Buy George, I Think Yanks Got It!

Funniest thing about me thinking George Lombard Jr. sounds like he’s 120 years old and a former lead in George Cukor films is that he looks like he’s 12:

Honestly, if that kid said to me where’s the Axe Spray, because he thought I worked at CVS because I’m old enough to be his grandfather and doesn’t understand I’m not wearing a red vest or name tag because he’s too young to pick up on context clues, I’d say to him, “You don’t need deodorant yet. Come back in seven years.” Guys and five women readers, that kid was not opposite Clark Gable in The Philadelphia Story; he’s too young to know where Philadelphia is! His bio reads like a 12-year-old too. It says, “A talented two-sport athlete, he helped Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, Florida) win a soccer state championship as a senior.” As a senior at Gulliver Prep you say, and I’m thinking, “Is that a middle school? Do they still have middle schools? Are they called junior high school again? How old is this kid that he was playing soccer?” Soccer? Is he 10? The only Americans who play soccer after the age of 10 are professional soccer players. Any hoo! Because of the trade deadline the other day, we didn’t get enough shine on George Lombard Jr. aka Silver Screen, so here’s some more shine: He’s a power/speed/decent contact/top prospect. In Triple-A, he went 12/14/.284 as a 21-year-old and a 21.4 K% and 16.8 BB%. That leads to a .411 OBP. Again, as a 21-year-old! He looks like a future star. He looks like he could be a difference maker in all leagues and is worth grabbing, and not just in keepers, where you can have him for the next thirty years because he’s nine. Anyway, here’s some more players to Buy or Sell this week in fantasy baseball:

PSYCHE! This post was released a week early for Patreon members. It will be released all year early for Patreons, so if people are getting a jump on you, it’s because they paid the $10. Anyway, the Fantasy Baseball Buy/Sell:

BUY

Eduardo Valencia – Figured since the entire Tigers’ rotation was Framber and Keider that they’d be in complete sell mode and would’ve lost Torkelson and Colt Keith, because they suck, but Tigers did a half measure on the sell-off, which leaves me unsure of how much playing time Valencia will get. Seems better than Torkelson at DH, if you ask me, and why not ask me? Hinch, call me!

Daniel Susac – Giants have the same problem as the Yankees have at 3rd base. Because Boone was a 3rd baseman, he won’t ever play a guy better than him at 3rd. For similar reasons, Giants can’t have a great catcher. So, Susac is hot, but better not get too hot or Posey will trade your ass.

Endy Rodriguez – No one cares about 2nd catchers in two-catcher leagues, but Endy is having one of those seasons, where he’s incredibly valuable as a 2nd catcher.

Cole Young – He’s on pace for a 20-homer, five steal, .270 season as a 22-year-old. Not going to win any postseason awards with that, but that’s incredibly valuable for deep leagues, and he’s basically done it with zero fanfare.

Gleyber Torres – Don’t love Gleyber, in general — in Gleyeral? in Glenberal? Meh, you know what I’m saying! — but he’s been hot.

Angel Genao – Very interested in Genao, my only hesitation is playing time. As I said the other day, “Being called up by the Guards. Itch wrote just a few days ago, “We might say Guardians SS Angel Genao (22, AAA) is having a breakout season if he wasn’t already a top 100 prospect heading into 2025, which turned out to be a down year for the switch-hitting shortstop, Cleveland’s favorite prospect player type. Genao has been especially hot this summer, slashing .392/.496/.588 with a 17.3-to-6.3 percent walk-to-strikeout ratio over his last 28 games, picking up four homers and four steals over that same span. Brayan Rocchio has solidified his spot with a solid season, but 2B Travis Bazzana has been among the league’s worst defenders at the keystone. Perhaps they’ll shuffle him out to the grass at some point, and I’d like Grey under the grass.” Are we serious here? Genao homered twice just the other day in the minors, and Guards must feel his bat warrants consideration over Rocchio. I’m guessing; I doubt they move off Bazzana, unless JRam is more hurt than they’re letting on. Of course, they can lose Arias, but he’s a bench guy (and they did lose Arias, since I wrote this). They call up Genao to platoon? Hmm, I am literally thinking out loud here. Anyway, decent flyer in deeper mixed leagues, but I don’t know the playing time yet.” And that’s me quoting me quoting Itch!

Kaelen Culpepper – Being called up by the Twins. Have a couple huge call-ups this week, huh? September call-ups in August? Sounds like premature prospectabation! Guess they ain’t getting no rookie nookie! [lights a cigarette, basking in back-to-back puns] You know what’s not great (for me), they’re both shortstops. I had to decide between Lombard and Culpepper and I went with Lombard, but Culpepper is perfectly fine. Reminds when Carrigg and Braden Montgomery were called up simultaneously and I went with Braden at first, then switched to Carrigg. Hopefully, I don’t want to switch because I think Culpepper will be gone. Any hoo! He was 14/17/.271 in Triple-A with a 11.4 BB% and 18.7 K%. Check out Itch’s last Stash List (that featured Lombard and Culpepper), he featured more guys you should consider now. Culpepper looks like a future star for fantasy. Where have I heard that before about a Twins’ prospect? Oh, I know, for every one of them. I fell for it with Keaschall and Ober, you fell for it with Royce, Larnach, Kirilloff, and others. It even took Buxton a decade to become consistent. I’d grab Culpepper in every league for his power/speed/average potential.

Osleivis Basabe – He replaced Arraez and Osleivis could be a Luis Arraez with speed. Call him Luis ThesceneinBoogieNightswithfirecrackers.

Ezequiel Tovar – One of the worst hitters in the majors has gotten hot this week. [Austin Riley pours one out for the Tovar they lost from the worst hitters in baseball]

Andruw Monasterio – Always find it fascinating when a guy like Monasterio has a terrible bat, and a negative defensive WAR, but somehow has played for multiple teams across many years. He’s hot right now, but he’s barely a major leaguer. Must be a good clubhouse guy. Does he know fun anecdotes? Does he laugh at other’s jokes? Is he the Andy Richter of shortstops?

Spencer Jones – What if Aaron Judge wasn’t injured, but just changed uniforms and started going by Spencer? Well, then Jones would prolly be hitting better.

Nathan Church – With each guy, I look a their lineup placement for the last few days, and how well they’re hitting. Any hoo! For Church, I went to look at the Cards’ lineups and I totally forgot Blaze Jordan existed. He hasn’t exactly been the new Pujols. He’s not even the old Pujols. He’s not even Fernando Tatis Sr. or even Fernando Tatis Sr. Sr.

Tyler Tolbert – We got a new SAGNOF monster. He had 60 steals one year in the minors, and he doesn’t seem like he’s lost a step, even at 28.

Henry Bolte – Quietly having a nice rookie year. Won’t be on any radars next year, and could conceivably have 10/30/.260 projections next year. Am I thinking sleeper? You know I never sleep (but yes).

Andrew Benintendi – From some exciting names to a one of the most exciting prospects in all of baseball (if this were 2016).

John Rave – When you see the glowsticks, you know the Rave is rocking! When you see the Royals’ lineup, you know they could’ve brought the fences in another 200 feet and it wouldn’t have mattered. Rave went 13/18/.285 in Triple-A, and [covers mouth] is 28 years old.

Hector Rodriguez – This past preseason, Itch said, “A left-handed hitter at 5′ 10″ 200 lbs, Rodriguez has some thump when he gets into one. He was slashing .298/.357/.481 with 12 home runs, six stolen bases and a 13.9 percent strikeout rate through 82 Double-A games when he made the jump to Triple-A. Things went worse there (.260/.304/.405), but he still struck out just 16.5 percent of the time and added seven homers and nine steals. If he can crack the lineup in Cincinnati, he could be a nice fantasy flier, but he’s not going to be a great defender and is unlikely to carve out his own path because he’s kind of a ho-hum corner outfielder at this stage, and I’d like to carve out Grey’s heart.” C’mon, man! So, Itch was right about the defender issue, and Rodriguez looks like a DH, and forced the Reds’ hand when he went 27/6/.274 in the minors. Thankfully, no Reds hitters have ever disappointed! Beginning to think “Great American Ballpark” being a hitters’ park was the original lie, before whatever is the original lie people lie about.

Eddys Leonard – Here’s what I said the other day, “Called up by the Giants. It’s Eddy’s or Eddies. Please, Leonard. Though, I like to pronounce that as Leo-Nard, so I might be the one with the broken brain. Or is it broken Brian? Leonard originally signed with the Dodgers in 2017. When he signed, the Dodgers said, “He’s likely better than Barry Bonds, who wants to trade us for him?” Freakin’ liars! I don’t know why it took Leonard so long to get to the majors, his MiLB stats seem fine: 16/8/.272 this year, as a 25-year-old, and 22/9/.296 in 2021 as a 20-year-old (though, that was Low A levels). He’s so forgotten, he was listed as a Brewer on CBS’s site. He’s paid his dues, and looks like he can play any position. It’s an NL-Only play for now.” And that’s me quoting me!

Matthew Liberatore – This is a Streamonator call, like the call it makes to a pizzeria.

Robert Gasser – This is also a Streamonator call. “No, I don’t want dine-in or deliver. I want to talk to your cash register.”

Luke Weaver – Mason Montgomery is great, but a lefty; Gregory Soto is not great and a lefty. Please, LL Donkey, give all save opps to Weaver and don’t play games. Don’t even think about Kirby Yates. Don’t even!

Steven Cruz – Has emerged as the favorite to be the Royals’ closer, which I believe is a suggestion to pick him up, but, with how the Royals’ pen has done, I am still questioning myself.

Jeff Hoffman – If he slides right into the Twins’ closer job, I’m calling for Derek Shelton to have an IQ test. If I get enough signatures, he has to have one.

Yennier Cano – Orioles’ bullpen has Andrew Kittredge and Cano, who has been incredible all year, so hopefully he gets saves, but, if he doesn’t, it’s because everyone’s a big ol’ dummy.

Jacob Webb – Still seems the favorite for Cubs saves, but Daniel Palencia is supposed to return soon. At least that’s what I’ve been told, but I’m beginning to think I might’ve drafted poorly by taking Palencia and his three saves for $20 in multiple leagues.

Ben Joyce – This could be Samy Natera Jr., and I’m not suggesting the Angels’ saves are a great investment in your time to even read about–oops.

Dylan Smith – Has been solid for the Giants all year, and has one save. I point out his saves total to say, “Do you really have a roster spot on your fantasy team where you’re chasing one save over the course of four months?” [doing math] He could get a 1/2 save the rest of the way! That’s, like, one out in the 9th, then allowing the winning run to score.

SELL

Luis Robert Jr. – As mentioned last week, the trade deadline passed in the RCLs, which turns this into a Drop instead of a Sell, though I keep calling it Sell because it’s a Buy/Sell not a Buy/Drop. Who would call it a Buy/Drop? C’mon, stop messing up my branding! Speaking of branding, can we brand Luis Robert Jr. a bust and stop drafting him? For these drops, I looked at the Player Rater to see who was rostered in 90+% of leagues and LouBob is at 95% and about as valuable as Jordan Lawlar, who I believe hasn’t played since April of 2024. Remember, this is a drop not a sell, unless you’re in a keeper. There, then (there then?) by all means go to the Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and do what you do, but you trying to sell LouBob just made me chuckle.

Mookie Betts – Feels nuts to say you can drop Betts, and I can see holding him in deeper mixed leagues, but there has to be shallow enough mixed leagues where he’s disposable. He’s been worse than Bogaerts this year. Dot dot dot. By a lot! Chase Meidroth has been worth about ten times more than Betts! Willi Castro is way more valuable! Brooks Lee? Way more valuable! Mookie Betts-Days-Behind-Him. I watch my share of Dodgers games and he’s been hitting the ball miserably all year (though had a solid last game, so he might be temporarily hot). If you’re in a shallow enough league where guys like Meidroth are available, you need to start making some hard decisions about these guys who have been completely awful all year. If you’re in a keeper with a trade deadline that hasn’t passed, I wouldn’t trade Mookie Betts for sandpaper toilet paper, but I would go to the Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and explore options. (Though, I have to be honest, I don’t know if Mookie Betts even has keeper value anymore.)