Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It makes everyone's job a whole lot easier in the field when a pitcher can just rear back and strike someone out.
It's also not a bad stat to have in fantasy baseball, either. The reason is simple: A look inside the numbers of a strikeout actually tells a bigger story to the success of your fantasy team.
Of the top 10 strikeout artists in Major League Baseball -- Tim Lincecum, Justin Verlander, Javier Vazquez, Jon Lester, Zack Greinke, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, Felix Hernandez, Yovani Gallardo and Johan Santana, all of them except one -- Lester -- has an ERA in the 3 range. Lester, who has been outstanding for about a month now, checks in with a 4.16 ERA and it keeps dropping after every start.
Also, besides Vazquez's five wins, all these players mentioned have won at least least 7 games (Lester), along with a 10-win season so far for Greinke and 9 for Lincecum, Billingsley and Santana.
The WHIP category is pretty good, too, with Lester being the high man with a 1.33, and Santana at 1.23. But you'd be happy with either mark on your team, right?
Who tops the WHIP list for the top 10 guys? Can you believe Arizona's Haren has a eye-popping 0.83 WHIP? Simply nasty, like a 90 mph slider that's completely unhittable.
A.J. OK IN NY
The experts were quick to jump out and say that A.J. Burnett didn't have the makeup to perform on the big stage in New York, but he's having non of that. Granted, Burnett hasn't looked good at times in the pinstripes --but everyone struggles at one point or another during the season -- but he's been solid with 7 wins, 99 Ks, 3.83 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. He's not an ace on any fantasy staff, but he's that notch below that can help you win championships.
RESPECT THE RIGHT ARM
Arizona's Dan Haren is quietly putting together an amazing season, and the word doesn't travel fast enough. Haren is second in all of baseball with 121 innings pitches, and he's won 8 games with 119 strikeouts and a 2.16 ERA. Haren doesn't have the big name like Johan or Tiny Tim, but there's no question he's an ace in my book.
A LOWE POINT
What is wrong with Atlanta's Derek Lowe? He's been getting pounded lately -- 22 earned runs in last 23 innings -- and his ERA is at a head-scratching 4.56. He's lost four of his last five decisions, and Lowe's last win came on June 9 vs. Pittsburgh. Listen, I'm not saying dump him like a bad habit, but use caution. Perhaps bench him until he shows he's out of this funk because if you continue to play him, your ERA and WHIP will just keep rising. And do you really want that to happen?
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