RADIO
Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, and Gio Gonzalez. That's scary. If only one could draft all five studs and call it a day. Which pitchers will live up to the hype and whom should you draft for your fantasy squad?
For some reason, it is widely believed that Fister will occupy the fourth spot in the rotation. How can that be? Fister's 2.41 ERA ranked sixth in the league among qualified pitchers. Many critics are weary of the gap between that ERA and a 3.92 FIP, but the fielding in Washington should remain consistent behind Fister's ground ball-prone style of pitching. Yahoo has Fister ranked at #41 in the SP category. If he's still there in the mid rounds, do not hesitate to pick him up.
Jordan Zimmermann is Washington's other elite option when considering efficiency. 2014 was a streaky season for Zimm, but we all saw what he was capable of, as he pitched a no-hitter on Washington's last game of the season (cue the clip of Steve Souza's leaping grab). With a WHIP of 1.07 (good for eighth in the league last year) and just 3.66 pitches per plate appearance (14th in MLB), Zimmerman was the most efficient pitcher in Washington's stacked rotation. Also, if wins count in your league, Zimmermann racked up more wins (45) than any other National in the past three seasons, which is partly a product of luck but partly a product of his efficiency getting him deep into games.
Now, let's talk power. Strasburg and Scherzer are two of the hardest throwing pitchers in the league. With both ranking in the top five in K/9, Scherz and Stras would both be unquestioned aces, if they weren't on the same team. So, which star is more valuable heading into the 2015 season?
The answer is Scherzer. The Washington newcomer has been unflappable for years now, whereas Strasburg lost a full season to Tommy John and part of the next season to an innings limit. As far as ERA and QS go, both pitchers are comparable. We can expect Scherzer to produce a couple more wins since he goes deeper into games, but Strasburg's run support has been infamously low during his tenure for the Nationals. Of course, there's no evidence to suggest that this trend will necessarily continue. Scherzer has no problem going for over 220 innings per season, and he demonstrated the ability to rack up over 10 K/9 while maintaining a solid WHIP below 1.20. Plus, his eyes are two different colors, which must be very off-putting for opposing batters.
As far as sleeper picks go, keep an eye on who nabs that fifth spot in the rotation between Tanner Roark and Gio Gonzalez. Yahoo Sports has Gio ranked at #24, much too high, but he is still a near lock for the 5th spot. There's an outside chance Roark will snag that fifth spot in the rotation, making him a valuable sleeper pick heading into the late rounds.
