Another big week for Trolling the Wire that was actually the best week yet. With a 2.45 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and 4.7 K/BB in 70 innings, this week’s waiver wire pickups set four new records. Only the K/9 failed to set a new high checking in at 7.9, just below the 8.2 record set in weeks 5 & 6.
I don’t mean to be boastful, but setting these records in week 11 is an impressive feat. When you think about it, the records should have been easier to set earlier in the season when better guys were available. As we sit 11 weeks in, a lot of rosters have multiple guys on their staff that they got from the wire, but there was still enough talent for us to better our teams via streaming.
Let’s see what week 12 brings…
MONDAY:
Jake Arrieta (BAL @ PIT) – He might finally start to be getting on a roll and he heads to Pittsburgh to face a below average lineup in a nice ballpark.
Gavin Floyd (CWS v. CHC) – He is right there on the fringe between just above and just below average which makes him a perfect matchup play. The Cubs don’t have a particularly scary lineup and Floyd’s 3.0 K/BB skills should play well against them.
Juan Nicasio (COL @ CLE) – With a 3.6 K/BB powered by a 1.9 BB/9, Nicasio is making a nice impression out of the gate in his major league debut. I was a fan of his coming into the season and though he made it to the big leagues faster than I expected, it appears to be the right call.
TUESDAY:
Dillon Gee (NYM v. OAK) – Gee at home (1.77 ERA v. 4.15 road) against an inferior offense is an auto-start.
James McDonald (PIT v. BAL) – Trolling has been on the McDonald for most of 2011 and while he burned us a bit early on, he has posted a 3.04 ERA in 10 starts since having a 10.12 ERA in his first four.
WEDNESDAY:
R.A. Dickey (NYM v. OAK) – Struggled in his last start, but even including that he has a 2.48 ERA with 7.0 K/9 in the last month so let’s pick on the A’s two days in a row.
Rick Porcello (DET @ LAD) – If you take out blow up starts against Boston and in Colorado, he has a 1.93 ERA in the last month. The Dodgers are nowhere near the Red Sox or Rockies so I expect to see the good Porcello here.
THURSDAY:
Brian Duensing (MIN @ SF) – His skills have been strong the last month (7.2 K/9, 3.0 K/BB) despite poor results. Against the Giants in their spacious park, the results should finally start catching up.
FRIDAY:
Tim Stauffer (SD v. ATL) – Stauffer has been amazing this year, yet he’s criminally under-owned. Of course I’m going to take him at home against a middling offense.
Carlos Carrasco (CLE @ SF) – Carrasco was essentially my AL-version of James McDonald coming into this year, a deep sleeper I thought would take a big step forward. He got off to a slow start, like McDonald, but he’s got a 2.72 ERA in the last month spanning 40 innings.
Scott Baker (MIN @ MIL) – The gopheritis scares me a bit as I have been burned by Baker too many times, but it’s hard to argue with how well he has been pitching so let’s ride the hot hand, even against Milwaukee.
Baseball By Paul 
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