Speaker 1: You like fantasy fall sense talk chasm that I shall
not me hear myself, stun spans and they can't even
count some of unifor chasms. A rap on.
Speaker 2: It ain't better be.
Speaker 1: Health well, yeah, several charges on everyone something else and
I'm alreadium and here my baby sounds just like.
Speaker 3: Your name was, Mart.
Speaker 1: And it's a ride by podcast.
Speaker 2: It's a rapop podcast.
Speaker 1: It's a rapop podcast. It's a ride bo podcast. It's
a rap up podcast.
Speaker 3: I don't have a rap up podcast. A turn off.
Speaker 1: It's a rap bop podcast. Welcome back everybody. It is
the rass Ball Fantasy Baseball podcast. I am being on
joined by the one, the only the fantasy master left.
Are you himself? Great? All right? Hey? Doing on this
fine pre opening day Monday? Gray?
Speaker 3: Ah good good, I'm good. I'm you know, it's like
it's it kind of feels like the calm before the storm.
I'm ready to go. Got everything locked in my award
winning rankings, are you know, are basically locked my number
one from my number one rankings from twenty twenty three,
twenty five. Yeah, things are things are good. I'm good.
I have a post nasal drip, but other than that,
I'm okay, man, I'm okay.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Gray, It's almost like when I joined the podcast,
good things started to happen for you. You know, the
rankings got got better. You're now number one. You know,
we're just slowly things have improved. We've we climbed to
number one in the South Korea Fantasy Baseball charts. It's
just all positive things, positive movements you have.
Speaker 3: Yeah, for people who are are listening in South Korea,
thank you. I don't know how to say thank you
in Korean, but thank you. You're probably better off that
I don't try and pronounce something in creative. Ah See,
look at us, we're basically we're both basically Korean, not
just you, basically the same thing. Gray.
Speaker 1: We've got a lot to get to you. Let's just
get into it. Gray're we're almost here. At opening day,
we have the first round of fab and waiver wires. Happened.
I'm sure that happened in a lot of places. How
do you go about mixing up fab and waiver wire
here at the first one before season starts and early
in the season, do you mix up your rosters? Whenever
you see something? Are you riding with you know the
team that you drafted, and then I guess we can
talk about how you're setting your lineup. Is it the
same thing where you're you know, I drafted them, That's
who I'm starting. Are you looking at matchups already and
playing in that game right off the bat?
Speaker 3: It was actually, uh, I just on my on my desk.
I have a pin that my dog Ted gave me.
It says good boy. So it's like I feel like
I wonder if Ted gave that to me, as like
he was mocking me. I I'm a you know what,
good boy though? Is uh? That's a good transition into
what I'm gonna say with UH, with your players that
you just drafted, they're all good boys, Brent. They're at
this point I have I have no qualms with anyone I,
you know, other than injuries. I'm not looking to drop
or trade away anyone, you know. I I firmly believe in,
like you know, the guys you just drafted. For some
people literally like hours ago, there's no reason to get
rid of them other than like maybe you auto drafted
someone by accident. Like other than that, I or injuries obviously,
but other than that, like I don't see like, I'm
kind of conservative when it comes to early fab Like
I personally didn't even I didn't even drop anyone or
pick anyone up in any of my uh my waiver
wire leagues this first week. I you know, I I
sat out most of them. We'll talk about some of
the guys who were actually picked up as we go
along in the uh in the podcast some of the
injuries that opened up doors for some people. So there
were a few pickups, but no one I really you know,
it's like, I I just drafted these teams. Why why
am I dropping them? I'm you know, I I feel like,
as of right now, they're all good boys.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I feel like it's usually I have
an eye off bot because somebody got moved into iel
or somebody got hurt, so I'm dropping them. You know.
Sometimes there are some news though that comes out that
makes you change your mind about player. You want to
get a share of a late round guy that's that's
sitting out in free agency. But for the most part,
I'm with you from you know, in general, I drafted them,
I liked them, draft them. If I wanted somebody else
in the draft room, I probably want have taken them, so.
Speaker 3: That actually that goes for you know, I I tell
people on rasball that, like, you know, unless you like
unless you really got hit hard with injuries or again,
like you auto drafted something and like you need to
make changes. Like I don't really even believe in early
season trading because it's like, what, what do you need?
Everyone's at zero? I don't know, like did you draft
that term? Like why didn't you draft better if you
need the trade? I don't understand like trading before the
season either, Like it's like, you know you drafted these guys,
why don't you give them I'm a shot, like you know,
like for instance, you know this is not I don't
believe this has anything to do with our podcast outline today,
But say like you drafted I don't know, Christopher Sanchez
and you then you also drafted Jacob de Gram and
you drafted heyesus Lozardo and you're like, well, I think
I have too much pitching. It's like, yeah, you probably do.
Why did you draft all those guys? I don't like,
I don't get like why, Okay, yeah you do have
too much pitching, but why did you draft too much pitching?
I don't know if there's an answer for that other
than oops. But yeah, so I mean other than like
in oops, I messed up my draft. I don't see
the point of really trading early on either outside of
like you know, obviously, if you get hit by injuries
or so something, then you do what you gotta do.
But yeah, and it's sort of that's in the same uh,
same sort of realm of what I'm saying with FAB too,
Like you know, maybe maybe there's a guy you drafted
in the last the last round of your draft and
you're like, nah, you know, like I I don't really
love this middle reliever or this hit or flyer. I'm
gonna drop him and pick up this other guy on
FAB Like, Okay, yeah, I mean that's fine. I mean
I could see doing that if you're like, you know,
the last guy on your team and you see someone
better on waivers that you're like, yeah, I want to
switch them out. But if you're switching out like I
don't know, say, like your cornerman or something, it's like
why did you draft that cornerman? I don't know? But anyway, Yeah, yep.
Speaker 1: There you go. Everybody. Grant never ever made a mistake
in a draft. Accidentally drafted much of one category or
one position is set from day one and he does nothing. No,
Gray really doesn't do a lot of trades. You pretty
much have to send him one he's winning.
Speaker 3: Uh no, no no no no no no no.
Speaker 4: No no no no, you have to you have to
send me a trade that I'm winning, and also text
and DM me and be like, hey, can you look
at your trade?
Speaker 1: Maybe get on the podcast and before the podcast starts,
be like, hey, I sent you a trade offer that
also helps.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's still gonna be like a month later, though
like a month later time. A good time to trade
with me is when you're my uh my podcast co
host and you're able to speak directly to me and
be like, hey, man, could you look at the trade
I sent you.
Speaker 1: I'm not starting the recording until you look at the trade.
You didn't give me an answer, Gray.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a that's a good that's a good avenue
to trade with me.
Speaker 1: I'm certainly more open to trade. I think back when
certain analyst leagues had trading, I was like one of
the only people who pulled off trades. So I've always
been open to trading. You know, there's times in the
draft where you maybe you're overloaded a position, or you
grabbed too much of one category because value was there
and you didn't want to see it falling to other people.
You know, I've certainly been in that position, So I
don't mind training if you see that you are lacking
a category or a position, or you.
Speaker 3: Know, I feel like you're misrepresenting what I said. I
don't see the point of trading before the season starts.
Once the season starts and you start to see you
have too much of one category, then yeah, I mean,
obviously I can understand trading at that point, but I'm
saying right now, like once the season starts and like,
you know, this guy who you thought was going to
be your first baseman goes down with an injury, and
now you're weak in power, so you have to trade
some steals for power. Yeah, all that makes sense. I'm
just saying before the season starts, I don't see the
point of trading because you just drafted this team. You
have no idea what you have. I don't know what
you have. I mean, I can guess what you have,
but it's like until the games begin, like you don't
know if Chandler Simpson's gonna steal forty bags in April,
Like I don't know. I mean, it's like everything is
sort of up in the air as of right the second.
Speaker 1: It is. And I was speaking from a pre league
starting position, because you can look at your team sometimes
and you go, oh, I ran it through the war
room and it says I am plus five steals, you know,
five points and steels, which is more than five steels.
A lot of steels over in what I need and
I need power. So then you trade some speed for power,
or you look at your line and you're like, oh,
I drafted three shortstops. I can't start them all necessarily.
Let me see if somebody has a outfield or a
third basement, it might be better for me. And again,
these things can happen. You can leave your draft with
people you didn't necessarily want, especially, you know, like in
an auction where you maybe price get caught price enforcing
on a certain player and you ended up with an
extra person that does something or is a position that
you don't necessarily need. I'm not as locked in as
Grey is, but I understand what he's saying. I'm just
I think I'm accepting more that sometimes the draft is
not not perfect, and you do have an idea of
kind of what you need. Sometimes. Last week, somebody commented
as we were talking about position battles on the podcast
to mention that they wish we had talked about the
Minnesota rotation battle. I didn't throw it in there. I'm
not sure why. I think maybe because we had talked
about it in the spring training before. But we'll talk
about it now. Even if it's maybe not useful for
that particular person's draft, but I think it'd be useful
in general. It looks like mckabele, Todd, Taz Bradley get
the last two rotation spots. I mean on Richardson kind
of had seemed like he had one locked up, but
that's official as well. Zebby Matthews gets sent down of
those three staying up. Are you interested in those three?
And if you have Zebbie Matthews, is that somebody that
you are potentially holding onto or is that a drop
and everything outside of you know, a deep only ly?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, I think Zebbie Matthews is he's a drop
in most leagues outside of ale only. And then I
don't you know, Taz Bradley, Uh, you know, he stayed
with the Twins rather than going to rather than going
to the WBC to try and win the spot, and
it worked for him. And you know, he his stuff
looks pretty good for you know, it's he's always had
a he's always had good stuff, it's just never really translated.
And his stuff in the UH in spring training looks
pretty good. You know, it's all spring training is obviously
small sample size, but it looks like he's still struggling
a bit with command. So I'm a little bit on
the fence with Todge Bradley. Bradley for like maybe fifteen
team mix league and deeper is fine. I think twelve
team probably is a little too shallow for Todge Bradley
as of right now. And then with mc abel which
which sounds like one word mcabel, I think is uh,
he's a good flyer for every league. I you know,
I've grabbed mckabel in in fifteen teen mixed leagues. I
would grab him in a twelve team mix league. You know,
obviously at the end of the draft where you're making flyers,
I don't have uh. You know, I wouldn't say I
would project him for you know, one hundred and seventy
five innings of you know, one hit ball. But there's
there's definitely some upside here with mckabel. He was also
which we call it, a top prospect who was traded
with you know, they they wanted him for Duran, so
they obviously the twins, that is, they obviously have some
you know, pretty high hopes for him. So I think
they want them to succeed, which is you know, a
definitely plus. I I feel like with mcabel there's a
chance here for a breakout. I mean, his spring looked
really good. So I'm I'm in on both Abel and Bradley.
I'm a little bit higher on Able than I am
on Bradley, but both are still just flyers at this point.
Speaker 1: And what about WR Simeon Oil interesting?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously I think he's probably
at this point, I think he's worth getting in on
because the the in deeper leagues obviously, because like you know,
he he could be something. But I don't see I
don't see right now the hype for him, or at
least I don't feel I don't feel the point of
getting in on SWR in like twelve team mix leagues,
fifteen team mix league for sure. I don't necessarily love
SWR as at least for right now, as much as
I like Able, and even I probably put Bradley above
SWR for right now because like there's just the case
are super low for SWR at least what he's shown
in the majors and in spring training this year, like
low case, you know, if he on command. Command has
been a little bit better in spring but still kind
of effy in his major league career. So yeah, I'm
not as I'm not as jazzed up about SWR.
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's somebody I like as a you know, a
late round guy in fifteen team leagues, but in a
twelve team league, he's really got no place other than
the streamer. He is very good at home, so you
can just slot him in for home starts and that's fine. Todd.
Bradley does look good this spring, and these strikeouts are up,
which is nice to see after they were down last season.
It was kind of anomaly and you're wondering where the
strikeouts went and the velocities up, which is also a
good thing for somebody who's had injuries in his past. Yeah,
with you, I think mckabels looked good in same kind
of as Todd Bradley, Like, the strikeouts have really shown
up here in spring as a thirty five percent in
strikeout rate. That's not something I necessarily expect from him,
but just to see that he has the strikeout upside
in the individual outing is nice to see. Whereas, like
you said, with what Richards in SVR, it doesn't seem
like he really has that upside, or at least he
hasn't shown it at a major league level. Another piece
of big news this recently has been Kyile Stoward's injury.
He has a Grade one DM string strain. It's gonna
cost him at least three to four weeks. Seems like
Griffin Conine and Liam Hicks should see some more playing time.
What are your thoughts on drafting Stours and then are
you interested in Co nine.
Speaker 3: Or Hicks Stours? I think I lowered to about two
hundred ish overall in my rankings. I think he's probably
draftable if you have an IL slot and you can
wait on him. But I'm pretty concerned because like he
had a hamstring injury that's sort of lingered for you know,
a couple months, I believe, and it's like it doesn't,
you know, every time he keeps reinjuring it, which is
really concerning. So you know, I'd still take the flyer
on him for the ILS slot leagues. You know, I
think someone else would probably if I were still drafting.
I think someone else would probably take the flyer on
him before I would if it was a league where
there's where there's no ie L slots like an FBC
or something. So eh, I mean, he's fine still, I guess,
but I'm you know, I'm concerned. It's like a hamstring
injury that keeps reoccurring, and you know he's had he
had problems staying healthy last year. It's all. It's a
little bit worrisome. You know, whis sucks because I did
like him a lot and as yeah, I like.
Speaker 1: Star Wars two. I have a share too. It is
unfortunate to see him go down. I think willam Nicks
is interesting in regards to catcher. If he's playing part
time catcher and then dheen the other days, that becomes
very interesting. And he's available and just about every league.
I think I actually picked him up in a two
catcher league, so he's out there and available on a
you know, a pretty decent bat at least not one
that's gonna hurt you and one that's getting playing time.
Moving over, let's talk about the Braves rotation. Spencer Streider
out at least a month with the oblique injury. You know,
Diddy Wint's is the one that everybody was excited about.
But it sounds like Corey Suarez is actually going to
be the fifth starter for the beginning of the season.
They're saying Flint is gonna be a long reliever and
then they're gonna send him down to Triple A to
work as a starter. At least that he's the current plan.
Could also see him bringing in a freaking agent or
making a trade. But as the roster currently sits, are
you interested in Jose Suarez or did a did he
a flints?
Speaker 3: Uh? Jose Suarez is uh, looks like his fastball has
been down a little bit in camp at sitting at
like ninety two is usually at ninety three. He's probably
n L only I would say, uh even there even
in only kind of iffy, but non at all and
n now only just about everyone is roster ball who's
in the NL? So yeah, I guess, I guess Jose
Suarez is fine. There not really much strikeouts, uh if
he commands, you know, kind of kind of if he
if he starter for even for NL only, did your
Flentez looks actually really interesting?
Speaker 5: So I I feel like in every league that uses
middle relievers, he feels like a guy who you know,
you could probably find a spot.
Speaker 3: In your on your team form. I think, uh, you know,
at worst, he you know, he he gets his his
stuff doesn't play as well in April, and he gets
sent down to become a starter or whatever, to get
stretched out, and you could just drop them, you know
if it's uh, you know, he's basically a flyer at
this point. So I like the flyer though for a
middle reliever, like even in like a twelve team mixed
league like an RCL, you get Diddy or Fuentes with
good strikeouts, solid you know, possibly excuse me, solid strikeouts,
and possibly maybe he piggybacks with Sorez, so maybe he
gets like the the fourth and fifth inning of a
start where the braves are up, and maybe you get
a couple of vulture win So yeah, I like, I
like Flentes a lot. And then if he's really good
as a middle reliever, and he gets sent down for
a couple of weeks. At that point you can decide
if you want to hold on to him, and if
he was really good, maybe you do want to hold
on to him. Maybe maybe it's worth it, even in
a shallower mixed league. So yeah, I like, Uhane is
a ton and one thing on Strider. I'm you know,
I said to not draft Strider, so I would just
want to pat myself on the back.
Speaker 2: No, I'm not bad myself on the back of an injury,
but I mean I will say, an obleak it sounds
it sounds.
Speaker 3: Ominous, man, I you know, I he it says three
to four weeks for Strider tent to attentively, and then
I think there's also potential here for you know, even longer,
because like, if he has any a setback with an obleaque,
it's not good.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, I don't want to be the bad news here,
but if you have Strider, I would, you know, fingers
crossed that he's okay in a month, because like if
he goes out and he tries to rush things and
he re injures himself, that's gonna be another month and
you're now you're looking at like June. So yeah, I
mean hopefully he's fine.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean the velocity never coming around was a
huge red flag for me, even if he didn't come
out with this injury. Just it feels like something wasn't right,
and obviously something wasn't right. He's sitting ninety three to
ninety five. He's traditionally been a ninety seven plus guy,
So just never felt quite like Spencer Strider was back
to where we wanted him to be. You know, it
sounds like you're a little bit more interested in flintest
than I am. I just kind of looking at the numbers.
The stuff is nasty. I've seen him throw at least
once in the spring here and he's, you know, a
ninety seven mile on our fastball, art slutterer, hard slider.
You know, he does find in that. I don't know
if that tradition he is going to transition to being
a starter long term with just two pitches, but they
do look nice. He's been great this spring training, but
he's gotten kind of hit around in the miners at
different times. I would caution using him as a middle
reliever in a shallower league to start the season. I
would take my shot on more consistent middle relievers, if
that was kind of my play, especially his first three
days where you probably only have a few starters that
are going. But yeah, I do like him, and I
think he's worth rostering and monitoring. But I'm not necessarily
throwing in my roster to begin the season. Over in
Tampa Bay, Taylor Walls is out with an oblique injury.
Carson Williams appears to be set to start at shortstop
for Tampa Bay. What are your thoughts he here? Last year,
Carson Williams had twenty three runs twenty two stone Bases
at tripa A. He at two thirteen, three eighteen, and
four forty seven in spring training, and he has had
thirty two played appearance at the home round of stone
Base and he's hitting three hundred. Is this somebody that
you're interested in anything other than only leagues and deep
leagues or are you potentially looking at Carson Williams in
as a mixed or a middle infield option.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he was. Actually, he was one of the guys
who some people picked up in in like the fab leagues.
I'm in this past Sunday, Carson Williams was one of
the guys mcabel I think was picked up too. I
actually drafted mckabel, so it's a little foresight, a little bit.
I think I think Carson Williams could be interesting if
he could figure out of strikeouts, like in you know,
in the spring a twenty one point nine percent strikeout
rate in fourteen games. Small sample size, but strikeout rates
normalized stabilize fairly quickly, so you know, if he's figured
out his strikeouts, you couldn't Carson Williams could be a breakout.
I mean, it wouldn't shock me if he can somehow
hit to fifty because he has good power and good speed.
They're really the only thing that's really dragging him down
is the strikeouts. He looks like he could be a
one eighty hitter, though, like if the strikeouts come back
in uh, during the season, Like he does not look
like he can hit two hundred in the major leagues
as of like right as of like right now, if
you ignore spring training. But if spring training is any indication,
I don't know, it's hard to say because like with
spring training, you know, in general, it's kind of like
throw out, you know, it doesn't really like all the stats,
you can throw him out because like outside of velocity
and you know, maybe like you know, with hitters, it's
so hard because they're facing guys. It's like, who who
did Carson Williams face in order to have a under
twenty two percent strikeout rate? I don't know. Did he
face guys who are throwing one hundred percent? I have
no idea. So, you know, as far as Carson Williams goes,
I don't mind the flyer in a mixed league, but
it's you know, it could be it could be for
it could be a guy you're gonna drop after a week,
Like it depends, like if he if he's figured out
his strikeouts, then it could be a huge pickup for you.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it could be. Uh, you're right, he does have
power speed. There's definitely some potential there. The swinging strike
rate is pretty much in line with kind of what
he did in the minors. I would expect the k
rate would event the kind of climb to where that
is given that the swinging strike rate is is where
it is, so I'm not necessarily buying the k rate improvement,
but you're right if it does, if he's figured something out,
that would be worth monitoring for sure. And for what
it's worth, he has a ninety four point three average
ex evelocity's hitting this hard hit is sixty six point
seven and so two out of every three balls he's
putting in play, he's hitting hard, which is great to see.
So maybe even just if he can give you a
few weeks here at the early part of the year
where he's just hot coming off the spring training, that
could be useful. But long term, I'm not necessarily overly
excited about Carson Williams. And to your point, at the
beginning the season or show if you have a shortstop
in a middle infielder you like, I'm not necessarily dropping
anybody to pick him up. Gavin Lux heading to the
aisle with a right shoulder impingement. Ben Williamson is taking
over last year in Seattle. He had eighty five games
in the majors. He had a home on five Stonlee
bases hit two fifty three. He had fifty two games
in Triple A's where he had five home runs ten
Stone bases hit three fourteen. He has forty eight plan
appearances in spring training where he's hit three thirty three
with two home runs in two stolen bases. Any interesting
in Ben Williamson getting the starting job here.
Speaker 3: I mean probably not Ale only Ben Williamson. Ale only
maybe a fifteen team mixed league guy, if you're really
desperate at m I or utility. I uh, you know,
I'm interested because he hit two homers in the spring. Now,
I don't know the exact circumstances of those two homers,
but I mean he's never had any power, so if
he's somehow unlocked power, then he could be interesting potentially.
But I you know, I think the Rays, I feel
like this is probably a temporary situation. Gavin Lux is,
you know, someone who the Rays went out to get.
So I feel like they, you know, they want they
want Gavin Lux, you know, I mean they traded for him.
I think they want Gavin Lux to be their guy.
So I don't think Ben Williamson is probably a long
term solution for the Rays. So he's probably not gonna
be a long term for fantasy leagues.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm with you. Let's move over to Dodger Land,
where they sent Hi Song came down. Thirty played appearance
in spring training. He had home run five stone bases.
He was hitting four oh seven, four forty eight and
five nineteen, so he did just about everything he could
offensively to stay up in the majors. It seems like
Miguel Rojas will be the starter at second base Santiago
Espinal and Alex Friedland in the mix there as well.
It was a little surprising that he got sent down,
and maybe it's just they want him to play every day.
That's pretty much all I can think of, because Freeland
is pretty awful at the plate.
Speaker 3: Right, I know, I don't. I don't really know why
Dave Roberts hates Hi Sung Kim, but he seems like
he does. Maybe I don't know. I mean it's a uh,
it's it's there's something going on there because like I mean,
I Sung Kim so far in like, uh, you know
his uh major league wat's mccalln his major league career.
I mean, he's looked good. I don't I don't understand
it because Freeland does look terrible, right, Like Freeland can't
make any contact whatsoever. He even hit one eleven. Freeland
hit one eleven in spring training, So I mean, I
don't know. And then I Sung Kim hit four oh
seven in spring training, hit two eighty last year, As
I don't know. I mean, Kim looks good, man. I
don't know what's going on with the Dodgers and Kim.
I can't figure it out. I honestly, it feels like
the biggest, like no brainer to put Kim in as
the starter and send Freeland down and have Rojas just
rotate as a utility guy like that. It feels like
a so basic. I don't know, man, I don't know.
I'm at a loss. But Freeland outside of Ennow only
is not worth your while and Rojas is the same situation.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean, we know the Dodgers clearly don't
give a crap about the tax, the luxury tax, so
I really don't know what it is. Like back in
the day, the Red Sox wouldn't bring up Rusty Castillo
because they would add a bunch of salary and they'd
get the luxury tax. The Dodgers are way beyond that.
They they're just gonna hit the luxury tax every season
they allow it. So I really don't know what's going
on on there. You know, they win World Series, I
guess it doesn't matter if they mismanage a little here
and there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, that's fair.
Speaker 1: Dylan Cruise was sent down. It's a little bit surprising
as well, although he did not exactly make a strong
case for himself in spring training, hitting one o three,
two oh six, one oh three. Those are the right
numbers in case you were listening. I mean, where are
you at on Dylan Cruz in general? I mean, not
making the Nationals starting the lineup seems like a big
drop for him. I mean, in fairness, the outfield is
one of the best things in Washington, but still like
there feels like he could start for I don't know,
Andre Schaparro at d H instead of that, but the
Nationals do not feel like that is Is Dylan Cruz
just a lost cause? Uh?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think I think, uh, Dylan Cruz
is now in that Jared Klinic bucket of like maybe
they figure it out some sometime, and maybe they figure
it out some place, but it's probably not for the
team that they're currently on. I I just don't, I
don't know. I feel like Dylan Cruz, Dylan Cruz looks
pretty lost man to lose out to Jacob Young and
Andre Shapiro. Shapiro, by the way, hit one fifty eight
in spring training, so and Jacob Young I think had
like three three games maybe in spring training. I mean,
I don't know, I've I hope, I just opened the page.
He had five games, he hit one hundred, Like that's
your that's the competition you lost out to. So I
don't know. I mean they they're eaching Dylan Cruz a lesson.
I guess, I don't know really if that lesson's gonna
take or if or if he's really like he's he's
damaged goods. Maybe, I don't know. He looks bad. I
mean it's not like I mean, you said this already,
but it's not like Dylan Cruz made a great case
for himself. So he got sent down because he's he
really was terrible in spring training and he wasn't good
last year. So yeah, I think Dylan Cruz at this
point is undraftable and uh or I mean, I guess
if we're out of we're we're basically out of draft season.
He's he's droppable in everything, but and no only like
even in a in a fifteen team mixed league. It sucks,
but you got to cut your losses. I would lose
Dylan Cruise.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we say that we have a draft to night
and I have a draft tomorrow, but yes, most draft season,
well people listen to this, you know, yes, absolutely one
more injury grade. Then we'll get into some some spring
training performers. Trey Espiage, Yee Savage shoulder and penchment injury
scheduled to start the minor league game on Wednesday, which
is nice to see that hopefully isn't too big of
a deal. He's gonna begin the season. I l though,
how far are you dropping him in your rankings? And
that means Eric Lauer, Cody Ponts, Max Sure's are all
in the rotation. How do you feel about them?
Speaker 3: Uh? So I dropped ye Ye Savage too roughly. He
went from for me, he went from like a low
number to high number three to a flyer as a
sixth starter in the like you know, to grab another
teammate of his, in like the Cody Ponce range of
like you know, two two twenty to two fifty. Overall,
I think is where tray Ye Savage is now at.
He's he's fine for like he's similar in the same
respect as like Kyle Stowers, and like he's fine for
an IL league where you can take a flyer on
a guy I think actually not to compare him to Stours,
because I think Ye Savage, I think is probably fine.
I think there's you know, I think, you know, in
in reality, it's like, do you have a guy throw
one hundred and twenty innings from April through August? Or
do you have him throw from May fifteenth through as
far as you go in the playoffs. I think that's
what they're doing with Ye Savage. I'm actually not that
concerned about him as far as like injuries go. I mean,
it doesn't sound good as shoulder and pinsmen, but I
feel like it's kind of made up, probably to limit
his innings. I don't know, I mean, I'm just it's
all speculation. He could be actually injured. I have no idea.
My guess is they're just limiting his innings, which is good.
But for fantasy, you have to have an IL slot
to you know, hold on to him. Probably in most
leagues at least, you know, maybe I guess in a
fifteen team mixed league n FBC where you don't have
an IL slot, I guess he's fine to stash on
your bench. But you know, I still would I mean,
I would draft him. I would just draft him like later,
and if you're you know, and if you're done with
your drafts and you're like you can pick him up,
I would pick him up. I have no problem with you, Savage.
I just feel like you're you're looking more closer to
like may Ish.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I had him as my AL Rookie of the
Year in our sophar Lives. That will come out probably
by the time you hear this. I change that given
the injury, just because I don't know when we'll see him.
But I still think you could actually be AL Rookie
of the Year. I think we're probably gonna get a
similar number of innings as we always were to your point,
so I really probably should have just left it. But
just in case he doesn't ever actually throw this year,
I would ahead and change my pick there. But if
he wins it, I'll come back here and let her
by know that it is here recorded on the podcast
that I did half him down. Any interest in lower
pots or sure, if.
Speaker 3: If there's a chance for a uh, dear dear listener,
if there's a chance for a victory laugh from a
beat on or eye, we will take it. It will
be that's what we're saying. I love that if he
does possibly win the AL Rookie of the Year, I
will mention it again. It's true, brutally honest from being
on I'm sorry, what was your question?
Speaker 1: Flower, Pots shares are any interesting?
Speaker 3: I like Ponts actually a decent amount. I don't like
lower or Shores are really I mean fine for streamers,
but I don't think they're really like outside of Ale only.
I don't think there's anything there. Ponce is actually I'm
kind of interested in Ponce. I kind of feel like
I might have actually picked him for Comeback Player of
the Year. I like Ponce.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I like Pots as well, especially out of those
those three that we're just looking at them. Let's move
over to some spring training performers. Gray, We're gonna question
whether what you said off the top is true and
people pretty much are what you thought they were when
you drafted them, or whether that's changed a little bit
given what they're doing in spring training. And of course,
to do this, I'm gonna bring back your favorite game,
Scientific Fact sex Panther or I don't don't believe you.
If you're new to the podcast Scientific Fact, It's it's
it's happening, It's real. Believe it, sex Panther, sixty percent
of the time. It works every time. Occasionally it's you
know it's working now, but it's gonna be a little
hit or miss, and then I don't believe you, which
is I don't believe you, it's not real, don't don't
buy it. Answers. We've talked a lot about these guys
already in positional previews and in the spring training. Will
try and not spend too much time on any one. Guys.
We're going here, Gray, that's it.
Speaker 3: You're saying that just that's an audience of one that
is just under directed directly to me, isn't it.
Speaker 1: I'm just putting that out there into the universe, Gray,
and we're starting with the hottest Matt in spring, my
boy Matt McLean. Seventeen games, fifty six pint appearance. He
has seven home runs, two stone bases. He's hitting five
twenty nine. He is a ten point seven percent strikeout rate,
an eight point nine percent walk right. He is a
ninety two point six average eggsiplosity, a fifty five point
six percent hard rate hard hit rate, along with a
five twenty six pabot. One of your thoughts here on
Matt McLain, who has looked like the guy I thought
he would be last year. Is this is this the
the sign that I was just a year early? Or
is this him just just bumping that adp up again
for another year.
Speaker 3: I'm gonna this is gonna be uh, I think music
to your years, But I'm gonna I'm gonna say Matt
McClean is scientific fact, he's uh yeah, he's finally healthy.
I like, uh, I like Matt McClain. I think, uh,
I think the narrative is is there, It's it's crisp
been clear to me. I think, uh, you know he
was he was still injured last year and now he's
healthy and now he looks good again. I Uh, I
have no problem Matt McLean. I think, uh, you know,
spring training, you could throw out spring training, but his
numbers are undeniable for like a guy who is finally healthy,
he looks good. I'm I'm in all right.
Speaker 1: Would you rather have Matt McClain or uh Saddani Rafael.
Speaker 3: Uh? I'm gonna go Rafaela.
Speaker 1: But it's close, okay, I mean I can kind of
see both ways on that one. Matt McLean or Ozzie Albie's.
Speaker 3: I'm kind of I kind of like Albee's too, but close,
I mean in that ballpark, I would say probably Matt
McLean's like a little bit after both of those guys,
but close.
Speaker 1: Okay, him or Bryson Stott.
Speaker 3: You know, I'm kind of I'm kind of cool on
Bryson stop because of the I don't love the fact
that it looks like he's gonna be platooning. I'm gonna
go Matt McLain, all right, so we have we.
Speaker 1: Have a general idea where you have him at second base.
I think the only one that I might put him
over that I asked you is is Ozzy. Alby is
just it's it's hard for me to buy in that
he's just gonna all of a sudden figure things out
after being just absolutely horrendous for the last two seasons.
I know he had a couple of good months last
season that made his season look mid instead of absolutely terrible.
But nothing this spring shows me that he's figured anything out.
The k's are way worse than they ever have been.
He's not walking the average is terrible. He's not hitting
the ball hard, Like I just don't I don't see
what is going to trigger Ozzy Alby's to all of
a sudden become what we thought he was or what
he used to be. Jake Bowers thirteen games in spring training,
has six some runs, three stone bases. He's hitting four
seventy one five eighty one eleven forty seven. He has
six home runs in thirteen games in spring training. He
had seven home runs last season eighty six games. He
has a ninety eight average EGGS velocity and a sixty
three percent hard hit. Obviously, this goes for all spring
training stats, is all small sample size. But are you
interested in a Jake Bowers bounce back because he's essentially free?
Speaker 5: Gray?
Speaker 3: Uh No, I don't believe you Jake Bowers.
Speaker 1: Okay, I would maybe move him to six panther in
a very deep like league in fifteen team only, but yeah,
I went the I don't believe it either, White Langford,
I don't know that there's really changing his draft stock
anything at this point, and that's why you don't see
some of the top names up here either. But fourteen games,
he has five home runs. He's hitting four forty four
five twenty four nine four is a ninety eight and
a half average EGGS velocity a seventy four percent hard hit.
But he's also just been a monster in spring training
every year. He had four to twenty four last year,
three sixty five in his twenty twenty four season spring training.
Are you buying a full Wyatt Langford breakout, which I
mean that essentially takes him into like the first or
early second round if he breaks out even anymore.
Speaker 3: I you know, you stole a bit of what I
was gonna say, Like every year he's so good in
spring training, and I think it shows us what Wyatt
Langford would do if he were like on the Diamondbacks
or in Cincinnati maybe, or like in a better park.
Like I just don't think he's I'm not a Wyat
Langford guy. I mean, I'm out on Wyatt Langford. I
don't believe this spring training, just like we shouldn't have
believed the last two spring trainings from him. He looks
great in spring, but once you throw him into that
terrible park in Texas, he becomes exactly who he's been.
So yeah, I'm not sold on Whya Langford. I mean,
you know, I'm not gonna say I don't believe you
because I think he's still you know he is who
he is. I just don't buy this spring training from him.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm I'm not necessarily saying it because of the
spring training, but I kind of feel like this is
the year Wyat Langford breaks out. I have him as
my most valuable fantasy hitter in our superlatives, so I'm
gonna say this is scientific fact he's breaking out, and
it really has more to do with the manager change
in that he is one of the fastest players out
there and for him to only steal twenty bases a
year seemed ridiculous. So it's not so much even about
his spring as I feel like the manager changed in
a more aggressive base path version of why A. Langford
just brings his value up to where it should have been.
Chase the Latter has played thirteen games, he has forty
played appearances. He has a home run, he's sitting fortunately
nine five hundred six fifty seven. He has a sixty
one percent hard hit rate, a ninety three point six
average eggs of last league, and he has the starting job.
Are you now interested in Chase the Latter that he
has since he's officially been given a starting role in
the opening day roster.
Speaker 3: I kind of figured he was going to be the
starting right fielder anyway. I always thought he was gonna
be in the lineup, or maybe at one point I
thought he was in DH but then they got Rhys Hoskins.
But anyway, uh, the latter. I like the latter. You know,
I'll say sex panther because I think he's probably just
hot right now. But you know, a hot spring can
roll into a hot April, and for a guy like
Chase the latter, all you really need is like in
a in a twelve team mix league, you just need
a hot bat at utility and then you roll that
guy into another guy who becomes hot in like the
middle of April or the end a bro or if
the latter stays hot, you hold them all year or whatever.
But yeah, I like the lotter. I would say sex
panther for now.
Speaker 1: Yep. And by the way, this is who I put
in as my replacement for a Rookie of the Year
is Chased the latter. Austin Riley fifteen games, five home runs,
one stone base. He has hit three ninety five, four
seventy eight and eight sixty eight. The bad ball is
still really good. It's always been really good. It's in
line with recent years. That being said, Austin Riley has
not been where we thought where we want him to
be in recent years. So are we getting back to
thirty plus home run to seventy five plus Austin Riley?
Are we still going to be in the twenty twenty
five home run to fifty five guy?
Speaker 3: At this point, I think people would be over the
moon if they got twenty five runs from Uster. I mean,
he hasn't cracked twenty homers in two years now, so
I mean, I you know, I think this is it's,
you know, with a evet like Austin Riley in the
in spring training, facing all these like you know, meatballs
that are getting thrown by guys who are just trying
to break the roster for other teams. I don't know
if I could really trust any of it. So I
don't know. I mean, Austin Riley is probably I would say,
I don't believe you for the spring training, but I
don't know. Maybe maybe he enters April hot and you know,
we get something better from Austin Riley. I mean, he
can't even he doesn't even been able to stay healthy
the last two years. So I first, I would take
one hundred and fifty games of Austin Riley and twenty
five homers, and you know, if you get that, I'll
be like, oh, great, at least there's that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree with pretty much everything you said there.
And if third base wasn't just a train wreck, he
would probably drop even further in the rankings. Just that
you get a point a third base, you're like, oh,
there's there's really boring people and people without full time
playing time. So I guess we'll put Austin Riley here
in the rankings. Yeah, I would love to see him
bounce back, but I'm not necessarily behind it. Josh Smith
has seventeen games, fifty three plate appearances. He's hitting three
ninety five, eight seven fifty six. Obviously not somebody that
we're clamoring over, But is Josh Smith worst rostering in
twelve team leagues? Just see if he can carry some
of this over. He has four home runs three stolen
bases in spring training to go with those numbers already
right out.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you know, I wouldn't be shocked to
see Josh Smith become a twelve homer, twelve steel two
fifty hitter, like he's been every other year of his career,
so I don't believe you, Josh Smith.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm gonna go with maybe scientific fact, just because, like,
if he can just get hot and give himself a month,
month and a half where he's he hits more home
runs than he should, you know that that's gonna skew
the numbers. So I'm gonna say, just because he's hot
right now, I'll give him a scientific fact, and then
maybe he hits you know, five home runs in the
first month, month and a half and that's more than
he ever has before, So that could be nice, But
I really don't. I'm not looking at him to break
out or anything excessive. Kobe Mayo fourteen games, forty played
appearances to him, runs a stone base. He's sitting in
three eighty nine four hundred and six thirty nine. He's
a fifty percent hard hit rate in ninety one average
eggs velocity, a ten percent strikeout rate. Are you interested
in Kobe Mayo, who all of a sudden has a
job locked up as well?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean in the fifteen team mix league, sure
I would take a flyer, but I I don't think
he's on twelve team mix league radars. Yet, so I'll say,
I'll say he's sex panther. I mean, there's a chance
here he could become more because you know, I mean
he was always he was considered a top prospect at
one point and he's still you know, he's only twenty four.
So yeah, I mean I'll say sex panther with the
potential for scientific fact.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm with you. Moving on, Shae Leanngeliers. Nineteen games,
fifty four playing appearances, seven home runs three forty eight
four forty four eight ninety one, ninety four average eggs
lossy forty one point seven hard hit. This is a
lot of people's, you know, favorite to be the number
two catcher. I guess behind cal Rawly. It might be
my favorite at number one because this is pretty much
what cayl Rawley did last spring, was just absolutely mashed
and garried it over.
Speaker 3: Lego.
Speaker 1: Lear has already showed us he has the power. What
are your thoughts on her?
Speaker 3: Shae lang Layers, Shae Langeleiers, absolute scientific fact. I would
not be surprised if Shae Langaliers is the top catcher
in baseball this year. It would not shock me at all.
I mean cal Rowley came out of nowhere to hit
you know, sixty and and a decent average. He is
cal Raley is more of a thirty homer to forty hitter.
Shae Langoliers is going to hit thirty five and two sixty.
He's gonna Shae lang Lear is gonna be the number
one catcher. There you go, bold prediction. Let's go.
Speaker 1: There you go. Moving on Cole Young nineteen games, sixty
three plate appearances, six on runs, three stone bases. He
is hitting three or two eighty one, three forty nine
six sixty seven. He has a ninety five point eight
at which as velocity and a fifty five point eight
percent pard hit gray. This is not necessarily what I
thought we'd get from Cole Young, but Cole Young is
absolutely destroying baseball's right now. Any chance this carries over
for Seattle?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, you know, Cole Young is, he's uh
twenty two, and he's had he's got some prospect pedigree.
I don't mind. Actually cool Young. I think he's going
basically unnoticed in drafts, and he does have power speed
and can hit for a decent average for fifteen team
mix league. I mean, you know, he's hitting at the
bottom of the Mariners order, so it's not gonna be fantastic,
But for am I in a fifteen team mix league,
probably not the worst thing you could do. I don't
think he's on twelve team mix league radars yet, so
I'll say Cole Young sex panther.
Speaker 1: Yep, I'm with you. I think it's six panther, and
I think there's a non zero chance he can move
up in the order, maybe not to like the top five,
but I think he'd sit at six pretty easily, with
the bottom of that order being very flexible if he
just continues to mash Dalton Varsha in nineteen games in
spring training, fifty four played appearances, five home runs, he's
hitting three eighty four to twenty six twenty is a
seven point four percent strikeout rate in a fifty four
point three percent hard hit. Yeah, and it's not somebody
that there's a mystery to us. But is Dalton Varshow
potentially ready to take the step that we thought he
would take after his twenty twenty two season.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I I you know, I like Dalton Varshow. I
wrote a sleeper post for him. I love him. I
think uh I'm surprised that people were so sort of
met on him after his previous season, because, like, you know,
he hit twenty homers in less than a half a
year last year, Like he's unlocked something with his power.
I think it's real. I think it's scientific fact. Baby,
give me the Dalton Varshow shares.
Speaker 1: Absolutely.
Speaker 3: I loved shares. Yeah, man, I don't know.
Speaker 1: I don't really understand his draft cost. I mean, I
guess maybe you're just looking at the numbers. You're like, oh,
he only hit twenty one run last year, but it
was in seventy one games. Maybe that's it. I don't know.
I love Dalvon Varshow though, a great late source of
home runs. Let's talk about some WBC performers. Their spring
training numbers aren't exactly great because they were away. But
Junior Cavanaro hit three fifty four nine eight fifty with
three home runs. You were already high on him. I mean,
are all concerns just absolutely out the window at this point?
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, totally. I think I think someone on our
site actually wrote him as a bust for this year,
and I was like, Oh, people just say stuff, and
it's like, you know, for the most part. I do
it too. It's like you say something today and by
next week you've totally forgotten what you've said, and you're like,
did I say that? I don't know, but I'm saying
Junior caviniro is like he's a I mean, he's a
superstar bro.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think we said it in the position all
the average could definitely come down. The power is absolutely real.
I think I have him down from him where ADP
has him because of the average, But he's absolutely every
bit of the power, and based on spring training, the
average may not drop it all either. Jared duran has
said three thirty three four to twelve thousand, he had
three home runs and two stolen bases during the WBC.
This is somebody who I've been grabbing all draft season
because I do not understand his draft value at all. Great,
am I wrong? Or is the general public just drafting
Jared Durant too late?
Speaker 3: Yeah? I mean I think maybe it might be a
little bit of a hangover from last year because people
got burned on him when they drafted him too high.
But now now he feels a little bit too low
and also at worst his easy value. So yeah, I'm
with you. Man, I would draft Jared Duran think he
I think is probably Jared Duran is probably a top
say a top forty hitter, and he's going at or
not just a hitter, top forty player and he's probably
going at like what's seventy, So he's easy value in drafts.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I just see him sitting there and it just
it's it's mind boggling to me every single time he's
going after his teammate Roman Anthony. Right now, Gray, if
I asked you to give me just the pie in
the sky Roman Anthony progestion, like everything clicks for him,
Like what does that look like?
Speaker 3: Yeah, man, I don't I don't understand the Roman Anthony
thing at all. I'm I'm totally like missing out on
like the Roman Anthony gene because I don't see it.
I mean, if he does it, great, but like what
twenty five, twenty five, two eighty maybe is Like that's
pie in the sky too, Like I don't don't I
don't buy I don't buy the power. I don't think
i'd buy the speed, like I'm saying pie in the sky. Like, realistically,
he's a twenty homer seventeen to twenty two Homer twelve
steel two seventy hitter. I mean, it's so boring and
I don't see what people are seeing in Roman Anthony.
I'm missing it, to be honest.
Speaker 1: No, I mean it feels he feels like Alex Bregman,
who was a phenomenal real life baseball player. But for
our game is very, very boring outside of the super
crazy bouncy ball years. And you know that other thing
that Houston was doing for a little while. Yeah, Ezekiel
Tovar another ADP wonder for me. He is hitting four
seventy one, five hundred and six forty seven. Really want
to brink him up to say, please stop ignoring Ezekiel Tovar.
It's absolutely ridiculous.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, it's probably too late in the game for us,
you know, be giving people draft advice. But yeah, Tofar
was going too late for what Tofar is gonna do. Uh,
He's he's as reliable as they come. It just you know,
minus last year when there was an injury, and he's
healthy now. So yeah, I'm I'm in on to Far
as well.
Speaker 1: Yeah, those injury hangovers, they're really they're really dragged down.
ADP O'Neil Cruz I mean he's been he's been great here,
or he was great, I guess I should say in
his limited time in the WBC, only five at bats,
but he had two home runs and hit six hundred gray. Uh,
this is our favorite dream upon guy. Should it happen,
could happen?
Speaker 3: I think with I think O'Neil Cruz is uh someone
who probably actually that's not true. I was gonna say,
well he did, he did two years ago, Okay, So
what I was gonna say was he's probably a guy
who he feasts on bad pitching. And in spring training
you see pitching in a WBC, I mean you see
kind of fie pitching from someone I don't know who
he was facing, I honestly, but I was gonna say that.
And then last year in spring training he looked terrible
O'Neill Cruz, that is. And then but then the year
before he was great in spring training, but then that
injury happened. So I don't know. Maybe maybe O'Neil Cruz
it puts it together to a certain extent. I mean,
even in spring training he has a thirty one percent
strikeout rate, so he's still gonna hit to twenty ish.
But maybe you know, maybe the power and speed are
finally there to a well, I mean the speed was
there last year. Maybe the power it gets a little
bit of an uptick. Maybe he goes maybe he does
like a thirty a thirty thirty two thirty year maybe.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean for the average, the way he hits
the ball, it's ridiculous. He's only a twenty home run guy.
He has a ninety nine point two average ev in
a sixty eight point eight hard hit here in spring training,
and those are you know, not abnormal numbers for him.
He just he absolutely mashes the ball. He just misses
it an awful lot. Let's talk about the pictures real quick.
Louis seven Reno came out of nowhere to throw seven
in a third innings eleven k's two four five year
a one oh nine whip. I mean, I would I
I don't even think he was on my draft board.
But if you take would you potentially look at grabbing
Luis seven Reno and starting him on the road.
Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, I was gonna say, like, I think Sevenrino
is a decent uh draft pick or def a decent
pickup for road starts, But I wouldn't start him in Sacktown.
I would I would never do it.
Speaker 1: No, his the era was double well wait road versus
home last year. He can't he can't start any pictures
for the A's at home. Daniel Palencia five innings, nine
k's nowhere and runs, one walk, got the save for
the win. What are your thoughts here on Daniel Polentcy.
Is he climbing up your closer rankings as he just
looked absolutely phenomenal in the WBC or you kind of
just locking them in where he was.
Speaker 3: Yeah, No, I think he's open my eyes in the WBC.
I liked what I saw in that final game, the
only game I saw the WBC. But he looked good.
I mean, he looked like a closer. I wouldn't be
shocked to see him have a thirty five plus save
season with good ratios. You know, his his command can
get a little bit sideways the times, Belle, he can
keep his command in order. And yeah, I mean I
like him. I like what I saw.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I do too. I've officially moved him into my
top ten at closer, so he has climbed the ranks
all during the offseason. Here EDWARDA. Rodriguez seventy and nine
k's two walks, three earned runs, and again another guy
I pretty much was just ignoring. I know the war
room never really lets you do that with e. Rod.
But what are your thoughts on EDWARDO Rodriguez.
Speaker 3: Uh, yeah, no, no, I'm not into Eduardo Rodriguez. I think, uh,
you know, I I think actually nothing else. That was
a good show. That was a good sign of like
with the WC WBC, like, how much does it really mean,
like you know, like guys have a good guys that
get like even during the season, like Edward EDWARDO. Rodriguez
might have a good starter or two, but it doesn't
change who he is.
Speaker 1: No, completely agree, and you already made the frame of
reference kind of for WBC, but also as an additional one,
James Paxton, who didn't pitch last year because he wasn't
good enough to make any rosters, went four in a
third eight case, two walks, zero earned runs. So there's
there's a little bit of reading between the lines here
for WBC. Let's talk about some velocity gains Gray Bryce
Miller only one outing in spring training because of some
injured things here there, but velocity is up to ninety
four point from ninety four point eight to ninety seven
point three in spring training. I feel like Bryce Miller's
kind of been one of those risers here in spring
training already, but with this now, I feel like it's
it's just going to kind of kind of jump this
last few drafts.
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I think, you know, with velocity in general,
but Bryce Miller specifically, I think it doesn't really like
it doesn't move them up a ton for me. But
it's like, if I'm between you know, Bryce Miller and
another guy of like you know, like say I don't know,
Brandon Fat or something like, if I'm between them and
it's the end of the draft, I'll be like, yeah,
I'll take Bryce Miller flyer because you know, I mean
his VLOS is up, so you know why not.
Speaker 1: Yep, I agree, And I actually like Bryce Miller quite
a bit for a bounce back season and you know,
definitely banged up last year. So kind of just writing
that off, I will say, it's it's not a high
K profile, so there's only so much to really chase
here with Bryce Miller unfortunately as well. Moving on, let's
talk about Randy Vasquez. Eighteen in the third innings is
a four nine one one oh four on the on
the ratios, but the vlosity's up to ninety five point
six from ninety three point four last year. Again, not
a big name. But are you interested at all in
Randy Vasquez here?
Speaker 3: Uh? You know it's funny because I'm not really interested
in Randy Vasquez at all in mixed leagues, But in
an N only, I was like, I felt like in
an only he was a guy who I was like
someone else drafted him. I was, I was like kicking
myself for not taking him first, because I like Randy
Vasquez for NL only, but for mixed leagues, I mean,
we need to see something in the in like the
season first.
Speaker 1: Yeah, a couple of bullpen guys that could move around
either closer or potentially starter as Tyler Phillips and Brendan Little.
They are both up a couple of miles per hour
this spring training. Any interest in either of these guys?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think Tyler Phillips actually looks really good. Yeah,
Brandon Little as well. I mean velocity. You know, it's
small sample sizes, but velocity with the relievers. Could you
know that couldn't matter? I don't. I don't think you know.
I don't think it's gonna matter as far as like
saves go for Brandon Little because I think, well, you know,
as of right now, Hoffman is fine with the Jays,
but Tyler Phillips, you never know, with like Miami, I
mean there's not I mean, you know, Fairbags goes down
because of injury, as he will you know, he hasn't yet,
but he will at some point because he always does.
And someone's got to step in, so you know, it
might be Foucher, it might be Phillips.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 3: Phillips isn't a bad flyer for and No, only like
a middle reliever, and and Little is probably the same.
But for al yep, I agree with both those.
Speaker 1: And Tyler Phillips has lost and he has been climbing
the last three years, so even looking at his past
numbers kind of feels a little irrelevant given that he's jumped,
you know, four plus miles per hour over spring or
over the last couple of years. So like both those guys, Uh,
you know, there's a few guys got some down formed
in spring training. These are more just names to kind
of file away. Ryland Thomas too runs one stone base
forty six re signs five home runs one stone base
he hit four ten and Leo Defrees three home runs,
four stone bases he hit four twenty six U some
other guys. This is really not anything like those guys
are at least monitoring type of names. These guys I
just want to mention because they deserve some mention. Brandon
Ward stole the most stone bases that ever in spring
training with nineteen. Jared to Lee was still fourteen. Drew
Anderson returned from the KBO. He has thirteen in pitch
six ninety are one oh eight with thirty three percent
strike out rate in nine point eight percent walk rate.
Ryland Thomas re signs, Leo DeFries. Those are the three
main ones in this list. Gray, Are you interested in
monitoring or potentially stashing any of the deep leagues?
Speaker 3: I mean, if if the league is deep enough, I guess, yeah,
sure I have the leagues deep enough. I actually I
actually kind of like Drew Anderson. You know, at some point,
what's his face is going to go down? Lander h
Verland is going to go down. At some point I'm
assuming or someone will go down. And you know, I
think Drew Anderson, I mean I think he's more than
just an overlaver. I'm kind of surprised. I was kind
of surprised when they went out and got Verlander because
I feel like Drew Anderson is I mean, I think
he's a starter now, you know, he was good in
the KBO.
Speaker 1: So I don't know, we'll see, Yeah, definitely worth monitoring.
Like I said, was good in KBO in return and
wouldn't be the first guy we've seen come back from
overseas and be better than what they were as a prospect. Here.
There's a few guys we talked about preseason, but just
kind of wanted to officially say where they're goingkon of
Griffin sent down. No surprise there, Marcela Mayer is going
to start at second base, while Christian Campbell sent down.
I think the surprise is maybe just that Christian Campbell
sent down given some availability for spots in Boston, a
little bit surprising potentially there. Jason Leming got sent down,
seems really odd, but I think we kind of saw that.
And then Carson bingj makes opening day roster. Like I said,
I think we've talked about all these within the last
couple of weeks. But anything you want to say about
these guys.
Speaker 3: Greg, Carson Benge is for me is kind of surprising
how little he's getting in the preseason. Doesn't seem like
anyone's really, like you know, talking about him at all.
Might be because he didn't have his spot in the
lineup short up yet, so maybe now people will be
a little bit more excited. But like you know, Carson
Benj fifteen homers, twenty two steals to eighty one last year,
and the miners has, like you know, it's a pretty
good prospect, good power, good speed, may not kill you
an average I'm kind of interested in Carson Benj if
nothing else. Fifteen team, mixed leagues and deeper.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree, And I think we kind of said
that on the last podcast, the one before that came there.
They all kind of come together at this point in
the preseason a little bit. You know, we're at like
an hour, ten hour fifteen Gray, There's some other people
I kind of had mentioned here that we would talk about.
I'm just gonna pick a couple of the buzzy names
and the ones that people have been asking about and
talked to you about them. On the pitching side, Mick
Abel has a thirty five percent kra a sub five
percent walk rate. Velocity seems to have jumped. And then
Matthew Libertor has had a great spring training in fifteen
innings sub two ear a sub one. It's actually point
eight whip with a thirty four percent strikeout rate and
a sub four percent walk rate. What do you think
about Mick abel and Matthew Libertre Who were some of
the pickups that I saw made off off of the
free agency? And why are this passing? Uh?
Speaker 3: So Abel I discussed in the in the opening when
we talk about the twins rotation. I like able a
lot Liberateurs. Actually, so his velocity is up, as you mentioned,
I think, or maybe you didn't mention it, but his
vossity is up a little bit at least I think
Libertour is also like basically free off of waivers in drafts. Whatever,
you know, your circumstances are. At this point, I like
LiBeratur more now than I did last week. And you know,
I mean, someone's gotta throw one hundred and fifty innings
for the Cardinals, and maybe Liberteur is, like you know,
maybe he's able to keep his ratio is under control
with his newfound velocity, and he adds some strikeouts. I'm
I'm interested. I you know, I like Nick Abel better
than Libertour, but I'm interested in Liberator.
Speaker 1: Yep, I agree. And then the last couple of names
are gonna throw at you are some spring training strugglers.
Gray James Wood is hitting all of one thirty six
with a single home run and a thirty four percent
strikeout rate. Uh, you know, Nick Kurt's another young guy
that we all liked. He has three home runs but
is hitting all of one ninety two. And then the
top three pitcher, Garrett crochet velocity is down a little
bit from ninety six point four to ninety five point
six and he has a seven three six ERA in
fourteen and two thirds innings in the k rate is
down to twelve point seven. Any concern on these three,
you know studs that are being drafted very highly.
Speaker 3: So, so this is what I'll say about that. In
Jay general. Last year George Springer hit one O eight
and had one of the worst spring trainings of everyone
went on to have a huge bounce back year. Garrett
Crochet last year had eight walks in fifteen and two
thirds innings and look like he was a mess. He
went on to have the best starter year. Jose Barrios
was great last year, and I think we know how
that turned out. So I don't really I'm not worried
about any of these guys. Is James would and Nick
Kurtz a little bit concerning because or kurtscerning because they're
young and have strike al papensities. Yes, I mean it's
it's a little bit concerning, but I mean you got
to you gotta do a trust fall at some point
and be like, you know what, They're gonna figure it out.
They're talented enough, and this is just spring training, so
you know, the slay gets wiped clean in two days
as of right now. So I'm I'm I'm not thrilled
that James Wood can't can't hit the ball, and Nick
Kurtz is striking out a lot, and and and I'm
I'm a little bit concerned. But also I wouldn't draft
Garret Crochet, But I'm really not concerned about Crichet. With
that said, I mean, you know you'd prefer to see
them do well.
Speaker 1: I guess yeah, I certainly would rather see them do
well than struggle, especially with the things that you're worried
about in their profile. I moved down Kurt's one spot.
It's not that big a deal. It really has more
to do with people who are healthy and with a
lot of all the all the hammock bone guys who
are going to make opening day rosters. And then I
will say James Wood, I did drop a few spots
just the second half and the continued struggles in the
spring train and have me worried. He is super talented.
I still have him at thirty one in the overall,
so I'm certainly not giving up on him by any means,
but it is dropping him from where I had him before.
So I did want to mention that I, you know,
normally spring training doesn't do anything, but James Wood's continued
struggles after the second half they're they're concerning enough to
me that I don't necessarily want to waste the second
round pick on somebody that's potentially gonna give me what
he did in the second half, which was absolutely terrible.
All right, Gray, any last comments before we get out
of here. Uh now, okay, Then if you have specific
questions as we get the opening day, you can find
us on x I am at rasbeat on Gray is
at Rasball. You can find us on YouTube dot com
slash rasball Fantasy, or on the rasball dot com site
in the comments section.
Speaker 3: Good luck to you in your leagues.
Speaker 1: May you set the perfect lineups in this first three
day four day period and we'll see you next week.
Speculator great alright, Lates