Michael Pineda (SP-NYY)
Michael Pineda was masterful today as he picked up his third win pitching 7 innings of 1 run ball while striking out 7. He was extremely fortunate last year as his startling comeback from a 2 year layoff was supported by a .233 BABIP, a 5.4% FB/HR rate and a 80% Strand Rate. This season he has seen a complete reversal of fortune as he has posted a 69% Strand Rate, a 9% FB/HR rate and a .347 BABIP. There are two certainties with Pineda. The man can miss bats as he has maintained an elite 11+% Swinging Strike Rate. Second, he has experienced a significant decline in velocity from 94 mph in 20111 with Seattle to barely over 90 mph this season. Which Pineda will emerge this season is hard to predict but I would argue that the decline in velocity is still cause for concern. On the plus side he has introduced a new change-up that has fooled batters thus far and he is committed to throwing it more often. The effectiveness of his slider was good today as opposed to his other starts in the early going. It is still only April, so maybe the velocity will start to rise, but I think that his long term results could be uncertain until it does.
Rick Porcello (SP-Bos)
Rick Porcello gave up 4 runs on 6 hits with 7 K's in a no decision outing today. Porcello had a nice season last year and would appear to be a quality addition to the Red Sox staff. How strong an impact he will have will depend on making some adjustments. Porcello has been prone to the long ball during his career and the move from the friendly confines of Comerica to Fenway could be an issue for him. He gave up a 2 run HR to Jimmy Paredes in in the 4th inning today. Porcello is not a big strikeout pitcher so he will have to induce groundballs to be effective. The placement of his sinker is especially important and it has been reported that he is working on it in bullpen sessions in the early going. Since he pitches to contact, Porcello will have to keep his groundball rate above 50% or trouble is ahead. He is sitting at 46.8% after today's game.
Danny Salazar (SP-Cleve)
After a spectacular start to the season, Salazar continued him dominance today with a 7 inning 1 run performance while striking out 11 and walking 3 for his 2nd win. Danny Salazar has as much potential for a breakout this season as any other pitcher in the AL. After a brutal start in 2014, where he pitched to a 5.53 ERA, the league hit .295 against him, and he found himself back in the minors, Salazar turned it all around in the 2nd half. He posted a 3.50 ERA with more than a K/ inning while holding the opposition batters to a .252 BA. Salazar has electric stuff with a 95 mph fastball and a good change. While he was hurt a bit with his slider, Salazar still had an absolutely stellar 11% swinging strikeout rate last season. To fully understand his potential, you need only look at his 14.6% swinging strike rate in 2013 when he also recorded an outstanding 67% first strike rate. Salazar's xFIP was nearly a run lower than his 4.25 ERA so he definitely underperformed his underlying peripherals last season. If Salazar can just improve the rotation on his slider, and control his tendency for a high walk rate, he could have the breakout we all predict as early as this year.
Manny Machado (3B- Baltimore) $4100
Manny Machado had 5 hits over his last three games including 2 HR's and he was 1-5 today. Machado is coming off a 2014 season where he battled knee injuries yet still managed to hit 12 HR's and bat .278 in just 354 plate appearances. He has a good approach at the plate and while his bat speed has ranged from average to slightly above early in his career, he makes strong contact. Approaching 23 years old, and a former top 3 pick on the June 2010 Amateur Draft, Machado has great potential for development as long as he recovers fully from surgery on both knees. He seems to be catching fire now so I would pencil him in as a good DraftKings 3B option at $4100 on Saturday.
Desmond Jennings (OF-TB)
Desmond Jennings has gotten off to a slow start to the season and he showed some life with a 2-4 effort today. Jennings was hampered by a sore knee last season so hopefully a return to health will see him continue to steal bases at the rate he has to begin this season. He has 5 so far and his upside in this category alone will guarantee his value in fantasy circles. However, there has been only 1 extra base hit in 2015 and he is batting .217 on the season. A lot had been expected from Jennings in his early career and now at 28 he should be entering his prime. Jennings has average contact skills and bat speed but we are stuck on the notion that he should have produced better results. He just looks like one of those players who will be a yearly disappointment to those of us who rightly or wrongly expected much more from him.
@stevietheshu
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