NFBC Message Boards

This was posted on another thread. This is an example of how important it is spending time researching as many players as you can on your own. If I missed the "seam difference", I likely don't target Eickhoff on draft day. How about the fantasy experts with their websites and teams of analysts. Any of them post this analysis in their offseason Eickhoff writeups? I wonder why not?

SP - Jerad Eickhoff
Eickhoff is off to a blazing start. I own him in ALL leagues. Tidbit I picked up in the offseason about him. Apparently he had trouble throwing his swing and miss curveball his first couple of starts last year due to the difference in seams on a minor league ball and a major league ball. Once he became more comfortable with it (his last 4 starts in 2015), his numbers were that of a TOP 10SP.

Here’s a snapshot of his performance in those last 4 games in 2015 against some talented major leaguers (notice the LH too):
B.Harper 0-3 (3K)
Rizzo 0-3 (1K)
K.Bryant 0-3 (3K)
Schwarber 1-3 (1K)
Freeman 0-2 (1K, 1BB)
Rendon 1-2 (1BB)
Desmond 1-3 (2K)
Conforto 0-3 (2K)
SUMMARY: 3-22, 1ER, 2BB, 13K. HIS STRIKEOUT % WAS A HISTORIC 54% AGAINST THE HITTERS ABOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ACQUIRE AT ALL COSTS.

You have him in the platinum too? Nice.

I did not know that about the baseballs. From MiLB.com:

"The game balls, also made by Rawlings, are slightly different in terms of seam threading. Minor League balls are assembled in China, while Major League balls are largely fabricated in Costa Rica."

Just how stupid is that. You would think you would want the players to develop with common equipment.

Wayne - I did not know that either. Weird.

Gekko wrote:This was posted on another thread. This is an example of how important it is spending time researching as many players as you can on your own. If I missed the "seam difference", I likely don't target Eickhoff on draft day. How about the fantasy experts with their websites and teams of analysts. Any of them post this analysis in their offseason Eickhoff writeups? I wonder why not?

SP - Jerad Eickhoff
Eickhoff is off to a blazing start. I own him in ALL leagues. Tidbit I picked up in the offseason about him. Apparently he had trouble throwing his swing and miss curveball his first couple of starts last year due to the difference in seams on a minor league ball and a major league ball. Once he became more comfortable with it (his last 4 starts in 2015), his numbers were that of a TOP 10SP.

Here’s a snapshot of his performance in those last 4 games in 2015 against some talented major leaguers (notice the LH too):
B.Harper 0-3 (3K)
Rizzo 0-3 (1K)
K.Bryant 0-3 (3K)
Schwarber 1-3 (1K)
Freeman 0-2 (1K, 1BB)
Rendon 1-2 (1BB)
Desmond 1-3 (2K)
Conforto 0-3 (2K)
SUMMARY: 3-22, 1ER, 2BB, 13K. HIS STRIKEOUT % WAS A HISTORIC 54% AGAINST THE HITTERS ABOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ACQUIRE AT ALL COSTS.

You are so awesome. We all bow to your brilliance.

Greeny - I make my fair share of bad reads; however it does feel good when hard work pays off so far.

I'm sure you've made lots of good reads and/or Faab pickups this year. Feel free to mention here and rejoice with me my NFBC brother Alan!!!

Gekko wrote:Greeny - I make my fair share of bad reads; however it does feel good when hard work pays off so far.

I'm sure you've made lots of good reads and/or Faab pickups this year. Feel free to mention here and rejoice with me my NFBC brother Alan!!!

I was only joking my friend. You post to get these type of responses, right? Eickoff looked good vs the bombers known as the New York Mets. Unfortunately, he faced the top pitcher in baseball and gave in to Cespedes and Duda on easy read, 2 strike fastballs over the middle of the plate, or he wouldn't have lost.

Seriously, nice job with Eickoff... Seems like good value so far. But his bad team is not going to give him many wins.

Just an oddity.....
Eickhoff has thrown 70 Big League innings.
Almost half of those innings (32) and five of 11 Starts have been vs. the Mets.

important point to remember for people who can still acquire him...

Eickhoff suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb this spring which kept him under the radar a bit. He said his thumb impacted his curve ball in his first start of the regular season vs the Mets. it's easy to see this as his curveball frequency was low and his curve ball whiff % was really low (only 5%). in his two games since, he said his thumb is feeling better each start and his curve K% has shot up drastically (like at the end of last season):
vs Padres 14%
vs Mets (2nd time in two weeks) 21%

folks - if you are in a trading league, you should acquire him now before he is talked about in the same conversation as Arrieta

Gekko wrote:
Eickhoff is off to a blazing start. I own him in ALL leagues.

I know this was only a prep league for you and probably a penny stock in your portfolio, but I did manage to grab Eickhoff for a $1 in the $250 online auction we drafted in together

Ya good one. I got locked up with SP and thought for sure he would be a reserve pick. I screwed up

BK METS wrote:
Seriously, nice job with Eickoff... Seems like good value so far. But his bad team is not going to give him many wins.

With so many poor teams in the NL, the better pitchers on the lesser teams have a chance to do reasonably well in wins - at least better than if there was more parity, hence more teams decidedly better.

I remember Todd telling me in Arizona @ an AFL game during the first week of November that he really liked Eickhoff for 2016, always ahead of the curve.

ctmbaseball wrote:I remember Todd telling me in Arizona @ an AFL game during the first week of November that he really liked Eickhoff for 2016, always ahead of the curve.

Thumbs up for Todd!!! I always enjoy talking fantasy with Todd. Both of us are number guys to a good degree.

Next question is: did todd acquire eickhoff on draft day?

ToddZ wrote:

BK METS wrote:
Seriously, nice job with Eickoff... Seems like good value so far. But his bad team is not going to give him many wins.

With so many poor teams in the NL, the better pitchers on the lesser teams have a chance to do reasonably well in wins - at least better than if there was more parity, hence more teams decidedly better.

I would say that it wouldn't matter in the case of Eickoff since their division has two top teams and Miami who is decent. Phily bullpen is awful. Over/under on Eickoff wins is 9.

I was a happy Eickhoff owner in the 2nd half of 2015 and was hoping he'd fly under the radar this spring but nowadays that just doesn't happen much, especially with the quality of the players here in the nfbc. The thumb injury helped keep his value down a bit this spring too. Will enjoy the ride this year as next year, the adp will be round 10 or so.

Interesting info.
Had no idea about the seam issue.
9 wins does sound about right. The team is going to be a bit better than expected thanks to the starting pitching, but the hitting stinks. I'll give the Phils about 70 wins total this season.

I'd be curious as to how others would rank Eickhoff, Nola and Velasquez for their fantasy value this year. Add in AAA guys Jake Thompson and Zach Eflin (IL POW) and they finally have the semblance of a future rotation. It will be interesting to see how they will add to this roster when they jump into free agency. They definitely have money to burn.

Btw Toxic, when I was in Vegas, I took the Over 67.5. Their hitting or lack of will determine if they get there.

1. VV
2. Eickhoff (but close to VV)
3. Nola

Don't get me wrong, I like eickhoff a lot, but that's due to his impressive curveball. If he can't control any given night, he does not have a fastball that scares anyone

Philly High Hopes wrote:I'd be curious as to how others would rank Eickhoff, Nola and Velasquez for their fantasy value this year. Add in AAA guys Jake Thompson and Zach Eflin (IL POW) and they finally have the semblance of a future rotation. It will be interesting to see how they will add to this roster when they jump into free agency. They definitely have money to burn.

Btw Toxic, when I was in Vegas, I took the Over 67.5. Their hitting or lack of will determine if they get there.

My ranking would be the same as Marks. But all were on my late-round-flyer list. Young pitchers with upside on what promise to be bad teams typically get you uneven results (true for many young pitchers) so that you have one game that shows the promise, but too many games where lack of experience and poor supporting cast lead to ERA and WHIP crushing outings. If I were guessing, I would take the under on 10 wins. Also, I would take the under on 185 IP.

Gekko wrote:1. VV
2. Eickhoff (but close to VV)
3. Nola

Don't get me wrong, I like eickhoff a lot, but that's due to his impressive curveball. If he can't control any given night, he does not have a fastball that scares anyone

Nola will end up the best of the 3. Maybe not this year.

todd drafted eickoff in round 23 of the 1st draft of the year which began before the 2015 season ended. it is widely known gecko industries spies on that draft and copies todd's pitching picks. great job by gecko industries both for the spying and credit taking.

The bragging is getting dangerous!!!

It's a bit of a concern to see a predominately right handed lineup smack him around, but it might have just been an off day. Tough for a flyball pitcher in Philly when his command is off.

Hopefully Gekko didnt have Shane Greene (doh!) or Carlos Carlos Carrasco everywhere.... Or we might have to add Mark to the nItE NiTe thread.