RCL Update: The Week That Was, Week 17 Plus

This Razzball Commenter Leagues update is going to be a little tricky. I didn’t think an update last week with only 3 days of games was worth anyone’s time, so I was planning to give you an update of a week plus. However, our good man Rudy Gamble is vacationing somewhere, no doubt having his afro picked by a scantily clad lady while being hand-fed grapes. With Rudy away from his number crunching machine, we have no RCL data to analyze and no update to the Master Standings this week. We did get the standings run the Monday following the All-Star Break though, so we can look at those, just know they are a week behind. Things should be sorted out next week and we still have plenty to talk about this week, like the ‘Perts League action and some trades. So, fear not RCLers, we can and will make due without our precious numbers. Let’s take a look at that and the rest of the week that was, week 17+:

Join the 2018-19 Razzball Fantasy Premier League for a chance at prizes! Don’t know about Fantasy Soccer? That’s okay, Smokey is here to walk with you throughout this journey of exploration and an absurd amount of accent marks on player names. So probably hide all your snacks. It’ll be a long journey…

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See all of today’s starting lineups

#	MLB Starting Lineups For Mon 9/22
	ATL \| MIL \| SD \| SF \| STL \| WSH \| ARI \| ATH \| BAL \| BOS \| CHC \| CHW \| CIN \| CLE \| COL \| DET \| HOU \| KC \| LAA \| LAD \| MIA \| MIN \| NYM \| NYY \| OAK \| PHI \| PIT \| SEA \| TB \| TEX \| TOR

Draft: Allurding Options

July 31, 2018 | DFS, Draft |

by: Roto-Wan

It’s a solid slate on Draft.com tonight. There are plenty of mediocre lefties to pick on, as well as a variety of starting pitching options. The most intriguing of those is Kolby Allard, making his big league start. His debut could hardly come in a better spot than facing the Marlins at home. Let’s jump in and see what we can build around him.

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!

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Osuna Later Alligator, See Ya In A While Kenny Giles

July 31, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 474 Comments

by: Grey

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”275229″ player=”10951″ title=”Fantasy Baseball Mailbag Week 18″]

Jays traded Roberto Osuna to the Astros for Ken Giles. Basically, they traded headaches. If the Jays and Astros wanted to do what was best for baseball, they would have Giles and Osuna step into a steel cage, right at the Canadian border, and whoever was able to get out, that would be who would continue on. It can have lots of little Canadian touches too, like a maple syrup hazard and scaffolding designed by Bret Hart. “Giles looks like he’s going to escape–Ooh, a Mountie greets him with poutine in the eye. Would’ve thought he’d look out for that, but it never o’CURD’d to him.” “Mean” Gene Okerlund with the pun! I like this trade for both teams. Your piece of shizz for my piece of shizz. All trades should be this clearcut. As for fantasy, Roberto Osuna should take over in Houston when he returns next week, but Hector Rondon had been pitching well (until his last outing). Might not be Osuna immediately, but I’d imagine he gets in the 9th by his third appearance. Pretty much same deal with Ken Giles. Though, there’s a lot more emphasis on Ken with Giles. Ken he? I don’t know, but the Jays also have less desirable options, so I could see Giles getting saves even quicker than Osuna. In most leagues, I’d grab both. Or whichever makes it out of the steel cage.

Gotta think Ken Giles punched his own ticket.

— Razzball (@Razzball) July 30, 2018

Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

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What Happened To Eric Hosmer?

July 30, 2018 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 16 Comments

by: Lance

Eric Hosmer is in the first year of an 8-year contract. When the news broke back in February, the general consensus considered this a perplexing deal. It was an extended contract for a team that’s three-plus years away from competing. Hosmer will be 31 years old when games start to matter in San Diego, on the downswing of production if he tracks like most players leaving their 20’s.

I like to deviate from the pack. Part of it is for me to make sure I understand both sides of the argument before subscribing to one. The other part is simply my enjoyment of debate – I like disagreement. This lead me to consider whether backloading the deal actually made the signing significantly more tolerable over the long haul.

Hosmer is making $20 million through 2022 and only $13 million for the final three years of his contract. Going inside the mind of A.J. Preller, for this contract to make sense, he’d expect surplus value on Hosmer for the first few years. If dollar-per-WAR estimates say a 1-WAR player is worth around $8 million and Hosmer produces another 3- to 4-WAR season, he would be underpaid for his level of prouduction. Preller can rationalize the back half of the contract by saying Hosmer already produced enough to fulfill the cost incurred. Add in inflation and the likelihood that by the year 2025, a 1-WAR player might be worth around $12-13 million makes it easy to see how this contract isn’t terrible.

The issues with the above train of logic are apparent, which is why contract evaluation pre-mortem is complex.

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SAGNOF Report, Fat Jumpsuit Elvis

July 30, 2018 | Uncategorized | 9 Comments

by: Smokey

Join the 2018-19 Razzball Fantasy Premier League for a chance at prizes! Don’t know about Fantasy Soccer? That’s okay, Smokey is here to walk with you throughout this journey of exploration and an absurd amount of accent marks on player names. So probably hide all your snacks. It’ll be a long journey…

Comparing one Elvis iconic season to another is like comparing movies by the icon himself. SO last season was an unexpected masterpiece, filled with upside from a low risk pick that turned into a 20/20 season. We will call that on King Creole. You got value from it, enjoyed it and were hoping for a repeat performance coming into this year. Welp, you aren’t getting it. The injuries have limited Andrus to just 45 games and about as underwhelming performance that that a 4 homer 4 steal campaign can bring ya. This is the Harum Scarum season, that when you draft someone like an Elvis Andrus you can get. There is no surprise to his game, we have been burned by players of his caliber before, and to be quite honest, burned by him after. So sitting and holding a basket full of Andrus doesn’t do much for me moving forward. I wish it did, because middle infielders with 20/20 seasons are special. Heck, Trea Turner is on pace for one and given his first round draft grade by a lot of experts and the drafting of him by all the believers… His 13/24 season is not what we expected, and it all goes back to the unpredictableness of injuries. Can call, if you did you would be doing something more productive than searching for SAGNOF glory. You would be in a room with no windows thinking of new ideas for Elon Musk. So today’s SAGNOF piece of advice is another “bury the old steal stat” wit of wisdom. Strive to be middle of the pack in steals, get accumulators, not dominators. Too much high draft pick risk and a fall flat on your face risk. More SAGNOF love in a bit. Cheers!

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Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Steven Matz vs. Nick Kingham

July 30, 2018 | Ditka, Razzball Podcast |

by: B_Don

Newly returned to the US of A, Donkey Teeth regales the audience with tales of his alleged fishing success. B_Don and DT then cast an eye to the mythical Kingham fish in last week’s duel against Steven Matz. Nick Kingham looked more like a minnow than a King Salmon in this one while Matz impressed with a career high, 9 strikeouts. The guys talk about Matz curve and change along with Kingham’s change, slider, and rarely used curve.

In the pickups segment the guys recommend a slew of relief arms to speculate on, as well as Yonny Chirinos, Lourdes Gurriel, Ryan McMahon, and many more. Tune in, grab your net and scoop some of these studs before they get away.

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Draft: Ray of Sunshine

July 30, 2018 | DFS, Draft |

by: Butters

It’s a short-slate Monday in MLB land, with only 9 games on the schedule. But that doesn’t stop us hardcore DFS-ers: we’re still going to run our beautifully crafted lineups out on Draft. So without further ado, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty with a pitcher I strongly recommend you prioritize: Robbie Ray.

New to Draft? 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!

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Sean Drops A Bomb On LA, Newcomb Back To The Deadball Ages

July 30, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 427 Comments

by: Grey

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”274494″ player=”10951″ title=”Fantasy Baseball Buy Sell Hold Week 18″]

I try to avoid repeating ledes during the season and Sean Newcomb already had one. There I said, “It’s 2074, Grey Albright’s frozen head is on a shelf next to Ted Williams’ frozen head…I took a picture of Ted’s penis…I’m so romantic!” Damn, I pull quotes almost as well as I dispense fantasy baseball advice! By the way, I watched the Ted Williams special on PBS this weekend. Biggest surprise (to me), he was Mexican. He was the original Fernandomania — Teodoromania? When I searched Ted Williams and his Mom, that dominated the search results and who are we to question Google? So, Sean Newcomb ended the game one out from a no hitter against the Dodgers, one of the best offense teams — 8 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 1 hit, 1 walk, 8 Ks, ERA at 3.23. I pulled the reins on Newcomb in the last few weeks because his peripherals are garbage and I’m only happy when I’m pulling reins. His velocity is down, his 8.3 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 and 4.32 xFIP are not telling the whole story, but they’re telling enough of the story while sitting around a campfire farting. Then on Sunday, he threw 134 pitches. I’m all for hypnotizing pitchers into thinking they’re Walter Johnson, but he had never pitched more than 111 pitches in the majors. Solid game on Sunday, but if you grab Newcomb he could leave a mushroom cloud in his wake, and not as in an umami bomb. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:

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Top 100 Hitters, Week 17: Monstars Have Stolen Hitters’ Power in July

July 29, 2018 | Top 100 Hitters | 15 Comments

by: Kerry Klug

When I left Jose Martinez off my Top 100 Hitter rankings earlier in the season people were calling for Grey to take my head. Well maybe this is why I was hesitant: Martinez hasn’t homered since June 30th. Oh wait, let me make that even more shocking — he hasn’t scored a run since June 30th. He also only has 1 XBH since June 30th. I like JMart, really I do. But we all need to pump our brakes on him. If he keeps up this “pace” — he’ll find himself just like Eric Hosmer off my Top 100 list and onto Chris Jericho’s list.

Cody Bellinger was enjoying a fine season until the end of June too. He had 49 runs, 16 HRs, 40 RBI and even 5 stolen bases with a .832 OPS. Like Martinez, Bellinger’s power has disappeared in this past month. He only has 1 HR and 4 RBI in 90 ABs.

You have to wonder if Max Muncy absorbed Bellinger’s power in some Space Jam Monstar style scheme. Bellinger and Martinez owners have to hope that Mike Trout beats the Monstars in Space Slam and gets Bellinger’s powers back. Or would it be Bryce Harper? Mike Trout apparently doesn’t use his personal marketing department enough.

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Top 100 Starting Pitchers, Week 18: A Nip Of Jameson

July 29, 2018 | Top 100 Starting Pitchers | 19 Comments

by: Dokken

I’ve gotta say, it’s nice to have a full week’s worth of games to work with. Last week felt a little like picking nits, and I’m nary a nitpicker. One thing I still would like to see though IS SOME FRIGGIN CALL UPS. It’s been quite a while since we’ve had even a couple of mid-level names like Shane Bieber or Freddy Peralta called up. You haven’t really even got any value from uber-prospect Walker Buehler since early June. It would be nice to infuse some new blood into this list, but we do have a fair bit of moving and shaking to discuss. We did see two impressive debuts in back-to-back days for the Cardinals in Daniel Poncedeleon and Austin Gomber. For our purposes however, I don’t think there’s much there. Poncedeleon was a fine conquistador of the minors, but is a low upside option as a starter and appears to be headed to the pen anyway. The same can likely be said of Gomber with Carlos Martinez supposedly back this week, although he makes for a more interesting starter if they were to stretch him out. There are at least some veterans that have crept on to the back end of the list to mix things up. I mentioned Homer Bailey in yesterday’s Two Startapalooza, whose fastball is up to 95 after a couple months on the DL, and he tossed his slider and curve more with good results. I’d like to write up Stroman, but there isn’t that much to say. I couldn’t tell you the last time he cracked the list, but he’s been solid over the last month or so, so despite the total lack of strikeouts he’s in the 90’s. Unfortunately, Stephen Strasburg is back on the DL (shocker) with neck issues. He returned long enough to torpedo your ratios for a week, so that’s nice. Here are some of this week’s newcomers, risers, and fallers.

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FAAB Five: Kole World, No Blanket

July 29, 2018 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 2 Comments

by: Paul "The" Martian

Year after year, Kole Calhoun (3-5% FAAB) continues to be an excellent replacement in fantasy leagues. This week we witnessed a significant loss in Aaron Judge, and necessary moves must occur to recreate some of that stat-line. With 9 HR in July alone, Calhoun could be one of the better power producers available for the rest of the season. All of the Statcast data suggests that his year has been extremely unlucky. His overall Barrel% is higher than ever, the BABIP is ready to jump back up, and the Hard Hit% is on par with his career rate. If your team is losing outfielders, pay a little bit extra to get the consistency that Calhoun brings to the table. July was a massive month for him, look for that to continue as his numbers should continue to bounce back more towards the norm.

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Draft: Kluber The Competition

July 29, 2018 | DFS, Draft | 3 Comments

by: Thomas Howland

We’re getting to the point in the summer known as the dog days. People a little too comfortable with their surroundings, don’t pay as much attention, think everything’s good and hey let’s listen to Sugar Ray…frankly, act like the knights of summer. But Cat Stark is right, winter is coming, and it’s known as your DFS entry on Draft today. Don’t get cute with someone like J.A. Happ, who’s in the newest of all new situations, the Yankees’ starting rotation, being asked to bring hope when Judge is out and the Yanks are staring at the play-in game. Or the most Texas name of all time, Lance McCullers, facing a Texas team who hits him to a .310 batting average and .865 OPS. Corey Kluber is the man. After his post-All Star game hiccup, he’s still carrying a 12-6 record with a 2.88 ERA and .95 WHIP. He’s facing Detroit, whose best players are collecting checks sitting by the rehab pool. Let the Klubinator loose and dominate like the Night King (for the love of R’hllor, George, finish the book!). Now let’s look at a few more early-, middle- and late-round picks for your Draft…drafts!

Please, blog, may I have some more?