Fantasy Baseball: Can R.A. Dickey and Francisco Liriano Be Dropped In Standard Leagues?

The baseball season is now close to a month old.  One sixth of the way done.  While the sample sizes are still rather small, we are also at the point that you need to cut some weight that is dragging you down.  Today we will cover those players that just aren’t cutting it.  Look, I get it.  The team you drafted is the team you committed to to help you win a league championship.  Cutting ties with them can feel like breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend.  I am here to tell you that you owe nothing to these players.

All of the recommended drops are owned in more than half of ESPN leagues.  All of the suitable replacements are available in half of leagues or less. Check here for the corner infielders: https://fansided.com/2014/04/21/fantasy-baseball-kyle-seager-eric-hosmer-dropped/ , here for the middle infielders: https://fansided.com/2014/04/22/fantasy-baseball-drop-jean-segura-jedd-gyorko-standard-leagues/ , and here for the outfield: https://fansided.com/2014/04/23/fantasy-baseball-can-torii-hunter-dropped-standard-leagues/ portion of the show!

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Danny Salazar, Indians: I realize that most of my names in this series have been rookies.  The point here is that if you are trying to win a redraft league, or a non-dynasty league, there are only about ten percent of the rookie crop that can actually help you.  Of that ten percent, maybe ten percent of those are worth carrying for the entire season.  So your odds of having a rookie carry you are very very low.  Which is the main reason why I would not carry around Salazar and his 14 runs given up in his last two starts.

R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays: Yes, I know.  Dickey is a notoriously slow starter, and once the calendar turns to June, he becomes much better.  Which is why you should wait until then to own him.  In an overwhelming majority of standard leagues, Dickey would stay on the wire until you want to pick him back up.  Dickey has been beaten up by the torrid offenses of the Rays, Twins, and Astros this year.  Not exactly the mark of a pitcher worth hanging on to right now.

Clay Buchholz, Red Sox: Buchholz is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA on the season, but perhaps the most concerning this is his lack of velocity.  He is struggling to hit 90 MPH, and for a sinker ball pitcher, that does not work.  Maybe he can turn it around, but unless his velocity increases, I wouldn’t count on it.  I am going to let him destroy someone else’s ERA for a while.

Tim Lincecum, Giants: Lincecum is 1-1 with a 6.43 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP on the season.  There is simply no room for that on a standard league roster.  He is not going to regain his Cy Young winning form, no matter how much we may want him to.

Francisco Liriano, Pirates: Since his brilliant start on Opening Day against the toothless Cubs, Liriano has allowed three or more runs in every start.  He has allowed 15 runs in 26 inning.  While he does have 22 strikeouts in that span, he is simply too unreliable to run out there in standard leagues.  You would usually be better off streaming from the waiver wire.

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

Try instead:

Wily Peralta, Brewers: Peralta has not allowed more than two runs in any start this year, and has won three straight starts.  Oh, and his next start comes against the Cubs.  He is definitely worth at least a spot start.

Jenrry Mejia, Mets: He has not allowed a run in his last two starts, and has the Marlins coming up.  He is 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 25 strikeouts.  Ride him until he cools off.

Travis Wood, Cubs: The fact that he plays for the Cubs will temper his win total, but if your league counts quality starts, he is definitely worth an add.  Wood is 1-2, but has a stellar 2.52 ERA and has struck out eight or more in three of his four starts.  He is worth running out there against the Brewers this weekend.

Alfredo Simon, Reds: Every outing has been a quality start, and he has allowed less than three runs in all of them.  In fact, the two runs he gave up yesterday was a season high.  He has an unsustainable 0.86 ERA, and he doesn’t strike out a ton of batters, but there are few pitchers pitching like he is right now.  He deserves a roster spot in most leagues.