When it comes to fantasy baseball, Stephen Strasburg is quite the enigma.
On one hand, you have the must-start superstar ace who strikes out half the batters he faces while giving up little else. On the other hand, you have the run-of-the-mill version of the must-start superstar who gives up a considerable number of runs and strikes out half the batters he faces.
Through four starts this season, Strasburg is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. Outside of his 33 strikeouts, these are not the numbers you’re expecting from a Top 5 pitcher — the must-start ace with a 31.2 average draft position, according to Fantasypros.com. His numbers are about as much of a fantasy as seeing Bud Selig in a bikini going down the slide in Milwaukee while sitting in Bernie Brewer’s lap.
But, as with Felix Hernandez, Yu Darvish, Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright, benching Strasburg is never a realistic option because you know what he can be and, unfortunately, you are never quite sure when that Strasburg will show up. It’s infuriating, but you put up with it because, even if he wins just 10 games this season, he has the potential to win weeks for you with one amazing performance.
Not every pitcher, however, possesses this quality that makes you say, “I can’t sit him, he’s too good.” There are pitchers who, when it comes to fantasy, you must sit or, at the very least, keep an eye on after a few bad starts until they get their acts together. With that in mind, here are some pitchers — starters and relievers — who may not be having the starts you envisioned and what you should do with them:
Homer Bailey, Reds: There’s nothing positive to say about Bailey. His first three starts have been so bad, he has been dropped in almost 5 percent of ESPN leagues — and this is a pitcher with a 94.6 ADP. While Roto Files believes dropping Bailey and his ugly 8.16 ERA and 2.02 WHIP is a bit drastic at this point, benching him (even for his start Sunday against the Cubs) is highly advisable. Some quick fix options to consider as Bailey tries to figure things out: Houston’s Scott Feldman (owned in 48 percent of ESPN leagues), Atlanta’s Aaron Harang (63.7 percent), San Diego’s Edinson Volquez (12.5 percent), the Mets’ Jenrry Mejia (3.7 percent) or Bailey’s teammate, Alfredo Simon (16.9 percent).
Jered Weaver, Angels: It’s hard to believe this is the same pitcher who went 113-60 with a 3.24 ERA from 2006-13. His 1.13 WHIP is his only saving grace, as his 5.79 ERA, 0-2 record and 17 strikeouts are far from what was expected with his 111.2 ADP. Bench him until he proves he can be reliable.
Joe Nathan, Tigers: There have been some bumps in the road for the veteran closer (hence his bloated 7.94 ERA and 1.94 WHIP going into Friday’s games), including a “dead arm” scare and two blown saves early in the season. But, we can chalk this up to him being in a new home. He’ll be fine, and his scoreless appearances on Sunday and Thursday are a good sign of the direction he’s headed in.
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