Wandy Rodriguez:
Joe touched on Wandy’s elite peripherals prior to this start and he stayed on a roll on Thursday shutting down the Phillies over 7 innings, allowing just 1 ER on 5 hits and 1 bb, while striking out 6. After showing some horrible peripherals early in the season Wandy has rebounded in a magnificent way, posting 11 quality starts in his last 12 outings and lowering his ERA from 5.64 to 3.87. I bailed too early on Wandy this year as his curveball wasn’t as effective and he just wasn’t getting swings and misses, but after three months of xFIPs in the mid 4’s, he’s posted xFIP’s below 3.30 for the last 2 months. He’s on a roll and should be trusted in all formats. My apologies to those who took my advice as a I basically sold at the absolute low on Wandy and he’s been an ace ever since. Bad advice on my part and very willing to own it.
Jordan Zimmermann:
Zimmermann returned to the major league mound for the first time since undergoing Tommy John Surgery last season and while the results weren’t there the outing should be considered a success. Zimmermann cruised through the first 3 innings, but ran into trouble in the 4th when he allowed the first 5 batters to reach and 4 of them came across to score. He finished the outing having allowed 5 ER’s on 7 hits and 1 bb in 4 innings. He did strike out 4 continuing to flash the good k rate he showed last season (9.07 K/9), but was a little shaky with command throwing just 42 of his 70 pitches for strikes. This is not unusual for guys recovering from Tommy John (as we’ve seen with Edinson Volquez) so don’t be too alarmed. Given that Zimmermann is expected to be on a tight pitch count that will limit him from working much beyond 5 innings and he’ll be pitching through some rust; he’s not much of a fantasy consideration for this season. But for those in keeper or dynasty formats that can pry Zimmermann at a cheap price he’s a perfect target for non-contending teams. In his rookie season Zimmermann flashed elite peripherals: 9.07 K/9, 2.86 BB/9 along with an acceptable 43% GB Rate. A .339 BABIP led by a 24% LD Rate allowed made the production look worse than the skills suggest, but once Zimmermann refines his command in the zone and brings that LD Rate down, he’s going to be an excellent SP. He posted a career 2.60 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 235 minor league innings and profiles as a #2-#3 SP in the future.
Logan Morrison:
Schuyler pretty much nailed my thoughts on Logan Morrison a few days ago but after another 2-hit night that included 2 2B’s and 2 BB’s, I feel compelled to touch on the young Marlin again. So far we’ve seen elite plate discipline from the just turned 23 year old, as he’s posted a 12% BB Rate and just a 22% Outside Zone Swing Rate, which is low for a player of his age. The power hasn’t quite come around yet at the major league level (.099 ISO) but that’s really dragged down by the fact he hasn’t homered yet. His XBH Rate in August is a solid 11.25% and his EYE in August is a fantastic 1.06. Much like teammate Gaby Sanchez he’s already shown the ability to get on base which has translated into good run production and hit for a high average (.320, 27% LD Rate). There will be adjustment periods for the youngster but he’s making fantastic progress in his big league debut and the power will eventually come. In re-draft formats we’re looking at a AVG-Runs guy the rest of this year, while dynasty and keeper league owners can look forward to an elite 4 category bat in the future.
Alcides Escobar:
It certainly doesn’t feel like it since Escobar has hit just .248/.302/.336 this season, but he’s actually making some very nice improvements at the plate this year. As we’ve mentioned before he’s doubled his BB Rate, lowered his K Rate, increased his ISO and his LD Rate to a very solid 22%. Those are all significant positives for the 23 year old and are reasons dynasty owners should consider Escobar as a prime trade target. The mild production coupled with a decrease in SB attempts could make Escobar a cheap target. He actually compares quite favorably to Elvis Andrus who has emerged as a Top 10 fantasy SS this season.
Ian Desmond:
Desmond stayed hot on Thursday going 4-7 in the Nationals 13-inning win over the Cardinals. A couple days ago Thomas profiled Desmond’s season, noting the solid power-speed combination but wanting a bit more in the plate discipline department. The good news is a break into Desmond’s hot August, shows he’s taken some of those steps forward. Desmond’s BB Rate is up to a respectable 7% in August (5% for the season), and he’s cut his K’s down to a modest 15% Rate (20% for the season). Now sure its just one month and Desmond struck out at a 19% clip for his minor league career, but the improvement in his BB Rate is in line with his minor league numbers and at 25, in his first full season, its possible we’re seeing some real growth here. The hot streak is being aided by a .400 BABIP so I wouldn’t get too excited about the batting average boost, but the improved BB Rate has translated to more SBA (5 SB’s in August) which is a good sign for a player that averaged 20+ SB’s throughout his minor league career. With power in the 10-15 HR range that profiles to expand closer to 15-20 and a 20 SB threat, Desmond should be a solid MI option for fantasy owners over the next 4-5 years.
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