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The Atlanta Braves pitching staff is full of young arms. They currently have a log jam for the fifth rotation spot and some bullpen questions. Hopefully this will clear the picture for some, while laying out a bold prediction or two. This is solely based on the pitchers currently on the roster and does NOT include any free agent or trade predictions. While the Braves are one of the many teams in talks with Craig Kimbrel, he will remain out of the conversation...

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See all of today’s starting lineups

# MLB Starting Lineups For Fri 5/23
ARI | ATH | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHC | CHW | CIN | CLE | COL | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIA | MIL | MIN | NYM | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SEA | SF | STL | TB | TEX | TOR | WSH | OAK
It's time for my favorite and longest post of the year - my LABR Mixed draft review! Why is it my favorite?
  • Reason #1 is that I get to talk about my draft and have you ever met anyone who plays fantasy baseball that does not like discussing their own draft?
  • Reason #2 is it is the first draft post of the year so it has the novelty thing going for it
  • Reason #3 is that discussing draft strategy using actual draft results is way easier and more compelling than discussing them in concept.
As always, thanks to Steve Gardner at USA Today for the invite. This is year #6 for me and I am still in search of my first ring. Quick Perspective On The Difference Between 15-Team Mixed w/ Weekly Roster Changes vs. 10/12-team Mixed Daily Roster Changes I am going to share with you the only relevant difference between these two formats. If you are someone who plays shallow leagues with daily roster changes (and typically a high transaction cap), repeat this as a mantra in your head when drafting in this format (like in NFBC). The 2019 Razzball Commenter Leagues are now open! Free to join!

NL WestNL Central | NL East | AL West | AL Central | AL East

I don’t pay much attention to Spring Training Statistics.  You never know who the statistics are coming against.  Baseball-Reference did, however, have an amazing tool last year that attempted to quantify the quality of opposing pitchers or batters faced during spring training games on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being MLB talent and 1-3 being high A to low A level.  This tool is great, but it averages all the Plate Appearances or batters faced.  You would still need a deeper dive to see if your stud prospect smacked a donger off of Chris Sale or off of your kid’s future pony league baseball coach.  So what should we watch for in March when we’re starved for the crack of the bat?  Ignore “best shape of their life” stories and Spring Training statistical leaderboards.  Pay attention to injuries and lineup construction and position battles!  Also pay attention to where Bryce Harper and Manny Machado sign… Note that those two signings can instantly eliminate some of the position battles detailed herein.
Here’s a post that’s gonna make you wanna slap ya mama and tell her Don Magic Juan sends his best.  The other day I told you how to draft your pitchers for 2019 fantasy baseball.  I laid it out to you nice and simple (if you have a degree in "What The Hell Is Grey Talking About?" Not a PhD, mind you.  Just a BS.)  Today, we forget all that jabberwocky on the who-ha and get down to business old school-style (which means if you don’t comprehend, I will hit you over the head with a baseball bat signed by Joe Clark.)  What I’m hoping to lay out to you is who do you draft 2nd if you’ve drafted so and so first.  I think it might be helpful to go through pairings for your 5 outfielders, all your middle and corner infielders too.  I’m not sure I’ll have the time or patience to do them.  We’ll see!  Or not.  Your choice.  (Actually, my choice.)  For easy reference, the royal we will be using the top 10 for 2019 fantasy baseball and the top 20 for 2019 fantasy baseball and the beginning of the top 100 for 2019 fantasy baseball.  I’m going to assume you’re in a 12 team, 5×5, MI, CI, 5 OF, 1 Utility, 1 Catcher league, similar to our Razzball Commenter Leagues. (Sign up for multiple leagues, and beat the heck out of your frenemies or make new frenemies!)  Anyway, here’s some pairings for the first two rounds of 2019 fantasy baseball drafts:

NL WestNL Central | NL East | AL West | AL Central | AL East

I don't pay much attention to Spring Training Statistics.  You never know who the statistics are coming against.  Baseball-Reference did, however, have an amazing tool last year that attempted to quantify the quality of opposing pitchers or batters faced during spring training games on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being MLB talent and 1-3 being high A to low A level.  This tool is great, but it averages all the Plate Appearances or batters faced.  You would still need a deeper dive to see if your stud prospect smacked a donger off of Chris Sale or off of your kid's future pony league baseball coach.  So what should we watch for in March when we're starved for the crack of the bat?  Ignore "best shape of their life" stories and Spring Training statistical leaderboards.  Pay attention to injuries and lineup construction and position battles!  Also pay attention to where Bryce Harper and Manny Machado sign... Note that those two signings can instantly eliminate some of the position battles detailed herein.
Not since  Jack Morris threw 126 pitches in a 10 inning masterpiece and Dan Gladden scored the winning run to give the Twins the 1991 World Series title has there been such excitement in the twin cities. Believe it or not, the land that gave us Hulk Hogan, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, The Road Warriors, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, and the backpack turned "dad rap" stylings of Slug and Atmosphere MAY also give us one of  this year's A.L Wild Card teams...or maybe, just maybe, the A.L Central Champs?
The intro for Yahoo's 2019 fantasy baseball rankings reminds of a Dear John letter written by your ex-wife.  Only your name is Kevin and she accidentally writes "John," and doesn't have a chance to proofread it because she's bedding down your best friend.  Read for yourself: Sure, guys and five girl readers, "You'll find your familiar Trouts', the Betts', the Martinez', but questions remain." Huh? Yeah, I have questions that, uh, remain.  How many Trouts have they ranked?  The Betts'?  Did they rank his entire family?  The Martinez'?  Is that like World War Z, but instead it's, "An Apostrophe Z?" "When should the first pitcher go off the board, and should there be more than one?" Said like Ron Burgundy, "That's not English."  Should there be more than one?  Are Yahoo leagues this year one-pitcher leagues?  I'm so confused.  Did 100 monkeys with 100 typewriters, who only read Bleacher Report, write up this intro? "Enough talk though.  Let's jump into the rankings!" Ha!  Was there enough talk?  I've written more in this intro than they wrote.  With that level of effort, they don't even deserve this evisceration, but... *sharpens nails that look like the 108-year-old Asian man in the Guinness Book of World Records* ...here goes nothing.  For this post, I will be looking at the consensus Yahoo 2019 fantasy baseball rankings vs. my own 2019 fantasy baseball rankings.
Welcome to the 2019 Razzball Team Previews! You’ll find everything you need to know about each team to get yourself ready for the upcoming fantasy baseball season. And I mean everything folks. We’ve got charts, Slurpee’s, lube, a guide for beginner basket-weaving, and even a cactus! Oh wait, yeah, I actually just listed what I have on my desk… But hey, what’s the point of lube and cacti if you can’t share? Truer words have never been written. EVER. Anyways, without further ado (and plenty of lube and cacti), let’s check out the 2019 San Diego Padres!
It is Wednesday my dudes! That means it's time to put on my MAGA hat and pump out another minor league preview. If you have someone special in your life, good luck getting them that perfect gift for tomorrow. I suggest getting them a bottle of wine or two (or three). If you don't have someone special in your life, get the wine anyway and just drink it yourself. That's what I do. Meanwhile the Cubs minor league preview is my loving gift to you. They aren't nearly the powerhouse system that they were in the past. Apparently St. Valentine was beaten with clubs and then beheaded. The last few blurbs of this preview might be a similar experience. Enjoy!
Our 2019 Razzball leagues are in full signup mode. Today, I'm in dress-down mode.  Casually coming for you in the middle of the night, wearing nothing but slippers and a multicolored housecoat that's half open so you can see the family jewels while I apply my Ambi.  Here's what Grey thinks about you (repeat 17x).  I'm about to blow my top as I let my aggravation Michael Bublé over.  If you're clutching pearls like Barbara Bush's hologram, you're better off looking at cute pet pics on Instagram, because I'm sharpening my pointer fingers, i.e., the fingers that I use to type!  I am the Fantasy Master Lothario (don’t abbreviate it) and I’ve come for your children!  See, because blog writing doesn’t pay so well, I’ve taken a second job as a bus driver, so I’m literally here for your kids.  Like a baller!  A shot caller!  An "I’m outside of Hot Topic at the maller!"  Now let's open a window and defenestrate ESPN's 2019 fantasy baseball rankings.  To the tune of Ice Cube's No Vaseline:
Many moons ago, there was once a time in the fantasy baseball landscape where First Base was deeper than Shortstop. But that was a long time ago. Today, the Fantasy Master Lothario dusts off his cape and digs in on one of the most exciting positions in all of fantasy. Shortstops. Growing up it was all about the glove, but that's no longer the case, now we have names like Lindor, Baez, Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson, and Miguel Rojas! Okay, I'm kidding on those last two, but you catch my drift. FYI: This was recorded prior to Lindor's injury, thank god we glossed over the guys in the top 20! Anyhoo, tune in, we talk shortstops, we laugh, we cry, we hawk Rotowear shirts with Razzball branding. It's a glorious time to be alive!
It's Zach with a "ch" not a "ck" like that comedian that pleasures himself in front of unsuspecting women. Don't worry, I'm told Zach only does this in front of the Philly Phanatic. (And who could blame him, the Phanatic is thicc.) Anyways, this is an Eflin underrated hurler right here! Total sleeper status. Except Grey ranked him 64th in his top starters for 2019, which I didn’t view until after writing the bulk of this. So, Zach’s not really underrated by Razzball terms, nor his he overrated, so let's say that he's just around the Greydar. Much like your mother. Regardless... this post can serve as a reminder to watch out for him on draft day. Eflin right!