday and hasn't played since. It is unclear when Presley will be ready to play again.
James McDonald, SP, Pirates: Removed from rotation. The struggling McDonald (7.08 ERA in past 12 starts) will be replaced in the Pirates' rotation by Kyle McPherson.
Mike Olt, 1B, Rangers: Out one to two weeks, plantar fasciitis in right foot. An MRI taken Thursday confirmed his injury.
Wilson Betemit, 3B, Orioles: Likely out for season, wrist injury. He hurt himself in Friday's batting practice and his 2012 season is probably over. Jim Thome (neck) is expected to be ready later this week to be the regular DH for Baltimore.
