Straight Cheese Week 14 Streaming Pitchers – Lynn, Gibson, Odorizzi

Fantasy baseball owners, this is the place where you come to get the straight cheese on less than desirable, questionably talented, less than 50% owned starting pitchers you can use for a spot start. Streaming pitchers is necessary to get those all-important counting stats for your roto league without drop-kicking your ratio stats into submission.

Before we dive into the dumpster looking for week 14 streaming pitchers, let’s take a look back at my picks from last week.

Week 13 Review

I also recommended Seth Lugo at the Miami Marlins on Sunday, July 1st but he was moved back to the bullpen and didn’t get the opportunity to exploit that advantageous situation. Well, last week I stated, “…the wheels will surely come off this week.” They didn’t come completely off, but potholes in the road were hit and both hands were needed on the wheel!

Week 14 Streaming Pitchers

The pitchers are listed in order of appearance as of Wednesday morning. Ownership info from Yahoo! (Y) and ESPN (E) and all 2018 stats are through Wednesday, July 4th.

We need to talk about the Baltimore Orioles.

We just passed the halfway point of the season and all hope is gone in Baltimore. As of Thursday morning they own the worst record in majors at 24-61 (half a game worse than the Kansas City Royals) and have been outscored by their opponents by 127 runs (only Kansas City’s 167 is worse).

Yes, both the Orioles and Royals are worse than Straight Cheese whipping boys, the Miami Marlins.

Well, as much as I’d like to also talk about the Royals’ ineptitude I can only make you aware of it as they face the Boston Red Sox this weekend. The Red Sox starting pitchers are already owned in most leagues.

I can, however, steer you towards exploiting Baltimore traveling to Minnesota this weekend.

They enter the Twin Cities putting up a 0.283 wOBA (27th), 0.147 iso (23rd) and striking out 27.8% of the time (worst in MLB) all vs. RHP on the road. The probable pitchers for the Twins in all three games this weekend are righties. Ka-ching, indeed.

RHP Lance Lynn, MIN
Owned Y30%/E23% – vs. Baltimore Orioles – Friday, July 6th

Lynn is a disappointment thus far in the 2018 campaign. With a 5.49 era, 1.68 whip and 82 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings pitched (16 starts). Come for the strikeouts and stay for his home/away splits. In 36 2/3 innings at home he’s posting a 2.70 era, 1.47 whip and 36 strikeouts (22.4 k%).

At first glance, your instincts should tell you to avoid Lynn, but looking further and your instincts should tell you to take advantage.

RHP Kyle Gibson, MIN
Owned Y30%/E31% – vs. Baltimore Orioles – Saturday, July 7th

Frankly, Gibson needs to be owned in more leagues. His numbers are solid: 3.58 era, 1.28 whip and 96 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings (22.6 k%). He’s a good pitcher in a great situation. You know what to do.

RHP Jake Odorizzi, MIN
Owned Y43%/E21% – vs. Baltimore Orioles – Sunday, July 8th

Jake’s another Twins pitcher having a disappointing season. Through 90 2/3 innings (18 starts) his era sits at 4.57, his whip at 1.44 and he’s struck out 97 batters (24.4 k%). His home/away splits go in the wrong direction (5.31 era, 1.51 whip at home) but still strikes batters out. I’m putting a little faith in his last two starts (at White Sox and at Brewers) where he tossed 11 innings, striking out 17 batters and only allowing 2 earned runs.

I’m not going to lie to you, he’s the riskiest of the three but my gut says to roll him out there versus the Orioles. Note, my gut is also telling me I ate too many hot dogs and drank too many beers yesterday.

Remember, these suggestions aren’t ludicrous. They’re @Roto_Chris.