Dear RotoRob: Shilling Schilling
Now that he’s gotten off the bench, Luke Scott is playing extremely well for the Astros. (Karren Warren/Houston Chronicle)
Dear RotoRob.com,
I just checked my e-mail this morning and I have an offer for trade: Curt Schilling or Chien-Ming Wang and Kevin Youkilis for Ryan Braun and Matt Cain.
I have A-Rod to play third and Braun is wasting on my bench. I sent out an e-mail this morning explaining that Braun was on the block.
What do you think of this trade or should I wait for more offers? Will Schilling get back to form or should I be leery of him?
Thanks.
Daryl
Daryl,
I don’t see Schilling making a resurgence. This is about what you can expect from him as long as he keeps pitching — a near .500 pitcher that will look unhittable at times, and get slapped around the yard at other times.
Prior to the All-Star break, Youk was mashing at a .328/.419/.502 clip. Since then, he is whiffle balling it at .242/.347/.404. His slugging percentage is lower than his OBP was! I am benching Youkilis in my leagues until he breaks out of this funk he is in. If his second-half average is still in the .240s by the time September arrives, I am cutting him.
Wang has some misleading stats. He has a sub 4.00 ERA (3.97), but his BAA is .273. The two-to-one K-BB ratio is not bad, but hitters are making contact with his pitches. Since the break, they have been finding his pitches to the tune of a .317 BA. I see a slide in his stats soon.
If anyone remembers, on May 18, I suggested that A-Rod will slide in the second half of the season , and he really has. His pre-break line was .316/.412/.663; post break, it’s .240/.382/.479. You’re going to think I am crazy, but I would deal A-Rod to the highest bidder and start
Braun. Post break, the young Brewer is at .350/.391/.663 – that’s a 1054 OPS! A-Rod had a 1075 OPS in the first half and people were falling over themselves about him.
Cain had a bad first half (5.53 ERA, .269 BAA), but in the second half, he has really come alive with a 3.53 ERA and .234 BAA. The only problem is that he has given up seven homers compared to just one in the first half. That catches my eye.
All in all, I would offer Rodriguez, stay away from Schilling and Wang, start Braun, and stick with Cain. You’ll get far more for A-Rod and I bet you could make a major move if you do what I suggest here.
Dear RotoRob.com,
Luke Scott or Jason Lane or Matt Murton?
Larry
Larry,
Ah, as always, you’re a man of few words (and that’s a compliment). Hands down I take Scott. Over the past month, he is 21-for-54 (.389 BA) with 13 runs, four dingers, 16 ribbies, and one stolen base. Lane is hitting .188 over the past month – ’nuff said. Murton is batting .297 over the same span, but it is a hollow .297 as he’s managed just six runs, three homers, and five RBI.
If you are looking to make a stretch run, I might also take a look at Rick Ankiel. In only a short time, he has amassed five runs, three taters, and six RBI. That’s in a grand total of 16 at-bats! Maybe it tapers off, but right now I take him over those three. And, I did take him in all but one of my leagues (my team is in first place and stacked).
Now, the question is, if you win the league due to my expert advice, will you be chipping the site off a little something something in the donation bucket? Rob said we can’t get a window in the dungeon until the money starts coming in. And, let me assure you: it is dark down here!
