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Nick Neidert

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Prepare Yourself For Some Votto Erotica

August 20, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 158 Comments

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Went looking for Joey Votto stats since the All-Star break and I found this tidbit:

In case you missed the fine print, that’s from 2016, so kinda pointless, but it shows he loves himself some hot air. Joey is filled with it! And so am I. Wanna elbow bump or shake hands? Elbow? Okay, cool. Here’s another one:

That was 2015. I’ve proved my point. Earlier this year, during the trading deadline week, he came within one homer and about two feet in Metco of tying the Devil Dale Long’s Home Run Record, which is the best baseball record. With his 27th homer last night, Joey Votto has 16 homers and 39 RBIs in the 32 games since the break. Not only is Votto hitting for a solid average (.281), but he’s also hitting for power, and, you kinda get the impression, he could do whatever he wanted with whatever pitch he saw. Personal anecdote alert that I’ve recounted before. Fast forward a blurb if you’re not interested. When I was in my teens, I went to baseball summer camp. The guy who ran it was a Yankees’ scout, so he’d have players come in to teach us fundamentals. One guest was Mike Pagliarulo. I know, I know, this is like the opening monologue before someone sings Springsteen’s Glory Days at karaoke. Any hoo! Pags was the best hitter I ever saw within three feet of me. One kid there was a minor league pitcher, and Pags was so dramatically better than him, it was obvious the kid would never go anywhere. If Pags wanted to hit a home run to right against this kid, he did. Up the middle? No problem. Home run to left? Sure, why not? So, my point (!), against this minor league pitcher, Pags did what I imagine Votto does against major leaguers. Votto is my Pags of the majors. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

White Sox DH Garage Sponsored By Mercedes-Baines

April 9, 2021 | Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 278 Comments

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I’m still not convinced Yermin Mercedes isn’t a LARP. Or a Transformer. His name really is Yermin Mercedes? Just out here with a name that sounds like a German saying German Mercedes? And he doesn’t wear a Mercedes emblem around his neck like Flavor Flav? Is this real life or a simulation? The White Sox lost Eloy and just randomly found a guy who can do exactly the same? Right, right, okay, so the story I heard about one fantasy baseballer hearing the news of Eloy’s injury while on the Mercedes-Benz factory tour and crying onto a C-Class, and that transforming into Yermin, was a lie? I don’t hear lies, I hear truths! So, Yermin Mercedes went 2-for-4 and hit another home run (2nd) yesterday, and has basically done what we would’ve hoped for from Andrew Vaughn in our wildest dreams. But can it continue? Ah, excellent leading question! Yes, Yermin can hit .550. No! Of course not! He does have a solid hit tool (can hit .280) and good power (20-ish homers). The moment he slumps and Vaughn hits (it’ll happen — hopefully for my teams) Yermin will be on the outside, while Vaughn moves in. There is a chance Mercedes could hit 25 homers/.280, which is essentially Trey Mancini-type projections, so he’s worth rostering for now. tl;dr: Mercedes goes vroom, vroom, make room. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Top 2020 Prospects: Miami Marlins

October 16, 2019 | 2020 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 24 Comments

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The Miami Marlins are a baseball team. I mean the sport they play is recognizably baseball. 

Other than that, there isn’t a lot of certainty in Miami. Even 2019 Whit-alike contest winner Jon Berti seems as likely to fall back as spring forward in 2020. 

Is it really darkest before the dawn?

Anyway, hope floats just off the coast. Er, inland, where Marlins affiliates are loaded with the fruits of an organizational tear-down that would’ve been vetoed in my home league. 

“Fruits” feels kind of extreme. Maybe we should call it the “eggplants” of an organizational tear-down. 

The eggplants for all-world Christian Yelich were players who do everything but hit, which seems to be something of a type for the Front Office helmed by Derek Jeter and Gary Denbo. They whiffed on Lewis Brinson who whiffs at everything, and they face a similar fate for everything in those Yelich and Stanton deals from two winters past unless someone (looking at you, Monte Harrison) changes their trajectory. 

Either way, even with those brutal trades, the Marlins are trending up thanks to a deep farm with rich soil for arms. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Prospect Podcast: Halph Rides Again

March 27, 2019 | Prospect Podcast, Razzball Podcast | 6 Comments

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Not going to lie, I couldn’t be more excited to release this podcast to the public at large. The band is back together for one night only as the Halph Reunion Tour sets up shop in your ear holes. That’s right Michael Halpern joins me as the host stand-in this week. So you know we had to bring it back to the good old days as Halp and I touch on the wave of top prospects breaking camp. With all of these talents likely to exhaust their prospect eligibility in the coming months, we decided to hit you with 16 players we view as the next wave of elite players. It’s back to the future this week on the latest episode of the Razzball Prospect Podcast.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Mike

2019 Minor League Preview: Miami Marlins

March 13, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 14 Comments

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Going from a powerhouse system like the Braves to this Marlins farm is going to feel a little disappointing. But give Miami credit for making a couple of moves this offseason to quickly add some Top 100 talent. Not only did they sign Victor Victor Mesa out of Cuba, but also made the swap for Sixto Sanchez (and Alfaro to boot). I genuinely like following real teams during a rebuild. Unlike us dynasty owners, they have to worry about other stuff like putting butts in the seats and all that. I mean, I can only speak for myself. Maybe some of you charge admission for people to watch your live scoring feed while drinking an $8.00 Bud Light.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Prospect Podcast: Yusei Kikuchi Signs and Names To Look for in 2019 Dynasty Leagues

January 5, 2019 | Prospect Podcast, Razzball Podcast | 35 Comments

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It’s been a long two weeks. Gifts were purchased, wrapped, and un-wrapped. Traveling was done, and merry times were had by all. Unfortunately the by product of this joyous season is my co-host Lance Brozdowski is in high demand. As my better half traveled back to Chicago, I did what any philandering husband would do. I called my man Eddy Almaguer and we recorded a podcast behind Lance’s back. It’s all good though, Eddy’s part of the PL Team, and just so happens to be our in house Yusei Kikuchi expert. So of course we dig into our expectations for the Japanese lefty in 2019, the best place to draft him in mixed league redraft, and where we might pluck him in a Dynasty First Year Player Draft. After that we talk some ETAs for 2019 (Alonso, Tatis, etc.), before diving into ten players squarely on our radar going into 2019 dynasty drafts. It’s the Razzball Prospect Podcast powered by ProspectsLive.com. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Minor League Update: Living In The Moment With Vladito

August 9, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 29 Comments

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I’m just going to milk his Vlad Jr. thing as long as I can. After all, it’s only a matter of time before he’s out of my hands and off to the world of Grey A.M. writeups, and ESPN highlights. Make no mistake the heir to the Canadian baseball throne is the genuine article, and on the cusp of the majors. After destroying AA for two months, he missed the next five plus weeks with a knee injury. Only to return to the Fishercats lineup for a few weeks in July, before heading off to AAA. In his 8 games in Buffalo Vlad is slashing .455/.581/.682, smacking his first International League homer off highly touted Braves righthander Kyle Wright. In fact he abused Wright yesterday evening, going 3-for-3 with the aforementioned homer, a double, and a single. One of our loyal Crab Army members was in attendance and was nice enough to share the below video. At this point it’s just a waiting game, and unfortunately for those of us wishing on an impending callup it might not be in the cards. That’s not to say it won’t happen later in September. The problem is, after saying all this he could be called up tomorrow. Stash away if you have the room to spare, but I’d be prepared to burn that spot for most, if not all of August.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

2018 Miami Marlins Minor League Preview

February 4, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 35 Comments

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Are we all just a prop in Derek Jeter’s twisted nightmare? Is he down in Miami F-L-A, rubbing Banana Boat on his dome, and meddling in the baseball ops? Is he the victim of a ruthless smear campaign? Who can say? All that matters is Stanton, Ozuna, and Yelich are gone, and a new era of rebuilding has begun. The trade return started slow, but picked up with each passing sale, culminating in a very good return for the aforementioned Yelich. Let me be the first to say, I appreciate this. For the first time in a long time, the Marlins have something interesting to write about in one of these. This post has long been the dog of the bunch for years. So thanks Marlins! Your fans might hate you, your team might suck, but always know, you made my February 4th, just a little better. We have a ton of exciting talent to get into, so why chat? I mean how about these apples? Brinson, Harrison, Guzman, Alcantara, and Diaz!!! It’s power and speed, and big fastball velocity. That’s how they do it in The Magic City! It’s the Miami Marlins Top Prospects for 2018 Fantasy Baseball.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Minor League Update: I’m Not Naming This Post Acuna Moncada…

July 13, 2017 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 157 Comments

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With the rapid speed at which Ronald Acuna has ascended through the minors, I ought to take every opportunity to write about him while I still can. If you hadn’t heard, Acuna was promoted to AAA on Wednesday evening, and the Braves best position prospect since Jason Heyward is now just a call away. Exciting news for dynasty league owners all over. In my updated Mid-Season Top 100 I ranked Acuna 5th in all of baseball, and after seeing the confidence the Braves have in the precocious 19 year old, how could you not? He brings to the table hard contact with an all-fields approach, 30 steal speed, and a huge ceiling. The plate discipline could be better, but to put things in perspective, he’s 19 and playing at the highest levels of full season ball while many of his contemporaries are just beginning short season and rookie ball. So I expect plate approach to be an area where things should improve as Acuna matures as a hitter. What he does at Gwinnett will be telling, particularly if he really struggles for the first time in his career. How he deals with that, adjusts, and rebounds will be the true test of his metal. It’s tough to say if he will struggle or not, but if he hits the ground running, I could picture a world, maybe as soon as a month, where Acuna is considered the top prospect in the game. Trust me I’ve made bold proclamations about Acuna before. Here’s what I said when I ranked him #42 overall in the pre-season, “Could be this season’s Victor Robles. Five tool player, that tore up Australia this winter, poised for a big jump in the mid-season list. Trade for him now”. I was right on both fronts, but was more conservative with his ETA setting it at 2019. That’s obviously no longer the case, outside of unforeseen circumstances of course. **KNOCK ON WOOD** Anyway, Acuna has a strong chance of seeing at least a few weeks of action in September, but I wouldn’t expect a call-up in the next few weeks. Though the possibility of Acuna breaking camp in 2018 is less remote than it was a few months ago, I’d be surprised by any promotion before mid-May next year. He’s a name to know for players in all formats, as this could be a stud in the making. Here’s what else I saw in the MiLB…

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Mid-Season Top 100 Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball

July 2, 2017 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 184 Comments

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There’s really no need for any introduction on this one, it’s the post upon which all prospectors are judged. It’s the Mid-Season Update to my Top 100 Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball. Full disclosure, I was loosey-goosey with the eligibility rules this time around. So, while some players in the majors and under their limits might appear on this list (Clint Frazier, Franklin Barreto, Etc.), others don’t (Raimel Tapia). No rhyme or reason to it, what-so-ever. This list feels more upside heavy to me, but there was no slant or algorithm for my ranks. Just good old fashioned personal bias, of which I have plenty. Seriously, I’m an opinionated lad! But that’s why I do this in the first place. Please keep in mind, this list is 100% fantasy focused. Meaning it might differ quite a bit from other Top 100’s you may come across. Anyway, thanks for reading and enjoy! The next 100 (101-200) will be out on Thursday.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

Minor League Update: First Half Breakout Pitchers For Dynasty Leagues

June 25, 2017 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 76 Comments

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Notoriously unpredictable, pitching prospects are amongst the most difficult of commodities to remain patient with. Our opinions and values, at least on a general consensus level, fluctuate frequently on pitchers, major leagues or minors, based on recent performance. So, what better way to celebrate our recency blinders than to discuss the top breakout hurlers of the first half in the minor leagues. Some of these guys have some pedigree, others came into the year a little more obscure, but all are worthy of our attention, and perhaps an add in the right format. The road to major league stardom is often not a straight line, and while I have no data behind this, it feels like a breakout by a pitcher is a little more telling of long term success. The reason I say this is, more often than not, these breakouts are derived from a tweak or change to mechanics, grips, or other small developments. No two players develop the same, and while Top 100 lists are great, they don’t do a very good job of projecting future value between Lucas Giolito and Jacob Faria. That’s not to say we don’t nail one every so often, but the majors these days are a different ball world. So sit back and enjoy it while I breakout heads, ribs, $100 bills…(3).

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Geoff

2017 Minor League Preview: Seattle Mariners

February 5, 2017 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 41 Comments

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I hear Jerry Dipoto kills the whistling solo from the Scorpions “Winds of Change“. Then again, it’s a whistling solo in a rock song. But that’s not the reason he kills it. Oh no, it’s because JDP, as I call him, loves change. I mean, JDP walks into a room and changes everything just because he can. He only leases cars, and never moves in with his girlfriends. He loves a good month to month contract, and has had 7 different hairstyles in the past 17 months. Suffice it to say things at his workplace are changing too. His work place just so happens to be the Seattle Mariners baseball club, and he just so happens to run the joint. He’s already made dozens of trades over the last couple of offseasons, and overhauled the organizational philosophy. Running a hitting summit for their minor leaguers focusing on cutting strikeouts and improving contact rates. What followed were career years from some of their top power bats with contact woes, players like Tyler O’Neill, and DJ Peterson gained the most. All across the organization winning became a priority. In fact, all six of the Mariners minor league affiliates qualified for some sort of post season baseball, with Jackson their AA affiliate, and their rookie level Arizona League affiliate taking home titles. The changes are evident in the upside of their recent draft class too, spearheaded by 2016 Golden Spikes winner Kyle Lewis, and talented prep bat Joe Rizzo. Add that to trades for MLB ready talents, and the aforementioned break outs across the organization last year, and you have recipe for success. Big shouts to Tehol Beddict, Sky, and the rest of the Mariners fans here on Razzball. It’s the Top Seattle Mariners Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
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