Wk 22

[Philabuster5]

This is the first wk of the playoffs in my league. I'm a wild card team so it's a one week match-up only.
H2H points league, I'm trying to fill my 7th pitching slot with one of the following choices:

So far starting:
Darvish (at home vs Min)
Iwakuma (at home vs Tex, away at Houston)
Strasburg (at home vs MIA)
Alex Wood (home against CLE and MIA)
Benoit (7 home games)
Uehara (6 home games)

My last choice comes from this group:
Wainwright (at home vs CIN) (not sure why this one makes me nervous, but he pitched his most pitches all year in his last start and I'm just not sure)
Kuroda (at Tor)
S.Miller (at PIT)
Mujica (might not be right)
And my dark horse: Rienzo (home vs HOU! and away at Bos)

I also have Medlen at home vs CLE

I have a ton of arms and can make a real run in playoffs IF I sneak through this one week matchup.
Unfortunately my main guys don't have 2 starts until the following week which bodes well for me if I get that far.

Things to consider: losses count as -20 points, wins 30, QS 10....points for everything a pitcher does...HA (-2),ER (-4), K (4) , IP (worth 9) etc etc etc.... Saves are 35
Wainwright's last game was 150pts as an example and Mujica sitting at 80 pts with his 2 games (and saves) this week.

Thanks a lot for any input. I hate to screw this last spot up. I'm facing a very hot team
Thanks

 

[Philabuster5]

I wouldn't have to start any of the closers as Iwakuma and Wood could both go into RP slots. I need a minimum of 2 RP, 3SP and 2 whatever.

 

[Chef99]

I love that Rienzo play...but I would have to go with Wainwright, the stud. Mujica's not right and Kuroda got lit up, although that's probably an aberration.

Still, i'd have to go with my stud. Just my opinion, of course. Good luck and let us know what you decide.


P.S. : Consider yourself lucky you don't have Liriano to decide about.

 

[Philabuster5]

Thanks Chef. I'm sure you're right... I tend to over-think things and make bad calls on the smallest of details.

I could put Rienzo in over Uehara then. Seems riskier though, and might not be the time to gamble.
Thanks again.

 

[Chef99]

Hey, just out of curiosity, what kind of pitching line-up does the team you're facing have?

 

[Philabuster5]

Looks like he's going with 5sp and 2rp.
7 starts (Lohse and McCarthy with 2 each), then Maholm, Gee and Harvey. He may add Hughes' 2 starts and bench Maholm.
His RP are Cishek and Romo

Should be a no-doubter as far as the pitching staffs go, that I'll outscore him (as much as anything can be no-doubt in this game lol)

His bats are hot ...AJax, Hosmer, Cespedes, Puig, Lawrie, Reyes, AGon lead the way.
On paper I think I'm fine. Likely though I'm just one misplay away from having my season end.

We're a points league, so I don't need to beat him in any categories, just generally outperform him.

I put Wainwright in and left Uehara alone as of now....I think that's likely the best.

 

[tlance]

This is the first wk of the playoffs in my league. I'm a wild card team so it's a one week match-up only.
H2H points league, I'm trying to fill my 7th pitching slot with one of the following choices:

So far starting:
Darvish (at home vs Min)
Iwakuma (at home vs Tex, away at Houston)
Strasburg (at home vs MIA)
Alex Wood (home against CLE and MIA)
Benoit (7 home games)
Uehara (6 home games)

My last choice comes from this group:
Wainwright (at home vs CIN) (not sure why this one makes me nervous, but he pitched his most pitches all year in his last start and I'm just not sure)
Kuroda (at Tor)
S.Miller (at PIT)
Mujica (might not be right)
And my dark horse: Rienzo (home vs HOU! and away at Bos)

I also have Medlen at home vs CLE

I have a ton of arms and can make a real run in playoffs IF I sneak through this one week matchup.
Unfortunately my main guys don't have 2 starts until the following week which bodes well for me if I get that far.

Things to consider: losses count as -20 points, wins 30, QS 10....points for everything a pitcher does...HA (-2),ER (-4), K (4) , IP (worth 9) etc etc etc.... Saves are 35
Wainwright's last game was 150pts as an example and Mujica sitting at 80 pts with his 2 games (and saves) this week.

Thanks a lot for any input. I hate to screw this last spot up. I'm facing a very hot team
Thanks

Whenever I am faced with a tough, season making decision like this, I ask myself one question:

How will I feel if pick wrong?

For me, if I left Waino on the bench and lost because of it, I would not be able to live with myself. He has been a top 5 pitcher all year and is coming off 2 great outings in a row. If I played Waino and he got shelled, I think I would still be able to sleep at night knowing that I went down with my best guy in the line-up.

You have a lot of good options, so this is no easy call. Still, I would have a real hard time benching Waino right now, right or wrong.

 

[Chef99]

Whenever I am faced with a tough, season making decision like this, I ask myself one question:

How will I feel if pick wrong?

For me, if I left Waino on the bench and lost because of it, I would not be able to live with myself. He has been a top 5 pitcher all year and is coming off 2 great outings in a row. If I played Waino and he got shelled, I think I would still be able to sleep at night knowing that I went down with my best guy in the line-up.

You have a lot of good options, so this is no easy call. Still, I would have a real hard time benching Waino right now, right or wrong.

What's that old saying? "Ya gotta dance with the one what brung ya."

Or something like that.

 

[TKOSpikes]

I think Kuroda is closer than you might think to Wainwright. He's due for a bounce back, and the Jays have been manhandled by the Yanks this year. Wainwright's ERA vs the Reds is in the 4's, so maybe you aren't over thinking this one?

Call me crazy, but I might be benching Iwakuma's 2-start week? Both Texas teams are hitting the ball right now. It's definitely between him and Wainwright (for me) though, as I'd have Kuroda locked in against the Buffalo.. er, I mean the Toronto Blue Jays.

 

[Philabuster5]

Thanks tlance, and tko. (and chef again)
Interesting point re Kuroda. Damn haha. I could start kuroda and Wainwright and bench Uehara.
I've decided against Rienzo. Too much risk to go with the relatively unknown.
Thanks guys. I'm going to reconsider kuroda and check out his home/away splits.
I hate not getting the bye haha

 

[TKOSpikes]

I think Kuroda is closer than you might think to Wainwright. He's due for a bounce back, and the Jays have been manhandled by the Yanks this year. Wainwright's ERA vs the Reds is in the 4's, so maybe you aren't over thinking this one?

Please tell me you didn't heed my advice? Kuroda rocked again!

 

[Philabuster5]

I'm not sure I'll be sleeping at night.
Thankfully I kept Uehara in over kuroda, but Strasburg's short start may make it all moot.
Damn it wainwright!!! ... I'm going to need some luck.

 

[Chef99]

I'm not sure I'll be sleeping at night.
Thankfully I kept Uehara in over kuroda, but Strasburg's short start may make it all moot.
Damn it wainwright!!! ... I'm going to need some luck.

Wow...sorry, man. Your instincts were right. I never would have expected him to get clobbered like that.

 

[tlance]

That was unreal. Is that the worst start of Waino's career?

 

[TKOSpikes]

oooh, ouch about Wainy though I guess...