Confession alert! I’m not the only one deciding who to write up for the fantasy baseball rookies. Prospect Itch is puppeteering me into writing about guys who he thinks will be making 2022 impacts. Let’s not discuss where Itch’s hand is to puppeteer me, but let’s just say it doesn’t itch, per se. Joe Ryan? Well, I might’ve wrote up Joe Ryan even if I were parasailing on my own down the cliffs of 2022 fantasy baseball rookies, looking for a place to land, but Itch is puppeteering–Hey, that’s my lower intestine, Itch. Yes, right there. Geez. Okay, first, let’s see what I’ve already said in The Hunt for No October starring Joe Ryan:
In a deep Scottish accent, the Twins’ Triple-A manager said, “You’re comin’ up tae join th’ club, Joe Ryan. Ur ye excited?”
Joe Ryan paused, then asked, “What are you saying?”
“Aam Sean Connery an’ aam daein’ a Scottish accent. Ur ye excited, certainly, Jack Ryan?”
He scratched his head, then, “Huh? Oh. My name’s Joe Ryan.”
So, Joe Ryan was called up to start on Wednesday, and I settled in to watch. He was one of the pieces the Rays sent to the Twins for Nelson Cruz. Since the Rays sent him away, I expect he’ll spontaneously combust during his next start or suddenly lose command of his pitches and return in 2022 as a middle infielder in Rookie Ball. If that doesn’t happen, we should all be super interested. I’m intrigued, y’all! He looks like every great command pitcher, who can also induce strikeouts. Prospect Itch said of Ryan, “I have high hopes for Joe Ryan, another dynasty trade target if you can get a decent price. His 30+ K-BB percentage across three levels in 2019 was pretty loud, but some of the clamor might’ve died down since Ryan was kept under training site wraps for all of 2020. His best trait is a true-spin four-seamer he can command across the zone, and that’s a great base from which to build an arsenal in today’s game. Tampa’s coaches have praised Ryan for his aptitude for new pitches and approaches, particularly his feel for spin. I get giddy just thinking about him and punching Grey.” Okay, not cool! Ryan continued to carve up hitters in Triple-A this year while maintaining elite command: 11.8 K/9, 1.6 BB/9 in 57 IP. This is potentially as good a prospect arm call-up as we’re getting the rest of the year.” And that’s me quoting me quoting Itch! So, what can we expect from Joe Ryan for 2022 fantasy baseball?
Guys and five ladies, I’m supercharged up about Joe Ryan. I kinda secretly hate rookie pitchers, but Joe Ryan, who is surprisingly not from the Crimson Tide, is pure filth, and filth is good, to misquote Guy Frieri. Ha, just had a thought, imagine Guy Frieri in some grimy diner, saying, “This place is pure filth, and filth is good!” Any hoo! Let me show you some Joe-lan Ryan clips:
Joe Ryan, Filthy Sliders. ? pic.twitter.com/5gkRFDECKv
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 9, 2021
You’ve seen the slider, now let me show you the gas ball:
Joe Ryan gets Ian Happ swinging for his first MLB strikeout! pic.twitter.com/ZFHLVMsX55
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 2, 2021
The fastball registers there at 94, but that might’ve been 1st-inning-in-the-majors adrenaline, because he usually registers around 91-92 MPH on his fastball. As you can see, it’s deceptive — hidden well, and coming out “low.” Has 2.1 inches of horizontal break more than average on the 4-seamer. No special amount of spin. That pitch though, that four-seamer accounts for most of its success coming from his three-quarters arm angle. Twins’ pitching coach Wes Johnson said, “One of the things we’ve found through science is hitters anticipate an arm slot or hand movement. If a guy throws sidearm, they anticipate arm-side run and sink. Any time they see that slot that’s lower, innately, they’re going to anticipate some sink and run. … His actually doesn’t.” I lean more as an East Johnson guy, but Wes makes sense.
In the big picture/pitcher, he’s about the command, and it’s as beautiful as advertised. The zone% on his pitches would’ve been 45.9%, or 5th in the league if he qualified. Obviously, he didn’t qualify because he only was in the league for 26 2/3 IP. By the way, in those MLB innings, he had 10.1 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 0.79 WHIP (!!!), and a 3.43 FIP. Bit too in the Zone% because he gave up a few homers, but those numbers are ace-like. I wouldn’t expect better peripherals from Shane Bieber as far as K/9 and BB/9. 10+ and 1+ absolutely works. And by “works,” I mean it f*cks. Rookie pitchers are the devil incarnate with their blowups, but Joe Ryan has the makings of a ‘safe’ rookie starter, due to his command. He just needs to avoid giving up some three-run homers. Since he was up (waaaaaaaaaaas upppppppppppp) already, I’m just going to assume he starts the year with the Twins. For 2022, I’ll give Joe Ryan projections of 8-9/3.81/1.12/166 in 152 IP, which are excellent rookie pitcher projections.
This is the coolest thing I’ve seen in awhile-
Vin Scully
@TheVinScully
Would you believe in the year Hank Aaron passed away, the
@braves
won 44 games before the All-Star break, 44 games after the break, and won the World Series the 44th week of the year. Aaron, of course, wore #44. Maybe the Braves had a secret weapon after all.
Wow, that is cool
Damn. Two more candidates for the Mets GM “job” have declined. People I’ve never even heard of. This must be a universally perceived toxic organization within the baseball world. The only real candidates might be last year’s interns from the Pirates. I bet every front office in baseball is cracking jokes.
After much deliberation, I am also choosing to decline the job
Next up, Clint Hurdle and Bud Black!
Might break camp in Twins rotation with his solid pitchability and command of a quality mix. Hides the ball well with his deceptive delivery with plus movement. Nice feel for changing speeds maximizes his 4 seamer further, which can be a very tough pitch up in the zone. Believe he will hold his own and then some. Great choice Grey, solid read
Thanks! Agree with you!
Thanks for the great piece on Joe Ryan.
10 team standard 5×5 AL only roto – with each of the following players having an $8 keeper price , please rank your preference for 2022 (keeper prices inflate by $5 thereafter if that’s a consideration as well): Joe Ryan, Adolis Garcia, Akil Baddoo. I tend to favour hitting over pitching generally, but really digging in on Ryan
Thanks! Adolis, Ryan
Joe Ryan always reminds me of the crazy step brother from Stranger Things: https://images.app.goo.gl/GwEMJ3HvaQ6wtpDN6
Ha!
Rumor is that he’s going to be the new wolverine
Haha
waaaaaaaaaaaaaas upppppppppppp?
It was nice to a visual of Joe Ryan. Every time before this, when I read about him or did my research I pictured Tom Cruise fighting in the street.
Like Ante, I have a slow draft in a 12 team dynasty, but not until December and it’s tradtional roto. But I am scared Grey. Real scared. Of not getting a 3B.
If I can’t land Ramirez or Devers early I feel 3B really drops off. Machado might be a possibility in the 3rd or 4th since it’s dynasty, but I will probably have other targets at that time. It feels like this is a real possibility for redrafts next spring also. Have you thought about back up plans for 3B yet and who to target at 3B after those top 3 guys are gone?
Really been thinking about your philosophy on SP in their 3rd year as a year it clicks. I’m not touching him, but I hope this holds true for Brady Singer. His refusal to use his 3rd pitch was a concern, whether it was just being defiant or lack of confidence in the change up. I hope it’s something he addresses this offseason and we see that 3rd year jump!
Thank you as always.
Thanks!
3rd base wasn’t pretty at the year end…I don’t mind those top guys, then I’d look at guys like India, Urias, Edman, Jeimer, Chapman…Not that order, but those kinda names
Singer feels so close, agreed…I wonder where the command is
3B Austin Riley
Yeah, him too…My list wasn’t all-inclusive like a Sandals Resort
lol Im sure that is funny, but I have never heard of Sandals Resort
Sandals! Haha, it’s a terrible resort
in the clip above, he blows the heater past Ian Happ. Didn’t everybody get Ian Happ out?
Not in the last two months of the season
Grey!!
Awesome!
a. Prepping for my draft on Monday. (4×4, free, 12-teamer).
[TB, RC, SB, OBP] x [K/9, WHIP, SV+H, QS]
1. First 3-4 rounds (I’m 9th in the snake draft)
This list is in no order. If I got 3 out of these guys in the first 3 rounds will die with a smile on my face.
Soto
VGJ
Shohei
Trea
Bryce
JoRam
St Marte
K Marte
Bichette
Acuna
Tucker
Wander
LouRob
Betts
Trout
Judge
Freeman
Cron
Yordan
Bogaerts
Reynolds
Devers
2. Excluded from top 7 rounds
Salvy (won’t repeat)
Mullins (won’t repeat)
Correa (contract, won’t repeat)
Semien (contract)
Teoscar (no walks in this format=no good)
3. Rounds 4-5
Hendriks
Hader
Iglesias
4. Rounds 6-7
Brujan
Duran
JLowe
Jake Meyers
Ashby
Houck
Ryan
Baz
Whitlock
5. Rounds 8-10
Just started with this list this AM
Olson
Goldie
Stanton
JMart
BLowe
India
Gurriel
Alonso
Thoughts?
b. Have a nice weekend.
c. Norm MacDonald quote of the day for Wake for 5 November 2021
‘Newly-elected Governor Pataki wants to bring back the death penalty. First up? Mayor Rudy Giullliani!’
d. Norm MacDonald quote of the day for 5 November 2021
‘The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises not to eat too much turkey during the holiday as it causes drowsiness. That’s too bad I like to drive around after eating a big turkey dinner so I can sober up.’
e. Marx Brothers quote of the day for November 2021
‘Give or take a few years, I was born around the turn of the century. I won’t say which century. Everyone is allowed one guess. We had a crowded household in our Yorkville Shangri-la on New York’s Upper East Side. In addition to the five brothers-Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo and Zeppo, in the order of our age-there were my mother and father (in fact, they got there before we did), my mother’s father and mother, an adopted sister and a steady stream of poor relations that flowed through our house night and day. They came for laughs, they came for food and they came for advice. I don’t know who paid for the food. It must have been the local markets, for we moved from one Yorkville precinct to another as often as a gypsy caravan. In those days you could move all your possessions for ten bucks, and this was much cheaper than paying the bills. At any rate, there always seemed to be enough to feed everyone. Whatever our visitors came for, they always came to my mother-never to my father. She advised them about their love lives, where to find jobs and how to stay out of trouble. She engineered loans when they needed money. How she did it was always a source of wonder to me, but she invariably came through. She patched up marriages that were foundering and she outtalked the landlord, the grocer, the butcher and anyone else to whom we owed money. Her maneuvers were a triumph of skill, chicanery and imagination.
Cheers,
Ante
4. I don’t mind Meyers, but that seems kinda high for him, same kinda with Josh Lowe – I’d prolly shore up my pitching around there
5. This group looks better then group 4…Brujan is okay, but I don’t see the need to reach for some of those rookies…Just get solid guys who are young vs. reaching for prospects
C. Ha
Grey!!
So Burnes, Woodruff. Got it!
Cheers,
Ante
Yup, No problem
Ante, where on Fantrax did you find slow drafts? I cant seem to find any
MP!!
Got lucky. Keep looking.
Cheers,
Ante
I have an opening in a 12 team, dynasty slow draft if you’re interested. Yahoo settings on fantrax.
Email me if you want to know more [email protected]
1. No Albies, M. Olsen, Eloy? I am high on Ketel, Cron & Reynolds too, but may consider those 3. Food for thought brother. Good luck Ante!
Picked him up near the end of the season in my keeper league. Needless to say (but I’m going to say anyway) he’s going to be one of my keepers!
Nice!
Wow. Love this one I’ve got him on my Radar
Thanks!