ASK ROTOMAN: Who Do I Cut?

Hi. My team name is Honey Nut Ichiros and I am currently in a Yahoo Fantasy League. Which of the following pitchers should I drop to allow space for Kershaw back from DL?

 Travis Wood
Carlos Martinez
Luke Gregerson
Tyler Clippard

“#mustbethehoney”

Dear MBTH:

Lucky you. Kershaw sure looked good his first game back from the DL.

In the preseason I had these four ranked: Martinez, Wood, Clippard, Gregerson.

I had Gregerson projected for two saves on the year, and he managed to get three while filling in for the demoted Jim Johnson back in mid-April. But it has been three weeks since he’s saved a game (and he’s blown three), and Johnson is back in the saddle. Well, sort of. He did save last night’s game.

Gregerson has some chance of getting more saves, so let’s look at the other guys.

Tyler Clippard’s ERA looks fine, but he’s walking six hitters per nine innings pitched, and he’s allowed some homers. His xERA is nearly 4.00. While he’s the likely Closer in Waiting in Washington, and saved a bunch of games in 2012, Rafael Soriano has a pretty good hold on the job for now.

Gregerson hasn’t been as dominating as Clippard, but he’s throwing better. Of these two, I’d release Clippard.

The other reliever you mentioned is Carlos Martinez. There was some thought he’d get a chance to start this year, and he’s enough of a talent to expect he’ll be a very good starter right off the bat, when he gets the chance. Curiously, he’s not been a dominant reliever, striking out 14 in 18.3 innings. He’s the Closer in Waiting in St. Louis, for now, but with Jason Motte expected back by the end of the month, and Trevor Rosenthal mostly getting the job done, Martinez’s value lies in a move into the rotation at some point.

I’m still leaning toward releasing Clippard, but Martinez has to pitch better and change roles to truly warrant that support. I think the chance that he will is reason enough to hold onto him.

Finally, Travis Wood. His ERA stinks, but in all other respects he looks exactly like the pitcher he was last year. That’s an innings-eating starter who should have a 3.75 to 4.00 ERA and decent WHIP. Not a huge earner, but a reliable and necessary cog on a team that has Clayton Kershaw to move the big gear.

There you have it: Cut Tyler Clippard, by a hair.

Sweetly,
Rotoman

 

 

1 thought on “ASK ROTOMAN: Who Do I Cut?”

  1. Thank you so much! Awesome response and plenty of detail. Will definitely bookmark and come back for
    more wise words!

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