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For some of you too young to remember (ya know, all of you 4-year-olds reading a fantasy baseball blog), Jose Reyes sat out after a 1st inning single in order to win a batting title in 2011. A weasel move if there ever was one. It’s like sleeping with Kate Hudson, Kate Upton and Kate Beckinsale then declaring you’re off the market for life because you’ve got the Triple Kate Crown. Not even trying for Kate Bush, Kate Gosselin or a Kate Spade handbag. You sold yourself short, just like Jose Reyes. Well, yesterday was, well, have I said ‘well’ yet, well, um, well, Mike Minor (8 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 12 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.59) got 200 Ks on the season. He did. There’s no denying it, but here’s the path he took: He gave up five runs, didn’t look great, was at 117 pitches and came out for the 8th inning because he needed one more K for 200. Much to his chagrin, he threw a 1-2-3 8th inning on three pitches. So, would he come out for the 9th? You betcha, home slice! Skullduggery was afoot! He got another out, then a two-strike count to Chris Owings, when Owings popped up to Ronald Guzman in foul territory. Guzman, knowing Minor needed another K for 200, dropped the pop-up and his dugout cheered. Baseball:  team sport.  Then, on the next pitch, he struck out Chris Owings and got his 200th K on an 86 MPH winded-as-all-get-out fastball that was called a change with an eye roll on the 126th pitch. So, does this make Minor as bad as Reyes? Much worse? Or better because he was at least trying to do more? No one will ever be as bad as Jose Reyes! Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday 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 Fri 8/8
ARI | ATH | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHC | CHW | CIN | CLE | COL | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | LAD | MIA | MIL | MIN | NYM | NYY | PHI | PIT | SD | SEA | SF | STL | TB | TEX | TOR | WSH | OAK

We’ve come to the end of the fantasy season and I hope it was a good one for you. For this final FanDuel Friday, we have a 15-game slate. Baseball’s an extremely fluky sport, to begin with, but come late-September it’s just a mess. I’m going to focus on the teams that still have something to play for since, in theory, they’re putting forth full effort. Unfortunately for us, that means one of my top pitching recommendations is Mike Fiers ($8,300). Currently, the Athletics are in the lead for the first Wild Card spot, with the Rays a half-game behind them and the Indians a game and a half behind the Rays. After three regression-filled starts in which Fiers gave up 16 earned runs in 7.2 innings pitched, he had a get-right start against the Rangers, going eight-scoreless innings pitched. Today, Mike Fiers gets a matchup against the Mariners, who have gotten worse against right-handed pitching as the season wore on. Since September 1st, the Mariners have put up a 73 wRC+and struck out 28.9% of the time against righties. Let’s take a look at the rest of today’s FanDuel slate.

New to FanDuelScared 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?

The sun is setting on the final days of fantasy baseball in 2019. If you’re fending off the wolves here are some relievers with a shot at a sneaky save over the next few days. Cut the fat and for that matter, any player not likely to get you a stat in a category of need no matter how big the name. Adding these names is the fantasy equivalent of Bran’s time travel/warging of Hodor. They probably stem the tide but may ruin something (like a ratio).

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Grey joins Donkey Teeth and B_Don to discuss ideas for 2020 fantasy baseball on the Goin’ Deep Razzcast. They debate whether Ronald Acuna or Mike Trout should be taken #1 overall next year, or maybe dark horse Christian Yelich? The changing landscape of Major League Baseball and fantasy baseball is at the forefront of the discussion.

And should you gamble on Pete Alonso or Yordan Alvarez in the late 2nd or early 3rd round? Yes, but you’ll have to tune in to find out which one. Then later in the show Grey disowns B_Don for suggesting Bryce Harper should be drafted over Rafael Devers, and Donkey Teeth is disowned shortly after for contemplating Aaron Judge over Devers. Don’t miss all the drama on this week’s episode of Goin’ Deep!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Here we are folks, we’ve made it to the last Thursday regular season. It’s been a wild ride but the fun isn’t over yet. As you set your lineups, keep an eye on the starting 9 as teams who are out of it or have already locked up their spot may elect to rest certain fantasy relevant players. So with that in mind, let’s get on to some picks.

First up is a value pick for pitcher, Tyler Beede (SP: $6,900)  The Rox will be in the Bay this week which should suppress the bombs. Beede hasn’t been stellar this season but he is capable of turning in a strong performance here. At least he can help the Giants close out the season on a high note and pick up some momentum for next season. (That’s how it works, right?) That’s totally how it works and the Giants will roll through the league next year. Anyhoo, that’s a wrap folks. Thanks for playing with us and we’ll see you all back here next season.

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?

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Adalberto Mondesi will have surgery on his shoulder and miss the next five to six months. *insert GIF of King Tommen falling out of the window* Mondesi likely won’t be ready for Opening Day. Cancel 2020. Don’t even want to go on. Please, don’t try to cheer me up. I’m wallowing! Let me wallow! Guess it’s better to get the injury out of the way now vs. in March. Ha, you thought I was being positive! Screw you for misreading my intentions! It’s not good news, this means his shoulder could re-injure at any point in 2020 and become a recurring issue. Give me a tissue. I already miss you. I’m a sad poet and aware of it. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

For your viewing and thinking pleasure, I have arranged a list of top 25 prospects for fantasy baseball. It’s just a snapshot, subject to change after hustle and bustle of Fall, but I had a lot of fun working through the scenarios. Would I trade Gavin Lux for Jo Adell? I’m not sure. Would depend on that build in that moment. But I am sure I’d lose some sleep over it because I already have.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Can you taste the end? It’s just days away, and after one of the longest seasons of my (Ralph) life, I’m ready to move onto the offseason, sleep, and begin life again. But before we can do any of that, Grey and myself hit you with our final in-season podcast of the season before we move onto the annual end of year mock draft, featuring a very special guest (no, not Jose Canseco). As for today’s episode, we talk more 2020 value on a handful of players including Miguel Sano, Trevor Bauer, J.D. Davis, Garrett Richards and Willie Calhoun. We cry about Sam Hilliard being a Rockie before launching our hopes and dreams into space. Sorry, the Rockies treatment of prospects is my Waterloo. Anywho, it’s another week of the Razzball podcast.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Late season DFS baseball isn’t quite the “who the heck is that” insanity that late season DFS basketball is (or say, week 17 fantasy football is), but the same concepts still apply, albeit to a much lesser degree. So for those still playing cash games at this point in the season – do be weary of veterans on teams that have that have nothing to play for – both the teams that were eliminated a long time ago, and also teams that have their playoff spots locked up. In the case of teams with their playoff spots locked up (and nothing to play for except seeding) it’s doubtful they’ll pull hitters mid-game, but there’s always a chance they pull the starting pitcher early with an eye towards the playoffs. Tread carefully.

More after a word from our sponsor.

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?

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Remove Giancarlo’s hamate bone! Please! Actually, remove all players’ hamate bones immediately! Sorry, not to get all The Handmaid’s Tale here, but have Aunt Lydia line up all hitters and scalpel their hamates out of their hands. No, no, no, seriously! What if the hamateless hand is just a millisecond quicker around on a swing adding to exit velocity and–Ugh! Can’t that be a possibility? I will remove my tinfoil hat for you to answer me. Okay, I can’t risk Thetans invading my between-the-ears-space so I’m putting the hat back on. Sorry. So, Jose Ramirez returned from the IL, hamateless, and did what Matt Olson and legions of others (maybe no one else) have done before and homered a bazillion times. Yesterday, Jose Ramirez went 2-for-3, 7 RBIs with his 21st and 22nd homer. In 2020, I imagine Jose Ramirez will be ranked in the preseason by everyone like I ranked him coming into this year — at some point in the 2nd round vs. that top five ranking everyone was giving him like a bunch of loons. Though, now that hamate removal surgery is the new cortisone shot… Hmm…  Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

It’s hard to believe there’s only one week to go in the Razzball Commenter Leagues.  This marathon of a season has seen us torture ourselves for 25 long weeks, agonizing over batty calls, dipping into the streamers with mixed results, cursing players and praising others.  We’ve ignored our families, our jobs and our personal hygiene and now it all comes down to the final week. You may smell like stale Funyuns, but dagummit, that virtual fantasy trophy is all yours!  Speaking of trophies, the FFBs are looking to lock down their overall RCL Championship trophy. FFB took the lead once again this week after two weeks in the second place seat. FFB has a 0.7 RCL point lead over Backdoor Splitters with a week to go. Can they hold on?  It’s a two team race and a battle of LCI vs. League Points. More on the FFBs and the rest of the week that was, week 25 below:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

22-year-old Rafael Devers ($3,900), a.k.a. Baby Face Killa, has been an elite hitter against right-handed pitching with a .325/.383/.598 line, along with 24 homers and just a 15.8% K-rate. He can easily finish as one of Tuesday’s top hitters against an opener in Edinson Volquez, who has more walks (11) than strikeouts (9), followed by Ariel Jurado and his 5.73 ERA. Devers should be a centerpiece of your lineups and is affordable at this price.

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?