Fantasy Baseball from Prospect361.com Rich Wilson

Fantasy Baseball Live – April 21, 2024

Segment 1 – Review of the weekend games
Additional Questions:
1.Blake Snell – Yikes!
2.Yariel Rodriguez – Another nice outing. What’d think?
3.As you know, I liked Maysn Winn better than Jordan Walker, but I didn’t expect Walker to be this bad. What happened? His strikeout is up; he’s showing zero power (.283 SLG). WOW!
4.Will Shota Imanaga be a better fantasy option than Yamamoto?
5.Max Scherzer will start a rehab this week. Maybe 3 weeks or so?

Segment 2 – Waiver Wire

Segment 3 – Closer Report

Close

Take 10 with Tim – April 19, 2024 – 8 am ET
1.    We had two big prospects get the call and make their MLB Debut.  Are you interested in either player?
a.    Andy Pages
i.    Does he get full-time at-bats?  If so, what does the outfield in LAD look like?
b.    Jack Leiter
i.    He was a little shaky on his first start against a Quad-4 lineup.
2.    The Red Sox pitching duo of Kutter Crawford (21.1 IP, 0.42 ERA, 10 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 0 wins) and Tanner Houck (26.2 IP, 1.35 ERA, 9.5 K/9, 0.68 BB/9 3 wins), have been terrific.  Are you buying their starts?
3.    What one or two players that you drafted that you wish you would have left for someone else?
4.    Who is your early personal MVP on your teams.  A guy you believed in and took earlier than others?
5.    We have passed the 10% mark on the season.  What advice do you have for fantasy managers
a.    Managers who are doing well.
b.    Managers who are struggling.
6.    Over-Under game
a.    Mike Trout – 35 home runs (currently has 8)
b.    Mike Trout – 15 stolen bases (5)
c.    Brice Turang – 40 steals (9)
d.    CJ Abrams – 25/25 (5 and 3) – Has he become a Top 5 SS (drafted 9th).  Witt, Gunnar, Abrams??
e.    Jordan Westburg – 25/15 (4 and 2)
f.    Jared Jones – 200 strikeouts (32 K’s in 23 innings)
g.    Reid Detmers – 200 strikoeuts (30 K’s in 22.2 innings)
h.    Kyle Finnegan – 30 saves (7 currently) – Who would have thunk it!
7.    Esteury Ruiz.  He got the call – hit a pitch hit home run the day of the call.  Two days later, he hit another one (a bomb that went 412 feet and left the bat at 109.8 MPH).  He also stole a base.
a.    What’s going on here?
b.    Why does their field manager, Kotsay, not seem excited for the kid?
8.    Did you hear the interview with Peter Fairbanks?  If not, here it is.  Rich Wilson on X: "Kind of hard not to like Peter Fairbanks after this." / X (twitter.com)
a.    So refreshing to hear a player say that he sucks.
b.    Ok, are you worried?  Who should fantasy managers be picking up in case he really does suck?
9.    What hitter are you targeting for this weekend’s FAAB?
10.    What pitcher are you targeting for this weekend’s FAAB?

The following players are discussed:
1. Joey Loperfido (Hou)
2. Andy Pages (LAD)
3. Abimelec Ortiz (Tex)
4. Luke Keaschell (Min)
5. Lazaro Montes (Sea)
6. Santiago Suarez (TB)

Fantasy Baseball Live – April 14, 2024

Segment 1 – Review Weekend Games
Additional Questions and Observations
1.Holliday has been struggling and over his first three games he’s 0 for 11 with seven strikeouts. Please ease the nerves of Holliday’s fantasy managers.
2.Talk about struggling, Maikel Garcia has been struggling. Do you think he’ll be dropped from the top of the lineup? Demoted??
3.Yariel Rodriguez started Saturday’s game and looked great. 3.2 IP 1 ER, 6K.
a.Kevin Gausman continues to struggle. At least his velo was back. He’s got NY this week. Do you sit him?
4.Bobby Miller hits the IL with shoulder inflammation. Of course, he did.
5.Ronel Blanco gave up a run. I didn’t think this was allowed…
6.Your call on MacKenzie Gore continues to look really good. He was great on Saturday. Granted it was against the A’s, but the stuff looks great. Is he starting to put it together?
7.Talk about great. How about Nick Lodolo’s first outing of the season? In 5.2 IP, he gave up one hit and struck out 10! Holy Moly. Can this guy stay healthy?

Segment 2 – Waiver Wire

Segment 3 – Closer Report

Close

Take 10 with Tim – April 12, 2024 at 8 am ET
1.    Jackson Holliday gets the call.  Kind of makes you wonder why he didn’t just go North with the team?
a.    Stat line for 2024 – HR, SB, BA

2.    Four hitters off to hot starts – Should we be buying into this?
a.    Tyler O’Neill (ADP=221) - .343/.489/.857, 6 HR, 10K/8BB
b.    Ryan McMahon (223) – .383/.464/.553, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 12K/8BB
c.    Alex Kiriloff (356) – .324/.385/.647, 1 HR, 5K/3BB
d.    Dominic Canzone (486) – .233/.303/.567, 3 HR

3.    Four pitchers off to hot starts – Should we be buying into this?
a.    Tanner Houck (393) – 12 IP, 2 wins, 0.00 ERA, 17K/2BB
b.    Brady Singer (428) – 13.1 IP, 1 win, 0.68 ERA, 14K/2BB
c.    Cody Bradford (483) – 19.1 IP, 3 wins, 1.40 ERA, 17K/2BB
d.    Paul Blackburn (486) – 13 IP, 1 win, 0.00 ERA, only a 4.85 K/9

4.    Five hitters off to slow starts – Should we be worried?
a.    Ronald Acuna (1) - .256/.383/.308, 0 HR, 4 SB, 13K/7BB
b.    Julio Rodriguez (3) - .196/.255/.216, 0 HR, 2 SB, 18K/3BB
c.    Nolan Jones (49) - .157/.246/.235, 0 HR, 1 SB, 23K/4BB, 40% K-Rate
d.    Paul Goldschmidt (76) - .182/.294/.250, 0 HR, 0 SB, 16K/6BB
e.    Henry Davis (234) - .156/.293/.219, 0 HR, 0 SB, 12K/6BB

5.    Five pitchers off to slow starts – Should we be worried?
a.    Luis Castillo (32) – 15.2 IP, 0 wins, 6.89 ERA, ERA, 18K/4BB
b.    George Kirby (39) – 14.1 IP, 1 win, 8.16 ERA, 13K/2BB
c.    Jesus Luzardo (86) – 15 IP, 0 wins, 7.20 ERA, 17K/9BB
d.    Zach Eflin (83) – 17 IP, 1 win, 6.35 ERA, 15K/2BB
e.    Joe Musgrove (106) – 18.1 IP, 1 win, 6.87 ERA, 17K/7BB

6.    I decided not to start Ryan Weathers against the Yankees, and of course, he pitched well and got the win.  I like him, but the strand rate is pretty high as he’s walking too many.  What should fantasy managers think for the season?  Stat line: ERA, WHIP, Ks and Wins

7.    Dylan Cease is off to a strong start.  How are you feeling about him the rest of the way?  Is he more the pitcher of 2022 or 2023?

8.    I was going to ask if Dylan Cease is a sell-high guy.  Let me ask you this?  Is there such a thing as a sell-high pitcher anymore?  You can argue with pitching as thin as it is, why would you sell anyone?  What’s your thinking on this long-held fantasy adage?

9.    Which one hitter will you be targeting in this weekend’s FAAB?

10.    Which one pitcher will you be targeting in this weekend’s FAAB?

The following players were discussed:
1. Heston Kjerstad (Bal)
2. Agustin Ramirez (NYY)
3. Cam Collier (Cin)
4. Rayne Doncon (Min)
5. Yariel Rodriguez (Tor)
6. Chase Dollander (Col)