No More Snickers With That Melky Way

July 29, 2014 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 658 Comments

Last night, Melky Cabrera hit two homers. Watch out, Melky's lactating home runs! Sorry, I cribbed that from Rotowire's notes. Kidding. Of course. Imagine you clicked on a player's name on another site and the first thing it said was Melky's lactating home runs. Only it would probably be more like this, "Melky has found his groove this year, especially vs. right-handers, who he's hitting .330 against. In the power department, he's lactating equally against righties and lefties." Snooze! Wake me when you're not regurgitating numbers. Tell me how you're glad mom slept with the Melk Man. Or tell me how Melky and Coco Crisp had a threesome that they would refer to later only as a ménage à breakfast. Give me the Juicy Juice with an extra straw! Or give me the obvious, Melky has been a number one outfielder, ranking in the top 15 outfielders on our Player Rater. He's being sustained by runs, RBIs and average that I won't put much faith in next year, which will almost definitely make him overrated, but we'll ferry cross that Melky when we come to it. (Note: We did not give Melky the lede in exchange for free web development.) Anyway, here's what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball: Psych! Before we get into the roundup, I just wanted to point you to our fantasy football leagues. They are signing up now. Go there, and sign up for them. You can win expensive, custom-made prizes! No, not a mohair toupee! Who are you, Bud Selig? Anyway II, the roundup:

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See all of today’s starting lineups

#	MLB Starting Lineups For Tue 10/28
	LAD \| TOR \| ARI \| ATH \| ATL \| BAL \| BOS \| CHC \| CHW \| CIN \| CLE \| COL \| DET \| HOU \| KC \| LAA \| MIA \| MIL \| MIN \| NYM \| NYY \| OAK \| PHI \| PIT \| SD \| SEA \| SF \| STL \| TB \| TEX \| WSH

Pitcher Profile: Matt Shoemaker AKA Matt Truemaker

by: JB Gilpin

I was a little unsure of who would be profiled this week (I thought about [player]Jacob deGrom[/player], but Front Row Amy was in attendance so I'd be too distracted...), so I went with a twitter suggestion that make me scratch my head a bit. [player]Matt Shoemaker[/player]? Is he really interesting at all? I'm a big Angels fan, my most important dynasty now has [player]Mike Trout[/player], [player]Albert Pujols[/player], [player]Kole Calhoun[/player], and [player]Howie Kendrick[/player] manning my O (no one cares!), so I've seen some bits and pieces of Shoemaker here and there. You could say, I've seen a sole and a... let's go with shoelace. A good mix of pitches but with nothing overwhelming, it was shocking to see two 10+ K games in his previous six, before tossing an absolute gem against the Tigers last Saturday. So I decided to take a deeper look into Shoemaker and see if he has some spot-start or even backend rotation relevance for fantasy owners pushing towards the final stretch:

Throw Me A Bonifacio

July 28, 2014 | Steals | 66 Comments

by: Mike

Emilio Bonifacio was activated from the disabled list last week. Entering Sunday's slate he'd recorded a hit in each of his games since his return and threw in a steal for good measure. Part of Bonifacio's charm is his position flexibility. He's eligible at both second base and outfield in ESPN leagues. He's a nice option for steals with 14 stolen bases in 282 plate appearances. With Arismendy Alcantara able to play the outfield and Bonifacio really able to play anywhere, he should see regular playing time. At this point, Bonifacio is owned in less than 20% of leagues, but his ownership jumped 5% in the last week. Now's a good time to add him if some of the other SAGNOF options in your league have been taken. In 10-teamers he's a stretch, but for 12-team leagues and deeper I'd look to add Bonifacio and use him as a solid bench bat similar to what Danny Santana brings to the table. For this week, Bonifacio has a full scehdule of seven games against the Rockies and Dodgers. The Rockies have allowed 59 stolen bases this season (17th in MLB) but as a commentator pointed out last week they have caught a league-worst 15% of base stealers. The Dodgers have allowed 60 stolen bases on the season (16th in MLB). Here are some other steals options for this week in 2014 fantasy baseball...

DraftKings – Stupid, Sexy Flande!

July 28, 2014 | DraftKings | 24 Comments

by: Sky

There are three guarantees on a Razzball website. Seinfeld references, Simpsons references, and Grey mustache references. I'll give you three guesses as to which one of the three this title is referencing and the first two don't count. If you're a young pup, google will guide the way for you. Seriously, just try googling 'stupid', type the space, and then type the 's' and see the rest fill in for you. It's that recognizable of a quote, y'all. Hell, there's even a looped YTMND song from the early 200o's about it. BTW, if you'd like for your brain to not melt, kindly don't click on that link. Of course, you're not here for nostalgic jaunts back to a time when the Simpsons were actually funny, you're here to talk some DraftKings with me and I couldn't help but notice [player]Yohan Flande[/player] sitting out there at $4,600 as the lowest pitcher on the DK totem pole. So here's where I'm gonna tell you to start him, right, cuz the Cubs, like, suck and stuff? Heck no! I'm all about danger but there's not a statistically good argument I could make for starting Flande. In fact, I'm calling this post 'Stupid, Sexy Flande!' because now I can't get a Cubs stack out of my head. For as bad of a team the Cubbies have been this year, they have actually hit quite well against southpaws for the year as they have the 3rd highest team wOBA and the 4th highest team ISO in the major leagues vs LHP. I really hate the idea of believing in the North Side, but my lineups will be bleeding Cubbie blue today. Hopefully, my account won't hemorrhage into the red and I'll be gushing green when it's all done. With that, let's take a look at some more picks for this Monday's slate on DraftKings for 2014 Fantasy Baseball...after I've told you about something cool that's been burbling for a while but is now coming to a frothy head. Our Razzball Radio host Nick Capozzi is revving the engines up to head out on the 32in32in32 tour. Yes, August is almost here and you haven't bought your ticket. I don't wanna hear your excuses, if you wanna come out and see various peeps from across the Razzball Universe, this is your chance. Who knows, maybe Nick will even let you touch his bus. But don't get all bold and ask him, just let nature and a few beers take their course. And now moving along... New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well try out this 20 teamer of Razzball writers and friends to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. It’s how we know you care!

Peavy On The Presidio

July 28, 2014 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 682 Comments

by: Grey

You know how when you move out of a place, you throw out a majority of your stuff, but a few things you just slide into the cubbyhole behind the washer/dryer? Maybe nothing significant. Just something to leave your mark, like an old pair of underwear. Then in a few years, maybe ten, you go back to your old place, knock on the door and ask to see what they've done with the place. Once inside, you ask if you can launder your pants and while in the basement, you check for your old underwear, and there they are. You shake the rat droppings off them, breath them in and they still smell of you. What? You've never done this? Okay, you're weird, but Jake Peavy did, and now he's going to get to smell his old gotchies that he left in the NL West. San Francisco has a lot of hills and their pitching staff has gone over all of them. They'd like Petit more if he had more T's and E's in his last name. Want to spot a Giants starter in San Fran? Find a hill, go over it. They're on the other side. This is a boost for Peavy's value. Obvi! He had a 7.5 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9, which is borderline streamer in most shallower mixed leagues, but that was the AL East, and even while he's been in the AL the last few years (while not pitching that great), he's been solid vs. NL teams. They have no DH! The pitcher hits! Etc. Etc. Etc. Last night against the NL West's best offense outside of Coors, he had a line of 6 IP, 3 ER, 8 baserunners, 5 Ks. I'd take a flyer on Peavy in all leagues, and his next matchup on the Stream-o-Nator says it agrees. Anyway, here's what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:

Jam It or Cram It: Headley Over Heels

July 27, 2014 | Fantasy Baseball Buy/Sell | 86 Comments

by: The Guru

Before we commence with the jamming and the cramming and the whatnot, let your humble-but-nonetheless-handsome Guru pull on your dirty turban about something here – The Razzball Fantasy Football 32 in 32 in 32 Tour kicks off August 4 in Seattle! The Goo and that podcastin’ broadcastin’ master Nick C-A-P-O-Z-Z-I will be hitting the road for a 50,000 mile frenzy of fantasy ballin’ depravity that’ll make Motley Crue’s 1984 tour look downright virtuous. Razzball Radio will have shows from all 32 NFL cities and I’ll be posting the daily dirt on the football side of things so you can follow along. We hope to meet, greet and tip a few back with all you Razzicians, Razzaholics, chronic Razzturbators and four girl readers. There are still some spots available, so get your tix here and you could win a trip to Vegas with the Razzball crew.

If you’re still with me, let’s high five and chest bump because that means your fake baseball team is still in the hunt. We are about to hit the most important month of the fantasy season. August is the time of year where the contenders separate from the pretenders and fantasy legends are made. If your team is muddled in the middle of mediocrity, it’s time to make some bold moves and push toward the top. If your team is king of the leader board, a minor roster tweak or twerk could be the move that wins you all the cash, prizes, glory and glory holes that come with a fake baseball championship. If your team is stuck in last place, may I suggest fantasy cricket, getting a girlfriend or binge drinking – see you next season. This week’s jammers and crammers are a collection ex’s we thought we had sworn off forever. Much like my ex-girlfriend Brenda, they are hard to resist when they call at 2 a.m. promising everything will be different this time. Then, after a couple days of bliss, you wake up to find your wallet gone, the tires slashed on your car and a bunny boiling on the stove. However, we be desperate as Ryan Zimmerman, George Springer and Troy Tulowitzki hit the DL. Who saw that coming? "I did, Guru." Brenda! The court order states you have to stay at least 500 feet away from this blog. It's time to Jam it or Cram it!

Creeper of the Week: Get Out of Your Rutledge With Some Josh-ing

July 27, 2014 | Creeper of the Week | 32 Comments

by: J-FOH

Hello Razzballers! Happy Sunday before the non-waiver trade deadline. *Pops party popper* Today I bring you a Creeper that feels more like a buy, but because Josh Rutledge is only 7.4% owned, he qualifies for my purposes. This is the time of the year that we need to make moves fast, cut the dead weight and change how we value our players ROS. When an opportunity arises we need to jump on it like Sky at a creepy Korean mask sale. Josh Rutledge is this opportunity, and we need to do it while the getting is good. When Tulo went down for his annual DL visit, Josh got his chance to be the post post-hype sleeper we know and loathe. He was Brad Miller and Jedd Gyorko before we even knew them. One thing I have always felt about Josh is that his manager has been one of the driving forces to both mine and Josh's frustration. When you jerk a player around with his development, you start to mess with their psychological approach. I've watched this over the years and never understood it. The Sciosciapath and the Maddening Hatter come to mind first. Excuse me for a second while I go punch some holes in the wall.

DraftKings: Wainwright On Time

July 27, 2014 | DraftKings | 4 Comments

by: Mike

[player]Adam Wainwright[/player] ($10,500) pitches in Chicago today against a Cubs offense that has the third-worst strikeout percentage in baseball. The Cubs also own a wRC+ of 86, which is good for 28th in MLB. For a price under $11K, Wainwright makes the best play given how few legit aces will be taking the mound. Weather could be an issue for a lot of games today, including this one. While a rain shortened Wainwright is still better than nothing, we obviously want a full game out of our starters for DraftKings play. The Stream-o-Nator likes this start to the tune of $18. It's second only to Mike Minor's start against the Padres, but for the first time in a while I'm not recommending we throw somebody against the Padres. It's just tough to trust Minor right now in a one-shot deal like DFS. If you are new to DraftKings, use our promo link to get started. New players that click on that link will get a free contest ticket with a first time deposit (only new users eligible). The winner of the contest gets entry into our $500k Showcase with a $100k top prize. Also, if you haven’t tried the DFSBot via Rudy, check it out: it compares projected values to actual DFS prices for the day. Here are some other picks for DraftKings contests on 7/27/2014… New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well try out this 20 teamer of Razzball writers and friends to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. It’s how we know you care!

Minor Accomplishments: Week 17

July 27, 2014 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 50 Comments

by: Chris

Good morning fellow prospect nuts - one more week in the books, the trade activity picking up steam, and the prospects are beginning to move around all over the place. All this action prior to the juiciest rumored pieces being dealt in advance of this week's non-waiver trade deadline gives us hope that there's much more activity to look forward to and that we may get a look at some of the players that may be competing for 2015 MLB jobs during camp next spring earlier than September. Time for our weekly look at some of the prospects that have made some noise recently in the hope of climbing a little closer to The Show, whether that step ultimately comes this season or a little further down the road. Refill your coffee cup, get comfortable, and let us guide your continuing research as we try to help you scoop your fellow fantasy competitors with our Sunday Twelve-Pack.

Two-Startapalooza, Week 18: A Few Good Stro-men

July 26, 2014 | Two Start Fantasy Starters | 43 Comments

by: Pete Nice

You: Pete Nice, did you say we should start Marcus Stroman this week at Boston and at Houston?

Jay(Wrong): You DON’T have to answer that question!

Me: I’ll answer the question! You want advice?

You: I think I’m entitled to…

Me: YOU WANT ADVICE?

You: I WANT THE TRUTH!

Me: YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

[Jay's Note: My mother always wanted me to be a lawyer...] Guys, we live in a fantasy baseball world that has risky matchups, and those risky matchups have to be taken on by writers who have to suggest two-starting inexperienced young pitchers with 95 mph-plus fastballs. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Guru? You, Sky? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly imagine. You worry about Stroman, and you curse the Blue Jays. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Stroman’s road performance, while thus far in 2014 has been kind of crappy – 17 hits in 16 IP with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP – will improve with time. And Stroman’s existence, while excitingly intriguing but also slightly scary, can help your fantasy team. You don't want this advice because deep down in places you don't talk about at baseball games and fantasy drafts, you want Stroman on that hill. You need Stroman on that hill. We use words like FIP and K/BB ratios. We use these words as the backbone of a fantasy team trying to win something: Stroman’s 3.11 FIP places him in the Top 20 of all MLB pitchers and his K/BB per 9 ratio of close to 6.00 makes him an ownable pitcher, not a streamer, according to Dr. Grey Albright PhD. You use these things as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to readers who rise and sleep under the blanket of the very information that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up Stroman, and set your lineup. Either way, I don't give a damn who you grab off the wire for two starts this week.

You: Did you order the two-starts for Marcus Stroman?

Me: I did the job…

You: DID YOU ORDER THE TWO-STARTS FOR MARCUS STROMAN?

Me: YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID! AND HERE’S SOME MORE TWO-START PITCHERS FOR NEXT WEEK!

Sound Off to the Fantasy Earpiece

July 26, 2014 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 103 Comments

by: Dan Pants

We're well into the second half of the season now... are you still with us? You haven't given up yet? Good. Fantasy baseball is a game of stamina, and if you're still scouring the waiver wire while others are quickly losing interest or preparing for their fantasy football drafts, now is your chance to make a run. Me? I'm still sore after losing Tanaka. Not to mention Tulo walked out on me when I needed him the most. Regardless, I like to think we're more than just providers of fantasy advice here at Razzball, we're also a sound piece for all your fantasy frustrations. I always tell my friend(s)-- "don't ask me how I'm doing, ask me how my team is doing", because more often than not, that is deciding factor for my mood. So today, feel free to sound off in the comments why you're so upset with your team right now. Why won't Harper just hit five homers in a week? Why won't anyone trade with you? Really Stephen Strasburg? Really!? Why did you draft Justin Verlander and why didn't you draft Jose Abreu? Here's your chance to let it all out, because god knows your spouse/significant other/barber/sibling/probation officer/mother/cat doesn't want to hear about your GD fantasy team. Well, I feel your pain my over-the-internet-friend. And I'm listening. Here's what happened in fantasy baseball Friday night:

DraftKings – Decisions, Decisions

July 26, 2014 | DraftKings | 11 Comments

by: Geoff

Have you ever been to one of those beer gardens that has 150 beers on tap? At first the menu is completely daunting. You look at it and are overwhelmed by the amount of potential options. You take your time and carefully read through the first couple of pages trying to pick the right brew for your taste. Meanwhile the waitress is stopping by your table every few minutes to see if you finally made up your mind. You're feeling the pressure. You hastily make a choice, and pray it doesn't taste like skunked Old Milwaukee. This is exactly how I felt looking at the pitching options for today's game. I think I looked at the DraftKings pitching roster for an hour last night. Do I go [player]Clayton Kershaw[/player] and [player]Sonny Gray[/player]? How about Kershaw and [player]Julio Teheran[/player]? Could I manage to start both Kershaw and [player]Chris Sale[/player]? Oh wow I'd spend half my budget doing that, can't do it. As much as I love Sale and Kershaw, I couldn't bring myself to pony up the dough to buy either. They were particularly expensive today, and with good reason. They both get great matchups in their respective contests, with Kershaw facing the Giants in San Francisco, and Sale getting the Twins in Minnesota. I could certainly vouch for you going with either. I'm putting together a lineup for a GPP today with Sale and Kershaw as my starters, the tough thing is my average salary per hitter is a measly $3,000. So more or less I'm going to have to wait until rosters are published for the day to plug in my scrubs. A lineup of punt plays! For our purposes, I'm going to share my roster for leagues (like our 20 Teamer) and 50/50's. This way we'll have some actual exciting bats to talk about. Plus I can fit in some players from that Rockies vs. Pirates matchup at Coors. Hopefully the Pirates got over the curse of "Sky's Opening Game of a Series at Coors Dud", and they'll be safe to start for the next two days. Any the who, big shouts to our winners from last night's Razzball 20: Frogkaytee, Rasjuba, Fremka, Jackieinertia, and the Homie and fellow Razzball writer BTXJ. Great job guys! I suggest celebrating your wins by investing in today's 20 Teamer. If you've been playing in our leagues and haven't been consulting with the Stream-o-Nator, DFSBot, the Hitter-Tron, or the Ombotsman, it could be why you're not getting mentioned here on Saturdays. But hey, what do I know, I only invented Fantasy baseball, daily fantasy sites, and peanut butter a la Al Gore did the internet. Don't worry you can thank me in the comments. New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well try out this 20 teamer of Razzball writers and friends to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. It’s how we know you care!