Fantasy daily notes for April 27 – ESPN

Starting pitcher projected Game Scores for April 27
					2014 Statistics			2015 Statistics
GS	Team	Name	T	Opp	W-L	ERA	WHIP	W-L	ERA	WHIP
68		Corey Kluber	R	KC	18-9	2.44	1.10	0-2	3.90	1.12
68		David Price	L	@Min	15-12	3.26	1.08	1-1	3.28	1.26
62		Cole Hamels	L	@StL	9-9	2.46	1.15	0-2	3.75	1.21
59		Collin McHugh	R	@SD	11-9	2.73	1.02	3-0	2.41	1.18
59		James Shields	R	Hou	14-8	3.21	1.18	2-0	3.24	1.12
57		Jimmy Nelson	R	@Cin	2-9	4.93	1.46	1-1	1.35	0.70
56		John Lackey	R	Phi	14-10	3.82	1.28	1-0	4.34	1.13
56		Jason Hammel	R	Pit	10-11	3.47	1.12	1-1	5.19	1.27
53		Doug Fister	R	@Atl	16-6	2.41	1.08	1-0	2.37	1.26
51		Ubaldo Jimenez	R	CWS	6-9	4.81	1.52	1-1	2.30	0.89
51		Vance Worley	R	@ChC	8-4	2.85	1.21	2-1	4.00	1.50
50		Tim Lincecum	R	@LAD	12-9	4.74	1.39	1-1	2.00	1.22
50		Aaron Sanchez	R	@Bos	2-2	1.09	0.70	1-2	5.14	1.86
50		Taijuan Walker	R	@Tex	2-3	2.61	1.29	0-2	10.66	2.29
48		Adam Warren	R	TB	3-6	2.97	1.11	1-1	5.40	1.60
48		Yovani Gallardo	R	Sea	8-11	3.51	1.30	2-2	3.92	1.50
48		Jarred Cosart	R	NYM	13-11	3.69	1.36	1-1	3.63	1.04
48		Chase Anderson	R	Col	9-7	4.01	1.37	0-0	3.00	1.11
47		Jason Vargas	L	@Cle	11-10	3.71	1.27	1-1	6.75	1.77
47		Nathan Karns	R	@NYY	1-1	4.50	0.92	—	—	—
47		Dillon Gee	R	@Mia	7-8	4.00	1.25	0-1	5.60	1.36
47		Brett Anderson	L	SF	1-3	2.91	1.32	1-1	4.80	1.47
46		Joe Kelly	R	Tor	6-4	4.20	1.35	1-0	4.08	1.02
46		Jason Marquis	R	Mil	—	—	—	1-1	7.20	1.73
45		Hector Noesi	R	@Bal	8-12	4.75	1.37	0-2	5.23	1.45
44		Tommy Milone	L	Det	6-4	4.19	1.40	2-0	3.38	1.23
44		Tyler Matzek	L	@Ari	6-11	4.05	1.39	1-0	2.40	1.53
43		Eric Stults	L	Wsh	8-17	4.30	1.38	0-1	4.50	1.19
GS: The pitcher’s projected “Game Score,” from Bill James’ original formula, which accounts for past history (three years’ worth as well as past 21 days), opponent and ballpark. A Game Score of 50 typically is typically regarded a quality start; anything over 70 is exceptional, anything under 30 poor. A “*” means that the pitcher lacks requisite career major league data to produce an accurate projected Game Score; these are the author’s projections. T: Pitcher throws left-handed or right-handed. Opp: The pitcher’s opponent for the day. W-L: Pitcher’s win-loss record. ERA: Pitcher’s earned run average. WHIP: Pitcher’s average number of walks plus hits surrendered per inning.

Monday’s starting pitchers will be divided into three tiers: Elite (GS >65), Solid (GS 50-65) and Streamers (GS fantasy baseball blog has continually updated lineup notes, detailed player tips and a strategy blog.

Elite

Last week’s disaster from David Price no doubt left a mark on your ratio stats in fantasy or your confidence in him, but what’s done is done. The Minnesota Twins are an ideal panacea, as they’re among the easiest teams to fan, along with being one of the more impatient teams in the league. Even if you don’t like using an elite option to anchor your DFS tournament entries, consider making an exception.

In terms of making contact, the Kansas City Royals have picked up where they left off last season and are again the toughest team to fan in the league. This is enough to knock Corey Kluber down below Price even though Kluber is working at home while Price is on the road. It’s not enough to discourage Kluber from being used in a DFS cash game, but don’t count on the usual abundance of punchouts.

Solid

Tough day for the solid tier; the majority of these guys are working on the road, which strips them of the home-field edge so vital to DFS viability. Cole Hamels, Collin McHugh and Jeff Samardzija should obviously all be active in traditional fantasy despite away tilts, but all are risky DFS propositions.

James Shields, on the other hand, enjoys not only the home-field edge, but the benefits of that home being Petco Park. Shields’ crutch is the home run, which feeds into the Houston Astros‘ wheelhouse, but he also has the guile to keep them off-balance and frustrate the offense that leads the league in strikeouts.

John Lackey is another hurler with the luxury of a home date, though he’d be a little more enticing if he wasn’t opposed by the Philadelphia Phillies‘ best starter in Cole Hamels. Granted, there’s more variance associated with wins, but it helps to have a better chance at run support. Lackey should be able to do his part, as the visitors are the lowest-scoring team in the league.

Streamers

It’s also a tough day to find a relatively safe spot-starter. The potential candidates are mostly facing better offenses, so it’s really not worth taking a chance of inflicting irreparable harm to your ratios on the first day of the roto week. Perhaps if this were the weekend and you needed to make up some ground, it would be worth rolling the dice on Jimmy Nelson in Cincinnati, Taijuan Walker at Texas or Brett Anderson hosting the Giants.

Whether he’s able to sustain the increase is still a question, but to this point of the season, Joe Kelly has added a little more than 1 mph to his average fastball, with positive results. Some may be scared off by the Toronto Blue Jays visiting Fenway Park, but remember that while the venue increases runs, it suppresses homers, which is the calling card of the visitors. It’s risky, since doubles off the wall are damaging too, but historically Kelly has been a ground ball pitcher, which is enough to use him in traditional fantasy as well as a cheaper GPP (Guaranteed Prize Pool) play in DFS.