Before you accuse Jose Tabata of leaning into a pitch with two outs and Max Scherzer on the brink of a perfect game, let’s take you back to 2009. The then 19-year-old Jose Tabata was with his wife, the 54-year-old, Conchita Alonso Rivera Consuela Charlynn Torres, and she was pregnant. Conchita etc. would tell Jose to lean into her belly to hear the baby, and Jose leaned. At supermarkets, at carnivals, at the car wash, Conchita etc. asked Jose to lean and listen, and he did. Of course, there was no baby in her belly, it was actually a Betsy Wetsy doll that she shoved under her shirt. Later when Conchita etc. was arrested for falsifying a pregnancy and kidnapping a baby for Jose and her to raise as their own, they would meet at the glass partition in prison and she would tell Jose to lean in. Times were good, Jose leaned in. Times got rough, Jose leaned in. So, on Saturday, when the Pirates were one out from having a perfect game thrown against them, Jose did what he always did — he leaned in. After that no hitter, Max Scherzer has a 10.8 K/9, 1.2 BB/9 and a 1.76 ERA. So, yeah, he’s a top three starter, if not the best this year, and he is amazing. No kidding; hey, sorta like Tabata and his wife! (There is a lot more truth in this opening paragraph than you’d likely ever imagine. Just Google “Tabata wife” if you don’t believe me. Happy belabored Father’s Day, Tabata!) Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:
Gio Gonzalez – 7 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 4 Ks, ERA down to 4.41. This game was simply because you dropped him. Don’t look behind you, I mean you. Gio sends his thanks, and he hopes you pick him back up, so he can repay you with a 3 IP, 6 ER effort.
Yunel Escobar – 2-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs and his 4th homer, hitting .331, which is the 4th best batting average in the NL. If you jumped out of a DeLorean in March and told me Yunel would be doing this, I’d say, “This is the crap info you bring from the future? What about stocks to buy? Teams to bet on? Information I can do anything with?”
Bryce Harper – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 24th homer, hitting .345 with a .473 OBP. Trout, Giancarlo, Goldschmidt and Harper, that’s the top 4 next year, right? Is there anyone else even in discussion?
Charlie Morton – 2/3 IP, 9 ER. At Morton’s in DC, it was free filet mignon for all Nationals.
Kevin Gausman – 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 baserunners, 1 K in his first start of the season. Then was demoted on Sunday, because he foiled Showalter’s plan to make him look totally ridiculous. “Next time Gausman starts, he’ll give up seven runs and tear an arm tendon, or he won’t be seen again for a few more months.” That’s Showalter giving a press conference from his Lair of Stupidity.
Jimmy Paredes – 3-for-6, 3 RBIs, and his 8th homer, hitting .305. Seriously, WTFITCF. That’s ‘Where the fudge is this coming from?’ Acronyms work so much better when you don’t need to explain them.
Chris Davis – 2-for-3, 3 runs and his 15th homer. Have I mentioned yet (multiple times) that Sky traded me Davis for Jeurys Familia just last week? And now Familia is injured (grab Bobby Parnell!). Aw, shucks. For Sky! Muahahahahahaha–*coughs* Damn, I got whooping cough like Arsenio.
Travis Snider – 2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, and 3-for-4 on Saturday. I continue to claim ignorance on the Orioles outfield. Snider looks scrummy, but I have no idea if he’ll play every day.
Chris Tillman – 1 1/3 IP, 6 ER, ERA up to 6.22. See, the Mariners knew Tillman would be garbage (after being decent for three seasons).
Adam Jones – Sat out yesterday with his sore shoulder, but hopes to get back on the field on Tuesday. Please, Mr. Jones, I want someone to believe in.
Devon Travis – Alex Anthopoulos expects Travis to get activated midweek. Alex Anthopoulos continued, “Usually spraying Windex on an injury works a lot quicker.”
Brett Cecil – 2/3 IP, 4 ER. Not only does he have next-to-no saves this year (5?!), but when he’s called on to do anything he’s effin’ awful. From now on, I’m going to use Cecil as an adjective for terrible. The milk you used for my coffee is curdled — damn, that’s Cecil. This guy tried to trade me Sonny Gray for Bryce — that’s so Cecil. The portable toilet at the Phish concert is so Cecil. If you haven’t already, I’d grab Roberto Osuna.
Jose Bautista – 2-for-3, 4 RBIs and his 14th homer. Is Strasburg returning yet or do I have to continue to stick needles into my eyeballs?
Kevin Pillar – 2-for-3, 2 RBIs and his 6th homer. Likely less has been made of this than it should’ve been, but, in Triple-A, Pillar had 10 HRs and 27 SBs with a .323 average last year. So, it’s not completely out of nowhere like that actor playing Titus Andromedon being brilliant.
Jon Lester – 6 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA down to 3.80. Since I told you to buy him, he’s allowed two runs in 13 1/3 IP. Maybe I am a witch.
Jake Arrieta – 9 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA down to 3.07. He’s been here and there with how he’s looked, but he’s actually pitching just as well as last year’s breakout. Let’s Arrieta it for the boy, let’s give Arrieta a hand.
Anthony Rizzo – 2-for-4, 2 runs and his 15th homer. HR to the Rizzo!
Dexter Fowler – 1-for-5, 4 RBIs and his 8th homer, hitting .238. I’ve Ron Popeil’d Fowler on a lot of my teams, setting him and forgetting him, but he’s been way more forgettable than not.
Chris Coghlan – 2-for-5, 1 run, hitting near-.325 in the last week with a steal. Has really done that the entire month. Real light schmotato for average.
Trevor May – 6 IP, 1 ER, 9 baserunners, 7 Ks. Solid start for a guy I like a bit more than I should. Stream-o-Nator doesn’t like his next start in Milwaukee, but maybe the SON doesn’t realize the Brewers haven’t had anything to be happy about since they received the edible arrangement from JB on Opening Day.
Tim Lincecum – 1 1/3 IP, 5 ER. After the game, Lincecum told reporters, “Dude. Dude. Dude.”
Brett Anderson – 6 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 1 K, ERA at 3.29. I’d go strictly with the Stream-o-Nator on Anderson, and it likes Anderson next time about as much as Colin Farrell likes Aspen.
Yasmani Grandal – 3-for-5, 3 runs and two homers, 9 and 10. Perhaps it’s irrational, but I get worried if a Dodger I own starts hitting too much Mattingly will bench him.
Justin Turner – 2-for-3, 2 runs, 3 RBIs and his 9th homer, hitting .333. Not quite a hot schmotato, more like an out-of-his-mind schmotato. Turner had three homers in three games this weekend, and is hitting near-.400 in the last week. He’s owned in 14% of leagues, shouldn’t stay like that very long.
Nolan Arenado – 2-for-4 and his 17th homer, hitting .284. It’s a twister, Auntie Em! No, Dorothy, it’s a Torenado.
Carlos Gonzalez – Left yesterday’s game with a hand sprain. He says it’s minor, which means he’ll only miss 60 days. Kidding. Kinda.
Nick Hundley – 4-for-4, 3 runs, 1 RBI and his 2nd steal. Mean’s while, Wilin Rosario pinch-hit for the pitcher and caught up on Suzanne Somers’ autobiography on Audible.
Pablo Sandoval – Out with a sprained ankle. Not DL’d, just day-to-day as he’s done about 27 times in the first 11 weeks. Yo, bleb, is a mess, right? Cousin Fatsweat be getting hurt like every day with these diddly little injuries. Injuries and 95% cholesterol that’s “just in blebs.” On Saturday, Sandoval left the game after his leg buckled. I know, sounds bad, but if he could get that bowling ball with legs body off the field, it couldn’t have been that bad. He’ll still likely miss a few days. I kinda hate Cousin Fatsweat.
Brock Holt – 3-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs. This likely says more about some of my teams, then Holt, but on some fantasy teams, I’d like to play him at 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and OF, simultaneously. Seriously, I wish I could have a whole team of Holts. Holt’r top to bottom. Holt, who goes there?! Holts!
Mookie Betts – 3-for-5, 3 runs, 2 RBIs and his 8th homer. So, maybe you were a little hard on him when he stopped hitting for a few weeks.
Xander Bogaerts – 3-for-5, 1 run, 3 RBIs, hitting .292. Incredibly or due to a deep complicated self-hatred, I will likely want Bogaerts again next year. I mean, he’s only 22 years old. Doode will break out at some point.
David Ortiz – 2-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and his 10th homer. Don’t know why I thought of this, but, if baseball was still America’s national sport, Big Papi would be dating Nicki Minaj, and, if Joe DiMaggio were playing now, he’d be dating a reality TV star and apologizing for tweets.
Chris Young – 4 2/3 IP, 7 ER. The Regression Fairies hummed Donna Summer’s She Works Hard For The Money, while chopping down this tall drink of water.
Erasmo Ramirez – Left Saturday’s game with a strained groin. Right there? In front of everyone? Just walking around with a strained groin? Ew!
Alex Colome – 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners (1 hit), 4 Ks. This so sums up Colome. I streamed him in one weekly league because he had a good first start this past week (@home vs. Nats), then I figured I’d deal with the 2nd start on Sunday. In his first start vs. the Nats, he was rocked for six runs in two IP, then he does this yesterday, i.e. Colome, uncross your heart, I know don’t know what goes on inside, sometimes it’s over before it starts.
Corey Kluber – 7 IP, 4 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 3.65. This game came against the Rays, and he allowed a homer to Longoria. So, thanks and all for that, because Longoria has the power of a Desperate Housewife, but I have to say, right after I told you to buy Kluber, he looked amazing. In the last few, he’s been okay. Definitely pitching near the Klubic area, but not exactly manscaping the competition.
Cody Anderson – 7 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 7 baserunners, 4 Ks in his first major league start. Anderson was never a highly-touted prospect. He needs to hire Keith Law to walk behind him with a megaphone. For the first time, he impressed in Triple-A this year (8.4 K/9, 2.33 ERA), but his long-term numbers look more like a 5-6 K/9 and a 4.00 ERA guy. Definitely worth a flyer in AL-Only leagues, but can’t get excited about him in mixed leagues yet.
Travis d’Arnaud – Day-to-day with a hyperextended elbow. It happened when he was trying to hear the crowd because he has a bad case of Hulkamania.
Matt Harvey – 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 3.18. In yesterday’s game, he threw 115 pitches. See what happens when the Mets can’t bring Familia into the 7th inning for three innings?
Bronson Arroyo – Acquired by the Braves with Touki Toussaint. Wasn’t Toussaint the actress that played Claudette on OITNB? No idea why Arroyo was traded to the Braves. It would make more sense to hear he was playing on a track by Jermaine Dupri.
Freddie Freeman – Will have an MRI on his wrist after missing all weekend. Teams make such curious decisions. It’s like they’re on welfare with no health insurance. If you had a star player and unlimited money, wouldn’t you send him for an MRI, like, immediately?
Julio Teheran – 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners (1 hit), 5 Ks, ERA at 4.67. The hypnotist worked, but now Teheran thinks it’s 2014 and wants someone to watch the last season of How I Met Your Mother with him.
Tyson Ross – 9 IP, 1 ER, 5 baserunners, 9 Ks. You shoveled crap with Tyson for almost three months. He showed nary a sign. Nary! And not ‘nary’ like, “My girlfriend doesn’t shave, so it’s very Nairy.” Not one sign that Ross would turn things around. Finally, you give up hope and then he does this. You know that his next start is going to be an abomination. You know this, right?
Jeremy Hellickson – 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 7 Ks. See, I knew Hellickson moving to the NL West would pay off (once).
Leonys Martin – 2-for-4 and his 5th homer. Damn, I love me some Leonys, in the non-Biblical way. Fo’serious, I’d own him in every league.
Yovani Gallardo – 5 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 2.98 vs. Jose Quintana 7 IP, 2 ER, 7 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 3.92. This matchup was billed as, “They’re At The Top Of My Waivers And I Think I’m Going To Pick Up A Middle Reliever Instead.”
Melky Cabrera – 5-for-5, 1 run. Hey, that team in your league that was out of by mid-April finally had a good day! That’s also true of the White Sox.
Derek Dietrich – 2-for-5 and two homers on Saturday. Likely just a hot schmotato, but at middle infidel, what else are you owning? Yescobar? Wilmer Handsofstone? Scooter, who didn’t even start in two games in Coors this weekend?
Justin Bour – 2-for-3 and his 6th homer. He’s cooled off dramatically recently and sits vs. lefties, i.e. Bour’ing some out for the LLAMAS who ain’t here.
Justin Nicolino – 7 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 2 Ks in his first start. Nicolino dedicated this game to Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground. Nicolino is the best androgynous pitcher since Anibal, but he’s not very good in the big picture with his 5+ K/9 in the minors.
Dee Gordon – 3-for-5, 1 run and 24th steal, hitting .356. When it looked like he couldn’t hit his weight two years ago and his weight was a buck thirty-five, this was totally unforeseeable. That’s why maybe you shouldn’t write off Buxton after five games.
Devin Mesoraco – Finally, he agreed to have season-ending hip surgery. If I were him, I’d also consider the Face/Off surgery too.
Todd Frazier – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 23rd homer. What’s Crazier? The guy you wish you drafted in every league.
Jay Bruce – 1-for-4, 2 RBIs and his 11th homer, hitting .234. Damn, that’s actually solid for him. You’d take 25 HRs and .234 from Bruce on the year, any day of the week and twice on Muesday, which is a secret day between Monday and Tuesday.
Michael Lorenzen – 7 IP, 2 ER, 9 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 3.56, and two straight solid starts. I’d still only act on him if the Stream-o-Nator happened to like his next start.
Marlon Byrd – 3-for-4, 1 run, and homered on Friday after returning from a broken wrist in, like, three weeks. I’m not saying Byrd is genetically modified from the forearm down, but I am saying that.
Carlos Beltran – Didn’t play on Sunday, but he had two homers on Saturday. I mentioned on Friday that he looked like a rising Zombino. This weekend didn’t make me want to buy garlic necklaces.
Stephen Drew – 2-for-3 and his 10th and 11th homers. Since Rendon was sitting on Sunday, I almost made Drew my batty call, but opted for Dietrich instead. What I guess I’m saying here is Drew inspires nothing, kinda like Bernie Sanders.
Masahiro Tanaka – 5 IP, 5 ER, ERA up to 3.17. Is it not bad enough that he has a torn elbow tendon, but now the Tigers need to tear him a new one?
J.D. Martinez – 3-for-5, 6 RBIs and 3 homers (14, 15, 16). Also, in this game, Victor Martinez (3-for-6, 2 runs, 4 RBIs and his 2nd homer). Lesson here: don’t mess with anyone surnamed Martinez in or around Yankee Stadium.
Lance Lynn – Threw a pain-free session. As they say, “No pain, gain.” They being pitchers; no one else says that.
Randal Grichuk – 0-for-4 as he hit leadoff, and hit two homers on Saturday and one on Friday. JB, Sky and I talk about Grichuk on this week’s podcast that’s coming later today. At first I compare him to Ludwick, but JB’s quick to point out Ludwick was much older when he arrived in the majors, and that is true. Hey, when a guy is right, he’s right. Plus, JB liking an NL Central player that’s not a Brewer is worth noting.
Jason Heyward – 3-for-4 and his 7th homer. A lot has been made of how awful he’s been this year, but he’s hitting near-.400 in the last week with two homers, two steals and has looked close to the highly-touted prospect that he was for his first major league game. Hmm, maybe we form opinions too quickly.
Michael Wacha – 5 IP, 5 ER. Damn, this horse is Wach, it’s got poo brain.
Adam Morgan – 5 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks in his first major league start. Adam Morgan’s minor league stats are 99.9% as boring as his name. The fact that his last name could be a hot girl’s first name just barely saves him.
Ben Revere – 3-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI. After the game, Revere donned a Gaylord Perry commemorative jersey with every team’s logo, just to see which one looked best.
Jered Weaver – Landed on the DL with hip irritation. Geez, and he looks so hip with his mullet.
Garrett Richards – 6 IP, 3 ER, 10 baserunners, 3 Ks. That’s a bit of a harumph. I mean, it was a Quality Start, but in name only. I’d still be buying him.
Scott Kazmir – 7 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 9 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 2.60. Seven more starts until it’s time to sell!
Tyler Clippard – 1 2/3 IP, 1 ER and the save as he entered with one out in the 8th inning. You know when you try to sell a junky car and you stack giant books next to it to show it can also be used as a bookend? I think that’s what Beane’s doing with Clippard. “He can close or he can work as a middle reliever, whatever you want!”
Taijuan Walker – 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 baserunners (0 BBs), 11 Ks. Last time he pitched, I said, “Okay, now pick him up.” This time, I say, “You have the reaction time of a stoned turtle.”
Vincent Velasquez – 3 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners (4 BBs), 5 Ks as he threw 93 pitches. I watched a documentary recently about how screwed up Alan Greenspan made the economy. Substitute in Velasquez and change economy to economy of pitches and the film would be less boring, but just as accurate. By the by, Netflix has me watching two-hour documentaries about subjects I wouldn’t even want to hear about for 90 seconds in a real-life conversation.
George Springer – 3-for-5 and his 12th homer, hitting .284. Honestly, I didn’t think he’d sniff .260 this year, and there’s still time for Springer to unwind, but right now he looks like the Spring has sprung.
Colby Rasmus – 2-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and his 10th homer, hitting .254. Rasmus is angling for one of those seasons where he sits on waivers all year, then we get to October and realize he actually had a top 50 outfielder season.
Dallas Keuchel – 6 IP, 5 ER. The Regression Fairies don’t like new Bowie, they love anything macrame and they will find and hurt your ratios.
Jose Altuve – Continues to sit out with a hamstring injury. It’s been a real struggle for the Astros equipment manager with Altuve on the bench. It’s really hard to find phone books nowadays.
Drop Melky Cabrera to add open streaming spot in daily league?
the white fresh prince or jeffress when/if K-rod gets flipped? i’m rooting much more for this trade (well not to TOR though) than giles ascending, as giles has been spec save owned in many more places than anybody on MIL has.
Whats up Grey which 3 would you roll with going forward SS/MI Lindor, Aldreton, Jace, Semien or Alexi?
papelnuts just got used in back to back nights of blowouts. he’s gonna get flipped very very soon. i know teams will use closers in blowouts once in a while when they haven’t had an inning in a long time, this isn’t what’s going on with papelbon though.
also, playing against pujols this week (with franco/dozier/bautista) would you guys stop pitching to him?
Holt or Paredes
do you like either of these players for next year – maybe you like both – who do you like most
Domingo Santana or
Preston Tucker
Who you got from Franco/Souza?
Strop or Siegrist?
Siegrist
Add any of these guys over Shoemaker or Graveman? (Last two spots on a 10-man pitching staff. I’m not able to stream but I have a reserve roster to sit guys when they have bad match-ups.)
Rubby, Nelson, Happ, Jimenez, Big Erv, Peavy, Porcello, Lincecum or Leake
Meh, they’re not great either… I could see Ervin over Shoe
Oh, and Ubaldo over Graveman
Hey Grey would you drop Vincent Velasquez for Maikel Franco? thanks!
Yup
Today’s moment of Donnie Baseball brilliance: Coghlan, Rizzo, and Bryant due up in the home half of the 8th, down by 2. He brings in lefty Liberatore to start the inning, as he should, with Yimi warming up. Liberatore makes quick work of the first two LHB’s, but then decides to let him face Bryant. There was a certain air of inevitability surrounding the shot that Bryant proceeded to launch out of the yard.
Yup! How is he a MLB manager?
@Grey: Quite baffling to be honest. He’s used Liberatore as a Loogy for the better part of a month, then decides he’ll give him a shot against a righty and it’s Bryant. It must be maddening to be a Dodgers fan.
It’s seriously crazy town
get ready to drop parnell or cecil for delabar it looks like right?
I’d lose Cecil for Delabar before losing Parnell
@Grey: it’s looking like TOR wants osuna in hardest spots, not as closer, but it’s early.
@Joey Jo Jo Jr Shabadoo: except they’ve now left osuna in, so i’m guessing he’s the add, and he’s done more multi inning work of any 7th or later inning RP all year also.
@Joey Jo Jo Jr Shabadoo: i had morton to drop too, i’ll turn parnell into streamer once familia is back, and could have cecil to drop too first.
Osuna is a beast, and should be the closer
@Grey: he’s not open in any holds league for many weeks now (months really, since i grabbed him a long time ago in those), was able to grab him in one spot before the save was made, saves only league.
Gotcha
Grey,
10-Tm H2H keeper (keep12) currently in 1st
Been offered:
HIS – HanRam, j upton, iwakuma
MY – Polanco, phillips, a Gordon, Sale
He’s also offered HanRam for Sale straight up
I love Sale, but I have this background feeling that his throwing mechanics and high strickouts will lead to injury. I currently have Ian Desmond and phillips in my SS and MI positions. Most of my other hitting positions are stacked. My top five pitchers are Sale, MadBum, arrieta,Carrasco, Odorizzi, so Not the best lineup in pitching but not bad
Thanks for the advice
I’d take Hanley
@Grey:
Would you rather have Hanley straight up for Sale or the larger deal that gets me upton and iwakuma but loosing polanco ,Gordon?
I’d take the deal you first suggested, with Upton
Pineda can blow me.
damn if I can’t catch a break this year.
Grimey!
Keeper league, H2H, 6×6 OBP
Franco or Sano?
I have Arenado and Seager, though. Should I pick up Holt, Yelich, Leonys, or Yasmany instead of either of Franco or Sano?
I love what you do here. I love your staff. I love the banter. And – oh, here goes nothing – I love you too.
Ha, thanks, I love you too, Wesley! Too fast? Is this for UTIL spot? Grab Franco, if for a backup OF, grab Yelich…If Sano’s available, you likely don’t need to grab him in your league yet
Got an offer of Bogaerts for Justin Turner. I first thought, “hell yeahz,” but have been reading up on Turner and think he could have made some legitimate changes that will make him really valuable if Mattingly decides to play him often. [Dude’s LD% for June is like 45%. That’s insane.] The league is h2h, weekly changes, so I couldn’t move him in and out of the lineup when he’s sitting. I have Correa and Donaldson, so Bogaerts would only get used at MI (over Lemahieu) or UTIL. So, do you expect Turner’s playing time to drop over the season? Seager and Olivera, and apparently to a much lesser extent, Guerrero, gotta play somewhere…
Honestly, Xander seems so whatever, I’d just ride Turner and see where it takes you…I do think Turner is merely a hot bat and will eventually lose time to Olivera, but why not just ride the lightning?
@Grey: Why not! And now I gotta go listen to Metallica…
Ha!
Maikel Franco has Frito feet and I would smell them.
@Mike: FRANCO WORLD EMPIRE!
You love Frito feet!
Should I Deal Brantley for Shields? h2H 5×5
My OF is Stanton, Brantley, Gordon, Bruce (UTIL), Calhoun (UTIL), Carter, Buxton, Ozuna
My SP are Archer, Bumgarner, Richards, Strasburg, Ross, Fiers, Ventura (DL)
Meh, you have to need something besides another ace if you’re dealing Brantley…
Would you take sale or Tulo and LesteR?
It’s fair, depends on situation… I’d likely take Tulo
Who’s uglier mesoraco or ronald belisario?
Hahaha… Devin
Weekly head to head is the worst. My main league converted from roto to H2H because most of the owners think roto is too difficult or something. I’m leading the league with a near 10 K/9 and I’ve lost to the last place team 4 times in that stat. Leading in three categories, no lower than 6th in any category, and I’m in 6th place.
And I just lost Wada in the beginning of the third inning. Minor in the grand scheme of things, but that’s the final straw. I’m never doing H2H again.
Yeah, I hate H2H… Way too much luck involved…
12 team h2h points keeper
C darnaud
1b pujols
2b d. Gordon. Rd 8 keeper
3b Seager
Ss semien 2b/3b
oF Hanley
of Brantley rd 9 keeper
Of marte
Utility y. Tomas 3b/of rd 12 keeper
Utility. C. Santana 1b/3b
Bench c. Seager. Rd 13 keeper
SP scherzer
Sp tanaka
Sp Arrieta
Sp g. Richards
Sp Jaime Garcia
Sp gallardo
RP tolleson
RP c. Allen
RP. C. Smith
Offered Tanaka and Hanley for Adam jones and Kluber rd 9 keeper
He countered with tanaka and Hanley for his jones, c carrasco, and Teheran.
Do the deal, hold out for Kluber, or screw it all together and hold tight? Any and all opinions please, but those offered by men giving free mustache rides will obviously be valued higher…
Thanks!
I’d take that Jones deal with Carrasco
wow, pineda is getting unlucky with all these singles. wada scared me today in too many leagues, i saw the LAD road w/oba and OPS. but i didn’t realize wada was a lefty, they aren’t good at those. had i noticed that in time i’d have him (but he just got Kike’d). Man Pineda is my #2 in one dynasty where i’m the best team due no small part to these pitchers (man i love drafting 1 month into season) cole/pineda/burnett/chavez/velasquez (i don’t start him mostly yet)/liriano/bucholez. still would’ve thought pineda would have lower than a 4.25 after all of that.
different 12 teamer with OPS, net steals, K’s and BB’s for batters.
ramos
chirinos
rizzo
harrison
donaldson
flores
CI panda
MI addison russell
LF upton
CF marte
RF avisail
OF fowler
util byrd
BN leonys/schwarber
DL delino/soler/dickerson
gotta drop schwarber for somebody. with that lineup it’s probably not awful idea to have a backup MI/CI eligible of some type, but it’s not necessary.
his name is paulsen/rosario (MIN)/coghlan/canha/lomo/rasmus/dietrich/snider
I’d try Dietrich
H2H daily moves. Maikel and Eduardo Rodriguez for Kluber. Maikel/Eduardo can be kept in the 11th/12th and Kluber can be kept in the 9th. No brainer, right?
Kluber side, decent trade, yeah
should I trade Chi Chi 4 Maikel Franco orJake Marisknick?
Franco
I have Dickerson on reserves. Drop for Heyward. I need steals too.
Sure
@Grey: Thanks, it’s a redraft league so should be good. I’m in 1st or 2nd in 3 of 5 leagues with your help. One league dead last. My early picks where C. Gomez, Rendon,Dickerson, with Wheeler and stroman as 1st 2 pitchers taken. It was one of those slow drafts before I knew of the injuries. Learned my lesson. Cost a $100 to learn.
Yeah, shizz happens… You’re batting .600, not bad
Why is he so bad? Contract year issue maube
He’s beating everything into the ground
@Grey: I would think where you are in the standings really makes a difference on whether people can afford to stash players. I know it’s still early but in the league where I am n 4th now I use my whole roster to climb rather than stash for later.
Yeah, totally changes on situation… Nice avatar, btw… Finally!
@Grey: Thx I liked the Oak. pic better than the Bost. one.
So much better!
Do I drop Desmond for Jace at this point? Ian Makes me wanna puke to be honest
I’d hold
In my dynasty league just traded my Cashner, May and Chi Chi for Rendon and Richards. Do you think that was a good buy low deal for me?
Nice!
@King Felix Targaryen: please invite me to some of the leagues of yr opp in that one.
Could be some Midwest Monday Offense if storms hold off.
Winds in Cleveland, Minnesota, and Chicago all blowing out at about 20 MPH with higher gusts.
Hope so, I’m streaming some serious herbs in those games…
@Grey: Yup.
Stopped the bleeding at SS with Zobrist replacing Desmond. Flip Desmond and Jesse Chavez for Carlos Martinez? 12T H2H redraft
Meh, could drop Desmond and just keep Chavez
Matt Moore for
Lance McCullers
McCullers
KEEPER LEAGUE
tougher question: Carlos Gomez, Freese, or Espinosa this week?
Gomez
I just watched Whiplash, I’m working from home today, and wow, that was a good one, nice call. Reminds me of my 7th grade basketball coach. We were undefeated. I saw your buddy is in the movie too.
Favorite movie of last year, Nightctawler was close 2nd which is now on Netflix
Grey, Nova comes off the DL Wednesday, which pushed CC next start on Monday. CC goes one start this week.
So how do you favor CC vs Phillies tomorrow night? Or should I still go with Hutch and Fiers..
Hutch TB and MIN
Fier NYM and TEX
Forget CC then, go Fiers then Hutch
Anytime you wanna go to your first phish show, I’m your man!
For S’s and G’s – in a league with Goldy and Stanton already kept, I can keep Harper next year as my first round pick in a 10 teamer. Seems crazy to use a keeper pick for a first rounder – but it’s a keep forever league. I don’t know what the point of this comment was.
Thanks for the invite! Erad, you’re moving up the ranks of best commenters!
@Grey: Next up – avatar! Quality over quantity my G
Yeah, walk before run
Who’s your favorite streamer for tomorrow
Daniel dorn $47.6
David peralta $45 both in colorado
Aramis ramirez vs niese $19
Choo vs Chavez $23
Lindor over, semien and russell Ros?
Yup
Peralta
Drop montero for Wellington Castillo Hittertron has him in the $20’s next 3 games in Colorado or Rosario?
Montero matchups are Greinke, Bolsinger, frias
Welington
I saw earlier that you like Lindor over Desmond ROS, really?
So I guess my only hope is to hope Desmond gets in a hot streak and trade him….I have Holt starting over him now…..
I like Lindor over Desmond right now for a shallow league
@Grey: It’s 14 team h2h….
Grey! – that Gio blurb really spoke to me. Both he and Shark just needed me to drop them to get their respective seasons going. Is there a term for those players? I know I’m far from alone in having other examples, but two ago Prado was one of those guys, as he hit .236 over 263 ABs on my team. I dropped him and one of my main competitors got .335 over 238 ABs. Gah!
After hearing how some pronounced Colome (pronounced close to or similar to Column A), I was tempted to mention that I’d prefer Reggie Roby (pronounced Row B) just for the Excel joke that lies within. (Yes, I am a proud nerd.) Of course, Roby was a punter in the NFL, not a MLB’er, so it wasn’t perfect. But now I see there is a minor leaguer named Daniel Coulombe, and I’m ecstatic for the future of this little joke.
HA! Nice…. I always hear Salome by Old 97s when I write Colome… Column A is solid too…
Great write up, Mesoraco is butter
Well, a butter face
Drop segura for Holt or Turner?
Ha! I’d hold Segura
Grey, would you take either Bruce or Hayward ros? Thanks!
Which side do you prefer in a keeper league?
Hamilton, Cano, and Chapman for Rizzo and Santiago.
Rizzo
Did Alcides Escobar find religion and decide stealing is a sin? What the hey?
Magoo and I are 45th out of 1500 teams in the NFBC online championship. We could get into the conversation for the big $ if we can find some bags. Give Escobar 10 more steals to this point and we’d jump to 29th on the strength of that alone.
Where’s the sneaky second half steals at?
Kenny Delmar…best comedy sideman ever?
Where the hell you been? Alcides is killing me in NFBC too, I actually benched him for Lindor this week, so he’s sure to steal 5 bags this week
@Grey:
I have been working like crazy. I basically pitched this company on generating some baseball like stats for their sales organization and they went for it. Quantifying performance and trying to manage resources and do some forecasting. It’s not that different than going in to Fangraphs and running the numbers. So when I’m not parenting I’m working. Been doing nights and weekends. It’s a pretty sweet gig though. Best job I’ve ever had. Plus I don’t have to talk to anybody so I can listen to Fred Allen all day.
Was at the A’s game last week when Chavez pitched. He looked the best I’ve ever seen him. Without pulling up the numbers I would have to guess that his swinging strike% is up this year. I think the sequencing must be better and it’s setting up the cutter. I think cutter has some downward movement now too rather than a lot of horizontal but on one plane.
How are your teams doing? Still winning the RCL? Any strong positions in the industry leagues?
That’s awesome! Are the stats going to be for public consumption or are they going to be like a Stats LLC service? I’m in first in RCL, tied with JFOH, top 4 in Yahoo, top 3 in a CBS league and mid-pack on Tout but Rudy’s in 2nd or 3rd, so that’s good
@Grey:
Pretty good results for you. I’ve been bitten by the injury bug, some on calculated risks and some on just dumb luck. Hasn’t been a smooth trip so far.
It’s all proprietary stuff of course. If I can swing it here I could probably market the methodology to other companies though. How cool would that be?
Seriously though, you see any steals lurking out there? Maybe a guy riding pine who is an injury or a demotion away?
@GhostTownSteve:
I didn’t mean pretty good results FOR YOU, by the way. I mean you’re doing well. Top four at the halfway point you can definitely coach ’em up from there.
Very cool! Wil Myers hurt me more than I expected but have avoided most major injuries… Domingo Santana is my current deep league stash, where I’m praying for something, well him and Olivera
@GhostTownSteve: Nice – I just entered the top 100 in the Draft Champions tonight!
Hey there Grey!
Someone dropped Rendon for Paredes…..can’t fathom giving up on Rendon so early, so I grabbed him, good move?
Otherwise, I’m wondering if you are still high on Franco? Doesn’t seem like he gets a lot of rbis (no-one on to hit in) or runs (no-one around to hit him in).
I have Longo, Rendon now, Holt…
Looks like McGee is going to be back to set-up, would you drop him for Osuna if a change is made, or now, or at all?
Thanks,
Greg
Sounds good… I like Franco, sure… Sure, Osuna…
@Grey:
Okay, in OF I have Calhoun, Springer, Yellich and Maybin. Betts can go to OF and Rendon to 2b. I’m thinking drop Maybin for Franco, I have guys who do the same a lot less injury prone but don’t have Franco’s power…
Grey, and if you could pick one pitcher for the weekly.
Bolsinger vs Cubs
Fiers vs mets and twins
Cc vs Phillies and @astross
Hutch vs Tampa and twins
Fiers
Grey, GOrdon, cargo, Garcia and choo need 3 for this week. You feel any of these guys?
Need to drop one guy for above guy
Hosmer
Duda
Lemiehu
Lindor
Buxton
Not Choo… DJ
Pick 3:
Ozuna: vs STL, LAD
Polanco: vs. Cin, ATL
Fowler: vs. LAD, @ STL
Moreland: vs OAK, @ TOR
Melky: @ MIN, @ DET
Ozuna, Fowler, Melky
Trade my pretty little Buxton $0 $0 $1 $6 $11 (salary the next five years ) for Anthony Rizzo $6 $11 $16 $21 $26? Or should I look for a less costly deal. I’m one big bat away from first. I know rizzo is a monster but I love the cost savings Buxton will bring if he’s as advertised. Thanks.
I’d want Rizzo
@Grey: I knew you’d say that. Just needed a little positive reinforcement. I’m all about market value and rizzo is wayyy undervalued at his salary. Just a little worried Buxton lives up to the hype and destroys life.
Wasn’t really close
@Grey: I get too caught up on these minor leaguers hypothetical values. A consensus #1 minor league prospect at less than a dollar the next three years has my man juices flowing. I know the right answer and take the sure thing, and in this case at an insane value himself. I just get gun shy and need the grey kazoo on my shoulder to bitch slap the prospect horder on my other shoulder. For this I say many thanks.
No problem
I’m in a standard 12 team 5×5. I have a ridiculous staff of Sale, Scherzer, Pineda, Carlos Martinez and Bauer, with Jose Fernandez on the DL. I want to offload a starter to get some power, and I’m thinking of offering Bauer and Ozuna for Bautista (and maybe Ramos, but that might be overkill). Is it worth it for me?
I don’t see why the other guy would do it, but sure try
Thor/Wisler for Soler?
Thor, it’s fair, depends on needs
Yo, quick one, BB.
Leake @ PIT
Hendricks vs. LAD
Hahn vs. KC
who’s your favorite there?
thx
P.
None of the above? Hahn
@Grey: Yeah I ain’t happy about it. But this is the world we live in know what i mean best bud?
Yeah, I know it all too well
I dealt Edwin/Yelich for Archer/Calhoun? Good deal? H2H 5×5.
Sounds decent
Grey, an update on our earlier conversation: Van Slyke is in the lineup tonight, per the Dodgers twitter. Also, the wind is blowing out to center at 15 mph at Wrigley.
Nice, I’m glad I grabbed him already then, thanks!
Grandal or Wilson Ramos ROS?
Is it close?
Grandal
I’m not trusting Carlos makes the lineup this week even if x rays did show up negative with his track record of missing so much time, who would you replace him with this week?
Heyward- [email protected] and 3 vs. chc
Gichuk- ” ”
Victor Martinez- [email protected] and 4 vs ChW
Thanks bud!
Heyward
Grey
Cruz or cespedes- ROS
Cruz, it’s close
ROS Wilson Ramos or Is it close?
Can’t find an up-date on Adam Jones and he is off until tomm, weekly lock tonight, do I stay with Jones or start Marte…
Marte
Keep forever league… OBP instead of AVG and SLG instead of HR
Arenado, Pederson, Price
OR
Donaldson, Pedroia, Scherzer
Donaldson
@Grey:
Thanks, Grey! Even with Arenado and Pederson being considerably younger, you like the Donaldson side better? I’m surprised!
I’d play to win every year
Pick one for Wins and ERA –
E. Rodriguez (Bos)
McCullers
Lackey
Teheran
Lackey
Still Holt over Choo ROS? How would you rate in order most valuable to least. HOLT, A Garcia, Choo, Melky, Joey Butler…would your drop any of the lower ranked guys to add one of the top two on this list? thanks grey VV broke my heart hes done, dropped him for cain
You ordered them… I’d drop any of them if I needed to
@Grey: Drop melky for choo? choo ice cold melky no pop, coming off 5 for 5 wait an see approach?
Neither here nor there, really… I’d want Melky for now, not for ROS
@Grey: Grichuk or Melky or Choo ROS
Choo
@Grey: You da man guess im STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH CHOOO
No problem
Gotta makes some lineup decisions for my weekly OPS league before games start today. Worried enough about CarGonz to let him sit this week? Bench options are Polanco, Paulsen, and Jace.
I might also need to be talked down about Brantley, too. His numbers this month have been yawnstipating at best, and I’m thinking of selling.
Can sell Brantley, depends what you need… I’d bench Cargo for Polanco depending on matchups
@Grey: weekly roto redraft. g cole/l cain for j-up?
Upton, it’s fair
@Grey: which is the better return for upton? cole/cain or felix/polanco?
thanks.
Cole
Manual Margot, any interest in this guy? Will he even get playing time?
Unlikely
Dl spot soon to open. Stash Nova or Derek Holland?
@Jason: Or Garrett Richards
Nova
Drop strop for parnell?
Sure
10 team league, h2h 6×6 with holds and OPS. I am way ahead offensively than mostly all the other teams. Is offering Kinsler, Yunel, M. Carpenter, and K. Morales not enough to offer a offensively lacking team for G. Cole, Strasburg and his 2 worst players? He has been starting Hechavarria to sum up his offense. Thanks and always enjoy your posts.
Thanks! Try it, doesn’t seem to be enough
My bats have been great so far this year (Thanks Grey!) but I’m looking to upgrade pitching. Thoughts on trading Tulowitzki and Tyson Ross for Kershaw?
I’d take Kershaw
Great write-up as always Grey. Just want to check in on a trade offer I shot off last night to see if it seems fair. I’m sitting in 2nd place despite my lack of a big name 1B (a rotation of Morales/Duda/LaRoche in my 1B and CI spots). My potential trade partner is wallowing in 8th place despite a surplus of 1B (Fielder/AGon/JAbreu as his 1B/CI/Util). The offer: Morales+Cueto for Abreu. My potential trade partner doesn’t have a #1 starter (Harang/Haren/Velasquez/Roark/BAnderson/CAnderson/WandyRod). Fair offer?
Abreu side
Rest in peace, Darryl Hamilton. Awful news.
Damn, that is awful
Please rank Sale, Price, and Bumgarner.
Do you think Keuchel’s less than stellar start was an aberration, or a glimpse of things to come ?
One of my leagues, is a salary cap league, with 9 more buys/drops for the season. I started with a low % Keuchel ($720k), leaving Price ($1.28 mil.) and Bum ($1.3 mil.) off of my team. Amazingly I’m 1 OA after 2 weeks (1,000 teams). I can fit either Price or Bum on this week’s lineup, with my only sacrifice sitting Kipnis for Wong.
If I don’t use an add/drop, I can just throw Sale for his single, or Cole for his single, and get Kipnis back in.
I respect your opinion.
Sorry for the much longer question than I normally write.
Thanks.
Sale, Price, Bum… I don’t trust Keuchel
Sit Kipnis for Wong and start Price
@Grey: Thanks Grey for the time you put in to read questions, and give thoughtful answers.
Btw, I find myself laughing out loud from some of your daily columns. Great to laugh.
Thanks.
Thanks!
@Grey: Thanks for your thoughtful responses.
By the way, I find myself laughing out loud when reading some of your daily columns. Can’t laugh too much.
You’re a very funny dude.
Thanks
@Grey: Thoughts on True Detective? Hard to take Vaughn in a casino seriously and not run through 100 swingers quotes, but solid Farrell.
I like Farrell a lot, I’m not sure how I feel on it yet, feels a lot more straightforward than the last season, which is fine, if it works
Is G. Polanco worth holding on to? Pirates sit him against all lefties…
Depends on options
@Grey: Justin Turner, Chris Carter, Jace Peterson,
S. Choo,
Just had a big trade accepted in my 8 Team H2H league. We keep 5 – 1 player is a “Franchise” who can be kept forever; the other 4 players have a max of 2 years to be kept on your roster. I just dealt Miggy for Stanton. Miggy would only have one year left for me, so now I get the rest of this year and two more years with Stanton. Here’s my new roster, what do you think of the deal:
C – Vogt
1B – Rizzo (1 year kept)
2B – Kipnis
3B – Arenado
SS – Correa
IF – Wong
OF – Jones (Franchise)
OF – Stanton
OF – Joc
OF – Souza
UTIL – Longoria
UTIL – Burns
BN – Reddick
BN – Pillar
BN – Moss
BN – Dickerson
*Scherzer is the only other keeper I have left from last season. He has one year kept so he can be kept for another year.
**I’ll also be looking to move Reddick and Moss for some bats or streaming arms, most likely.
Stats: H, R, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OBPS, W, QS, SV, KS, KS/9, ERA, WHIP
Nice trade!
@Grey: thanks! I’ll most likely be trying to trade Jones next year so I can then Franchise Rizzo or Stanton. I’d rather have those guys for the long haul. But with Arenado, I figured Miggy was expendable. I also needed some help in the OF, and who better than Stanton?!
Yeah, exactly!
In a 10 team espn standard h2h league would you send
Vogt/tex/j shields for b posey/cargo (colorado) / Felix hernandez ?
Thanks!
Yes
Should we be concerned that this will cut into Wong’s playing time?
Cardinals to give 2B Greg Garcia a good look
3 hrs ago
Second baseman Greg Garcia drew his first start for the Cardinals on Saturday since being called up for Triple-A and manager Mike Matheny wants to see more of the young player in action, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Garcia has three hits in six at-bats this year and so far has shown some nice work with the glove at second.
“We know he’s the kind of player who can make an impact around here for us,” Matheny said. “He’s a versatile player. He’s going good right now and I want to see it.”
Nah
@crock:
not really. Before Garcia and Scruggs were called up, if the Cardinals wanted to give Reynolds, Wong, Carpenter, or Peralta an off day, it meant Kozma would play.
it might mean more off days for Wong, but not because of any doubt in Wong’s ability, but because they simply have a viable option to give these players some rest
Carlos Santana or Lucas Duda ROS? They switch in and out of my UTIL position. Considering dropping one for Ortiz, available in my league. Thanks.
Santana
Which Cargo would you start this week?
Gomez
10 Team H2H 5X5
Mr. Grey,
Would you mind rating these three. Car-go, Yelich, Heyward.
Thanks.
CarGo, Yelich
Quintana or Wisler? Points league.
@Chicken Dinner: Quintana
Quintana
Which Batty Call?
Steven Drew at Home versus Kevin Corriea
Melky Cabrera @ Tommy Milone
or
Asdrubal Cabrera at Home versus Drew Hutchinson