As of Sunday night, it all counts.
Spring training soon will be a thing of the past, and every home run, stolen base and strikeout will matter as you begin the long journey to potential fantasy sports glory.
So, how do you get your team going on the right path? Roto Files believes you find the right pitcher to lean on during the first week — namely two-start pitchers. However, rather than waste time and space telling you what you already know about Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Felix Hernandez, Madison Bumgarner and David Price (he's in a contract year), and since you pretty much know what you will get from them, we're going to start with the next best two-start option.
Sonny Gray was pretty miserable this spring, going 1-0 with a 7.53 ERA and 1.95 WHIP over 14 ¹/₃ innings pitched, but despite those numbers he is one of Roto Files' favorite two-start options for baseball's opening week.
Both of Gray's starts will come at pitcher-friendly O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., where he is 11-8 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 24 career starts. He first will face Yovani Gallardo and the Rangers, against whom he is 4-2 with a 2.06 ERA, on Opening Day. He then is likely to duke it out against Taijuan Walker and the Mariners — 4-1 against with a 2.36 ERA and 41 strikeouts in seven career starts.
What other options do you have on the mound this week? Here's a look at who to start and who to avoid:
- Reigning AL Cy Young Corey Kluber will get his first Opening Day start, and try to prove his breakout campaign was no fluke. He is a great start against Houston on Monday and later in the week in Detroit.
- Kyle Lohse was 24-19 in his first two seasons as a Brewer, and will face off against Kyle Kendrick and the Rockies on Monday. Start him with confidence, but be wary of his second start this week against the Pirates.
- Roto Files is very high on Chris Archer, but he has two tough matchups to start the season (at home against Baltimore and on the road in Miami). In his three-year career, Archer is 1-2 with a 5.76 ERA and 1.52 WHIP against the Orioles, but has fared better in his one start against the Marlins (0-1, 1.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP). Tread carefully in Week 1, but expect a solid season from the 26-year-old.
- Francisco Liriano has started two Opening Days, including last season when he suffered a no-decision after allowing no runs on four hits and striking out 10. Start him with confidence on the road against Cincinnati and the Brewers this week.
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Masahiro TanakaPhoto: AP
Masahiro Tanaka was amazing at the start of last season, but this is a whole new ballgame. His partially torn UCL raises red flags as much as his opponents for the first week of the season (Toronto and Boston).
- Phil Hughes, who set an MLB record for his strikeout-to-walk ratio last year, gets two tough road matchups (Tigers and White Sox) to start the season, so tread carefully.
- As bad as Jeff Samardzija has been this spring (1-3, 8.44 ERA, 1.41 WHIP), he has allowed no runs in 15 Opening Day innings. He faces Kansas City on the road on Monday and Minnesota at home later this week.
- Three other two-start pitchers to consider this week include Boston's Clay Buchholz, Toronto's Drew Hutchison and Miami's Henderson Alvarez.
- There also is a pair of two-start pitchers you may want to avoid starting this week: The Mets' Bartolo Colon is coming off a terrible spring (7.02 ERA, .348 opponent batting average in 16 ²/₃ innings) and faces two divisional rivals (including the division favorite Nationals) to start the season. Colorado's Kyle Kendrick doesn't need to be in your lineup because, you know, he's Kyle Kendrick.
Big hits
Michael Taylor, OF, Nationals
Has had a great spring (.322, one HR, two RBIs, 1.02 OPS) and should be a solid play against the Mets and Phillies.
Archie BradleyPhoto: AP
Archie Bradley, SP, D'backs
Named Arizona's fifth starter after posting a 1.61 ERA across 22 1/3 innings.
Brad Boxberger, RP, Rays
Expected to be the primary fill-in at closer until Jake McGee is ready to return, offering great value to start the season … and maybe beyond.
Mike Napoli, 1B, Red Sox
Looks great at the plate, hitting .417 (15-for-36) with five homers and nine RBIs.
Big whiffs
Javier Baez, 2B, Cubs
Optioned to Triple-A after posting a .173/.218/.231 slashline in the Cactus League.
Kevin Gausman, P, Orioles
Has not helped his cause with a 7.04 ERA , 1.83 WHIP and a .364 opponent batting average.
Travis d'Arnaud, C, Mets
Has looked lost at the plate, going 11-for-48 (.229) with no homers and five RBIs. This is why he was considered a sleeper.
Steven Souza, OF, Rays
Through Thursday, he was 6-for-49 (.122) this spring, fanning 16 times. Not going to cut it if he wants to start for the Rays.
Quick hits
As of Friday morning, Jose Abreu's insane .508 batting average was the best of spring. Who was in third? Perennial .230 hitter Curtis Granderson with his .435 average.
What are the Mariners feeding Mike Zunino? He is a career .203 hitter with a .620 OPS, but he is hitting .453 with a 1.31 OPS this spring.
David Price struck out 29 batters this spring, which would've looked better had he not allowed 16 runs.
Is Andrew Heaney overhyped? He struggled in seven games with the Marlins last year (0-3, 5.78 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) and struggled some more this spring with the Angels en route to a 9.00 ERA and 1.90 WHIP.
Jordany Valdespin has four exhibition triples and a .378 batting average. That's just nuts!
Team name of the week
Upton Funk (submitted by David S. of Long Beach)
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Fantasy baseball’s back! The 2-start pitchers to target ASAP
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