Chris Perez has been shut down for 3-4 weeks. The Indians are saying it’s due to a shoulder strain. Seems pretty coincidental that Chris Perez rocks a mullet and there’s a guy with a “business on top, party in the back” haircut on The Amazing Race this season. I’m calling BS. “Yeah, what’s up?” Sorry, didn’t mean to actually call BS. “Cool, now you’re wasting my time. I’m gonna call myself on you!” So with Perez out, a giant gaping hole opens in Cleveland, and I don’t mean when Drew Carey is eating. Vinnie Pestano should take over the closer role in the mean’s while. Unfortunately (depending on how you’re looking at it), Perez went down so early that he could return as soon as the first or second week of the season. That means you need to draft Perez and Pestano. My advice is to wait two seconds after someone drafts Perez then take Pestano. This will be real cute in auctions. They’ll either have to spend $15-ish to have both Indian closers or they’ll be stuck without one. If I could only draft one, I’d take a late flyer on Pestano. As with most things SAGNOF-related, there’s no sure thing in the bullpens and the cheaper way to get saves is always the most preferable. Anyway, here’s all the closers for fantasy baseball:
$12 Salads
You know that restaurant your girlfriend/wife/what-have-you likes to go to that charges, like, $12 for a salad? Every time you go there, you have a thoroughly solid meal. No complaints, except you just paid $12 for a salad when you could’ve went to McDonald’s and stuffed you and your woman for ten schmools and had $2 in quarters left over to make the hotel bed vibrate. These closers are $12 salads.
1. Craig Kimbrel – (Jonny Venters, Jordan Walden, Eric O’Flaherty)
2. Jonathan Papelbon – (Antonio Bastardo, Mike Adams)
3. Jason Motte – (Mitchell Boggs, Trevor Rosenthal)
4. Mariano Rivera – (David Robertson, Boone Logan, Joba Chamberlain)
5. Joe Nathan – (Jason Frasor, Tanner Scheppers)
Donkeycorns
Imagine you’re following a donkey, who’s wearing a wool cap, through a desert for 1700 miles. Why are you following a donkey? Because he promises you something wonderful and you just need to trust him. Does the donkey talk? Yes. Yes, he does talk. So when you and the donkey in the wool cap arrive at his destination, he removes his the wool cap to reveal a horn. The donkey is a unicorn and his gift to you for your trust is saves. These closers are Donkeycorns.
6. Rafael Soriano – (+1) (Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard)
7. Tom Wilhelmsen – (+1) (Carter Capps, Stephen Pryor, Josh Kinney)
8. Greg Holland – (+1) (Aaron Crow, Kelvin Herrera, Tim Collins)
9. Huston Street – (+1) (Luke Gregerson, Dale Thayer)
10. Glen Perkins – (+1) (Jared Burton, Alex Burnett)
11. Sergio Romo – (-5) (Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez)
12. John Axford – (+1) (Jim Henderson, Mike Gonzalez)
13. Fernando Rodney – (+1) (Joel Peralta, Jake McGee, Kyle Farnsworth)
14. Steve Cishek – (+1) (Mike Dunn, Ryan Webb)
15. Jim Johnson – (+1) (Pedro Strop, Darren O’Day)
16. J.J. Putz – (+1) (David Hernandez, Heath Bell)
17. Jonathan Broxton – (+1) (Sean Marshall, Jose Arrendondo)
18. Joel Hanrahan – (+1) (Andrew Bailey, Koji Uehara)
19. Rafael Betancourt – (+1) (Matt Belisle, Wilton Lopez)
20. Grant Balfour – (Ryan Cook, Sean Doolittle)
Brain Freezes
I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing apples, bananas and Carlos Marmol– Wait, he just gave up 12 earned runs and hit Castro in the head with a pickoff throw. Brain freeze! Make it stop! Use the following closers at your own risk.
21. Casey Janssen – (-9) (Sergio Santos, Darren Oliver)
22. Jason Grilli – (+1) (Mark Melancon, Tony Watson)
23. Addison Reed – (+2) (Matt Thornton, Jesse Crain)
24. Brandon League – (+1) (Kenley Jansen, Ronald Belisario)
25. Carlos Marmol – (+1) (Kyuji Fujikawa, Shawn Camp)
26. Ernesto Frieri – (-3) (Ryan Madson, Sean Burnett, Scott Downs)
27. Bobby Parnell – (+1) (Frank Francisco, Josh Edgin)
28. Jose Veras – (+2) (Wesley Wright, Hector Ambriz)
29. Vinnie Pestano – (-8) (Chris Perez, Joe Smith)
30. Joaquin Benoit, Bruce Rondon, Octavio Dotel, Phil Coke, Al Alburquerque, The Marlboro Man (-2)
thanks for all your great stuff.
No matter what…Perez and Pestano are just keeping the position warm until Cody Allen takes over.
No problem, thanks!
As always – right on – I think Lyon is probably next in line after Fransisco….maybe even before Fransisco.
Thanks! Yeah, could be…
@Grey: Terry Collins was on NY sports radio Saturday and said This:
“I don’t think Frankie’s going to be ready for Opening Day so it’ll be [Bobby Parnell] and he can take that job and run with it,” Collins said.
I’m targeting him in my drafts until people catch on and his price goes up.
If Frank Fran pitches more than 40 innings , the Mets are in Trouble.
That’s why their situation went up since last time even though their “closer” is injured….
While your on the line, are we getting a podcast soon? I’m dying to have something decent to listen to while I’m putting away dishes, grading papers, cleaning….raaaaazzball, raaaazzball, raaaazzball!
Podcast returns tomorrow…
Any healthy Padre pitchers worth taking a flier on? No DL spot to work with so I can’t take Luebke or Cashner.
Yup… Casey Kelly…
@Grey: Think he breaks camp in the rotation?
Nope…. Worth a flyer to see if he does though….
@Grey: Cool.
@Jon:
Cashner has been saying he’ll be ready opening day. Padres have been non-commital, but say it’s a possibility. Definitely not in the same category as Leubke, who is I think a June/July return.
I love the early closer reports, thanks Grey! My plan is to grab Romo late and then try to be ahead of the curve on wtf ever happens in Detroit, otherwise wisely use my remaining budget$ on Save-A-GNOFs and streamers. Romo seems like a huge value this year.
Yeah, if you can get Romo late…
I missed the reason for Romo’s downgrade. Is there any news from Bochy?
I think Santiago could go down as a big steal this year.
Bwah I get’em Latin names all mixed up. I meant Sergio Santos the Tor guy.
Oh… Yeah, he’d be a late grab…
((Reposted from other, er, post))
Heyo Greyo –
Had our 14-team dynasty snake draft yesterday.
Rules: 6×6 roto (R, HR, TBs, RBI, OBP, SBN – 5 standard + Holds), kept 4 this year, keep 6 next, then keep 8 the following. I had pick 13 out of 14.
Here’s how my team looks…
C – M. Montero (5)
1B – Craig (1)
2B – Ackley (15)
3B – Cabrera*
SS – Castro*
MI – Segura (17)
CI – Hosmer (2)
OF – Hamilton*
OF – Bruce*
OF – Eaton (10)
OF – Span (13)
UT – Cuddyer (16)
BE – Profar (6)
P – Balfour (9)
P – Cook (12)
P – McGee (14)
P – Herrera (18)
P – Pryor (19)
SP – Moore (3)
SP – Dickey (4)
RP – Grilli (7)
RP – Wilhelmsen (8)
BE – Morrow (11)
BE – Estrada (20)
BE -> DL – Beachy (21)
* = my keeper.
A couple notes:
– With this format, most everyone fills out their P slots with middle relievers. The value of mid-level starters is depreciated – guys undrafted include: Cahill, AJ Burnett, Bailey, Garcia, Hanson, McCarthy, Dempster, Ryu, etc – but this set-up also increases the value/importance of having at least a couple bedrock SPs.
– Was hoping to get either Craig or Hosmer at 13 – am stoked to have both, feel very strong at 1b going fwd.
– Once I did that, wanted to go strong with two stud SPs back-to-back and then not worry about my staff.
– Stoked to get Profar! – especially where I did and still able to fill out my team elsewhere.
– No idea why/how (a) I took Span two rounds before Cuddyer, (b) Cuddyer was still there three rounds later (round 16!), (c) … , nor (d) if I should be worried about why he fell so low?
– Leonys Martin went undrafted. Considering our format and my team, would you advocate dropping Pryor (who could get some holds/is my hand cuff to Wilhelmsen) just to have Martin on my bench? Or keep my handcuff/bullpen in tact?
Any other thoughts? Thanks!
Lose Pryor for Martin… The Team looks solid for 14 teams… I don’t love Span there though, think he’s making you a tad light on power… I think he’s going to pull your team down more than anything… He’ll be the first spot to fill in for… Your pitching looks great…
@Grey: Agreed, yeah – I guess I was worried about my SB, but hopefully Segura helps me out there and I can lose Span. Def a brainfart moment mid-draft, though.
And yea, very happy with my pitching – tho I don’t love having both two SPs from the same real-life team, and three AL East starters in general, but c’est la draft…
am starting this real-life baseball rumor …
shelby miller for elvis andrus .
trade would benefit both teams ,
as owner of both the cards and the rangers , would you make this deal ?
Not a bad hypothetical… Don’t see the Cards doing it though…
Thanks Grey. Great stuff, as always. Have you ever considered making an “I Heart Donkeycorns” T-Shirt? A unicorn wearing a beanie would be pretty hilarious.
Ha… Haven’t thought of it, but I’d wear it…
You and me both.
in the 14th-17th round in a typical Yahoo 12 team draft which closers are you targeting?
I’d say holland, axford, broxton, betancourt
I like Axford and Holland a lot… Broxton’s okay, Betancourt is kinda meh…
@Grey:
Thanks Grey – much appreciate the answers to all of my questions.
No problem….
Got a draft coming up next Monday, so I’m trying to get a strategy together. Already have the keepers crossed off of the top 100, but is there any way to get the master top 400 list in a printable form? That would be ideal. If Grey, or anyone else knows how to do it I would be forever in your debt.
Thanks!
@Wilsonian: Email me. sglyonatgmaildotcom
@Steve: emailed you. Thanks buddy.
Not a commentary on your work, Grey, but closers are so much more interesting than catchers. The last time I got excited about a catcher was after I got Javy Lopez off the wire in ’03.
Was the year he was like 36 years old and suddenly hit 40 bombs?
@Grey: “Lopez had his best season in 2003 with a .328 batting average, 43 home runs and 109 RBI in 129 games, including a .378 on-base percentage and a .687 slugging percentage.”
129 games!
I just looked back at my league for that year (I won it, thanks largely to a couple of Phil Nevin hits on the final day), and I traded him towards the end of the season, along with Hank Blalock for Vernon Wells!
Some great names there though. Where have you gone, Rocky Biddle?
Insane year for Lopez… Hank Blalock! Member chata loved him one year?
@Grey: Haha, yeah. Some pretty crazy HR totals from back then for some players. I guess we all know why…
@Steve: wheaties?
@Steve: Yeah, we loved them when they were doing it and hate them now for what they did…
Grey you think keeping Utley @ $9 in a 8 team $26o NL only league is worth it? Or is he too much of a risk? If he didnt play a scarce position I wouldn’t even be thinking about it?
I’d keep him for $8…
@Grey: I sense sarcasm and condescension in that response :o
@Colin: Nope, not at all…
10 team Roto , 8 cat. League. $260 draft 23 each. Pick 5 keepers please: niese 2, greinke 32, hamels 29, Bruce 34, pachecho 1, Barney 1, lee 39, fowler 9, aoki 1. Thanks!
@Rob: Niese, Aoki, Fowler, Bruce, Greinke… These aren’t great…
Perez is down playing his injury to any one who will listen saying things like he would just pitch through it if it was the regular season. Probably should not take his word as the end all be all but since I drafted him about 2 weeks ago in a slow draft im going to start thinking of him as Dr chris perez for my own sanity
@Eric W: Ha.. Gotcha…
10 team 5×5 13 b/9 p/6 bn setup
10. Motte
15. Wilhelmsen
(18. Kenley Jansen)
21. Marmol
Thoughts? Par for the course, good value, or reached?
@Jeff P: Sounds about average
Why the big drops for Janssen and Romo?
@TheNewGuy: Janssen feels discomfort in his elbow, Bochy is already talking about not throwing Romo much…
Grey, always enjoy reading your stuff! I have a keeper question in 10 team, 6×6 league (incl OPS for hitters, K/BB for pitchers and QS instead of W). No restriction or inflation on keepers, can keep forever. To go along with Miggy, J.Upton and Cliff Lee, which two of the following should I keep?
Encarnacion
Ellsbury
Medlen
Gallardo
Profar
D.Jennings
@Steve: Thanks! Encarnacion, Jennings…
5×5 12 teamer 10 man bench.
i know u arent high on either guy but would u rather keep kipnis in the 10th or headley in the 12th??? or wright in the 6th. i’m keeping all pitching so i have nothing for hitters. i can only pick one……
@anarchy burger: Headley
Why are all of the sites so sure that Rivera will return to form and be a top option. I’ve never owned him in the past despite his consistently stellar performances because he always goes to early. If I didn’t invest early on him those years I sure as hell am not going to do it with a 43 year old coming off a major injury.
@Men-in-Cleats:
I agree – Rivera is a donkeycorn at best; way too much risk.
On the other hand, Kimbrel deserves his own category altogether. He’s the filet medallions and gorgonzola over a radicchio medley that a man can order with his head held high.
@tenaciousdeucer: @tenaciousdeucer:
Maybe we need a category for “$35 manly salads” to cover Kimbrel, then.
@Men-in-Cleats: Technically, I don’t draft the top tier, so I wouldn’t touch Mo either…
Any particular reason for the -5 downgrade for Romo? Been (mock) drafting him and Holland to be my 2 “stable” closers at a decent price.
@Adam: Romo’s fine, Bochy said he would give Romo lots of rest, could see him topping off at 30 saves…
@Adam: bochy probably knows everyone will catch up with the fact that he doesnt throw strikes and dances around the strikezone. He’s a mirage
@Jack Full of Hate: Got any numbers to back that up? His Zone% on FanGraphs seems pretty much league average. His slider just results in a LOT of swinging strikes, whether in or out of the zone.
It’s more likely that Bochy has been handed a graph connecting slider% and injury rate, and nobody throws more sliders than Romo..
@Jay29: MLB network says he has the highest strikeout % outside the zone, so like Wilson, he’s just a little mitch who doesn’t have the juevos to go after a hitter. I wouldn’t touch that guy when there lots of better options. Guys that don’t like putting it over the plate will get caught up to and either start walking a lot of batters or getting ripped because they forced to throw strikes.
@Jack Full of Hate: I just told you that he throws it over the plate (Zone%) at about a league average rate, so he’s not about to be “forced to throw strikes.” Hitters can’t hit him when he’s in the zone (Z-contact% below average) nor out of it (O-contact% well below average), which leads to his elite SwStrk%. If anything you could say he could strike out even more guys if he threw even more balls out of the zone.
Wilson is not a very good comparison. He hasn’t gotten batters to swing at balls anywhere near as well as Romo has since 2010 (check their O-swing% numbers — Romo in the high 30’s % last few years, Wilson topped at ~27% in ’10 and ’11).
Unless, you know, you just don’t care about pitch data. Then I’m wasting my time.
@Jay29: two words: injury risk; 3 words: closer by committee…
@Beardcrabs: I agree, you have to project him for about 50 innings, not 70. But when he IS pitching, there’s no reason to expect him to suddenly stink like Jack expects.
@Jay29: I don’t think he stinks, i just won’t own a guy that doesn’t go after batters
@Jay29: I have never finnished below third in all my years, and I have played in varying competitive levels. So you can use your numbers and I will use my observations. They guy is over rated and you can draft him everywhere. I hope you are right
I missed the new article, wow you are working your pants off!
in reference to the acapella group Fallen Angels – mcpherson, kotchman, mathis and wood singing around their burning trashcan on the corner of katella and state college blvd
Goodnight, fantasy baseballers, well it’s time to go,
Goodnight, fantasy baseballers, we couldn’t cut it in the show,
I hate to leave you, but we really can’t play,
Goodnight, fantasy baseballers, goodnight.
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do…
@Jack Full of Hate: Holy crap, where are my pants!? Ha, nice song… Chone Figgins is in the audience holding a lighter…
@Grey: chone is swaying like stevie
He’s got a long flowing white robe on and he’s just let out a cage of pigeons…
@Grey: now this is turning into a weird prince video….I love it
Whoa, Chone is making out with Sheila E…Cool!
@Grey: If that was Giancarlo i would of had to excuse myself
Giancarlo making out with Sheila E is so hot.
@Grey: Get some Apollonia in there.
Like a Greek God that woman…
BTW, you near Christchurch? It was on Amazing Race last night, looked gorgeous…
@Grey: everyday this gets more and more like the fantasy baseball version of the penthouse forum
6 team, 8 keepers per guy. I won last year, so I have last pick of every round this year. OF keepers are braun, kemp, mccutch, harper. dude offered me top 3 picks for mccutch, which would mean kinsler, r zimm, Goldschmidt. pull the trigger or hold on to my uber elite OF?
@Justin: I’d take those three guys for McCutchen…
I missed the reasons for the Romo downgrade as well….
@Rich: Bochy has already stated that he will mix and match like last year in the 9th.
@Rich: What Smokey said…
Marlboro Man?
He could come in, hacking up a lung and steal the job…
@Grey: on another closer note I hate Romo like i did Wilson. I don’t know what they are teaching up there but I never want a Giants closer because they never throw strikes. I think Romo was one of the top guys for swinging strikes out of the zone last year and wilson was the same. They have crap control and get beatters on hard breaking crap that isn’t even close. From a baseball perspective I like my closers that throiw strikes and only have awesome mustaches, not goofy beards. I was so hopeful for Schlereth
I agree… Giants closers seem like they want to make sure there’s at least three guys put on base for every save, and trim that thing up into a stache…
@Grey: stauche is for man, beard is for hippies.
are we going to have an article for players in their walk year like jacoby and choo?
Nah, I don’t believe in the whole walk year thing…
@Grey: not even when its true at least 50% of the time. if i have two comprable players to choose from and one just got paid and one is waiting to get paid, i always take the guy waiting on a contract
Yeah, if it’s strictly a toss up between two guys in those circumstances, but I always think the contract year is played up too much… With some confirmation bias…
@Grey: true on the bias, but I feel that in later rounds, 15 – on, its worth a shot
@Grey: then what about an article debunking or that looks at both sides?
@Grey: I’m thinking point , counter-point type thing where someone calls sky an ignorant slut
I don’t think Sky would argue with that label… Yeah, I could see an article about that… Feels more like a Rudy article… His plate is pretty filled up right now, but I’ll ask him…
BTW, The problem with writing the post is it’s not easy to find a whole list of players who have been in contract years in years past…
@Grey: thanks, seriously
No worries, haven’t done it yet (still have problems collecting the data)….
@Grey: I just come up with ideas, i have no idea how to execute them
Ha… Therein lies the rub…
I’m in a 14 team 5×5 dynasty league and it’s my turn to pick. The guys available are players like Adam Eaton, Chisenhall, Xander Bogaerts, Jonathan Singleton, and Jose Fernandez. Also guys in the Ludwick/Stubbs range. I have one closer (Huston Street) and Perkins, Jannsen, League, and Veras are available. (also Fujikawa) Any suggestions?
I’d take Eaton…
Nah, we’re near the top of the North Island, Christchurch is midway down the South Island – about 600 miles apart.
@Steve: If you’re driving.
Ah… Gotcha… The host is from Christchurch… Back to honeymoon talk, have you been to Bora Bora? Tahiti?
@Grey: Is that Phil Keoghan?
Nah – haven’t been to either. Haven’t done a huge amount of traveling unfortunately. Doubt you could go wrong with either, though. I thought we were going to St Barts?
Nah, I’m between the Seychelles and Bora Bora… Yeah, that is Phil Koeghan, have you heard of him? Is he a big deal down there?
@Grey: Probably not as big as you’d think. He always gets his picture in the paper when he comes home though.
Can’t remember what he was on, but I always found him a bit annoying when he was on TV back in the day…
He’s actually one of the better hosts of reality shows here, but that’s not saying anything… It might be the accent, but he seems to bring a certain respectability…
@Grey: Yeah – the NZ-American mixed accent is not too bad.
It really commands authority… You can say some cock-eyed stuff with that accent and sound brilliant!
I kept Pujols and Bautista from the year prior and given my draft position I’m looking at any of Kinsler, Beltre, Reyes, Wright or A. Jones with my first pick… Thoughts on who to grab given my keepers? I am leaning toward Reyes and then hoping to snag either of Wright/Beltre/Hanley with my second pick (I am somewhat confident at least one will still be there given that some of the teams picking between my first and second picks kept 3Bs from the prior season). Thanks.
I could see going with Reyes and Beltre (or Wright)…
Hey Grey,
So after reading your H2H draft strategy I talked to you about this being my first time playing fantasy baseball(played football for a while) and that my league was doing the horrid autodraft and what I should do then. With that advice I adjusted my draft to reach for some players (since yahoo wasn’t even close to these ranks) and here are the results(12 person league 6×6 H2H points):
Prince Fielder(1st)
Brandon Phillips(2nd)
Aramis Ramirez(3rd)
Josh Rutledge(SS)
Andrew McCutchen(OF)
Adam Jones(OF)
Desmond Jennings(OF)
Paul Goldschmidt(Util)
Shin-Soo Choo(Util)
Jesus Montero(C)
Todd Frazier – Bench
Norichika Aoki – Bench
Josh Reddick Bench
Starting pitching is Greinke, Scherzer, RP is Joe Nathan and Wilhelmsen and then other pitching spots are: Peavy, Milone, Ryu and Estrada. Holland and McCarthy are on the bench.
I feel like I did really well based off of the rankings so I guess my biggest questions are what can I improve on from my draft? Now what do I do since I’ve drafted? haha.
As always thanks in advance and another great article that I’m learning a tons from.
No problem… Does look like you got a very solid team, well played… You should hold the team for right now, while keeping an eye on potential starters to pick up in lieu of some of your bench bats… Reddick would be the fist I’d lose, but I’d hold him for now…
@Grey:
Awesome. Thanks.
No problem…
@Ryan: Batting is good. Do not touch for now.
Pitching looks okay for now. Can be improved during first few weeks of season. Make sure to pay attention to the pitchers on the free agent wire in April.
If you manage well, your team will make the playoffs.
@Wallpaper Paterson: Thanks! What should I be looking for in the FA pitchers? Anything in particular?
Also maybe a dumb question(most likely cause I’m new to this)…but what should I focus on while managing in order to do well? It’s weird because with football they play once a week and here they could play multiple times. So it seems like more managing is definitely needed.
I guess I will need to just see how everything plays out after the first few weeks.
@Ryan: It is H2H points so most of the time you are going to want to maximize your roster spots. If your regular 1B has a day off you will want to use your backup and if you don’t have one, then add one. If one of your pitchers is on the road in a bandbox don’t use him. If your top OF is 1 for 16 against the pitcher he is facing that night, don’t use him. That sort of thing. Basically, stay active.
@Wallpaper Paterson: oh ok. I definitely plan on staying active even if I’m not doing well. I just don’t work any other way!
All this advice is greatly appreciated though.
@Ryan: Make sure to pay good attention to the pitcher scoring the first few weeks. You might find starters are more valuable than relievers or vice versa. You could adjust your staff accordingly after you figure out that stuff.
@Ryan: solid team…
Currently running Frazier at 3rd base in an oPS league
My outfield is Stanton, a jones, Holliday, and choo, pitching top 3 is wainwright, scherzer, and j Zimmerman
K/9 is a category
Would you trade Stanton, jones, and j Zimmerman for miggy c, cespedes, and be upton?
Sounds decent, assuming it’s not a keeper…
@Dough boy: Yes, make that trade.
OK, time for the annual question. The ol’ H2H has LF/CF/RF rather than 3 x OF, so obviously a guy who can play multiple positions gives you some nice roster flexibility.
Is the fact that Trout is LF and CF eligible move him ahead of The Pirate or even Braun as these guys can both only play one outfield spot?
Similarly, Harper is eligible at all three positions – does this give him a boost?
@Steve: It is a boost of some sort. It might not be a huge deal with those players. I think it is more important for the players who will go much later in the draft.
Anyone else here watch “The Following”? What a ridiculous show it is. I will keep watching at this point. You could almost make a drinking game out of this show.
I haven’t seen The Following… I’m thinking about watching The Killing, have you seen it?
@Grey: Many people disliked the first season of The Killing. It lost a lot of its viewership. The second season was a lot better. In my opinion the show is worth watching. “Sayonara Hiawatha” was one of the better lines on a TV program.
Yeah, I’ve heard mixed things on the first season, but some really positive things, as well… Have you seen the Danish original?
@Grey: I have not seen the Danish version.
I don’t want to spoil anything for you. I will just say that season 1 was very frustrating. Season 2 was not. So don’t give up on the show.
Cool, good to know…
Yeah, multi-outfield eligibility gives a small boost…
@Grey: Would it be fair to say that Trout moves ahead of Cutch, but perhaps not Braun?
On reflection, it’s neither here nor there for Harper. Where you have him, I’d be taking him anyway.
Yeah, can bump Trout above Cutch but not Braun…
Ok, I know we shouldn’t pay for saves.
Q: At what point should you overpay for saves if everyone is doing it? i.e. if everyone is drafting closers too early, should I just punt the category (mixed 5×5 with 12 teams) for now and hope to pick up a couple off the pile later?
Everyone would have to draft 3 closers each before the 100th pick for you not to get anyone… You’ll be fine taking two guys later… Grab a Donkeycorn or two or one Brain Freeze and a Donkeycorn…
I really have a hard time ordering the $12 Motte salad when in my opinion Soriano is more of a $12 salad than a donkeycorn. Soriano is on a team that should provide him more save ops, has never blown more than 4 saves in a season and has more closer experience. Motte, who blew 7 last year, hehehe, has always been , in my opinion, someone that can implode quickly and frequently. I am not saying that I would draft either, but for rankings sake, I think you need to put your pants back on and fix the menu.
Guess the whole point of a $12 salad is you don’t want to order them, so it’s working for you… I’d wait until someone drafted Motte and grab Soriano too… Or anyone after the first handful…
@Grey: for me personally, i only like johnson, JJ, handy, league, marmol maybe perkins and street (park love). I have no intention of drafting anyone else either because I don’t trust them or they will cost way too much. Usually I only draft one closer, two most and play sagnof the rest of the way.
Is Motte highly ranked in Yahoo and ESPN? Is that why he is high or is this a true reflection of who you think will be best. i have never thought about your pre-season ranking for closers, is this based on projections, perception, format ranks, what goes into this? i think its such a unique stat to project with the score of the game playing the biggest part in their opportunity and then who/where in the order they face. A guy can look really good for a couple of weeks closing games against the bottom half of the order, if luck works that way, and then get hammered three games in a row either by facing a top of the order or just a damn good team…..I hate saves
Motte is highly ranked… I rank closers a bit like “the closers at the top that people are overrating that you should wait until after they’re drafted,” “the closers that you should draft,” and “the closers that you can draft, but really are miserable.” I hate saves too… BTW, you should watch Enlightened…. Great show, HBO GO it.
@Grey: And you never know where a saves monster is going to come from. Got laughed at for drafting Jim Johnson in my h2h league last year…
Yup, see that…
@Grey: I have been trying to not reveal anyone I like for RCL reasons but closers i just don’t care. They suck and I ‘m sticking to it.
I had Enlightened on in the background last night but didn’t pay attention to it. I’ll check it out. have you caught real husbands of hollywood yet?
Crap, no, not yet… Gonna DVR it right now…
@Grey: there are so many references I want to make, you’re killing me Albright
Master Grey,
Any thoughts on dynasty guys I can stash on my deep roster:
Cook
Capps
Pryor
Hoover
AJ Ramos
Fields
Ambriz
Leroux
Ottavino
ps: I like the font
Thanks, Joe! Cook, (Carter?) Capps, Pryor…
have you watched worst cooks, or as my daughter calls it, worst cookers?
It’s seriously one of her favorite shows and she is only five
@Jack Full of Hate: i forgot to say yet this week?
Your kid has great taste! Yeah, I watched it… I love Carla…
@Grey: the black guy is such a bad plant, same as bowtie boy
Honestly, I’m not sure they’re all not plants, but they’re all so dopey it’s entertaining anyway… The guy grilled cheese by putting cheese on a grill, that was brilliant…
@Grey: one of my all time food network moments, can this guy be that dumb? and he said he was married, who would marry someone that dense?
Yeah, they’re all beyond dense…
Hey Grey, I’m new to the site and was wondering what you thought of this team I drafted:
5×5 – 12 team – H2H (first year playing Fantasy Baseball)
C – Salvador Perez
1B – A-Gon
2B – Kinsler
3B – Headley
SS – Asdrubal Cabrera
OF – McCutchen
OF – Giancarlo Stanton
OF – Pagan
UTIL – Aoki
UTIL – Ramirez
SP – Greinke
SP – Matt Moore
RP – Tom Wilhelmsen
RP – Romo
P – Lincecum
P – C.J. Wilson
P – Hellickson
P – Betancourt
.
@SFG: I think you’re light on power and high on speed… Don’t love most of your starters either… Not crazy about the team…
Ok, Just found this site and love a man who can rock the stats and the ‘stache. Well, not that kind of love…
Anyway, hopefully you aren’t sick of these kind of comments yet but would love some professional advice on my team. League draft is Sat after opening day and is NL only, 12 team, 4×4 league, 260 auction salary cap, no reserve and 5 farm slots. Auction draft and allowed up to 15 keepers from yr to yr. Contracts last 3 yrs with option yr at 5 pts per year after yr 2. I would say that our league tends toward salaries being of the stars/scrubs variety. Here’s my list of keepers I am deciding on…option contract that I have to decide on in parenthesis.
C – Lucroy – 2 (7)
C – AJ Ellis – 3
2b – Rutledge – 7
SS – Desmond – 19
OF – Jay – 5
OF – Eaton – 10
OF – Kemp – 44
OF – Colvin – 2
Pitching gets weird for me but I think I have worked it out…
P – Luebke – 1 (can stash for return but is up for contract to 6)
P – Kendrick – 5
P – Thornburg – 5 ?
P – Gee – 1
I have the option to keep the following – Ruff 10 (waiver wire pickup), M. Adams 10(farm team callup last yr), Teheran 10 (my farm team callup last yr), Beachy 9 (15), Fiers 10, Skaggs 10 (my farm team callup last yr)
I am not leaning toward any of those latter ones above except maybe one of Ruff/Adams depending on the ST outcome. Any thoughts on the list and who I should target if this is my final keeper list? I think I have a decent core to do some damage this yr just need to fill in, but I maybe I just need to clean the food out of my ‘stache and think this thing through again. Thanks for any help you might be able to provide!
@Capt’Stache: Ha… Thanks! From Ruff on aren’t good… I’d let them all go… I think your team is decent going into the draft, but you need pitching and hitting, your team definitely isn’t ready to go into battle….
@Grey:Thanks Grey! I agree I need more but this is just my base keepers or fluffers so to speak. Need the stars waiting on the bed to complete the mission. Hopefully I can tag the right ones in the draft.
Hey Grey, can you write an article on draft position? Your preference in a 10 team league this year? Maybe some stats on which draft positions win a league more often than others? I know it depends on who is managing the team, but there has to be one position that has more success than others. Would be interesting to read. Thanks.
@Chocolate Thunder: Will look into writing it… I like to draft 10 of 10…
Mr Gray: Am I lost in a time warp??? Is today yesterday?? Or even complicating things more, was yesterday the day before that and I am now living life 24 hours back in time??? This is a yesterday’s thread by date – but, today is today, right??
Yesterday evening or whenever, I was doing my daily Razzball linkup meditating on the lack of sense that closers are making to me this season, then Alakazam!!! Bingo!!!!, I wake up yesterday (today???) and here we are mind-melding again with a Closer Blog…. You are a powerful link, Razzman.. So powerful ,you seem to be doing it a day in advance now… And I have to question, do I have control of my own mind any longer???… Have I become just another one of the Razzball bobblehead timeless zombies???
I must admit, reading this didn’t help me in the lack of sense that closers are making to me this season… Sorry… This is not a criticism of your fine work, Mr Gray… I just happen to believe, MLB Closers have gone somewhere no man has ever gone before…
The Detroit Nebula is filled with black holes and space debris – and only one left handed reliever too..
The Met’s system with the death star Frank Francisco at its center is terrifying to all who behold it while being within a 100,000,000 light years of it – regardless of the date or time
The whole of LaLaLand seems to be filled with cannibal closers planets waiting to gobble each other up.. But, I believe, Frieri has the appetite of Jaba the Hut and will consume the entire region to include the Channel Islands and the Dodgers too..
For a long time, the Cubs sector was thought to be in its own universe… But now, the Tribe has seen fit to crash into it – together they have created one giant multiverse of confusion… It is so hard to view the 2 combined that the Hubble Telescope cracked when turned that way..
HELP ME!!! THE CLOSERS ARE KILLING ME!!!!
Signed, Lost in Space and Time now
P.S. Have you ever considered dating telepathically, Mr Gray???…
@T Moore: The Detroit Nebula? Does that pass through 8 Mile? I haven’t dated telepathically before, but would consider it for the right girl…
I’m in a 6×6 (OPS and K/BB) league and was looking over auction values. Based on past history, I think players like Braun, Cabrera, and Cano will go for around $50. Players like Adam Jones and Ryan Zimmerman will probably go for around $25. Which of the following sides would you prefer:
1) Miguel Cabrera + Norichika Aoki OR Ryan Zimmerman + Adam Jones?
2) Robinson Cano + Adam Jones OR Ian Kinsler + Ryan Braun?
3) Robinson Cano + Ryan Zimmerman + Adam Jones OR Danny Espinosa + Miguel Cabrera + Ryan Braun?
@Lastros: 1) Jones 2) Cano 3) Miggy
Hey man, hate to post an unrelated keeper topic on a closer thread… but I see I’m not the first, so what the hell?
Up to $65 to use for keepers, I’m sold on McCutch at $27, Salvador Perez at $5 and Cueto at $5
How would you use my remaining $28?
Wainwright – $18
Samardzija – $8
Matt Harvey – $5
Rollins – $8
Ike Davis – $7
Fister – $5
(also worth noting I could keep Longoria at $29 if I decided NOT to keep Perez or Cueto… but their value seems way too good to let go of)
@Nate: Harvey, Davis, Rollins, Samardzija
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@T Moore: You selling my closer board? Am I getting a piece of the $43.89? I hope so… Why I oughta!
This is the best site I have come across. I love your humor and you make some great points.
This is the best site I have come across. I love your humor and you make some great points.
Thanks!
I am in a roto league and 5 by 5 head to head league 10 -12 teams max. Should I have different drafting strategies?
Grey–
I know when you posted this section you advised to take Pestano over Perez. I am in a mixed 5×5 where I have the option of freezing Perez @ $7 or Pestano @ $1.
Freeze 1 or both (if I freeze both the other freeze I am giving up is Morales @ $13).
Thanks.
Freeze Perez… Don’t bother with both… Pestano is over him for saves for right now, that could change by April 15th….