My handicapping database closely tracks how individual pitchers perform on a month-to-month basis as it provides valuable information to a sports investor. While some starting pitchers start the season in good form, many others begin to demonstrate elite command and control after the All-Star game. In order to obtain the most relevant information, I only used pitchers with a minimum of ten starts over the last three seasons. Please find below a detailed list of the best and worst pitchers in August:
Pitchers Worthy of an August Investment
- Scott Baker (Minnesota Twins): 12-6
- Dave Bush (Milwaukee Brewers): 8-3
- Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners): 11-3
- Scott Kazmir (Los Angeles Angels): 12-5
- Tim Lincecum (San Francisco Giants): 12-6
- Roy Oswalt (Philadelphia Phillies): 13-3
- Andy Pettitte (New York Yankees): 13-5
- Joel Pineiro (Los Angeles Angels): 12-2
- C.C. Sabathia (New York Yankees): 14-4
- Ervin Santana (Los Angeles Angels): 10-4
- James Shields (Tampa Bay Rays): 12-6
- Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals): 10-3
- Randy Wolf (Milwaukee Brewers): 10-3
Pitchers Who Should be Avoided in August
- Zach Duke (Pittsburgh Pirates): 2-8
- Mark Guthrie (Baltimore Orioles): 5-13
- Livan Hernandez (Washington Nationals): 4-11
- Scott Olsen (Washington Nationals): 2-9
- Micah Owings (Cincinnati Reds): 3-8
- Nate Roberston (Florida Marlins): 3-8
Note: Micah Owings was optioned to Triple-A Louisville by Cincinnati on July 28, while the Florida Marlins released Nate Robertson on July 27.
Investing on those pitchers who excel in certain months has proven to be a profitable handicapping angle, and I will continue to provide a list of those money-making pitchers as we progress through the baseball season. For the month of August, it looks like both the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees are well positioned with Kazmir, Pineiro, Santana, Pettitte and Sabathia all making the profitable list.