Updated Pitch or Ditch Category Chart (6/24)
Hey guys,
Hot off the press, here’s an updated version of our Pitch or Ditch category chart:
For those of you who are new to the chart, here’s how it works.
In an effort to help you make those all important Pitch or Ditch decisions, the 411 tribunal of Mike, Cory and I have divided all the starting pitchers in the Majors into five groups: Aces, Pitch or Ditch Graduates, Pitch or Ditch guys, DTMs and Indifferents.
The difference between Indifferent and DTM is that Indifferent refers to guys who we simply have no interest starting at this time. DTMs are pitchers who we’ve lost patience in but used to seriously consider starting at some point in the recent past.
Here’s a list of the notable changes that we’ve made since the last version of the chart posted a few weeks ago:
PROMOTIONS
Carrasco PoD to grad
Liriano PoD to grad
Britton PoD to grad
Vargas PoD to grad
Wolf PoD to grad
Pelfrey DTM to PoD
Karstens indifferent to PoD
DEMOTIONS
Floyd grad to PoD
Hammel grad to PoD
Correia grad to PoD
Carmona PoD to DTM
Happ PoD to DTM
Volstad PoD to DTM
Westbrook PoD to indifferent
Cook PoD to indifferent
Let us know what you think!
-Zach
mlbtstufantasy411
I’ve never seen this chart, but I love it! One question though, how soon until Ian Kennedy gets bumped up to ACE status?
Trace,
It takes more than three very good months to earn ace status but if Kennedy keeps this up for another month or so he might get there.
Zach
The hot corner has been a serious headache position for a lot of teams this season and I’ve found myself with an over abundance lately.
Prado was my primary 3b pre staff infection, and after some shuffling and some drops by other owners I’ve ended up with Freese, Wigginton, Peralta, and Prado. Obviously Prado is a keeper and a healthy freese is a great add, I’m curious on Wigginton vs Peralta. Both have been have decent power numbers lately, but I’m curious on who you give the edge too, I’m leaning towards Peralta, but Wigginton is going to see regular playing time in the best hitters park in the nation.
14 team mixed league head to head 5×5. Thanks for the input as always!
Clif,
Yeah, I’d give the edge to Peralta due to his consistency. Wigginton did get off to a terrible start this year and is a very streaky player. Keep in mind that a good chunk of his homers and RBIs have come in the last week so I wouldn’t go too crazy overvaluing him right now.
Zach
Zach ,
I really need an experts advice. I was about to drop dempster for Garza as sugested yesterday, when I was offered Tim Lincecum for Tulo, or any outfielder. They want a player they can have as a keeper at the end of the year. They will consider infielders as well. I am in a 12 team mix Keeper league ,and have never made a trade in Fantasy Baseball before. The other teams wants to win now, and I am not sure I have the ability to offer them a player without doing damage to my line up for this year. Since we can keep two players I was planning on Keeping Tulo and Lee as my keepers. Should I make this trade or stay with what I have and pick up Garza for Dempster and be done with it. Do you see a package of two or one player that works for this trade. From watching the show I learned that Pitching always is second to a good hitter so maybe this is a mistake since my Leagues regular season ends on July 31st. I have the following infield ,and outfield players to choose from:
Miguel Olivo,
Gaby Sanchez,
Rickie Weeks,
Chase Headley,
Troy Tulowitzki,
Tsuyoshi Nishioka,
Eric Hosmer,
Justin Upton,
Michael Bourn,
Charlie Blackmon
Angel Pagan
Ben Zobrist,
Anthony Rizzo
Matt Joyce,
Derek Jeter
Mike Napoli
My Pitchers are:
Hernandez
Lee
Lilly
Kiroda
Dempster
Carrasco
Thanks for all the help in advance. I am having fun this season, and your show adds to it. Great year no matter what happens.
Herman
Herman,
Pass. Tulo is your best player and an elite hitter is always more valuable than an elite pitcher. As great as Lincecum is, he’s simply not enough of a return for Tulo.
Zach
Sorry I forgot my relievers are Putz, Axford and Bailey.
Hey Zach,
13 team roto keeper 7×7…
Have a guy wanting Arod, but his offer is uninteresting in Salas! Contemplating asking him Jose Reyes for Arod. Would still like Salas, so may offer him Neise for Salas, being that I need more saves and he just lost Oswalt. I know 3rd is the hot spot and unfortunatly the best I can fill it with from my team is Placido… Your thoughts?
Also, how long is too long to wait for another manager to decide on a trade? Emailed, Facebooked him, and his brother, still no word for over a week.
Cheers as always,
G
Sorry Zach, couldnt wait, had to pull the trigger. With what you were saying before about not worrying about players whom arent on my keeper preferences, I just dropped Lawrie and grabbed Broxton from the waiver wire. Is it a realistic goal to have Broxton p/up 18 saves and 45+ K’s by seasons end? Figure with Jono coming off DL hopefully on Friday, he will slip into the closer role in 2 weeks, and I wont even bother with Salas. Reason for dropping Lawrie is I am 26 saves and 54 K’s behind the league leader, with 130 innings in the bank still for favourable matchups. Plus Lawrie, Corey was saying on the show may not come up til August and by then the chocies may already be out of my reach.
G
Ps tell me it was a good decision…!
G,
Yup, I’ll endorse all of those moves. No problem with them whatsoever! As for Broxton, I’m cautiously optimistic. The Dodgers really have no reliable closer alternatives at this point so I think Broxton will get the gig back almost by default. 15 or so saves seems like a reasonable expectation.
Zach
Zach,
I took your advice from yesterdays posting, and Dropped Lilly for Carpenter, and Dempster for Garza. So my pitching staff has changed from the last posting above. Since I was afraid I may lose those options from the wavier by the morning,and agreed with your selections, Ipulled the trigger. Per what ever advice you provide from my orginal question above, who would I cut from my pitching staff now for Tim Lincecum ?
Hernandez
Lee
Carpenter ( St Louis)
Kiroda
Garza
Carrasco
I promiss I won’t make any more changes till I here your advice,
Herman
Herman,
Per my answer above, no one:-)
Zach
Zach,
Johnathan Sanchez is driving me crazy with all the walks and the offense is giving him no run support. Is it time to cut him or just bench him?
Available players on the wire are Britton (who i dropped to pick up Beachy) Stauffer, Volquez, Gee, Dempster and Nolasco.
Any chance I can get your opinion as well as Mike and Cory’s?
Thanks
Dmenz
Dmenz,
Hold onto him. I’m not a huge fan of his but he still has a higher ceiling than any of those other guys in my opinion. Now you can just DL him so hopefully that solves the problem!
Zach
Ok, Alexi Ogando?? Do i drop him and grab someone else on the wire? A few pitchers on the wire i could get. Chad Billingsley, Matt Garza, Jake Peavy,Brandon Morrow,Colby Lewis,Edinson Volquez, Justin Masterson and that Carlos Carrasco kid. Thanks for the time and great info
Lucas,
I answered this earlier on the previous blog post.
Zach
Or even a pitcher that u might think that would b a good pick up?
Could you tell me what you think of Howard & Wright for Lester, Butler, & Sandoval.
What is long term prognosis for Wright? Alsao what is long term prognosis on H. Ramirez ss, he is be dangled in our league? Thanks.
Sean,
The guys answered your question on the show but I personally like the deal. Howard and Wright are the two best players and though Wright’s health status makes him risky, I’d be willing to gamble. Not much of a Butler fan by the way. As for Hanley, he remains an excellent buy-low candidate but the window to buy low is closing very quickly.
Zach
Should I give up on Jay Bruce and take Cuddyer? Bruce is on a long hittless streak.
Robert,
Nope. Stick with Bruce. He’s streaky, but when he’s hot he’s the type of player who can help carry your team.
Zach
Hi Zach –
Which of these 3 catching options would you take going into the second half: Soto, Arencibia or Wieters? (Standard 5×5 mixed head-to head). Thanks a lot.
Pete,
Going forward I’ll say Soto. I think he has the best combination of track record and upside and he does have four homers in June, so maybe he’s starting to break out of his season-long funk.
Zach
I have just been offered J. Mauer, A. Avila, E. Andrus for H. Ramirez, & V. Martinez. I am a Twins fan, so this is a hard one to turn down. I’m in a standard 5×5 keeper league. Currently my batting roster looks like this:
C Martinez
1B Sanchez
2B Espinosa
3B Sandoval
SS Ramirez
2B/SS Peralta
1B/3B A. Ramirez
OF M. Kemp
OF Cargo
OF J. Hamilton
OF B. Boesch
OF C. Crisp
UTIL A. Pagan
B J. Loney
B. A. Escobar
Any thoughts?
Clayton,
This trade makes very little sense for you. V-Mart to Mauer has to be considered a downgrade and as bad as Hanley’s been this year he’s showing some signs of life now and I would still take him over Andrus. And why exactly do you need a second catcher? Regardless, Avila doesn’t make up for those two downgrades. Don’t let your real team allegiance interfere with your fantasy team decisions!
Zach
hey guys, who do you think will be the next reliever to take over a team’s closer job?
thanks, max
Hey guys, do you pick up Venters even after his rough game yesterday? Who is going to get the majority of saves for Atlanta, Venters or Kimbrel? Thanks
David,
Kimbrel’s been the closer all along and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Zach
I traded Roy Halladay and Jose Valvarde for Adrian Gonzales and Natalie Feliz….. was that a good trade because i needed a first baseben
Eric,
I like it. Halladay for Adrian is fair value and given your needs it makes a whole lot of sense. Valverde for Feliz is pretty much a wash.
Zach
Zach,
What are your thoughts on K-rods closing possibilities for the rest of the year. As he stated he would be fine as a setup man for a playoff team do you see that being the case. I know the Rangers are interested and don’t see him taking the job from Feliz. I am looking to trade for a closer but don’t want to set myself up for another middle reliever.
Thanks,
Vande
Vande,
I’d definitely avoid trading for K-Rod at this time. I think there’s a very good chance he gets dealt and there are a number of teams interested who already have a clear-cut closer (Yankees, Rangers etc.) You just don’t want to risk being stuck with a setup guy.
Zach
Zach,
Thanks I will pass on any trade for Tim Lincecum. I appreciate the help and it’s good to know now that I should hold on to my infielders the rest of the way since they may be hard to replace at this time. Best Fantasy Show around by far.
Herman
I think you guys are being very generous with some of the Grads
Ted lilly has some value but his ERA this year will kill you – I traded him to get Jurrgens earlier this year and am not unhappy
J Sanchez, Hellickson – I have sat both of these recently to avoid poor outings which has saved me
I appreciate the name recognition but after 3 or 4 poor starts people should be downgraded to POD until they prove they are over it (e.g. A Sanchez)