Fernando Tatis Jr. made the team. Did not see that one coming. Don’t own him anywhere. To which you now say, “Tough Tatis.” Wow. I’m stunned. Good for the Padres! This is not good for the Luis Urias, who I’ve lowered in my top 20 2nd basemen. Possibly bad news for Ian Kinsler too, but owning Ian Kinsler in fantasy was bad news for you anyway. Here’s what I said earlier in the preseason on Tatis, “Fernando Tatis Jr. was born in 1999. Recently, it was announced Acuña was so young he didn’t know who Mickey Mantle was, well, Tatis Jr. is so young he doesn’t know who Mike Trout is. Dude was born like a minute ago, and not a minute as it’s defined in Urban Dictionary, which is a long time, but an actual minute. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s dad is so young he didn’t even use charcoal as his medium; he used MS Paint. Tatis Jr. looks like an All Star ready to happen, until the 75th round draft pick, Albert Pujols Jr., comes along and replaces him. Jokes aside, Tatis looks damn near perfect. A lanky Machado maybe, a young Hanley possibly. Like something Ryan Brasier would cover, Tatis looks real and spectacular. I’d say the difference him and his pops is the difference between Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr., but Ken Sr. wasn’t that bad. How about this, the difference between Tatises (Tatii?) is the difference between J.D. Martinez and J.D. Martinez Sr. Was there a J.D. Martinez Sr.? No idea, but that’s the point. FTJ is going to be special. Now Fun the Jewels fast! Now Fun the Jewels fast! Now Fun the Jewels fast!” And that’s me quoting me! I love him, guys and five girl readers, and you need to own him in all leagues. Immediately. He has some swing-and-miss tendencies, due to his age, so I conservatively projected him up to around 18/18/.250, but, honestly, he could be so much more. He was also moved up my top 20 shortstops, if you’re into that sorta thing. Anyway, here’s what else I saw in spring training for fantasy baseball:
Eloy Jimenez – Will start the year in the majors. What a time to be alive. Baseball fixed itself in the matter of three days. Thank you, Baseball Gods. You are most benevolent, like a charity giving dogs to doctors called Doctors Without Border Collies. I bumped Eloy’s projections and moved him up in my top 100, top 500 and top 40 outfielders.
Tom Murphy – Claimed by the Giants, along with Erik Kratz.
*squints to read Giants’ team slogan* “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” https://t.co/pYwWx84KFY
— Razzball (@Razzball) March 25, 2019
Justin Upton – Will open season on the IL due to turf toe, which is also what my Chia Pet Bernie Sanders has. I didn’t change Upton’s projections, but he’s likely to miss about 10-14 days.
Nick Senzel – In a walking boot, due to unpaid parking tickets. I haven’t adjusted Senzel’s playing time in my rankings; he could still be up May/June.
Enrique Hernandez – Won the Dodgers’ 2nd base job. I adjusted him and Chris Taylor in my top 20 1st basemen, top 20 2nd basemen, top 20–You get the point, they’re eligible everywhere. I bought Hernandez for $8 in Tout Wars, while Taylor went for $15. A’la Drake, “Kiké, do you love me?”
Steve Pearce – Will start year on IL. Red Sox don’t need him until the playoffs, anyhow.
Steven Souza – Has a torn ACL, LCL, PCL and won’t be back in the MMXIX.
Dan Straily – Released by the Marlins. Why does it feel like it took Jeter a year to realize he could make any moves he wanted? Bully for finally figuring it out, I suppose. By the by, end a sentence with “I suppose” when you really want to nail home how confident you are. I added Caleb Smith, Pablo Lopez and Trevor Richards into the top 100 starters. I realize it was a bit late in the game to be doing that, so I’m going to be refunding everyone the zero dollars they spent on my rankings. Grand apologies!
Spencer Turnbull – Made the Tigers rotation, which is either a positive on Turnbull or a negative on the Tigers rotation, depending on whether or not you’re Spencer Turnbull. After he pitches, it might be a negative for him too. This feels like news that was blown out of proportion because there were no real games going on. If this were May (month, not Trevor) and Turnbull was promoted to the rotation, you’d see his stats and never give him another thought. Because he had a nice spring, he’s on watchlists. The Prospect-o-Nator, that projects every rookie, hates him. I don’t disagree.
Brian Goodwin – Released by the Royals as Terrance Gore made the team. Can’t wait for the Royals to bring on Terrance Gore to pinch-run for Billy Hamilton. Like the speed equivalent to Crocodile Dundee’s “that’s not a knife” gambit.
Lucas Duda – Royals purchased his contract. So, officially, they’ve contracted Duda. There’s no known cure.
Carlos Martinez – Hit the IL with a rotator cuff strain. Since his arm was in a sling all spring, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. For everyone out there that thought he was in a sling because he was the Queen of the Spring Sling Ball, sorry to disappoint you. Be a bigger surprise if he throws more than 60 IP this year. I kinda feel like I should just remove him from my rankings, but bleh.
Willians Astudillo – Made the Twins Opening Day roster. Hashtag Twinning!
Austin Wynns – Hit the IL with an oblique strain. Hashtag Wynns’ing!
Mark Trumbo – Will miss the first two months of the season with a knee injury. It was a bad week for knees for guys with last names that sound like they’re at band camp. He was updated in the top 100 outfielders.
Alex Cobb – Hit the IL with a small groin…. *pauses for effect, waits ten minutes, then* ….injury.
So happy about Eljoy. There was just no reason to keep him down. I like Tatis, but I didn’t want to spend a 18th on him – now I’m not so sure but rookies that young in pitchers parks concern me. I think he’ll be inconsistent & might hit low in the order…meh. We’ll see, but it feels like it’s a year early for him. I’m happy to see a team play their young stud though. Padres might be a dark horse in a very questionable NLWest.
What are your thoughts on Julio Urias? Any chance he sticks or is he for sure gone when others come back from injury? I added him to stream early,.
Looks like Urias is going down, in a non-sexual way.
You have the wrong It has. Dodgers Urias is in the rotation for now. Padres Urias headed to AAA.
I don’t disagree with Tatis, it does feel a year early, but it’s great to see Padres play him and who knows… Urias can only throw about 100 IP this year, many more IP than that and it’s not good
:::Sad souzaphone sound::
Ah well, I’ll use him for his 2-start week next period and see how he does. Seems like a nice streamer at least.
Ha
In case you were wondering what the sad souzaphone sound was, it’s auite different than a sad trombone. It sounds like “agh! my knee!”
Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Tip your webmaster, try the veal.
Haha
Y! 12 auction 5×5, and I really planned out my entire team for the most part. Anyhow Tatis Jr. is available and I am stuck on making a move. I’d drop my Catcher for sure, but I think I may need one! Your advice?
C – Castillo
1B – Hoskins
2B – Baez
3B – Shaw
SS – Mondesi
OF – Springer/Bellinger/Gallo
Util – Inciarte/Peraza/Renfroe/T.Anderson/Ohtani
SP – Bauer/Corbin/Marquez/Happ/Castillo/Lucchesi/Hill/Ryu
RP – Alvarado/Strickland
I know… I got greedy on SP when they overpaid for RP. I’m hoping to turn one or two, and if Ohtani would just have IL next to his name already I wouldn’t have a problem at all.
I wouldn’t wait on Ohtani’s status getting updated to IL. Drop Renfroe or Anderson and enjoy the Tatis!
Agree with bigbear, cut Renfroe for Tatis before its too late…
Agree with others
Damn. I have zero shares in five leagues. I would have bet u he wouldn’t be up until September. Oh well I doubt he sets the world on fire this year especially average and Obp but I do wish I owned him in my keeper leagues. So with all these youngsters hitting the mlb and so far with great results . How long till we see wander Franco
I’m shocked too about Tatis, figured a cup of coffee in Sept, but good for Padres… Wander seems more like a name for 2021
Maybe next year if he progresses naturally this year
Been playing fantasy baseball for almost 20 years, and have been enjoying your columns since I 1st became aware of Razzball (seems like 10 years, but at my age I may be off a few years), and while thoroughly enjoying your pearls of wisdom, and great sense of humor, I always remained top heavy starting pitching through thick and thin.
For my last (and most expensive) draft of this year, I actually tried to follow your script, so to speak.
I was going to attempt to draft 3 hitters to start (picks 4,21, and 28), and then go after starters. Started with Yelich, and was planning on Machado (best laid plans), and as happened about 1/2 dozen times in this 12 team, 30 round draft(7 bench players), Machado was snagged as I was gleefully about to draft him. Though 6 starters were already off the board, I bypassed Nola and Snell (and Kluber), hoping 1 would be there at 28, and drafted Goldschmidt. They were gone by 28, and I “reached for Buehler, as I felt that I couldn’t wait until 45.
Flaherty (who I wanted was gone at 45, and instead of Rendon or K.Davis, I took Mondesi. I can honestly say that I never thought that I’d be drafting him this year. Man, do I hope you’re dead on with him.
I ended up with Taillon at 52 (Clevinger taken right in front of me again); Yates as my 1st closer in the 8th; jumped early on Bieber (10th), Lucchesi(14th), Maeda (15th), Musgrove (18th), F. Peralta (25th), and took a shot on Heaney with pick 309.
Hopefully I’ll be in contention, despite sleeping on the Tatis news (went 230). Took Hicks for my 2nd closer, and May/Parker (for now) as my 3d.
Sorry for the length, but still wired, and wanted to hear your thoughts, at least on the pitching end of my draft.
Best to Delete this before Cram sees it!
Grimey!!!
How true and correct
Are you, Frank!
Go Giants!
Cheers,
Ante
I feel asleep half way through.
My bad, I was still wired after the draft.
Team:
c) Grandal
c)Alafaro
1b) Goldy
2b)Glyber
ss)Mondesi
3d)Andujar
mi)McNeil
ci)Chapman
of) Yelich-Ozuna-Kepler-Laureano-Soler
util)Smoak
sp)Buehler-Taillon-Bieber-Lucchesi-Maeda-Musgrove
rp)Yates-Hicks-May
bench)F. Peralta-Heaney-Parker-Palka-Kiermaier-C.Taylor-Kinsler
You did fine. Especially if your league is streamer friendly/agnostic. Buehler was a beast last year. I bet you still have some solid upsidey arms in the FA pool. The Woodruff/Strahm’s of the world. When you start stressing your SPs, take a look at your hitters for some therapy.
Nice! Thanks! Team seems solid, hard to follow exactly what the team looks like tho
Sorry for the rant.
The following are FA in my roto league
1. Pivetta
2. Woodruff
3. Glasnow
Should I drop Stripling for either of them or are these guys going to kill my ratios? Stripling seems the odd man out when Kersh and Hill are both back.
Rest of rotation- Marquez, Clevinger, Buebler, Flaherty, Strahm
dude, run to get Glasnow now. I’d drop Strahm for me, but that’s just me.
Hold Stripling, yeah he might be the odd man out when they are all healthy but they might not be ALL healthy at any point this season.
I’d get Pivetta asap personally and drop Strahm
and also try to find room for Glasnow, not sure what your bench bats look like or how deep the league is
I hear you on the Dodger rotation, but they have a lot of depth for SP that they will use. Also, Razzball projections show Strahm with better ratios and more K and QS than Stripling and Strahm has a guaranteed rotation spot – at least until they trade for a top line starter at some point.
6 or a 1/2 dozen… while both have upside, both have some warts. I lIke Strahm but he will have limited innnings and it’s the Pads (albeit who are better this year) so i think the W’s will be limited as well, and Strahm was a bullpen guy until they stretched him out so i’m guessing he won’t be going deep into games either (for QS leagues). Stripling has more seasoning and he’s on the Dodgers but not quite the upside (or downside) or Strahm.. You’re staff is solid so you can take a little risk. While Pivetta is enticing, he’s a whipping boy until he proves otherwise
What bench bat options do you have to drop? If those are you’re only SPs, then you have to have a few bench bats (or a ton of RPs).
I’d drop Stripling for Glasnow. Strahm’s upside is fun and seems like a shallower league, so, I’d like to see how his early season works out.
Tough decisions, agree with what B_Don said
All seem like coin flips at this stage in a league where those guys are available
AL only 10 teamer, OBP over average, net steals over steals, total bases added.
C jansen
1B gallo (OF)
2B altuve
3B r.nunez (but it’s looking like he’s the bad side of platoon to rio ruiz now)
SS villar (2B)
MI harrison
CI kendrys
OF (4): a.gordon, mullins, grichuk, bauers (1B)
util (1):
BN
DL (5): upton/otani
NA (1) vlad
who are my adds out of these (probably should grab rio ruiz, could hold both BAL guys till either this is figured out or this platoon sticks or vlad is up):
rio ruiz, naquin, hanram, lastella (playing over fletcher now), duda, c.davis, dj stewart (supposedly batting 2nd against righties)
i got 2 adds here. me thinky rio ruiz and naquin.
Sounds fine. I might take a shot on Hanley over Rio Ruiz…
They talked about you in this league
Did Ruiz make team over Renato? Hadn’t heard yet… I agree with DT, Hanley over Ruiz either way prolly
What about the Vlad placeholder (Drury) or Jeimer Candelario for 3B?
Seems like both Nunez and Ruiz will make the O’s. Nunez hasn’t figured out what the glove hand is for yet. And Ruiz hasn’t figured out the bat… I’d go with Nunez and make a sacrifice to the fantasy overlords…
i would’ve listed drury or candleman if available. you can be pretty sure when i’m talking about rio ruiz i’d have mentioned those first if i could get them.
hanram over ruiz is fine, but i need a 3B that plays, if that takes 2 roster slots that sucks for me, but it seems necessary. could go hanram and ruiz though, move gallo to OF when needed. naquin would i guess be the 3rd choice here.
Was Rio announced as O’s 3B?
Grey!!!
Great Tatis update report!
a. So true on Trumbo and band camp. I heard Christ Davis is rippin’ up sh*t too in ST. He could have one of those career years out of the blue just like Brady Anderson had, ‘member in 1996. Joking!
b. Can’t wait for the start! Going nuts.
c. Abbott and Costello quote of the day for March 27
[From One Night in the Tropics, 1940]
Bud Abbott: Have you got two tens for a five?
Lou Costello: Yeah.
Bud Abbott: There we are. There’s your ten.
Lou Costello: [irritated] Come on, come on!
Bud Abbott: What’s the matter with you? Something wrong?
Lou Costello: Yeah, fifteen dollars went south!
Bud Abbott: What do you mean?
Lou Costello: You give a lot of fast talk! You say, “give me two tens for a five” and I give it to you.
Bud Abbott: Oh, you did? Wise guy! Okay, here’s your five, give me back my two tens.
Lou Costello: That’s better.
Bud Abbott: Now get out of here.
Cheers,
Ante
A. Haha B. Let’s go! C. I remember this one… I have a few favorites, will be nice to read them again
The anticipation for who’s on 1st is very high
HA!
I like some of their other ones better
Grey!!
a. Thanks, man! There’s a longer version of this same sketch where he actually takes Costello for an additional 15$. The premise is pretty cool and has been the basis for cons ever since. On when to post the Who’s on First paradigm, if I do it during the ASB, everyone will be gone fishing. You all just have to stay alert.
b. Just got back from ‘advanced for beginners’ Chinese class. Are you confused as I am on the ‘advanced for beginners’ part? I just discovered that there are two, more or less classes – one for people planning to work in tourism and then one for people planning to work in business/commerce. The one for tourism is the beginner course and the one for business/commerce is the advanced one. In fact, people progress from the tourism one to the business/commerce one. All I have to say is this.
1. The method of learning is learning by rote. Listen, repeat, memorize. You have to be pretty good with it to get by or have a general knowledge baked in.
2. The teacher just whips over how individual students intone the Chinese words. She doesn’t really correct us. There is one student who is completely hopeless but the teacher says she did well. I guess it’s good for her confidence but when she’s tested at the end of the 10-week course there’s no way she’ll pass.
The level of Chinese being taught is ultra low, yet this is supposed to be advanced. I’m not sure if I’m not wasting my time or not. It’s good to get out of the house and go for a walk (it’s exactly 18 minutes from door to door along this promenade that’s right on the coast), downhill on the way there, uphill on the way back. I’ll slug it out – grin and bear it like Dave Henderson.
c. What’s new in baseball? What’d I miss?
Cheers,
Ante
A. Hard call when to drop it B. I wouldn’t even know where to begin, that would be the hardest thing I’d ever do in my life C. Lindor is hurt again
Grey!!
Sorry to bring it up, just read the story. Tough break but maybe it’s nothing. Like I have sprained or strained or I have no idea what to my ankle. Seriously, have walked off a curb reading a book and didn’t land properly, had my foot run over by a forklift (the forklift operator didn’t see me behind him when he went into reverse because he didn’t look AT ALL!! Isn’t that the first thing they teach you in drivers’ ed – look in the direction where you’re going!!!) and then aggravated the same injuries a dozen times. I went to one clinic they said ice it down (the inflammation) and stay off it for 2 days. Unsatisfied with this diagnosis, I went to a Chinese doctor and he said exactly the reverse – deep heat and make sure I flex the joint often. So, yeah. Hopefully he gets back really soon after April 15.
Otherwise, it looks like all lineups have been fleshed out so to speak. Tough call for Luis Urias, he’s probably done in SD. Can’t see him coming up unless an injury comes up or Tatis fails to hit.
Cheers,
Ante
That story of your ankle injury sounds like you were Mr. Magoo… Did you ever accidentally walk up a scaffolding?
Grey!!
The skinny on that job at Consumers Glass Co. Inc. follows.
1. My first job during the summer of my sophomore year in college was Tank Teaser. Yes, I would come up to a tank and tease it – aha, your mother wears army boots. Nah. stupid name for just someone who opens up tanks filled with a mixture of 50% recycled glass and 50% sand into hoppers that feed into a furnace operating at 5000F. That was a great job. Paid 14$ /hour and you did jack sh*t. Like I was on my feet for 10 minutes (on average) of every hour. Did that job my sophomore year and junior year of college.
2. In my senior year they didn’t have work in the control room, so I took a job in the ‘blow room’. Oh, boy what a name for a unit and they had 1 woman working there (well, she was one mean and tough woman but they still gave her the full woman’s discrimination treatment like you wouldn’t believe).
3. Well as it turns out, even though I did graduate from college the job market was pretty bad so guess what? I came running to Consumers Glass Co. Inc. to see if they had any summer work. They said none in the control room and none in the blow room. How about in the basement? Seriously, like a page out of Dante’s 9 circles! So if you’ve followed thus far…The glass/sand mixture goes into a large hot furnace in the control room on the second floor, that molten mixture gets shot into each part of a machine in the blow room on the first floor and then all glass bottles and all kinds of broken glass and shards of glass falls through the mesh wire floor into the basement where I got to shovel it and put it into a large metal bin. I swear the training my muscles got that summer was the best lesson they ever got. So, yeah. I’m in the basement I load up the bin and then the forklift operator takes it away into the back of the factory where they reload it into the next mixture for your next bottle of beer. And somehow he managed to reverse onto my foot. Luckily I wore steel-toed boots, didn’t help much ’cause the forklift just kind of flattened out the metal cap. Such is life.
Cheers,
Ante
2. I bet! Haha 3. Ouch! Is your toe still flat?
Quick hits : 14 teams keeper : Tatis worth #1 waiver pick ?
YES!