Sometimes, the Gods smile. Not broad, goofy grins. They’re Gods. They have chiseled chins and deep dimples, and they’re women. They look like Kirsten Dunst. Gods are multiple Kirsten Dunsts. There will not be questions about this later, so you can read and discard, like your medical chart that says your cholesterol is high. Speaking of medical charts that we can read and discard, Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s knee MRIs, Cat Scans, Cat Cora’s QR menu scans, whatever you have? Throw them away! Our beautiful boy has been cleared! It’s just irritation. It sounds like irrigation, but it’s not, baby! Clear skies ahead! So, I didn’t change my top 100, top 500 and fantasy baseball rankings for him, but I changed them all for some other schmohawks. We’ll get to them. Sigh. Anyway, here’s what else I saw in spring training for 2024 fantasy baseball:
Braxton Garrett – Will start the year on the IL. This feels more like he’s “just behind” vs. “just cooked.” But “just behind” is me assuming and assuming makes an ass out of you and me and if you’re “just a little behind,” you’re an ass, so those two cancel each other out. I think. So, I reached out to contacts, and, for now, Garrett is just behind, so I took about a month off his stats and lowered him into the top 60 starters. Also, the pitchers pairing tool was updated.
Lucas Giolito – Partially torn UCL. Damn, his UCL is now like his marriage vows. Welp, he’s cooked, sadly. Giolito was removed from the rankings, and I wouldn’t draft him in the top 500. With Giolito going down, you’d think Garrett Whitlock were just a bridge to a high-priced starter acquisition, but no. GW is not a bridge to anywhere; check New York for that. Since the Red Sox are a small market team now and have become the AL East’s new Orioles, Whitlock could throw out 120 innings and his arm from overuse. Might not be the worst innings either, since he’s been good in the past, but it was always as a reliever. Whitlock was added to the top 100 starters.
C.J. Cron – Signed with the Red Sox. If they play him over Bobby Dalbec, then Dalbec and Matt Mervis should go start their own team. Call it, the Nobody Wants Us’s. Plural of Us is weird, granted, but they’re two guys on one team and that’s weird! Hold up! They just made an acquisition! The Nobody Wants Us’s just acquired Jo Adell. Curtis Jackson Cron was removed from the 1st basemen rankings because Casas and others are in front of him (hopefully Dalbec, but even if Dalbec isn’t Cron is not worth drafting in the top 500, maybe as an AL-Only $1 flyer).
Vaughn Grissom – Might miss the start of the season with his groin strain. Oh no, don’t tell me Grissom has Gamelitis, the rare condition named for former prospect Mat Gamel. It’s a condition where every time a player gets an opportunity they’re blocked by a vet or injury. I’m debating lowering Grissom a little in the rankings, because I am more aggressive than most, so there’s some cushion there to lower. I’m conflicted because I don’t want him to miss Opening Day. Does what I want matter? Hmm… prolly not. He was lowered in the top 20 shortstops.
Shane Baz – Oblique injury, and wasn’t going to start the year anyway. Frequent commenter, toolshed said, “I feel like I have been waiting to see (Baz) pitch since the Obama administration.” Lowered Baz into the top 80 starters. I’m fine with the flyer, but it’s just that if you have an extra IL slot.
Cedric Mullins – Headed for an MRI on his hamstring. Wasn’t drafting Mullins anyway. That’s right, I didn’t even have to think about Mullins. Pun points! Once we here more, I will likely move Mullins further down in my outfielder rankings.
Paul Skenes – Will start the year in the minors. Pirates said there’s still some boxes he needs to check. Boxes he needs to check is a service time advent calendar.
Garrett Cooper – Signed with the Cubs. I’m happy for Cooper. Not happy to draft him in fantasy, as he will only face lefties, but happy for him. With that said, I am cackling at how bad the Cubs never want to play Matt Mervis.
Tony Kemp – Signed with the Reds. Just what the Reds need, a utility bat. Smart stuff, okay, moving on before I explode.
Austin Nola – Signed with the Royals. The Royals who have four catchers already? Those Royals? They might have a problem.
Brian Anderson – Signed by the Mariners. They could’ve had Matt Chapman and went out and got BA Brokeass.
Mason Miller – Kotsay said that Miller will start the year throwing multiple innings, and won’t start the year as the closer, but could gradually move into the 9th. I wonder if Kotsay knows that Miller only has 15-18 innings in his arm before getting hurt. I have Miller, Erceg and Jimenez sharing saves in my top 500.
Manuel Margot – Traded to the Twins. But Buxton and Kirilloff both said they’re healthy! Oh, crap, while saying their healthy, they hurt their obliques.
Nick Ahmed – Signed by the Giants as an insurance policy if Marco Luciano stinks as much as everyone thinks he stinks.
Matt Chapman – Signed with the San Francisco Giants. They had themselves a nice little offseason with free agent bats, but, psst, hey, quick question, have the Giants looked at their rotation? No? Okay. Unlike a lot of guys who have had their power face plant, Chapman’s underlying peripherals aren’t bad. That can be looked at as a good thing — hey, he doesn’t need to fix his swing. Or a bad thing — hey, he’s hitting the ball the same way, but the ball is not going anywhere. I’m gonna guess power bounce back, but there’s not a lot evidence to support it. He might be Longoria part deux. Sounds like a horror film, call him Mangoria. 3rd basemen rankings were updated.
Tristan Beck – After undergoing successful surgery on his arm to repair an aneurysm, he will rest for eight weeks before resuming his throwing. People talk about moist being a trigger word, personally I think the word aneurysm sucks.
Anthony Rendon – Tweaked his groin. Rendon is hurt? Wow, it really is baseball season!
Justin Verlander – Astros acknowledged that Verlander won’t be ready for Opening Day. I’m under the assumption this is one of those situations where they’re slow rolling their big gun, and he’ll still throw 23+ starts with solid stats. Losing two weeks in April is better than losing all of August and September. Maybe wrongfully, but I’m not concerned. I have conservatively moved him into the top 60 starters.
Gavin Stone – Sounds like he’s the favorite to win the last Dodgers’ rotation, so, let me ask you something, pardner, how much do you want to get hurt? That’s directly related to how excited this news should get you. He was boosted in the top 100 starters. Also, the pitchers pairing tool was updated.
Enrique Hernandez – Re-signed with his alma mater, the Dodgers. One thing you can always guarantee in the Dave Roberts’ era of the Dodgers. Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez will be more valuable than you expect and Gavin Lux will be less valuable. Don’t ask me how. It’s Dave Roberts’s ability to make the impossibly stupid possible. 1st basemen rankings were updated.
Sonny Gray – Sounds likely to miss a couple weeks of the season with a hamstring strain. Here’s hoping it’s not a couple couple weeks followed by a return, re-injury and a couple couple more. I’d take one throuple weeks to save from too many couple couples. Lowered Gray in my top 60 starters. Also, the pitchers pairing tool was updated.
Brandon Crawford – Signed with the Cards. Like this deal by St. Louis. After losing Molina, Pujols and Wainwright the last few years, the Cards could use a player who should be retired.
Which set of keepers would you want:
6×6 OPS/QS Roto League
Keep players in the round they were drafted.
Option 1
Alexis Diaz (8)
Bobby Miller (9)
Joe Ryan (10)
Jhoan Duran (11)
CJ Abrahms (16)
Or Merrill Kelly (21) or Hunter Greene (23)
Option 2
Bobby Miller (8)
Jhoan Duran (11)
Edwin Diaz (16)
Spencer Torkelskon (19)
Spencer Steer (22)
Or Joe Ryan (10) or Merrill Kelly (21) or Hunter Greene (23)
the amount of entire days rendon hasn’t been hurt since like by now what 2019 or 2018 is similar to the days some married people have sex, it’s gross. including offseason in those days.
a wee bit exaggerated memory there, checked, in seasons 21-23 he’s put up a ceiling of 1/3 a full starter’s at bats, with a floor of about 1/4th and hit the floor twice in 3 attempts. got 189 in 20 which probably meant he was healthy the whole time, since it was 2 months long. pretty sure he exited every offseason from 21 till 23 injured in some capacity (or at least entered preseason with something the next year, if i’m wrong i’m wrong like 1 total of those years). if we keep it assuming the offseasons he was always hurt in some capacity that leaves us with 2 months healthy in season once, 1.5 months in season healthy twice, for 5 total months healthy in season out of the last 18 season months. removing feb’s short month and taking the average for the other 11 months of a year we’d get 5 x 30.64 = 153 days total healthy, so i’m comparing him to a married person who’s had sex 153/1095 days over this period, 13.97% of all days having sex in the last 3 years, just worse than once a week (every 7.16 days). not at all a rare occurance. and i bet if i polled many married men, a ton wouldn’t complain about having sex more often than every 8 days either.
first time yet i’ve seen people overvalue k.harrison but from non itch prospect lists i’d bet it’s pretty common. in a 14’er keep 9, with specific rules on the keepers: it’s keep 5 hitters, 4 pitchers, max 2 OF’ers, every hitter other position max 1, any position a player has can be kept to (by espn pos elig), i had r.lewis (3B), EDLC (SS/3B), treat urner (SS) can only keep 2, so i went to trade one of them. got a guy who was willing to move me (this was his idea too) yordan for r.lewis + either of harrison or b.miller (LAD) (i have very good SP depth, such that i couldn’t keep either anyway, at least gausman, luzardo, fairbanks (have to keep at least 1 RP), bieber or ohtani (as a SP) over those. now i don’t have to keep stanton or goldy and have these as keepers:
(SS): turner
(3B): EDLC
(LF): yordan
(RF): tucker
(DH): ohtani
SP: gausman, luzardo, bieber or b.miller (think i had another option in this range too)
RP: fairbanks
don’t have to keep stanton or goldy at all now. watch stanton actually be in some sort of actually improved shape now hehe (if he isn’t he’ll be all the way done from prior, he’s gone very in depth about how bad he was last year, openly). goldy will possibly be closer to 22 than last year but age wise i’m not super happy to be keeping him even if not the 23 year.
i wouldn’t have even thought to ask if yordan was on the table for r.lewis (turner sure), would’ve also figured this other team (which was a good last year team) was deep enough to not want to volume up from my lesser SP’s either.
Yordan for Lewis and Harrison is a no brainer
exactly, slam dunk. couldn’t believe the trade negotiations there, i opened with him since he trade blocked yordan about a day or so after i input my “one of lewis/EDLC/t.turner” one, figured to not even ask unless i was giving up turner specifically for yordan, he came back with “i’d do yordan for lewis + either of harrison/b.miller (LAD)”.
i probably have 5 (if ohtani is kept as SP, it depends on depth i have which of DH/SP he’s kept as) SP’s better right now than harrison, easily. he has less pitching depth than me of course.
i’m sorry, with ohtani it’s like 6+: luzardo, bieber, gausman, ohtani, b.miller (LAD), edrod, bibee, j.boyle it’s a lot of guys i’d have better or close to harrison. he should’ve asked for a draft pick upgrade along with lewis, he should have his own set of SP’s better than harrison, besides him seemingly really really liking harrison (thanks mlb.com and their ilk top 100 lists)
Which side::
Gorman/Frelick or CJ Abrams
Gorman/Frelick or Nico
CJ
Nico
want both of them!
I need to make a decision from these two keeper lists…
Choice 1:
Ohtani 40 Soto 39 P.Lopez 17 Rodrguez 2 Julien 1 Westburg 1 Friedle 1 Frelick 1 Benson 1
Choice 2:
Soto 39 P.Lopez 17 Robert 20 Rodrguez 2 Westburg 1 Julien 1 Benson 1 Frelick 1 Torres 18
Julio Rodriguez, Soto
Sorry Grey…
that’s Grayson Rodriguez. The real decision is choosing between Ohtani vs. Gleyber Torres and Luis Robert. Thoughts?
Ohtani
Great FML, trying to scrape up some live bodies in the pitching dept of my dynasty team. Could u rank these 3 please? If much difference at all? Houck, Whitlock, Paddack. Thx!!
Whitlock, Paddack
Would you still take Acuna #1 overall? I was cursed with the first pick in the draft this year and am in the classic phase of overthinking it.
Absolutely
Dude in my Razzslam took Betts lol
1st?
Yep
Maybe it was before we heard on Acuna
Yep we started Monday I think
Yeah
Took over a team in a keeper league 12 team H2H.
Keepers so far: Trea Albies Alonso and Cruz.
Last two keepers?
Naylor round 16
Casas rd 27
Friedl rd 15
El Bombi rd 3
F Alvarez rd 27
Or keep two cheap top closers:
Duran rd 13
Devin W rd 18
Apparently closers are hoarded like crazy in this league.
And you know I hate closers! hahaha
Casas for sure…then I guess adolis…doesn’t seem like a deep enough league to worry about late round vs early round…and it’s H2H so meh on closers
Gotcha thanks! How’s your slam draft going? Mine is slooooooow.
Pretty good, think I just took my 10th round pick
Dang you four+ rounds ahead of mine ha
Haha
How would you handle Kyle Bradish in a keeper?
Rather keep Nestor Cortez or Braxton Garrett over Bradish?
I’d keep Braxton
Im glad Giolito’s disastrous tenure with the Halos cured me of any interest in ‘24. If only Braxton and Means can get healthy, I have them in a several leagues.
Same same!
it really ain’t good on means, dude shows up post TJ for under 25ish innings (which went really well unless i’m forgetting) than WHAM has another elbow thing to end last year and it’s STILL there now?! yuck. post TJ guys almost never have that reinjured right away, they might take months to get control back sure, but that last part wasn’t even his problem.
Hey Grey!
10 Team / H2H / 4-Keepers
I think the first three are pretty obvious.
Acuna (Round 14)
Ohtani hitter (Round 21)
Strider (Round 24)
For the fourth spot, I’d like to go for the best “long term” option of the below. Can you help me with the last option?
Vladito (Round 16)
CJ Abrams (Round 17)
M. Harris (Round 24)
“People ask me what I do in the winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” ~Rogers Hornsby
CJ
nice quote!
Grey
In a 14 team keeper auction league ( mixed, standard roto cats )
I was offered Webb $8 and one of the following: Holliday $10, L Thomas $10, Kim $10 for my $13 Altuve…
Which, if any, would you pull the trigger on? Or should I just hold onto the Gnome in the Astro cap..
Again, Thanks in advance.
Webb and Jackson is a no brainer
Grey
Any thoughts or worries on Gausman and the arm fatigue???
As always thanks in advance.
Think it’s just a vet taking it slow, but we’ll see in the next week or so…hopefully it’s nothing
Thanks for the mention.
Eddie Rosario signs with the Nats. That pretty much seals it. If it was not obvious before, James Wood will not start in the majors. It is always refreshing to get that in your face / stark reminder about the economics of baseball.
Totally, such garbage
thank jebus for playing time on ed-ro if you own him in a dynasty. had he gone to a good team (like he’d been on last few years) that’d be yuck. i’d of course rather SEE j.wood play too, but don’t tend to have draft picks in dynasty good enough to have gotten him in his draft year (do have in one spot though somehow, he fell there).
Hey Grey,
Hope all is well. Good to be back in a familiar place as I prepare for my draft!
12-team H2H with OBP and QS.
At the end of last season you confirmed the below keepers (*) over some other options – I assume nothing has changed here (except maybe JoMo)?
You mentioned that I should maybe consider Santander over JoMo. Considering JoMo is still unsigned and my keepers are due on Friday, what do you think I should do here?? Thanks, as always!
*Luis Robert – would replace my 3rd round pick
*Lane Thomas – would replace my 25th round pick
*Jordan Montgomery – would replace my 12th round pick
*Justin Steele – would replace my 20th round pick
Anthony Santander – would replace my 8th round pick
Blake Snell – would replace my 6th round pick
Chris Bassitt – would replace my 9th round pick
Kyle Wright – would replace my 23rd round pick
Meh, I think JoMo signs so I’d go with those 4…sucks you don’t know for sure yet…I guess can go Santander instead of JoMo if you like
I mean, he’s gotta be signed before the season – right?!? Ok so I’ll still lock him in as a keeper and hope for the best. Too many teams can always use quality pitching – right?!? Will hurt his value a bit if he’s pitching regularly in Fenway IMO but YOLO!
Thanks, Grey
JoMo can handle Fenway, I will still like him
Hey Gray
Ranger Suarez $2. Or Brendan Rodgers $1
Who do you all like ?
I only can take one .
Got love autoCorrect hey Grey sorry
haha
Ranger
Hey Grey,
Need some help with a salary based keeper league with auction draft. Yahoo league with hitting categories including OPS, BB, net stolen bases. Pitching categories include K/9. 4 keepers, $260 budget. Could you give me your top 6 or so? Leaning Olson, O’neill, Hoerner, Kirby.
Judge $47
Riley $33
Olson $30
O’neill Cruz $16
Yelich $14
Yoshida $14
Hoerner $6
Gorman $6
Gallen $21
Castillo $20
Grayson Rodriguez $13
Kirby $10
Luzardo $10
Snell (?) $9
Sale $9
Steele $6
Thank you!!!
No problem
Olson, Oneil, Hoerner, Kirby works for me…Riley and Castillo are solid too
Hey grey! Draft strategy Q for ya…
How much do you think Noelvi Marte goes for in a mixed league 12 team keeper auction? Under $10?
Trying to figure out if my $4 Noelvi keeper is really saving me much.l to what I could draft him at…
I’d guess under $8
But depends when he’s tossed out
Thanks! My other final keeper option would be Josh Lowe ($9 keeper) who I assume goes for at least twice that, prob in $20+ range….
Yeah, prolly around $18
Grey, it’s a pleasure to be back and discussing fantasy baseball on the best site to come to for fantasy baseball advice. I really need some help before the season begins. Keeper question— I’ve narrowed it down in my mind to the guys below and I’ve been flip flopping between a few of them. Here’s my predicament: I can keep 4 players we drafted at the start of last season, and then choose one FA keeper. I know you’re not high on Elly for this season, but I kinda was intent on keeping him and he’s the best option out of my FA pickups for from last season. Other notable ones include F. Peralta and T. Skubal. I just threw Carter in the mix just now to see your thoughts and if you potentially like him more than Elly or the other guys mentioned. Please help me out, if you would be so kind. Here’s the list:
Adley Rutschman
Gunnar Henderson
Bo Bichette
Elly De La Cruz
Julio Rodriguez
Gerrit Cole
Evan Carter
Tarik Skubal
My tentative list was Hendo, JulRod, Cole, Rutsch and EDLC cause I learned that you don’t pay for pitching early; hence only choosing one from that group—Cole. Should I really keep a catcher? Or do I swap Rutch for Bo? Interested to see what you think. As always, I appreciate your help and advice!
Thanks!
Gunnar Henderson
Elly De La Cruz
Julio Rodriguez
Gerrit Cole
Oh and Bo, Skubal, or Adley for final…Flip a coin, I guess you have SS in Elly so Skubal
Excellent, thanks Grey! So out of those three you’d take Tarik—interesting. Appreciate it!
No problem, just know then you have pitching for days
Grey the White! These are little write ups I love!
I get Colt Kieth and Jordan Walker for my Royce Lewis in a 10-team 5×5 dynasty.
Hot accept right?!
Thank you!
Sounds good
Hey grey, in the category of bon vauyage there is only 2 pitchers, Eflin and Steele. Is this correct or did you add anybody else
Yeah, there were injuries
Hi Grey! Can’t wait for the news later this week that Mullins is going to be shut down from activities for the next 3 months lol. Now as I try to offload him from my roster before the news gets any worse, I was offered Thairo Estrada, Josh Bell, and Lourdes Gurriel for Mullins and Zach Neto. Seems like a no brainer accept right? Just wanted to make sure I’m not overthinking it, thanks as always!
No brainer
Awesome thanks! He said if I was looking to keep Neto, he’d do either combination of Thairo + Bell or Gurriel just for Mullins, would you tend to lean Gurriel based on your rankings?
Thairo is above Lourdes
Sorry horrible phrasing on my part! I’m gonna accept Thairo and Lourdes for Mullins, appreciate the help!
No problem
Even with Giolito out the sawks still have a three for two sitch with Houck, Whit and Josh Winky. Feels like Whit gets the job because of the contract tho. I hope so. i think there’s some upside there. took him in the last round of my “other” auction team reserves.
plus, houck seems like he’d be a great 1–2 inning max effort guy.
Yup
I’d just like to see what Whit can do finally as a starter, after years of hearing about him
another guy who needs health to show out. his extension is 100th percentile. he’s probably #1 in the majors. fastball gets on guys. 98% walk rate. I mean the pieces are there, man.
Yeah, I’m fine with that $1 flyer…I actually like the Red Sox rotation better w/out Gio
hey OTS, i sent you an email about grabbing a RazzSlam team who no-showed, did you see that?
I tried to email OTS once and I never heard either…very mysterious!
Ok. Not related to today’s news.
Drafted 2nd in RCL last nite. I took Rodriguez, but Betts, tucker, carrol and Witt look pretty, too. And Soto? I am drooling with him in pinstripes.
So, who’s the real #2?
Yeah, there’s a half dozen #2’s
It’s KIRSTEN. Get it right.
I’m gonna blame autocorrect
Hahahah my comment from like 2 weeks ago has aged well, hasn’t it
https://razzball.com/royce-lewis-2024-fantasy-schmohawk/#comment-3184537
Ha, well, it is March now
Yea just a bummer with both Brax / Grissom is all I meant. Hopefully thats the only thing two things that ding that team rest of March, but we’ve got a long way to go yet to accumulate injuries our early drafts. Fun stuff!
Though… seeing them at 193 and 206 in the updated Top 500. I still got some value picking at that 228/229 turn!
I think so
Hopefully Grissom’s back a week or two into the season…I’m not that worried about him (yet)
Grey!!!
Amazing report and great news for Acuna! Baseball needs him.
Chris Rock quote of the day for March 6, 2024
The government hates rap. That’s why they don’t arrest anybody that kills rappers! Only the good ones are dead, man! Only the good ones: Biggie dead, Tupac dead, Vanilla Ice still alive! They don’t fill out a police report. They don’t even have a chalk line when it’s a dead rapper, they just take a piss around the body.
Cheers,
Amte
Agreed! Thanks!
Sir Grey!
I hope all is fine! We survived “the scary Acuna-news”, so hurrah for us happy owners.;-)
I hope you can help me a bit figuring out my last keeper in a 5×5 12 teamer. In this league people get kind of excited with closers (happens every year and tend too take the solid ones in round 9/10/11).
Starting pitching not so much.
Last season I won but traded away my 9th round pick and I think my 10th round pick. I already have bednar and Webb as pitchers.
So for my 8th keeper I see the following options:
Duran
Doval
Peralta
Gilbert
Luzardo
Do I overthink this and should I just pick Peralta who is the highest in the top 100?
Many thanks for the advice Sir Grey!
Best, Bas from Holland
Hoei Bas!!
Ik denk graag dat je Peralta moet nemen. Dan heb je met hem en Webb een heel goede start van je rotatie. Ik denk.
Ik denk dat Bednar in Pittsburgh blijft.
Bas, ik zoek voor een baan in Nederland. Kun je me helpen, alstjeblieft?
Cheers,
Ante
Did Amte just have a stroke?
HAHA
Hey Ante, Dank je wel voor het advies.
I will ask Grey if he has your email address so we can have this convo by email.
Freddy P.
Thank you Sir Grey!
No problem
Is Albert Suarez (Balt SP from KBO) worth consideration?
The 34 year old? Meh
Acuna WittRodga!
Ha!