You would think that with one of the host’s of this Guide being nicknamed Jesus, there would be at least one corny reference to it when we discuss Jesus Aguilar. But amazingly (grace), there were none. None, with the exception of this intro. Instead, we detailed just why Jesus Aguilar may be as good as we saw him be in 2018. As obvious as that last statement may sound, repeating isn’t always a cake walk. Aguilar may, nay! Aguilar is as good as we’ve seen him be. Here is some free proof, for just the cost of 5 minutes of your time…
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I was waiting for Manny Machado or Bryce Harper to sign before dropping the last bit of offseason signings before the rankings that start on Monday, but apparently the Phillies only have $300 million for each, and they want $325-plus respectively, so we need to go forward with the news without Machado and Bryce. The last bit of big news was Yusei Kikuchi signing with the Mariners. He reminds me of every other Japanese pitcher, but not in a raycess way. He reminds me of Miles Mikolas too, who was only Asian after being reborn. It’s something about Asian pitchers, and non-Asian pitchers who go to Asia and return; they exercise some serious control. Maybe it’s the culture. I had a robot watch Gung Ho 15,000 times to tell me what it thinks and now the robot is speaking super-racist. Yo, robot, why are you so culturally inappropriate? “I have no culture of my own, so I adopt yours. And I kill puppies.” AHHH!!! ROBOT MURDERER!!! RUN!!! Or roll your swivel chair towards a door if running is too much for you. Kikuchi, which is going to be fun for me to say this year, comes with a lot less fanfare than Ohtani, but I do think he can be better than him, pitching-wise, in his first full season. Ohtani is a unicorn in Babe Ruth’s body, we all know this. Kikuchi reminds me of Mikolas and Ryu and others in that mold. He’s a decent strikeout guy, but won’t blow people away, while also having impeccable command. I’m definitely looking to draft him this year, then passing him up every other year when he fails to throw 130 IP in consecutive seasons because the Japanese also completely overwork their starters. In fact (Grey’s got more!), the Mariners have already said Kikuchi will only throw an inning or so every fifth or sixth start to try to preemptively avoid the inevitable arm injury that befalls every Japanese starter. For 2019, I’ll give Kikuchi projections of 9-7/3.67/1.18/136 in 151 IP. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this offseason for 2019 fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?There are so many bad puns I’m tempted to lead with… but we’ll just leave it at, Yusei Kikuchi. Who Say Kikuchi? We say KIKUCHI! I know, that was horrible. And actually, we don’t say Kikuchi. At least not both of us. I mean we do, but to varying degrees. Yup, Ralph and I are split. So help be the tie breaker! If nothing else, watch the video, because I truly believe we teach you more about the latest Japanese import than you likely knew before you press play. And if you like this piece, scroll down to the links for the other guys we’ve covered so far in our 2019 Fantasy Baseball Video Draft Guide.
Please, blog, may I have some more?This is my kind of system. It’s heavy on hitters…hitter heavy?…heavy hitting!? This means I won’t have to lull you to sleep with descriptions of potential mid-rotation starters recovering from their second Tommy John surgery. Goodnight moon. Goodnight brush. Goodnight boy whose arm is now mush. Oh yeah, and Toronto has the numero uno spec in all the land! You may have heard of him. If not, check out Grey’s redraft analysis, then click back here and scroll down like two inches. Then keep scrolling because I talk about nine more prospects. I’ll wait here and stare into the middle distance while you do all that.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Hani-ger! Hani-ger! Hani-ger! Is how I chant the Mariner outfielder’s name, reminiscent to another breakout in history. But, was it really a breakout? I mean… he was healthy. Yay! But, the numbers themselves were exactly the same. Is this real life? Oh is it ever! And we have some juicy nuggets to share with you that’ll make you walk around chanting Hani-ger! Hani-ger! Hani-ger! yourself. Watch, learn, comment, discuss. Then go watch another one of these little camera experiments we’ve been throwing together, only go watch another player. (They’re listed below to make life extremely easy on you).
Please, blog, may I have some more?You know what makes me upright? Ew, gross! I’m talking about sitting up in my chair and taking notice! Anyway, I get upright, when a guy ups his K/9 and lowers his walk rate. To make me even more erect — Again, in my seat! Geez. — a guy who had an already elite K-rate and wasn’t that miserable with his command. Eduardo Rodriguez had a 9.8 K/9 and 3.3 in 2017, and bested both numbers last year with a 10.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. That makes me pitch a tent! A tent in my backyard that I’ve labeled “Pitchers I like.” C’mon, you perv! Eduardo Rodriguez had the 20th best K/9 last year. Wow, I am so horny! Horny as in bullish on Eduardo Rodriguez! What is wrong with you? Anyway, what can we expect from Eduardo Rodriguez for 2019 fantasy baseball and what makes him a sleeper?
Please, blog, may I have some more?What is in the Houston water? More specifically, what is in the water in the Astros’ clubhouse that the pitchers have been drinking? It’s really more about what they’re spinning, than drinking, and this opening is starting to sound like I’m drinking when I’m trying to spin. Whatevs. The 2019 Fantasy Baseball Video Draft Guide continues with a look at Astros’ new toy, Josh James. Check it out, leave us a comment, and check out the others (if you’ve missed any to this point. See below.)
Please, blog, may I have some more?While casually scrolling through pitchers from last year who should be better this year, I saw Andrew Heaney. My first thought was, “RIP Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.” Then, I Googled “professional wrestlers who have prematurely died,” and, five weeks later, when I was done reading the results, I returned to Andrew Heaney. Am I suddenly more optimistic about the Angels now that they have the new manager, Brad Ausmus? Well, no, not necessarily. He is devilishly handsome — between Ausmus and Gabe Kapler, can a Jewish grandmother get some grandkids up in here?! — and Ausmus can’t be worse than The Sciosciapath. At least he won’t have to make out the lineup card with a pencil in his mouth, because he’s wearing a straitjacket. How much will Ausmus do for the Angels’ starters? Meh, he finished under .500 as the Tigers’ manager after four seasons, and seems to fail sideways. His bullpen management was goofy at best, and he thinks catchers, who are pitch framers, should go work at Aaron Brothers, the national chain of picture framers, not Rex Brothers’ brother (stutterer!). Luckily, I don’t think Ausmus has any bearing on Heaney, there’s too much going in his favor, which I will now tackle, after this clunky segue: So, what can we expect from Andrew Heaney for 2019 fantasy baseball and what makes him a sleeper?
Please, blog, may I have some more?I’m going to drop the Toronto Blue Jays minor league report on Wednesday. They’ve got this dude Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that seems pretty hot to trot. Since we’re ahead of schedule on the previews, I decided to pull on the reins and stop and think about what makes Vlad Jr. so good. I think it will be helpful. It will explain how guys like me and you who have day job(s) and families evaluate prospects without actually getting to see them in person. We’ve got videos, stats, and real scouting reports to go by…and that’s about it. So how come Vlad is such a consensus top prospect? According to NFBC, he’s getting drafted 37th overall…as high as 17th. That’s pretty remarkable. It’s right after Anthony Rizzo and a few picks before the likes of Carlos Carrasco, Khris Davis, and dare I say it Adalberto Mondesi. Ya know, guys who have actually played in the majors. So let’s do it. Let’s break down Vlad Jr. and in turn pull back the curtain on how I (try to) break down prospects in general.
Please, blog, may I have some more?It’s been a long two weeks. Gifts were purchased, wrapped, and un-wrapped. Traveling was done, and merry times were had by all. Unfortunately the by product of this joyous season is my co-host Lance Brozdowski is in high demand. As my better half traveled back to Chicago, I did what any philandering husband would do. I called my man Eddy Almaguer and we recorded a podcast behind Lance’s back. It’s all good though, Eddy’s part of the PL Team, and just so happens to be our in house Yusei Kikuchi expert. So of course we dig into our expectations for the Japanese lefty in 2019, the best place to draft him in mixed league redraft, and where we might pluck him in a Dynasty First Year Player Draft. After that we talk some ETAs for 2019 (Alonso, Tatis, etc.), before diving into ten players squarely on our radar going into 2019 dynasty drafts. It’s the Razzball Prospect Podcast powered by ProspectsLive.com.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Got at-bats? Mullins does. Or, at least he should. Is that alone enough to make you want him? I mean really, really want him? The Baseball Show’s 2019 Fantasy Baseball Video Draft Guide continues right here on Razzball with a look at one of the Orioles new building blocks. He is the first player so far this year that Ralph and Andy are torn on. So, you be the tiebreaker. Who’s side are you taking? We know what side Grey’s on, Cedric Mullins sleeper.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Go ahead, allow yourself a ten-minute cackle sesh after seeing Nick Pivetta listed as a sleeper. I’ll allow it this one time, then we’re going to get down to business, and no more cackling at what an awful season Nick Pivetta had last year. No more talk about his 4.77 ERA. No talk of his 5.05 ERA in the 2nd half. No talk about how his batting average against, slugging percentage against and wOBA against were all nearly identical from the first half to the 2nd half and none of them were particularly good. No talk about how lefties hit him like he was a dumpster Fiers. No talk about how Pivetta made you cry and crawl up into a ball every time he took the ball. No talk about any of that! No negative talk anymore after that ten-minute cackle. Okay, done? You have another 15 seconds of cackling? Then get it over with, would ya?! So, what can we expect from Nick Pivetta for 2019 fantasy baseball and what makes him a sleeper?
Please, blog, may I have some more?