The Itch

Prospect News: National League West Opportunity Watch

March 12, 2023 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 39 Comments

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Arizona Diamondbacks 

Gabriel Moreno is staking his claim behind the plate with two home runs already this spring. I think he’s safe to take in the one-two catcher fringe. I’d prefer him to Keibert Ruiz, for example. 

Scott McGough is the new crime dog as far I’m concerned, though I guess that reference is pretty old these days. “Scruff McGruff, Chicago Illinois, 60652!” Manager Torey Lovullo says they’re “gonna be fluid in that area,” which sounds like a trip to the doctor and means nothing, but I think McGough is gonna be the closer, if anyone’s gonna be the closer. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?

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See all of today’s starting lineups

# MLB Starting Lineups For Mon 8/11
ARI | ATH | BOS | CHW | CIN | COL | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIL | MIN | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | TB | TEX | WSH | ATL | BAL | CHC | CLE | MIA | NYM | OAK | SEA | TOR
Jakkers

2023 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Rankings: Top 200

March 11, 2023 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Keepers, Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Keeper Leagues | 24 Comments

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If you are starting a team in a new dynasty league, take a look at the position breakdown of the top 200 players, using the main position for utility players except for one, who plays basically any position in the field.

What quickly jumps out is the lack of depth at second base and third base. The second and third base positions alone add up to only one more Top 100 player than the shortstop position. There are some great players at those two positions, but the overall quality lacks compared to shortstop or first base.

When it comes to catchers and relief pitchers, I can tell you right now that there are few of them ranked. There are a lot of good catchers, but many of them will get only 110 or so starts or they are getting up in age, making them less than desired dynasty options.

As for the relivers, I never chase saves (or holds if your league has them). How many players dread chasing Aroldis Chapman last year or a host of other top closers? Meanwhile, five new closer will come out the woodwork this year that you can get in the middle of the season.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
keelinbillue

Ambulance Chasers: Rodón Gone

March 11, 2023 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Injury Report | 9 Comments

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Howdy doo, Razzballeroos! It’s only a little over two weeks until Opening Day! In the interim, I hope you are enjoying your drafts, spring training, and the World Baseball Classic. Speaking of the WBC, former Detroit Tigers organization player Luis Castillo made this incredible catch for Panama. My bones hurt watching it, but there are […]

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

So That’s Why Teflon Rodon Didn’t Stick As A Nickname

March 10, 2023 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes, Featured | 175 Comments

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The news coming across the wire read: Carlos Rodon has a forearm strain and is shut down for 7-10 days. Will start the year on the IL. Then became what I call the Sad Man’s March. Every March, you draft a bunch of teams, then you hear about an injury. Now you have a nerve-wracking click-through of every team you’ve drafted to see if you drafted that injured player. A bead of sweat accumulates on your brow. You open your first team that you drafted this offseason. Close one eye — the pain would be too much for both eyes! — then scan to the top of your pitching staff. No Rodon! No Rodon! You repeat, no Rodon! Then, like Tom Cruise trying to diffuse a bomb, you wipe your brow and open your next team. No Rodon! No Rodon! Then, as if you entered the latest Friday the 13th movie and about to open a closet, you open the next draft — NO RODON! You’ve beat the Sad Man’s March! You are victorious! Wait, then you realize you’ve drafted Yordan Alvarez everywhere and he still hasn’t picked up a bat. So, Rodon is out for a while; no one knows how long. Best case scenario for forearm strains in March is maybe back by May? I’m guessing here, obviously. Hence the question mark. I’m moving him out of my top 20 starters and into my top 40 starters, but to an area where I would not draft anymore. For every bit of bad news, there’s a separate but opposite bit of good news — that’s Grey’s Law of Fantasy. Clarke Schmidt and Domingo German both look good. I added Clarke Schmidt into my 2023 fantasy baseball rankings, and you can find his blurb in the top 100 starters, and moved up Domingo German in the top 500. Finally, my Pitchers’ Pairing Tool was updated. Anyway, here’s what else I saw in spring training for 2023 fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Son

One Man’s Trash: Another Yas

March 9, 2023 | 2022 Fantasy Baseball, One Man's Trash | 2 Comments

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This could be my last baseball post at Razzball. If so, it’s been real and you all shall be missed. The reason why I have my head on a swivel and hear Grey’s cackles reverberting through my dome constantly is because I write up players he hates. In addition, I may be committing the cardinal sin being a writer at Razzball as this post is about a catcher! Yeah, I done F’d up. But such is the life of being the trash man at Razzball. It’s a thankless job but someone has to do it. Last week, I brought you riveting analysis of one Mike Yastrzemski. This week? Another Yas shall be written about: Yasmani Grandal. I am impervious to those internet tomatoes being thrown at my head because I’ve got my helmet on. Suck it! 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

2nd Basemen to Target for 2023 Fantasy Baseball

March 9, 2023 | Fantasy Baseball Sleepers, Featured | 154 Comments

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[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1226748″ player=”13959″ title=”2023%20Razzball%20Draft%20Kit%20%20Second%20Base” duration=”275″ description=”2023 Razzball Draft Kit: 2nd BaseEarly, Middle and Late for 2nd Base for 2023 Fantasy Baseball1:02 Ozzie Albies1:57 Jonathan India3:17 Ketel Marte” uploaddate=”2023-01-19″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/snapshot/1226748_th_1674154566.jpg” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/1226748.mp4″ width=”480″ height=”270″]

Psst! This post is gonna list 2nd basemen that you should target in your 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. I’m whispering because you don’t want everyone to see this post. No, I can’t whisper louder, then it WOULDN’T BE WHISPERING! Okay, gig’s up (or maybe that’s jig’s up), the love I’m about to reiterately (Made Up Word of the Day!) confirm is on these guys I love later in drafts. I’m not going to mention Vaughn Grissom other than this one mention of him where I say I’m not going to mention him. At least that’s my apophasis and I’m sticking to it! These are players that you’re looking at later and all of them have ADPs after 200 (unlike Grissom; okay, two non-mentions). Some could be the 2nd baseman on your team, they are more than likely MIs. This is a (legal-in-all-countries-except-Canada) supplement to the top 20 2nd basemen for 2023 fantasy baseball. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2023 projections. Anyway, here’s some 2nd basemen to target for 2023 fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: National League Central Opportunity Watch

March 8, 2023 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 19 Comments

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Chicago Cubs

Hayden Wesneski leads us off in his quest to take home the last rotation spot. He’s yet to allow a run in 4.2 innings this spring after posting a 2.18 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 33 innings for the Cubbies last year. Javier Assad and Adrian Sampson have been effective in their regular season chances, too, but Assad could go back to Triple-A, and Sampson could go to the bullpen. Either could be fine in the rotation, but neither has a great case to block an emerging arm like Wesneski. 

Third base is a busy spot this spring. Edwin Rios was playing a lot with Patrick Wisdom on the shelf due to lingering soreness in the groin, but Wisdom returned to the lineup Monday. While he feels like the frontrunner given his playing time the past couple seasons, Wisdom is arbitration eligible next year and could command a sum that’s not commensurate with his on-field contributions, given the slipshod nature of the process and the number of home runs he hits. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?