Fantasy daily notes for July 5 – ESPN

Starting pitcher projected Game Scores for July 5
					2015 Statistics			Past 21 Days
GS	Team	Name	T	Opp	W-L	ERA	WHIP	W-L	ERA	WHIP
65		Danny Salazar	R	@Pit	7-3	3.80	1.16	1-1	4.86	1.20
64		Gerrit Cole	R	Cle	11-3	2.20	1.14	2-1	3.70	1.27
63		Lance Lynn	R	SD	5-4	2.74	1.27	1-0	0.75	1.08
63		Cole Hamels	L	@Atl	5-6	3.22	1.15	0-1	3.32	1.16
55		Jordan Zimmermann	R	SF	6-5	3.16	1.27	1-1	1.19	0.93
55		Mike Bolsinger	R	NYM	4-2	2.76	1.21	0-1	4.34	1.66
54		C.J. Wilson	L	@Tex	6-6	3.78	1.19	3-1	3.33	1.27
53		Shelby Miller	R	Phi	5-4	2.20	1.07	0-2	3.38	1.38
53		Marco Estrada	R	@Det	5-4	3.58	1.15	2-1	3.13	1.04
53		Steven Matz	L	@LAD	1-0	2.35	1.04	1-0	2.35	1.04
52		Ivan Nova	R	TB	1-1	1.50	1.25	1-1	1.50	1.25
52		Kyle Hendricks	R	Mia	3-4	4.15	1.18	1-2	4.71	1.19
52		Lance McCullers	R	@Bos	4-2	2.19	1.01	2-1	2.01	1.16
52		Ervin Santana	R	@KC	—	—	—	—	—	—
50		Carlos Rodon	L	Bal	3-1	4.07	1.64	1-1	7.98	1.91
50		Eduardo Rodriguez	L	Hou	4-2	3.92	1.11	2-2	7.40	1.50
50		Mat Latos	R	@ChC	3-5	5.27	1.40	2-1	3.86	1.09
49		Mike Montgomery	L	@Oak	3-2	1.62	0.90	3-1	1.44	0.89
49		Ian Kennedy	R	@StL	4-7	4.86	1.32	1-2	1.50	1.00
47		Danny Duffy	L	Min	2-4	5.44	1.63	0-1	3.97	1.41
47		Rubby De La Rosa	R	Col	6-3	4.60	1.24	2-0	1.30	1.12
46		Mike Leake	R	Mil	5-4	4.38	1.26	2-0	4.70	1.22
46		Chris Bassitt	R	Sea	0-1	2.87	1.21	0-1	1.80	1.00
46		Taylor Jungmann	R	@Cin	2-1	2.79	1.21	1-1	3.27	1.41
45		Erasmo Ramirez	R	@NYY	6-3	4.01	1.14	1-1	0.61	0.89
44		Colby Lewis	R	LAA	8-3	4.13	1.19	3-0	3.33	1.04
44		Miguel Gonzalez	R	@CWS	6-5	4.04	1.23	1-1	9.64	2.04
44		Jorge De La Rosa	L	@Ari	5-3	4.59	1.48	2-1	3.00	1.54
43		Justin Verlander	R	Tor	0-1	5.09	1.53	0-1	5.09	1.53
42		Ryan Vogelsong	R	@Wsh	6-6	4.19	1.37	2-2	3.22	1.48
GS: The pitcher’s projected “Game Score,” from Bill James’ original formula, which accounts for history (three years’ worth as well as past 21 days), opponent and ballpark. A Game Score of 50 is typically regarded a quality start; anything over 70 is exceptional, anything under 30 poor. A “*” means 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.

Elite

The Sunday slate features four very good pitchers all in a good spot to twirl a good game. We’ll give the top spot to Lance Lynn based on the right-hander’s better chance to escape with a win, as the St. Louis Cardinals wrap up a home series with the San Diego Padres. With a healthy second half, Lynn could top 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career. He should have no problem keeping pace, as the Friars sport a 22 percent whiff rate against righties.

Cole Hamels checks in next, as he and the Philadelphia Phillies close out a weekend set in Turner Field. Like Lynn, Hamels has a great chance at a big strikeout game, as the Atlanta Braves fan at a 23 percent clip against southpaws. Hamels’ mound foe is Shelby Miller, while Lynn squares off with Ian Kennedy. The combination of Hamels’ facing a better pitcher while being supported by a weaker offense tips the win scale in Lynn’s favor.

The final two top-tier residents face each other as Danny Salazar leads the Cleveland Indians into battle against Gerrit Cole and the Pirates for an interleague tussle in the Steel City. Besides the fact this profiles as a close, low-scoring game — putting the win for both hurlers in jeopardy — the respective offenses don’t offer the same strikeout upside enjoyed by Lynn and Hamels.

Solid

Don’t expect a bevy of strikeouts but Jordan Zimmermann should be able to keep the San Francisco Giants in check long enough for his Washington Nationals’ sticks to provide some run support against Ryan Vogelsong in a home tilt. With a high floor and low ceiling, this profiles as a cash game option.

The tournament dart in this range is Eduardo Rodriguez as he and the Boston Red Sox finish up a series in Fenway Park against the Houston Astros. The young southpaw was tipping his pitches working from the stretch. Hopefully he has corrected this so he can take best advantage of a club that whiffs at a 23 percent rate against left-handers.

Mike Bolsinger facing the New York Mets and Kyle Hendricks taking on the Miami Marlins are a couple other candidates to use in DFS if you’re looking for less expensive options. Both are at home facing below average offenses that whiff at a little above-average rate.

Streamers

It’s the Sunday slate so you know what that means: It’s nitty-gritty time for the significant faction that play the head-to-head format. Here are the top steaming options followed by the borderline candidates. Anyone with a game score below 50 that isn’t discussed should be in the “break glass in case of emergency” class.

Hot Spots

Danny Duffy isn’t in a great spot for strikeouts facing the Minnesota Twins, but he should be able to keep the score down while his mates welcome former Royal Ervin Santana back from his suspension. Don’t expect Santana to go deep into the game which gives the Royals a chance to score some runs against the Twins’ bullpen, putting Duffy in line for a win.

Both Chris Bassitt and Mike Montgomery are safer options as the Oakland Athletics entertain the Seattle Mariners in the finale of a weekend set in O. Co. Coliseum. Runs should be scarce with Bassitt having a slightly higher whiff potential.

Truth be told, there isn’t much to embellish your strikeouts. The best option could be Mat Latos taking on the Chicago Cubs and their 25 percent strikeout rate against right-handers

Warm Streams

It’s a risk because Ryan Braun and Carlos Gomez are both swinging the bat well, but Mike Leake is reasonably effective against right-handers, which is more of an endorsement than can be betrothed upon the rest of the candidates. The Milwaukee Brewers will task Taylor Jungmann with keeping the Cincinnati Reds‘ bats in check. The Brewers rookie hasn’t fared badly but still has to be considered vulnerable, especially in Great American Ball Park.

Lefty swingers have croaked Rubby De La Rosa, and the Colorado Rockies have a couple of good ones in Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez. But remember, you’re only asking for a chance, and De La Rosa at least has that to keep the pair left-handers in check while handling the right-handers as usual.

Erasmo Ramirez has pitched just well enough not to be relegated to the emergency pile. It’s a significant risk facing the New York Yankees in the Bronx, but if any of the big guns take the day off, Ramirez is a notch above only those for the truly desperate.