FANTASY BASEBALL:

TAIJUAN, USE THE FORCE (Pitcher Trade Market)

 

By Muntradamus

 

Previously on Pitcher Trade Market (NATIONAL GIOGRAPHIC).

Warning. The Players Below have had Huge Shifts in value since their last start.

BUY

GIO GONZALEZ – WAS

Last Start: 7 INN/0 ER/9 K (Win)

MAT LATOS – MIA

Last Start: 6.1 INN/1 ER/6 K (Win)

SELL

SCOTT KAZMIR – OAK

Last Start: 6 INN/3 ER (2 HR)/6 K

ERA from 0.99 to 1.62

TREVOR BAUER – CLE

Last Start: 4.1 INN/6 ER/1 K

ERA from 1.80 to 3.38

BEAST DOME NATION.

Another article where you would have been five steps ahead of the game if you would of acted on. This week I will go over a few more pitchers I would Buy/Sell as we are now approaching the middle of May.  To switch things up, I have included a couple of closers who need to be exchanged while their value is where it currently stands.

BUY

CHRIS TILLMAN – BAL – SP

2 Wins/20 K/6.23 ERA

Chris Tillman has been a BEAST DOME legend since his first days with the Orioles. He was heavily recommended as a MUST-START player down the stretch of his 2012 campaign, and was followed up in 2013 as the Highest Ranked on FantasyPros by myself when he finished with a 16 win season along with joining the American League in the All-Star game. This 2015 season has not started out strong for Tillman who has pitched well against Tampa Bay, and been crushed against everyone else. Still, Tillman is a confidence type of pitcher and he will build off of his nice start from Friday allow 2 ER over 7 INN with 7 Ks. Chris Tillman is an ACE and the Orioles need him to pitch like one to compete in the AL EAST.

His asking price is very low and it is best to not make him the centerpiece of the deal and instead a side dish to an offensive need. Some owners may want to see what happens, you need to grab him now while you can at this low value.

BRETT CECIL – TOR – RP

2 Saves/8 K/4.50 ERA

Cecil started the season rough and was even pulled from the Closers job early. Recently the Blue Jays gave him his old spot back and he shutdown the Yankees for a Save to get his confidence back. First thing I have to say, the Jays have a very weak bullpen. So even though he lost the job temporarily, there is nobody in that bullpen who can hold down the job. Now that we got that out of the way let us talk about why you should trade for Cecil.

1. He is a Strikeout King. Even though his numbers do not show it now. This is a closer who can easily reach 65-70 Ks before the season is done.

2. The Jays are playing as bad as they can play. With Reyes injured and none of the Big 3 (Donaldson/Bautista/Encarnacion) doing much. The Jays are slipping away and a lot of people are giving up faith. Once these guys turn it on and Reyes is healthy, the wins will be there for the Jays, which means the 27+ Saves will be there for Cecil.

Buy him Low while his asking price is a stick of gum and a one hit wonder.

NEFTALI FELIZ – TEX – RP

3 Saves/12 K/4.76 ERA

The Ranges have started this season just about as bad as any team can start. They lost their ace Derek Holland in the 1st INN of his home debut. Adrian Beltre who is a KING at 3B is doing nothing. Prince Fielder still has lost all his power since going vegetarian and Choo/Andrus are not doing much. Though out of nowhere, this team may be finding their groove after their comeback win against AL West leaders Houston Astros in Houston. It was the type of comeback that can lead to a hot stretch. When that hot stretch comes for the Rangers, so will the saves for Neftali who has a save in 1/3 of the teams wins. You do the math to see how that adds up over the course of a 82-82 season. Okay I will do the math, around 27 Saves. This guy has All-Star potential when he is on his game.

TAIJUAN WALKER – SEA – SP

1 Win/23 K/8.73

Maybe on your local Waiver Wire. BEAST DOME legend Taijuan “Sky” Walker is doing just about everything he can do to be on a Waiver Wire. He has had 2 BEAST starts, and 3 starts that will make you turn quicker on him than Mariah Carey did on Eminem. Still, there is reason to hold faith with young Skywalker. First, this guy has unhittable pitches. I know the numbers above would say the complete opposite, but this is a guy who threw 20+ scoreless INN during Spring Training and has dominated multiple times in his young MLB Career. Skywalker is so good, the Mariners traded away Michael Pineda to clear room for him in the rotation.

The season is young and the Mariners are desperate to have him find his groove. Even if he does go to the minors for a couple of starts, you still have to hold on and wait for this kid to find his stuff. We are talking potential 7 INN/0 ER/9K per start when he is on his game.

SELL

BARTOLO COLON – NYM – SP

5 Wins/34 K/2.90 ERA

Don’t look now. Bartolo Colon is a top 5 pitcher according to CBS. After another dominating performance against the Orioles on Monday, it is easy to sucker people in and trade Bartolo for actual value. Colon has somehow been putting up solid numbers for a few consecutive seasons after it appeared all was gone when he was caught in the steroid scandal a few years back. Colon still throws in the high 80s very low very low 90s, and still is making a living being a ground ball BEAST on the mound. Now that he recorded a 9K game, which is very high for Bartolo. The time has come to trade him away for a good pitcher. I am talking Gio Gonzalez good and if you really want to make things interesting. Go after Francisco Liriano and you can probably get a little more.

ANDREW MILLER – NYY – RP

11 Saves/23 K/0.00 ERA

These numbers are as good as it gets right here. There is no going up in value, there is just continuing this pace which could easily land Andrew Miller as the top closer this season. While everything seems perfect now, it is a good time to Sell as High as possible and even land a STUD BEAST in Kenley Jansen or go after a struggling Neftali Feliz and get a BEAST starting pitcher as well.

The truth is, Dellin Betances is probably the best setup man in the MLB. If anything were to happen with Andrew Miller as far as minor injury, to a couple of blown saves in a row. The door is open for Betances and it may never come back to Andrew Miller. While at this point it would have to be something drastic for Miller to lose the job, the point is once the thought of Betances entering the closers role becomes a reality. That can be the end of Andrew Miller and his #1 overall RP value that he currently owns.

 

JEURYS FAMILIA – NYM – RP

11 Saves/17 K/1.88 ERA

Let us keep this in the BEAST Familia. While Jeurys may be a BEAST and at times can be unhittable. The Mets are not this good, and eventually the Marlins and Nationals are going to overtake them in the NL East and then the Mets will be battling with Atlanta and beating Philly. Familia is a good closer talent wise, but now is the time to sell high and focus on improving something your team needs. It may be a SS (Nobody in the BEAST DOME NATION struggling at SS) or it may just be an upgrade at catcher. Point is, now is the time to move Familia while he has this type of value, especially if you are in a shallow league where Feliz and Cecil may be on the Waiver Wire.

JAKE ODORIZZI – TB – SP

3 Wins/32 K/2.21 ERA

Once a young superstar coming up in the Tampa Farm System, Odorizzi is finally showing off that BEAST potential. After back-2-back strong starts and a good season overall, Jake is throwing numbers that makes Max Scherzer owners wonder if they should waited on pitching. While Odo is looking like a BEAST now, and has been great against the Red Sox in his career. The AL East is too challenging and Jake is more likely to face tougher times from here then improve on these numbers. Of course the Wins and the Strikeouts will rise with more starts, but that ERA should creep into the mid 3.50 range when it is all said and done. It does not help that the Rays are easily the worst team in the AL East which means that losing attitude will soon be with all those players.

If you can land Gio Gonzalez or even last week’s mention in Yordano Ventura, pull the trigger and do not look back. Odorizzi is good, but consider this my Trevor Bauer pick.

 

MUNTRADAMUS AWARDS

#1 OVERALL 2015 FANTASY FOOTBALL PICK. WEDNESDAY NIGHT

MUNTRADAMUS HITTER YARD SALE. THURSDAY NIGHT