Welcome to the only baseball podcast that will drop the day after Game Seven of the World Series that will not be talking about Game Seven of the World Series. Well, that’s actually not 100% true. We do talk about how we won’t be talking about it. It’s prospects 24/7 around these parts. Ralph Lifshitz and I continue our top 100 series on today’s podcast, analyzing prospects who fall in the 21-50 range. We discuss our level of concern over the less than enthusiastic scouting reports Kevin Maitan has been receiving, if Kyle Lewis’ continued knee problems have him dropping, and if Harrison Bader will be able to carve out a role in St. Louis’ crowded outfield. On the plus side, we gush over Anthony Alford’s power/speed combo, hype up what Luiz Gohara is capable of, and predict big things for Christin Stewart in the Majors during the 2nd half. We talk about everybody from Forrest Whitley, Austin Meadows, MacKenzie Gore, Hunter Greene, and Jordon Adell, to Tyler O’Neill, Mitch Keller, Jahmai Jones, Michel Baez, and many more. Finally, please make sure to support our sponsor by heading over to RotoWear.com and entering promo code “SAGNOF” for 15% off the highest quality t-shirts in the fantasy sports game. It’s the latest edition of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast:
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Every year in early October, a few hundred prospects converge on the Minor league complexes of Arizona to celebrate the grandest of all prospecting expeditions. The Arizona Fall League. Now I want you to backup, and read the words “Arizona Fall League” like you’re Ham Porter talking about Babe Ruth. Okay, now that you’ve reread the opening sentence, I’d like you to read the last one again in a “silly” old lady’s voice. Okay, now that you’ve done that we can move on. BTW, if you didn’t do any of that out loud, you win. You’re not an idiot. As for the Arizona Fall League, or the AFL as us “cool kids” call it, tis’ back in full swing. In case you don’t know it’s a 6 team league in Arizona run by MLB, and the teams are comprised of top prospects from almost every MLB organization. The ultimate goal is to showcase these talents for scouts and MLB executives, but there’s a multitude of reasons why players head to Arizona. It might be further refinement of a new swing adjustment or pitch, but it’s very often to make up time. Over the last few years we’ve had a string of exciting prospect classes in Arizona, and this year is no different. Needless to say, we’ll be covering some of the top prospects in the game today. Even one that earned his own Rookie post from the incomparable Grey Albright.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Well, they’re not all going to be positive. That’s starting out a post on the right foot about as well as Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot. Before Ryan McMahon talk, let’s talk about the Rockies in general. This is a team that screwed me (this time it’s personal!) with Raimel Tapia, David Dahl and Tom Murphy, and that’s only from this past year! In the past, they’ve refused to play Eric Young, Ian Stewart, Charlie Blackmon (for 3 years!) while opting at times for Clint Barmes, Seth Smith, and Ty Wigginton. I know, those first names don’t jump out as amazing, aside from Chazz Noir, but we’ll never know because they just weren’t played. In five years, we may say Raimel Tapia isn’t good either if he gets at-bats like Eric Young, which was rare to never. First base is especially littered with vets who the Rockies chose to go with over rookies: Helton (four to five years too long), Justin Morneau, Giambi and Mark Reynolds. Not saying these were all bad, okay, they were mostly bad, but Mile High makes mountains out of molehills. If the Rockies gave, say, Ben Paulsen a real chance at 1st base, maybe he would’ve done better. Which brings us back to Ryan McMahon, who the Rockies moved to first because The Torenado’s got 3rd on lock, and he’s a star. 3rd lock from the sun? So, what can we expect from Ryan McMahon for 2018 fantasy baseball?
Please, blog, may I have some more?How much does the Rangers giving up Yu Darvish for Willie Calhoun play into their wont to play Calhoun? Bigly, not bigly yet, bigly soon, or, like a chicken piccata’s side, big leek. Therein lies the sun, moon, and stars of Willie Calhoun’s value for 2018 fantasy baseball. My thoughts on this is you don’t trade a guy that is the face of your franchise like Yu for a guy who’s not going to play, but — and this is a Kardashian-sized but — Darvish was due to be a free agent, so maybe it doesn’t matter. How’s that for landing on one side or the other? Honestly, I don’t know, but the Rangers need to move towards the future and their outfield has room for Calhoun. Why does any of this matter? Cause Calhoun’s so butter I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter can’t tell the difference between him and butter, and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’s “butter or not butter” radar is as fine-tuned as you’re going to find. So, let’s speak on him as if playing time is all but assured. So, what can we expect from Willie Calhoun for 2018 fantasy baseball?
Please, blog, may I have some more?I’m going to keep this brief, because it’s more or less an intro in the middle of a post. Or maybe it’s because I’m lazy. Or maybe the W is ruined on my computer? Then again you saw that perfectly healthy W, so that’s not going to work as an excuse. But I’m too lazy to come up with another. Blah, blah, blah, stuff, stuff, oh yeah! I released the Top 25 First Year Player Draft Rankings on Wednesday, because I wanted to take your work week bathroom reading to the next level. Can’t have a newcomer just show up and steal the show. Not that there’s a new comer, but Lance has been known to steal the show. That’s if by “the show” you mean “my pants” (heart eyes emoji). But in all seriousness, Lance stole my pants. Okay, I’m done with the buffoonery I pinkie swear! Below is the next 25 players on my big board for first year player drafts. Keep in mind, every league’s scoring can be slightly different, so adjust accordingly, and use my words to guide you. I’m Prospect Mufasa. Onto picks 26-50!
Please, blog, may I have some more?I debated Victor Robles or Ronald Acuna for my number one rookie for 2018. It was quite heated debate that one bystander claimed, “Are you talking to me or yourself?” And another bystander said, “Are you asking for the directions to Paso Robles?” Those people don’t know obviously about the juicy rookies that I speak of, and don’t end a sentence with of — dah! By the way, don’t ever say “…that I speak of” in real life, or you will likely get punched. Any hoo! Victor Robles was called up for a cup of coffee this past year, which, I guess, made Dusty Baker a barista. Would’ve taken Baker more for a pastry guy. Let’s get to the elephant in the room first, or if you’re a college freshman and the word elephant upsets you, let’s address the large mammal in the free-range zoo. Robles was called up, Werth and Taylor may leave this offseason, and Robles is ready. Those are all points in his favor for playing time. Against him is we don’t know how the new manager in Washington is going to use him. Will Robles be used more than he would’ve been with the toothpicked barista? Hard to say. I’ll get to my projections below, but Trea played, Taylor played, I think Robles can play in 2018. Maybe at least two-thirds of the time. Anyway, what can we expect from Victor Robles for 2018 fantasy baseball?
Please, blog, may I have some more?It’s been a month since I last posted about a set of four industry mock drafts the honorable Justin Mason wrangled experts together for. While more complete mocks likely exist on the seas of the internet, these hold a special place in my heart, as they contained myself, good friends of the Razzball universe, and Prospectus Jesus himself. I’ll save you from the self-reflective intros that have lined my last few columns – but really, you should read them – and hastily prime our readers who prefer a longer digestion cycle with info, for 2018.
Partial results of these mocks can be found here, and instead of sifting through the first few rounds, I’m only looking at players with ADPs among the four mock drafts that exceed 100 overall. These players range in potential and my confidence in attaining that potential, but I think each should occupy a small place in your mind for the coming season.
Please, blog, may I have some more?It’s my favorite time of the year, the time when I start to research the first taste of pro-ball for all recent draftees, and prepare for the first year player drafts in several of my leagues. Depending upon the league the rules can vary, but by in large, you’re picking players from the recent draft, the July 2nd International class, and the remaining players on the free agent pool. I’m going to be breaking this post into two parts, first the Top 25 today, followed by the next 25 on Sunday. If my math is right I’m ranking 50, but I had to use my hands three times, and my toes twice. Plus I have to double count my fourth toe, because I lost my pinkie toes after starting Kevin Gausman early in the season. So toe math aside, if you’re in a 12 team league with limited minors (5-10 per team), this is the only post you’re going to need. Ya dig? Moving on, I have to say, now that I’m finished with the top 50, and I’ve researched each team’s draft class from top to bottom, this year’s crop is far more interesting that I thought. There’s tons of talented hitters with combinations of power, and speed, high end power arms from all levels of amateur ball with ace upsides, and some talented bats in the middle infield. These rankings are subject to change, but it’s unlikely, as all of these players are done with competitive baseball for the season. Feel free to chime in with players you love, players you think will bust, and the players you hope to see in the next 25. Thanks for reading, and good luck in all your first year player drafts this off-season.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Ayo whaddup, it’s ya boy Grey Albright aka the Fantasy Master Lothario aka White Chocolate aka The Ladder You Use To Reach New Heights aka The God Particle aka Trump’s Next Supreme Court Nominee Judge Reinhold aka Paid Overtime aka A Close Parking Spot When You’re In A Rush aka Al Swearengen’s Swearing Dictionary aka Teacher, We Don’t Need No Education aka The Weird Guy That Latches Onto The Main Character In Oscar Films I Think His Name Is Paul Dano aka The Butcher, The Baker and The Candlestick Maker aka The Stinging On Your Pinkie Toe When You Clip Too Close aka Paul Anka aka Forget How You Spell My Name And Just Get Me My Coffee! I just spent thirty minutes looking up Mindy Cohn and whether or not she’s a lesbian. Ah, the offseason. You are a soothing mistress that touches my naughty bits with idle hands. She’s apparently not a lesbian, but a confirmed friend of the gays, and she wanted to lose weight in the 80’s, but the producers asked her to avoid it for the character of Natalie. They finally agreed to let her wear baggy clothes. No comment, except the “no comment” comment has the weight of a thousand eye rolls. A quick preamble about the 2018 fantasy baseball rookie series that is coming from me over the next few weeks. Rookies could get a post if they meet MLB eligibility requirements, less than 130 ABs or 50 IP. That means no Yoan Moncada, no Rhys Hoskins, no Rafael Devers, and finally no Amed Rosario. In 2012, the first player I highlighted was Mike Trout. That wasn’t an accident. I said in the Mike Trout post, “He’s ranked number one for me. Numero uno. The Big Mahoff. He’s the big Statue of Liberty in New York, not that girly one in Paris!” Since then, I’ve attempted to make the first rookie post about a prospect that will be the top rookie for fantasy the following year. Two years ago, that honor went to Corey Seager. Yes, it’s an honor, don’t be so condescending. Last year, it was Yoan Moncada. (But the 2nd rookie post was Aaron Judge! If this were horseshoes, I’d be so money.) This year the top fantasy prospect isn’t no ordinary man, this is the prospect I be seeing in my sleep. Ronald Acuna will be your number one 2018 fantasy baseball rookie. Will Acuna be named to the All-Century Team in 85 years or edged out by a robot with grabby hands named the Hitter-Tron that my great-great-nephew will sue due to trademark infringement only to find out it’s the same Hitter-Tron that once graced this little fantasy baseball blog called Razzball? Can Acuna be a top ten outfielder in 2018? So many questions and so little time to look up Mindy Cohn info! Anyway, what can we expect of Ronald Acuna for 2018 fantasy baseball?
Please, blog, may I have some more?So, how’s everyone holding up without baseball every day? I don’t know what to do with myself! Yesterday I wandered into a Starbucks and told the coffeerista about Marcus Stroman for 2018. Then I sobbed into a cheddar scone until someone asked me to leave. We’ve gone over the final 2017 fantasy baseball rankings for hitters and the top 20 starters. This is different than Final Fantasy rankings where you rank Final Fantasy 1 thru Final Fantasy 15. That’s hardcore nerd shizz! This is simply fantasy baseball, we’re softcore nerds like Emmanuelle is to porn. So, there’s no more of these godforsaken recap posts left. You’re welcome. I, my over-the-internet friend, will be talking next about 2018 rookies. Anyway, here’s the top 40 starters for 2017 fantasy baseball and how they compare to where I originally ranked them:
Please, blog, may I have some more?According to Whitney Houston the “Greatest Love of All” had something to do with children’s laughter or something like that. I however, Ralph Z. Lifshitz, Prospector for Hire, Prospect Jesus, Bringer of Light, Master of his Domain; believe the ‘Greatest Love of All” is the satisfaction I gain from combing through scouting reports, end of season statistics, used garbage cans at minor league complexes, and sleeping with the wives of scouts for information. Some of those women aren’t handsome, or maybe they are. I usually get rather “engulfed” in the Olde E before I make it through the door. I’m jumping around aren’t I? Sorry, I started drinking early today. I actually was trying to explain how much I like sleepers but really got caught up in the Whitney analogy, and the Mother of Dragons name thing. So, to my original point, every off-season I build a list, usually starting around mid-August, of under the radar names to target in the later rounds of my 30 team dynasty draft. Last year my list included Sixto Sanchez, Jose Albertos, Jesus Luzardo, Seuly Matias, and Ty Blach, nailed my pitching, but hitters either didn’t pan out (Ramon Laureano), or are still too young to be blowing up (Eguy Rosario). This year however, I feel my list is full of strong hitters that just might be difference-makers. I’m a giver, so I decided to share a few of the names I’m going to be targeting this offseason. You won’t see the 50 plus names down there, but you will see 8 players I’ve highlighted from my list that I hold in the highest regard.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Willie Calhoun vs. Gleyber Torres. Nick Senzel vs. Willie Calhoun. Willie Calhoun vs. Michael Kopech. These are just a few of the Willie Calhoun centric conversations Ralph Lifshitz and I engaged in during this week’s prospect podcast. We also got to a few of the other guys in our 2017 end-of-season top 20 prospect rankings, debating how high Scott Kingery’s upside is, is Ryan McMahon worthy of a top 20 ranking, and if Royce Lewis could be the next Victor Robles. We discuss everybody from Ronald Acuna, Vlad Guerrero Jr., and Eloy Jimenez, to Taylor Trammell, Juan Soto, and Alex Reyes. Finally, please make sure to support our sponsor by heading over to RotoWear.com and entering promo code “SAGNOF” for 15% off the highest quality t-shirts in the fantasy sports game. It’s the latest edition of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast:
Please, blog, may I have some more?