Pitcher No. 28 in $5x5 (both leagues).

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 1239

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 95.8

Avg Spin Rate: 2,309

Avg Exit Velocity: 86.1

He threw a lot of fastballs and it's obvious why: it went toward the batter very fast and went the other way, when it did, considerably slower.

Hitter No. 34 in $5x5 (both leagues).

2018 Statcast averages

HIP: 472

Avg Exit Velocity: 89.6

Avg HR Distance: 386

Avg Launch Angle: 15.2

He hit well batting third (.295), even better batting fourth (.337) and too often batting second (163 AB).

2nd most valuable hitter, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast averages

HIP: 438

Avg Exit Velocity: 92.6

Avg HR Distance: 407

Avg Launch Angle: 5.0

7th most valuable pitcher, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 983

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 95.3     

Avg Spin Rate: 2,357

Avg Exit Velocity: 85.2

More than ten mph difference between speed coming in and going out. Combine that with lots of grounders and... voila.

17th most valuable pitcher, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 1587

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 97.6

Avg Spin Rate: 2,365

Avg Exit Velocity: 88.4

5.57 ERA Post All-Star.

Most valuable pitcher, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 1746

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 94.4

Avg Spin Rate: 2,486

Avg Exit Velocity: 86.4

Pennies better than Verlander, a dollar better than deGrom.

3rd highest earner, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast averages

HIP: 429

Avg Exit Velocity: 93.0

Avg HR Distance: 398

Avg Launch Angle: 10.6

Mookie Betts' homers went two feet further on average.

Most valuable hitter, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast averages

HIP: 432

Avg Exit Velocity: 92.3

Avg HR Distance: 400    

Avg Launch Angle: 18.4

One dollar better than Yelich.

8th most valuable pitcher, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 578

Pitch Type: Sinker

Avg Pitch Speed: 97.3

Avg Spin Rate: 2,371

Avg Exit Velocity: 87.2

First reliever on the list of highest earners. His sinker was was almost six mph faster than the average sinker (91.6). The exit velocity was more than one mph lower than the average (88.4).

I am writing this in November, before the Cy Young voting has been announced. He and Diaz would both be very high on my ballot, probably second and third behind Snell; in the cumulative wisdom of the baseball writers, neither is going to be in the top five.

What I can't decide is, which one is second?

Pitcher No. 26 in $5x5 (both leagues).

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 372

Pitch Type: Knuckle Curve

Avg Pitch Speed: 81.2

Avg Spin Rate: 2,464

Avg Exit Velocity: 88.3

First pitcher on the list (of pitchers ranked by $5x5) whose primary pitch was not a four-seam fastball. A close to average knuckle curve at that, going by Statcast (MLB averages -- 80.9, 2,488, 88.4). 

Jeffress is only the fourth relief pitcher on the list (behind Treinen, Diaz and Kimbrel), although he of course ranks much higher in 4x4.

The XFL, drafting for 2019 in November at First Pitch Arizona, plays 5x5. 

Fifteen teams, nine pitchers.

Jeffress wasn't even taken.

Other notable free agents when it was all over: Brad Boxberger, Bud Norris, Shane Greene, Sergio Romo and (of course) Fernando Rodney.

Third most valuable pitcher, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 1374    

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 96.0

Avg Spin Rate: 2,362

Avg Exit Velocity: 86.3

Lots of fastballs, few of them hard hit.

Fifth highest earner, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 1165

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 92.8

Avg Spin Rate: 2,117

Avg Exit Velocity: 87.1

First pitcher -- by earnings last year -- who's fastball velocity is below theMLB average (93.2).

Hitter No. 35 in $5x5 (both leagues).

2018 Statcast averages

HIP: 493

Avg Exit Velocity: 90.1

Avg HR Distance: 404

Avg Launch Angle: 14.8

Put the ball in play 61 times on an 0-2 pitch and had 14 hits. Struck out, either swinging or looking, 19 times.

May not sound great, but I'm sure very few batters did as well. Maybe no one.

With the count full (71 times) he managed only six hits: four singles and two doubles.

So he was a wuss on the most critical count in baseball, right?

Yes, but an effective wuss. He shortened his swing and struck out 11 times. How many were backward K's? Can't say but it was more than a few: he drew ball four 25 times.

His slash stats on the 3-2 pitch: .133/.433/.178.

My kind of batter. 

11th most valuable hitter, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast averages

HIP: 444

Avg Exit Velocity: 88.2

Avg HR Distance: 402

Avg Launch Angle: 9.0

A lor of homers for such an extreme ground ball hitter.

Signed a one-year deal on Nov. 30 for $2.65 million. Will be a free agent next year.

FIP and SIERA -- not to mention K/9, K/W, BABIP and G/L/F -- say he had amazingly bad luck last season. 

SIERA pays some attention to BABIP, hence is lower than FIP. But both metrics say his ERA was lucky. Billy Beane must have agreed; Fiers was non-tendered in November.

10th most valuable pitcher, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 725

Pitch Type: Four-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 97.3

Avg Spin Rate: 2,340

Avg Exit Velocity: 87.8

Pitcher No. 22 in $5x5 (both leagues).

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 920

Pitch Type: Two-seam FB

Avg Pitch Speed: 89.8 

Avg Spin Rate: 89.8 (92.5 is average)

Avg Exit Velocity: 89.0 (88.4 is average)

Less than one mph difference between velocity and exit velocity. Great d in the outfield obviously helped him but the Red Sox infield was a big minus (according to Defensive Runs Saved).

13th highest earner, both leagues, in 5x5.

2018 Statcast Averages

NP: 1281

Pitch Type: Slider

Avg Pitch Speed: 81.7 

Avg Spin Rate: 2,389

Avg Exit Velocity: 88.3