Roto-Wan

Closer Rankings: Leclerc Est LeGood

August 24, 2018 | Closers | 15 Comments

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Hey, you’re not Smokey. What gives? Smokey has passed on. From our fantasy collective that is. I’m Roto-Wan. You may remember me from such Razzball posts as Draft: DFS Tuesdays. I’m filling the bear-shaped hole left in your fantasy hearts the rest of the way. Strap in save-chasers. The end of 2018 could get bumpy.

  • I’m kicking things off in bold fashion and adding Jose Leclerc to the top tier. He has as many earned runs as walks since July 1. Two of each, lowering his ratios to a 1.93 ERA and a .90 WHIP, with a 14.3 K/9. Dude is bad.
  • It’s been a weird stretch for the Dodgers. Jansen was diagnosed with a heart issue and DL’d. No one excelled in his absence. Then he returned and blew some saves in ugly fashion. I have to drop them some.
  • Terry Francona has made it clear both Allen and Hand will get save opportunities.
  • Would you look at that? Sergio Romo has become useful in 2018. Nothing spectacular, but fairly dependable in the one number we care about.
  • As gross as the name is, Wily Peralta seems to be the preferred option for the Royals. In a bold-bullpen-calls article prior to the season, he was the boldest one I made. It says something about the nature of saves that the name I thought was the most ridiculous I included is getting regular ninth inning work.
    • 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
Richardo

FanDuel: Folty Takes His Talents To South Beach

August 24, 2018 | DFS, Fanduel |

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Welcome to another Friday, where FanDuel has us set up with a 14 game slate.  Since all the studs pitched on Thursday (Scherzer, Nola, DeGrom, Bumgarner, ), we have the fun job of picking through the leftovers to find Friday’s stud.  Today I’m taking my talents to South Beach…….to write about the visiting pitcher, Mike Foltynewicz ($). <set up autocorrect to fix every time I eff up the spelling of Folynevix>  Foltyburger’s K-rate has been sick this year, up 7.5% from 20.7% in 2017 to 28.2% this year, and he even gets a small park bump in Miami.  He also gets the pleasure of facing Miami’s lineup which for the season is dead last in ISO and 28th in wOBA vs RHP.  Foltyverter is where I’m starting my lineup on this Friday, so let’s see what we can add to him to make some money.

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?
Grey

Mad Max Cannot Get Beyond Noladome

August 24, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 162 Comments

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The rich keep getting richer and the poor get poorer.  The middle is being squeezed.  When I Google, “What happened to the middle class?”  I found some socioeconomic theories on Yahoo Answers, and ads to get rich quick and stop having to “steal food from Whole Foods.”  Okay, I have no idea how they know about that, but, if you switch a price tag, it is not exactly stealing.  It’s redistributing “gummies made with real fruit juice.”  All of this is fascinating and all, but I was trying to find out what is happening to the middle class of starters!  Aaron Nola (8 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 9 Ks) and Max Scherzer (7 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 10 Ks) faced each other, and both pitchers have ERAs of 2.13.  Not surprisingly, the police code for fantastic use of arms is 2.13.  Again, there’s top starters with a sub-3 ERA, and there is a ton of starters above 4.00 ERA that I don’t want, but where are the 3.50 ERA pitchers?  Doesn’t it feel like this middle class of pitchers has shrunk?  *coming across something on the internet*  Hmm, maybe this article by a Harvard professor in The Economist will explain it to me.  Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Minor League Update: Florial Arrangements For Your Dynasty Centerpiece

August 23, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 14 Comments

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Prospects are funny, when things are going well all is expected of them. The sky’s the limit, the loftiest of comparisons are strewn about, and the helium pumps. Then the player struggles. Whether it be a command bout for a live arm, or a hitter stalling a little in his development. We all quickly jump off the boat. When often times, that player bounces back the following year, or late in the season, only to leave egg on our faces. Development takes time, and it’s just that, developing skills that lead to success at the major league level. Once such case of struggle, and recent revival is Yankees outfield prospect Estevan Florial. After an unproductive and injury plagued first half, the Haitian talent has returned with a vengeance. He’s looking more comfortable at the plate, and his swing and miss issues are trending the right way. If Florial can get his hit tool to a 45-50 level, his combination of speed and power could turn him into an impact player at the major league level. For now there’s still hit tool concerns, but you scout the athlete, and there’s few more impressive than Florial. I won’t back down from Florial as a top 25-50 prospect, and he’ll be around there in my update.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Son

One Man’s Trash: Darth Bader

August 23, 2018 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 4 Comments

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On July 31st, there was a great disturbance in the force, as Tommy Pham was traded from the Cardinals to the Rays. The black hole was subsequently filled by an innocent-looking 24-year-old with 315 major league plate appearances, Harrison Bader (43.4% owned – increase of 29%). Then it started happening. Each pitch thrown was met with anger. Each cleat dug further into the dirt until the shoe twisted, then churned the ground, causing a volcano-like explosion hurling a 190-pound mass of anger down the base path. The innocent-looking 24-year-old was no more. The hate. The anger. It all manifested to unveil….Darth Bader. He of the 46.8% hard hit rate. He of the .242 ISO and .576 SLG. If I compare the numbers from the month of August to the rest of the season (74 PA vs 223 PA), the swinging strike rate is down 2%, the chase rate is down 4%, contact rate is up 5%, hard hit rate is up 14%, and ground ball rate is down 10%! Could be a case of the small sample size, but it could also be that he’s playing regularly now. Regardless, there’s going to be some regression, as a .432 BABIP is unsustainable. With that said, the power/speed combo is too enticing and we all know that the force is strong in St. Louis. TREASURE

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Laura Holt

Rolling In The Deep: The Angel (Okay, The Marlin) Rafael Is Here To Help You

August 23, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Deep Leagues |

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Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Or maybe I mean it’s better to be desperate than good. Either way, when you don’t have a lot of choices to make, sometimes what seems like a bad decision actually works out. In the RCL-style leagues, where daily changes are allowed and there is always a plethora of legit options to choose from on the waiver wire, you’re never going to have a guy like Mark Reynolds in your lineup when he does something like collect 10 RBI in one game, as he did back in July.  But you might have had him active in a deep NL-only league, even though you would have never chosen to if you’d had just about any other option. I drafted Kevin Plawecki this year in 12-team NL-only, 2-catcher league, and here we are more than halfway through August, and he still sits in my active lineup. I’m sure that sounds rather pitiful to anyone in a “normal” fantasy league, but there is nothing that even remotely resembles a productive major league catcher available in the free agent pool. Turns out that’s just as well, since if there was, I would have missed out on a couple of big games from Plawecki last week: 5 hits, 5 runs scored, and 7 RBI in two games is some pretty sweet fantasy production in any fantasy league, from any position. So if you are in a deep league where you’re playing bottom of the barrel-type guys because you have no other options, maybe it’ll work out in your favor every once in a while, and you’ll get an unexpected gift of some much-needed fantasy production from the unlikeliest of sources.

For now, we move on to do what we like do here each and every week: take a look at some names of players who may be of interest to those in NL-only, AL-only, and other deep leagues.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
cinthree

FanDuel: On Second Thought

August 23, 2018 | DFS, Fanduel |

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Loyal readers of mine know that sometimes I can be heavy on the hyperbole. I’ve mentioned that a lot of slates are god-awful and horrible and may or may not have told people not to play (cash) on them because of how painful they were. This slate is truly the most god-awful, horrible slate so far in 2018 (there’s the hyperbole!). There, I got it out of the way. Sadly, it may not actually be a bad cash game slate to play, that’s not why it’s bad. It’s bad because it’s the most straightforward thing imaginable. You’re basically looking at a lineup where having a guy at 35% will mean he’s not chalky and he’s your key to victory. You may even end up with a lineup of all guys >50% owned (which brings in the possibility of the comedic hilarity of losing with a lineup where every player you have is owned by a majority of lineups). But, yeah, today should be obvious. Just make the straight forward and blatantly clear plays and use the time you now have to ponder on life. Like how Urban Meyer can get a 3 game suspension when Terrelle Pryor got a 5 game suspension for hawking his bowl rings for tattoos (since he couldn’t afford them because he was an “amateur” whose labor created millions of dollars in value for his employer – I mean “institution” while he was given a “free education”). Too political? Don’t care. And yes, I know, NCAA versus Ohio State. Still don’t care. Abolish college football. Too political? Not my fault. Blame the schedule – this is the stuff that happens when I have free time because there’s simply no need to spend that much time on the slate’s analysis. And furthermore, let me get into the whole thing with Paul Manafort…actually, on second thought, maybe just work on your fantasy football draft list.

On to the picks…

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?
Grey

Let The Truth Pannone

August 23, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 269 Comments

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[brid autoplay=”true” video=”280818″ player=”10951″ title=”Fantasy Baseball Mailbag Week 21″]

Yesterday, Thomas Pannone took a no-hitter into the 7th inning of his 1st MLB start, and was the 5th pitcher since 1900 to go seven shutout innings with one or less hits and two or less walks, finishing with 7 IP, 0 ER, 1 hit, 2 walks, 3 Ks.  More trivia?  You got it!  He sometimes goes by his stepfather’s Polish name, Pannonehits, or his mom’s Czech name, Panntwowalks.  Coincidence?  Pannone says puh-no-way!  He has disavowed his biological Italian father, Panettone.  That guy is a real fruitcake.  Haha, we had some good laughs, huh?  I’m going to take a nap now.  *shuts eyes standing up*  I can hear you tiptoeing behind me.  So, wasn’t able to find a ton on Pannone on site.  Our Prospect-o-Nator that has projections for all rookies doesn’t hate Pannone.  Yes, it projects him for 4.98 ERA, but, trust me, with rookies, that’s not awful.  He’s not listed on any major Jays’ prospect lists likely because he throws 89 MPH.  Woof, and let the dog out so it can woof-woof.  For now, I’d look at him as a streamer.  Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Kerry Klug

Ambulance Chasers, Week 21: To Hellickson and Pax-ton

August 22, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Injury Report | 4 Comments

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Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Wrist Sprain: After missing most of June with a DL stay, Hellickson finds himself back there again, this time with a more serious wrist injury. Hellickson has had an interesting season — he’s allowed more than 3 ERs just once in his 18 starts, but has also only pitched 6 innings twice. Stash or Trash: The Nationals are being optimistic in their hopes that Hellickson will only miss one start. A pitcher with a wrist injury to their throwing hand? I’d expect a longer stay. I’d still stash him though until we hear more. Fill In: Last week when I had to make a lot of starting pitcher recommendations, the guys I recommended with an ERA of 15.00. So this week with so many starting pitchers placed on the DL I’m going to make all my SP recommendations that I truly believe in at the bottom.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
malamoney

Points Leagues: Wilmer!!!

August 22, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Points Leagues | 4 Comments

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Fred Flintstone has just been locked out of his house and he needs to replace Joey Votto before lineups lock for the week in twenty minutes. He’s banging on the door, but his wife doesn’t seem to hear him. She’s likely out shopping with her best friend Betty. Meanwhile, Fred’s dimwitted neighbor Barney hears the hollering. When he asks Fred what all the yelling is about he agrees to set Fred’s lineup for him. After all, as commissioner of the Bedrock Fantasy League (BFL) he can do that easily. “Just tell me who you want to add,” says Barney. Just as Fred is about to respond, Barney’s adopted son Bam Bam begins banging away on something up in his bedroom. At the same time Fred says “Wilmer Flores“. Barney can’t hear sh!t over Bam Bam’s ruckus. “Who? I can’t hear you,” shouts Barney. “Wilmer Flores,” yells Fred. “Who?”, repeats Barney. “WILMER FLORES!”, demands Fred. “You got it,” replies simple minded Barney Rubble who proceeded to log into 1-800-Flowers.com and buy Fred’s wife Wilma flowers. Moments later Bam Bam and Pebbles came out of Bam Bam’s room. Pebbles was crawling funny but had a big smile on her face.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
B_Don

Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Robbie Ray vs. Joey Lucchesi + Willy Adames

August 22, 2018 | Razzball Podcast |

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You know what they say about lefties don’t ya? They smell bad. Wait, no, that’s not it random italicized voice! They say you can’t trust lefties. On this week’s baseball sausage show, B_Don and Donkey take a look at two lefty pitchers, Robbie Ray and Joey Lucchesi. Can you trust these lefties to help your fantasy teams for the rest of 2018 and beyond? Tune in to find out!

The sausage lovers also delve into the game of up and coming Tampa shortstop Willy Adames. Spoiler alert: Willy has a very bright future, and the duo toss around some lofty comps to his swing and his potential production.

In the final segment the guys discuss some pickups who could pay major dividends down the stretch, including Amed Rosario, Charlie Culberson, Michael Kopech and Brett Anderson just to name a few. Basically, pick up anyone that’s hot and don’t be afraid to move on quickly here in the end game. The sausage you seek can be found here:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
TroyKlauder

Draft: Buehler’s Day

August 22, 2018 | DFS, Draft |

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Walker Buehler has been shredding opposing lineups over the last month, posting a 2.70 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 30 innings. He’s got a 3.34 SIERA and a 3.40 Deserved Run Average on the season with a 26.5% K-rate, proving to be a worthwhile starter in his rookie season. After taking down some tough matchups in the Mariners, Rockies (at Coors), and Astros, he shouldn’t have a problem with the Cardinals tonight.

New to Draft.com? 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?