by Will Overton
We have a good mix of performers right now in fantasy baseball. We have players who are putting it on the line to help their team reach the postseason such as Anibal Sanchez and David Price did last night. And we have a group of guys who are making an impression for next season such as Russ Canzler and Nate Eovaldi.
I have all of it covered and more in this morning’s Around The Majors:
- The Tigers are getting a return on their trade for Anibal Sanchez and so are the fantasy owners who stuck by him. Sanchez turned in his best performance of the season last night, a complete game shutout, allowing three hits and striking out 10 batters. This was the sixth quality start turned in by Sanchez in his last seven games and he has 25 K’s in his last 21.1 IP.
- A hot September can’t make fantasy owners forget how bad Justin Smoak has been the rest of the season, but it certainly doesn’t hurt matters. Smoak was 2 – 3 last night with a pair of HR’s. Smoak is now 16 – 33 in his last 9 games with 4 HR’s. He now also has 14 HR’s on the road, while only 4 in Safeco. It doesn’t explain the average, but clearly the power could be a lot better somewhere else.
- I think any fear about Zack Greinke pitching in LA next season has been put to rest, if Greinke stays in LA he should be just fine. Last night he went just 5 IP, but he struck out 13 batters and allowed only one run. This is now seven straight games of allowing two or less runs and he has 31 K’s in his last 28.1 IP.
- While Donovan Solano has done a fine job filling in for Miami in the infield, his numbers have certainly not been eye popping. But last night he went deep not once, but twice, for his first and second HR’s of the season. Solano has provided a steady average, but not a whole lot of offensive output beyond that.
- Auditioning for a spot on next season’s roster, Russ Canzler has gone deep in back to back games, and he is also hitting .296 since being called up at the beginning of this month. Canzler showed good power in the minor leagues, and while I think his ceiling as a major leaguer might be limited he could provide some solid pop to an Indians lineup that sorely missed it this season.
- Last night David Price made a statement about who the AL Cy Young should be and I think it was heard loud and clear. Price threw a complete game, allowing two runs and striking out 13 batters on his way to his 19th win. Price cleared 200 K’s for the second season in a row and there is no doubt he’s among the fantasy elite at starting pitcher going into next season.
- Going out with a bang, Wilin Rosario just keeps on smack the baseball in Colorado. Rosario picked up two hits last night and is now 14 – 21 in his last five games. Rosario also hit his second HR in three games, which was his 27th HR of the season. Rosario certainly looks like a guy who should be a top ten catcher next season.
- Sitting atop the Cardinals lineup, Jon Jay keeps on producing. Last night Jay went 2 – 5 with 1 R, 2 RBI and 1 SB. An injury midseason derailed Jay a bit this year, but a full healthy season could produce a hitter capable of close to 100 R and 30 SB as the leadoff hitter of this team.
- September continues to be a good month for Jaime Garcia who threw seven shutout innings last night and is now 3 – 1 this month with a 2.45 ERA. Garcia struck out five batters last night walked none. The way he’s been pitching I think it’s safe to use him in his final start of the season next Monday against the Reds.
- The Marlins as well as fantasy baseball players have to like what they’ve seen out of Nate Eovaldi as we head down the stretch run of the season. Eovaldi was coming off eight shutout innings going into last night and he kept the momentum going. Against the Braves he allowed just two runs in six innings and he a season high eight batters. We haven’t seen all of what Eovaldi is capable of this season, especially in terms of K numbers, but these last few starts are building some confidence for next season. I think Eovaldi makes a solid spot start on Sunday against the Phillies.
