2253 - Prospects of the NL Central - Cubs and Reds

Tim interviews Rich about the Cubs' and Reds' minor league systems.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 2 (00:00):
Here we go.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Treating society tations, everyone to rich twelves. Some look in
the Fantasy Baseball Live. Today is October twenty ninth, about
eight o'clock in the morning, and it is a special broadcast.
So I'm here with my good buddy mister Tim McCleod
and Tim we are doing the prospects of the National
League Central.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, looking forward to it.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
This is always one of my favorite times of the
year when I can, you know, sit back and you know,
ask you important and crucial questions like how many innings
will Dominic greed pitch eight?

Speaker 1 (01:01):
Okay, so let me answer your question. Is it easier
to prepare to be the the interviewer or the interview e.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
I'm not challenging you for the gig rich it is
all your. It is it is all yours. It is
much easier answering then then it is formulating and trying
to structure.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
At least I find it the questions. I enjoy it.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
But hey, I hey, if I'm not raising my hand
if you ask if I want to host, Okay, other
than other than get in control of the zero points here.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Okay, yeah, this is never gonna happen, but it it is.
I agree with you. It's because if you know the content,
then it's easy to kind of just like spin off
of it. But if you've actually got to sit there
and think of, Okay, what is the listener going to
find interesting? What am I interested in? It kind of
come up with the questions. It's it's not as easy

(01:56):
as people think.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
No, And one of the toughest things is sort of
segueing yourself from one section into another and trying to
keep the flow steady.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
So hey, I tip my cap to you Rich.

Speaker 3 (02:10):
It's not an easy job and tons of respect your
way for doing it in the fashion you do it
every single week.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
All right, So let's let's talk a little bit about
First of all, Tim, congratulations you are going to the
World Series.

Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yes, two sixteen, fifth row. I believe, right over first,
right over first first base, Section two.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Section two sixteen. Oh, that's awesome. That's awesome, And.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
I've asked them if they'll hold it for me, but
I don't think so. Four tomorrow afternoon, I'm heading out
four fifteen and I'll get into Toronto. It's at six o'clock.
And the gentleman who's flying in from California, he arrives
at now thirty. So I'm gonna find some place to
hold up to downtown Toronto for three hours and have

(03:06):
supper and let let the fun begin.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
So so you were smart, So you're not going in
the day of the game.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
You're going in the night before, the night before.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, so we've I've got all day Friday. I thought
about it, and the only the only way I could
really make it work on the Friday was to take
a six am flight, which means being there at five am,
which means leaving at midnight and driving through the night,

(03:37):
or going in the night before.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
And if I'm going in the night before, why don't
I just fly in? You know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Oh, so you're not flying out of International Falls, you're flying.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
Out of where thunder Bay?

Speaker 1 (03:50):
Oh okay, wow, wow.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
I got to I've got to drive into thunder Bay.
But that's the best option. And the airline I'm taking
four flies into Billy Bishop, not Pearson and Billy Bishop's
on the island.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
It's uh Toronto Island.

Speaker 3 (04:10):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
What what airline you take in?

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Orter? Porter?

Speaker 1 (04:15):
Never heard of it.

Speaker 2 (04:17):
Porter.

Speaker 3 (04:17):
It's a it's a regional. They do seven flights a
day from thunder Bay to Toronto.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Okay, Dash eights.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
Or the four hundreds or whatever they are. But the
airport is right downtown. I'm I'm a five minute walk
from the Sea and Tower. Basically five to ten minute walk.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Oh wow, Wow, it's it.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
It's a small it's a smaller airport and it's basically
a porter exclusive thing. But if you're going to downtown,
you basically get off your plane.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
And you're right there.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
If you fly into Pearson you've got thirty five forty
five minutes Oh yeah, yeah to get downtown because it's
more towards the urbs. If there are burbs in Toronto
any more.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
Like you sound like a veteran tim You sound like
a veteran traveler.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
I can google with the best of them.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
Okay, so congratulations. I can't wait to hear all about it.
On Sunday. It was.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
I'll wave, I'll wave if anybody waves in my direction.
I'm going to be wearing my Vlad Senior exposed jersey.
I couldn't think of a better joy.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
Yeah, the I tell you. I mean the Blue Jays
are scrappy, man. They have no being tied two to
two with Springer out yesterday and you know, and the
Mighty Dodgers throwing Otani and yet somehow they scrapple went
out after an eighteen any games. I mean, we're supposed
to be broadcast yesterday everyone and uh yours truly missed it.

(05:51):
I Tim, I I stayed up for the entire game.
I was after one o'clock. I'm saying, I meant meant
for a penny, in for a pound. So I just
I have to say, through got up a little late.
My wife had to talk to me about an issue
she was dealing with. And now I just I didn't
even look at my computer till about eleven thirty, and
that's when I saw the note from Tim. Are we

(06:12):
doing this? Are we doing this? I'm like, oh no,
So I apologize to you about that.

Speaker 3 (06:17):
Yeah, well apology definitely accept that. Rich, That's not an issue.
I was just getting concern because you're you're tight with
your dates and you're timing. I'm the one that's a
little bit I'm the one that's a little bit fly
by night on occasion, I was just concerned something was wrong.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah, everything was fine, and I came clean. I was
not to say there was a you know, an issue
but there wasn't. It was just me screwing out. So well,
Timmy enjoy the game. We can't wait to hear about
it on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah, I'm looking for it. I'm flying back on Saturdays.
So if it goes to a seventh game, I should
actually get home after driving back from thunderbadging that I
should we get home around seven thirty or so and
just in time to catch game seven. So it's it's
pretty cool. And I didn't just deliverate. I didn't watch
them full. I had to work at five thirty in

(07:10):
the morning. I packed it in after the twelfth inning.
I just said I got to get some sleep.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
I don't know. It was just a pinch. I have
seven hours, I believe that's.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, six hours and forty Yeah, it was over about
two forty five East Coast time, and then you could
go immediately to sleep, right, because it was an exciting
way to end the game, and Freddy Freeman comes through.
It was it was. It was a great game. And
why Look, I get why they don't why they put
a guy on second base during the regular season, but
for the playoffs. Good on Major League Baseball by taking

(07:44):
that rule out, because you know. I mean again, it
wasn't a made for TV kind of event. I mean,
no one wanted to go six and a half hours
watching a baseball game. But man, for baseball purists, it was.
It was a great thing.

Speaker 2 (07:59):
It was heaven.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, it really, it really was. Let's let's get to
a winner. And yeah, I would impress me the most
about the Jays, like you, you know, you mentioned the injuries,
but Baschett can barely walk, Springer is out. They play
an eighteen inning game, and they came out scrappy as
old heck and played an excellent game yesterday. I I

(08:22):
can't see how impressed. Yeah, he pitched very very well.
He's uh uh, he's adding that to the first line
on his resume two days after the World Series ends,
would be my guess.

Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah. Yeah, And and the kid goes to night you savage,
and I guess like I guess against Blake Snell. So again,
on paper, the advantages goes to the Dodgers, but this
looks like the Blue Jays are not gonna not gonna
give up here.

Speaker 3 (08:49):
Well, yeah, does it get any better than Blake Snell
against a young kid like yeah, the Jays. The Jays
could potentially be head home with a series lead either
either way. Game six is I'm assuming the Jays will
probably go with their big gun Gossman be Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (09:15):
Okay, that would I think that would be his day
of rest. So, Timmy, we're doing these prospects. Before you
start reeling off questions to me, I've got a couple
of questions for you. First of all, I encourage everybody
to join us at the Patreon site pat r o
n dot com. Forward prospect three sixty one. Everybody gets
the top ten. Our Patreon members get all twenty prospects,

(09:37):
in some cases twenty four or five prospects. I have
done a lot of reworking. I have incorporated a lot
of artificial intelligence, and to the creation of these I
reform at it. I wanted to get your there longer,
so a lot more reading. So I apologize for that.
But Timmy, what do you think about the WORL work?

(10:00):
What do you think about the content that I'm providing.
Give me your feedback.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (10:06):
I think you've taken something that three four years ago, okay,
and this is this is not a knock rich okay,
but three four years ago it was reasonably simplistic in
nature you had, you had ten names. Your writing and
structuring at that point in time, it worked. But your

(10:30):
writing and you're structuring your formatting has improved. It's it's amazing,
it really is. And I tip my cap to you
because you have put in an awful lot of hours
thinking this through, and I think it's too uh to
the reader's benefit. There's more information, it's better structured, your

(10:53):
writing skills are there's no comparison to when you first started.
You've turned into it well, I will say an easy
reads and I like it a lot.

Speaker 1 (11:05):
Thank you for that. I will say I had a
lot of help from my AI assistant. He he is
the one that has really turned me into a much
much better writer. I was okay, but I got better
because I couldn't get much worse than when I first started.
I was a terrible writer. But it's just amazing what
he is able to do. And I love the format.
Now just about every capsule's got three paragraphs and the

(11:29):
last paragraph is all on how a fantasy manager should
kind of think about the player. And I when I
started kind of writing through that, I look back to
my previous work and I was all over the place sometimes.
You know, I kind of talked about fantasy throughout and
then I've said, let me just put one paragraph a
third of a third of the write up. Specifically, it's

(11:51):
always at the end, and I find myself when I'm
going back prepping for stuff, literally going to that last
paragraph and just saying, how should I think about this kid?

Speaker 2 (12:02):
Well? Yeah, and.

Speaker 3 (12:05):
It's important that you have the chase part of the
cut to the Yeah. And you know, as as great
as the analysis is, people want to know how it
applies to our game, and that's that's very, very important.
And the other thing I just want to as a

(12:25):
quick ad, I want to thank everybody for the kind
words on the Discord site. The other thing that you
get is you get to put up with me in
the discord chat on a regular basis if you sign
up for the site, and we have a lot of fun.
There's a great group there and I can't thank them
enough for their support.

Speaker 1 (12:43):
That's great. Okay? Is that as as that as intro,
I'm turning turning the reins over to you.

Speaker 2 (12:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (12:53):
At number one on the Cubs list, we're going to
start with the Chicago Cubs. Do it alphabetically. We got
moys as Bellistero. And the more I the more I read,
the more I look into it, my love for Biosteros
this coming year might be more luss than love. I

(13:14):
guess we'll start with it with a fun one on
Biosteros at bats, home runs and batting average.

Speaker 1 (13:21):
I do think he gets full time at bats, and
I think it's mostly going to be at thh So
I'm going to put him at a solid five hundred.
I'm going to say there's twenty one home runs on
a batting average of two seventy two, something like that.
I think he's going to be very good. I do
not think he'll be Matt Shaw with a huge expectation,

(13:45):
and I think he let us down Matt Shaw did.
I don't think the same thing is going to be
true with Moyes's bellistairs because he can really hit Tim.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (13:53):
And now the fun question, Rich, of those five hundred
at bats, how many were at catcher?

Speaker 1 (14:00):
I don't think very many.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
Okay, will he qualify?

Speaker 1 (14:05):
I don't think he qualifies coming into the season, does
he Let's check.

Speaker 3 (14:08):
No, No, he doesn't. Right now, he had more games
to d I think he only caught one game.

Speaker 1 (14:13):
Yeah, So I think that's the problem unless I don't
think the plan is for him to catch only in
an emergency situation. Would be my guess. He caught one game,
so he played it looks like twenty one games or
parts of twenty one games. Twenty games, and he played
catcher one, So I think that's probably pretty reasonable. So

(14:36):
I don't think he's going to get catcher eligibility with
Michael Bush playing. If Michael Bush gets hurt, could he
game first base eligibility? I think the answer is yes,
because they think he might be next to line there.
But I mean, all of a sudden he's d H
only that becomes problematic, doesn't it.

Speaker 3 (14:57):
Yeah, that's what's sort of changing my a love for
to lust for UH.

Speaker 2 (15:03):
That's that's a tough one. Do you want to do?

Speaker 3 (15:06):
You want to fill your H slot with UH with
a young kid, you know what I mean? And it
takes away some of the flexibility. And I was hoping
he would gain eligibility at catcher early.

Speaker 2 (15:20):
But I think you're right. I think it's going to
be a problem.

Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yeah. And and so to me, if I'm he's not
a guy that I would be targeting, I think the
offensive upside is going to be there. But and but
I also don't think he's going to be a thirty
five home run bat. So if you can't have that
level of production, it becomes problematic in my view, to
to draft him early and fill up your d H slot,

(15:45):
which I think is a real bummer.

Speaker 2 (15:47):
But you know it's, yeah, it is.

Speaker 1 (15:48):
I've been writing about him for years and my concern
has always been I think he's a d H and
you know that's that's just what we got.

Speaker 3 (15:58):
Yeah, and it's it's tough in our game to fill
that slog early. It really is. If yeah, with gotcha eligibila,
that changes things. But if he's not going to get it, yeah,
that's a.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
Problem, yep.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
And it's a shame. It's a real shame because I
do think he's going to be a very very effective player.
I think he'll be people will own him in all
leagues and you know, in five years you're going to
look back and it could be twenty to twenty five
farm runs and a guy that hits and you go, Okay,
he's a lot better than Marcel. Well, is he a
better hitting version of Marcell as sooner? Maybe not as

(16:34):
much power, yeah, probably, but that's still kind of a
fifteenth round pick kind of thing, right, ten to fifteenth round.
That's not going to be a top guy. If he
was a catcher, he might be a top.

Speaker 2 (16:44):
Five catcher, Yeah, exactly. Yep.

Speaker 3 (16:48):
Yeah, he has the skills to own a position in
the top five, I believe.

Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yep. So okay, So as long as you're not drafting early, early, early,
and we get through spring training, maybe he's going to
be playing more at catcher during spring training and that
that math changes. But so we'll have to see.

Speaker 3 (17:07):
Yeah, right right now, it looks like they got they're
carrying three catchers on the roster plus Ballisteros. So yeah,
that's that's pretty full host.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
Isn't it. Okay?

Speaker 3 (17:21):
At number two, we have Owen Casey and just taking
a quick look at the cub situation heading into next year.
Kyle Tucker's gone okay, which should in theory open up
a spot, but it doesn't really because it looks like
they're gonna use Suzuki in the outfield, so they get

(17:42):
half they got Suzuki Pa okay, and then Bessteros. My
question is, well, the mighty Casey strikeout.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
So I think why he's going to strike out a
lot too. He might not find full time playing experience,
and so let's see what did so Kyle Tucker's likely gone, right.

Speaker 3 (18:07):
Yeah, I don't see the Cubs real from what I
can understand, he's he's going to be looking for four
hundred mili plus and I don't see the Cubs.

Speaker 2 (18:18):
I don't see the Cubs reapping.

Speaker 3 (18:19):
If they do, then Suzuki goes back to d H
and everything we said about Bestero's becomes a mood point, right, right.

Speaker 1 (18:26):
So, but I don't know the defensive ability of Suzuki.
I haven't actually checked that. I know they played him
at d H a lot last season. I'm assuming that
was purposeful because of his lack of defensive prowess, but.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
Maybe mearely adequate Rich Josette, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (18:44):
So yeah, it does. It does kind of give like
what what to do with Ballistero's, right, I mean, because
if they because I think they want Susuki more than
they want Bellisterio. So, uh so that's interesting. But I yeah,
you're right, it's suzuki Ian happ and p c A
right there kind of reminds me of that old Chicago

(19:07):
with Lewis Roberts when he was in center field and
these terrible defenders and right, right and left, and he
was playing the whole the whole field. So yeah, I I, yeah,
there doesn't look like an easy half the playing time
for Owen Owen Casey.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
Yeah, that was my my, my big concern when I
looked at it and p c A it's sort of
I think if they heading this this direction with Suzuki
in the outfield and have you, PCA is.

Speaker 2 (19:37):
Gonna shore up his position.

Speaker 3 (19:39):
I think, regardless of how he hits, simply because of
his glove, he's gonna play, uh what's a center, right, center,
and a little bit of center he's gonna cover. He's
gonna be covering a lot of ground next year in
the outfield, which is good in the event that he
slumps with the bat right right now.

Speaker 1 (19:58):
So if I can clarify with my rankings, I don't
necessarily think of immediate playing time when I rank these
guys because I just don't think that's fair because guys
get moved all the time. Not necessarily Owen Casey gets moved.
But what if they the cops decide to move on
from you know, Suzuki or Ian happ at some point,

(20:21):
what happens if Ian Half's contract runs. So there's so
many variables that you got to take a look at
the player's skill set irrespective of how much playing time
they're going to get. Now we can talk about that
as they get closer to the major leagues, which is
what we're doing now, but it doesn't kind of diminish
what I think Casey can do, and that is huge power,
good on base percentage, and struggles. He's going to struggle

(20:43):
to make contact, so there's gonna be pressure on the
batting aver, which it's it's it's pretty much who he's
been for the last two or three years.

Speaker 2 (20:50):
Yeah, he's got the mis part of the swing and
miss game down pat right.

Speaker 1 (20:53):
Yeah, but he's also got thirty home runs. And you
know when I when I write, it's like there's a
the order potential. The floor is volatile, but the ceiling
remains very enticing. So I mean, he could be a
he could have a high babit a couple of years
and hit two seventy and with thirty five home runs
and becomes a you know, a third round pick. So

(21:18):
next year.

Speaker 2 (21:19):
Yeah, I with.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
My background being mainly about the game, I have a
tendency to be wanting to look at players that are
close and trying to figure out how they fit in.
But all it takes is one trade and everything I
said becomes irrelevant.

Speaker 1 (21:39):
Right, Yeah, But I don't know if if Casey is
a guy that you trade someone so that he can
go in, he might be a guy that you actually move.
Yeah you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (21:52):
So yeah, yeah, kind of that Kobe.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
Mayo kind of kind of world. I mean, it's Kobe
may has got huge power, going to be more strikeouts
than you like. It feels like that similar player as
Owen Casey, and those guys are always finding playing times tough.

Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah exactly.

Speaker 3 (22:13):
Yeah, Okay, now I've beat up on Casey. Let's take
a look at number three, Jefferson Rojas shortstop.

Speaker 2 (22:23):
Your tool summary.

Speaker 3 (22:24):
He's an athletic middle endfielder with bast speed, contact skills,
solid foundation. He looked really good and high A double
A not so much. Is that concerning you at all?

Speaker 2 (22:36):
Rich?

Speaker 1 (22:37):
It always concerns me when somebody goes to a new
level and doesn't play well. However, double A is very challenging.
You see a lot of guys come into double A
and struggle and then the second time they go, I
think he's a good player, he's not going to be
a star, and I say that it's a foundation for
a fifteen to fifteen upside. So I think that's the guy.
That's where I say it's a middle infielder as opposed

(22:59):
to that guy that you're gonna draft as a starting
short stop. He's probably gonna be a you know, a
seventeen home run tweleven stolen base guy that hits you know,
to seventy to sixty, which I think a fine player. Uh.
In terms of where he finds playing time, I think
he's probably at least a year out. Maybe we see

(23:19):
him at the end of next season, but he's probably
more of a twenty twenty seven guys. I don't think
we have to worry about that too much. But I
mean the couples are deep. I mean Matt Shaw's got
a hit or I mean he could be looking at
losing playing time, but I mean it's it's a deep
team and Nico Horner's there, Dancey Swanson still signed for
a long time, so it's gonna be tough.

Speaker 2 (23:41):
Yeah, it definitely is.

Speaker 3 (23:44):
The The opportunities will have to be earned, and the
guys that have a rather short resume.

Speaker 2 (23:54):
The least could be very short, couldn't it.

Speaker 1 (23:57):
I think so, Yeah, yeah, I think so. But I
do think that this player is somebody that we should definitely.
Rojas is definitely somebody who should be rostered in most
deeper fantasy dynasty leagues. And you know, anybody that's got
one hundred and fifty two hundred prospects is definitely a
guy where he should be. He should be rostered.

Speaker 2 (24:18):
Okay, it sounds good.

Speaker 3 (24:19):
At number four, we have James Triantos, and as I
went through your analysis and looking at the you know,
his ability to control his own his you know, he hits.
It's pretty remarkable. He If you put a number four
Nico Horner, he could probably be describing You're describing the

(24:45):
same player. Do the Cubs have a thing at second
base rich because Triangles looks like almost a carbon copy
of the guy that he's trying to ubsurve in in
the regular lineup in Horner, And I think he's only
got one year left, so uh, it's it's I just
found it fascinating that he is so much along the
same skill sets as their existing current third base second

(25:08):
basement corner.

Speaker 1 (25:10):
Yeah, I mean, I think you're right. I mean, but
I don't think they did that purposely. I mean, you
you they people teams draft guys because they're the best,
usually the best player on the board. So that's the
guy they get. And there's you know, you hope that
somebody can turn into Nico Horner, who's a major league
baseball player. So you have to at the draft table
and you go, Okay, Trantos, we like him. There's good speed, there,

(25:32):
not a ton of power. He's going to be able
to play all over the field. This is a guy
that we, you know, we want to spend you know,
a high draft pick on and let's see if he developed,
he develops a Nico Horner, great major league baseball player,
guy that's really going to help the major league baseball team.
So I think that's kind of the path. Now, the
question you probably want to ask is Jefferson Rojas or Triantos.

(25:53):
They they both are along the same path. Trianto's a
little bit ahead of Rojas, so he's going to probably
get the first shot at third base or second base,
and then Rojas kind of comes in after him. So
but I think a lot's going to depend if matt Shaw.
Matt Shaw needs to play better.

Speaker 3 (26:14):
Yeah, I was going to say, if matt Shaw doesn't
up his game, we could see both Rojas and Triantos
moving into the everyday lineup fairly quickly, right.

Speaker 1 (26:25):
So, I mean matt Shaw thirteen humber on seventeen stolen bases,
which you like. But it was a two twenty six
average and a two ninety five one base percentage. So
but again, twenty three years old. I know the Cubs
like him a lot. Actually, I don't think they were
really happy with the fact that he took a day
off at the end of the season to attend to

(26:46):
a public funeral. I don't think they appreciated that. That's
what I heard.

Speaker 3 (26:53):
Yeah, but we were listening listening to the same people
that we're talking yet.

Speaker 1 (26:57):
Yeah, so we'll see. You know, it would be interesting
to see if the Cubs moved him and open up
a spot for Tranto. So, I mean that kind of
stuff happens all the time.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
I mean.

Speaker 1 (27:08):
Teams are you know, they get kids, get put in
the doghouse all the time, where Tim and I always
say they hate him, so and it does happen.

Speaker 2 (27:21):
Yes, it most certainly does.

Speaker 3 (27:23):
At number five, we have Kevin alcntera, he's got the time.

Speaker 1 (27:30):
Any idea, I don't have any idea. I don't get it.
I've been wrong about him, Tim, But I don't know
what to say. Whatever question you have, I don't have
any answers.

Speaker 3 (27:39):
Okay, Well, the only question I sort of had is
that if he does end up playing first base at
some point in time, uh, he's got a he's got
a tough person to beat out to gain playing time
at first base, and the outfield is pretty crowded.

Speaker 2 (27:58):
So again, you know, like.

Speaker 3 (28:02):
You said, he's yet to post a twenty home twenty
steel season, and.

Speaker 2 (28:08):
It is what it is. Right.

Speaker 1 (28:10):
So part of my new methodology and using the Artificial
Intelligence Assistant is I fed the AI engine the last
three years I believe of prospects. So he has twelve
hundred to fifteen hundred write ups. I gave him all
my daily notes. He has access to Baseball Reference, and

(28:34):
he has access to Baseball Savant and knows how to
look stuff up. So I programmed all that. So it
spent a lot of time kind of training.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
You ever, and yeah, that's far more than I ever
got down.

Speaker 1 (28:46):
So what he is saying, because if you go and
see where the AI engine has him ranked. And the
reason I did it this way is the AI engine
is really a non biased view of me, right because
all he knows is what I know. But he is
using totally cold and calculated reasoning to figure out where

(29:09):
these guys should rank. He doesn't like them.

Speaker 3 (29:11):
He no, the the AAI guy is not playing in
eleven leagues and has eight shares of this guy right exactly.

Speaker 1 (29:20):
He's got him as a just outside the top ten
or right at the top ten. So I have him
still have him a little higher. And it's it's hard
to argue with the AI guy on this because he's
had a couple of shots. He's incredibly toolsy. I just
don't think he's going to hit. I mean, I'm really
worried about his ability to hit.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
And well the strikeoes Strico Ray jump didn't it. Yeah, Yeah,
that's not a good sign.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
And it's he's six foot six, it's a long screen.
I mean, he's got all those things. Now can he
come in and oh, Carlos Gomes, remember Carlos Gomez sim
And you see these guys all the time that had
these remarkable two or three year runs where everything clicks,
and I think Kevin al Kintarat could have that, but

(30:08):
I think the likelihood of that is dwindling every day.

Speaker 2 (30:14):
Well, and the risk factor from our game point of
view is they have those two or three good years
and then they disappear as quickly as they arrive.

Speaker 1 (30:23):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (30:25):
Yeah, and that's that's problematic.

Speaker 1 (30:30):
Yeah, I say, at twenty three, there's still time, but
the window is narrowing, and I'm in a couple of
leagues and I don't know if he makes it out
of spring training.

Speaker 2 (30:39):
For me, it's at that stage for you.

Speaker 1 (30:43):
Yeah, I got he's still a top two hundred guy
just on the tools, but he probably should be a
lot lower.

Speaker 2 (30:50):
Okay, fair enough.

Speaker 3 (30:52):
At number six, we have Christian Hernandez's shortstop, second basement.
He's made it too high, ah after a rather rough
twenty twenty three campaign, and appears all is not lost.
We've seen some We've seen him put in some hard
work and things are back trending in a positive direction.

Speaker 1 (31:16):
So I saw him in twenty two and twenty three
in low Way Myrtle Beach, which is my home field
when I'm down in North Carolina during the spring, he
looked absolutely horrible. His brother, who he got kicked off
of shortstop, moved to second basis. His brother, a couple
of years younger than him, signed for a lot less money,

(31:37):
was playing shortstop and was the way better player, even
though the pedigree wasn't the same. And I had pretty
much written Christian Hernandez off, and when I saw him
at the start of last season, he looked completely different.
He had matured, he had gotten bigger, the swing looked better,
and I remember writing, after going to a couple of games, like,
I can't believe this is Christian Hernandez. I can't believe

(31:59):
I'm writing this. I think there might be something here.
And sure enough, he got He finally got through low
Way after parts of three seasons, made it in the
High A. I mean he struggled a little bit, but
I think he's rebirthed his career a little bit. And
I think there's a chance that I mean, he's got speed,
he's got he has good potential power as well, so

(32:20):
and again it's a three million dollar sign, So I
think this is a guy that you can't forget about.
He's still got a ways to go, Timmy, There's no
question but he was left for dead, left for dead
by me, and I think a lot of other I
think left for dead by the by the cups. If
you want to be true, totally true.

Speaker 3 (32:35):
Well, and you know what, you can lead a horse
to water, but you can't make him drink. But it
looks like Hernandez is doing some drinking, realizing that if
he doesn't make some changes, he's done. And that's a
positive in of itself, isn't it?

Speaker 1 (32:53):
It is? But I mean as fantasy managers, we have
to be realistic as well, because you don't have, you know,
five hundred guys that you can have on your money
on league roster, so it is limited and you use team.
Most people don't play in thirty thirty team leagues. Some
people do so, I mean Christian Hernandez is one of

(33:14):
those guys that if he gets a double A and
really struggles, I don't know if you can wait two
or three years for him to get through that level,
I think, yeah, move on. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (33:23):
I was gonna say he's the sort of guy that
will be dropped in leagues and at some point in
time he'll have a three to four week insane hot
streak and he'll be one of your hot prospects and
everybody'll be running to pick him up again, right exactly?

Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah, Okay.

Speaker 3 (33:40):
At number seven, we have one of one of my
favorite picks out of the CUB system, Jackson Wiggins. After
last week, I don't have really anything to add on Wiggins,
but will he be a drafting old target with a
late pick for you this year?

Speaker 1 (34:00):
I think so because I think we see him. I mean,
it's it's he probably should be a little higher again.
Maybe I should move Kevin a. Contra down and Jackson
Wiggins up, but I think I've got them pretty close
in the top five hundred. I've got Jackson Wiggins at
two forty five, so I mean I've got him as
a as a very good prospect. Still, he did start

(34:23):
off first round talent, had Tommy John surgery, so he
fell a little bit, and I think Tim is right.
This is a guy that should be rostered in deeper
dynasty leagues and probably draft and whole leagues this season.

Speaker 2 (34:39):
Excellent.

Speaker 3 (34:40):
Moving on at number eight, we have Ethan Conra Conrad. Yeah,
he was number seventeen off the board in last year's draft.
There's some intriguing power potential there isn't there there.

Speaker 1 (34:53):
Is, but you know it's there's gonna be some swing
and missing this game. So kind of middle of the
order guy. He missed a lot of time last season,
so we need to we need to see kind of
where he is and from a pitch recognition standpoint, is
there going to be more swing and missing his game?

(35:13):
I will say at number seventeen, I'm not wild. If
I'm in a fifteen team supplemental draft or draft or
first year player draft, I don't know I'm gonna, you know,
take him of the high second round pick. I would
probably want to go with somebody with a little bit
more upside, maybe one of the high school kids that

(35:33):
was drafted. Okay, but I mean it feels and smells
a lot like going Casey to me.

Speaker 2 (35:42):
Okay, fair, fair enough.

Speaker 3 (35:45):
At number nine, we have Jonathan Long at first base.
I got to as swing Long.

Speaker 1 (35:55):
Well to give you let me give you a rim
shot for that. I got to go back over to
the console. His problem, Timmy and is he can't hit lefty.
So I mean he's going to definitely be a platoon guy.
So it's a strong side of the platoon, which is good.
But you know, it's it's unfortunately Michael Bush is a
very similar kind of player, so they both got strong sites.

(36:18):
I don't I don't see him fitting in for the Cubs.

Speaker 3 (36:23):
Well, when you start looking at the rest of the
collection that the Cubs have, you know, I think a
contract could end up at first base, uh Owen Casey, possibly.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
Maybe Bia Steros.

Speaker 1 (36:42):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (36:43):
At some point, there's a lot of there's a lot
of moving parts heading in that direction, and Michael Bush
is proving to be a very good player, so I
agree it the fit might not be there.

Speaker 1 (36:56):
Yeah, I just don't see the fit, but he might
be a guy that it's that gets moved at some point.
It could be a deadline deal next next season or
maybe even preseason as because he I mean he can play.
I mean there's definitely big power there, but it's just
going to be strong side power. So I think everybody
just needs to know that. And he was a very
hot pick up this season because he kind of blew off.

(37:17):
But if you again, the data doesn't lie. It's one
hundred and fifty point platoons split on his slug and
that's problematic.

Speaker 2 (37:26):
Yeah, that's that's that's a big number. Yep. I agree. Okay,
at number ten, we have Pedro or.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
Mirus made it to made it to double A. Until
he learns to elevate, his ceiling is capped, correct.

Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, I mean I think it's But I also think
he's a pretty good player too. It's a high contact guy.
There's some speed guys learned to elevate, So that's the
one thing. I mean, I think there is enough bat
speed there for him to be interesting. Again, Cubs are
loaded at the major league level. They've got plenty of
money to add at the major league level. Is the

(38:08):
guy that can wedge his way in? Maybe I don't
think it's by any stretch guaranteed. But he's not a
bad little player either.

Speaker 3 (38:17):
Yeah, he's struck out what fifteen point Yeah, that's a
nice number. Yeah, well stole almost thirty vases and thirty
eight attempts.

Speaker 2 (38:27):
He knows, he knows how to run.

Speaker 3 (38:30):
So if he becomes a fifteen to twenty home run
bad that changes the narrative a little, doesn't it.

Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, with twelve to fifteen stolen bases maybe more and
can hit. I mean, that's that's a sneaky little guy,
and I would not lose track of him I mean again,
you can argue, well, he's very similar to James Tree
and Toss. Maybe might have a little bit a bit
more power than Tree and Toss. But out of all
of these guys, I'm kind of with Tim. I do

(38:59):
like Jack and Wiggins, but I also I also don't
want to sleep on Pedro Ramirez. And I'm not suggesting
you go and pick him up, but I'm also suggesting
that just keep track of him, right, because.

Speaker 3 (39:13):
Yeah, make sure he's on your tracking list to see
how he does this year he gets with the start
he gets off to and yep, yeah, no, it makes
total sense.

Speaker 2 (39:21):
I agree. Okay, there's our top ten, Rich.

Speaker 3 (39:26):
I now turn it over to you for any other
players as we head down to where we got here.

Speaker 2 (39:36):
A total of twenty. Anybody else you want to discuss briefly.

Speaker 1 (39:40):
I don't think the Cubs system is all that all
that strong. It's always we always start with the Cups.
I have no idea why. I mean, I just ever
since I started writing about prospects, I just for some
reason started with the Cups. I think it was back
in the Chris Bryant days. Okay, and I love Chris
Bryant coming out of college. They had just drafted them,

(40:01):
and so I said, oh, let me do the Cubs first,
becuse I'm gonna write about Ris Bryan. I think that's
that's why I started on the Cups first, to be
so absolutely no logic to that at all. But so
I'm gonna be boring to go to number eleven. And
I wrote about Kane Kepley a lot as my daily
notes because he was one of the kids that got
off to a really really strong start. It's got plenty

(40:22):
of speed, seventy great speed. He's not a big guy,
and I always like those undersized kids, as you know
with my affection for jose Al tuve Yep. I think
he can hit. There's going to be really good speeds.
He gonna have enough power to be more than a
kind of a fourth outfielder. I don't know, but I
kind of like the skill set and a kid that

(40:43):
you might be able to get in the fourth or
fifth round of a first year player draft and a
deeper dynasty LEA, I think that's actually a pretty good pick.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
Yeah, when you look at to quote, you directly fits
the mold of Chandler Simpson and Ricky Bradfield.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
Then yeah, I think.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
Especially with the bases being three by three squared now
undersided murriers that can impact the game of speedback and droll.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
I think there's a place for them in our game.

Speaker 1 (41:16):
Look, Chandler Simpson was definitely the pick this season. I
got him very late in first year for drafted whole leagues,
and that was the time to get him right because
you just knew if he got the call, he was
going to see a lot of bases and he did.
It's perfect. Am I taking Chandler Simpson early in drafts
this season? Probably not, because there's definitely fourth outfield or

(41:37):
risk and Riki Bradfield's having a great Fall league. He's
leading the AFL and stolen bases. He's got thirteen when
I wrote about him on Monday. Next guy is eight,
so's he's stealing bases at will. It's a great defender,
a better defenderland Chandler Simpson. He has absolutely no power.
Is that going to be a guy that has is

(41:58):
a full time regular? I don't know. That's the problem
with these guys trying to figure out who turns into
oh the kid with the Cardinals, Victor center Field, Victor Scott.
How to figure out which of these exactly who which
are these guys? At twenty one? Is going to develop
a little bit of powers pretty difficult. But if Kepley

(42:21):
can develop Victor Scott type of power, which isn't tremendous,
but it's enough to be a full time regular, that's
why you take him, I think in the third or
fourth round. If it doesn't, you know, by the time
he hits double A and he's got one home run
and you know, six hundred plate appearances, you move on.
But I mean, I think he's an interesting guy.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
Yeah, and I totally agree with your your premise on
the speed and being the cause of its speed. Horror, Rich,
I love my stolen bases, but I prefer not to
pay for them. Yeah, okay, Yeah, what you want is
you want to find a guy who's going to break
out this year and steal twenty five thirty that you
can get in to read draftly as.

Speaker 2 (43:00):
A reserve player.

Speaker 3 (43:01):
Okay, and the year following when he's a seventh roll
and pick, you might want to avoid him. You know,
it's always nicer when he can get something for free.
So I agree with your approach and looking at a
player like Kepley who could turn into a very very
good stolen base threat at a reasonable cost.

Speaker 2 (43:23):
Now worry about worry about the cost later later.

Speaker 1 (43:28):
Yeah, I don't know. If I didn't see ause play
in twelve dynasty leagues, I think everybody knows that. Again
just PSA that is. I do not advise doing that.
It's too many leagues. But I didn't see Chandler Simpson
get traded. I didn't known him in any leagues. I
would have been trying very hard to move him last
season in dynasty leagues because I just think long term,

(43:51):
I just don't see it. I mean, I know it's
the Tampa Bay Rays and they play a different kind
of ballgame than everybody else, but he does. He's not
the best to fit in the world. He's got tremendous speed,
but I mean, if you take a look at like
baseball metrics, that's not a player that usually gets full
time of bats. It's just not I mean, people want power.

Speaker 3 (44:13):
Yeah, it's it's it's a tough gig being being a rabbit.
And I wouldn't be shocked if Chandler Simpson has a
seventy stolen based season. And I wouldn't be shocked if
he has a fifteen stolen based season.

Speaker 1 (44:31):
Yeah, because he didn't get any playing time. Yeah, that's
exactly that's exactly right to me. That's like a break
come back. Let's do one more system and then we're
going to get Tim out of here.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
It's so much fun, Tim, Yes, yes, it is.

Speaker 3 (44:56):
I now that we've got that first one under the belt,
I realize how much I look forward to doing this
each and every year.

Speaker 1 (45:06):
Rich an hour and a half talking about the Milwaukee
Brewers or the Pits and or the Pittsburgh Pirates. But
I know the Reds are next, so we'll let's see
the Reds and then we'll do one question of the
Milwaukee Brewers to tease everybody. How's that sound?

Speaker 2 (45:20):
Yeah? I got the perfect question for you.

Speaker 1 (45:22):
Okay, yeah right.

Speaker 2 (45:25):
So fire away now or just leave it, leave it
for the.

Speaker 1 (45:30):
End or the Brewers or the Reds.

Speaker 2 (45:35):
Proceed with the Reds and do the Brewers questions the end.

Speaker 1 (45:38):
Yeah, that sounds great, Okay.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
At number one in Cincinnati, we've got sell Stuart first base,
third base, which is sort of interesting because they've got
Steer at first base and he isn't a free agent
until twenty nine. Is there any chance it's sells.

Speaker 3 (45:59):
Stuart plays enough at another position this year to qualify
it more than DH.

Speaker 1 (46:06):
I think he's playing. I think he's gonna play a
lot of first base. Did he only play DHU when
he came first of when he came up? Because very good?

Speaker 2 (46:13):
So yes, very very good.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
I felt like a broken record for years south Sewart
never showed any power and well he played he now
he played eleven games at first base and six games
at third base, so in okay, in eighteen games. So
so fifteen of his eighteen games. I don't have him

(46:37):
down for any DH slots.

Speaker 2 (46:39):
So he's gonna qualify it first.

Speaker 1 (46:43):
I don't know is he gonna because if you've got
twenty at bats to qualify the position, you'll probably start
off as DH.

Speaker 3 (46:55):
Yeah he could. I guess it depends on the site. Yeah,
way the parameters are set up, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (47:01):
Because people have weird ways. Some people look at it
for prospects. They look at what their position was in
the minor leagues that they have less thann x number
of at bats. He only had exact, he only had
fifty eight plate appearances. Hopefully a CBS fan tracks ESPN. Yeah,
it's I'm sure they're all different. I don't know exactly
all this one.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
Well, yeah, who probably hasn't qualified a catcher?

Speaker 1 (47:23):
Yeah it's true. Well, yeah, who's going to have basically
first base and third base because it's only one game eligibility,
so that that I'm aware. But look, South Stewart five
home runs and eighteen games, fifty eight plate appearance is
five forty five slug A guy that it took him
a while for the power to develop. But in Triple

(47:44):
A last year he had a six twenty nine slug.
So the guy with big, big raw power, and he's
had seventeen stolen bases. I'm not sure he is that fast.
So I think we got a But I think this
is a really good baseball player, and why right in
his tool summary, quietly tracking towards a near all star
ceiling at first base. I think this guy can hit

(48:07):
with power and a handful of stolen bases. I think
he's a really good baseball player and drafted whole leagues
if he goes later, Timmy, I'd be very interested in this.

Speaker 3 (48:17):
Yeah, how many home home runs would you be looking
at this year for sal Stewart?

Speaker 2 (48:21):
After that, after that hot start.

Speaker 1 (48:24):
I think he I think there's a chance he gets
five hundred bats with twenty five home runs and people
will be talking about him as rookie of the year.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Yeah, well yeah, I mean, I mean he came up
five to five and five in less than one hundred
plate of beers.

Speaker 1 (48:41):
Ye, and he had he had twenty in the minor leagues.
So with a fifteen yeah, with a fifteen point six
percent strikeout raid and a five twenty four overall slug.
I mean, this is a good baseball player that no
one has really ever talked about. And I mean, yeah,

(49:04):
I think it's good, but I think it's a good player.

Speaker 3 (49:07):
Okay, speaking uh players that nobody's really talking of.

Speaker 2 (49:11):
A number two. You've got Alfredo Duno. And I know.

Speaker 3 (49:16):
Absolutely nothing, okay about Alfredo Duno, Phillis en Rich. Let
us know why you have him ranked that high?

Speaker 1 (49:26):
Isn't Duno? When the I'm pretty sure Duno's in the
Fall League this season actually has not played well. Uh No,
I don't see him there. I thought I thought I
saw him performing poorly. But anyway, young kid, big big
international signee a couple of years back, played well in

(49:47):
the DSL, played well in the Complex League, good catcher.
I think he's a kid that's going to hit with
twenty plus maybe twenty five from run power h plus,
so he's going to be a good defender, be able
to cut down the running game. This is a kid
that is starting to pick up some momentum. He should

(50:07):
start the season in HIGHI, with a good chance to
finish in Double A, and I think with a reasonable
opportunity to see Cincinnati in twenty twenty seven. This is
a good baseball player that no one is talking about.

Speaker 3 (50:20):
Yeah, exactly when I said I know next to nothing,
I should have said I know nothing.

Speaker 2 (50:26):
Okay, skip the next two part. Interesting catchers.

Speaker 3 (50:32):
Catcher is really changing quickly in our landscape, isn't it.

Speaker 1 (50:36):
And I'm looking at Tyler Stevenson has never been the
model of health, but he's got service time is four
point zero five six, so he's a free agent six.
He should be a free agent in twenty twenty seven.
That would be the year that Duno is potentially coming up,
So that could be a nice transition of twenty twenty
seven twenty eight for Duneau coming up. So again, lock

(50:59):
and hal and semi catchers are very volatile. It's still
a young kid. So, but there's a lot to like,
and just fy, I do have him on a couple
of leagus. I actually traded for him in one league
because you can trade for catchers and dynasty leagues and
they're not There are a lot of times are throw
wins because you know who's gonna want an eighteen year

(51:22):
old catcher on their team? Rich Willson do.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
So, okay, a number three.

Speaker 3 (51:29):
We got Red Louder you look good and six starts
in twenty twenty four, but twenty twenty five was pretty
much a lost year with only five rehab starts.

Speaker 2 (51:39):
What do we do with him in twenty six? What?
What do you? What does the future hole for Red Louder? Rich?

Speaker 1 (51:47):
I think I kind of like Red Louder for this season. Again,
I could be mixing up the DS excuse me, the
Dominican Winter League and the AFL, but I think he
pitched in the AFL last week and pitched. Okay, it's
a plus change up, guys coming with a plus change up.

(52:09):
I know a lot of people again a nice stress this.
I have a tendency to go down to the fantasy man.
The last paragraph will be the fantasy manager. But if
you stick to some of the scouting stuff on Louder.
I mean, it's a pretty good arsenal. It's not a
huge fastball ninety four touching ninety six, but it's got
a lot of spend. It's a sinker. He also throws
a sinker as well with a great change up. I

(52:31):
think the Arsenal is going to play at the highest level. Now.
I can't really speak to the injury. Maybe he's again
injured next season, but I think if you can kind
of put that in the back of your mind, I
think this is a kid that should be looked about
in drafting old leagues. Another guy that we saw in
twenty twenty four, and assuming health, I think he's going
to be up and pitching in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 3 (52:56):
Great, thank you so much. Moving on at number five
or ms Hall been approved to be a steal.

Speaker 1 (53:04):
Steel Hall number ninth overall. I kind of like the
Reds track record of picking in drafts. I think they've
done a pretty decent job at identifying talent and developing
that talent. Steel Hall. Look, the twenty twenty four draft
has looked like a really interesting high end draft with

(53:28):
Nick Kurtz and all these guys. The picture from from
the Reds Chase Burns and a whole bunch. We know
the names Jack, Kaglino et cetera, etceter already young basically
older college players that have made a pretty major impact.
The twenty twenty five draft is completely different, where most

(53:51):
of the most of the high draftees were these high
school shortstops which are going to take three to five
years to the sure and highly high likely risk that
they blow out. So Steele Hall is one of those
kind of guys. Tremendous speeds, got a chance for power.

(54:12):
There is some contact issues. He did not see the
minor leagues at all, which is smart. The Reds held
him back and put him into I think he was
at the They call it the Bridge League now, which
is kind of the old and Fall instructional league.

Speaker 2 (54:27):
You know where it's okay.

Speaker 1 (54:29):
So what happens is is the draft is later, kids
get signed in the end of July. The season is
about over unless you're you know, Ethan Holiday, one of
the young hot shot guys that was taking the top
five pick. You're usually sent to the complex where guys
are playing in a mural games, and then they started

(54:50):
playing like why are we just playing in a mural games.
Let's play against other teams guys that are sitting in
the complex. So this Bridge League kind of started off,
and then people said, well, why do we have to
have this fall instructional league when we have this Bridge
League going on. So they've kind of all merged together.

Speaker 2 (55:09):
A fall league as well, right.

Speaker 1 (55:11):
Right, So now the Bridge League has kind of replaced
the Instructional League, even though some people still have that
and that this Bridge League kind of starts the middle
of August and ends the later part of September, just
as the Fall League is starting up. But anyway, Hall
was in that, and yeah, so he's an interesting guy.

(55:32):
I don't know if I pick him number nine overall
in a first year player draft, but I mean again,
there's there's interesting tools there if he hits enough. And
I kind of like what the Reds have been able
to do with their young hitters. So I'm pretty bullish
kind of going into it. It's definitely a lottery ticket.

Speaker 3 (55:51):
Okay, sounds good. At number five, We're moving on to
Tyson Lewis. It's pretty hard to ignore your comments in
the first sentence. Exit velocities as high as one hundred
and nineteen miles an hour. Yes, that's that's a big number.

Speaker 1 (56:13):
Again, we don't have official Baseball slevant data. I don't
even know if that came out of the other kind
of track man and other things that the senergy data,
which I get some data from them. I don't know
if he came out of which are pretty legitimate as well.
But it was all over the internet that his early

(56:34):
part of the season he was hitting the ball extremely hard.
So even if one nineteen is wrong and it's one sixteen,
it's pretty's still a big number, so I mean, we
can even give him some leeway. I doubt it was
one oh nine. It was even one o nine is good.
I mean, it's crazy kind of stuff. He's a burner,
so the tools are off the chart. And I write

(56:57):
that his fantasy ceiling is wide range of outcomes, including
a star upside. This guy's could be the real deal here.
This might be kind of I mean, dare I say,
kind of inn ledalct cruise, kind of really really tremendous upside.

Speaker 3 (57:13):
Well, you know, when you look at Hall as a
short stop and Lewis has a short stop and they've
got Elliott, it would sort of seem that they're tracking
in one direction when it comes to that position.

Speaker 1 (57:25):
Yeah. Speed, Yeah, I think they're looking for athleticism, speed tools.
If we take a look in the Complex League, he
was fine, six some runs, nineteen stolen bases, twenty five
percent strikeout rate. He got to hy A in thirty
five games. He struck out thirty five percent of the time. Problematic.
So I mean that's what we're dealing with with these kids.

(57:47):
But part of my philosophy change if I can just
bend everyone's ear, is I will invest in these kids
that are eighteen nineteen years old who've got crazy tools,
and I'll do that. Dynasty leagues. My, the dynasty leagues
I play in are deep enough I have we have
thirty minor league rosters, but even in twenty twenty five,

(58:10):
I'd probably do this for a couple three slots. These
guys that can turn into led elect cruise and they
might not they might not ever hit, but I want
to find that out with Tyson Lewis. So when I
heard about the one hundred and nineteen mile an hour
ex velocity and the guy was stealing bases at will,
I didn't care that he couldn't hit. I just wanted
him to me. Let's see what happens. Let's see if

(58:32):
he can learn to hit. If he can't, you have
a superstar in your head. If you can't get dump
them in a couple of years.

Speaker 3 (58:38):
Well, and the thing is with your with your knowledge,
with your knowledge on the you know, the player base
as a whole. Yeah, you keep one or two spots
open for these guys, and all you need to do
is hit on one every two three years and it's
Jackpaw time, right yep.

Speaker 1 (58:55):
And I think people that listen listen to these podcasts
and members of the Patreon site, I mean they have
the same disease I have, and that is there's so
many players that you want that you acquire them, and
you have them for three weeks, and then somebody else
is you like better, and then you wind up trading

(59:15):
them and all of a sudden you know they're they're
on all Hall of Fame potential. Go did I have
that guy out on my tea at one point? And
so you do that as well.

Speaker 3 (59:25):
Yeah, Well, how many players did you rate up last
year as hot prospects that weren't rostered on dynasty teams?
My guess is a ton of them.

Speaker 1 (59:35):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it just is so. I disbelieve
Timmy that for and Look, you can play the game
however you want. That's what's fun. Everybody has a different philosophy,
and sometimes that philoso can work for everyone. I truly
believe that if you play in a dynasty league, you
need to have if you've got twenty minor league rosters,

(59:57):
you should have three of those slots for Tyson Lewe
those kind of guys, guys that you just think could
blow up to be superstars. Now you could say that's
too risky for me. I want to do that. I
want all my guys to be in Double A. I
want them to at least have a eighty percent chance
to become a big leaguer. I don't care if they're
going to be a marginal big leaguer. I'm looking for

(01:00:17):
that security and safety. Fine that can work as well,
because you get the Michael Bushes of the world as
fall under that camp right who took forever, and then
they wind up being a really, really good baseball player
to go, gee, look at him. I'm good. I got
twenty five thirty home runs for the next five years.
I'm good. You can also win that way.

Speaker 3 (01:00:40):
Yeah, and you can win with the combination of both,
which I think is the strongest road to take.

Speaker 1 (01:00:46):
I agree, and I think that the route I typically
don't play, and that is rostering DSL and Complex League
and sometimes low A pitchers, and I will miss out.
We're going to talk about Kendrick Rowe of the Kansas
City Royals, who was I don't think I have on
any team, and he was putting up crazy numbers in

(01:01:08):
the dsling seventeen years old, looked like Eurie Perez. I
was watching, I was writing about it, but I just
had the courage draft because it was like, I'm not
comfortable with a seventeen year old kid. And then he
blew through the DSL, he blew through the Complex League
and ended the season in low way. It looks like
the next Euri pres I missed on. I just didn't.

(01:01:29):
I don't have rostered, but he falls outside of my
comfort zone. So I'm gonna miss on guys like that.

Speaker 3 (01:01:36):
Well, sure, but how many guys are you going to
get that make the transition from High A to Double
A and their game improves?

Speaker 2 (01:01:43):
Oh yeah, and that much closer to the bigs, right.

Speaker 1 (01:01:47):
Yeah, The guys like Connolly early. And you know these
kids that kind of I don't say, come out of nowhere. Well,
Trey Ya Savage is a good example. I mean he
was a high draft pick. But those are the guys
that you know, you see what they're doing, and they're
moving quickly. You try to jump on them and ride
the wave. But sometimes, I mean, you can't keep track
of everybody, you can't have everybody in your minor league roster,

(01:02:10):
and so you miss on some. To me, I'm gonna
miss if I'm gonna miss on a miss on a
seventeen year old picture, and I'm okay with that.

Speaker 3 (01:02:17):
Yep, I totally totally agree. You know the way I
play the game. Yeah, at number six, we've got Cam Collier.
Uh he, at last look, has a grand total of
one home run in the Arizona Fall League. Should we
start to get a little concerned, Well.

Speaker 1 (01:02:35):
I will say one of the things that, again going
back to my AI assistant, he had him ranked number
two in the overall system. And I now start, I
now have published, started to publish my conversations. So what
happens is I I will write everything and then I
feed the entire system up to the AI assistant who
helps me edit it. So I go through and edit everybody,

(01:02:57):
and then I say, okay, without any narrative, you know
everything I know ranked these guys one to twenty, and
I'll come to and rank them that Camp call here
is number two. I'm like, I don't get this, Like
why what am I missing here? With Cam Callier? And
he just likes this stability, likes the the and he

(01:03:20):
thinks there's twenty five pund run upside with on base percentagen.
He says, based on everything I've written, about everything that
I've taught him, those are the guys that have the
highest chance for major league contribution. And I think he's right.

Speaker 2 (01:03:34):
I just.

Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
My my non scientific because he doesn't have any opinions
that are based on gut feeling. My gutfam is that
I'm worried that he's gonna he's going to strike out
too much and that he could be more of a
three true outcome type of player. That's that's what worries
me a little bit. Twenty eight percent strikeout rate in

(01:03:57):
Double A, and I think that could become problematic. So
that's my deal with Cam Callier. You're right, he was
really struggling in the fall league. That granted fall leagues,
of the hitters leagues. You should be hitting, but sometimes
guys get exhausted and they don't play well.

Speaker 2 (01:04:13):
Okay, fair enough.

Speaker 3 (01:04:15):
At number seven we've got Hector Rodriguez. Is it fair
to say that twenty twenty six could prove to be
a defining type year for Rodriguez?

Speaker 1 (01:04:26):
I thought twenty twenty five was a defining year. I
think this guy I had kind of forgotten about him,
because I mean, he never walked, never walked, and all
of a sudden started the season was walking a lot more.
He finished a little bit more aggressive once he got
into triple A, and I was kind of okay with that,
But he played a lot better. So I think he's

(01:04:46):
trending in the right direction here and again his lack
of play discipline might be his undoing, but there's decent
power and speed there fifteen to fifteen type of upside,
and I think there could be some juice in there.

Speaker 3 (01:05:01):
Okay. At number eight we have Chase Petty. You know
the stuff is loud. Okay, you've indicated that, But in
redraft leagues, will you Chase Petty?

Speaker 1 (01:05:15):
I will not give you a rim shot. I will
not Chase Petty. If I recall you had some weird
league that it was all rookies or something like that,
and didn't you play in that last year. I think
Chase Petty was one of your guys.

Speaker 2 (01:05:30):
Oh I can't remember, but yeah, it's possible.

Speaker 1 (01:05:35):
I think that there's serious control and command issues there.
So I think he's going to wind up as a
bullpen arm. But I mean with the fast wall to
ninety six or averaging ninety six up to ninety seven
ninety eight, it gets thrown into the bullpen. This could
be thrown ninety nine miles an hour and become a

(01:05:55):
big time closer. So it's it's big stuff. I just
don't know if he's going to be a starter, So
take that for what it's worth. You have to figure
out how you would treat Chase Petty.

Speaker 3 (01:06:05):
In leagues, and there's a lot of failed starting pitchers
competing for closer jobs.

Speaker 2 (01:06:12):
Correct.

Speaker 1 (01:06:13):
Yeah, I got him ranked two of three, so I
got them ranked. I mean, which is ye decent, right,
I mean that's that's a pretty good prospect, and it's
all about the arm.

Speaker 2 (01:06:22):
Good.

Speaker 3 (01:06:24):
At number nine, we have Ricky Camrera twenty twenty five
was certainly not the type of season we were anticipating,
was it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:35):
No.

Speaker 1 (01:06:37):
I think his pitch recognition skills really fell off a
big bonus kid. Fantasy tools are really loud. I don't
know if he's going to be able to hit enough,
and I think so. He is definitely a kid that's fallen,
but he is. You don't want to give up on
the tools quite yet, so I think there's still you
still be should be owned in deeper leagues, but he

(01:06:59):
should be a guy that you got a star next
to that. This could this could fall apart.

Speaker 2 (01:07:05):
Okay, and at number ten, and I must admit a
little surprise.

Speaker 3 (01:07:11):
We have Edward and Arroyo. Initially it seemed like Russ,
but by mid season lack of progress began concerning.

Speaker 1 (01:07:21):
Why did you say you're surprised?

Speaker 3 (01:07:24):
I just when I see Edwind Arroyo, I think of
I don't, I don't have him anywhere, and I don't.
I didn't really track him that much. So for me
it was a surprise. His production was I was expecting better?

Speaker 1 (01:07:39):
Yeah? I was too. I thought you were going to
be surprised that he was so low. I thought, hey,
look this was a guy that was a lot higher
in previous seasons. But yeah, he had the shoulder surgery
and I don't know if he he never returned properly
from it. But he didn't play well. I mean, it's
a fifty ball rate, and you know he did steal

(01:08:02):
nineteen to twelve stolen bases. That was after sealing nineteen
in twenty twenty three.

Speaker 2 (01:08:06):
Marriy.

Speaker 1 (01:08:06):
He missed the whole twenty twenty four season, so I mean,
I still think there's tools there, but I mean, it
was a bad season, Tom, There's no two ways about it.

Speaker 3 (01:08:16):
Well, and when you are behind a guy like Ellie
and you've got Steele Hall and Tyson Lewis in the
organization that doesn't vot, vote, vote Ryan Ricky Cabrera, you
know it's the Reds have.

Speaker 2 (01:08:33):
No shortage your shortstops, do they. He's going to have
to pick up the pace he is.

Speaker 1 (01:08:38):
But I mean, again, they spent a lot of money
on him, so I think that the Reds still like
this guy. I'm not suggesting that. I think he's still
probably a top two hundred and fifty prospect. For me,
he's two fifty eight, so I would not suggest dropping
him immediately. But you know, look, it's miss season followed

(01:08:58):
by a bad season at at some point. He's not
a guy that, like, I know, this guy is going
to be good. I'm holding on to him. This is
a guy that's got Definitely I need to be worried
about this dude.

Speaker 3 (01:09:09):
Okay, fair enough, What say you about any additional players
you want to discuss from the number six friends organization?

Speaker 1 (01:09:18):
Number sixteen? Adolpho Sanchez. I wrote about him a lot
in my Daily Notes. Two and a half million dollar
investment the Reds made I think there's a chance for
a breakout, So keep track of Adolpho Sanchez. He was
a DSL repeater, so that happens more than guys repeating.

(01:09:39):
You get worried when you repeat high Ay, you don't
get so worried when you repeat the DSL because kids
are sixteen, seventeen years old. He's a guy that I
would Yeah, they're kids. So interesting guy. Okay, that is
our that's our So we need to start wrapping this up.

Speaker 2 (01:09:54):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:09:55):
And then one this one final guy, Ty Floyd was
was that the two thy twenty see twenty twenty three
World series, a college world series. He struck out I
want to say eighteen and looked better on the LSU
championship team look better than Paul Skins. Everybody knew he

(01:10:19):
wasn't better than Paul Skins, but he was the one
that that there was two games, two out of three
to win the College World Series. He pitched the final game,
and I watched the whole game. It was amazing. Did
it with a fastball. And I think a lot of
people thought that the Reds got a steal. I think
it was in the second round, picked number thirty eight overall.
And the poor guy has he he has been hurt

(01:10:42):
his entire mior league season. He just hasn't played. And
Paul Skeins is top two pitcher in baseball. So, uh,
they're clearly not gone in the same direction.

Speaker 2 (01:10:55):
That's an understatement for sure, Rich.

Speaker 1 (01:10:57):
Yeah, and I don't just having said that, It's not
that I ever thought ty Floyd would be a better
picture than Paul's Skeins. It's just I was hoping that
he could take that fastball, which looks so good in college,
and at least get a little traction. And the professional
ball just hasn't happened.

Speaker 2 (01:11:15):
It just doesn't happen yet. Cool.

Speaker 1 (01:11:17):
Okay, let's take final break it back and wrap this
puppy up.

Speaker 2 (01:11:22):
Okay, sounds good.

Speaker 1 (01:11:34):
Two minutes here, Tim, So we usually ask player that
you didn't know about. But I'm going to hold that
off till we do the second half, and we'll do
them all together. So give me that question for the
Milwaukee Brewers.

Speaker 3 (01:11:50):
Okay, number twelve in the Brewers' rankings, we have Tyler Block.

Speaker 2 (01:11:58):
Let me, bastard, You're welcome opportunity, my friends, because I
walk away from it.

Speaker 1 (01:12:09):
Okay, yeah, go ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:12:16):
What's what's your question?

Speaker 1 (01:12:18):
Just affect the number twelve?

Speaker 2 (01:12:20):
Yeah, yeah, just an observation.

Speaker 1 (01:12:23):
Yes, I look, I I don't know. I don't know.
I just don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:12:31):
I I so.

Speaker 1 (01:12:32):
I wrote the Fantasy Managership Black as a cautionary tale
for fat first prospects without a defensive hall. I think, look,
we get carried away looking at tools and how good
a guy can hit. It's a little bit like Boyce's Bellisterios.

Speaker 2 (01:12:47):
I mean yeah, I mean yeah, I agree.

Speaker 1 (01:12:50):
Unfortunate, I think Belisarius. I hope he doesn't turn into
Tyler Black. Now you suggest that he's going to. But
that's that's the cautionary tale. If you can't have, if
you can't play, adequate defense. It's a problem. And I
didn't realize when Black was coming through the lower levels
of the minor leagues. I just didn't realize how poor
his arm was.

Speaker 2 (01:13:11):
And I didn't I didn't realize. I didn't realize that.

Speaker 3 (01:13:13):
I don't think a lot of people in this industry
realized the limitations.

Speaker 2 (01:13:17):
Oh yeah, and they're severe. Severe.

Speaker 1 (01:13:21):
If they're uncomfortable playing him at second base, that's that's
a problem. It's not that far a throw to first
base from second base.

Speaker 2 (01:13:27):
So yeah, if you're playing deep, yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:13:34):
So I I mean, he had that crazy year where
he stole all those bases. Everybody got exam it was
in the upper levels of the minor league. I think
it was twenty twenty three or four, and then it's over,
and then he got a couple of shots in the
major leagues. I think he's going to hit. I think
there's going to be speed. I think he's going to
be a decent player. But it's just I've just done, Timmy.

(01:13:57):
I don't know what else to say. It's just done.

Speaker 2 (01:13:59):
Yeah, yeah, No, I totally get it. As am. I
as am I.

Speaker 1 (01:14:05):
And I still think there's a chance his wife got
him ranked twelve. But I mean, and I have him
in a couple of leagues, as I was all inent
on Tyler Black. But if by June, I'm not going
to drop him before the beginning of the season. By
June there's no movement, I'm done.

Speaker 2 (01:14:20):
Yeah, yeah, he's it's got to be that time. I
think it. I think it asked to be.

Speaker 1 (01:14:25):
Because the Brewers have a really good team and I
think the best, if not top three system in all
the minor leagues. So there's plenty of competition to go
up against Tyler Black, and I just don't know if
he's up for it.

Speaker 3 (01:14:37):
Yep, totally totally agree. And that's that was my evil
twin that found him. Okay, that was that wasn't me.

Speaker 1 (01:14:46):
I was trying to hide him down and the past
tense he would find him.

Speaker 2 (01:14:51):
Occasionally. I read, I read the whole article. Rich. Yeah,
I think with the leak, maybe maybe you would get
tired of reading.

Speaker 1 (01:15:00):
But no such luck. So Wrapt, we got to get
you out of here. You've got six minutes to get
to your appointment, and I appreciate a lot of fun
and we'll figure out when we do this. I will
probably do it after you get back maybe Sunday before
the for the show. We'll do a quick recording there
and to punch up the final three. But have yourself

(01:15:21):
fun in Toronto.

Speaker 3 (01:15:23):
I most certainly will Rich, and I've got to thank
you for the opportunity to go through these each and
every year. Until we got through and started in Devote
the second player on the Cubs, and I was just
sitting here smiling because I really enjoy and appreciate this opportunity.

Speaker 2 (01:15:39):
My friend. Thanks. That's all I can say is thanks,
Be safe, to be well.

Speaker 3 (01:15:45):
And I'll send some pictures from Roger Center on Friday night.

Speaker 1 (01:15:52):
Looking forward to it. Tim, enjoy yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:15:55):
Thank you,