We got fantasy starters! *rings a town crier bell* We got the top 60 starters for 2023 fantasy baseball! There’s a “So many starters to draft” theme cutting through the starters rankings, and that theme continues. Also, Razzball Subscriptions are up and running, and that comes with our online Fantasy Baseball War Room. Here’s Steamer’s 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Hitters and 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Pitchers. All projections included here are mine, and where I see tiers starting and stopping are included. Anyway, here’s the top 60 starters for 2023 fantasy baseball:
NOTE I: All my rankings are currently available on Patreon for the price of a Starbucks coffee, if you get one of those extra grande frappuccino jobbers. Don’t wait for the rankings to come out over the next month, and get them all now.
NOTE II: Free agents are listed as just that and not yet projected. Once a guy signs, I will write out their blurb and add in projections, or remove them, if they sign in an unfavorable place. They are ranked currently where I think they might be if they sign on for a full-time job.
NOTE III: Here’s BDon and I discussing the top 100 starters:
GO BACK TO THE TOP 40 STARTERS FOR 2023 FANTASY BASEBALL
41. Logan Gilbert – This tier started in the top 40 starters for 2023 fantasy baseball. This tier goes from here until Severino. I called this tier, “Bosom buddies.” As for Gilbert, prolly selling Gilbert short by calling him a sexy number three vs. a sexy number two, but putting Gilbert in the 9+ K/9, 2-ish BB/9 tier with the top 40 starters fitted tuxedos felt wrong. Oh, I just thought of a Shark Tank idea — sell felt shirts, but not the fabric felt, but just shirts that are cheaply-made but have been touched. “Hmm, I like it. That feels felt.” Gilbert ended up here because he had the qualifications: 8+ K/9, 2+ BB/9. An 8 K/9 vs. 9 K/9 gets you knocked down a starter number from a two to three? Yes, that is what I’m saying. Gilbert has a bit of a homer-slash-fly ball issue, but that’s not bad to have in Seattle. It’s just so much hard contact. His Statcast looks a whole lot more Smurfy-blue than I’d want. At the end of the day, I came out on the side of liking Gilbert, but hard contact in the air scares me a little. 2023 Projections: 9-10/3.71/1.16/177 in 182 IP
42. Pablo Lopez – Bit of a note about the projections in this tier, and in general. If a guy is a sleeper or just “Grey is loving his upside” then I tend to be more optimistic about their projections. They still have more risk than safer starters in safer tiers. Just because Lopez or Springs or Luzardo’s projections might look amazing, they’re ranked where they are instead of, say, the top 20 starters as maybe their projections say, because they have a ton of risk. Springs might get moved out of the rotation, Luzardo has never come close to his projections before, yadda.
As for Lopez, traded to the Twins. Or I should say given away. What’s his downside? Well, he kinda sucked last year. That’s a big one. Here’s the thing: That was last year, not this year. Crazy, right? If you followed my lead, you were out on Pab-Lo last year. And now we’re going back in. Last year, he threw 180 IP, 8.7 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, 3.56 xFIP. Was a bit unlucky on men left on base, and his command was a little wonky, but he upped his SwStr% and lowered his inside and outside zone contact. His 2nd half really hurt him (4.97 ERA) but that was based on a very high BABIP and he actually had better command. He had the 15th lowest Hard Contact% for the season, and 16th lowest in the 2nd half. That is disconnected from his 2nd half ERA. In fact (Grey’s got more!), he had the 8th highest difference in his 2nd half ERA and FIP. He was one of the unluckiest pitchers last year, and, if he hadn’t been, he would’ve ended the year with something like a 3.10 ERA instead of a 3.75 ERA, and would be ranked at least ten starters higher, and drafted about 30 to 50 spots higher in ADP. 2023 Projections: 11-9/3.24/1.14/177 in 174 IP
43. Lance Lynn – Speaking of guys who sucked last year. Lynn was dreadful. Or. Dot dot dot. Was he? He had a 9.2 K/9, 1.4 BB/9 and a 3.44 xFIP in a year when he never seemed healthy through 121 2/3 IP. He turns 36 in May, and just taking a mere glimpse of my body after 36 without having a medical degree, I’m gonna speculate his health isn’t going to get better. That doesn’t mean he can’t put up a roughly 140 IP season of solid Ks and excellent command as he’s done for the last four seasons, turning out one low-to-mid 3 ERA after another. 2023 Projections: 10-7/3.48/1.09/139 in 135 IP
44. Kodai Senga – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed with the Mets. *screaming like the Sega commercial voice* Senga! He should slot in as their number three, behind Verlander and Scherzer. No presh. The crazy thing is, for his price, at least right now, Senga might be the best one for the buck. Last year, he had a 1.89 ERA in 148 IP with a 1.04 WHIP, a 9.7 K/9, 3 BB/9 and been doing it for a decade. He has a 2.42 ERA in 1340 2/3 career innings. Damn, what’s he Japanese Kershaw? Call him Clayton Konnichiwa. As we’ve learned from past segments of “This guy just came over from Japan,” NPB is more competitive than Triple-A, but less so than the majors. Quad-A? Sure, but that’s got a connotation to it of guys who can’t make it in the States, and clearly a lot of them can be stars. Senga throws hard — has touched 100 MPH, and has a cutter, slider, curve and a forkball that eats up hitters (pun point!). He could be outstanding this year with hitters completely unfamiliar with him, but, when push comes to him shoving, he won’t have elite command or strikeouts. If it’s 3.5 BB/9 and a 8.5 K/9, then he’s gonna be in trouble, and might be more like the Mets’ number four with Carrasco more as the three. If he gets out strong early on, due to unfamiliarity, he might sneak by for the first half of the year with much higher Ks and lower walks. Will be a flyer I’ll definitely be willing to take, if his price stays around 180+ ADP.” And that’s me quoting me! 2023 Projections: 10-9/3.61/1.19/143 in 152 IP
45. Luis Severino – Don’t really understand fully how Severino is being drafted as a number three. Likely has something to do with us just having so many starters available. Throw a rock and hit at least three decent starters in the first 120 overall you want to draft. Seeing people draft a guy like George Kirby over Severino and I’m like, “Oh, c’mon, that’s ridiculous,” then I rank George Kirby above Severino and I’m like, “Fine, Kirby over Severino, but I want Severino too!” There’s really an abundance of starters where I feel like I want all of them, while also knowing I don’t want to overdraft. That’s the hardest balancing act. Loving so many starters while also not prematurely drafting them all. Feels like we’re getting a present this year with Severino, specifically. He’s an ace. Everyone knows this. Only thing between him and prolly a top 12 starter overall is he can’t throw more than 150 IP this year. Or shouldn’t at least. He came back last year after missing essentially three years, but threw 102 IP last year, velocity was up and had a 9.9 K/9, 2.7 BB/9. Welp, I don’t know what to tell ya, but I think he’s an ace again. UPDATE: Out with a lat strain. 2023 Projections: 12-4/3.39/1.04/134 in 120 IP
46. Freddy Peralta – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until May. I call this tier, “FAFO.” That stands for Fudge Around, Find Out, only I didn’t say fudge, I said the mother of all curse words. You can fudge around with these guys, but, and I am Charleston Chew’sing my words careful here, I would not. One quick word about the rankings, in general. In every league, a guy like Sandoval is available after FreddyKBB is drafted (or other guys in this tier), so I’m saying don’t draft these guys, but it’s pretty moot. If you get in a situation where one of the guys in this tier falls, can you draft them? Sure, you can do whatever you want. I wouldn’t draft them for reasons I will go over.
As for FreddyKBB, sadly, I don’t have alligator blood to help me with this, but I have to pass on him this year. I don’t dislike anything about his stuff, but it’s simple as he had shoulder inflammation at the end of last year. Had a 7 K/9 in August in 29 2/3 IP, and lost all kinds of velocity. Might’ve finally caught up to him all the yanking and/or cranking the Brewers did with him hopping and/or skipping to and/or fro the pen. If I had to put some kind of crappy Do Not Pass bet on a player that they’d be shutdown in Spring Training, I’d do it with FreddyKBB. Maybe he’s fine, but I don’t want to fudge around and/or find out. 2023 Projections: 9-11/3.88/1.12/142 in 136 IP
47. Tony Gonsolin – The Dodgers cheat, right? I mean, there’s no way they turn literally every pitcher into Drysdale. Wait a second! How long has this been going on? I’m going to say something that could get me barred from all Jewish delis. But was Sandy Koufax just Johan Santana with some Dodgers’ pixie dust and the original “I don’t roll on Shabbos?” It’s beginning to seem like I don’t like the Dodgers. Urias? Check, as in a woof from me, dawg. Gonsolin? As Rita Wilson never said, no T. Hanks. And Dustin May is in this tier too. Why do I not love my hometown team? I do, I guess. Dodger Stadium is a hitters’ park, and Gonsolin, and Urias both overperformed by so much. Sure, the Dodgers always get their guys to overperform, but I’m not banking on it. I actually loved Gonsolin last year, but, as a expected 3.60 ERA, number five, not as a 2.30 ERA, number one. He does avoid hard contact, but not in any elite way, and not even as good as Urias. He had a BAA of .113, .137 and .130 for his splitter, slider, and curve, respectively. Or disrespectively, what the eff?! I don’t know, it just all seems too good to be true, and a general note: There’s so many pitchers! If you don’t love one or ten, it’s fine. There’s another 50 to choose from. Maybe Gonsolin is another Urias, who will outperform his peripherals, but, sigh, I don’t want to fudge about with Tony. 2023 Projections: 10-9/3.64/1.13/145 in 157 IP
48. Lucas Giolito – I’m all about the Bounce Back Bus. I’m Jerome Bettis driving that bus. My “Bettis” not on Giolito, how’sever. Velocity down, hard hit up, and fly balls down, but it doesn’t matter when most are flying out of the yard. Giolito almost singlehandedly counters my continuing tapping of the sign that reads, “The White Sox humidor is too strong and killing their hitters’ power,” because Giolito made other hitters look dope. Giolito’s Statcast is making me go brr, it’s so blue. Is that the movie poster for the stop-motion classic, Jack Frost, or is that Giolito’s Statcast? I don’t know, and, you guessed it, I don’t want to find out, and have zero fudges to give. 2023 Projections: 12-8/3.82/1.31/182 in 171 IP
49. Dustin May – Just looked at his innings per season, and he’s yet to pass the 56 innings marker, i.e., less than most closers. I like May — makes April’s showers worthwhile — but the people drafting May way higher than this have come dislodged from reality. Even May’s career high in innings if we included the minors is 134, and that was in 2017! Oh, just six years ago. May can still make a career for himself at 25 years old, and his stuff is nasty. I get the attraction to The Giant Human Carrot, but I’m a’ight on beta carotene from GNC and not the GHC. Could he be worth the draft pick? Sure, but: Say it with me now, get the fudge out of here, I don’t want to find out. 2023 Projections: 7-3/2.64/1.07/102 in 95 IP
50. Charlie Morton – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Rasmussen. I call this tier, “Dorf on Golf Presents: Fore!” This tier is filled with fourth starters who could go way wide of their intended target. I’m drafting them, but there’s a reason these guys aren’t number twos or threes.
As for Morton, he’s a throwback to the glorious time, that golden era of 2019 when everyone had a 10+ K/9. Morton struggled with command last year (2.8 BB/9 to 3.3 BB/9 year over year), which is pretty bizarre for a 38-year-old. Speaking of which, did I suddenly become a Cougar chaser when it comes to pitchers? Am I drafting Verlander, Kershaw, Morton and Scherzer? Yes, I am. *walking like Travolta in Saturday Night Fever into a bingo hall* “What’s up, ladies!?” Am I screaming at kids to get off my lawn and my pitching staff? Suppose so, because I see Morton’s 2nd half of 11.2 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 from a guy who usually has a 2.5 BB/9, and I’m strutting into the old age home. 2023 Projections: 12-7/3.76/1.17/192 in 167 IP
51. Nick Lodolo – From Methuselah to Genesis. Call Lodolo by the name Phil Collins and hope what’s not In The Air Tonight is home runs. Lodolo feels a year away still. Last year, he threw 103 1/3 IP, and 11.4 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, which is basically a chef’s kiss that echoes over the galaxy, and/or is headed to being an ace this year, and/or is very up and/or down, due to homers and walks Andor is solid for a Star Wars show. The big question mark for me here vs., say, his teammate, Hunter Greene, is how Lodolo was on a 60-day IL last year with a back strain. Those things linger, and even his last year injury went from a 10-day IL stint to just before the All-Star Break. He could easily be an ace, but I’m just pumping the brakes a little. As the lead character In The Air Tonight should’ve. 2023 Projections: 8-9/3.51/1.20/158 in 129 IP
52. Brady Singer – Already gave you my Brady Singer sleeper. It was written while counting licks on a Tootsie Pop. 2023 Projections: 10-7/3.53/1.08/186 in 184 IP
53. Jon Gray – Unfortunately, the thing that is playing games on my head with Adolis Garcia, Corey Seager and other Rangers hitters is doing the same with Gray and I. Gray and me? I and I? Me and me? We learned this offseason that the balls in Texas were juiced, so Gray went from Coors, where he had a 1.27 HR/9 and saw that decrease to only 1.20. If the Rangers get to use the dead ball this year, which they should, if every team does, then Gray could finally have that career year that Gray promised us. I promised me? I promised I? If the price for Gray is reasonable enough, I’m willing to take the chance. We take the chance on us? Us chancing we? Grey on Gray, and it’s confusing. 2023 Projections: 11-10/3.77/1.21/154 in 151 IP
54. Sonny Gray – Boy, this guy is underrated. Just an absolute class act. Next to the definition of handsome, this guy’s face–oh Sonny Gray? Oh, gotcha. Gotta a little sub-tier of Grey’s on Grays. Sounds like middle school all over again. Haven’t mentioned this in a few blurbs as was most exquisitely laid out by my brain custard on the matter in Kwan’s blurb back in the top 40 outfielders. For whatever reason, some guy’s actual value and ranking just don’t match up. Gray was solid last year, had a 2.38 2nd half ERA, and has a 3.56 ERA in 1387 IP in his career. He’s solid, should be drafted as solid. Instead, from what I’ve seen, he’s a cast-off. Treated as a forgettable number five. No respect for Gray, I tell ya. *pulls on collar* 2023 Projections: 10-7/3.64/1.17/150 in 153 IP
55. Drew Rasmussen – He’s had a 2.84 ERA two years in a row across two different teams. One more year of a 2.84 ERA and he wins the grand prize and gets to sleep with Khris Davis’s wife. (Assuming she consents. We don’t care if Khris does. Sorry!) Someone get Rasmussen to pitch 150 IP on Mars vs. Oppy just to see if he can keep the streak alive. Let’s see Rasmussen pitch standing on a boogie board in the Pacific to see if he can get a 2.84 ERA. Let’s go! Time’s-a-wastin’! Enquiring minds want to know! Rasmussen is almost fully predicated on hitters chasing, but that comes with an insanely solid Zone%, i.e. Rasmussen is a cheap Gausman. Call him The Invisible Man. Because he’s wrapped with Gausman! 2023 Projections: 10-6/3.33/1.06/138 in 154 IP
56. Chris Sale – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Flaherty. I call this tier, “Chck ngin.” This tier is named after the “Check Engine” light on a dashboard of a car that is in such bad disrepair its “E” lights are out too. Chck ngin is a tier I don’t want. This tier could be ranked about fifty picks later and I still wouldn’t draft them, so why not just rank them later? Meh, what fun is that? Just ignore them when they come up in your drafts. This tier has more question marks than the Riddler’s leotards. I want to drive to the West Coast to meet up with some hot blonde, while I’m carpooling with some down-to-earth brunette that I inadvertently fall in love with, i.e., I want Sure Things. I do not want the Riddler’s leotards.
As for Sale, and as for all the guys in this tier, in fairness to them, Verlander was in this tier last year. They’re all vets who could turn their good vibes and bad farts into good vibes, and a summer breeze…ah, makes me feel fine. It wouldn’t shock me to see one of these guys bounce back and skyrocket to the top of the starters, but if you know which one, you are a time-traveling witch, and you’re using your foreknowledge for fantasy baseball, which is just sad. Buy a Powerball ticket or something, you giant loser witch! “Hey, look at me, I’m a time traveling witch and I’m using what I know to win a 12-team fantasy league.” That’s you, and you need to get a grip! Speaking of getting a grip, grab that broom, and ride your butt outta here, you witch! So, Chris Sale hasn’t pitched in so long, the last time he did, Spider Tack was legal. Now, homeboy’s doing smash and grabs on clubhouse TVs and Dollar Store’s scissors. If Sale throws 150+ IP, he will be a top 15 starter. If Sale throws 150 IP, what a waste of a wishing well wish. Wish for Powerball! You should hang out with the time-traveling witch, you terrible waste-of-wishes! 2023 Projections: 5-3/3.26/1.02/98 in 84 IP
57. Jack Flaherty – Another name for this tier is, “Hey, I remember that guy being good. I’m not wrong, am I? I’ve taken three years away from fantasy baseball, so it’s hard to remember.” Yeah, if you’re drafting for 2019, I totally get the allure with this tier. If you were in a coma since 2019, you think when someone says MeToo, it’s fun to blurt out, “Me three!” And you think Flaherty is a no doubt ace. Unlike a lot of the guys in this tier, Flaherty only had one moment in the sun as a bonafide ace. Also, unlike all the other guys, I can envision Flaherty, at 27 years of age, bouncing back and still having a solid career. On the other hand, he also seems most unlikely to bounce back. Flattery might get you everywhere, but Jack Flaherty, I fear, won’t get you anywhere. 2023 Projections: 7-7/3.57/1.23/119 in 130 IP
58. Merrill Kelly – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until the top 80 starters for 2023 fantasy baseball. I call this tier, “Broken emergency anchor glass.” This tier is usually filled with safe number five starters who you can get cheap and they anchor your staff. In the past, this was a condom tier. Something that could glue the team together. A Dollar Store condom, so there was some risk, but the wrapper says it’s safe. Not this year. No one is safe. These guys are the closest guys I can find to anchor your staff, but the emergency glass is broken and the anchor is hanging out on the floor. You can see I’m very familiar with ships, thinking anchors are behind emergency glass. Usually this tier is cheap, older guys, and this year is no different.
As for Kelly, this tier should be broken emergency anchor glass on a yacht, because so many pitchers were so elite last year. If you’re drafting right at least, i.e., the rest of your staff (the yacht) is so good that you kinda don’t care about the broken glass, and your cabin boy can investigate and order some new glass. “Cabin boy, you ordered shatter-proof glass. As in glass that proves it does shatter. You moron!” That’s me about to fire my cabin boy, which is more interesting than the movie Triangle of Sadness. I kid, but it did fall apart in the third act. Any hoo! Kelly’s absolutely fine, and a solid back-of-the-rotation guy. None of the guys in this tier will likely get you elected mayor of Horn Town, but hopefully their floors aren’t bad either. 2023 Projections: 12-8/3.61/1.15/163 in 192 IP
59. Grayson Rodriguez – Grayson Rodriguez gave you my Grayson Rodriguez fantasy. It was written while secretly eying DL Hall’s minor league stats. UPDATE: Lowered with news he will start the year in the minors. 2023 Projections: 8-3/3.37/1.07/127 in 106 IP
60. Miles Mikolas – So, Merrill Kelly and Miles are like the Hunter Dozier/Christian Walker of pitchers, before Walker went and got good. You heard of 2 Live Crew? You know the Juice Crew? This is the 14% K-BB% crew. Mikolas and Kelly enter stage right; they’re wearing nurse sneakers, and they’re here to jam out about their meh strikeouts but solid command. Woo-hoo! They’re opening their show with their number #1 hit in Asia, “Boring But Reliable Starter!” This is my favorite song by them. 2023 Projections: 13-10/3.66/1.09/141 in 187 IP
CONTINUE ON TO THE TOP 80 STARTERS FOR 2023 FANTASY BASEBALL
Someone offered me my verdugo for their sonny gray in 12 tram H2H
My OF are castellanos, jd Martinez, Luis Roberts, trout with L Guerril as backup Of
My Pitchers: verlander, darvish, kershaw, Grayson, Wesneski and McKenzie
Should I take the trade?
What’s good Grey? Hope you’re well. Hi to Ted.
Standard Roto $260. Keeper for 2023 only
Have 3 good hitters and one good pitcher and needed to pick one.
T Turner$48 or Manoah $18
I understand Turned May be top fantasy player but he is so expensive while manoah is about the right price
Your thoughts
?
Grey,
I need your help. I am trying toi acquire Devin Williams ($8) and Max Fried ($21). He wants a starting bat in the trade and not sure who to offer. He is asking for one these three as a starting point: Freeman, Bo, or Bregman. This is my team:
C / 1B J. T. Realmuto (PHI) $27.00
1B Freddie Freeman (LAD) $36.00
1B Vladimir Guerrero , Jr. (TOR) $11.00
2B Jose Altuve (HOU) $22.00
2B / OF Mookie Betts (LAD) $51.00
2B Vaughn Grissom (ATL) $5.00
3B Alex Bregman (HOU) $26.00
3B Jose Ramirez (CLE) $40.00
3B / SS Bobby Witt, Jr. (KC) $6.00
SS Bo Bichette (TOR) $13.00
OF Yordan Alvarez (HOU) $11.00
OF Starling Marte (NYM) $32.00
OF Cedric Mullins (BAL) $8.00
OF Luis Robert (CWS) $18.00
OF Julio Rodriguez (SEA) $6.00
OF Mike Trout (LAA) $44.00
OF Kyle Tucker (HOU) $13.00
OF Masataka Yoshida (BOS) $5.00
UT/ SP Shohei Ohtani (LAA) $16.00
SP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) $13.00
SP Kevin Gausman (TOR) $18.00
SP Domingo German (NYY) $6.00
SP Lucas Giolito (CWS) $32.00
SP / RP Cristian Javier (HOU) $20.00
SP Clayton Kershaw (LAD) $26.00
SP Robbie Ray (SEA) $15.00
SP Chris Sale (BOS) $22.00
SP Max Scherzer (NYM) $35.00
SP Luis Severino (NYY) $13.00
SP Jeffrey Springs (TB) $8.00
SP Julio Urias (LAD) $14.00
SP Justin Verlander (NYM) $15.00
SP Brandon Woodruff (MIL) $21.00
RP Jason Adam ( TB) $6.00
RP Felix Bautista (BAL) $6.00
RP Kendall Graveman (CWS) $11.00
RP Ryan Helsley (STL) $6.00
RP Liam Hendricks (CWS) $23.00
RP Raisel Iglesias (ATL) $15.00
RP Michael King (NYY) $8.00
RP Evan Phillips (LAD) $6.00
RP Ryan Pressley (HOU) $16.00
Who do i offer? Thanks as always. Remember this is a keeper/salary cap league.
Bregman sounds fair
anyone else?
Is bregman and Springs for Devin Williams and Fried fair?
doesnt want Springs. Who can i add to make it fair
It’s fair without Springs
Oh Jesus. Gay ass question. Just pick someone up in your 6 man league.
Haha. I was thinking the same damn thing. Look at that team.
Hey Grey!
In a keep 8 forever $260 budget weekly lineups league (standard roto 12 team with 5of, mi/ci, 2C)…
1. Around how much would you bid on Acuna? I can keep him for $38 and am planning to keep him, but wondering how much of a discount we think that is. I’ve been figuring Acuna is a $50 type guy at auction…
2. Who’s the better keeper value in this format, $25 Devers or $12 Luis Castillo? Thanks!
Nice nuggets in this batch. Like Lynn, Senga intriging, Morty, Singer and Rass all late add options. Love it, best in the biz bro!
Thanks!
Lodoyolo!
Giddy up!
Get us song for the podcast!
Whatchu mean?
They had one for CBS I think. Something like that.
Just a song to get it started
The podcast that is.
Thanks Grey, keeper question in a shallow 10 team h2h 6×6 w/ ops league
Keep 8, I for sure have Devers, pete alonso, will smith, cedric mullins, gerrit, edwin diaz.
Looks like im keeping 2 of andres gimenez, romano, and gausman. Leaning towards the 1st 2, thoughts?
Nah, Andres, Gausman
Thanks, you thinking gausy has the least impact to the park changes in TOR? GB/whiff heavy should mitigate that impact
I go over him https://razzball.com/top-20-starters-for-2023-fantasy-baseball/
Grey, this question is as much about draft strategy as it is about starting pitching. My apologies for being a bit wordy but I wanted you to have all relevant info. I am in a 12 team dynasty league, all teams keep 16 and complete their 25 man roster with a 9 round draft. League is head to head, hitting categories are hits, doubles, triples, HRs, RBIs, walks, steals, runs scored. Pitching categories are WHIP, ERA, wins, saves, holds, Ks, quality starts.
I plan on keeping hitters Will Smith, Adley Rutschman, Matt Olson, Vlad Guererro, Ozzie Albies, Wander Franco, Gunnar Henderson, Oneil Cruz, Jose Ramirez, Juan Soto, Eloy Jimenez, Julio Rodriguez, Yordan Alvarez and Corbin Carroll. Keep pitchers Aaron Nola and Sandy Alcantara. Daily play C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, INF, RF, CF, LF, OF, Util, 3 SP, 3 P, 3 RP.
At some point during the season I plan/hope to trade one of my catchers, preferably Smith, for a 3rd top 25 starter.
My draft strategy is to use your preseason pitcher ranking to draft SP in most if not all 9 draft rounds, which will give approximately 12 starters.
By around July or August I’ll keep the best 8 or 9 and drop 3 or 4 for holds. Totally blow off saves.
My thought is that my hitters are hopefully good enough to regularly win many of the hitter categories and that 8 or 9 good SP + 3 or 4 holds pitchers wins/competes for all pitching categories except for saves.
Thoughts?
Seems like a plan that makes sense, guess see how it goes once you get to July
I have a trade offer centered around Devers and McClanahan. I currently have Riley and Devers. What is your level of worry on McClanahan’s shoulder acting up again? I’m struggling with the thought of getting a possible 25-year-old ace for my 10-team H2H keeper or staying with Devers and enjoying having 2 top 3B and drafting the best pitchers from what is left in the draft. The only reason I’m seriously considering this is that pitching outweighs hitting in this league. I appreciate any thoughts you might share. Thank you.
My level is high, I go over him in the top 20 starters
Loving this in a cold-ass February and warming up inside while waiting for pitchers and catchers in a couple of week.
Dynasty moves had me swap Wheeler (had the same concerns you noted in your Top-40) for J Springs (#42 here) and Eury Perez. Later, moved from a position of depth (OF) to trade Arozarena for Gallen.
Now, I have a rotation led by Gallen / J Montgomery / Springs / Morton / Garrett and have Eury Perez, Kyle Harrison, Grayson Rodriguez and Logan Allen (Cleveland’s Version 2) waiting in the wings to come up this year and/or next.
Hoping to grab a few guys in this tier in some Razzball leagues this season.
Targets:
Haha, nice! You know I like those targets!
Looks like I’m going to have to swipe them early from you.
Haha nooooo!
Grey, SV/HD league, who do you prefer? 15th rd Jake McCarthy or 22nd rd Andres Munoz?
Jake
You think Rays will continue to cap Rasmussen’s innings rather than build on them? He had 146 IP last year
I just don’t think the Rays are the type to throw anyone for a lot of innings…
overall yeah i agree, but i think they need someone to go 170 this season to give bullpen a break with Glasnow coming back from TJ. Last year Kluber and McClanahan both went for 164+ and Rasmussen has the repertoire most friendly eating innings with mostly fastball/cutter
Meh, we talking a difference of 10-15 IP? Yeah, I guess…I like him, either way
The Rays have no loyalty. They would run a guy out there and then trade him right before he gets hurt
Nah, I think they’d have him piggyback with an opener before that
Good morning sir!
14 team, standard 5×5 roto …$275 starting salary. Can keep 10. I have my 10, but curious to see who doesn’t make the cut for you:
C Murphy $8
1st Alonso $20
3rd Riley $17
SS Franco $13
CI Gunnar $17
OF Kwan $5
OF Renfroe $9
OF Tucker $17
OF Soto $29
U Jung $5
P McClanahan $16
P Wheeler $19
Thank you. Massive respect to you and your staff!
Thanks! Jung, Murphy
I had Jung, Wheeler….I like Jung’s value, but already have 3rd/CI locked up. Thanks again! I am sure I will be in touch!!
Yup, No problem
(Apologies if this is impossible to do without more context.)
Freeman, Trout, Semien, Goldy, Albies
Thanks so much!
No problem
Nice, I woke up this morning really wanting Phil Collins stuck in my head all day. Thanks for the assist, Grey.
How do you feel about trading Michael Harris II for either Lowe or Pasquantino in dynasty league? 1Bs are tough to come by these days.
She’s an easy lover! She’ll get a hold on you, believe it!
I’d want Harris
I was hoping to see trevor rogers appear around #60 given all of the upside that he showed two years ago. But, I am a realist and he was pretty crappy last year and injured. He is still a work in progress.
He’s in the next batch
I appreciate the challenge of ranking Sale this year provided the history. In a dynasty keeper league is it worth holding onto him this year to see how he does at the expense of a younger guy such as Bello, Whitlock or Oswaldo Carbera? I went all in for my championship last year and now have all of the aging pitchers: Scherzer, Verlander, DeGrom. So I’m also tempted to move on from Sale to help rebalance the age of my team.
Of those young 3: Bello, Whitlock, Carbera – who are you most excited about long-term?
I’d go Cabrera as long as the Yanks continue to seem like they’re going to play him
Your pitching ranks are the best- great articles!
I’m in a 10 team H2H categories league with 3 keepers/team. I have cease(6th) & strider (13th) already- what tier would you target for your first SP with those guys already on the squad? I was thinking like Max Fried on down – thoughts?
Thanks for all the work man!
Thanks! You can wait until Hunter Greene area of top 40
You’re welcome to draft a Fried tier if you’d like
Thank you!
No problem
Who are you taking 1st overall in a 12 team roto league, with OBP replacing average? Soto, Judge, does Acuna come into play?
Judge
Good stuff as usual, Grey. I have the 9th pick in the fypd in my 18-team dynasty, and I’m at the beginning of an extended win-now contention window, and I’m probably looking at Mervis/Yoshida/maybe Manzardo, but my question is this: would you take a guy like Pfaadt or Gavin Stone over Mervis if you could use an extra starter just as much as an extra hitter? Thanks, homie!
I’d go Mervis
Or Yoshida if I needed OF
Just did our draft last night. How did I do? 5×5, QS, OPS instead of the usual. Auction draft. It’s a 10 team, keep 6 league, * is who I kept. Prices listed, $260
C – Murphy ($1)
1B – Hoskins ($12)
2B – Altuve* ($20)
3B – Bregman* ($15)
SS – Witt* ($18)
MI – Gimenez* ($13)
CI – Tellez ($6)
OF – Judge* ($48)
OF – Garcia ($22)
OF – Yelich ($12)
UTIL – Estrada ($5)
UTIL – Happ ($4)
BN – Jung ($2)
BN – Casas ($1)
NA – Elly De La Cruz (we have a single NA slot) ($1)
SP – Manoah* ($10)
SP – Musgrove ($13)
SP – Valdez ($13)
SP – Kershaw ($10)
SP – Montgomery ($6)
SP – Sandoval ($2)
SP – Bello ($1)
RP – Helsely ($13)
RP – Holmes ($10)
RP – C. Estavez ($2)
RP – Brown (picked up on waivers after draft when adding DLC to NA slot)
I think your pitching looks excellent, love the SPs, the RPs might be a little wonky, but it’s fine in 10 teamer…Hitting looks solid too, nice team!
Thanks! I thought the same RE RP but it’s usually an area I try and punt in a bit. I try to just be competitive in it.
I was pretty happy with how it turned out in the end.
I think I can do top 3 and that is where the money is so I’m happy :)
Yeah, totally!
Keeper question for you!
League context: 12 teams, h2h each category, each team can keep up to 5 players with their draft cost increasing by two rounds every year (a player drafted in R12 can be kept in R10, R8, and so on)
Locked in keepers…
Vlad in R15
Ohtani (U only) in R16
Wander in R17
Nola in R13
Who would keep as your 5th, if any?
Schwarber in R3
Luis Garcia (HOU SP) in R8
Sale in R17 (this would trigger a chain reaction amongst my other keepers where the higher ranked players all move up around, thus potentially changing how long I can keep them for)
Freddy KBB in R18
Helsley in R20
Melendez in R20
Singer in R20
FYI – Considering Helsley as saves and holds are their own seperate categories. He’ll likely contribute in both. K/9 is a category, too, and he’s pretty elite there.
Bummer I’m out on Freddy KBB bc he’s right there…I guess Helsley
Cunning Linguist
11 hours ago
A question about keepers in a 12 team roto auction keeper league with a $300 auction salary cap which makes values a tad wonky. We can keep 8 and I already will keep the following:
Jazz Chisholm $10
Austin Riley 10
Tyler O’Neill 10
Spencer Strider 10
My other keeper options would be the following:
Aaron Nola. $29
Freddie Freeman 49
Seiya Suzuki 6
Hunter Greene 10
William Contreras 10
Ian Happ. 10
Devin Williams. 10
Felix Bautista 10
Blake Snell. 16
Who would you select as your 4 keepers of this second group? Thank you and your rankings are fabulous!
Thanks! Nola, Freeman, Contreras, Greene
Alright Grey, you’re breaking me heart with some of these. In my 18-team Dynasty this is my rotation: McClanahan, Woodruff, Nola, Urias, Ray, Freddy KBB, May. It’s one of the best in the league, but it sounds like I’m fudging around too much. Am I?
Thanks!
Ha, sorry! Hopefully you’re fine, I just have concerns on a few of those as you know
I thought for sure we were going to see Josiah Grey in line with Jon and Sonny.
End of the year it felt like you were high on Josiah,still like him in 2023?
I do, I think he’s in the next batch
Trade question. 12 team 6×6. My Alonso $35, Lodolo $8, McCarthy $1 for his Riley $16 and Ryan $1.
For context, my other keepers are Vinnie P $11, Julio $8, Tucker $17, Edman $6, Alcantara $18, Steele $1. I also have Bassitt at $18 who I’m on the fence about.
I’m thinking I’d take the deal because 3b is a mess so getting Riley would sure that up and I can backfill Alonso with Vinnie and then draft some 1b/corner support. The money savings will help me with draft capital to spend on Turner or Soto.
Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.
Ryan side
Thanks. One more question. Do you prefer Bassitt at $18 or Montgomery at $13?
Bassitt
15 Team Keeper, OPS and QS in place of AVG and W. Can only keep one of Vlad for $21 or Cease for $11. I think they are pretty comparable in terms of value vs cost, but Vlad feels safer in OPS. Especially when I can usually find enough pitching (thanks to this site!)
Vlad
Thanks! Simple and concise! I thought I was maybe overthinking. And then what about $40 Judge or $11 Mullins?
Judge
Grey!!!!!
Awesome!!!!!
a. Love the read and how we need to draft better stuff a little more often from the top 40 group.
b. In our continuing saga…slow draft close to completing 12 rounds. (5×5, roto, daily, unlimited WW, 22+6+2IL)
Varsho
VGJ
Gleyber
Riley
Witt
Carroll, O’Neill
Manoah, Triston, Strider, Severino
Romano
So far,
R=22.8/30
HR=33/30
RBI=29.5/30
SB=30.3/30
AVG=13.9/30
W=14.8/17
SV=17.9/17
ERA=10.4/17
WHIP=14.3/17
K=15.1/17
In the queue
Doval
Holmes
Amed
Hoerner
Miranda
Most glaring is AVG, R and ERA, right?
Also in terms of the team structure (on offense), I need MI, CI and 2 OF, if I decide to draft O’Hoppe and move Varsho permanently to the OF or some combo thereof with an OF bench bat. For pitching, I need a second closer. Overall (through 12 picks), I have 7 bats and 5 pitchers. I plan on going 17 bats and 11 pitchers.
So, my plan at pick 123 (the clock is presently stopped at 119) is.
1 A closer (Doval first, then Holmes second) and then Amed first and Hoerner second at pick 138.
2 Amed now at 123, Hoerner next at 138 (addressing AVG and R) and then whoever of Doval, Holmes and Bard at 143. Or wait for Seward. Most teams have 1 closer, one team has 3 (Hader, DWilliams and Pressly).
c. Lowe, Cron both surprisingly available. I read and re-read (despite my absence when it posted, sorry) the top 20 for first basemen post and I liken them in what I call the ‘sloppy Joe’ tier. Everyone loves a sloppy Joe, but if the beef used to make that sloppy Joe isn’t up to scratch then…
d. Have a nice weekend.
Cheers,
Ante
Lowe at corner sounds great…I don’t mind Amed at MI either…
You too!
Hey Grey, If Vargas is given the full time 2B job and plays maybe 140 games. What kind of numbers do you project for him? Thans
Piggy backing in this as the GM said it’s a possibility and I was going ti ask the same question!
Yup, I heard
I have him at like 120 games in my https://razzball.com/top-20-1st-basemen-for-2023-fantasy-baseball/ I don’t have a ton of confidence in him, maybe seeing Gavin Lux come up and get touted has me bored
Not confident at all with our team’s infield D with Vargas at 2B, Lux at SS and Muncy at 3B. Not sure Vargas has played much 2B, don’t like Lux at SS too stiff, Muncy servicable with limited range. They say Vargas can hit, but only 47 MLB AB’s. And with FAFO pitchers Gonsolin and May in the rotation Dodgers could be humbled quite a bit.
I’m interested in seeing what the Dodgers do bc their division is weak but they’ve done nothing this off-season
Love the top 60 list….great value to be had
Indeed!
I’m thinking Bauer’s next IP will be in some independent league. My guess is the Doyers want no part of this tool and will pay him the remaining $22 Mil to eff off. Doubt Japan/Korea want this creep either.
Well, we’re gonna find out soon, but I’m not sure no team jumps at him…I don’t know, so hard to say