As the season quickly winds down, I thought we’d do something a little different this week. Even with a handful of still-competitive leagues that will come down to the wire this year, it’s been hard for me to stop thinking ahead to 2024. Please, blog, may I have some more?
In the world of fantasy baseball, and “real” baseball for that matter, SPs serve as the tip of the spear, bearing the weight of our team’s aspirations on their shoulders every time they take the mound. We count on them to set the tone for our pitching staffs, starting with W or QS, then loading up on Ks, and establishing our ratios (ERA/WHIP). Please, blog, may I have some more?
Junior Caminero is being called up by the Rays. Junior Caminero is also a little tiny car that Spanish boys drive when they're five years old and first starting growing out their mustaches. The Junior Caminero goes vroom vroom but it only does it when a nearby father makes the noise. Junior Caminero also is a top five prospect for all of baseball what on earth are the Rays doing calling him up right now on...*starts singing* Do you remembah? The 21st of Septembah? Do you remembah? It's not the 1st of Septembah? Do you remembah? Rays? Hello? We're seriously asking. So, here's what Itch's said, "He’ll finish up 2023 at 20 years old with 31 home runs across two levels, 20 of those coming in 80 Double-A games during which he slashed .314/.379/.557 with a 17.1 percent strikeout rate. And Grey will be hunted this winter." What? He ranked Caminero 6th overall in the
top 25 prospects. I'd grab him in all leagues, and now I'm particularly excited about 2024, if Junior Caminero can break camp. Vroom vroom! Anyway, here's what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
What is up party people? We're almost to the point of reflection on the season but we're not quite there yet because there are still championships to win. I won't lie to ya, at this point the pickings are slim so this one is gonna be short and sweet. You don't want the guy that might be good in the future, you need the guy that's good right now. And with that allow me to introduce you to Matt Vierling. The man was a Razzball sleeper going into the season and while he didn't blow us all away he has still been a very solid option. Actually, I think he has been more than a solid option. A .262 average and only 9 home runs is certainly nothing to write home about At this point in the season he may just be the most under valued player out there. I am actually very surprised that he is still this widely available at this point in the season.
Mike Couillard and Jeremy Brewer have launched a pod, Cards & Categories, to discuss baseball from card collecting and fantasy angles!
In our eleventh episode, we open with discussion on Waino’s 200th win, Ohtani hot takes, and multiple superfractors. Then we review the the release of the most eccentric card set of the year, 2023 Topps Allen & Ginter (20:42). Please, blog, may I have some more?
Third year is the year pitchers break out. Conventionally. Sometimes you'll have the Braves make a Touki out of a rookie, who will as quickly disappear. A Quicki, so to speak. Usually, though, pitchers come up and struggle. It's just a mess. Then they settle in a bit more in their 2nd season with fewer ups and downs, hinting at promise and things to come. Then their third year happens and everyone is like, "Hmm, where did this come from?" It came from the guy becoming comfortable in the majors. Hunter Greene will be that next year. I thought it would be this year, but there were still ups and downs, and a very long injury. Next year, Hunter Greene will be a 2024 fantasy ace. A guy that will throw some of the most dazzling numbers you've ever seen. This won't be free in drafts. Everyone, I imagine, will expect it. Although expected, he will still surprise how good he is. Yesterday, Hunter Greene (7 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 1 walk, 14 Ks, ERA at 4.24) showed you what he will be in 25 of 30 starts next year. Taking a playoff-bound team yesterday, and just doing an utter flummox. A fluttermox. Hunter Greene's entire 2024 fantasy season will be a fluttermox. Anyway, here's what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
I reference mlb.com throughout this piece because it’s not a pay-walled site, and they update the rankings regularly. Makes it a nice shorthand for perceived value in the real-baseball sphere.
Padres C Ethan Salas is a sell for me as a top ten prospect (No. 5 on mlb.com). It’s amazing that he made it to Double-A as a 17-year-old, but also, should he be in Double-A as a 17-year-old? I mean, what’s the point? He didn’t hit in High-A (.229 slugging percentage in nine games), and then he didn’t hit in Double-A (.214 SLG in nine games). I guess the defense can push the profile, but at some point, he’ll have to wait for the bat. And then we run into a high-minors, stall-out situation. We’re just now reaching the other side of that with Luis Campusano. It stands to reason that Salas might receive a red carpet that never got rolled out for Campusano, but that’s still years away, and the return you could earn for shopping Salas this winter or next spring probably beats waiting for me.
Happy mid-week, Razzball ruffians! It’s your favorite roto-Dad back for our final regular season write-up (ahead of next week’s look to 2024). Now that we’re officially well into Week 26, the season is definitely winding down, and the night is certainly not young. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Some things in life seem like they should be easy. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight. Picking up a kid and throwing them in a pool without your shoulders being sore. Driving and texting (which obviously is a joke and don’t do it). Please, blog, may I have some more?
In this business, we call this an In Appreciation of Ronald Acuña Jr. post. Yesterday, he went 3-for-5, 3 runs, 2 RBIs with a double slam (38, 39) and legs (67). He's on the doorsteps of a 40/70 season. A 40/70 season is absurd. Can remember Jose Canseco going 40/40, and people were rightfully floored. It was the most unheard of statline. Even when people tried to match it, they mostly fell short. A few achieved it, but all of them were just barely able to make it (none of them made the HOF either, oddly enough). Acuña is not just flying through 40/40, but 40/70! For fantasy, this is the best season ever. After we just had a best season ever! See the Historical Player Rater for more. This Acuña year is basically if Aaron Judge stole 70 bags. Acuña has 138 runs, 100 RBIs and is hitting .338. Honestly, I thought after Judge's previous season, we would never see anything comparable. Now, I'm thinking Acuña goes 50/80 in 2024, and Julio Rodriguez goes 60/60 and Betts goes 70/70 and Corbin Carroll goes 100/100 and Robbie Grossman goes 120/120! What a time to be alive! Anyway, here's what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Two weeks to go and teams are creeping up on that 1400 IP limit. 47 teams have now reached the magic number with 209 more on pace to hit it. You would want about 1300 IP right now and need 50 each week to nail the 1400 mark. Please, blog, may I have some more?
