RCL Update, Week 18: The Week That Was

It’s substitute time! Anything goes! It’s not exactly the way Matt does it, but, hey, I do what I want. I’m VinWins!

The MLB trade deadline day left some RCL teams short on closers, so teams are looking to deal. Friday at noon ET is the RCL trade deadline, so not much time to negotiate. Just remember, Saves is just one category! Ah, who am I kidding? Saves are GOLD!! Also, you may want to check out your league standings page to see who has used up all or most of their 180 starts. Maybe you can get a good deal on an ace! Of course, it can be tough to find a willing trade partner at the deadline with many owners already having checked out. I’ve been trying to acquire an ace from a team who has used all their starts, but negotiations have stalled. I can’t afford to give up too much, and the other owner doesn’t want to be underpaid. And, that’s the way it often goes. I don’t really need another ace, so I’m probably lucky he didn’t accept my offer of Charlie Blackmon. Anyway, good luck to all.

Or maybe you can make some moves to make a run at an RCL record. Here are the season leaders in each category with the record in brackets:

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See all of today’s starting lineups

#	MLB Starting Lineups For Wed 8/6
	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

DraftKings: Don’t Build The Wall, Just Go Over It, Don(aldson)

August 9, 2016 | DraftKings |

by: AskRotoBaseball

Normally when I begin to construct my cash game lineup, I start with my top pitcher and work from there. Today is different. Knowing that Drew Smyly would be on the mound for Tampa Bay, I immediately went to see how much Josh Donaldson would cost. I assumed that he’d clock in at $5,400, which is worth it, but still expensive. Much to my shock and surprise, he was $900 cheaper. Donaldson owns Smyly. I mean, you can say that Donaldson is actually Smyly’s daddy. That’s how lopsided these numbers are. In his career, Donaldson is 8-for-17 against Smyly. That equates to a .476 batting average–pretty solid. But wait, there’s more! Six of those eight hits off of Smyly have gone for extra bases, including three double and three home runs. This matchup is completely unfair and underpriced. Donaldson will be a staple in all of my lineups. Yes, I’m putting all of my eggs in the Donaldson basket and strutting like a cock, ahem, rooster when he blows up the box score.

New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well reserve your spot in the 25 Team Razzball Exclusive League set to run next Monday, August 15th, to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. Wanna know what the best part is about signing up with us? The free subscription for the rest of the season to our DFSBot, that’s what! For details on the how to, please visit our Razzball Subscriptions page.

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Podcast: “And I Cited It Too!”

August 9, 2016 | All Podcasts, Razzball Podcast | 23 Comments

by: JB Gilpin

The Razzball Baseball Pod is back, and on today’s show we learn about what Grey is going to do in retirement – antiquing – and talk big performances from the past week. We debate the relative safety of Joe Musgrove ROS, where Danny Duffy will rank amongst SP next year, and if Manny Machado is still a first rounder with no steals. Speaking of SAGNOF, we discuss some waiver adds like Travis Jankowski, Keon Broxton and Cesar Hernandez. Grey is also sure to share with us his Wikipedia editing prowess. Here’s the latest edition of the Razzball Pod, now with more citations!

Download from iTunes

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Anderson Joins The Tyler High Club

August 9, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 411 Comments

by: Grey

I don’t usually mention pitchers in Coors. Even rarer still that I mention pitchers filled with Coors. Most pitchers with Coors are piss-poor. That’s for every definition of Coors and pitchers. Now, let’s look at the definition of belch. To eject gas spasmodically, to eruct. If erect is good, Coors definitely makes me eruct. A pitcher that throws gas in Coors usually has spastic eructions. Talk about slightly off sexy talk. A phone sex operator should mess with a customer and say, “I want your spastic eruction all over me.” “Did you just say you want me to belch on you?” Yesterday, Tyler Anderson went 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 baserunners, 5 Ks, moving his ERA to 3.04. His peripherals agree, he’s not getting by on smoke and mirrors like some children’s magician. He has a 7.5 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 3.41 xFIP. Not an ace, but a safe number two, similar numbers to, say, Kyle Hendricks. We need to put aside our aversion to Rockies pitchers and throw our hat in the ring for Merry Tyler Coors. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

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Joe Must-Add Musgrove …And The Top 100 Starting Pitchers, Week 19

August 8, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Pitcher Profiles | 73 Comments

by: JB Gilpin

As we’ve seen countless times, a logjam in a starting rotation never ends up being a hurtle. At first, the Astros were seemingly cutting out Lance McCullers with boring vets like Doug Fister and Scott Feldman, the latter who has really not worked out as a starter… Feldman was throwing some good RP innings though, before they dumped him north of the border… Anyway, with McCullers’ elbow barking, it opened a spot for Joe Musgrove to step right into the rotation.

I’ve been thinking back; has there been a more exciting SP debut for a guy coming out of the bullpen at first? 4.1 innings coming in for the injured McCullers with 1 hit, 1 walk, and 8 Ks and a Jose Fernandez-esque fiery presence from Musgrove. Brian McCann will be a big baby whenever the Yankees face him… 8 strikeouts has to be close to a record for an MLB debut out of the bullpen (broadcast tells me it tied the record, nice work Astros broadcast!)… I guess without the clear opening through the season, it dulled the fantasy love for Musgrove, who had a crazy 10.25:1.03 K:BB in AA and 8.69:1.07 in AAA. Makes Phil Hughes look wild! Although, throwing Phil Hughes’ name in here isn’t exciting anyone… Hopefully a good outing and sexy GIFs will do that! Here’s how Musgrove looked yesterday afternoon in his first career MLB start:

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Ender’s Game… And The Top 100 Hitters, Week 19

August 8, 2016 | Creeper of the Week, Fantasy Baseball Rankings | 31 Comments

by: M@

The English major in me is just teeming with excitement for the title of Week 19’s edition. Any of you ever read Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game out there? (And damn it, I know I’m geeking out right now. Whatevs.) The quick premise of the book is that there’s a special boy who has a greater ability than anyone else to defeat an enemy in what is posed as a simulated game. I won’t spoil the rest, but suffice it to say, he’s special because he wins. All the freaking time he wins. Even though he’s not the most imposing character he wins. And it’s just like his fantasy baseball namesake:

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SAGNOF Report: Hindsight is Always 20/20

August 8, 2016 | Closers, Middle Relievers, Steals | 8 Comments

by: Smokey

I remember years ago the gold standard for fantasy goodness was getting 20 home runs and 20 steals. That trend is unfortunately not in our favor anymore. As I have waxed poetic before about the growing trend of the stolen bases laying by the roadside and becoming less of an accumulated stat across baseball… This year, we roughly have 50 games to go and we have one player that has just accomplished the feet, and if someone would have guessed that it would have been Wil Myers in preseason, I would have spit out my grape Fanta. With other players on pace to eclipse this mark, the number is still trending in a bad way. In the last six years, the number was the highest in 2011 with 12 players making the 20/20 barrier. Since then, it has reduced every year, 9 in 2012, 8 in 2013, 5 in 2014 and 4 just last year. With Myers, there is some hope that a few other players get there, but the numbers are not in the stats favor to be opposite of what they once were, and there is no way that I can see it getting up to double digits again. This tells me a few things about rostering SB guys, first, the elite are more coveted. Players like Jose Altuve to me should be a top-5 player next year because he basically wins you, or at least is the reason that you win two categories. Second thing is that grabbing players that are steal-only guys is probably not worth the chase, and the punt of the category is most likely the best strategy. But hell, what do I know, I have only been here since forever and a day.

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DraftKings: Miami Fire Machine Meets Gausoline

August 8, 2016 | DraftKings |

by: Teddy Heater

If you’re not familiar with Sia, then I encourage you to take a minute and enjoy her golden voice. If you’re still not convinced then I feel bad for you, cause she got Heidi Klum to star in this video Fire Meets Gasoline. Sorry I couldn’t edit the dude out, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of sharing my German crush that’s even hotter than my last name. Yes, Heater really is my last name and I’m banking on Jose Fernandez, $12,800 vs SF & Kevin Gausman, $8,500 at OAK to ignite our DK lineups even hotter than that clip, so we can cash in tonight. J-Fer’s splits are well documented, but I did the old stop short when I actually looked them up. Check this shizz out (that way you can come to your own conclusions) 113 Ks in 76.2 innings to go along with a 2.11 ERA and a 9-2 record vs 79 Ks in 55 innings with a 3.93 ERA and a 3-4 record. Yeah, dude is hotter than the girls wearing bikinis on Beachfront Avenue when he takes the mound in Miami, he’s straight FIRE. Fire definitely needs some Gausoline to make it go boom and our boy Gausman is primed with a great matchup in the friendly confines of the O.co Coliseum. Oakland’s offense has been the worst AL team at home when it comes to scoring and with a flame throwing righty on the mound that trend will continue tonight. Gausman has been roughed up this year being in the AL Beast, but he’ll feast on his AL West opponent tonight with at least 7 Ks and he’ll offense will do the rest to get him the win.

New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well reserve your spot in the 25 Team Razzball Exclusive League set to run today to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. Wanna know what the best part is about signing up with us? The free subscription for the rest of the season to our DFSBot, that’s what! For details on the how to, please visit our Razzball Subscriptions page.

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That Machado…Man, He Abused The White Sox!

August 8, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 446 Comments

by: Grey

Manny Machado put up his right hand yesterday to measure it against a hand drawing every clubhouse has posted on its wall. The drawing is of Mark Whiten’s hand that once held four baseballs in it. Four baseballs for the four homers he hit in one game. In the Padres’ clubhouse, this hand has been removed because it’s just a not-so-subtle reminder of what will never be. In the Indians’ clubhouse, the hand is made into a turkey to celebrate the first Thanksgiving. In the Astros’ clubhouse, the hand has been cut out and fashioned into a t-shirt for Altuve. Imagine if Donald Trump wins the presidency and throws out a first pitch. He may never make it to the field, too distracted in the clubhouse by measuring his hands against Whiten. Yesterday, Machado came a fingernail short of the hand, hitting three homers with seven RBIs. Now has 25 homers on the year with a .307 average. Terrific, stupendous, adjective! What’s more remarkable is he does not have one steal all year. Almost as crazy, he’s only attempted three. Did he have a knee transplant this offseason with McCutchen as the donor? Machado stole 20 bases last year. To go to none? Wow, his feet definitely don’t measure up to the Rickey Henderson foot drawings in each clubhouse. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:

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Closer Report, Week 18: Miller Ain’t Buffaloing Cody

August 7, 2016 | Closers, Middle Relievers | 23 Comments

by: Smokey

The price that was paid, and the results that led him up to the trade had everyone believing that Andrew Miller would trump the incumbent Cody Allen in Cleveland. Through two-pitched games, he has seen one save opportunity in the 6-7th inning, and the other was in a losing effort. Now, I am not reading the tea leaves here, but after just two appearances and five games overall, I think Cody is not a droppable player in any format, saves holds or NSVH. I mentioned it out loud to myself after the trade was completed, and also to Prospector Ralph. With 55 games to play and save chances in 52 percent of games won… so that would leave 14 or so chances for the Indians and Miller to retain value. And don’t get it twisted, he still has a ton of value with a ridiculous K-rate over 16, and the Indians are still a first place squad. Just everyone that seems to matter has struggled with the Twins. It’s crazy that they are 20-plus games under .500. So for the Allen owners, hold firm, like Gi-Joe style grip type stuff. Miller owners, you have most likely owned him all year, so your peripherals aren’t going to be flawed because of him. As far as saves go, I think it could go 70/30 the rest of the way and be a situational thing on occasion. Let’s look at the plethora of changes that are basically pillaging the relief ranks around baseball…

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DraftKings: If Starting Yu Is Wrong, I don’t want to be (Wain)Wright

August 7, 2016 | DraftKings | 2 Comments

by: Mike Honcho

Oh, hey there fellow degenerates. Another Sunday is upon us, so that means a brand spanking new edition of action-packed “DraftKings” picks straight from the only source I trust….The DFSBot. If you’re not taking advantage of all the great tools here at Razzball – stop what you’re doing and subscribe now. After you finish reading this write-up, of course. So let me tease you with a couple of arms I’m focusing on for today’s action. I’m not usually into starting pitchers on the road in Houston, but this situation can be sorted into the exception file. Yu Darvish hasn’t been gifted with a win in either of his last three outings, but he still sports an impressive 26:2 K:BB ratio over that same period. As we all know by now, wins are nice but in the daily game strikeouts are King. That is precisely why I’m targeting the Astros for today’s action. Houston has been more than generous when it comes to swings and misses this season, striking out at a 23.9% clip, which ranks fourth in all of baseball. Darvish carries a price tag of $13,100 – he’s the highest priced pitcher on the board, but that’s okay. If he plays anywhere close to his elite 12.68 K/9, he’ll easily reach value. Over his last four starts he’s racked up 35 K’s in just 22 1/3 innings so this match up has the potential to be of the highest quality. How high you ask? Well think somewhere in between Rio drinking water and a Tim Lincecum fastball….That’s how high. Just kidding. Yu should be fantastic today…..and if you start him, so should you. Huh? What? We’re not quite done yet. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the potential bargain that Adam Wainwright represents as well. Sure, he stunk up the joint in his last start, but over his last five starts he’s pitched to a 2.41 ERA and 1.10 WHIP and he’s averaging nearly a strikeout per inning. The best part here is that Wainwright is a VERY affordable $8,000 and he’s facing the Braves. Atlanta owns a 21% K-rate and a measly .128 ISO on the road, also, Waino has allowed just 8 ER in his last eight starts at Busch Stadium – so there’s that. In light of all the delicious info I’ve given you to digest, I’ll direct you to the rest of my favorite plays for today’s slate…

New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well reserve your spot in the 25 Team Razzball Exclusive League set to run Monday August 8th to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. Wanna know what the best part is about signing up with us? The free subscription for the rest of the season to our DFSBot, that’s what! For details on the how to, please visit our Razzball Subscriptions page.

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Minor League Update: Don’t Fall in Love with Your Cozens…

August 7, 2016 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 42 Comments

by: Geoff

Back in 2012 a 26 year old Phillies first base prospect by the name of Darin Ruf hit 38 homers while playing for AA affiliate Reading. Ruf never approached a season like that before or since, and quickly washed out as he reached AAA and the majors. Over the seasons that have followed any Reading player with a power surge is looked at with skeptical looks and side eye. Dylan Cozens is the latest in a long line of Phillie farmhands to bear this cross. Over the past week Cozens has accelerated the home run pace of his magical 2016, hitting 6 homers and slashing .360/.429/.1.240. As of Saturday night Cozens’ home run total for the season sits at 32 in just 106 games. I’ve written about Cozens a few times over the past few months, and quite honestly the gaudy offensive numbers are tough to ignore. Prior to the 2016 breakout, Cozens was an intriguing prospect. Built like an NFL tight end, and blessed with raw power and base running ability. Cozens presents raw potential that would entice any dynasty owner to take a second look, but the red flags are there and shouldn’t be ignored. First and foremost, though Cozens has always produced raw power it never materialized until he reached Reading. To say that Cozens success is Reading aided is an understatement. Of his 32 homers he’s only connected for 6 away from FirstEnergy Stadium. The home and away slugging % splits are staggering, as he boast a Bondsian .801 SLG% at home, but a .415 on the road. That’s an absurd difference of .386! Or he’s a full Dee Gordon different at home. Next on the red flag rundown is Cozens long lefthanded swing. While it’s picturesque when it connects for a long fly, it’s down right ugly when he misses, particularly on balls to the outside part of the plate. Look no further than his nearly 30% k rate for evidence. The last, and in some ways, the most alarming of the red flags is Cozens splits vs southpaws. A .307/.391/.677 hitter vs righties, he morphs into Freddy Galvis when a lefty is on the mound, slashing .204/286/.387. Cozens has certainly made improvements this season, but he does come with risk; and even if he’s only a 15/15 threat with some split issues, he’s worth a spot in your minors in dynasties where 100-150 prospects are owned.

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