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Mike

Author: Mike

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Mike

2019 Minor League Preview: Texas Rangers

November 7, 2018 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 17 Comments

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I haven’t slept since Red Dead 2 came out, so I’m probably going to confuse these Ranger prospects with actual Texas Rangers galloping around with Litchfield repeaters, shooting deer, and antagonizing passersby. There’s something about virtual cowboying that brings me joy. It’s all of the glory and none of the chafing! I’m rocking a $300 bounty in Strawberry, but we have business to take care of here and I’m willing to risk my hide for my tens of readers. We’ve reached the border of the AL West, and this Rangers system features a trio of Grade A outfield prospects inching their way closer to the bigs. After that, it gets a bit pitching heavy. So down a pint of whiskey, grab your revolver (aka PS4 controller), mount your horse (aka couch), and let’s ride through the 2019 Texas Rangers minor league preview!

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Mike

Offseason Prospect Notes: Hey Now, You’re A Fall Star

November 4, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 19 Comments

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Last night, MLB streamed the Arizona Fall League equivalent of an All-Star Game. In a cunning twist, it’s named the Fall Star Game. The game ended too late for a recap, so this is a preview of a game that has already been played. Welcome to time travel. I’d explain the intricacies of writing in the present about something in the future that will publish in the future about something that happened in the past, but it’s a bit complicated. All I’ll say is it requires weapons-grade plutonium, an internet connection, and a fifth of Dewar’s. The player I’m most excited to see is Keston Hiura (2B), the Brew Crew’s top prospect with the 70 hit tool. He’s kicking keisters in the AFL, hitting .343 with four bombs, five steals, and 27 runs batted in (the league lead). Here are a few other prospects I’m scoping out tonight (last night) in the Fall Stars Game… 

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Mike

2019 Minor League Preview: Seattle Mariners

October 31, 2018 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 6 Comments

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Happy Halloween! Go figure…sometimes the universe seems to match things up perfectly. This system is an effing house of horrors. Honestly, the only thing more boring than writing up this Mariners list in late October would be writing up a top ten ranking of actual mariners. Hmmm…Captain Phillips has a lot of upside but you can’t argue with Ahab’s floor. And let’s be honest, the Gorton’s fisherman has a double-plus beard. Anythehoo, this is our first list void of any Grade A prospects. With no real standouts and a couple of extremely young players, this system is tailored more for a deep dynasty leaguer than a 2019 redrafter. To pumpkin spice latte things up and give myself and the tens of people reading this post something to argue about, I’m including my top ten Treehouse of Horror shorts. Boo!

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Mike

Offseason Prospect Notes: I’m Larry…This Is My Brother, Victor…and This Is My Other Brother, Victor Victor

October 28, 2018 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 3 Comments

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It’s the marvelous Mesa Brothers! Witness these Cuban compadres crush all comers with their colossal clout! Where do these sensational siblings get their serious swagger? By smoking Chesterfields of course. Chesterfields – on the war front AND the home front. Whoa…so sorry. I had the 1940 newsreel plugin enabled. Okay, we should be good now. The Marlins recently signed a living Doublemint gum commercial for a cool $6 million, and since it’s my job to make things up about prospects so Grey will think I’m useful, let’s see if either Victor Mesa Jr. or Victor Victor Mesa are going to be worth our time in 2019 fantasy baseball. Pass the inter-dimensional clicker. It’s two brothers. Old women are coming, but these brothers have a strong bond. You better bet your bottom dollar that these two brothers know how to handle business. It’s two brothers. It’s just two brothers!

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Mike

2019 Minor League Preview: Oakland Athletics

October 24, 2018 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 6 Comments

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I have a confession to make. I grew up in South Jersey and I bleed Phillies burgundy. But over the past few years, I’ve grown more and more fond of the A’s. I’m even staying up past my bedtime to watch them. Maybe it was Moneyball. Maybe it’s exciting players like Chapman. Maybe it’s their fans. Maybe it’s the way they approach personnel. Whatever it is…they’re fun. And this minor league system is fun. It has a bit of everything. Heisman candidate? Check. First-round arm recovering from TJS? Check. Cuban stud muffin? Check. It’s deep, and it was difficult to whittle this list down to ten (pro tip: if you want to sound cool…say the ‘h’ before the ‘w’ in whittle…thank me later). It would have been even harder to put this together if Franklin Barreto, Renato Nunez, Dustin Fowler, and Ramon Laureano hadn’t graduated. But that’s the fun/challenging part of the gig. I have to pick ten guys in a system with more than ten decent specs to talk about. Then I get to defend my choices on the interwebs. #Blessed.

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Mike

Offseason Prospect Notes: Seeing the Forrest Through the Trees

October 21, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 8 Comments

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Two weeks ago the 2019 Astros prospects list published. One of the more difficult players to figure from that group was Forrest Whitley. He’s one of the most talented arms in the minors, but simply didn’t pitch much in 2018 due to suspension and injury. That’s where leagues like the AFL (Arizona Fall League) and LIDOM (Dominican Winter League) come in handy. They give us an extended look at prospects that would otherwise be haunted by question marks heading into spring training. So far, Whitley’s numbers in the AFL should quell any fears. Through two games started with the Scottsdale Scorpions, he’s struck out 14 batters in seven-plus innings while allowing just three free passes and two earned runs. Those are the ace-like numbers his fantasy owners need in their life, and they were enough to earn him Pitcher of the Week honors. Here’s what else is happening around the offseason leagues…

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Mike

2019 Minor League Preview: Los Angeles Angels

October 17, 2018 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 33 Comments

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The Angels are a funny team. Not the ha-ha kind of funny. More like the “that’s funny, I could have sworn I turned the stove off…why does my house smell like burning?” kind of funny. It’s like they made this weird deal with the devil where they got to draft the best player in the universe twenty spots after Matt Hobgood (edit: HobWELL) and in return they aren’t allowed to do anything in the playoffs. But good news everyone! The farm system is looking a lot better. When I left Razzball to bottle bathtub gin in 2016 this system was a dumpster fire. And the dumpster was full of tires. And the tires were full of cat hair. Flash forward to 2019 and there are several fantasy-relevant options. Friends…let’s pretend heaven exists and peep the 2019 Angels prospects.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Mike

2019 Minor League Preview: Houston Astros

October 10, 2018 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 27 Comments

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The Astros are the defending world champions and just punched their ticket to the 2018 ALCS with a roster full of homegrown studs. So we can excuse them if the current system doesn’t stack up to previous years. And yet, this top ten still boasts three specs that should appear on just about every top 100 list this preseason. The Colin Moran trade and David Paulino’s graduation are the only notable changes to the group from last year. They’re a bit pitching heavy and the current MLB roster doesn’t leave much room for new talent to step into everyday roles, but that’s picking nits. On the plus side, any prospects that do manage to graduate in 2019 – I’m looking at you Kyle Tucker – are stepping into a winning environment and a stacked lineup. This year’s previews will use a simple A, B, C grading system to tier/group the prospects and as always I’m attacking these lists as a fantasy player.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Mike

2016 Minor League Preview: New York Mets

February 3, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 66 Comments

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If the excitement of the World Series wasn’t enough, the Mets can also celebrate the success of Michael Conforto and Steven Matz in 2015. Both look like solid fantasy options moving forward. As much as it hurts my insides as a Phillies fan, the Mets should be good for a while with that pitching staff. On the farm there aren’t a ton of impact fantasy players if you’re not counting Matz anymore. Dom Smith might be your best bet, but he’s yet to show his game power. Amed Rosario hasn’t taken off offensively, and Marcos Molina went under the knife. There’s a lot of international talent in the low minors however, and those signings will keep feeding the system. What this farm lacks in star power it makes up for in depth.

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Mike

Dynasty League Startup Tips

January 31, 2016 | Keeper Leagues | 93 Comments

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So you and 11-29 of your closest friends have decided to take the plunge and start a fantasy baseball dynasty league. Congratulations…we’ve been waiting for you. Since you enjoy pain, you’ve volunteered yourself as the league’s commissioner. There was much rejoicing, but now the parade is over and you’re left sitting in front of your mom’s computer wearing a Burger King crown wondering what the hell you’ve gotten yourself into. First of all, stop crying. It’s unbecoming. Second of all, that’s what I’m here for buddy! Let’s take a look at how I go about forming a dynasty league from scratch. Hopefully this post will help your league keep the arguments and bloodshed to a minimum and you’ll avoid dying alone. You’re welcome.

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Mike

2016 Minor League Preview: Texas Rangers

January 27, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 76 Comments

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The Rangers have one of the deepest systems in the majors and it’s packed with upside for fantasy. Even after trading away three good prospects in the Cole Hamels deal, it’s still a beast. The appeal for our game is the type of player – toolsy, power bats, power arms…all good stuff. One of the pleasant surprises on the MLB roster was Delino Deshields, who the Rangers selected as a rule 5 pick from the Astros organization. If you’re like me, you threw Deshields on your farm for some depth and by the end of the season it was all like ‘whoa this is a solid player right here’ and then Grey’s writing a sleeper post on him and next thing you know he’s got an ADP in the teens. Grey is influential like that. Coincidentally, the Rangers also lost Odubel Herrera in the rule 5 draft to Philly, and that young man had a hell of a season too. Just goes to show that this whole prospect game isn’t always easy to peg, and you have to stay on your toes and roll with it. Back over to the Texas farm now, which features three top 50 fantasy prospects.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Mike

Breaking The Ties That Bind You

January 24, 2016 | Keeper Leagues | 155 Comments

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If you lurk in the comments section of any fantasy baseball blog, you’ll see a plethora of “who should I keep” type questions. Keeper leagues – no matter how many players you can protect – are eventually going to require you to choose between players on the fringe of your roster. Who you decide to keep and who you decide to set free is important, especially when your team is competing. You can always trade your fringe guys for draft picks or something like that, but then you’re still choosing between who to put on your block and who to keep for yourself. I used to agonize over these decisions. But after a while I started to see some patterns in the good choices versus the bad ones, and now it’s not such a big deal. I also started taking a lot of downers at that time, but I’m sure the two events are in no way related. If you want to ignore this and do your zag thing, go ahead. I’m just going to try to explain how I personally decide on keepers when there’s a “tie” on my list and only one seat at the table.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
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