1. Given that I could only keep 2 of Jupton, Cutch, and Jones, would you trade Jupton and Jones for Braun (if I could)? I’d replace the gap at UTIL with my only bench bat, Napoli, until a hot hitter shows up on waivers in a deepish 16 teamer (some FA hitters are Scott, Mcgehee, Berry, Newenhuis, Schafer, etc.)

   Thanks!

   • @chunk, Are you giving up on trying to win the pennant? If so, and you could keep Braun, it’s not an awful trade….but I don’t love it. Clearly, the Dread Pirate has to be kept. I’d rather keep J-Upton (too much potential) and maybe use Jones to upgrade at a different keeper position. Or I’d just keep those three depending on whom your other keepers are.

     Part of my rationale – which is subjective – is that this trade would infuriate me as a league member. But that’s why I stay away from keeper leagues….:)

     • @Rudy Gamble, Thanks for the thoughtful response. I get 3 keepers and also own Prince. Since the last place team has made everyone available in exchange for draft picks next year, a ton of huge names have been flying around and I’m partly just trying to stay in on the action. In the last week my outfield has gone from reddick/jones/hunter/aoki (Kemp DLed) to ruggiano/jones/upton/cutch. I think you’re probably right though and I should quit while I’m ahead, try trading jones later on.

2. speaking of under/overperformers…which side would you rather have in a trade:

   Chooch/Goldy or C. Santana/J.McDonald

   • @KCC26, I’d call it neutral on the Catcher front for now though I’m intrigued about Santana for 2nd half since he got some rest in the 1st half. Right now, McDonald is way more valuable than Goldschmidt. Projecting for 2nd half, I’d give just a slight edge to McDonald. So Santana/McDonald.

3. I still love you guys but I note a lot of the guys you were selling preseason are on the last two lists And not the first two! This year seems like a really strange year. Hoping that there are some major corrections coming and soon…

   • @Tom, Grey and I were talking about this yesterday. I’ll be doing an analysis of both our rankings (his list, my pre-season Point Shares) end of year vs. other pundits. Totally open to take our lumps if we had a bad year and try to understand how to get better.

     My prediction: Similar to last year, most rankings are remarkably no better than just using ADP. Not sure where our rankings will shake out.

     • @Rudy Gamble,

       surprised to hear you admit to this : ” … most rankings are remarkably no better than just using ADP. ”

       of course , you’re the expert , but it seems to me that the keys to being
       successful at this fantasy baseball game are just :
       a) avoiding the injury bug , and,
       b) lucking into (either on draft day , or by plucking the hot player off the waiver wire , early on) those career-year , over-achievers who have somehow avoided illegal drug detection or whose planets have come into alignment .

       question ==> why no mention of carl crawford ?

       • ^…..^
         screw it .
         doesn’t matter .

       • @chata, How could I not admit that after publishing this study…
         http://razzball.com/review-of-2011-fantasy-baseball-player-rankings/. Even my Point Shares – which were about +14% better than ADP – would only be ‘better’ in a random draft something like 57% of the time (57-43=14).

         Added Crawford as a special mention. My working list didn’t include anyone with 0 AB or IP. IMO, he was known damaged goods from the start…

     • @Rudy Gamble, I look forward to seeing that analysis. I still trust you guys more than any other source…plus you crack me up and have by far the best podcast song

       • @Tom, Ha. Thanks. Here’s last year’s study in case you didn’t see it – http://razzball.com/review-of-2011-fantasy-baseball-player-rankings/

4. Seeing that injury all stars list makes me really wish Krispie had never come off the disabled list. He could have missed the whole year, and then everybody could have had a bunch of discussions about small sample size and how it was finally the year CBY put it all together only to be derailed by physical injury. Instead he’s just a K machine, like normal.

   • @Principal Blackman, Ha, this reminds of the SNL clip where Dana Carvey plays Derek “Chopping Broccoli” Stevens and the record execs suggest he kills himself using Peter Frampton as the example of a rock musician whose career went down b/c he stayed alive.

5. Verlander puked all over himself in the ASG but he may have a good excuse………Kate Upton!

   • @frank rizzo, ha. my favorite part of that commercial is how they somehow made Verlander look shorter than Kate Upton and the goon. He’s 6’5″!!!!

     • @Rudy Gamble, gossip on the street is they’re dating…..not just making commercials anymore.

       • @frank rizzo, My thinking too when I saw that this morning!

         Im kinda glad I don’t own him in any leagues, if he falls off this 2nd half, we know to blame Kate Upton lol

6. Good thing I grabbed Beltran and Reddick in my 20-team league where my main stars were supposed to be Kemp, Sandoval, Robertson and Markakis.

   Still with a fighting chance…

   • @Millsy, Surprised not to see Chris Carpenter on the injury All Stars (another casualty of mine).

     • @Millsy, good call. he wasn’t on the player rater b/c he hasn’t pitched an inning. will add him now.

       • @Rudy Gamble,

         Great. That makes 5 guys on my squad in a 20-team league showing up on the Injury All Stars & its honorable mention. Pretty brutal

         I think Sawxo captures my feelings pretty well below…

         • @Millsy, yeah, that sucks.

7. No Razzball post has ever made me as proud and depressed at the same time…

   • @Sawx10, Me too.

8. Monday night on twitter Rudy posted a link to the Top 100 for the 2nd half and I clicked on it with jubilation only to see it was a dead link.

   This reminded me of this one time I hooked up with this really hot chick only to later find out that it was a dude!

   In both cases I closed my eyes and prayed for morning….

   • @quimmy, how you like those adam’s apples!

     • @Rudy Gamble, Ha!

9. Rank Parker, Milone, McDonald this year & next please.

   Do either Parker or Milone have any IP concerns heading into the stretch run?

   thanks in advance

   -YHL

   • @potus, McDonald, Parker, Milone. No on Milone. He threw 170 IP last year and 150 the previous two years. Yes on Parker as he’s never exceeded 135 IP.

10. First of Rudy good work as usual. However I’m wondering what you think capuano will do in the second half?

    • @Sal, Thanks. Capuano’s peripherals (K/BB) have been solid for 2 straight years (one half of 2010 through 1st half of 2012) so I think he can keep up the 8 K / 3 BB per 9 IP. But I expect his ERA to regress towards 4.00 and maybe 5 wins.

11. Who you like ROS Halladay or Cliff Lee?

    • @BASH, Cliff Lee until I see Halladay throw a quality start – then Halladay.

12. Hey Grey, Hey Rudy

    A few quick questions:

    1) Fiers or Garza the rest of the way?
    2) Do you know if Fiers is going to pitch on Fri-Sat-Sun?
    3) I’ve been holding Santos all this time for some reason – do you see any value in him or should I just cut bait?

    Thanks!
    Bermuda Triangles
    Get Lost!

    • @Bermuda Triangles, Garza. Only announced SP for Mil is Greinke on Friday. I don’t think Santos reclaims the closing job so I’d only hold onto him if you really need saves. I’d try to trade him before dropping him though – maybe to a Janssen owner.

13. I am in a 20 team h2h dynasty league. I was offered jurickson profar for my Goldschmidt . What ya think of this deal?

    c jp arencibia
    1b prince fielder
    2b neil walker
    ss yunel escobar
    3b miguel cabrera
    inf chris johnson
    lf peter bourjos
    cf tony campana
    rf justin upton
    of carlos lee
    util paul goldschmidt
    bn andrelton simmons
    bn travis snider
    bn ryan lavernway
    Bn miguel Sano
    dl carl crawford
    dl evan longoria

    sp clayton kershaw
    sp yu darvish
    sp cliff lee
    sp jon lester
    rp sean doolittle
    rp matt thorton
    rp matt belisle
    p joe kelly
    p scott downs
    p aaron harang
    bn zack mccalister
    bn barry zito
    bn brad peacock
    dl anthony bass

    • @Ryan, Given that you have Fielder, Cabrera, and Longoria, yeah. Profar looks like a stud SS. damn your team looks stacked for a 20 team league…

14. Floyd or Nolasco?

    • @Swaz, For shallow leagues, neither. Floyd better if you need Ks. Nolasco better bet for ERA (espec. if you sit him for tough away games).

15. Rudy,

    What’s your take on Strasburg’s IP limit? Will the Nats decide winning a penant is more important than treating Stras’s elbow like glass?

    I’m considering offering Prince for him in a H2H since I my SP is atrocious and I have some power to spare.

    Thank you in advance.

    • @STRAWberry, I think it’s a real concern. I think what they should do is sit him in August so he can pitch in September/October vs. the other way around. Fielder is definitely too much for him – especially in H2H.

16. Are we holding on to Dillon Gee? Waiver options: Z McAllister, F Morales, G Floyd, JA Happ, R Cook, G Holland

    • @GeeWhiz, Ryan Cook is on waivers? As long as Saves in a category, i’m making that switch. Seems like your league is deep enough on waivers not to worry about dropping Gee.

      • @Rudy Gamble, Ah sorry should have mentioned it’s H2H points: W=10, QS=5, S=7 which is probably why he’s still out there, scoring skews towards starters.

        • @GeeWhiz, i’d go Floyd or McAllister then.

17. RUDY!!!!

    ROS do you want Leonys Martin or Lorenzo Cain?

    In a dynasty league what do you think Leonys Martin’s value is?

    • @The Talented Mr. Dope Man, Cain just b/c I think he’s a little more assured of playing time but that goes by the way side if/when they bring up Wil Myers. I’m not a huge fan of Leonys Martin for fantasy baseball. Doesn’t seem to have huge power or speed which is what I look for in a prospect.

18. Ozzie Guillen said he’s going to a closer committee to start the second half. Sounds like Cishek is the short term add. Do you think there’s a chance he takes the job and runs with it or is Bell’s contract and Oviedo’s return too much for him to keep the job?

    • @TheBravesWear Prado, I think Bell’s had a long enough leash at this point. He’s a sunk cost – I think they’ll move on and give the role to the best pitcher. I think Cishek has maybe a 20% shot at taking over the closer role and keeping it for the year. Worthy of a pickup.

19. Wainy a good buy? Looking at getting him in my league as I think he should be in for a nice 2nd half, trade Lester for him? Not gonna be pitching Jonny in any more Yanks-Sawx games after his last outing.

    • @TheNewGuy, I’d probably feel a little safer with Wainwright than Lester given the league/division.

      • @Rudy Gamble, I wonder how he survived in years past, never had him before this year. Maybe he didn’t survive the Yanks before, maybe he just beat up on the O’s/Rays real bad.

        • @TheNewGuy, he’s just not as good as he was in years past. he wasn’t too far off in the 1st half from a peripheral standpoint but i have him ranked lower than i did in the preseason. still heavily invested him for better or worse…

20. 10 team keeper league, I have Martin Prado manning 3rd base with Mark Reynolds on the bench…

    I have 6 closers: Motte, Nathan, J. Johnson, Frieri, Betancourt, and Casilla.

    Would you trade any of them for Zimmerman or P. Alvarez…

    • @beardcrabs, Reynolds is droppable. Alvarez doesn’t give much value over Prado. If you can trade any of those closers – or even two of Motte/Johnson/Betancourt/Casilla for zimmerman – probably worth it.

21. trade advice if poss….

    I give Reyes/Bruce/J Weeks

    i get Cano

    standard cats plus OBP. too much of an overpay?

    My starting offence is AJ, Prince, Altuve, Lawrie, Reyes, Weeks, Rizzo, Braun, Bruce, Victorino, Ethier, DeAza, Butler,

    Thank You

    • @thebadger, That sure seems like a big overpay. Wouldn’t you then have to pick up an additional MI?

      • @Rudy Gamble, yes thats correct

        In your opinion is Bruce/Reyes an overpay

        Jemille wouldve been dropped hence the inclusion

        So in essence its just Bruce/Reyes?

        • @thebadger, for season to date, our player rater (http://razzball.com/playerrater/) has Cano at $29, Bruce at $19, Reyes at $8. So it’s not an overpay based on season to date performance. Just hard to imagine a healthy Reyes isn’t at least $15 which would start to make it an overpay…

22. Rudy,

    What do you think the chances are of Cischek getting the closers roll for the second half. (Keeping it). Just debating on picking him up or not.

23. Nevermind… Saw your post above!

24. hi rudy,

    props on the list. thanks for the hard work. love the site. love the podcasts.

    i’m hoping i could use the slow day for some advice in a long post

    one of my teams is like this:

    standard yahoo 12 team mixed 5×5 roto league

    now 3rd of 12 – 84 pts (leader has 93.5, 2nd is 87, 4th is 77.5)

    roster is

    c j montero
    1b rizzo
    2b a craig
    3b miggy
    ss jeter
    of beltran
    of melky
    of hamilton
    util austin jackson
    util q berry/he run
    bn carlos quentin
    dl lucroy

    sp felix
    sp j johnson (just got him)
    p capuano
    p anibal
    p burnett (new waiver pickup – started 1 time for me)
    p scherzer
    p m leake (just got him)
    rp soriano
    rp casilla
    rp janssen
    rp broxton
    rp holland

    ok in most categories (3rd place) except whip (1.33) and era (4.17) which are like 2-3 or 3-4pts (leader is 1.17/3.24) and sb (4 pts with 58; 7-8 pt teams have 77)

    leading saves with 82, next 2 teams have 65 each – one is punting sp and has all closers

    was leading league from week 3 until early june, then started slipping; holding steady last 7 days before asb;

    overall, what do you think of this team?

    generally, what to do? stand pat? obviously pitching needs help, but i just traded for j johnson and have not had him start for me yet; also got burnett off waivers and leake as fa – both started 1 time so far

    should i try to flip a closer in a package for a starter?

    as for sb’s, i’m thinking to stand pat, as maybe he run and jackson will keep me competitive

    as always, thanks for your help

25. Rudy, should Lester be cut in your typical RCL? Hasn’t helped me a bit in the first half; what he has done besides giving me few wins is destroy my peripherals.

    Thanks

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