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Today concludes the fantasy baseball sleepers‘ portion of our program. *nudges homeless woman sleeping on my couch that I tried to get Cougs to agree to a threesome with* No more sleepers, Francine. Meh, I’ll let her rest. Like the 2nd basemen to target or outfielders to target, this post is necessary. You need to target the right names at the end of the draft for starters. Last year’s starters to target post included Kenta Maeda, Kevin Gausman, Pablo Lopez, Julio Urias, Joe Musgrove and Jake Odorizzi, who I apparently can never get enough of. They’ve moved way up ranks this year with one making the jump to my top 20 starters, and, well, can you believe ESPN ranked Maeda 206th overall last year and left Gausman unranked? Yeah, well, Pablo Lopez was unranked by Yahoo and 375th overall by NFBC, so, as I always say, starters are available later. As with other target posts, these guys are being drafted after the top 200 overall. Also, all Steamer hitter projections are updated just about every day (mostly small adjustments), and all 2021 fantasy baseball rankings are updated, as well, including for Zac Gallen, who I would no longer draft as I say in the top 40 starters. Anyway, here’s some starters to target for 2021 fantasy baseball:
Marcus Stroman (NFBC 201) Due to his opt-out, I didn’t write much on Stroman this year, simply linking to last year’s Marcus Stroman sleeper. I could now write a bunch on him, but my friend and yours, Coolwhip gave you his Marcus Stroman fantasy, and I’d simply be restating what he’s said.
Chris Bassitt (ESPN 205) Just barely scooted his way onto this list. Makes sense with a Bassitt, dragging his butt along the grass of rankings. I kid, and I love him: Chris Bassitt sleeper.
Dustin May (ESPN 202, Yahoo 233, NFBC 220) Consider this a mention of Tony Gonsolin too, as both guys are worth drafting late in any league. I actually wrote a Tony Gonsolin sleeper, prior to the Trevor Bauer signing. Obviously the projections in that post have changed, but the sentiment remains, which I also say when I leave the beach with sand in my underwear. So, the Dodgers have a nine-man rotation that is absolutely stacked. The Human Carrot and Tony Gonsolin are on the outside looking in. There’s still going to be so many innings to go around. Kershaw can’t throw 160+ IP; likely same for Buehler; David Price doesn’t sound like he’s going to be able to throw more than 10-12 starts; Urias is a great bet for innings? Um, huh? Bauer is the only pitcher in that rotation I’d count on for 160+ IP. My guess is Gonsolin and the Carrot will combine for 220 IP, and they’re gonna be a great 220 IP.
Tyler Mahle (ESPN 248) I’d like to bet someone that Mahle will earn more than around a 250th overall draft pick, as ESPN has him. Can I place that bet somewhere? Maybe I can try at…Grey’s Rando Bets With Fake Money dot com! At Grey’s Rando Bets With Fake Money dot com, he makes bets with no real money exchanged and gets rich on fake clout! Heres’s Grey now from Grey’s Rando Bets With Fake Money dot com, “Come place a bet with me where I will ignore if you win the bet, and tout myself as the winner if I get lucky!” Also, my Tyler Mahle sleeper.
Nate Pearson (ESPN unranked, Yahoo 281, NFBC 281) Like Nate Pearson a lot — my Nate Pearson fantasy — and his groin injury might’ve just saved his arm. Now he can throw roughly 100 IP, and not need industrial-strength rubber bands provided by Dr. James Andrews. We knew he wasn’t throwing a full year, and now, well, he might be my number one late IL stash.
Kevin Gausman (ESPN 166) Small programming note: Gausman is not ranked after 200th overall by any of those other sites to make him eligible for this post, but I just had to point out that last week, I wrote up this post, and Gausman was at 272nd overall at ESPN. Then, I did a quick double check yesterday and he was moved up to 166. I’m all for moving up or down guys a little if someone is injured, or a job opens up, but, seriously, what changed in a week for Gausman? He moved up over a hundred picks because they totally just forgot him and the first six weeks of drafters who were waiting until 272nd overall to draft him? What is going on? *eyes bulging* Hey, look I’m a pug! Anyhoo, here’s my Kevin Gausman sleeper.
Dane Dunning (ESPN unranked, Yahoo 343, NFBC 305) Bit surprised Dunning hasn’t started talking like a Smurf and zoomed up draft boards as he took in helium. My guess is people don’t believe the strikeouts, so allow me. His slider is major league, as scouts say — a .135 BAA and .135 xBAA. Threw it 21% of the time, and that would be near the top 15th for usage, but, as you can imagine, anyone that throws the slider a lot, does for a reason. His fastball isn’t great, but he doesn’t throw it a ton, and relies on his sinker to setup his pitches. The sinker didn’t translate to a ton of ground balls last year, but in the minors you see ground ball rates over 60% at times. Dunning might not break out this year, but he’s going to become a solid two to three fantasy starter. Oh, and his park is great.
Tejay Antone (ESPN unranked, Yahoo 267, NFBC 360) This is a post for starters, for, uh, starters, so I don’t know if I should be adding in Tijuana San Antonio. My guess is he sees similar usage to Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, so what’s good for the Gonsolin is good for the gander. Maybe 10-12 starts and solid work in relief. Te-yay! Nah’mean?
Triston McKenzie (ESPN unranked) Guess what fellas and non-fellas (fells?), wrote a Triston McKenzie fantasy too. As I said there, “‘Wonder Twins power activate! In the form of a string bean!’ That’s what goes through my mind every time I see Triston McKenzie. If Triston McKenzie and Deivi Garcia were ever on a seesaw, they’d both be in the air with their legs dangling. Triston McKenzie doing indoor skydiving is just him pinned against the ceiling until the wind is shut off. Triston McKenzie was in his high school play, which was an adaptation of Forrest Gump, and McKenzie played the part of the feather. Once Triston McKenzie forgot his house keys and slipped in through the mail slot. Okay, get out all your shizzes and giggles. Triston McKenzie is skinny eh eff. He’s listed as 160 pounds, which is normal-ish. Dot dot dot. For a man a foot shorter than him! He’s six-five! Haha, dubya tee eff. Instead of chewing gum, chew bacon! Instead of using toothpaste, use milkshakes! (I’m not exactly Mr. Quote-The-Simpsons, but that line never gets old for me.)” And that’s me quoting me! Absolutely nothing in there that has to do with fantasy, but I reread the post and it made me giggle. If you go to that post, you’ll find some actual fantasy info.
Elieser Hernandez (ESPN 257, NFBC 243) Figured I’d be the high man on Elieser, but I’m actually on-par with Yahoo. Wonder if they looked at my Elieser Hernandez ranking and copied me. Those scoundrels! Why I oughta! *shakes fist, forgets that I’m holding a seltzer, which sprays all over the place* Damn it! Elieser looks to me like a guy with elite command. Last year it was 1.8 BB/9, which will likely be a little lower than he’s going to do this year, but he had good command in the minors, and that was his ticket to stick it (in the majors). He also gained velocity last year, which was still kind of whatever, but it produced exceptionally low exit velocity because of his mirroring release point on his slider, which is a lights-out pitch. Marlins are going to have a very good pitching staff, and Elieser might be their #2, behind Pab-Lo.
John Means (ESPN 297, NFBC 218) Guess what, y’all? Yup, I wrote a John Means sleeper too. I broke my second cardinal rule: Never write sleeper posts for Orioles pitchers. My first cardinal rule is don’t try to figure how the Cardinals starters are always good, against all odds. Adam Wainwright is going to be 57 years old tossing a 3.75 ERA to a 64-year-old Yadier.
Nathan Eovaldi (ESPN unranked, Yahoo 271, NFBC 237) You guessed it! A Nathan Eovaldi sleeper. On a side, but related note, Eovaldi does feel like the type where we get to June and I’m saying something like, “Why did I ever trust Eovaldi? Was I drunk this preseason? Okay, yes, but still what was I doing?” Hopefully, I’m firing blanks on my premonitions. Preammunitions? Hmm, dangerously interesting wordplay.
Brady Singer (ESPN 251, Yahoo 206, NFBC 252) Here’s a story…Of a lovely lady–Oh, sorry, I was getting into my Brady Singer. The projections hate Singer, and I, sir, don’t get it. The projections are so far gone I’m head scratching at their numbers — 7.5 K/9, 4.50 ERA. I guess he could be, but for every projections system to think he’s going to be that bad, well, it doesn’t instill me with confidence, but I see a guy who’s half run better and closer to his 8.5 K/9 last year.
Deivi Garcia (ESPN unranked, Yahoo unranked, NFBC 376) Short kings have to stick together, so I’m drafting Deivi simply because he’s 5′ 4″. Okay, not only that, but it’s likely playing into it subconsciously. Deivi is a cheaper, less orange version of Dustin May with even more a chance of real innings. Have you seen the Yankees’ rotation recently? They might get 200 IP combined from all of their starters not named Cole.
Yusei Kikuchi (Yahoo 296, NFBC 304) Here’s the one guy in this post who is not in a favorable tier in my top 100 starters. He’s not in a tier to not draft, but he is in a tier of guys who are only good for deep leagues, and that’s likely still too late–Sorry, I’m having a hard time typing with Donkey Teeth holding a knife in my back, forcing me to type this blurb. I’m doing the best I can, Donkey! Please! Previously, the only positive I could ever find for Yusei is saying his name led me into singing Lisa Loeb’s Stay, and, if you’ve heard my voice, that is a stretch for a positive. Due to an arm slot change and extra extension, he appears to be a legit change from his being rocked days. Results in the spring have been good, but he still has a 5+ ERA in 200+ career IP. I’d take the 300+ draft pick flyer, but I’m not reaching either–Okay, Donkey, I’ll reach! Stop jabbing me with that…Oh my God, you’re not poking me with a knife?
