CheeseIsGood's Million Dollar Musings: Monday, April 5th
Happy Monday! MLB has spread the games out throughout the day, which leaves us with a manageable seven-game main slate. With the exception of the Mets, these teams are all down to the bottom of the rotation which leaves us with some very dicey options. Let’s get right into it and see what we can find.
MONDAY NIGHT PITCHING
You know how sometimes you show up late to the donut shop? This is never a good idea and I do not recommend it. Everything is picked over and there is something like half a tray of powdered donuts with almost no sugar left on them, and then one tray of plain glazed that have gone cold. Then, just as you’re about to give up, the donut genie walks out from the back with a fresh baked Boston crème donut and says ‘last one, you want it?’. That’s Jacob deGrom. You really have no choice; you’re obviously getting that one. If it’s a DraftKings donut shop, you still need to grab one of those old glazed as well, but in the FanDuel donut shop, you’re all set with just the one.
There’s really nothing to think about. The only case to be made at all for not getting the Boston crème is if it costs something like $11,000, but even then, just get it.
Seriously, at the absolute worst, deGrom is the third best pitcher in all of baseball, though more likely, the first best, which I believe is just called the best. Because salary cap is a thing, I’m not saying you have to lock button deGrom into 100% of tournament lineups in his first start, but if you play cash games without him, you’re just being silly.
OK, now here’s the case not to lock button deGrom. We are not seeing any pitchers throw 100 pitches in their first start, and very few even getting up past 90. Jacob deGrom can still go seven innings here, but it’s less of a certainty then at any other time. The whole problem is, you need to play a pitcher, and he’s just it. I won’t know until I start building lineups, but I expect to be somewhere around 75% deGrom on FD and 80% on DK.
If you’re not trying to score the most points at pitcher, here are your options:
Dustin May at Oakland
Frankie Montas vs LA Dodgers
Carlos Rodon at Seattle
Trevor Williams vs Brewers
Justus Sheffield vs White Sox
Adrian Morejon vs San Francisco
Jose Quintana vs Houston
Michael Wacha at Boston
Nick Pivetta vs Tampa
Anthony Desclafani at Padres
Matt Moore vs Mets
Luis Garcia at Angels