The regular season is winding down, as is the time for my super in depth recaps. Next week there is going to be something a tad different just for the playoff preview portion. Sorry to everyone not involved, but gotta pay respects to those who earned it.

Starting to think about the end of the regular season too and I am trying to figure out the best way to recap the season. Thinking of averaging out the rankings per week and seeing where everyone should have ranked if the top five in each category each week won.

In terms of week 17, the most important thing is that the top of the league has really, really separated itself. The cream of the crop has risen, and now everyone else is watching. 

But there is still one week to go! Perhaps I am getting too nostalgic for the season and getting too amped for the playoffs to come.

And here we are, week 17. Let’s take a look at it.

Week Seventeen (July 31 – August 6)

Hits

Saturday is the day that defined the hit category. Eric’s team batted 17-for-40 with nine runs scored, four home runs, and 13 runs batted in. Everyone in Eric’s roster had a hit. Meanwhile my team went 7-for-35 on Saturday; the 10 hit difference carried him through Sunday. In the end Eric won the hits category by six. Freddie Freeman had 11 hits to lead his team. Masataka Yoshida and Bryson Scott had seven hits.

No one on my team had double digit hits. Christina Yelich led the charge for me with nine hits and Yandy Diaz had eight. Ian Happ, Jeff McNiel (who I forgot I had to pick up) and Paul Goldschmidt had six hits each.

Runs

I tried to make a valiant comeback in the runs category on Sunday, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. Every player of Eric’s who had more than 10 at-bats scored at least two runs. Freeman scored six, Scott scored five along with Josh Jung and Anthony Santander.  

Both Eric and I had a good week in terms of runs scored; Eric had the second most and I had the third most. Only Kenney (with 43) had more than use. Happ scored a team-best eight runs for himself, and he was followed in successive order by Diaz with six and Spencer Steer with five. 

Home Runs

The only hitting category I was able to take from Eric this week were the home runs. I would like to thank Happ for making it happen. Half of his six hits this week were home runs.  Steer, Diaz, Jarren Duran and Elly De La Cruz had two home runs each. Eric had three players hit two home runs, but no big bobbers. Jung hit a pair, along with Seager and Santander. Jong is hurt now so maybe he had a lingering thing that affected his power.

Runs Batted In

While I had Happ with a matchup-leading seven RBI, it was the steady performance of Eric’s team that carried him to the RBI victory. Jung and Scott had six RBI, and Santander had five. Every player that had more than 10 at-bats had at least one RBI. I mean on my front every player I played had an RBI, but not enough big-bopping hits.

Stolen Bases

I love Jarren Durran. He is the only thing about the Red Sox I like right now. He led my team with two steals, but his teammates had just one steal. Thank you Yelich. You have been good since I traded for you. Eric was able to squeak this category by me because of Tommy Edman, Scott and Freeman combining for four bags stolen. It was Edman who gave Eric the win on the final day.

On Base Percentage

Eric never had to sweat with the on base category. While .3333 is not going to set any records, it is still better than a team that barely gets over the .3000 mark. Jung had a .364 OBP, and Santandar had a .370 OBP. Good marks, but none better than Freeman’s .522 clip. Just outrageous. Just bonkers.

Happ had a very good .393 for team Stanko, but awful efforts like a .231 by Triston Casas and a .188 by Mickey Moniak sank any shot I had.

Strikeouts

Now that I understand the loop hole with pitchers and the max number on the final day, I am here to state my fuddy-duddy take that I think it is bullshit. A limit is a limit. What happens if the limit simply does not exist?

I’ll tell you what . People who don’t even belong to the roster attend the party and mess up the flow! 

On Sunday Eric used this loophole to perfection, tossing four starters when he had only one starter left. Those four starters totalled 36 strikeouts. Bryce Miller and Chase Silseth had 10 and 12 strikeouts apiece. In the end he won the strikeout category by 28 over myself. It was a bloodbath.

My leading strikeout guy was Corbin Burnes who had 10.

Wins

Eric and I tied in the wins category, but I guess I should count myself lucky that it is a draw. Again with four starters going on the final day, Eric would be right to think he had a good chance at catching up to me (I was up by one), but only one of his hurlers came away with a win.

In the end I had Michael Kopech of the White Sox earn me a W, along with Jon Gray of Texas. Neither pitched well, but I will take the win. Eric got wins from Tony Gonsolin of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Pittsburgh’s Johan Oviedo.

It is not often Eric fails to win the wins category. He is now 10-2-5 on the season in that category.

Saves

I had five saves this week, second most of the week. A damn good week. Somehow I got three saves from Will Smith despite him having a 6.00 ERA. Not sure he or I deserved the saves, but this is baseball. Camilo Doval just continues to be steady Eddy with two saves in three shutout innings. Eric had one save from Kenley Jansen. The Red Sox stink so he didn’t get many chances. Arizona new closer Paul Sewald threw an inning and allowed three earned runs. Yikes.

Earned Run Average

Yikes, gross, incompetent. Both Eric and I’s pitching staffs did not do well toeing the rubber. Somehow I won this category with a 4.283 ERA, beating out Eric’s 4.696. 

My best ERA performer from a starter was Burnes who tossed 12 innings allowing four earned runs. I am very upset with James Paxton who has stunk since the all star break and continued to struggle allowing four earned runs in five innings…including a fuck ton of long balls given up.

But what about Eric? Andrew Abbott had two starts for the Cincinnati Reds and he suffered to a 10.00 ERA. Not to be outdone, Tampa Bat’s Shane McClanahan went ust four innings allowing five earned runs. Now in all fairness, McClanahan left the game for forearm tightness. Eric may be worrying more about that.

Walks/Hits Per Inning

GROWL. I AM GROWLING IN FRUSTRATION. The four starters on the final day not only carried Eric to victory in strikeouts, but also WHIP. By just five one-thousandths of a decimal point, Eric earned himself a key category. A 1.402 to 1.407 difference. That is all.

This may be huge for Eric as we get to seedings in the playoffs, so it is safe to say that the move paid off for him. I guess props are due then? 

My best WHIP performer was my closer Doval, but in terms of starters its again Burnes who tossed everything out there to a 1.08 clip. Eric’s top WHIP performers were Oviedo and Silseth, both of whom had 0,71 WHIPS during their Sunday starts. I suppose it also helps that Zac Gillen of Arizona had a 0.86 WHIP in his start against Minnesota.

Freddie Freeman is really fucking good at baseball. The potential National League MVP had a great week for Eric, and he wasn’t even rostered on Sunday. Freeman went 11-for-22 when in the lineup, batting in four runs, scoring six times and hitting one home run. Add in two stolen bases for the guy. Freeman had three RBIs on Sunday too, so it could have been even more impressive. I thought about making Eric’s MVP his stacking of pitchers to win the strikeouts category on the last day, but I don’t like the fact that it is a thing that is allowed so not going to give it my sanctioned nod of approval (but unsanctioned, was smart).

Eric very rarely loses the ERA category, but this week he did. The main culprit for his blemish falls upon Cincinnati’s Andrew Abbott. We know that the Cincinnati Reds have struggle pitching, but Abbott really fucked Eric. He had two starts this week and combined he tossed nine innings and allowed 10 earned runs on 14 hits and eight walks. He finished the week with a 10.00 ERA and a 2.44 WHIP. Pretty gross. Eric still wins the week despite losing this category, but he needs to get Abbott in line.

Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs was my best performer this week. Nothing stellar by any means, but Happ was in my lineup more this week than most because of injuries and he made the most of it hitting three home runs and driving in seven. Going 6-for-22 is not great, but throw in five walks and that results in a .393 OBP. Just a good week, but it’s nothing stellar. Christian Yelich almost won his second MVP for me, but just spreading the wealth at this point in the season.

Paul Goldschmidt didn’t have the worst stats for me this week, but he is still the most disappointing. He is the third ranked first baseman in fantasy this season but this week he went 6-for-25 with one run scored and one RBI. Just a whole lot of nothing this week from Goldschmidt.

MVP TRACKER: Albies (1), Burnes (1), De La Cruz (2), Mullins (3), Goldschmidt (2), Happ (1), Soto (1), Steer (2), Verdugo (1), Walls (1), Yelich (2)
LVP TRACKER: Albies (1), Burnes (1), Casas (1), De La Cruz (1), Gausman (1), Goldschmidt (2), Gore (1), Gray (2), Paxton (1), Peralta (1), Soto (1), Sale (1), St. Louis Cardinals (1), Walls (1), Wisdom (1)

WEEK SEVENTEEN SCOREBOARD

  • I was winning this matchup 9-1-1 heading into the weekend. Eric ended up winning this matchup 7-3-1. Eric gets the win he needs to keep pace with the playoff squatters.
  • Vaghi takes down Huntley 7-3-1 due in large part to small edges in the runs category and the home runs category. Vaghi stole the runs and  HR category on Sunday; he had NINE RUNS scored on Sunday!
  • Easy sailing for Michael Kenney. Not much stress at all. Jack got a bit unlucky getting jacked up in the hitting categories, but still don’t know how you have only 29 RBI with 14 home runs.
  • Umm, Billy Drakeley fucking SMOKED Michaud. The matchup was 7-3-1, but I mean, Drakeley’s team RAKED! Good lord almighty. He had eight players with 5+ RBI, including Dansby Swanson who had five home runs and 11 RBI!
  • Bove takes down DiMaio! Bove finishing the season strong! On Sunday he outhit DiMaio by seven…so he earns the wins category. He also managed tying in home runs and then tossed in 14 stolen bases to go with his pop.

WEEK SEVENTEEN STATISTICS DEEP DIVE

PDF/GOOGLE SHEET LINK

fantasy-baseball-week-17-google-sheetsDownload
  • There is something really satisfying about four matchups ending with the same score. Imagine if we got all five?
  • Drakeley and Bove rolling some chaos bombs into the playoff picture winning two straight each.
  • For the first time this season, Drakeley led the week in hits. 79 hits is a very impressive number for one week.
    • Drakeley also led the way in runs and RBI.
  • Kenney now is tied with myself for having the worst week of home runs.
  • This is a GREAT nerdy stat. I hope you all like it as much as I. For 16 weeks neither Michaud or Vaghi had the worst week of RBIs…that is until this week. Both tied for the worst this week. Just a great coincidence.
  • I had the worst on base percentage of the week for the first time this season.
  • Kenney now has led the league in OBP five times, the most in the league.
    • He is also now tied with Eric and List for having the best win total week; each having four times.
  • Bove led the week in strikeouts for the first time this season.
  • Kenney is now tied with Bove for having the worst strikeout total in a week.
  • A couple of first time worsts this week in the pitching department.
    • For the first time this season Eric had the lowest win total, and for the first time this year Michaud had the lowest save total. Granted both were ties.
      • How about this? Michaud leads the week in ERA but still last in wins.
  • Vaghi is now tied with Bove for having the best WHIP in a week three times this season.
  • Bove’s 14 stolen bases in a week is the second best this season for ANYONE, falling just one short of the 15 I had in week one which was an extended week.
  • List got a bit fucked with his matchup with Kenney.
    • He has the best OBP and hits for a losing team.
      • His hits total is third for the week and is sandwiched between all the winning teams.
  • I had the most home runs and runs for a losing team this week.

WEEK 18 MATCHUPS

  • An irrelevant matchup. Michaud is battling to finish in the top half of the league, but unless he beats me 11-0-0 (which is possible), he is playing for the equivalent of offseason momentum.
    • #Projections
    • I have two wins this season of an 8-3-0, one of which came against Michaud in week nine. It ended a seven week winless streak for me. I handed Michaud his only loss during a seven week stretch.
  • Vaghi and List were two of the top teams for the first half of the league. Vaghi had a small slip but now he is back in the playoffs while Jack’s skid was untimely. Now Vaghi needs a win to secure a postseason berth.
    • #Projections
    • Jack List took down Vaghi in Week nine, but since then he is 1-7. Vaghi has been hovering around .500 since the midway point when he lost to List.
  • A second matchup this week that has no impact on the playoffs at all. This is a battle between for eighth and ninth place. Imagine if there was regulation for the final two spots?
    • #Projections
    • Huntley and Drakeley drew 5-5-1 in week nine. They tied in the hits category. Drakeley had a great WHIP week with 0.831, but Huntley won the ERA category 2.189. Wonder of both teams will be studs on the rubber again.
  • The two hottest teams in the league? I think it is safe to say. Kenney is trying to avoid falling to fourth place because he has lost to DiMaio both times this season.
    • #Projections
    • In week nine, Bove took down Kenney, 8-3-0. That was during a time when Kenney lost three of four.  Bove has won five of his matchups since week nine; he is 5-2-1.
  • Eric and DiMaio is the only matchup between two postseason bound teams. It very well could be a first round matchup preview.
    • #Projections
    • In week nine Eric won this third straight match taking down DiMaio 6-5-0. The contest was super close; he won hits by five, runs by two, strikeouts by two and wins by one. Eric, the top ERA team this year, was able to win despite having an ERA of 6.088.

OVERALL STANDINGS

  • Things seem pretty sewn up at this point for the playoffs.
    • DiMaio is ahead by 6.5 games so it would take a massive flop for him not to win the regular season title.
  • Kenney and Eric stay in the second and third slot, though now Mike has a 0.5 category lead.
  • Vaghi trails Eric by half a category, and that could prove crucial because people are trying to avoid that four spot and taking on DiMaio in the first round.
  • How about Bove, what a climb. A bottom tier team for parts of this season, Bove has climbed up to fifth place after winning convincingly against DiMaio this week.
  • Jack List now needs a miracle to make the playoffs. Reminiscent of 2011 (I think) when the Red Sox blew their playoff lead and missed out on the playoffs on the last game of the regular season.
  • Michaud is another casualty to Bove’s late season pride surge as he falls down to seventh place, 
  • Drakeley moves out of ninth place and is now half a game ahead of Huntley.
  • I still suck.
CATEGORY LEADERS (Including Ties)
  • DiMaio: Hits, Runs, Home Runs, RBI (4)
  • Eric: ERA (1)
  • Kenney: Stolen Bases, OBP, Wins (3)
  • List: Strikeouts, Saves (2)
  • Vaghi: WHIP (1)

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