After taking a week-long break from pontification on hitters and their current trends, we’re right back at it from our Aaron Civale reprieve (who just threw 8 innings with 1 earned run and 6 strikeouts, ahem). And while you’re sure not here to pat my back (I am perfectly able to physically and mentally take this burden and pat myself on the back), I assume that you’re hear to get the downlow on what’s up. I’m now geographically lost. However, this week, we’ll be taking a look at Rob Refsnyder and the almighty equalizer in all of sports: playing time. Injuries would be acceptable too, but lets keep that between you and me, we don’t want it waking up and exploding other players this year. Trust me on this. *cries in Mike Trout.
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Yankees starter Gerrit Cole ($12,200) is off to an incredible start to the season, with 92 strikeouts to just eight walks in 64 2/3 innings. Tonight he will be facing a Tigers lineup that strikes out more than any team in the American League at 27.5% of the time. While Cole has an expensive price tag, his upside for double digit strikeouts is worth the salary. It’s tough to fade the ace in this spot, as Cole has a high probability at being the top starting pitcher needed to win contests.
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If You Don’t Manoah, Now You Manoah
May 28, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 272 Commentsby: Grey
Here’s what I said the other day, “Alek Manoah looks to me like Lance Lynn meets a background extra from Uncut Gems. Manoah looks like he will sell you a knockoff Rolex. I will call him a Rolek. His build is why the term big-bodied came to be defined. A Rolek looks like he could throw 200 IP without breaking a sweat, in one game. Everything I’ve seen has impressed me, from his 96 MPH fastball to his gorge 82 MPH slider. Roofies suck, so expectations in check, but you’ll never breathe if you can’t Blue Velvet an oxygen mask while watching a rookie starter.” And that’s me quoting me! Would like to add to that, Rolek looks like he’d be in Action Bronson’s crew. So, came away massively impressed by Rolek (6 IP, 0 ER, 2 hits, 2 walks, 7 Ks). 82 MPH slider with upwards to 43 inches of break is a ‘goodnight, see ya tomorrow’ pitch, that he couples with a 96 MPH FB. Had some drop which could be an issue (falls into strike zone), but the 89 MPH change makes up for it. He threw one hummer down the pipe-lane to Aaron Judge and big boy got frozen solid like Mr. Freeze dropped a bad pun on him. “I have another call, so I have to put you on cold.” I had grabbed Rolek in my 12-teamer, but rosters are tight, so I needed to drop him, and now I’m filled with regret. Would absolutely grab him in all leagues. Hopefully, that tall drink of water can avoid hiccups. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
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Top 100 Outfielders For 2021 Fantasy Baseball: Oof Edition
May 27, 2021 | Top 100 Outfielders | 23 Commentsby: Coolwhip
We are 2 months into the season now (when the 2020 season ended, crazy huh?). Is it bad that the majority of success right now can be weighed by how many of your guys are on the IL? Oof. The other working title was “Doom Over My Hammy Edition” but that was just ridiculous. This week’s episode has become basically a spin-off of JKJ’s weekly bit, Ambulance Chasers. whew. That’s not so much an ambulance whew whew, as it is a sarcastic celebratory whew. Although… why not both? So as I said, we’re 2 months into this season now which puts us at roughly the 1/3 mark. Therefore, I have now made some adjustments to projected values reflecting this very truth. And that’s right, you guessed it. Adolis Garcia is rocketing up the charts like his batted balls to the heavens. I don’t have him in enough places and that makes me sad. Oof. Oh, and spoiler alert, Mike Trout is injured now… giant OOF. So many Oofs and so little time. But first, a word on the god-man Shohei Ohtani…
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When the San Francisco Giants were winning chips in 2010, 2012, and 2014, it was all about pitching and defense. Or was it? During those three magical years, the Giants were 12th, 12th, and 17th in runs scored, 10th, 30th, and 17th in home runs, and 14th, 14th, and 17th in OPS. Offense, defense, and special teams! Then the malaise hit as the Giants morphed into a slap-hitting, station to station offense that even had the BART blaring its horns. From 2016 to 2018, the Giants were 19th, 29th, and 29th in runs scored, 28th, 30th, and 29th in home runs, and 20th, 30th, and 29th in OPS. After the 2018 season, the Giants hired Farhan Zaidi and the small-ball offense has become a remnant of the past. The renaissance has helped the Giants to a 28-19 record to compete with the big dogs in the NL West and, as we learned from the 90s, chicks dig the long ball.
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Week 8 brings us the same thing that damn near every other week has brung, brought, broughten? Hell, I don’t know…it has given us heartache, heartbreak, and trips to the IL. I am cautiously pessimistic that even mentioning the IL will bring about injuries to the players listed. What we have seen tho is that by breaking down each week into its’ own small season, if you play the matchups, the AB’s, and just stay diligent, you are probably doing better than 70% of your league. Luckily for you, I neglect my family and work to bring you the Week 8 Head to Heads gems. Enjoy.
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Who’s ready for some more Thirsty Thursday DFS? Tommy Edman (2B: $2,600) sure is. He’s riding a nice hot streak and that’s a train you should climb aboard. Tickets aren’t too expensive and the tracks look clear ahead. As a bonus he can also slot into an outfield spot if you would prefer that. He’s a top 10 hitter today but you aren’t paying him like one. Full steam ahead.
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Please, blog, may I have some more?[brid autoplay=”true” video=”786119″ player=”10951″ title=”RZBL%202021%20WAIVER%20WIRE%20WEEK%208″ duration=”154″ description=”undefined” uploaddate=”2021-05-21″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/thumb/786119_t_1621565488.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/786119.mp4″]
Yesterday, James Kaprielian went 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 hits, 2 walks, 4 Ks, ERA at 1.53, and it’s time to dig in. Luckily, I watched him since it was an afternoon game. Looks like his sum is greater than his parts. Like a Honda. Ya know, no one ever talks about parts being better than a whole, which is always more likely. Like Tenet. Like The Irishman. Like a seven-course dinner anywhere. Amuse bouche? I’ll amuse you! Apps? Perhaps! Entree? Entry into my mouth! Cheese course? Okay, eff off. Mid-dinner sorbet to cleanse my palate? No, just bring me the damn dessert! So, Kaprielian appears to have a home run problem, but the Colossal-seum will help with that, and facing the M’s didn’t hurt. The command will be low 3-ish BB/9 with a 8.7-9.1 K/9. That’s roughly a high-3 to low 4 ERA with neutral luck, and a Streamonator call. Whispers softly, “He’s a mediOAKer starter.” Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
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Some people are just good at farting.
In the comedic sense.
If we can be objective about it.
Which of course we can’t.
Our own farts are the best farts.
Not necessarily in the comedic sense.
But also definitely in the comedic sense.
If we can be objective about it.
Nobody has ever farted as funnily as I have, from my perspective, is all I’m saying.
I keep trying to avoid the subject of confirmation bias as an intro for this piece, but here we are, talking about my farts, and your farts, and I’m sorry it got so intimate so quickly. You didn’t come here for this. Probably.
And I don’t even mean to besmirch the thing itself. Confirmation bias can be a blast. Few phenomena match the thrill of that you’re-goddamn-right-I’m-right feeling of riding astride a fantasy baseball win.
Which is precisely what makes it self-insulating and self-isolating, which is precisely what makes it toxic. The second we stop looking for reasons we might be wrong, we invite bad mental processes.
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We’re almost two months into the regular season and I feel like all of my teams have run the Gauntlet from American Gladiators. Every time I think I’ve got a leg up on the competition, Nitro smashes me in the face with a jousting staff. This week we saw Manny Machado and Cavan Biggio miss time, along with DJ LeMahieu hitting the paternity list for a couple of days. Mike Moustakas continues to flip flop between healthy and not healthy and the rest of the third base pool is in a deep, deep slump. Let’s get to the list and we’ll talk about some of the movers.
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SAGNOF, Week 9: Don’t Fry Because It’s Over
May 26, 2021 | Closers, Middle Relievers, SAGNOF | 4 Commentsby: Kerry Klug
Here I go again sounding the trouble alarm. The way relief pitching is going this season I expect this will be a recurring segment every two weeks in SAGNOF. I’m taking a look at closers who have been struggling since the last time I wrote about closers two weeks ago. The concern level scale goes from:
- Green: “That ain’t no problem, that ain’t no problem.” Shannon Sharpe
- Yellow: “Oh, I’m stressed!” Jerry Seinfeld
- Orange: “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Han Solo
- Red: “Molly. You in danger girl.” Oda Mae Brown
Hard to believe we’re approaching the end of month 2 of the MLB marathon. The injuries continue to mount and leave us with some interesting streaming options, which is good news because the pitching options at face value are not great. We get an MLB debut along with a bunch of mediocre starters. The only headliners are Trevor Bauer and Tyler Glasnow. Bauer has a tough matchup against the Astros, leaving Glasnow as the chalky ace pick. We should have another full slate as there’s no inclement weather on the horizon.
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