The Sophomore slump is typically something that I disregard as an easy narrative for people to use in order to explain a player’s struggle, and Luke Weaver is no exception. Sure, his second season in the league was rough, but it wasn’t because the league got a book on him or whatever reasons people give for a 2nd year struggle. Weaver had a disappointing 2018 because the curve and change up both flattened out and hitters teed off on what had been Weaver’s strongest 2 offerings. The curve in 2018 gave up a .329 avg. against and a .589 slugging percentage. Generally speaking, a velocity bump is a positive development, but the small velocity gains from Weaver seemed to mess with those 2 pitches. The curve flattened out and the change up gained spin (wrong direction for a change), which have both corrected themselves this year. The K rate is back to 26.1% from 19.9% last season, the walk rate is down to 5.7%, and the results are promising. He is giving up a bit more hard contact than we’d like to see, but the swinging strike rate is up 1.4% to 11.1% with the contact rates inside and outside the zone both improving along with the first strike percentage. The numbers point toward more of a high 3s or low 4s ERA from Weaver the rest of the season, but he has 2 pitchers parks against bottom half of the league offenses this week, so, ride the wave.
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Author: B_Don
Co-host of the Goin' Deep and the Razzball Fantasy Football podcast on with @DonkeyTeeth87. Find me on Twitter @RazzBDon.
Read some of B_Don's 288 posts
B_Don returns triumphantly from Puerto Rico, just in time for a flurry of prospect calls ups. The sausage lovers kick the show off by going over each of the recent promotions, giving their thoughts on Keston Hiura, Austin Riley, Oscar Mercado, Willie Calhoun, Nicky Lopez, Corbin Martin, and several others.
During the profiles segment, Donkey Teeth breaks down post-hype breakout candidate Lucas Giolito, while B_Don shares his thoughts on rookie stud Mike Soroka. Find out what to expect from each of these youngsters moving forward and how you should be valuing each in the fantasy game. The sausage fest is topped off with some Dijon mustard and a flurry of pick up recommendations. Grab a wiener and get comfy, summer is coming!
Please, blog, may I have some more? No Doubt
| Name | Team | Start 1 | Start 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Berrios | MIN | LAA | @SEA |
| Shane Bieber | CLE | @CHW | BAL |
| Aaron Nola | PHI | MIL | COL |
| Chris Paddack | SD | @LAD | PIT |
Chris Paddack has been a complete monster to start the season, rewarding his owners with a 1.55 ERA, 0.69 ERA, and 46 Ks in only 40.2 IP that comes out to a 30.7% K rate. While the BABIP may be a bit fluky at .176, the batted ball profile vs his arsenal has been impressive. He has only given up 4 barreled balls in 93 batted ball events to go along with the 5th lowest line drive rate allowed. At the Dodgers isn’t ideal, but there’s no way you could sit him down in a 2 start week the way he has performed. Plus, that change up is NASTY!
Please, blog, may I have some more? Baseball Podcast: Grey Guilts Donkey Teeth Into Sleeping With Cougs
May 11, 2019 | Ditka, Razzball Podcast | 6 Commentsby: B_Don
While B_Don is off taking care of “family business” in Puerto Rico, Grey swoops in to steal the one and only Fantasy Sausage Show about baseball. As usual, nobody has any idea whether or not the show is actually recording.
After 10 minutes of standard Grey Albright nonsense, Donkey Teeth and the Fantasy Master Lothario dig into Donkey’s most recent Top 100 Starting Pitchers post. The guys take a closer look a Hyun-Jin Ryu, Robbie Ray, Chris Sale, Martin Perez, Lucas Giolito, Griffin Canning, Clayton Kershaw, and Joey Bag O Butts Lucchesi. Grey also admits he may have been mistaken about Zack Greinke and Madison Bumgarner, while Donkey Teeth makes yet another case for Yusei Kikuchi.
The show is rounded out with a comparison of two of Grey’s early season offensive darlings: Hunter Dozier and Christian Walker. Find out what to expect from these two young bats moving forward and where they might be drafted if fantasy drafts were taking place today. Enjoy this special Grey Albright Sausage episode while supplies last!
Baseball Podcast: The Bassitt Hound Hunts
May 2, 2019 | Ditka, Razzball Podcast | 18 Commentsby: B_Don
B_Don and Donkey Teeth are back at it, discussing various forms of sausage along with a little fantasy baseball. Journeyman Chris Bassitt is the object of Donkey’s affection this week while B_Don sifts through hours of Caleb Smith film and Coach Ditka highlights. Find out whether you should be buying or selling both of these arms in your respective league.
In the rapid fire pickups segment, the guys chat up youngsters Carter Kieboom and Nate Lowe. Other potential pickups discussed include Griffin Canning, Jesus Aguilar, Jose Peraza, Luis Rengifo, Harrison Bader, and Jorge Mateo. It’s time to get your sausage into mid-season form, tune in now!
Please, blog, may I have some more? Two Start Pitchers, Week 6: Big Lefty Named Thanos
April 27, 2019 | Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers | 20 Commentsby: B_Don
No Doubt
| Name | Team | Opponent 1 | Opponent 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Bauer | CLE | @MIA | SEA |
| Blake Snell | TB | @KC | @BAL |
| Justin Verlander | HOU | @MIN | @LAA |
| Luis Castillo | CIN | @NYM | SF |
| German Marquez | COL | @MIL | ARZ |
| Patrick Corbin | WSH | STL | @PHI |
Rich Hill getting injured; Khris Davis hitting .247; topping my 3 wood after waiting for a long time on a par 5 approach shot; these guys on the list in your starting lineup. Well Alex, what are things that you have no doubt about? Wager: Suck It Trebek!
Not to be confused with Luis Mendoza (the speedster duck), you can bet that nobody that owns Castillo will be yelling for him to stop any time soon. I don’t expect it to happen this week with a visit to the Mets and home for what is more a gentle Giant(s) lineup than a Thanos, world killer Giant(s) lineup. No, there’s not a spoiler there. I haven’t seen it yet anyway.
If you’re curious about how good Luis Castillo has been, he’s only given up 2 barrels on the season (2nd best among pitchers, min. 50 batted ball events), 31% hard hit rate is 13th best, 85.1 mph avg. exit velocity is 15th best, and the best swinging strike rate of his career so far on this young season at 14% along with his lowest contact percentage allowed as well.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Baseball Podcast: Ron Swanson Loves Meat
April 25, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Ditka, Razzball Podcast | 1 Commentby: B_Don
Ron Swanson: Lover of meat, woodworking, hunting, whisky, and breakfast foods. Also, a promising rookie pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. That’s Erik Swanson, dummy. Who keeps inviting the random italicized voice and why is it so condescending?
Donkey Teeth and B_Don discuss the ins and outs of young Erik Swanson’s game, only hours prior to Swanson’s second major league start against the San Diego Padres. They then take a look at an early pitching breakout candidate, Matt (Matthew?) Boyd. Can these guys please stop changing their names on us already?
In the final segment, a bunch of hot pickup names are flipped around, fresh off the grill: Cole Tucker, Michael Chavis, Renato Nunez, Hunter Dozier, Mike Soroka, Mike Tauchman, Jesus Luzardo, and Alex Reyes, just to name more than a few. Grab your sausage and prepare for pleasuring on this week’s episode of the world’s #1 fantasy sausage podcast.
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Baseball Podcast: Is This A Baseball Podcast Or What??
April 20, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Razzball Podcast | 9 Commentsby: B_Don
The Ditka Pod is once again graced with the presence of Fantasy Master Lothario Albright this week. After an ad nauseam discussion regarding the confusing nature of the podcast name (it’s a play on SNL’s Super Fans by the way), Grey breaks down B_Don & Donkey’s recent blockbuster trade in the RCL Perts League.
Then it’s time for some early season victory laps where Tim Anderson, German Marquez, and Jose Ramirez are examined at length. Other topics of discussion include fantasy strategy in the extra juiced ball era, expectations for Chris Sale & Jacob deGrom moving forward, Hunter Dozier’s ongoing breakout, whether Miguel Cabrera is a pile of sh*t, and the mostly irrelevant Mike Ford. Uncontrollable giggles and sausage will flow when Master Grey comes around.
Please, blog, may I have some more? 
B_Don and Donkey Teeth are back at it: grinding the sausage, stuffing the sausage, and inserting the sausage into various holes. This week they take a close look at two young arms off to very promising starts to the 2019 season: Yonny Chirinos and Spencer Turnbull.
The guys also discuss German Marquez’s first rocky 2019 outing in Coors, Max Fried’s emergence into relevance, and Baseball Savant’s fantastic new film review features. The show is rounded out with some rapid fire pickup options. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to insert the sausage into your ear holes!
If there is anybody that you’d like for the guys to profile, throw it in the comments section or Tweet @DitkaSausagePod or @DonkeyTeeth87. Donkey Teeth and B_Don are also giving away a Rotowear Ditka, Sausage, and Fantasy Sports shirt for rate and reviews on podcast subscriptions. Tweet them a photo of your review to be entered for this sweet shirt!
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Thank goodness that first week of 2 start pitchers is over and done. Early season rain outs, 5th starters being skipped, 6th starters and openers being utilized, all played into the scheduling. It is important to remember early in the season that these 2 start guys may or may not make both starts due to any of these factors. However, the advantage of getting the extra start for the innings, strikeouts, and hopefully ratios, is generally to much to ignore. Plus, if they fail to be 2 start guys this week then you get them as 2 start guys the following week more than likely.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
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