Hitting his Strider
Rotation spot makes Braves hurler worthy fantasy add
NO ONE ever wants to be the last pick for a team. No one every wants to feel they’ve been overlooked by anyone — whether it’s friends, family or prospective teammates.
But going unnoticed isn’t always a bad thing. You have a bigger chance to exceed expectations and make yourself noticed. In fantasy baseball, it’s often these neglected players who provide the biggest boosts for your squad.
Over 11 games as a reliever for Atlanta, Spencer Strider was 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 13.7 strikeouts per nine and a .167 opponents’ average.
As expected, though, the Braves made him a member of the rotation.
Before dominating the Pirates over 5 2/3 innings Friday night (eight strikeouts, 18.5 percent swinging-strike rate), Strider hadn’t pitched deep into games in his first two starts, and his numbers (0-1, 4.32 ERA, 1.56 WHIP) were uninspiring (outside of the 13 strikeouts per nine and .194 opponents’ average). But they didn’t tell the whole story.
Strider made his first start against Arizona on May 30. Though he allowed five runs (three earned) and walked two over just 4 ¹/3 innings, the Braves defense did him no favors by making a pair of inexcusable errors. Strider was dominant, striking out seven while registering a 13.9 percent swingingstrike rate and throwing 51 of his 72 pitches for strikes. He also threw 22 pitches that were at least 99 mph. Strider’s second start was at Colorado, where he allowed only one earned run over four innings while striking out and walking five. He was out of control, but did strike out 26.3 percent of the batters he faced. Despite walking 12.3 percent of the batters he has faced, the worst mark in the majors among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings pitched, Strider leads the league with his 36.8 percent strikeout rate. He also had the seventh-lowest opponents’ average (.176), the fourthbest swinging-strike rate (15.7) and the eighth-best ERA in the National League (2.35). Opponents are hitting .184 with a 29 percent whiff rate against his fastball, which he throws 71.2 percent of the time and averages 98.4 mph (tops out at 101 mph), and .179 with a 52.3 percent whiff rate against his slider. His expected stats also don’t indicate any massive regression, either. He has an xERA of 3.21, and his FIP (1.99) and xFIP (2.82) actually show he has been unlucky. All of this prois duction came from a pitcher who more than 80 percent available in ESPN leagues.
Despite his control issues, Roto Rage believes Strider is a pitcher worth noticing.
Miami’s Edward Cabrera — who is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 9.8 strikeouts per nine and a 13.5 percent swinging strike rate — made himself the most noticed pitcher in ESPN leagues this week. After taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning in his first start at Colorado, fanning nine with a 18.1 percent swinging strike rate, he backed that up Tuesday by allowing one run over six innings against the Nationals.
Though the 24-year-old is worth adding (65 percent available), especially in dynasty leagues, there will be bumps in the road. Not only is he walking 4.5 per nine, but his 3.32 xERA, 4.31 FIP and 4.65 xFIP all indicate significant regression, and his .080 BABIP is highly unsustainable.
Tampa Bay’s Jeffrey Springs (30 percent rostered) has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first seven starts. He is 1-2 with a 2.12 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 34-7 strikeoutwalk rate and .218 opponents’ average in those starts, and has lasted 5 2/3 innings or more in each of his past four starts while maintaining a 1.62 ERA and .207 opponents average. What else does this guy have to do to get fantasy owners to notice him?