The fantasy mancrush tracks players that I am very high on and will target often in my drafts.
Today we're going with Matt Cain. And yes, I'm in love with the mid-tier pitcher.
Spring Stats
The Spring stats for Cain are also a little eh. 21.1 innings with an era of 6.33 and 20 Ks. Not exactly mowing them down, but it's spring and he's been around for 3+ seasons, I'm not worried.
Projections
Bill James: 13-11, 3.55 era, 213 innings, 192 Ks, 1.30 WHIP
CHONE: 11-10, 3.76 era, 189 innings, 166 Ks, 1.32 WHIP
ESPN: 11 wins, 3.65 era, 202 innings, 177 Ks, 1.31 WHIP
Sportsline: 10-13, 3.73 era, 210 innings, 190 Ks, 1.31 WHIP
Everybody says solid ERA, yay for Ks,, yay for workload, and boo for wins.
Rankings
ESPN: #133 Overall, #30 Starting Pitcher
Yahoo: #26 Starting Pitcher
Sportsline: #147 overall
Yahoo is slightly higher on Cain than everybody else, but the sentiment is that Cain is going to go in the 12th-15th round of your drafts.
Sum Up
Don't search or draft by wins. Matt Cain controls his controlables and is downgraded heavily for losing games. Yes his team's offense is highly highly suspect, but Tiny Tim won a shitload of games for them last year and it can be done by Cain. What you know you're getting is a solid ERA for a player available in the double digit rounds, a boatload of strikeouts, and a heavy workload. And that's just accepting that he won't make a leap in production. The kid is 24 and has been a beast in the big leagues for three seasons, don't let the crappy win totals the past two season frighten you. It's gonna turn around at some point.
Today we're going with Matt Cain. And yes, I'm in love with the mid-tier pitcher.Spring Stats
The Spring stats for Cain are also a little eh. 21.1 innings with an era of 6.33 and 20 Ks. Not exactly mowing them down, but it's spring and he's been around for 3+ seasons, I'm not worried.
Projections
Bill James: 13-11, 3.55 era, 213 innings, 192 Ks, 1.30 WHIP
CHONE: 11-10, 3.76 era, 189 innings, 166 Ks, 1.32 WHIP
ESPN: 11 wins, 3.65 era, 202 innings, 177 Ks, 1.31 WHIP
Sportsline: 10-13, 3.73 era, 210 innings, 190 Ks, 1.31 WHIP
Everybody says solid ERA, yay for Ks,, yay for workload, and boo for wins.
Rankings
ESPN: #133 Overall, #30 Starting Pitcher
Yahoo: #26 Starting Pitcher
Sportsline: #147 overall
Yahoo is slightly higher on Cain than everybody else, but the sentiment is that Cain is going to go in the 12th-15th round of your drafts.
Sum Up
Don't search or draft by wins. Matt Cain controls his controlables and is downgraded heavily for losing games. Yes his team's offense is highly highly suspect, but Tiny Tim won a shitload of games for them last year and it can be done by Cain. What you know you're getting is a solid ERA for a player available in the double digit rounds, a boatload of strikeouts, and a heavy workload. And that's just accepting that he won't make a leap in production. The kid is 24 and has been a beast in the big leagues for three seasons, don't let the crappy win totals the past two season frighten you. It's gonna turn around at some point.
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