Fantasy Baseball Pitch or Ditch Options: July 16-19

It’s a short baseball week, meaning there are no two-start pitchers for anyone to take advantage of. Therefore, a few promising pitch-or-ditch options are even more appealing if you need some help in the rotation.

Let’s take a look at the best options from each day (keep in mind, these are pitchers who are likely owned in less then 50 percent of leagues).

Thursday, July 16

None

Friday, July 17

Clay Buchholz—Boston Red Sox @ Toronto
The Blue Jays' offense is not the best one to step out of Triple-A and into the major leagues against, ranking ninth in runs scored (437), fourth in average (.272) and 27th in strikeouts (529).

Buchholz, however, is no ordinary recalled pitcher. While he struggled in 15 starts last season, he has been tearing up Triple-A to the tune of 7-2 with a 2.36 ERA and 89 K over 99.0 innings.

Obviously, those numbers are not going to be repeated, especially when you factor in his .229 BABIP. Still, he was one of the premier pitchers in the minors and appears primed to hit the ground running this time around.

He’s a gamble, for sure, but one worth taking.

Saturday, July 18

Jose Contreras—Chicago White Sox vs. Baltimore

He’s 2-0 in his last two starts, both against Cleveland, giving up three earned runs over 14.1 innings. Despite his 4.54 ERA overall this season, he has a 1.25 WHIP, so it’s not like he has been terrible.

A below-average 63.6 percent strand rate has certainly played a role in his poor luck, including an April start against the Orioles where he got shelled for six runs on seven hits and six walks over 5.1 innings.

OK, in that start he just wasn’t good, but that’s going to happen from time to time.  Since returning to the majors in June, he’s only had one start in six outings where he has allowed more than three earned runs, seeing his ERA consistently fall from 8.19.

I’d look for him to avenge that April start and post good numbers this time around.

Sunday, July 19

Brett Anderson—Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles (AL)
I know the Angels are generally not a perfect matchup for pitchers. Despite their annihilation of the Yankees pitching staff prior to the break, this is a lineup without two of its biggest bats in Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero—making them far less imposing.

Anderson, meanwhile, has been on a roll of late, including a complete game shutout of the Red Sox followed by shutting out the Rays for four innings before being lifted due to a stiff back. There’s a slight chance his back causes him to sit for an extra day, but that’s not the current plan.

Young pitchers are inconsistent, so Anderson is no guarantee to continue his hot streak. In fact, I’d say that it's 50/50, at best, that he excels, especially since he's allowed five earned runs over 4.2 innings in his only other start against the Angels this season.

Still, with the way he’s been throwing lately, he’s worth considering if you need an arm.

Mat Latos—San Diego Padres vs. Colorado

This start is for the ultimate gambler. It's high risk-high reward to the maximum, especially considering that it is not yet official that he will be taking the ball. If he does, he has the potential to be impressive.

Generally, I do not recommend starting a pitcher in his first major league start. Nerves play a huge role in their performance, so there's a huge qestion mark on whether a 21-year-old making the jump from Double-A is a can handle the pressure.

He has been amazing this season, however, going 8-1 with a 1.37 ERA, 73 K, and 12 BB over 72.1 innings between Single and Double-A this season. Yes, those numbers come with an unrepeatable .233 BABIP, but I don’t think anyone expected the numbers he’s posted thus far.

He's been on the radar of many baseball people for a while and he's armed with a fastball that reaches 97 mph. Plus, he's facing an offense that ranks eighth in strikeouts with 664.

In our Ask the Expert with Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune in January (click here to read the entire interview), when asked about a pitcher he thought could develop as a steady option, he said, “Keep an eye on Mat Latos, though. He hasn’t pitched up low Single-A, but he has a big arm and is a good athlete. He will be in major league camp. If he shows improved maturity, he might set himself for a look-see in September.”

There is a chance he gives up a few runs, but if you are looking for Ks, he has the potential to give you a real boost there.

What do you think of these options? Which ones would you use? Which would you pass on?

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