Speaker 1: You like fantasy ball sense talk chasm that I shall
not me hear myself stops fans and they can't even
count some of uniforcasom s rodo.
Speaker 2: You ain't better the health?
Speaker 1: Well yeah, several charges on everyone coming else and I'm
alreadium to hear my baby sounds just like your name was, Mark.
Speaker 2: And it's a ride by podcast. It's a rapop podcast.
It's a rapp podcast. It's a ride bo podcast. It's
a rap up podcast. Don't have a rap up podcast?
Got a turn? It should rap bo podcast.
Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, welcome back into the raft Ball Fantasy Baseball podcast.
I am beat on across from me a tradition unlike
any other, thestletoria himself?
Speaker 3: Right? Is that here? Is that your? Is that your?
Is that your Master's intro?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 3: How was how was the masters? Man? Did you have fun?
Speaker 4: I had a blast. This is my second time going.
Speaker 1: What you means, I'm now twice as good as all
of you who have never been. That's the way that
the Masters works. It just makes you that much better
than than everybody else has not been. No, it it
was phenomenal the places. I mean, if it's magical.
Speaker 3: Then actually I think that means, uh, Koogs might be
five times better than you because she used to she
used to cover the Masters as a sports reporter. So
I don't know, man, I don't know. I'd like to.
I think I think I want to do a poly
market on Koog's beating you in golf.
Speaker 4: I don't know, yeah, probably, probably, yeah, that one.
Speaker 3: Actually she had some really interesting, really interesting things to
say about some of the golfers who she used to interview.
I don't think. I don't think I can speak out
of turn though and say say any of the stuff.
She actually said, We'll just wait to.
Speaker 4: Me in the middle of the podcast where she stops listening.
Speaker 3: Was actually a good idea. Remind me in like thirty
five minutes.
Speaker 4: Man.
Speaker 3: Uh yeah, I didn't watch one second of it, though.
I'm glad you had fun. Though I am. I am
a very uh they call me big empathy because I
care about other people. So I'm glad you had fun.
Speaker 1: I did Gray. Yes, we know that you do not
watch sports outside of baseball and just do not care
at all. And uh, I mean it just adds to
the mystery. If she's that much better than I am
than how how did she did you ever ever pull coobs?
I mean that's the biggest that's the big, big mystery
here the left, that's left uncovered. Let's let's get into it. Gray. Noh, Schultz,
it was called up. You know, we're we're excited to
see you. No Schultz, Uh, for the for the White Sox.
I mean as excited that you could be for for
anybody on the White Sox, especially a picture, because that
may you know, it feels like it limits their upside
in regards to wins. But fourteen innings this year, he
has a one two ninety or a oh four three whip.
He has a forty point four percent strikeout rate a
four point three percent walk rate. The walks were high
last year, but they weren't really ever bad before. That
seems to like he found a little bit on his fastball,
like a half mile per hour, and he's added a
cutter and uh, he looks. He looks a lot better
after looking like he'd kind of fallen apart as a
prospect last year at Triple A.
Speaker 3: M Yeah, no, completely. Actually, this will be an interesting
experiment because I feel like the the the Triple A,
the White Sox, Triple A pitching coach and coaches just
in general. I'm assuming, uh, they seem to have fixed
Noah Schultz. So now when he comes up and he
has a terrible walk.
Speaker 5: Rate, we can we can pinpoint the problem is the
White Sox coaches versus the minor league development. We will
We'll see, though, I mean, it does look like he's fixed.
Speaker 3: I mean, I agree. I you know, I was pretty
concerned about his uh you know, what he looked like
in the minor leagues because you know, like you mentioned,
the command was pretty bad as of last year, and
I you know, I felt like he was a work
in progress more than anything. And I mean, fourteen innings
isn't a ton. So I I'll be interested in seeing
if he can hold those gains he made this year
with the command. If he does, then he's you know,
he's probably a pickup in just about any league, even
the shallowest of leagues, because, like you know, the if
the command is right, he's as good as they come
for pitching prospects. The really the only issue, shoot was
the command. So you know, if we're looking at a
ten plus k per nine and a low three high
two walk rate, I mean that plays anywhere it's just
really going to depend on the walk rate because like
with his his command last year in a much larger
sample size, that's what she said. Uh, it was a
Actually she never said that. I'd say, like, if his
command goes sideways, like he's going to be basically unusable
in all but the deepest of leagues. So the range
of outcomes here with Schultz are it's as big as
they possibly can. She never said that either the Uh,
I would say possibly unstartable in al only or a
ten team mixed league starter. I mean, it's really like
the outcomes really are just like all over the map here.
I don't know, like I would say, pick him up everywhere,
just in case the command does carry over from the
minor leagues and he is and he is able to
you know, do as well as he did in the
very like fourteen innings. I mean, we're really like I'm
surprised the White Tux called him up, to be honest, Like,
on on Friday, I think someone asked me in the
comments whether or not they they thought like they asked
me if I thought Schultz was coming up soon, and
I said, August, I mean I was really I was
convinced he was nowhere near there on radars. You know,
it's interesting too in our al only league where everyone
is rostered, it's a twelve team al only league, and
Noah Schultz was available in that league, and no one's
available in that league. So you know, I think someone
bid like fifty plus dollars on him now if he
goes out and is a you know, if he's lights
out in his Tuesday start, I think he's starting Tuesday,
maybe it's Wednesday, whenever he's starting this week. If his
lights out, I mean the FAB bids for him are
going to be out of control next week because you know,
in NFBC he wasn't available for unless he was drafted,
which I'm sure he wasn't, so he wasn't available in
FAB until he actually appears in the major leagues, so
he wasn't available yet. So he'll be available this Sunday
coming up. I want to be shocked if he pitches
lights out. I want to be shocked to see his
bids over two hundred dollars out of a thousand. So
you know, I personally don't think I'm going to be
in on him because I just don't like the risk,
the range of outcomes here, I think I think he's
probably a little bit too risky for me. For the
amount off fab You're gonna have to bid on him
to get him, like I'll throw, you know, I'll throw
like a fifty dollars fab on him or something like,
you know, just to keep people honest. But there's no
way I'm getting him for fifty dollars. He's gonna go
for at least over one hundred. I would guess that's
out of a thousand. Again, in one hundred dollars fab league,
I'm guessing he's gonna go for probably in the range
of like twenty five percent of people's budgets. Again, it
wouldn't be me. In one hundred dollars league, I'd probably
am looking at like maybe a twelve dollar bid. He's
probably gonna go for over twenty five. I'm you know,
that's if he's lights out. Now, if he goes out
in his first start and he's like, you know, three innings,
six walks, four and runs, then the bids are gonna
be a lot more reasonable, and I could see potentially
taking a flyer on him. But it's really like there's
a lot up in the air here. It's really hard
to say. The top ceiling outcome, though, is worth the
flyer in any league, just in case he really is
as good as he has shown so far in the
minors this year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he's looked good this year, like you said,
Like you said last year, it was just the command
that seemed to be off and it seemed to come
out of nowhere last year. I don't know if they
were trying to work on something in the season or
what happened in regards to the walk rate, but that
seems to be back under control this week. It seems
to be lined up for a two star week if
they stay on schedule versus Tampa Bay and at the
A's would you run him out for those two stars?
Are you even if you get him this week? So
non NFBC leagues, would you potentially start him or are
you're just gonna bench him and see what happens. Or
if it's a daily league, would you maybe start him
russus Tampa Bay, but not.
Speaker 4: At the age? What are your thoughts here on I'm
starting early on.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's that's exactly what I would have said. If
it's a daily league, I'll start him against the Rays,
no problem. I would not start him in Sacktown bing
Bong Stadium is too crazy. I wouldn't. I wouldn't go
near him there. He could potentially have a great start
because the A's do strike out a lot, so he
could look great against the A's. But I wouldn't mess
with sack Town. It's not it's not a stadium. I
would like a lot of guys that are a lot
more seasoned. I wouldn't mess with in Sacktown. So I
would start him against the Rays, though, if if that's
the start he gets, and if he gets a two
start a week, I would probably be conservative and just
bench him and see what happens like because honestly, I
don't I don't. It's hard to say what's gonna happen
with a rookie, so I don't think it's worth it
in a weekly, say twelve team mix league and shallower.
But you know, I think by this point you probably
had the start him a ready by the time people
are listening to this, So you know, good luck with
your decision.
Speaker 4: Yes, good luck with that.
Speaker 1: I mean, if you had to, then you know again,
I think you might start him in like a fifth
deep fifteen team, if you're pitching was kind of low anyways,
maybe you run him out otherwise, I think I'm with you.
Speaker 4: I think you're probably I'm probably.
Speaker 1: Benching him as well this week and just seeing what happens,
but agree the upside is worth grabbing him in just
about every format.
Speaker 4: The White Sox making another.
Speaker 1: Move or it, I don't know. It seemed like he
was did the move was announce and then it was
kind of back peddled a little bit. But Sam Antonazi,
they middle infielder, third basement, pretty much just an infielder
for the White Sox as well, has been rumored to
be called up on Tuesday this year. In thirteen games
sixty three plate appearances, he has two and runs five
stolen bases.
Speaker 4: He's hitting two eighty nine.
Speaker 1: Four forty four, eleven point one percent walk rate twenty
three point eight percent or sorry, eleven point one percent
strikeout rate twenty three point eight percent walk rate. That's
a that's a big difference there in those numbers. What
do you think about Sam Antonacci?
Speaker 3: Uh And in the post today on ras ball, I
said he was like a a poor man's Caleb Durban,
and I stand by that. I mean Durban started off
really cold this year, but in general, that's the player
he looks like to me. Uh, you know, low power, speed,
good contact, well, a lot of contact, not necessarily the
best of contact, but you know, I personally, I feel
like he he's probably fifteen team mix league or deeper.
And in a fifteen team mix league, he's like, if
you're struggling at M I, then you go and then
he could You could try him at MI or utility,
I guess, but he's not really a great utility guy.
But if you're struggling at M I, I guess in
a fifteen team mix league, but I'd prefer al only,
and I just don't if he gets hot then you know,
in a shallower league, sure, But as of this point, yeah,
I mean, he's fine for a deeper league, I don't see.
You know, if we were redrafting, give people an idea,
I'd probably have him ranked around like three hundred three
twenty overall. So not in a not in a twelve
team mix league as of right now, unless you're really struggling,
which I am in our RCL league. So I have
picked him up. I don't think I could have a
worst team in the RCL right now, I might do
the worst team of all time, but anyway, Yeah, so
if you're really struggling, pick him up for you know,
maybe you'll catch lightning in a bottle, but otherwise he's
for deeper leagues.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agreed. The Blue Jays are trading for Lennon Sosa.
Twelve games this year, thirty three plate appearances, he's hitting
two twelve. He can play pretty much any infield position,
and I don't know where he would necessarily start for
the Blue Jays. This feels just like a bit of
a depth move.
Speaker 4: Any thoughts on lenn and Sosa.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I liked him coming into the year
well before you know, he got first. I think he
got first buried by more Kamedy, then Austin Hayes buried
him further, and then Luis anghel Akunya him even further.
I mean, Lenon Sosa got buried in that uh depth chart.
So I yeah, I liked him though before he got
buried by those guys. So yeah, depends on playing time
with the Jay's. I don't think. I don't think the
playing time is gonna get that much dramatically better because
you know, Addison Berger's Uh, he's coming back at some point.
He's gonna you know, Lenon Soosa is gonna play behind him. Uh,
he's gonna play you know probably you know, the George
Springer injury. I mean, Lennon Soosa has a little bit
of possibly could get a little bit of a bats
because you know right now they they've turned to Eloy Jimenez.
It shows you out desperate the chase are and he
and Eli Jimenez heard that and uh, you know, pissed off.
He kicked the rock and just broke his toe. So
Eli Jmenez, Eli Jimenez is getting injured listening to this podcast.
So you know, I wouldn't down on Amenez for much,
but Lenon Sosa I like, but I don't know what
the abats are going to be like, Yeah.
Speaker 1: I mean I like Lenonzosa as a depth piece in
deeper leagues this year as well. As you mentioned, the
playing time was always going to be a little bit sporadic,
So nothing really really changing here. He's still gonna be
a little bit of a needs an injury to get
playing time.
Speaker 4: But I don't hate him when he does.
Speaker 1: I feel like he's a solid player him and I
feel like David Schneider and Ilo Mnez all gonna fight
for a little bit of playing time. So that's a
pretty gross commendation for a team that, if I guess,
they would have fancied themselves playoff contenders and even even
world serious contenders. But that doesn't sound that doesn't sound
like a world serious contender in the current moment. Let's
talk about a little bit of a move that was
hard for me to see. Noevan Marte sent down. He
was a Reds player this year. I think gray and
of course in true Reds player for this podcast form,
he's terrible. He played eleven games, only thirty one plate appearances,
US stolen base. He was hitting one thirty eight a
thirty two percent strike up rate, is six and a
half percent walk rate. Reyes Hines gets called up before
him in thirteen games in Triple A this year. He
has sixty one plate appearances, five home runs, a stone base.
He's hitting three fifty four, four, seventy five, seven to
seventy one. He's a twenty four point six percent strike
all rate and a nineteen point seven percent walk rate.
This would be so Reds for the guy we all
liked to be terrible and the guy who gets called
out to be the one that we all in up wanting.
Is that exactly what's gonna happen? Or what are your
thoughts here? And should people be hanging on to once
highly thought of Noel and Marte?
Speaker 5: Uh?
Speaker 3: I would say noelve Marte and Matt McClain and Christian
and Carcio Strand and let's see who else? I read
is Aristides a Kino? If they they're so, they're in
a bus and could we send them to a place
where I can never ever know about them again? Because
they every Reds prospect, every like every Reds upside play
of the last twelve years has burned me so bad.
Speaking of burning me, what's going on with Chase Burns? Ah,
stay away from the Reds, Gray, stay away from the
Reds please. I have to I have a note. I
have to write a post it and post it to
my computer because and the Reds burned me. I uh yeah,
I mean I don't know. I think Marte was someone
who I don't know what exactly, like early he slept
with Terry Francona's wife, because I don't know what happened there.
I honestly I'm not sure why Marte just became persona
non grata, like out of nowhere. He played last year.
Marte was good for the Reds last year. Like why
all of a sudden it was like, oh, yeah, Cabrian
Hayes is our third basement, Like.
Speaker 6: What he's awful?
Speaker 3: What are you doing?
Speaker 6: Ah?
Speaker 3: So fun? This is really frustrating. Man, I h I
really liked Marte a lot. Actually, I saw in our
NL only league, the one you're you're winning by a lot,
you had Marte in that league. I was I was
happy to see that. Re Hines, I'm not Oh, by
the way, Reese Hines who got called up to replace Marte. Yeah,
I would never go near them. There's no way. I
mean burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice,
shame on me, burn me five thousand times. Already stop
burning me. No, I'm not picking up Reese Hines. I'm
not interested. I just want to I want all those
sexy Reds prospects just to leave me alone. Just leave
me alone.
Speaker 2: Man.
Speaker 3: I liked you, Jonathan India at one point. Leave me alone.
I like you, Matt McLean, leave me alone. I like
you a keynote, I like you marte Ah. Anyway, this
is really a frustrating conversation. Let's move on.
Speaker 1: Okay, we will move on. Thank goodness to the least
ledlic careers in South Steward exists to maintain some semblance of.
Speaker 3: So bad.
Speaker 1: I really hope not because I thought we have both
We both have shares of those guys, So I hope,
I really hope not some guys a guy that I
hope that neither of us have shares of this. Yeah,
em I he has dead arm, he has hit the
I l uh jere Paine also on the I L
with the hamstring strain. Eui has had a less than
great start really just this last one. He had a
third of any three yearned runs at Seattle on Friday.
Before that he was fine, but that one obviously led
to the dead arm and the I L hit. What
are your thoughts on EMI in general here?
Speaker 6: Uh?
Speaker 3: Well, I actually I do have uh am I and
a bunch of leagues, so it's not good. It's not
a good story for me. I Uh. I think quote
dead arm is BS personally because like he looked fine
the start before, and then this start it was like
I think it was something like four walks in a
third of an inning like he was. He clearly has
a mechanics issue more than a dead arm. I think personally,
I don't know. I mean, my guess is it's more
of a mechanics thing, so hopefully he can figure it
out after two weeks and come back and be fine.
I don't know, I it's a I think it's just
like at this point, it's just like a total flyer
in most shallower leagues, like I would hold him if
I had an il stint a slot. I don't, And
you know, in leagues where you don't have the option
to hold him, you might have to move on in
shallower leagues. For right now, I'm holding him in a
fifteen team mix league. We'll see check back next week
to see if I still have him, but right now
I do, all right.
Speaker 1: And then forth Houston. I mean, they're they're down a
few pictures.
Speaker 3: Gray.
Speaker 1: I don't know if you're you're aware of this, but uh,
they're they. I don't know who they're calling up. If
I'm being honest, I would assume Spencer Arraghetty is getting
the call.
Speaker 4: He's been kind of lengthening out in the minors.
Speaker 1: And then I would assume it's like one of Jason
Alexander or maybe Miguel Lala is getting called up. I
really hope I set that name even close to correctly,
but I'm pretty sure I did not any thoughts here on.
I mean, I feel like Ragetty can be picked up
across the board. He should have a starting spot, and he.
Speaker 4: May have a starting spot even once everybody gets healthy.
He should. Other than that, I don't I really don't
know who's taking.
Speaker 3: That last spot. If I had to guess, they called
up JP France. Uh so he could start, Uh, Jason Alexander,
the picture, not the actor. He could probably start. Eric
Getty is the only one of any interest. I would
I as you said, I would pick up Eric Getty
all over. And you know, there's also some breaking news
that Jeremy Paine you just went on the IL. So
the Astros. It's interesting the Lord works in mysterious ways,
because you would have thought the Astros would have been
punished for cheating back in like I don't know, twenty eighteen,
maybe twenty nineteen, maybe twenty twenty, maybe twenty twenty one,
But for some reason they're getting punished nine years later. Yeah,
So Jeremy Paine is on the IL. I don't know
how major it is. There's no one there. If anything,
that opens up. So Kraya moves a shortstop and that
opens up some at bats for predees, which is good
for preddi's. So yeah, if you have predies, that's a
good thing. But yeah, it's a it's a mess, it's
a it's a total mess. I would pick up uh
pretties and uh arraghatty.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with both of those.
Speaker 1: Let's move on to Tommy fam Uh called up by
the Mets. He was hitting a whopping one sixty seven
and a ball through five games, so definitely deserves this
call up. No, I mean he hit two, five, three
thirty three seventy last year. Tino runs five stone bases
and one hundred and twenty games. What what leagues are you
picking up?
Speaker 3: You? You? I would pick him up as a commissioner
in a fantasy football league.
Speaker 5: You you you're more familiar with football than I am.
Speaker 3: Is the NFL draftshit? Like maybe they're doing the Mets
are doing a dynasty league, fantasy dynasty, Fantasy football, dynasty league,
and they're like, we need a commissioner. Let's get Fam
up here. He he also, to me, feels like a
guy who would cause a lot of issues in a clubhouse.
So I don't know why the Mets are calling him up,
to be honest, I don't know. I guess maybe he'll
get some at bats in the outfield. I don't know.
I wouldn't. The Mets don't make any sense though, because
like the Mets went out and got Sime and Polonco
when they could have just played Viento's and Akunya who
they sent uh. I like Mauricio better than Fam, and
they sent down Ronnie Mauricio to bring up Tommy Fam.
So I don't know. I have no idea what the
Mets are thinking. But I wouldn't pick up Tommy Fam
in any league.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think you could give him grab him.
Speaker 1: Up in l But that's about it. And that's that
just applies to literally anybody who is on an active roster.
So moving over to Nick Favetta, who has elbows stiffness.
He left the game on Sunday. He got beat up
in his first start this season, but it's been good
since then. Is Pavetta worth taking up an il spot
or are you letting him go?
Speaker 3: I would probably let him go in shallower leagues. Actually,
in our in our NL only league, where you lost Marte,
I lost Paveta, so it'll teach me to make fun
of you. Yeah, I would. I would probably drop Paveta
in shallower leagues and try and I l him in
other leagues because I think it'll be you know, if
the past is any indications what's to come. Paveta was
on the I l with elbow stiffness I think two
years ago and missed you know, five to six weeks,
and then came back and was good for like one
hundred innings, So he might be fine. He might just
need a break and then come back in like a
month and be okay. So you know, if it's a
super shallow league, then I guess you can move on.
But I would try and hold.
Speaker 4: On, all right, Yeah, I think.
Speaker 1: I mean it's early enough. You probably should have Annio
spot Let's just drafted a full list of them, So
I would go ahead and hold him if you have to.
Kind of, it's not the end of the world, though,
gray and has a mandatory. Didyer Flint is mentioned, so
here it is Gray. I will just let you speak
about Didyer flintes as the mandatory time that I have
to watch you every week in regards to his eventual
call up, that I don't feel as close as you do.
But maybe, I mean they did just they just did.
They did just lose yet another picture, so it could be.
Speaker 3: Well it is.
Speaker 1: Uh.
Speaker 3: It is almost thirty five minutes into the podcast, so
now the Coods has tuned out, we can talk about
the golfers. She said that we're awful. You know, I
feel like Flanta's I mean, unless I'm absolutely crazy, I mean,
he could be one of the top call ups. So
I just feel like it's worth stashing because you know,
the Braves currently have a four man rotation and I
just don't see how that lasts much longer. I know
Strider is coming back soon, but yeah, I mean I
don't know. I'm in on Flante. I mean, there's a
reason why they sent him down with the you know,
the reason being to stretch him out to bring him
back as a starter. So and he's just lights out
in the miners right now, so I really don't see
why they won't call him up. I think it's happened
this week. I don't know, Maybe I'm crazy and maybe
you're right, maybe he's nowhere near being called up. I
don't know.
Speaker 1: No, I think he could get called up for a
starter or two until somebody's ready, and in their iel,
they're very vast pitching I L. I do think you
get get some starts, and I think that may be. Unfortunately,
how his season goes is he'll get a starter, two
or even three. Somebody will get you know, young comeback
from the injured list, take his spot. Somebody else will
go on the injured list. Oh, get called like it.
I just feel like this is a little bit of
a yoyo situation in and again, the pitchers that they
have up are pitching well, so it's it's not as
though there's one that's just an obvious Oh well, they
can be sent down and they'll just bring him up.
I just don't know who that is. I mean, it
could be Spencer Strider when he goes back for just
for just being honest, and he could go back to
the I L. But there's your time, Gray, You got
your your did Diddyer Fins has mentioned of the week,
let's move on to some players who might be breaking out.
They may need to be at a table eating hot
wings across from show because they are hot ones. Gray
O'Neal Cruise the number one hitter on the Player Raider
fifteen games, sixty five plate appearances, five home runs, six
dolen bases. He's hitting three thirty nine four hundred six
forty four. It's is it, o'deo Cruise time? Are we
finally there? Or is this just kind of you know
that blip he gives us every season at the beginning
of the year to make us think it's the year.
Speaker 3: Uh I uh, you know, I was looking at O'Neill
Cruz and I was like, I was seeing how he hit.
He has a eight homers, twelve steals, only a twenty
seven percent strikeout rate. Oh oh, I'm sorry, that's actually
his April from last year. This is the same story, man.
This is like we I mean, until we see an
oneo Cruiz that can last longer than four weeks, what
are we doing? Like everyone's like convinced. I know, like
most people don't have you know, uh, they're not like
keeping track of what players do from previous year. I
understand that, but there's so many people now that are
just like, oh, o neeo Cruz is finally breaking out,
Like is he now? I mean, we've seen literally this
exact same playbook from him last year. It was last year.
We thought in April of last year he was like
one of the best players, one of the best hitters
in the majors, and then it was just like completely
got to the point where like by the second half
of the year people were talking about dropping him. He
was so awful. I mean, it's just I don't know,
I just feel like he might be the biggest sell
for me right now. I feel like people are getting
sucked in once again by O'Neil Cruz and until I mean,
maybe this is the year when he finally does it.
But we've never seen him put together more than a
month of hot hitting ever, Like he just gets exploited.
And last year from his uh, last year, his time
in the in April, he actually had an even better
strikeout rate last year, Like last year it seemed like
it was like, oh wow, twenty seven percent strikeout rate,
like maybe maybe he's finally tamed that part of his game.
But this year his strikeouts are even not great, so
they're over thirty percent. So yeah, I mean, I just
don't buy this at all. He's like, you know, he's
right now, he's got a four to forty one babbit.
If he ends up anywhere near his career average, career
average babbit, it's gonna be like, you know, he's gonna
be hitting two thirty five again. So yeah, and that's
and going from three thirty five where he is now
to two thirty five, there's gonna be stretches there where
he's hitting one hundred for weeks at a time. It's
gonna get so bad. So I just, yeah, I don't.
I don't think it's fixed. I don't. I don't think
O'Neil Cruz is fixed.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would say if anything, last April felt more
real because the strikeouts were down, the walk rate was up,
the babbit was like normal less April felt like it
could have been happening. This this feels like he's you know,
he does hit the ball incredibly hard. He is incredibly talented,
which is why I have shares every single year and
I can't help myself. But until we see the strikeout raider,
the swinging strike rate at least one of those come
down to some degree, I'm just not gonna buy that
he's he's all of a sudden figured it out. Do
I think he could be better than he was the
rest of twenty twenty five after April? Yes, but that's
a very very low bar. I mean, he hit like
one ninety five the rest of the season, So yes,
I think he could hit above the Mendoza line for
the rest of this season. And yes, my bold call
was that O'Neill Cruiz figures it out. But I don't.
Speaker 4: I don't think we're there yet.
Speaker 1: Now with you, if somebody believes they're figured it out
and you get I don't know what any like top
two three round value, somehow I would I would probably
do that without even thinking another breakout gray that we
have just been wishing upon a start for Jordan Walker.
Speaker 4: Is he breaking out?
Speaker 1: He has seven home runs a stone base, he's hitting
three twenty seven, three ninety three, seven forty five.
Speaker 4: He went to drive line.
Speaker 1: I said, liked him in the He said he figured
something out great, like something was wrong with the swing,
that they messed up in the miners because whatever the
Cardinals are doing the miners isn't working right now. But
he's figured it out. Has he figured it out?
Speaker 7: Or is this it's just temptation I'm gonna, I mean,
this next off season, you and I are gonna go
and and sit in the bushes outside of drive line
with some binoculars.
Speaker 3: Okay, all right, well I see that. All right, Well
Michael Bush is going in. Okay, I uh yeah, I
think Jordan Walker. I mean, as ridiculous as it is,
it is a it's still a small sample size, but
I think he's actually fixed because unless, you know, unless
he reverts back to what he was doing previous seasons,
he like the fly ball rate looks like what it
should look like, you know, like he's finally he's finally
hitting he's you know, his launch angle, and he's hitting
the ball the way he should have been hitting the
ball like he was always you know, like I said
on the site many times, like he is always been
a thirty five homer ten steel two seventy hitter. It's
just a matter of swinging right, and it looks like
he's swinging right. So yeah, I'm in man. I like
Jordan Walker. Aton Unfortunately, for the first time ever, I
don't actually have him in any fantasy leagues. I'm cursed,
but I still, you know, I I'm still a fan.
I just you know, Unfortunately it's he's going to be
performing well for other people. But I yeah, I think
Jordan Walker is he looks right, he looks fixed.
Speaker 1: Finally, all right, let me throw some names at you Gray,
we'll see where where Jordan Walker is fitting in for you.
Would you take Jordan Walker or your your your favorite
guy in the world. Michael Harris second.
Speaker 6: I would go Walker, Okay, Walker or the Ian Hapline.
Speaker 3: That's a tough one. Uh, they're very close. I would
I would still I would probably go, uh, Jordan Walker
because I feel like with Ian hap is as valuable
and underrated as he is, Jordan Walker's upsides unknown right now,
and I'm going with the upside of Walker.
Speaker 1: Okay, how about him or the guy you didn't necessarily
believe him, but his right behind him on the play
raider Andy Pyes.
Speaker 3: Mmmm, yeah, that's a that's a tough one because I
didn't believe in Pies, but you know he's proven me
wrong too, uh, or proven me wrong for the first time.
I should say, Yeah, I would probably go Paes because
the lineup's really good, the park's really good. He looks
he looks fine and wrong to doubt Andy Pies, So
I would go piz over Walker.
Speaker 4: Yeah, thank you everybody out there in fantasy world who
doubted Andy Pies because I have so many cheap shares.
It's it's a.
Speaker 1: Wonderful, wonderful thing. No, I mean, anty bias is in.
That lineup has just been absolutely great. And if there's anything,
even if Jordan Walker breaks out, that lineup is still
going to be garbage. So there's there's only gonna be
so many opportunities for him to score runs or knock
in runs. Let's talk about somebody who has plenty of
opportunities to do both those things, and that has been Rice.
Fourteen games this year, he has four home runs of
stolen base, He's hitting three fifty six five hundred seven
fifty six, have a twenty nine point three percent strikeout rate,
but that goes with a twenty two point four to
four per sand walk ring. What's your thoughts here on
Ben Rice?
Speaker 3: Uh? So, you know, I think he's been hot, but
I don't really. I still, I mean, it's kind of
ridiculous to still be anti Ben Rice because he is
hitting very well, but I still don't buy it fully,
Like he's still not hitting lefties and it's gotten to
the point where you know, Boone has taken him out
of the lineup first lefties, which he should do. I
agree with that. I think, you know, unfortunately it's to
take him out for Paul Goldschmidt, which is like I
think I would just take terrible I would take terrible
at that's from Ben Rice against lefties versus Goldschmidt. But
I do understand at least why he's getting pulled verse lefties,
and that just hurts his counting stats. So there's that.
And on top of that, I just like, like, right now,
is bab it's five hundred. I mean, he's not a
he's not a three fifty hitter. He's not even I'm
not even sure he's a two fifty hitter. And you
know he's had quite a few Like his homers. While great,
you know early on it looks good to have, you know,
four home four homers, is still like, you know, he's
got a long ways to go before he's actually you know,
a smart pick at a catcher where he was going.
So I still I still stand by me saying he
was overrated in the in the preseason, like his homer
per fly balls. Right now, it's over thirty percent. It
all is just his like is as sure as I
feel with Jordan Walker, because that was more of a
mechanics thing and like he was fixed and as long
as he stays fixed, I like Jordan Walker. But Benrice,
there was no like. He's just the same guy. He
just happens to be hot in the first two weeks
of the season, So that's fine. I mean, I'm glad
people who drafted him high got a you know, got
two weeks of hot hitting from him. But he's not
a different player all of a sudden. You know, his
kys or near thirty percent, which I don't think is
actually where he's gonna end up, but his walks are
over twenty percent. Like everything looks just so silly on
Ben Rice's line that I don't think you can believe
any of it. I don't think any of it's real.
I think he's still a twenty two homer, very few steals,
two point fifty hitter that is gonna sit vers lefties,
which is totally fine, but not for where he was
going at drafts.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, if you're starting him a catcher, then
you can you can make sense of it because of
what makes sense at catcher and what that position does.
But I'm with you in general, like not really buying anything.
If anything, Gray his bat his average batspeed and fast
swing rate were actually down this season, so he's striking
out more.
Speaker 4: He's he's swinging the bat less aggressively or less hard
than he was last year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like Ben Rice is a cell if
if people are buying him fully at this point, would
you take him or you know, we'll start at the
number one catcher Drake Baldwin, Oh, absolutely Baldwin.
Speaker 3: Well Ben Rice or Shy Langliers Langlers absolutely.
Speaker 4: Number four catcher Liam Hicks.
Speaker 3: Ben Rice, yep, I would make that one.
Speaker 1: Let's move over to first base real quick, as there
are some people who might be starting him at first
base him or also hot starters of the season and
only productive Cincinnati read South Stewart.
Speaker 3: You know, actually I guess Sell Stewart.
Speaker 1: I would as well Ben Rice or Madelson.
Speaker 4: I would go Matt Olson Madelson as well.
Speaker 1: Let's scroll down a little bit somebody. I think we're
both a little bit down on the season, and I've
been down on for like five seasons.
Speaker 8: Freddy Freeman, I really don't like Freddy Freeman, but I
would I would go Freddy Freeman over Betton Rice, but
they're probably very similar.
Speaker 3: I think Freddy Freeman quickly would be like I feel like,
seventeen homers to seventy five to eighty average, good counting stats.
Ben Rice a little bit more power, a little bit
less average, decent county stats, but he's gonna sit verst lefties.
So I would go Freeman, but they're very close.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I would go Rights there, but again
I'm a known Freeman hater. Just kind of where we're going.
And it really depends on your team. Like if you
needed the average and the county numbers.
Speaker 4: I could see going Freeman.
Speaker 1: But Rice is gonna have Catt county numbers too, So
it's really not like an average versus power thing. And
and you know, we pointed out for Oneo Cruiz, so
I feel.
Speaker 4: Obligated to say this for Ben Rice.
Speaker 1: Last April he hit eight home runs, two stolen bases,
and hit two sixty six. I mean we pointed out
for Ona CRUs, we have to point it out for
Ben Rice. Like these players that swing in this manner,
they have hot and cold months. They're just they're starting
with a hot month, which is great. You get to
see that year, not just wasting the time up front.
But this is probably as good as it's gonna get. Yeah, agreed, Uh,
something that better get better. I mean, these guys better
find something great because, uh you know its Andre three thousand.
These guys are.
Speaker 4: Cooler than cool right now.
Speaker 1: Michael Bush one thirty five, two thirty three, one seventy three,
twenty percent strikeout rate, eleven point seven percent walk rate.
I mean he he's doing nothing for fantasy owners last
just right now?
Speaker 4: Is there is there any concern here for you? Is
there anything he's gonna turn around? Can you can.
Speaker 1: You tell me he's not gonna be just a terrible,
terrible pick gray and an awful person for me to
have across the board.
Speaker 3: I would say, well, well, we'll stay with one guy
at a time, but a lot of these guys are
gonna be like massive buyes for me. I think I
think Michael Bush is a big time by. I don't
I don't see any reason why he can't get better.
It's like he's just he's had two bad weeks. If
this was two bad weeks in the middle of August,
you would it may not even be a blip on
your radar. You may be like, oh, yeah, you had
two bad weeks, but whatever, He's had a great first
three and a half months. So I would be buying
Mike Bush, Michael Bush, whatever he wants to call himself,
I would be I would be buying in every league
across the board. He looks he looks fine to me.
Obviously he's struggling when it comes to, you know, the
stats we care about, But I think he's gonna come
out of it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I will say as ay, Michael Bush owner
and highly rated this year. He had these times last
year where he was he just looked bad and then
he snaps out of it. He goes on on a
great bender. So just waiting for that to come around
and for the good part of Michael Bush to show up.
All the numbers looking line, the launchingle looks fine, average
exit blosity is down as well as hard hit, but
has to be expected when somebody's hitting one thirty five,
he does have one to seventy one bad bit, you
know that everything should kind of start to turn around.
Speaker 4: Kay rate, kay, raid and walk right, look in control.
Speaker 1: I'm with you. I feel like Michael Bush is a
buye or maybe even just a pick up in the
shallow ed uugh league where somebody may just be done
with looking at his numbers for now. Another guy that
some people are probably getting very frustrated with and a
lot of people have had a as a breakout player,
or I guess even more of a breakout player, is
Vinnie Pascentino. Zero's across the board on home runs it
stolen basis. He's hitting one fifty three two forty six nine.
Is Kate raid is sitting at twenty three point two,
which doesn't sound bad across the board, but for him
is pretty bad. Ten point walk rate point one percent
walk rate is good. What's your thoughts here on your
boy Vinn P.
Speaker 3: I wonder if he could do a couple of shots
of espresso before every advounce. That's my big takeaway from
his early going. Actually, as you were reading his numbers,
I didn't realize he was even doing that well. I
thought it was even worse. Yeah, I mean again, I
feel like he's just he's a He's a big time
buy for me. If you look at his April numbers
from last year, he hit one seventy seven in April.
He just starts off slow. Unfortunately in May he hit
three thirty. So you know, I think if I could
buy him in any league, I would. I you know,
absolutely have to hold You have to hold tight for
right now because I think things will get better. You know. Also,
he was really bad in April of last year, but
he didn't really get great until like towards the second half.
So uh, yeah, you gotta you gotta remain patient here,
I am. I'm still in on Vinnie Pascatino. Yeah, if my.
Speaker 1: Second half you mean August?
Speaker 4: Yes, uh, that's that's when he got really good. Was
was August?
Speaker 1: Yeah, I uh, I'm gonna say I did not believe
in Vinnie's breakout necessarily last year. I'm I'm just gonna
take this as that's complete confirmation bias and say I
would not really buy him at least a draft cost.
Speaker 4: If you could get him at a significant discount.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, Like Michael Bush, I I would still pretty much
buy a draft cost because I thought his draft cost
was probably too low to begin with. I thought Vennie's
was too high, and I'm not gonna pay that right now.
It sounds like you would though.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I would pay Uh, I don't think you
have to, but I would, I would pay a draft cost.
I still think he's to be fine. I mean he's
a he's a solid like I think twenty seven homer,
two seventy five hitter with good counting stats sort of
at like a baseline, I think there's upside from there,
so I would be, Yeah, I would be buying. I
would be buying at draft costs. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I don't know that I believe he's any of those numbers,
so I would not be. But there we are.
Speaker 4: Let's move on to somebody I think we both liked.
Speaker 1: I don't know if we liked him at draft costs
because that was kind of kind of ridiculous of different drafts.
But Jack Kaglione two twenty nine this year, three fifteen,
three thirteen, thirty one and a half since strikeout rate,
thirty seven point four percent walk rate, and unfortunately that
comes with a three fifty five babbitt along with it,
so it's not even a direct batted balls and play.
Look issue here with with Jack Kaggs, But what what's
your thoughts are you?
Speaker 4: Is this another guy that you're in on?
Speaker 3: He has zero RBIs oh man, no wonder why my
teams are doing so bad. Oh my god, he's been miserable.
You know, his hard hit is the three the three
times he's actually made contact, his hard hits thirty eight
point seven percent, So that's good. Uh, you know this
is this is miserable. Man. This is really bad like
his you know, it's hopefully it's just a two week,
terrible slump that he's gonna come out of because you know,
I mean his launch angle is two point eight. I
mean it's just terrible and not not that his launch
angle last year was very good. I don't know. I'm
right now, I'm like, I'm kind of struggling to figure
out exactly why I liked him, to be honest, he's
probably going to be droppable if he has another week
like this. I think he's probably droppable in most leagues,
in most mixed leagues, at least maybe a fifteen team mix.
You hold him on your bench, but you can't start
him right now. I mean, he's struggling so terribly. So yeah,
I'm I'm less confident in you know, cagleone coming out
of this.
Speaker 1: Yeah, the longe angles was dragging me down, and it
wasn't something that he had an issue with in the miners.
It just since he's come to the majors, the launch
angle has been extremely low. The ground ball rate has
been ridiculously high. And that's okay a little bit if
there is also a generally equal like flyball rate, because
there's there's guys who will just hit ground balls and
then only fly balls because they have a high launch angle.
Actually he's not doing that. He's said he line drives
ground balls and no fight balls, which is, you know,
it's okay if you're like a speedster. He's not necessarily that.
He needs to get the launch angle up. I still
like him as a prospect, and I think he can
turn it around, but that launch angle needs to come up.
He needs to figure out how to put the ball
in the air at the major league level, and I
don't know if that's happening.
Speaker 4: I don't know if I'm necessarily as is.
Speaker 3: It that I managed to draft twenty twenty five Jordan Walker.
Speaker 1: Like twenty seventeen Yondi Diaz, like I'm looking at you
know what?
Speaker 3: I look forward to everyone else telling me how great
cag leone is next year on their team, Like three
years from now, it will be wonderful when I don't
have him next year when he's fixed, if he goes
to drive line, I'm drafting him in the first round
just everywhere, all right.
Speaker 1: So you know you don't like tags, I'm not cutting
him as fast as it sounds like you are, just
to see if the launch angle comes around.
Speaker 4: But I could see I could definitely see it in
the shallow enough league where there's so many good options
out there on the wire. It's it does feel like
it's gonna take a mechanical adjustment at this point. To
the point of Jodan Walker, who we let off the
show with, like it feels like there's something mechanical going on,
or like he's not picking up the drop from major
league pitches right now. You know, I'm just not sure
what what his issue is.
Speaker 2: A guy that we we all.
Speaker 1: Said he couldn't possibly repeat what he did last season,
but thought he would still provide value.
Speaker 6: He is not.
Speaker 1: And that is Josh Naylor, who is zero's for home
run stone bases as well. He's hitting one o two,
one nine one o two. He does only have a
sixteen point seven percent strikeout rate and a nine point
one percent walk rate.
Speaker 4: All that's pretty in line.
Speaker 1: You know, I will say it doesn't look too bad here,
But what are your thoughts here on Josh Nahler.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I think you gotta I think you
gotta buy here as well. I think, uh, you know,
we've seen him do as you know, not necessarily what
he did last year, but we've seen him be valuable
for fantasy for you know, quite a few years now,
so I think you've got to trust that he's still
you know, he's only twenty. He's twenty eight right now.
He's twenty eight years old. He'll turn twenty nine in June.
But anyway, I yeah, I think he's too he's too
valuable for fantasy for the last couple of years to
be like, oh he's just cooked now. I just don't
see it. I mean, he's definitely he's had a bad
two weeks, I think, is where we're at with Josh Nower.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I can see that, and I would I I agree.
I mean, there's I don't think he's just cooked all
of a sudden. I've never really liked Josh Taylor just
because I don't know exactly where the value is coming from.
I just know he's going to eventually somehow some way
kind of figure it out and give give me value.
Speaker 4: Would you rather have him or you know the other two?
Speaker 1: First base we've talked about We've talked about Michael Bush,
and we've talked about VNP.
Speaker 4: What's your what's your order on those three?
Speaker 3: Wow, first base was bad coming into the year.
Speaker 4: It's it's it's getting worse.
Speaker 3: It sounds it sounds like first base is a real
like a bunch of land mines here, I'm looking at uh,
I'm looking at first base on a player raider to
see who the top five are Ben Rice, Yondi, Diaz
South Stewart, Matt Olson, and Liam Hicks. So yeah, not
not the top five first basemen you were probably drafting,
follow followed by.
Speaker 1: Josh Bell, Christian Walker, Ryan O'Hearn, Jake Bowers, Dominic Smith,
and Wilson Contrerais.
Speaker 3: I'm Annix Smith? Yes, So yeah, it's still early obviously,
Like if you know, we have a fifteen day player raider,
we have a seven day player raider. Like if you
were to look at some of those things like in
the middle of the year, they would look this crazy.
So it's really just like I'm still buying Josh Naylor,
I'm still buying Pascatina, I'm still buying Michael Bush. I
would probably not change their ranking. So in the preseason,
I believe I had a nailor Pascatino Bush. I want
to change it from that, I you know, I would
still I mean, I don't think you have to pay
draft costs because is I think people are probably panicking
who have them, but I think they're gonna be okay.
Speaker 1: I would say that you don't, but first base across
the board is terrible, so you may you may still
have to pay kind of draft dish costs for them.
If you know, people do like these guys. I would
say that again, I have agreement. I think you kind
of keep the order that you had. I think we
both had Nayler that's top. I then had Bush and
then Vinny p. But they're all kind of in that
same grouping and I don't think there's a whole lot separating.
Naylor again is literally there because of his track record
of just finding a way to give you value, and
I think you still will somebody that does not have
a great track record of providing draft value. Gray is
Byron Buxton, mainly because of injury, but right now it's
because of production. He has zero's again, uh eight two
seventy three k rate walk rate pretty much in line here.
What are your thoughts on Byron Buckston. I don't think
you were a fan preseason for just the injury and inconsistencies.
But this isn't what we're gonna get, right, No.
Speaker 3: You know, I don't think it's gonna it's what we're
gonna get. But he has had miserable seasons in the past,
so you know, I didn't like Buxton coming into the year.
I would actually if if someone gave me draft class,
I would be selling I you know, because like this
is the kind of guy where it's like he could
have like a cold like month and then get injured
for a month and then and now you're looking at
like June or something or July or you know, it's
like I don't trust him enough to be like, oh,
he'll be fine and he'll give me. You know what
he gave me last year. I don't trust it. I
would be out. I would be selling low. Possibly, you know,
depends on what you can get in the trade, but
I would be selling.
Speaker 1: I think, yeah, I think we're just the opposites today.
Gray I think I actually would be buying on busting
because I think the panic is out there. The Byron
Buxton is one of those players that we've all been
burned by at different times, and whether you believed him
or not.
Speaker 4: This season like that, that history exists, so you are
taking some risk.
Speaker 1: He's not somebody who's playing one hundred and sixty five games,
so every time that he goes out and is bad,
there's a little bit of additional risk. That being said,
everything kind of looks in line. This is not abnormal
for him to have a bad month and then I
have a great month. This is just Byron Buxton. So
I think I would actually buy Buxton just on the
fact that good times are probably ahead, either that or
an ile stant and if he's on the al, you
can move him there and pick up somebody else. So
I think this I would actually potentially be buying if
the asking price is dropping significantly somebody else that was
you know, he's he was a sure fire first rounder.
Then there reskuling some concern with the preseason injury. There
may be some more concern now because he is hitting
one eight eight, three oh seven two sixty.
Speaker 4: Six and that is Francisco Lindor.
Speaker 1: This has been he has been the model of consistency,
at least since the uh stolen base rules got changed. Gray,
is everything going to get back on track? Or is
thirty two of the year that Lindor starts to fall off?
Speaker 3: Uh? I, you know, like with the habit bone injury
that usually zaps people's power. So I would say, I mean,
I I mean, I think he's gonna be okay. I
just like you, you might get more of like a
twenty homer season with you know, maybe twenty five steals,
And I think the average is, you know, he's never
really like a huge average guy. So if he hits
two fifty five, like you know, twenty twenty, even give
him thirty steals twenty thirty two fifty five. I mean,
it's okay, it's not. I don't think it's what everyone
was expecting prior to the injury if you drafted early.
Uh So, yeah, I mean I'm a little bit concerned.
To be honest, I think he's gonna be okay to
a certain extent. Like I don't think you should be
like panic selling and like, you know, getting like thirty
cents on the dollar. But I would be a little
bit concerned.
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, it's shortstop. Would you rather have him
or you know, off to a good start, and uh,
zach Netto, I would go.
Speaker 3: I would actually go Nedo.
Speaker 4: I think I would too, and I I.
Speaker 1: Want to say I ranked them that way in the preseason,
but I love Zach Netto. How about him or the
Speedsters Xavier Edwards?
Speaker 3: I would go Lindor.
Speaker 4: Okay, Fellow veteran shortstop Trade.
Speaker 3: Turner, I would go That's a tough one. I think
I would still go Lindor, even though I mean it's
it's closed, but yeah, Trade Turner's age worries me a
little bit. And uh yeah, I would go Lindor.
Speaker 4: I think I would go Turner, but I don't I
don't really have a qualm with that either way.
Speaker 1: One more, would you rather have have him or Corey
Seeger who's off to a pretty season start?
Speaker 3: I would go Lindoor.
Speaker 1: Okay, I would go Indoor there just we know, see
you're especially gonna get hurt unfortunately, So in that case,
I would go Lindoor. But I think we've figured out
a little bit of a range here. Let's go ahead
and sagged off it up and get out of here.
Speaker 6: Great.
Speaker 1: This is not really anything of note in regards to saves,
because he's owned everywhere, it was drafted everywhere.
Speaker 4: But something that needs some time. I feel like, is
Mason Miller seven or third this year? Nineteen strikeouts gun
walk That is a seventy nine point.
Speaker 1: Two percent strikeout rate, golflap, golf plat for Mason Miller.
He's been He's been absolutely phenomenal this season. Let's move
to the guys who have not been phenomenal. Gray Over
in Washington, Dus Farland gets a save on Sunday. Does
this feel like he's maybe taking a spot or do
you still like Clayton Peter here?
Speaker 6: Uh?
Speaker 3: I think, you know, unless it's a deep league where
you really need saves, I'm probably ignoring the Nationals and
I would probably go beater though, but not with any
real confidence.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would say the same thing, but you know,
and I think in a deeper league, guess Barlin is
definitely worth a look if you're you know, if every
save is worthwhile. Over in Tampa Bay, we get the
confirmation that we didn't need, which was that they are
going with a matchup based approach. Per Kevin Cash who
do you like here among the number of relievers, Griffin Jacks,
Garrett Clevenger, Brian Baker, And when you say it is
coming back, who do you like?
Speaker 3: I wish. I wish someone who's smarter than me would
do a breakdown of how many wins kept and cash
has gained for the raise in his tenure versus lost
for the raise, because I just I mean, it's so
clearly Brian Baker is the better reliever right now. So
it's like, matchup base for what reason?
Speaker 2: Man?
Speaker 3: Like, Like what reason? Just so you can be like,
so you can feel like you're doing some managing. Like
it doesn't make like Griffin Jacks has been awful, Like
what like what are you trying to prove? Like Brian
Baker has been good and is good? Yeah, yeah, it's like,
what are you doing? Man? It's just stupid. I don't know,
it's just it's frustrating. I don't know. Brian Baker would
be the guy I would pick up and I would
ignore the rest of them, except you said I would
put on my il slot if I if I had room.
But it's not going to get cleaner once you said
it comes back.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I hope it does. I hope you say this
just takes it, but I would genuinely agree. It's it's
Tampa Bay. It's not they they never have a closer.
It just doesn't happen. Even when they have a closer.
It's not some a team that we can say the
same thing about is Minnesota. But I'm gonna ask you,
is Cole Sands the closer?
Speaker 6: Yeah?
Speaker 3: I would say Cole Sands, Yeah.
Speaker 4: I think he's the closest. Thing is they have to it?
Speaker 1: You want to grab up Taylor Rogers going ahead, But
I think col Sands is the guy over in Kansas City.
Lucas Erseg inherited the role when Stem has got hurt.
But is that Steva is gonna get it back when
Erg returns.
Speaker 3: I wouldn't get it back to him. I think I
think he might actually because I think just because the contracts,
because Steve is I think is under a contract that
makes it more feasible for him to be the closer.
But ersg I would just grab ersa hold and hope
that the Royals make the right decision and just keep
as the closer.
Speaker 1: You know what, colssta Venz is one hundred and sixty
two year A taking over. Now, it's just this one
that he's a third of an inn't I don't mean that?
Speaker 4: Yeah, Collins, that's Devez has been very good for two seasons,
so but yes, I would.
Speaker 1: I would tend the agree. I think they're going to
give them back the job, even if er probably should
have been the one. UH this year over for the
A's does joel Cole Konel Is he the closer here
Gray he got you gotta save? Or you know? The
mix of Hogan, Harris, Elvis Alvarado we can we can,
I guess though, Scott Barlow of that group, if we
want to, what are your thoughts here on the A's.
Speaker 3: UH, I would probably say no one. But if I
had to choose, i'd probably go Hogan Harris, I guess,
I mean, no real no confidence in that, but yeah,
i'd probably go Harris, even though I don't really want
any of them.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't feel great about this one either. I
think I would go with Harris as well. Elverado having
bad Honestly, none of them have been that bad, so
there's worse things you could do. But you also have
to know when they're at home, you probably don't want
any of them in your lineup, just for the blow
up factor. Over at Houston, Brian and Bray who continues
to struggle? Will they continue to give him option opportunities? Probably?
Speaker 3: But who else should the people pick up? I would
go with Brian King. And then if I would say
Josh hater is you know, I mean clearly he's going
to be the closer once he returns, So I would
go Brian King or no one. I don't think Brian
and Bray. Brian Abray for me is like I'm actually,
when we get off this podcast, I'm gonna drop him
officially in our RCL league because he's been nothing but terrible.
Speaker 1: He has been just terrible, right and we know he's
eventually losing his job even good. Over over in San Francisco,
Ryan Walker has been struggling. Are you grabbing up Caleb
Killian everywhere?
Speaker 3: M M Well, I did pick up Killian in our
RCL league, but as previously mentioned, my team is terrible,
so I would go I think I would go Walker still,
but yeah, Killian's on my radar for sure. I I
don't think they really I don't think they feel like
they're sold on Walker. Walker's been okay and like he's
striking people out is you know, his stuff looks fine,
but he as giving up a couple you know, he's
giving up some runs. So yeah, i'd probably go Walker still,
but Killian's on my radar.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would grab Killian pretty much everywhere if you
you know, if he's just sitting there, he's been good.
Speaker 4: So even if you you know, even if he.
Speaker 1: Doesn't end up getting the role immediately, you're not hurting
yourself like grabbing him and starting him in a reliever
spot over in Pittsburgh. In Santana blows to say versus
the Cobs, is it time to pick up somebody else
in this bullpen?
Speaker 3: Uh? I think it's Gregory Sodo or Santana, I'd probably
go I'd probably still go to Santana, but I mean
Santana couldn't make it like reasonable for them to go
to Sodo. I mean, they seem like they were interested
in going to Sodo, and then Santana, like you know,
was thrown out there for a save and he blew
it like you mentioned. So it's like, if you know,
if Sodo gets the job done, they might just go Sodo.
So Santana is very tenuous, but still the closer.
Speaker 1: I think, yeah, I would go with Santana as the closer,
but I don't necessarily want to be starting him if
I don't have to, and I would definitely grab up
Gregory Soto. Watch give people some waivers. I'll give him
some streaming options. We'll get out of here.
Speaker 3: Okay.
Speaker 6: Cool?
Speaker 5: So on.
Speaker 3: Hell Martinez Guardians second base, also has outfield eligibility. He
I mean, he might be someone we end up talking
about further next week. He looks really good and he's
got an opportunity with Rokio going down. So I like
Angel Martinez and Hell Martinez a lot. Orgy Solar who
or hey Solar as always a guy who gets hot
at times, hits for, hits for a bunch of power,
hits people in the face, tries to If you have
a five by five league, in one of your categories
is punches, I mean, who Aslar looks like he's been hot.
He's obviously he's gonna get suspended at some point, so
you're gonna have to you either wait for him to
come back from the suspension or bench him anyway. Edward
Julian for the Rockies is actually hitting leadoff for them
and has been like every day, has been getting replaced
later in the games. But for whatever reason, Warren Jay
Schaefer has been playing Julian Julian at lead, leading off
with him, and he's been hitting over four hundred in
the last week. So him. So anyway, let's see Moyses
Bollstarios is hitting five hundred in the last week, has
multiple homers. Mickey Moniac has multiple games with multiple homers.
Curtis Mead is hitting well for the Nationals, not playing
every day, more of a deep league guy, but it
has been hitting well. Mauricio Dubon has been hitting well,
has a starting job more or less. Dalton Rushing has
actually been hitting pretty good. And I wouldn't be surprised
to see Will Smith get more DHA bats and Rushing
get more catching, so Rushing might for deeper leagues. Rushing
actually might be getting on people's radars even though he's
not the quote unquote starter. And then Casey Schmidt hit
well over the last week for the Giants and brooks Lee.
So there's some names for you, all right.
Speaker 1: And some streaming options here. This week, Jeffrey Springs gets
a two step at home. I do not love as
at home, but Texas White Sox and two start, and
he has been great to start the season, so I
think I'm throwing him out there. Bryce Elder versus Miami
Kyer Montero, he has not had the you know, the
toughest opponents.
Speaker 4: But that continues this week versus Kansas City at home.
Speaker 1: Paviera sad I believe he gets a two start at
Philly versus the Mats.
Speaker 4: Again.
Speaker 1: This is another one where I don't necessarily love the matchups,
but you're getting a two start guy who is widely available,
So why not Foster Griffin at Pittsburgh. Two teams fighting
for you know, equal terribleness, although Pittsburgh's been good. So
Tomoyaki Sugato at Houston. You got seth Luo going to
Detroit and Michael McGreevy versus Cleveland. I like all those guys.
It it gets a little bit questionable as we go down.
Oh say, I do like what Warren for he bounce.
Speaker 4: Back versus the Angels and versus Kansas City at home.
So there's a few names for you.
Speaker 1: And if nothing else, if you don't have anybody to
pick up, you can always pick up did A France.
Speaker 4: As for Gray.
Speaker 1: If you have specific questions, you can fight us on x.
Speaker 4: Im at rasbeat on Gray is at Rasball.
Speaker 1: You can fight us on YouTube dot com, slash Rasball
Fantasy or at rasball dot com in the commns sections.
Speaker 4: May your lineups be great. May you score some points
this week and I'll talk to you later.
Speaker 3: Gray all right leads