Them Crooked Save Vultures Are Back On Tour

September 3, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Buy/Sell | 138 Comments

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(NOTE: THIS POST WAS RELEASED EARLY THIS WEEK ON OUR PATREON. IT’S $10/MONTH OR $13/MONTH WITH AN EXTRA WEEKLY PODCAST.)

This is The Save Vulture Dance. Sing it like it’s The Electric Slide.

[spoken word intro]
The save vulture is a scavenger bird. They see weakness in others’ misfortune. A closer goes down or struggles or gets traded and the save vulture swoops in and gnaws on the closer’s handcuff. And if you don’t give up, or give in, you may just be okay…OKAY!

[lyrics]
Snap, snap, Giovanny Gallegos, Genesis Cabrera, Alex Reyes, claw, claw, save.
Save vultures aren’t reproducin’ cuz they’re uze overweight guys,
Preferin’ to watch sports highlights than listen to the girl they’re datin’. Sighs.
Snap, snap, Joe Barlow, Spencer Patton, claw, claw, save.
The save vulture’s claws are orange from Cheetos dust,
The orange reminds them of all that Orioles’ fuss.
Snap, snap, Cole Sulser, Tyler Wells, No One Because The O’s Won’t Win, claw, claw, save.
Teams that flipped their closers for prospects at the trading deadline and are now losin’,
They still haven’t figured out who’s closin’.
Snap, snap, Paul Sewald, Drew Steckenrider, Kyle Finnegan, Dylan Floro…*huff, huff, out of breath* …keep on going!…Anthony Bender, David Bednar, Carlos Estevez, Chris Stratton, Codi Heuer, Rowan Wick, claw, claw, save.
Guys who have just sucked and teams needed to look elsewhere,
Desperate, you look like Walter White in his underwear,
Snap, snap, Emmanuel Clase, Adam Ottavino, Johnny Lasagna, Andrew Chafin, Sergio Romo, claw, claw, save.

[spoken word outro]
Now ya know, if you need saves in the final month. [sax plays us out] Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaves. Anyway, here’s some more players to Buy or Sell this week in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

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See all of today’s starting lineups

#	MLB Starting Lineups For Sun 8/3
	ARI \| ATH \| BAL \| BOS \| CHC \| CHW \| CLE \| COL \| DET \| HOU \| KC \| LAA \| LAD \| MIA \| MIL \| MIN \| NYM \| NYY \| PHI \| PIT \| SD \| SEA \| SF \| STL \| TB \| TEX \| TOR \| WSH \| ATL \| CIN \| OAK

Points Leagues: We’re Talking Playoffs?

September 3, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Points Leagues | 2 Comments

by: Butters

If you’re still reading I think it’s safe to assume that you have a playoff spot either locked up or on the line this week. And to that I say congrats. You’ve made it this far, not it’s time to take it home and hoist that championship trophy. So how do you win in the playoffs? Well, you’ve been winning in order to make the playoff in the first place so keep doing what you’ve been doing, it’s clearly working.

Start your studs

You hear this a lot with fantasy football, but it applies here as well. You want your best guys in your lineup. Obviously. But what it really means is don’t get too cute it. Could the guy you just snagged off the wire outscore fantasy god Shohei Ohtani? Yes, it could happen, but the odds are heavily in favor of the Sho.

Max out your starts

Whatever limit your league has on starts, smash it. Otherwise you’re just leaving points on the table. Take advantage of Streamonator to find your plug and play guys. I seriously can’t recommend it enough and it’s been responsible for more than a few of my wins. You can’t replace a true ace but you can approximate their points by rolling out a streaming pitcher every day if your league allows it.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

FanDuel: Certified Lover Pete

September 3, 2021 | 2021 Fantasy Baseball, DFS, Fanduel |

by: TroyKlauder

Pete Alonso ($3,500) is batting .319 over the last two weeks and gets a strong matchup tonight against Nationals lefty Sean Nolin, who has a 6.57 ERA. Alonso has a 144 wRC+ against left-handed pitching this year, and he is part of a strong Mets stack that includes Francisco Lindor ($3,300) and Javier Baez ($3,400). These Mets hitters are very affordable and a great way to differentiate from the rest of the field, who will surely be playing lots of hitters in the Braves-Rockies game, so they should be a priority target in GPP tournaments.

New to FanDuel? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well, be sure to read our content and subscribe to the DFSBot for your daily baseball plays. Just remember to sign up through us before jumping into the fray. It’s how we know you care!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Keller On A Cellar Dweller Proves Not A Bad Fella

September 3, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 139 Comments

by: Grey

*throwing cards like in that INXS video* Queller, Stellar, Old Yeller, Bookseller, that kid on ESPN’s Spelling Bee whose name I can’t spell is a good speller, hey, wanna check out my wine cellar, Papa Smurf is a mushroom dweller, love to be a fart smeller, love to be a fart smeller, love to be a fart smeller, wasn’t Winnie Cooper’s real name Danica Something-Keller, if you’re on the east coast you’re riding in an upside down umbreller, Mitch Keller, Mitch Keller, Mitch Keller!

Damn, don’t mess with me when I’m doing an INXS freestyle. So, Mitch Keller went 6 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 8 Ks, ERA at *trying not to chuckle* 6.23. His peripherals: 8.8 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, 4.53 FIP. His .373 BABIP is insane, but when you’re in the bottom 2% in the league with exit velocity, and xBA, then you’re going to give up a ton of hits. How’d it go all wrong? Two years ago, he had a 2.76 xERA and now it’s 5.95. The slider and curve used to be a smoke show. Now they’re getting rocked. In 2019, his curve saw a 35.3% strikeout rate with 72.2% ground balls. This year, it’s 12.5% and 36.8%. Um, yikes. Yesterday, he was locating his breaking ball, and that’s the difference. For Mitch Keller to have a great 2022, it’s the same as real estate for the mafia: location, location, location and breaking balls. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Getting Ahead in Head to Head, Playoff Week 1: Time To Tighten Up The Belt!

September 2, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Head-to-Head Leagues | 4 Comments

by: NateMarcum

The Playoffs have arrived, and if you are like me, the anxiety of making the wrong move is paralytic. With that knowledge, trust in the fact that I have only steered you wrong on occasion. Taking that a step further, at least I took us in a different direction that led to a fun destination. This destination is the land of; Drop your bums and take advantage of the matchups.

Yes, the idea of playing matchups has been my season-long approach, but it has even more impact during these do-or-die scenarios. When it comes to Week 1 of the playoffs, there are a couple of interesting scenarios to focus on.

8-Game Schedule: Baltimore & Toronto play a doubleheader on Saturday.
5-Game Schedule: Arizona & San Diego-Fringe players can be eliminated from these two team
Interleague DH gains-Milwaukee & Arizona
Interleague DH losers-New York Yankees, Texas, Detroit, and Los Angeles Angels

So who are we adding for Week 1 of the Playoffs?

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Fanduel: The Way the Cookie Crumbles

September 2, 2021 | 2021 Fantasy Baseball, DFS, Fanduel |

by: Butters

Hey hey, party people, we’ve got an exciting slate of action as teams fight for playoff position. Fantasy wise we’ve some guys at great prices, especially on the mound. One of the best options is Carlos Carrasco, SP: $6,800 – What if I told you that today’s number one pitcher was available for basically nothing? Cookie projects to be right up there with the top dogs but for a whole lot less. His price probably has something to do with the 6.94 ERA and I can see why that might put some of you off. However, he has strung together a couple of good starts, which is encouraging. Also encouraging is his match-up today. You can’t beat the value.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

The Hunt For No October with Joe Ryan

September 2, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 138 Comments

by: Grey

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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! Yesterday, Joe Ryan went 5 IP, 3 ER, 4 baserunners, 5 Ks, and looked much better those numbers. Outside of one inning in the 3rd when he ran up against the red-hot Schwingdel, he looked 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. This is potentially as good a prospect arm call-up as we’re getting the rest of the year. I added him in a few deeper leagues. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Prospect News: Keibert Ruiz Unlocks His Future, Joe Ryan Brings Joy

September 1, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 13 Comments

by: The Itch

Anyone getting called up for some September playing time is part of the Opening Day picture for 2022. The only real incentive to promote a player now is that it’ll be the same difference, service-time-wise, as breaking camp with that player on the roster. So although some call-ups this week seem on the surface like they’re too little too late for our fantasy purposes, they’re right on time to get us fired up about drafting these prospects as rookies in 2022 redraft leagues.

Enter Keibert Ruiz, the primary return for Washington in the trade that sent Trea Turner and Max Scherzer to the World Champion Dodgers.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Bear or Bull: Cup of Joe

September 1, 2021 | Bear or Bull | 8 Comments

by: Son

The expression “cup of coffee” entered the sports vernacular when a minor league player would only be in the majors long enough to drink a cup before getting sent down. What if someone nurses their coffee for a long, long time? What size is the cup? Why can’t Starbucks just say small, medium, and large? Is it really necessary to go with Demi, Short, Tall, Grande, Venti, and Trenta? F Starbucks. Anyways, I could get into some nasty South Park ideas but I don’t want to get fired so I’ll leave it in imagination land. Fine, organizations are ruthless and toothless so they don’t care about any of that. When they feel it’s time for someone to get booted, they will do it without remorse. But if a player produces, the barista will continue topping off that cup. In today’s Bear or Bull, we will discuss a cup of Connor Joe who has produced an impressive line in 196 plate appearances this season: .280/.367/.470 with a .190 ISO, 11.2% walk rate, and 19.9% strikeout rate. He has eight home runs, 21 runs, and 34 RBI. As a result, he’s been added in 7% of ESPN leagues and is rostered on 22.2% of teams. In NFBC leagues, he’s rostered on 98% of teams. Will this cup of Joe continue getting refilled?

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Top 25 Third Basemen Rest of Season – Nine Lives Left

September 1, 2021 | Rest of Season Rankings, Top 25 Third Basemen | 2 Comments

by: Richardo

Welcome to September. In four short weeks, the MLB regular season will be over. The majority of teams have just nine series left. For some, nine lives left to lock up that playoff spot. More importantly, in seven days, my kids (and wife) return to school, and the magic that is a silent house returns. While this final list will cover the rest of season rankings, I want to take a look at some of the biggest movers from the beginning of the season. We’ll talk about the breakouts and the busts and see what went right (or wrong). Without further ado, let’s take a look at the list:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

FanDuel: Scherzer Skins

September 1, 2021 | DFS, Fanduel |

by: Barrelman

We are scheduled for a 10-game slate, however, I think that will be 9 with rain forecasted all night in Philly. It’s a tough slate to gauge. Carlos Rodon and Chris Sale continue to work their way back off the IL, Rodon will be on a pitch count, Sale has hovered around 80 pitches in the last couple of starts. Aaron Nola is likely not an option because of the weather, leaving the rest of the starting pitcher pool fairly bare in terms of depth.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Diamondbacks Hate the Snell of No-Hit in the Evening

September 1, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 211 Comments

by: Grey

Saw Blake Snell had a no-hitter through seven innings, but with 107 pitches thrown and I was like, “He can’t throw 90+ pitches so this will be quick,” then I remembered he threw 122 pitches in his last start and 100+ pitches in four of his last five starts, and I began to imagine the unimaginable. *wavy lines* Hey, is this imaging the unimaginable? Cool! Whoa, it’s a party in my honor with a very much alive Rowdy Roddy Piper? This is amazing. Wait, what are you doing? Don’t smash me over the head with a coconut! *wavy lines* Imaging the unimaginable stinks and the unimaginable never happens! They pulled Snell at 107 pitches. Why when he just threw 122 pitches last time? I don’t have the answer. I am the one asking the question. Blake Snell finished with 7 IP, 0 ER, zero hits, 2 walks, 10 Ks, ERA at 4.31. Snell ended the month of August with 1.72 ERA in six starts, and was his best month since 2018. If he did it last year, he would’ve won a Mickey Mouse Cy Young. But what about 2022, and why does it feel like Blake Snell is so unpredictable he’s become Robbie Ray pre-2021? He can be wildly lights-out or just wild. Maybe Blake Snell can be 2021 Robbie Ray in 2022 as long as it doesn’t mean Robbie Ray becomes pre-2021 in 2022. Why are they even connected? Again, I asked the question, that means I don’t know the answer. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?