Braden Looper - Fantasy News & Updates
Braden Looper - Fantasy News & Updates
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In August it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Brewers, who are short on pitching prospects at the top levels of the Minor Leagues, would bring Looper back. But a high-ranking club official indicated during the final week of the season that Looper's future with the team was thrown up for debate as he posted a 6.58 ERA over the season's final month with a .349 opponents' batting average. He did manage to go 5-2 over that span thanks to the Brewers' offense. In the season's final days, Looper revealed that he pitched the entire season with a sore right knee that would need arthroscopic surgery.
Both Counsell, who is a free agent, and Looper, whose contract includes a mutual option for 2010, played through knee pain all season. Counsell mulled surgery at the end of Spring Training but ultimately decided against it. Looper surrendered a Major League-worst 39 home runs this season and wondered aloud during the season's final weekend whether his persistent knee pain played a role. It's unclear whether either player will available by Spring Training.
Parra will undergo what a club official stressed was a routine surgery on Tuesday to clean up the AC joint in his left shoulder. McGehee will also have surgery on Tuesday, an arthroscopic procedure to clean out loose tissue from his right knee. The rookie infielder played most of the season with pain in the joint and still produced a .301 batting average, 16 homers and 66 RBIs, tops among rookies. Looper, on the other hand, will have surgery next week to fix torn meniscus on his right knee after pitching with the injury for much of 2009. The procedure casts a cloud over his chances of being healthy for the start of 2010.
Looper, who emphasized that the injury isn't a major concern, has struggled all year. Despite a 14-7 record, he has a career-high 5.22 ERA to go with a 1.49 WHIP. Additionally, he also has permitted 39 home runs -- a club record. "I tried the best I can to get the ball down because that's my whole game," Looper said. The right-hander's surgery will likely be set for the week of Oct. 12, so he should be good to go for Spring Training.
Wins count in fantasy, too, and Looper's 14-7 record is enough to make him valuable in NL-only leagues and deeper mixed formats. Still, despite the reliable run support provided by the mash-intensive Brewers lineup and reliable good health, Looper will never be more than a fringe-y fantasy starter given his negligible strikeout totals -- he had just a 100/64 K/BB ratio in 194 2/3 innings this year -- and supremely hittable stuff. Looper finishes 2009 with a 1.49 WHIP and a 5.22 ERA, and while both numbers may come down some in 2010, neither is terribly appealing from a fantasy perspective.
Looper took his first no-decision in four starts in what amounted to his first quality start in that window. He broke a three-start home run streak, just the second time in 13 outings that he didn't serve up a long ball. Still, it's not a good idea to start Looper on Oct. 2 vs. the powerful Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
"It's nice to go out there and have the guys put runs on the board," Looper said. "It definitely makes it easier, that's for sure." It's happened for him a lot this season, a fact that has surely pleased the veteran chucker. The Brewers have scored at least six runs in eight of Looper's 13 wins, a total that paces Milwaukee's staff. Looper will look to claim his 14th victory of the season when he next toes the rubber on Sept. 21 in a rematch with Rich Harden and the Cubs.
Looper is now 12-6 on the season, which is easily the most impressive statistic on his line. While no player with that many wins will ever be worthless in fantasy, Looper's 4.77 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings all combine to make him a very fringe-y play outside of deeper NL-only leagues. Still, it's hard to argue with success, or with Looper's 3.52 ERA and 2-0 record over his last five starts. His next turn comes on Sept. 16, against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Looper couldn't get past the game's preeminent slugger, as he surrendered a tater to Albert Pujols. Looper has served up a long ball in eight straight outings and 11 of 12 appearances, although he could catch a break on Sept. 6 when he faces a light-hitting Giants lineup at Miller Park.
Looper notched his second straight quality start, with Wednesday's outing nearly mirroring his Aug. 21 matchup. It was similar right down to his allowing a one homer, the seventh straight outing in which a batter has gone yard off Looper. He'll face a Cardinals offense with plenty of pop on Sept. 1 at Busch Stadium.
Pitching in front of an explosive offensive unit has its advantages, as evidenced by Looper's double-digit win total, but the right-hander has not done much else to help NL-only league owners and those looking to stream in many other categories this year. The veteran righty, who's never been much of a strikeout artist, wasn't able to fan even a single batter over his last two outings and sports a lackluster 77/49 K/BB ratio on the year. He might not contribute in many areas, but he'll have a chance at another win his next time out on Aug. 21 against the Nationals.
That's two starts in a row that Looper most likely wishes he could forget. After blanking the Pirates over seven innings on July 21, in what was his best, most efficent start of the season, the wheels have come off Looper's game, as he is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA over his past 11 innings. There's no doubt that the Brewers can bash the ball around the yard, so he should continue to get plenty of shots at wins, but just don't expect much help in the other major pitching categories. Looper will try for his 10th win of the year on August 5 at the Dodgers.
Looper had one of his best outings of the season in his last start, when he threw seven shutout innings against the Pirates, but he could not duplicate that effort on Sunday as he once again fell victim to the free pass. The veteran righty sports a handsome 3-1 record in July despite a dismal 12/16 K/BB ratio. Looper will look to get back on the winning track on July 31 at pitcher-friendly PETCO Park against the Padres.
This was Looper's fourth straight win and his fifth quality start in as many outings. Looper hasn't been spectacular, as evidenced by his 4.64 ERA and 64/39 K/BB ratio for the season, but with his ability to throw strikes and the backing of Milwaukee's potent offense, the veteran righty has his sights set on shattering his career high of 12 wins. His next outing comes against the light-hitting Nationals.
The no-decision broke a two-start winning streak as well as a streak of three straight quality outings. Looper's primary concern on Friday was simply keeping the ball in the park. The four homers he served were a season high, so he'll have to ensure he keeps the ball down in the zone on a more consistent basis. Looper went 7-4 with a 4.94 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP during the first half.
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