Red Sox Love & Royals Hate The Night of the Hunter Renfroe

June 29, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 301 Comments

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”811239″ player=”10951″ title=”RZBL%202021%20WAIVER%20WIRE%20WEEK%2013″ duration=”151″ description=”undefined” uploaddate=”2021-06-25″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/thumb/811239_t_1624599385.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/811239.mp4″]

“Salvation is a last-minute business, boy.” — Hunter Renfroe (2-for-4, 3 RBIs and his 10th and 11th homer) looking at my fantasy team that is hurting for offense.

“Women are such durn fools.” — Enrique Hernandez (2-for-3 and his 8th homer, and 2nd homer in as many games). Hot schmotato alert!

“You know, when you’re little, you have more endurance than God is ever to grant you again. Children are man at his strongest. They abide.” — Bobby Dalbec (2-for-4, 2 runs and his 10th homer). He’s the type to get hot in a snap of the fingers, so if you need power, I could see grabbing him immediately.

“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” — Alex Cora as he fits the Red Sox for buzzers. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Red Sox > Cole In Your Stocking

June 28, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 328 Comments

by: Grey

*zooms microscope in on Gerrit Cole‘s spin rates on Statcast, accidentally zooms too close and cracks computer screen* Oopsie. Yesterday, Gerrit Cole (5 IP, 5 ER, ERA at 2.66) had his ass handed to him, and not in a good way, like, “Hey, he’s got extra ass now like Vladimir Guerrero Jr.” The funniest or saddest, depending on whether you’re Gerrit Cole, is him giving up all kind of homers, then having his hat and glove checked by the umps. Wish someone would’ve warned me about Gerrit Cole and spin rates being checked in, say, March. WAIT A MINUTE! Someone did! It was March Grey. Damn, March Grey, you smart son of a bee! My Gerrit Cole schmohawk post from March is basically all about the spin rates, and how they’re in danger of coming back to earth. Dot dot dot. Coming back to earth unlike all the home runs the Red Sox hit off Cole yesterday. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

I Want To Buy Bobby So Bradley

June 25, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Buy/Sell | 394 Comments

by: Grey

(NOTE: THIS POST WAS RELEASED EARLY THIS WEEK ON OUR PATREON. IT’S $10/MONTH OR $13/MONTH WITH AN EXTRA WEEKLY PODCAST.)

I got a love jones for Bobby Bradley. Crush is solidifying. He has a swag about him. A swing that makes my heart pitter and/or patter for this batter. A swag/swing — a Swang. A home run every 9.3 at-bats in Triple-A, and then a home run every 9.0 at-bats in the majors will do that. Deserves to play every day. Hopefully, when Franmil returns, Bradley doesn’t take the lineup squeeze L. Fun fact! After Bobby Brady lost a pie-eating contest, his father Mike told him to take the L like a man and disowned him, so he briefly went by Bobby Bradley. Lots of people forget this. Speaking of Franmil, Bobby Bradley reminds me of that $54 Vending Machine Steak. Think many people don’t watch Cleveland, but if you have, and have seen Bradley, you’re already sold on his power. He has light-tower power, I’ll devour, I’m gonna tie you up and make you understand, Bobby Bradley is not an average man. HUUH! Bobby will knock you out! HUUH! Mama said knock you out! Seriously, I watched him hit a home run the opposite way the other day, and I was instantly sold. Bradley doesn’t strikeout a ton either. At least not so far in the majors. If you need power, I’d grab Bradley in any league. Anyway, here’s some more players to Buy or Sell this week in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

No Safe Harbor For Pitchers Facing Schwarber

June 25, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 268 Comments

by: Grey

You ever scroll down an online recipe for 20 minutes to the actual recipe, and your index finger starts getting hot from the friction? Kyle Schwarber (2-for-4, 4 RBIs, 20th and 21st homer) is hotter than that. You ever get in your car, that’s been parked in the sun, touch the black steering wheel and see smoke rise from your palms? Schwarber’s hotter than that. You ever cut a habanero and touch your junk? Schwarber’s about that hot. So, Kyle Schwarber has eight homers in a five-game span. The only player with more was Shawn Green at nine homers in 2002. Cue a Jewish person saying Shawn Green was Jewish. Shawn Green also had the help of a four-homer game in that streak. And prolly steroids. And, yes, his yarmulke. Home runs since June 12th: Miami Marlins with 12; Schwarber with 12. Kyle Schwarber is the first player in MLB history to hit 11 homers from the leadoff spot in 13 games. Schwarber only had nine homers through the first two months of the season. I will now cackle for 45 minutes and be right back to you. WHAT THE WHAT. Hey, good for you if you have Schwarber, I do in a couple of leagues. Will it continue? What, multi-homers every game? Haha, c’mon, bros and five sisters. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Hey Kids, It’s Story Time

June 24, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 363 Comments

by: Grey

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”807372″ player=”10951″ title=”RZBL%202021%20WAIVER%20WIRE%20WEEK%2012″ duration=”161″ description=”undefined” uploaddate=”2021-06-18″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/thumb/807372_t_1624040550.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/807372.mp4″]

On my teams with Juan Soto, Trevor Story and Cody Bellinger, there’s been very little to celebrate. I paid $15 for Tom Arnold to send me a Cameo video telling me it would be okay. You remember Tom Arnold: Guy who is famous for sleeping with Roseanne Barr. Honestly, that should make someone famous. That and getting your junk Ginzu’d are valid reasons for fame. More so than your sister was in a sex tape. If I were ranking them for fame, 1A) Marrying Roseanne, 1B) Getting Junk Ginzu’d, Z) Sister was in a sex tape. Any hoo! Trevor Story (2-for-4, 3 RBIs and his 7th and 8th homer) had a big game — on the road! — and maybe finally there’s light at the end of the tunnel. As Geoff and I discussed on this week’s podcast, Story’s Launch Angle hasn’t been great. He’s hitting way too many ground balls, and pulling everything. The result: Pitch on the outside corner, and he rolls over it to the shortstop. Maybe there’s a fire lit under him with the thought of getting out of Colorado. Think this could be a boon for his value: If trading for Story, the team will be contending, so the lineup will be better. Not all stadiums are bad. You telling me Story in Yankee Stadium is bad? Are you telling me this? Don’t tell em this. Also, the reinvigoration of a pennant chase can activate him like charcoal. Either Coors or elsewhere, he needs to correct his Launch Angle, and hopefully yesterday is the right direction. My other solution is spitting blow darts into his ribs while he’s at-bat, so he lowers his back elbow and it forces him into an uppercut swing. But that might be illegal. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Wander Goes Yonder

June 23, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 380 Comments

by: Grey

Okay, there won’t be a Wander Franco (2-for-4, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) lede after every game he plays. It’s like when FTJ, Acuña, Vlad Jr. and others were called up. You need to bask in the GLORY. Yes, capitalized. When the game started, I was like, “If Wander Franco doesn’t homer in his first at-bat, is he still a 1st ballot Hall of Famer?” I questioned that deeply, like a monk. Then when he walked in his 1st at-bat, I questioned him. “Who does Wander Franco think he is, Jackie Bradley Jr?” Then as Ryan Yarbrough (2 IP, 5 ER, ERA at 4.59) stretched the third inning into a two-hour affair, I thought, “Wander Franco, began his career on June 22nd, 2021, then ended his career 20 years later, during the very same game.” Finally, Yarbrough was yanked, er, um, Red Sox’d, and we went to at-bat number two and I was eating dinner. So, no report on that. Then, came his first major league home run, a golf shot without a Tiger Woods fist pump. I’ll always remember where I was when I saw Wander Franco’s 1st home run: the toilet. God bless Wander, and chicken parm sandwiches. The Rays calling up Wander Franco was worth it just so I could look at the left side of their infield and say, “Anyway, here’s Wander/Walls.” So, on actionable fantasy advice: A top five team — one that made the World Series — calls up their top prospect, plants him in the most important slot in the order, according to analytics. What does that say? It tells me Vidal Brujan (and/or Josh Lowe) are coming up very soon. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

O’s Like Their Goose Eggs Odorizzi

June 22, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 405 Comments

by: Grey

Liked Jake Odorizzi (5 IP, 0 ER, zero hits, 1 walk, 9 Ks, ERA at 4.75) going into this year, but lost enthusiasm for him. Of course, I totally saw this game coming:

Just reminding people of how accurate my takes are pic.twitter.com/7UTy5OmB2f

— Razzball (@Razzball) June 22, 2021

The accuracy of my big-ass brain astounds even me. Yo, is anyone sure I’m not a time traveler? Are you? I’m going to go to the past right now and have sex with your mom nine months before you’re born. That’s right, I’m your daddy! Take out the trash, by the way. Right now, boy! I don’t care if garbage day isn’t until Thursday and you’re 52 years old, which is much, much, much older than me! I am your daddy! Okay, so I didn’t foresee Odorizzi’s start yesterday. Didn’t think he could go more than 3-4 innings, because the way the Astros have been using him. For now, I’d use the Streamonator on Odorizzi, and be careful, because of how wonky his usage has been. This is coming from prior experience, which is very extensive due to time travel. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Rays Finally Let Franco Into Promised Land After Wandering The Desert

June 21, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 496 Comments

by: Grey

Hope everyone had a Happy Father’s Day, and, for our five female readers, I hope your husbands or dads weren’t too unbearable. When I heard Wander Franco was being called up, I was on the phone with my patent attorney. See, for Mother’s Day, MLB uses pink bats. My suggestion for Father’s Day is bats with hairy bags hanging off the handle, then when batters are applying pine tar in the on-deck circle the “sticky” stuff can shoot onto their pitchers’ hands. All hot dogs sold that day can have a bite out of them, but weren’t thrown out because ‘Dad’s gonna finish that.’

“Is there anything here that I should trademark?” was what I was asking my patent attorney when the news broke. Then, my internet broke, I swear this happened:

Trying to pick up Wander Franco and this is screen I see absolute chef’s kiss pic.twitter.com/8IsYD7srQS

— Razzball (@Razzball) June 21, 2021

The Fantasy Baseball Overlord mocks me endlessly, does he not? I’m sure Wander Franco was rostered in all my leagues already, but don’t you love to check just to get a burst of agita? I was getting different kinds of agita with screens not loading.

So, Prospect Itch literally just told you his number one fantasy baseball stash yesterday was Wander Franco. I thought I had the number one fantasy baseball ‘stache. Sigh. Clearly, Franco is also the number one fantasy baseball prospect. In Itch’s top 10 fantasy baseball prospects, Wander’s sitting at #1. I can’t add anything meaningful to what Itch wrote. Go there, and read that. I am shocked he’s called up. I was expecting a September call-up. Perhaps the Rays are just big Gallagher brother fans, and plan to play Wander at 2nd to have an all-Oasis middle infield. “Throw to second for one and….wait they held onto the ball and no double play…what is going on…Today was gonna be the day they were gonna throw it back to you!” Damn, thwarted by a love of Wander/Walls. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

One Day I’ll Find Some Buy Like Jo

June 18, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Buy/Sell | 310 Comments

by: Grey

(NOTE: THIS POST WAS RELEASED EARLY THIS WEEK ON OUR PATREON. IT’S $10/MONTH OR $13/MONTH WITH AN EXTRA WEEKLY PODCAST.)

What are the Angels doing? “Every time David Bell does something stupid, he smacks his head twice, and hears a ringing in his ears, then an Angel gets his wings.” That’s terrific, Clarence, but you’re a bit of a noodge. Imagine having an angel following you around all day, telling you what could be if you lived your life differently? What a nightmare! Constantly whispering in your ear, “If you throw that plastic straw into the ocean, a dolphin will get it stuck in his blow hole, and won’t be able to squeak at a young boy in Indonesia on a wooden raft and, without that distraction, the boy will drift into the middle of an ocean liner’s path and–” Shut up, Clarence! You’re annoying me! That would be my It’s A Wonderful Life, just screaming shut up. Any hoo! What are the Angels doing in regards to Juan Lagares and Taylor Ward starting in their outfield? Let’s put aside Taylor Ward, because he’s young and maybe he can do something. Let’s instead focus on Juan Lagares. He’s 32 years old, and his top year in the majors was 47/6/41/.259/7, when he was 26 years old. That was in 143 games! Try to wrap your noodle around Juan Lagares getting 143 games and those stats. It’s pretty difficult to do, and that was six years ago! Lagares is in the majors because he is perceived as a defensive specialist. On its face, a 32-year-old centerfielder is lunacy. Ya think he might’ve lost a step somewhere along the way? Ya think?! With some more stank: YA THINK?! Using defense metrics, Byron Buxton has 25.8 UZR/150 games. You don’t need to know what UZR is other than it’s a fielding metric and Buxton is great. Lagares is ranked 79th for fielding centerfielders and has -11.3 UZR/150 games. There’s only 30 teams and Lagares is 79th for centerfield defense! Okay, enough bagging on Lagares, enter: Jo Adell. Even if he fields with his glove on the wrong hand, he can’t be that much worse. Or move Taylor Ward to center and call up Adell! It defies logic why Adell isn’t up already, and it’s because of his bat why we’re here: He’s on pace for 40+ homers in Triple-A. He’s still struggling with strikeouts, and might not hit above .220, but, again, I’m asking: What are the Angels doing? It’s time to call-up Adell and play him. Irregardless? Yes, I’m ill re: Lagares and their other options. Anyway, here’s some more players to Buy or Sell this week in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Al, Tu, Al, Tu, Ve, Four

June 18, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 298 Comments

by: Grey

“Okay, guys, to start the song we’re going to count out to four, but we’re going to count 1, 2…Then go back to the beginning and finish with 1, 2, 3, 4…Questions?”
“Hey, Bruce Springsteen, uh, yeah, big fan, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to show you I belong as a background vocalist in the E Street Band — ESB? Do people use that? Anyhoo…Have you considered hiring someone else to count, because ‘1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4’ isn’t how people count?”
“Who are you?”
“I saw a flyer at The Stone Pony for an opening in your band.”
“That flyer was supposed to be taken down 48 years ago. Get out of here.”

And that’s how we got the title for this post: Al, Tu, Al, Tu, Ve, Four. It’s also how many homers Jose Altuve (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, 16th homer, hitting .298) has in the last three games. He has eight homers in the last 10 games, but Bruce Springsteen never counted to eight. As another singer, Lady Sovereign, would sing, “Altuve is the biggest midget in the game!” That Lady Sovereign song is 15 years old, and now I feel 100 years old. Jose Altuve also has 16 homers in 57 games; his career high is 31. Maybe this time he can steal an MVP award from someone his own size (if he’s standing on top of a car, and you include the car’s weight). Imagine being Aaron Judge and saying Altuve stole an MVP from you. Bro, you stole the sun from anyone within 10 feet of you. It’s a form of cheating by just being big. At least that’s what I tell anyone who challenges me to any sporting event. So, drilling down on Altuve’s peripherals, he’s pulling everything, and his Launch Angle is a little goofy early on (as in high), which could lead to a lot of fly balls, and lower average, or more homers, if he’s connecting, as he has been. Now, if pitchers pound away, he might be in trouble. There’s a possibility here for him to come back to earth (small fall), but anyone would come back to earth after an eight-homer, ten-game stretch, but, in general, he seems back. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Mets Smoke deGrom’s Shoulder And Pull It Once Tender

June 17, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 319 Comments

by: Grey

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”799984″ player=”10951″ title=”RZBL%202021%20WAIVER%20WIRE%20WEEK%2011″ duration=”158″ description=”undefined” uploaddate=”2021-06-11″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/thumb/799984_t_1623398836.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/799984.mp4″]

Sorry if the title is a little NC-17. NC being North Carolina, baby! A little too sour? Blame the vinegary sauce, like a middle-aged man at a tailgate party, you over-dabbed. So, Jacob deGrom is the greatest pitcher of all-time. Yesterday, he went 3 IP, K’d eight and got one more by fly out, lowering his ERA to 0.54. The only problem is the Mets’ training staff is the world’s worst. World’s worst trainers are in, conveniently enough, a train going 170 MPH. The world’s best starter is on a mound going 101 MPH. At some point, they’re going to intersect and bad things will happen. On May 9th, it was right side discomfort. On June 11th, it was right flexor tendinitis. On June 16th, they’re saying right shoulder soreness. Can we just all assume they have no idea? Jacob deGrom will be great, if healthy, but it doesn’t seem like that’s possible right now. About the only thing he has in common with most starters is they’re injured. By August, each team is going to have one starter, two probables and two doubtfuls. By September, it’s going to be one starter and five scarecrows in the team’s jersey, and one scarecrow is going to pull his elbow tendon by mid-month and the team is going to say he’s day-to-day. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

“Hey Zeus” Sanchez Hoping To Bring The Thunder For Marlins

June 16, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 421 Comments

by: Grey

Reading from the Book of Revelations in the 2021 Razzball Draft Guide, “When the ocean’s water rises–”
Job, “Why ocean’s water? Isn’t just ‘water rises’ enough?”
“I’m reading, not writing, and, when I’m done, I will smite you so hard you’ll wish you never corrected God about His word.”
Job stops chewing gum for a moment to say, “Heard.”
Continuing, “…When the ocean’s water rises in Miami, there will be two guys able to walk to work, Jesus Aguilar and Jesus Sanchez.”

There’s been a few hitters flat-out raking in the minors, and Jesus Sanchez is one of the top ones. In 33 games in Triple-A, he hit nine homers and .349. He’s not just a power hitter, though he is that with 70-grade power, he’s begun to hit for contact this year. Going into this year, as Prospect Itch said, “Sanchez swings at everything and always has. A corner outfielder with ideal size and crazy bat speed from the left side, he’ll get a lot of chances and have a long time to figure out pitch selection. More chances than Grey if I ever bumped into him.” What the heck, man? Pitch selection can come at any time, and Sanchez only just turned 23. He might’ve found his swing, and when to, uh, swing. Grab him in all leagues. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Author: Grey

Read some of Grey's 4911 posts

Red Sox Love & Royals Hate The Night of the Hunter Renfroe

Red Sox > Cole In Your Stocking

I Want To Buy Bobby So Bradley

No Safe Harbor For Pitchers Facing Schwarber

Hey Kids, It’s Story Time

Wander Goes Yonder

O’s Like Their Goose Eggs Odorizzi

Rays Finally Let Franco Into Promised Land After Wandering The Desert

One Day I’ll Find Some Buy Like Jo

Al, Tu, Al, Tu, Ve, Four

Mets Smoke deGrom’s Shoulder And Pull It Once Tender

“Hey Zeus” Sanchez Hoping To Bring The Thunder For Marlins