In the fall and early winter, Sundays are dedicated to football. But in the spring and summer, it’s all about baseball. The afternoon schedule is as full as it can get, save for the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game. So treat this Sunday afternoon as you would during the NFL season, and join a Draftstreet daily fantasy league. And here are a few pitchers who might help you in your quest for glory.
Best Best
Alex Wood $12,660
2014 is turning into a pretty good year for Wood. In his first start of the season, he spun a gem. He threw seven innings against the Brewers on Tuesday and allowed just five hits and one run. He also added five strikeouts. That continued what had already been an excellent spring for the 23-year-old. In 20 preseason innings, he had a 0.45 ERA and a ridiculous 86% strike rate. Wood loves to get ground balls and also picks up enough strikeouts, so his potential for getting lit up is relatively low. Chances are it won’t be long before Wood’s salary starts to increase at a fairly steady clip, so start him as a value play while you can. Even against Washington, he should give you good points.
Double Down
Erasmo Ramirez $9,360
Speaking of players turning in a solid season debut after a nice spring, Ramirez is also worth a look for you today, too. He held the Angels in check on Tuesday, limiting them to two runs and six hits over seven innings. Like Wood, Ramriez made his season debut after turning heads in spring training. He was undefeated in six games with a 1.14 ERA. His success has stemmed from his ability to throw strikes (78% in the preseason) and keeping hitters off base (0.85 WHIP). With a matchup against an Oakland team which ranks in the bottom third in the young season in batting average and scoring, Ramirez could very conceivably keep his hot streak going.
Roll the Dice
Jonathan Niese $12,141
Niese is a wild card today. He had a bit of a rough spring, playing in just two games because of multiple injuries. So it’s a little tough to read too much into his stats over four innings three weeks ago. Today, he’ll make his season debut. His pitch count is expected to go to about 95, so there are no real worries about him having a short leash. The biggest question will be whether or not he will be prepared since his normal March routine was abbreviated. One thing he does have going for him is that April has historically been one of his best months, so he’s never needed as much time to settle in when a new year starts. He also will face a Reds team against which he fared very well last year. He started twice against them, turning in quality starts both times, including a six inning, no-earned run performance in May. He is a bit of an unknown today, but if you want a low-priced second or third pitcher, Niese may work out for you.
