The pitching staff carried the offense for a while and this last week the batters picked up the pitching staff. But over the last month we have had three pitchers who have had great fantasy months.
Jon Lester (122 points – 24.4 per start)
Jon Lester made five starts and ranged from 17 points to 34 points while picking up wins in four of the five games. This is the Lester we all thought we were getting when we signed him and is a must start every week right now.
Jake Arrieta (132 points – 22.0 per start)
Jake Arrieta is turning into a true ace in front of our eyes, yet just two years ago he was a risky pick to use for a spot starter in fantasy. Over the last month he picked up four wins in his six starts while ranging from 12 points to 31 points while in the middle of a stretch of 11 quality starts. Arrieta is also a must start every week.
Hector Rondon (107 points)
Hector Rondon has the closer job back and picked up nine saves over the last month while averaging around 25 points per week. As long as he stays as the closer, he is more than worth using as one of your closers.
The Best of the Rest
In leagues like the CCO we had two relief pitchers that had good months as second or third relief pitchers in Pedro Strop (77 points), Justin Grimm (66 points). As far as other starters, Jason Hammel (45 points – 9.0 pts/start) and Kyle Hendricks (43 points – 8.6 pts/start) have not been dependable. Clayton Richard had one good start (his last) and put up 20 points in that game (keep in mind Lester and Arrieta averaged more than Richard’s best start). Dan Haren has had three starts with the Cubs and put up 26 points (8.7 pts/game). Haren is right there with Hammel and Hendricks for not being very useful in fantasy right now.
CCO League Trades
Trade Deadline – 11 Days Away
In the CCO leagues we use Friday August 28 at 12:00pm ET as a trade deadline. I expect we will see a flurry of trade activity leading up to the deadline. But not much going on right now. Just a reminder, teams that are officially eliminated are not allowed to make trades.
CCO Fans Trades Last Week
• No trades this week.
CCO Trades Last Week
• Chris K’s Crushers traded Travis d’Arnaud to Varmit Cnty Ninji Walkers for Josh Hamilton and Miguel Montero
MLB Best of Last Week
Each week we will review the best performances of the week in all of MLB.
Only one point separates the top four spots with a young guy sneaking in. Thirteen days ago Jackie Bradley Jr. was hitting .102. His average is now .244 after a hot 10-game stretch that included this past week. Bradley isn’t all bat, he made great plays in all three outfield spots last week as well. Yet, Bradley is back to the bench as Hanley Ramirez is ready to play again and Ramirez promptly misplayed a fly ball that shows up as a double in the box score.
Hard to get past the four Aces on this list and past the 81 points Madison Bumgarner put up in just two starts. Let’s face it 63 and 61 points are normally going to lead any week of the season in points and Zack Greinke’s 49 points could on a slow week. But the fifth name is Drew Hutchison, the 24-year old (about to be 25 on Saturday) young stud arm for the Blue Jays. He posted back to back very good games to have the fifth best fantasy week by a starting pitcher. He raised his record to 12-2. So what did the Blue Jays do, they sent him to Triple-A.
Bradley and Hutchison have to wondering how good they would have to play to get back if top five week’s got them demoted and benched.
Chicago Cubs Batters
The bats are hot and even with a down week from the newest kid (only four hits), Schwarber still found ways to help the team. Dexter Fowler had a huge week (32 points) from the leadoff spot and did just about everything except steal a base as he was on base just over half of his plate appearances. Following Fowler is Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant … boy we are going to be saying those names together for a while. Combined the Cubs hit 11 home runs led by Rizzo, Schwarber and Coghlan with two each. We had six players who put up good weeks which is why we kept finding ways to win games all week.
Chicago Cubs Pitchers
The pitching staff did have a 2.67 ERA this week and only had one game where they gave up more than three runs, which led to a 5-1 week. But from a fantasy perspective, there was a bunch of okay going on with seven pitchers between 20-22 points this past week. Jon Lester did his job with a 21-point start and so did Jake Arrieta with a 20-point start. Jason Hammel would have had over 20 points if he had picked up the win. But the three starts by Kyle Hendricks and Dan Haren were not good and the best weeks were by relievers who are not used in most formats. Hector Rondon had a 21-point week and he had company in the bullpen with Justin Grimm (22 points), Pedro Strop (21 points), Clayton Richard (20 points), and Travis Wood (18 points).
CCO Fantasy Leagues
Three weeks to go and the playoff hunt is heating up. My season is all but over after going 2-6 since injuries took almost half of my starting lineup.
CCO League Current Playoff Seedings
- Daverj’s Batsmen 15-3
- What Optimism? Vivid Reality 10-8
- Varmit Cnty Ninji Walkers 13-5
- CubfaninSeattle John 12-6
- FL JimBoC 11-7
- Since 2015 Castleworld 10-8
- The Wrong Team 10-8
- Myrtle Beach Mermen 10-8
A little tightening up of the standings as it now takes 10 wins to make the playoffs with four nine win teams on the outside looking in. While there are now two eight win teams two games back hanging on by a thread.
• Eliminated teams: BigJonLilJon’s LehairoftheDog (5), Riders on the Board (5), Team Gramps (6), Northside Bleacher Bums (6), Waiting on Bryant (7), Runnin’ Bredstiks (7)
• Technically not eliminated but (8 wins): Chris K’s Crushers, Clark n Addison
• One game back (9 wins): Kentucky Ripsnorter, Soler Flares, Ronnie’s Good Hairpiece, Team JasonOfTheBurbs
CCO Fans League Current Playoff Seedings
- Dock Ellis D 14-4
- Team Doughty 11-6-1
- The Calicubs 14-4
- Team Vaughn 11-7
- Joe and Joe 11-7
- Woody’s Way 11-7
- Stu’s Studs 10-8
- Old Style 10-8
Ten wins is it in this league as well, but there are two 10 win (equivalent) teams on the outside looking in. Two nine win teams sitting one game back and three eight win teams that are all but done.
• Eliminated teams: Mac Daddy (2), Hunt’s Hoser’s (5), Wrigley Field (6), Team Petty (6), New Jersey Hawks (6)
• Technically not eliminated but (8 wins): Team Bahr, Clark and Addison
• Need to win out, but you say I have a chance (9 wins): Team Gt8000, Widespread HisPanic
• Losing on the tiebreaker (9 and 2 ties, 10 wins) Iowa Hackman, Oregon Coastal Cubbies