Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks for 4/21/2015: Melky Cabrera, Lance Lynn

Routinely I plan to give some more daily fantasy baseball advice. Although I don’t play a daily league, I understand how many other people do and would like to at least tap into that niche audience of immediate satisfaction.

As part of this ongoing series, I will give you one position and one pitcher I think can benefit your team greatly.

Fantasy Baseball Picks for 4/21/2015:

Position Player: Melky Cabrera vs. Carlos Carrasco

It’s okay to fear Carlos Carrasco, but Melky Cabrera has apparently not received the memo. The veteran outfielder is 6 for 11 lifetime against Carrasco without a single strikeout.

Cabrera has 1 home run with 5 RBIs and a pair of stolen bases off of Carrasco. He’s also 7 for his last 13 overall. This game is Carrasco’s first after getting hit in the face with a line drive, which happened to come off Cabrera’s bat. Carrasco pitched poorly that game before leaving and I suspect Cabrera will get the best of him once again.

Pitcher: Lance Lynn vs. the Washington Nationals

By djprybyl on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Today, Lance Lynn heads to the mound for his third start of the season. So far things have gone very well. He’s 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA and racking up strikeouts as expected.

Lynn’s numbers against the Nationals are pretty good too. The team is hitting only .227 against him with Danny Espinosa doing the most damage. His 18 strikeouts to 15 hits allowed also bodes well for your fantasy baseball team today.

More Hits on an Article about Dan Uggla Than He Has Since 2010

I wrote an article today for Innings Eaters about Dan Uggla making the 25-man roster for the Washington Nationals. Surprisingly, it’s been my most popular one yet as I am beginning to understand which articles get more hits than others a little better.

Right now it’s up to 612 hits. Since 2010, Uggla only has 525 of them. I’m not saying my writing should have done better in the Atlanta Braves’ lineup over the last few seasons, but I am saying they should have at least given me a chance.

Special thanks to Uggla for making the roster and giving me a great Easter Sunday as I challenge for my first 1,000 hit day on Innings Eaters.

By dbking on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as “IMG_3317”) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Fantasy Baseball Take on Ryan Zimmerman

The 2015 season for Ryan Zimmerman will be an interesting one as he’ll take over the role as starting first baseman for the Washington Nationals. He moves from third base where the distance to throw the ball across the diamond was becoming difficult for his frequently injured shoulder and arm.

The Nationals are very hopeful that limiting the amount of throwing can help keep Zimmerman healthy. First base has some sharp balls hit to it, but to a much lesser extent than playing the hot corner at third. His fielding will be more about catching line drives thrown to him than anything else.

For your fantasy baseball team, Zimmerman remains a risk. He played in only 61 games last season and there is always an adjustment period whenever a player moves to a new position. As much as he has a reputation for frequently being injured, Zimmerman has a pattern of two years healthy followed by an injury-plagued year. Last season is the only year he actually failed to reach 100 games in a season so the risk in drafting/signing/trading for him isn’t as dangerous as it may seem.

By dbking on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as “IMG_9230”) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

The problem with Zimmerman, though, is that he’s a first baseman. Because this is such a strong position, Zimmerman gets lost behind a lot of the other names with a bit more security attached to them. I still expect 20-25 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .275 batting average from him if healthy, but for a first baseman you’re going to want a lot more.

You will want to pay attention to Zimmerman’s eligibility as some leagues may still have him as a third baseman. If so, his value does go up a little bit.

Considering the Nationals’ lineup and Zimmerman’s placement somewhere around 5th or 6th, he should get plenty of opportunities to drive in runs. Again, injuries appear to be the only reason to dismiss Zimmerman completely. He’s still not a great option as a starting first baseman, however, as a bench player who can fill-in he’s incredibly valuable to have.

Lame Duck Years on Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals

Notable Upcoming Free Agents on Nationals, Orioles for 2016

By Keith Allison on Flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Harrisburg, PA Decides to Become a Washington Nationals’ Town

Philadelphia Phillies Dropped from Harrisburg, PA Radio Station

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2015 MLB Predictions: Jordan Zimmermann Wins the National League Cy Young Award

Ready for another groundbreaking and controversial prediction? Too bad because this isn’t too outlandish.

The addition of Max Scherzer this offseason has given the Washington Nationals everything they could ask for in terms of competing for a title. They already had a near-perfect team with one of baseball’s best starting rotations. In that rotation is the guy who I think will win the National League Cy Young Award, Jordan Zimmermann.

By MissChatter on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2013, Zimmermann had a breakout season. He won 19 games for the Nationals and finished 7th in the Cy Young Award voting. The next season he won 14 games, but with an ERA that dipped down to 2.66. He would finish 5th in the Cy Young Award voting this time around and has pushed himself up into a new echelon of starting pitchers.

There’s marked improved from Zimmermann from these two All-Star seasons. His strikeouts were up in 2014 and in spite of fewer wins he was a much more accomplished pitcher.

Zimmermann enters the 2015 season holding the strap for the last guy to pitch a no-hitter. He did so on the final game of the regular season. This momentum may not necessarily carry over however there’s no reason to dismiss the idea completely.

The reason I think Zimmermann has an advantage over anyone is the staff around him. Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg possibly pitching in front of him, there’s a weaker chance Zimmermann has to face opponents’ aces. Wins aren’t everything for Cy Young Award voting, but it certainly helps and could get Zimmermann over the hump.

By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

What’s this have to do with Pedro Martinez?

Although Pedro Martinez never pitched for the Washington Nationals, he did spend some time with the squad they used to be: the Montreal Expos. Martinez won the Cy Young in 1997 for them which just happened to be the only in franchise history.

Since moving to Washington, no man has dared capture the honor. That is of course until 2015 when Zimmermann bests the second place finisher, Clayton Kershaw. This is what I envision happening.

I predict big things for the Nationals and specifically Zimmermann in the coming season. He’ll earn this honor with a very low ERA and plenty of wins to justify calling him the best pitcher in the league for the 2015 season.

Do the New York Mets Have a Better Rotation than the Washington Nationals?

New York Mets’ rotation not far behind Washington Nationals’

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The One Thing the Washington Nationals are Missing: A Guarantee

The Washington Nationals have been very busy this offseason. At first, letting Adam LaRoche walk seemed like a step in the wrong direction. He gives them plenty of power, something they could still use more of.

Then they went out and surprised everyone by signing free agent pitcher Max Scherzer. He was the top free agent this offseason and they were the ones who won his services – for a small fee, of course.

After that, the Nationals suddenly became the favorite. There wasn’t much else the team could or has to do to be great. I already thought they had a good enough rotation to compete.

Today, they signed former Toronto Blue Jays’ closer Casey Janssen to a one-year deal where he’ll be counted on more as a regular relief pitcher instead of someone whose responsibility it is to close the game. Janssen gives them some assurance if Drew Storen fails. In the meantime, he gives them possibly the best bullpen in baseball.

By Keith Allison on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as “Casey Janssen”) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

The one thing the Nationals do not have is a guarantee. Will Bryce Harper stay healthy? Will Jayson Werth return from his injury and play at the level they need him to? Will Anthony Rendon have another great year? Will Max Scherzer be worth anywhere near what they’re paying him?

A guarantee is impossible in every aspect of life. Unfortunately for the Nationals, this is not something they can simply buy.

I love their lineup, rotation, and bullpen. Their bench is a bit weak, but benches don’t win you championships. I have a feeling they’ll add some sort of late-inning, pinch-hitting assassin around July to give them a bat off the bench late in games for the postseason. Even that, though, is no guarantee at victory.

Where’s Rafael Soriano Going to Sign?

During all of the talks about Jon Lester, Max Scherzer, and James Shields this offseason we neglected to realize Rafael Soriano was a free agent too. While far less talented and in a more limited role as a relief man or closer, Soriano is still someone who teams should look at before spring training begins.

Soriano spent the last two seasons with the Washington Nationals. They let him walk without so much as a thought about re-signing the 35-year-old veteran. He was a very dependable closer for the Nats in those two seasons and has been effective out of the bullpen for nearly his entire career. He posts a lifetime 2.85 ERA which many can’t claim.

By Alan Kotok on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Honestly, I have no idea where Soriano will sign. He could join the Houston Astros to become the team’s closer for a year or two and join an already growing bullpen. He may also join the Toronto Blue Jays; a team in desperate need for some help and guidance in late innings. Then there are the Detroit Tigers. They still have Joe Nathan as the projected closer. After the year he had in 2014, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually someone else takes over. Soriano could be the perfect setup man for him and a guy waiting in the wings if things go sour.

Considering Soriano has remained a free agent this long, the asking price has most likely gone down ever so slightly. He has shown no signs of regression, which is a bit confusing considering the lack of talk about him and where he’ll end up. I see a similar situation happening like it did with Ryan Madson after he left the Philadelphia Phillies following the 2011 season. I just hope, for Soriano’s sake, his career doesn’t turn out the same way with injuries and an attempted come back three years later.

The Washington Nationals and Max Scherzer?

New reports are saying the Washington Nationals are the front-runners at signing free agent pitcher Max Scherzer. The deal would give Scherzer 7 years and what we can assume is more money than necessary.

The Nationals already have Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez, Tanner Roark, and Scherzer’s old Detroit Tigers’ teammate Doug Fister in the rotation. If the Nationals do sign Scherzer, my guess is that Zimmermann or Gonzalez would be traded.

I still have my doubts that the Nationals will actually sign Scherzer because other teams are in much more dire need of pitching. However, based on Strasburg’s low contract he agreed to over the weekend, maybe this was a foreshadow of things to come.

By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA (Max Scherzer) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons