Hope everyone is having a nice Memorial Day weekend, and enjoying some baseball, or as Chef Boyardee calls it, Our National Pastatime. This Monday let’s remember all the other red-white-blue American things one hears backstage at a Larry The Cable Guy concert, including burping and farting and wearing an American flag t-shirt. Eat a D, ISIS! Much like how America was just a Platonic ideal, then went to Washington and had to get its hands dirty with the gory details of governing, we have MacKenzie Gore (7 IP, 1 ER, 4 baserunners, 11 Ks (career-high), ERA at 3.57) getting his hands dirty with making good on the promise of being a top prospect. Yesterday, he threw 106 pitches, 75 were strikes, and 23 were swinging. Overall, his command is still a bit wonky — 11.5 K/9, 4.3 BB/9, 3.48 xFIP — but if the Ks are that good, the command won’t hurt him. Those Ks are Murica thru & thru. Not spelling shizz out is Murica too. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Jake Cronenworth
Please see our player page for Jake Cronenworth to see projections for today, the next 7 days and rest of season as well as stats and gamelogs designed with the fantasy baseball player in mind.
Think Buck Showalter is old. That’s not bad, in general. Some of my favorite people are old. I’m a Cougar Hunter. I have radar for hard candies. The problem with Showalter is he’s got old thinking. He’s platooning Brett Baty. He thinks Thomas Phamily is still a thing. He’s not following the latest in baseball which is: Play your kids! The Braves have been winning with the formula: Play your kids! for a few years now. So, with that said, the Mets called up their next great hitting prospect, Mark Vientos (1-for-4, 2 RBIs) as he hit his 1st homer. Can Vientos play outfield? Absolutely not. Can Vientos steal at-bats from Baty? Ugh, maybe. Can Vientos run? His speed has been described as “an 80-year-old baby crawling with tennis balls on its knees.” Can Vientos hit bombs? To the freakin’ moon! He kinda reminds me of a young Evan Longoria. Now take everything you’ve thought about Longoria over the last seven years, scrub it from your brain, and think about Longoria as if this is 2016. Your brain in 2016, “Rays should lock this Longoria guy up for another ten years! He’s amazing! Wait! They let Longoria walk? Wow, what a mistake! They just let a perennial 30+ homer, .270 hitter go! Rays will be in last place for the next decade. What a bunch of losers!” So, your 2016 brain is kinda remembering correctly. Your 2016 was also a big dumb brain, but that’s only in hindsight. Longo was good at that point. Mark Vientos can be good too. For what it’s Wuertz, Prospect Itch has been down on Vientos for as long as Vientos has been down on the farm. For this year, do I want Mark Vientos in a redraft league? Absolutely, but back to the Buck shituation. He’s going to play where? DH? Okay, and Vogelbach is being benched indefinitely? By the guy who is still playing the Phamily? No. That leaves Vientos, the Metsmaker, in a platoon. By the way, regarding the title: It’s because it causes Coke to explode. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?We’ve played roughly a quarter of the season so far, and I can’t remember a season where rookie pitcher bids are through the roof and treated as the most valuable commodity in the waiver wire pool. A league-mate of mine astutely remarked: “A pitcher’s repertoire is like a car, once it goes around the block […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?Extra Credit to the first person in the comments who can tell me what classic song lyric is referenced in the title! The first two weeks of marriage. The first day in a new job. The first 30 minutes of a date. All of these are meaningless sample sizes. Well, not exactly. Each of these […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?
What’s Worse Colonoscopies Or Marathons? First Base Ranks
April 19, 2023 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 11 Commentsby: TheEducator
I try to not be reactionary. I know it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I also know that I will not be running a marathon or a sprint any time soon. Why on earth would you run a marathon? That’s like over 20 miles. That’s more than I have run in my entire life altogether. […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Mets Hope Alvy Can Tune Out Their Sorrow and the Pity
April 7, 2023 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes, Featured | 205 Commentsby: Grey
For once, the Mets’ doctors were used for good instead of evil. They gave Omar Narvaez day-to-day status and that knocked him out for nine weeks. Hey, lucky they didn’t say he was healthy! That might’ve knocked him out for the rest of his career. Here’s a prayer for everyone who the Mets’ doctors give a clean bill of health to. May their memory be a blessing. With this devastating news for Narvaez, I am very heartbrok–Wait a second! That means they’re calling up Francisco Alvarez! Here’s what I’ve said previously, “I’ve heard Francisco Alvarez compared to Wilson Ramos. A) Wilson Ramos had some great years. Okay, one or two. B) Think that’s selling Francisco Alvarez’s bat short. C) There’s no C. If being honest, I was surprised to see Alvarez was so squat, and I don’t mean just behind home plate. He’s a tiny guy, said by someone who is shorter than Francisco Alvarez. Okay, fine, he’s a “tiny guy” by baseball standards. His power does seem completely legit. He looks like a little square mountain that moves around like a Roomba. A very slow Roomba. A Roomba that starts in the living room, and gets to the kitchen three months later. Prospect Itch said, “A rare backstop in that Francisco Alvarez features plus athleticism and foot-speed, Alvarez stands alone atop minor league catcher mountain after Adley Rutschman joined the Orioles. Alvarez generates easy loft from a strong natural uppercut. Also, I’d like to uppercut Grey.” And that’s me quoting me quoting Itch! Our Prospectonator has the projections for every rookie. Before they’re even called up. It’s magic! That magic has Alvarez down for 21/3/.225. That feels low on the average, but about right on the power. If he were to go 21/.240, then he’s a top 10 catcher. Grab him everywhere you need a catcher. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?I would give myself a 60 grade on parenting. Solid, all star level father. Lots of strengths and only one 20 grade. That would be building toys. Legos, especially, are the bane of my existence. I hate them. I always have. When my brilliant daughter wanted to do a building competition, I could only build […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?It’s been a long offseason but we’ve made it to Opening Day and beyond! Although Spring Training stats are usually to be taken with a grain of salt, I’d figure I’d mention some middle infielders who have had a great spring training and highlight some other noteworthy items as they pertain to middle infielders from […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?
A Preseason Trip Around The League: 2023 Second Basemen
March 20, 2023 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball, Second Basemen | 4 Commentsby: scar
This week we’re taking a look at the second base landscape, which is definitely shallower than the shortstop position. Overall, second base is looking even bleaker as Jose Altuve becomes the latest injury casualty of the World Baseball Classic. However, there’s always room for finding value and hidden gems at every position. AL East: Blue […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?
If you are starting a team in a new dynasty league, take a look at the position breakdown of the top 200 players, using the main position for utility players except for one, who plays basically any position in the field.
What quickly jumps out is the lack of depth at second base and third base. The second and third base positions alone add up to only one more Top 100 player than the shortstop position. There are some great players at those two positions, but the overall quality lacks compared to shortstop or first base.
When it comes to catchers and relief pitchers, I can tell you right now that there are few of them ranked. There are a lot of good catchers, but many of them will get only 110 or so starts or they are getting up in age, making them less than desired dynasty options.
As for the relivers, I never chase saves (or holds if your league has them). How many players dread chasing Aroldis Chapman last year or a host of other top closers? Meanwhile, five new closer will come out the woodwork this year that you can get in the middle of the season.
Please, blog, may I have some more?As I was compiling the 2023 Dynasty Rankings: 150-126 this week, the song “The Final Countdown” popped into my head. Then I told myself that, thankfully, this is only third installment of the 2023 Dynasty Rankings!
This week the focus is on the Tier 6 players, a group of players that features a few more established players.
There are nine players listed between the ages of 26-29 and six who are 30 or over. While I love to hoard the younger players as much as possible, a dynasty team still needs some solid veteran players.
Pitchers and Corner Infielders
This tier is also heavy on pitchers and corner infielders. Listed are seven starting pitchers and one closer in addition to seven players who can play first or third base. When it comes to the corner infielders, it just shows how interchangeable the players are once you get past the top five at those positions.
Let’s get to the Rankings!
Enough of the small talk. It’s time to take a look at the 2023 Dynasty Rankings: 150-126.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Top 20 Shortstops for 2023 Fantasy Baseball
January 23, 2023 | Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Featured | 68 Commentsby: Grey
The top 20 shortstops for 2023 fantasy baseball are so stacked we may as well be at an IHOP, standing on a booth, screaming, “Rooty tooty fresh and fruity is woke culture gone wrong!” As I say in the video up on our Youtube channel, that does not mean you should think you can wait on shortstops. *puts on a big smile* Like and subscribe. Okay, let’s get to it! Here’s Steamer’s 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Hitters and 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Pitchers. Subscriptions are up and running, and you can already get Rudy’s Draft War Room. Anyway, here’s the top 20 shortstops for 2023 fantasy baseball:
Please, blog, may I have some more?