Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17) and Chris Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) recorded this episode of "Leading Off" LIVE on Twitch!
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Timestamps: (May be off due to ads)
Intro - 0:00:00
Nick Kurtz - 0:02:24
Jac Caglianone - 0:05:54
James Wood - 0:06:57
Spencer Strider - 0:11:33
Orion Kerkering - 0:13:38
Pete Crow-Armstrong - 0:14:19
Paul Skenes - 0:18:51
Transactions - 0:19:42
Rookie Lookie - 0:21:07
Fun Facts - 0:23:07
3 Up, 3 Down - 0:28:35
Xander Bogaerts, Logan Webb, and Byron Buxton - 0:28:38
Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, and Francisco Lindor - 0:29:37
Microsoft Challenger Segment - 0:30:08
Injury Updates - 0:32:08
MLB Best Bets - 0:35:55
HR Board and HR Calls - 0:38:20
Outro - 0:39:25
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Pros MLB. This is leading
off live. It is me, Joey p Joe Pi's appear
with me of course is the Welsh and has all
of you the Peanuts and the Crackerjacks here on our
twitch Twitch dot tv slash Fantasy Pros. That's the place
to be. We have over a thousand followers now and
we're just getting cooking because guess what football seasons around
the corner. We'll be on here doing football stuff as well.
(00:25):
So if you just love sports or you just tolerate us, subscribe.
That's what you want to do with your Amazon Prime account.
Get rid of those nasty commercials. And of course you
can always watch us on our YouTube channel, Fantasy Pros MLB.
That's the place to be. Welsh good to see was
always my friend. We had some fun banter about some
classic films before we came in here. And you're wearing
your Fernando Tatis T shirt today, which I can only
(00:48):
assume is in solidarity with our boy Fernando.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I'm with him, I'm with the Fernando. I'm with him, yes,
one hundred percent. Yeah, I mean I'm in a not
good mood. Today, So I feel like I'm in. Yeah,
I'm in a not good mood today, so I feel
like I'm in with Fernando. I feel like I'm I'm
taking over for what Fernando's feeling today. A bench clearing brawl.
These teams just keep smacking each other with baseballs. Maybe
(01:16):
let's not hit the best players in baseball. Maybe when
we hit players, we don't hit Shohyotani and Fernando Tatis,
let's go hit you know whoever they had thirty five
year old that they just called up with the Padres
and let's go hit. I was gonna say, Andy Pieas,
but no, I.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Don't think you want to hit that.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Maybe you go hit Max Muncy and Jake Croninworth please.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah. Well, I mean, look, guys, get hit. It's baseball,
you know, and good. We could talk about all this
as we're in it right now. I mean, Shield did
what he was supposed to do. And to be honest
with you, the Otani reaction to me was the one
that was most choice, because he knew he was getting drilled.
He got drilled. He turned round to when everybody just
(01:59):
chill out, bro, everything's fine. Goes to first it's talking
to Arias at first, and he's just like hanging out
with him. He's like, hey man, everything's going show. Atani
is a g he is awesome. I love that guy,
just like, hey man, let's like whatever, let's just play baseball.
And he knew he was gonna get drilled. He got
drilled a tough spot too. So hopefully Tatis will be
(02:20):
okay again. X rays were negative. He's going for an MRI.
We'll see what that does. But we got a lot
to talk about today. We've got some incredible performances from
the rookies, and that's where I want to start. So
for everybody who's been panicking about Kurtz and caglioon, just
as a reminder, these guys, when they come up with
the rookies, they're not building blocks the a roster. They're
bonus babies. They're guys you want to have on your
(02:41):
roster so that when they start to hit, they either
become trade assets and redraft or they potentially become solutions
to problems in your lineup. If you've been banking on
them being starters, then you've already failed in your roster construction.
But as you can see, Nick Kurtz is getting hot.
Let's start with him to run homer bottom of the
tenth another walk off for him. He hasn't drawn a
(03:01):
walk in a month of June, but he's been more
aggressive and that has resulted as a six thirty six
slugging percentage for the twenty two year old. And he
is the youngest player in Major League Baseball history with
two walk off home runs in the same series, the
first A's player to ever do that in the fifty
games excuse me, in the last fifty seasons to walk
off two home runs in a calendar month at age
(03:23):
twenty two or younger. The last guy to do that
was Eddie Murray in nineteen seventy eight. So Nick Kurtz
looks confident. Nick Kurtz is hitting balls like launching balls,
flipping bats. That's the guy that I saw last year
on the tape, and that's the guy that I saw
in the minor leagues on tape, and this is the
guy that've been waiting for the big leagues. Welsh.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, kind of to what you said before. The one
of the difference in rookies are there are bonus babies
and CAGs and Kurts a bonus babies. But there's also
rookies that are not the guys that you drafted. They
do have roster equity, they do have like starting equity,
so they feel the little bit different. So you know,
a Christian Campbell or a cam Smith, they hurt a
(04:04):
little bit more, but sometimes they do get clumped in
a little bit. But really, at the end of the day,
you know, like you should do the best you can
when drafting rookies or picking up rookies to have your
backups to cover yourself because of the volatility. But this
is also it's just kind of like a this is
an easy algorithm. You know, like obviously we don't know
(04:24):
if these guys are going to work out, but guess
what if there's an amazing batter arm, Like there's the
potential to struggle. That's why, maybe annoyingly, but like when
these guys hit a buck fifty after two weeks and
we're like, hey, hold up, and you're like, oh, well, yeah,
it's because like it's a very small sample size. These
guys are adjusting kind of across the board. You need
(04:45):
a proper sample size, which also means need the proper
roster construction to be able to do if you're gonna
get in the game of dropping fab or waiver wires
on guys like Nick Kurtz and Kaglione, make sure that
you have some backups or some of the roster constructions
so you could hold on and not make it a
four day thing and cry about it. Because like Nick
Kurtz is bouncing back. He looked the profile, fourteen percent barrel,
(05:07):
almost fifty percent hard hit rate, a fifteen degree launch angle.
He's getting the ball in their and he's not even
pulling the ball, as you could see on those walk offs.
He hasn't even gotten to the level where he has
the ability to pull the ball. Yet. I think we're
in a good spot. I don't think he's an elite player,
but I do think that Nick Kurtz is a legitimate
shot to walk out with twenty plus homers, probably maybe
(05:27):
a subbish part batting average, and we have that ballpark,
a little bit of the ballpark that's going to benefit us.
So yeah, there's a little bit of I told you
so with Nick Kurtz, and obviously with kag Leana, we're
going to.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Talk about yeah. And look, I also think baseball is
a game of streaks. So when these guys are red
hot for six weeks, eight weeks down at Triple A,
double A, wherever they are, and they come up. It's
also just the nature of the beast that sometimes you
slow down, Like mentally, things are different, things are changing,
are at their comfort zone right, Like, there's a lot
to adjust to at the big league level. So you
just have to be patient. And if you've been patient,
you've been rewarded. Especially yesterday, speaking of them, Jack Kegleione
(06:01):
two home runs. The first one he hit too. His
first home run was hilarious because it was a ball
in his eyes that he hit. I want to say,
I saw Sarah Langs sweeted it's the since the stat
cast era, the highest ball that a rookie has hit
for a home run ever or something like that. Yeah,
it was some kind of absurd stat like that, and
I mean at his eyes and he just tomahawk that
bad boy out of there. Was pretty awesome. And then
(06:22):
this the home already hit, was in the same location
of the ballpark, but like thirty forty feet like further
than the first one. So just an incredible day for
both of those guys. I'm very happy for both of them.
Hopefully this builds the confidence. Again, it's just a matter
of I do think both of these guys are going
to grow into elite sluggers. Like I think we are
in a renaissance of slugging first baseman that we haven't
(06:43):
seen in a long time. It's been kind of a
kind of disappointing. You know, you've had like the Freeman's
of the Alonso's kind of keeping it real last couple
of years, Vladdy, you know, a couple of those guys.
But you know, back in the day, it was always
like every team had like a slugging first baseman. This
is fun and again we'll see if Kaglio six outfield
first base in the years to come. James would pair
(07:03):
of two run homers for him, including a walk off
in the eleventh. He's had a great season. You know,
Wood was one of our favorite draft values, and I
just want to take a moment here to talk about
how good of a season James Wood has had on
a team that has really been disappointing. We thought they
might be plucky, and they had a lot of talent
and stuff, and they've kind of been misery and they've
kind of been sleepwalking through the month of June pretty much.
(07:24):
But this was another great day for James Wood. And
as this guy continues to I think grow physically, James
Wood is going to be just an absolute superstar in
the league because he's still got a lot of weight
to put on, a lot of size. I think still
that he could put on that frame and when that happens,
he could be a forty home run guy someday.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Embarrassing that he's not on the All Star ball I mean,
he's on the ballot, but he's not in the current starters.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Well, he'll be an All Star though, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Know he'll be an All Star, But like he is
projecting out like the fans didn't put James Wood in
and it looks like he could have a forty twenty season.
He's got one of the more ridiculous from a profile perspective.
It is almost July. He has a fifty seven percent
hard hit rate, almost twenty percent baril rate, crazy ninety
four average exit velocity, he's walking more. His expected batting
(08:11):
average is actually better than he currently is. James Wood
isn't vying for just a super valuable piece. He's like
a It's kind of like an MVP type of discussion.
He's not gonna get it, oh no, but he's like,
it's that type. But it's that type of season that
James Wood is putting in together, massive, massive fantasy value,
(08:31):
you know, and we're not gonna do it today. I
think we're gonna do it next week or I might
do it when I'm not here. But talking about the
Fantasy All Stars, you know, he he's in that discussion.
If you really think about, like if you were to
pick one outfielder, you know, Corbyn Carroll, you and obviously
you have come back down Tatis. You paid first round
value for all those guys. Akunya got the second round.
(08:52):
But James Wood was like a third to fourth round
type of player that he justifiably really does kind of
belong in there. And I remember all off season long,
you know, we talked about him versus Wyat Langford. It
was one of those two and James Wood is just
kind of ye just what so just.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Has lapped him. Here's a one from Uncle Baby, Billy Kurtzer,
Jack kagleone and dynastylsh would you rather have you're the
Dynasty guy? I know my answer, and I think it's
gonna surprise you.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
I've got them really really close. I'm at the point where,
in long term betting, I'm going to bet on cagleone
to really impressed with Cagleon's strikeouts going low. I mean,
Kurtz is striking out like almost ten percent more than
him right now. I think kag Leon's homer potential is crazy,
you know, one of the things because you kind of
burned through CAGs. But he has a lot of untapped potential.
(09:38):
Everything he's doing, barrel hard hit, all that type of stuff.
He's he's in the like Vladimir Guerrero stage of his
rookie He's not getting the ball in the air. He's
got like a four degree lunch Agle right now. So
he's not even at the point where he's getting the
ball in the air where he can pull the living
crap out of it. And once he does start doing that,
it's gonna be like next level. You can see it,
just flick of the wrist, you know, look like what
(10:02):
is the what's the people with the wood lumberjacks? Lumberjack?
It looks like a lumberjack man.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Thank goodness, I don't want to get flagged again for
another thing. On our YouTube channel, yeah, what did we
get flagged? I don't know. But the funniest thing is
we did not get flagged for the Rusty Kunz conversation.
I'm just gonna say that just in case the YouTube
is watching again. Uh, here's one from Finner do drop
Sworderstrom for Kurtz and a ten man points like one
hundred percent, yes, one hundred percent. Yeah, ten man, it's
like you want the upside guy you can. If it
(10:31):
doesn't work out in two each you flip it around again.
But yeah, by the way, what's the people.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
That you have to be able to decipher me? Sometimes
like I can't. Sometimes the thing isn't there, So.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Yes, sometimes the thing is not there.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Joe knows Joe can speak Welsh.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I do.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
I am fluent in Welsh, but I also know well
enough sometimes where I like to let you wallow in
your Welshness because if I do, I know I'm going
to get a Welshism that's going to be a gem,
because your brain's gonna eventually go to two different places
and try to put something together and it's gonna be fantastic.
More on that to come on the show. By the way,
speaking of our friend Rusty Kunz. Did you know he
(11:07):
played on the eighty four Tigers. I just want to remind.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
You I didn't. I saw some which is where Cecil.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Fielder also played. And we're giving away the Cecilfielder jersey still.
So drop your comments below, subscribe to the YouTube channel,
and you might win it again. That's all you have
to do. Autographed by Cecil Fielder from Pristine Auction dot
Com ring the bells to leg Goes Dang on Fantasy
Pros MLB. When you subscribe to drop your comments and
you might win this bad Way giveaway for the month
of June. Big dadd ain't I'm a forty five Tigers jersey.
(11:32):
If we'll get hell Lou Whitaker Alan Trammel one next,
that'd be fun. Let's get to the Mets being terrible
and the Braves being good, and I bet the Braves
to make the playoffs at plus two point fifty and
now it's under two hundred currently, just putting that out there. Yeah,
I'm just saying. Spencer Strider was terrific. I watched him yesterday.
(11:53):
One run, six innings, eight strikeouts, the Mets pitchers walk
nine guys or something by the fifth inning. Was ridiculous.
So Strider was topping out at ninety eight point four,
his average fastball was at ninety six. So again, I
feel like we've turned the corner here, and for everybody
that was impatient and made bad decisions and traded Spencer Stryder,
(12:14):
to me, as some people did, it looks like that
corner has been turned in. Strider's officially back, and so
were the Braves as well. I just want to say, Welsh,
They've got a big series coming up against the Mets
next week, against the Phillies as well coming up soon.
They handle their business. They are right back in this
bad Boy. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Well, and I don't know if you saw the rumor
two moving into the Mets just for a second, but
remember I had mentioned like, you probably want to get
some rotation help, and you were like, but their pictures
are so great, they're not. Now all the pitchers are
falling apart. They need depth, and that the Mets are
now potentially going to be looking in the pitching market
to get some more depth, because that's the thing that's
going to kind of hold you tight. And the Braves
(12:53):
they got the hot streak right now, even though Albi's
and Michael Harris aren't doing anything for them. Acunya has
stepped up the pitchers, Schwellenbach has found that rhythm. Chris
Sale looks like a cy young winner, and Spencer Strider
is like at least ninety to ninety five percent back,
you know, I mean like like we've seen some better
eras I think from Strider. I guess it was three, eight,
six and two twenty twenty three. But yeah, the K
(13:17):
numbers are back, the walk numbers are I mean, everything's stabilizing.
I guess it's a better way to say it, like
he is stabilizing, which is a positive.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
And the Mets pitching was always pitching over their heads,
so it was going to come back down to earth.
But the injuries have hurt too, So health has been
an issue. I'll tell you what. The way we're gonna
talk about Vard Cabrera in a second two. Cabrera is
really building up his trade value also from the Marlins,
So Cabrera all contra those guys out there. We'll keep
an eye on that. Also, we've been keeping an eye
We mentioned this on a was a Monday or Tuesday show.
(13:45):
Was earlier in the week. Ryan Kirkering got another safe
against the Marlins. So Welsh we said to speculate. If
you speculate and you've added him for nothing, it's feeling
like by the time the end of the weekend rolls around,
it might cost you a couple bucks to add this
guy for saves. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Probably, And you know they kind of kept going back.
That's the thing. I kind of felt like they might
not keep going back. But that's why you speculate, because
if something turns in that direction, and if it's worked,
if it's broke, if it ain't broke, they ain't gonna
fix It's not exactly the same. I shouldn't have saying
if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Sure, Pete grow Armstrong and two run Homer for him.
He's the first guy to the twenty twenty club this season,
so good on him. Fun fact though about him. I
was doing some research for the Sunday TV show on
sports Grid. You shall watch me over there Sundays eight
to ten on your streaming services on sports Grid is
the only place you're cana fy a two hour fancy
baseball show. That's for damn sure. But fun fact about him.
(14:44):
Despite the twenty twenty and all the success that he's had.
I did some digging because we talked about Splitsville, his
splits Verst. Right handed pitching, hitting three or four with
a nine to fifty eight ops. Awesome first lefties this
year one to eighty five batting average a six thirty
four OPS. I continue to be blown away by the
success of Peekrow Armstrong. I like him. He's fun to watch.
(15:04):
He's my kind of player. He's very exciting, he's very
into it, like you just you love Peekrol Armstrong if
you love baseball. But I'm still super concerned about this pace.
And I know he's already basically returned as draft stock,
like he's giving you twenty twenty ready, so it doesn't matter,
so you're not gonna trade him. But it's one of
those things where I keep looking at it. I'm going,
you know, when is the shoe gonna drop? When's the
shoe gonna drop? Because I feel like it's it's inevitable,
(15:27):
and I feel like I'm gonna be at the Black Book,
you know, and I'm gonna be writing about Peek Crow
Armstrong be Like. After an incredible twenty twenty first half
of the season, Peekrol Armstrong fell apart of the second,
I feel like that profile is coming. I don't want
to write that profile, but I kind of feel like
it's I don't want to say inevitable, but possible.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
It probably will because like I just made a very
significant adjustment in my Dynasty ranks of Dynasty ranks on
my in this league, in this league, dot Com, Patreon.
But I'll also be today updating the ranks on Fantasy
Pros for the back end stuff, so make sure you
guys have your your logins and everything. But like I
made a big adjustment for Pete Crow Armstrong and that
(16:07):
will probably be the reason why he now backtracks because
it's been it's been absurd. The stolen bases are crazy,
the batting average is supportive. Just profile stuff, the profile
stuff that I want to I'm going to look at
to be like, oh, can this guy continue being a slugger.
It's there, you know. I mean, he's making tons and
tons of contact. He's seven percent increase in his zone contact.
(16:30):
But yeah, he does have there's some splits in there
that kind of worry you a little bit. So I
think he comes back down to the earth. I've always
been open in redraft to at this point because you
made the most interesting point you made is that he
may have already returned to your whole season value.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Yeah, it's over, So like twenty can we go on?
What more are you walking?
Speaker 2 (16:47):
You if you think there's like a thing or two
that you know, maybe he ticks down, but you could
get first round return value, which, by the way, that
is Pete Roh Armstrong's like return value his trade value
right now, his first round. So you should get nothing
less than what a first rounder would get. Then I
think I'm open to it. You can make your team better.
But the problem is is like if he doesn't come
back down to Earth and he continues to destroy righty's
(17:09):
and improves against lefties, he might he might end up
being a forty forty guy this year. So I don't know.
It's really tough to say, but because I am backing
him more in Dynasty, he should probably.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Well, the Dynasty keeper situation is totally different, Like if
you could flip him for Fernando Tatias or something absurd,
like you do that if there's a proven asset that
somebody wants to give you for Picrow Armstrong, let's have
to get down year. I would take it in the second,
but in redraft you're just holding because everything else is bonus.
Now twenty twenty, that's great. Who dat cheered some one hundred? Here?
Would you trade away Michael Garcia, Roman Anthony and a
(17:39):
next year third round pick for Chris Sale many Matchado
an eleventh round pick, twelve team head to head category league.
If I'm trying to win this year, I want Chris
sale So I'm good with this. There's a win now trade.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I mean, it's clearly a win now in trade. I
don't know. Roman Anthony is like a top fifty dynasty
asset right now. Chris Salees a million years old, Ay
Machado is about to be thirty four. If I did it,
I'm not treading a third round or two. I honestly, like,
I know, you have to have like extra little pieces.
(18:11):
I don't know, man, I don't want to do that one.
But if your ultimate win now that those are fantastic
win now pieces, get that pick up, Swap those picks.
The Roman Anthony gives a tenth rounder, eleventh rounder, and
then you get a third rounder back or something like that.
Roman Anthony hasn't clicked, but from a dynasty perspective. Most
dynasty leagues, you're not getting a caliber of play of
(18:33):
Roman Anthony for a couple thirty four year olds or
thirty six or thirty seven year olds. So that's a
weird trade. I tend to say not, but it clearly
makes your team better, no doubt about it. All.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Right, Now, yesterday we did a little bit of math. Oh,
by the way, Beattie says, there's some mixture stuff there.
What's the wouldn't keep?
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Okay, that makes a different right there. So if you're
not going to keep Roman Anthony, then yeah, sure, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Okay, there you go. Let's remind her by yesterday show
in case you missed it, we were talking about some
of the the math of Paul Skeen's potentially getting more
wins and how the lack of wins could hurt him. Well,
yesterday was another Paul Sken's esque performance and another no
decision against the Tigers. Nine strikeout, six runnings, two run
baseball here. But he did walk five guys that I
(19:16):
do want to tell you, So that was not great.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
But I told you thirty percent of the time he
needed thirty three point five percent of his start.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Well, I don't want to make you be able to win.
We interviewed Welsh before the show to give you the
full math, because I know you struggle with it. So
let's take a look at that right now. You know what,
I forget Steiner math. It's all about the Welsh math,
and now it makes perfect sense. Thank you for clearing that.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Up for as well. It makes sense, little Joe.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Yeah, that was Oh goodness, gracious God bless Scott Steiner.
All right, let's go for some transactions here, Emma she
and got sent down to triple A. People are freaking out.
I just think it's procedural right now, so I wouldn't
freak out. Wells should people freak out about him and
she Han being sent down?
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I don't think you should freak out about m and
she Hen, But yeah, I mean I didn't. I didn't
even get into the reading. If it was one hundred
percent procedural, I imagine he'll be back soon. But not
what anybody wanted when they were like banking on Emtry
Hen's gonna save my rotation or whatever.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Yeah. No. Jeff passing A reported yesterday that the Red
Sox demoted Christian Campbell, so the slash for the month
of May was one fifty three, two twenty two. That'll
get you sent down. Look, they made an investment in
Christian Campbell, he'll be back. Great time to buy on
him in Dynasty, I would think, right.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah, very very good time, very very good time. Probably
pushed way outside like a top one hundred. I mean
he's still young and everything like that. But you know,
positional changes the league adjusted to him. This is like
this is this is Welsh math, by the way, this
is real Welsh math.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
War.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
You have top prospect who comes up, rakes a bit,
then struggles beyond belief and gets sent down forty eight
percent of the time. You want to make a move
to that sixty seven percent where it's going to work
out in favor of you. So go and buy these
post hype rookie guys who have been sent back down
(21:06):
one hundred percent, especially Christian Campbell, not all of them.
Campbell is one.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Yeah, all right, the Blade did well, rookie. Lookie, time's
gonna get the season opener for the Phillies against the Phillies.
I should say, uh so that's not going well, and
the Met's rotation is not going well. Also, this is
a fun one too, because he's twenty years old. Is
I think it's Dittier or Didier? I don't know yet.
Either way, let's call him Ditty or Fuentes Kah Diddy
(21:32):
did find I don't know if we shot him Diddy,
And you know you don't want to get this video flag.
I definitely don't think we should say that. So Fuentest
is getting called up from the Braves. Last four games
for him eighteen innings between Double A and Triple A.
Over those eighteen innings, twelve hits, five earned, four walks,
twenty three strikeouts. Now, this is like that fast track
stuff that they do. The Braves are famous for this, right,
they get these live young arms, they fast track him through.
(21:54):
So it's great because if you have, you know, weekly transactions,
you can see what the starts. So depending on what
that looks like today, what do you think the prediction
of the Fuintes fab spend might be come Sunday.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Night unless he goes off? I mean, I'm going to
tell you right now, I am betting against it. Dude,
just turn twenty years old. I think they said he
is the youngest call up since twenty nineteen, so and
putting him right into the rotation. It shades of like
aj Smith Schaffer when he was up, like he might
be decent. I think everyone is going to be pretty
(22:31):
timid about it unless he goes off. If win, this
is like six innings and eight strikeouts, it gives up
three hits and stuff, then I think people will drop
some fab But I think we all kind of know
younger guy. If he were to stay, maybe he's gonna
end up being a bullpen piece this team. They're not
going to like probably rely on him in that rotation,
so I would think they could use him more in
(22:52):
the bullpen long term. I think it's interesting. He's had
a phenomenal minor leg He's ad a good minor league season.
It's actually not phenomenal. It hasn't been like, you know,
one point to eire the entire season like it's good.
I think they like his fastball slider combination. We'll see
if did he can stay, Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
We shall see there. Let's get to some I want
to get a couple of pops on some starting pitchers
here that maybe you know, are so floating around in
leagues or could be available. Jacob Lopez has gone twelve innings.
In his last two starts, right, he's given up just
one run. He's got back to back outings with nine strikeouts.
So he's got eighteen innings. Excuse me, eighteen strikeouts and
(23:31):
twelve innings. Now, I know Lopez has taken some lumps
at times, but this one kind of made me go,
oh wow, this is, you know, kind of worth noting
and understanding. So do you have any thoughts about Lopez
and what he's done in these back to back starts
here for the athletic because if you're desperate for pitching
and you're looking for a streamer. I think he's got
the Tigers next week, which is not like the best situation.
I could be wrong on this, which maybe the worst maybe,
(23:52):
But at the same time, it's like, look, you know,
if he has another gut start against the Tigers and
forget it, like, you're never gonna be you know, people
are gonna be all over him. So what do you
think about this recent success from Lopez.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
I'm gonna pass it is interesting. It's been a nice
little run. But you're talking about like this is an
average ninety mile an hour fastball guy. His slider, it's
a real slow, sweepy slider. It has a thirty percent
with rate, but his forcing fastball has a thirty one
percent with rate. That's not going to continue. All the
secondaries are okay, I'm not looking at stuff plus numbers,
(24:26):
but I'm gonna guess they're all below average. People are
pulling the ball. Actually, he's one of the worst in
baseball and people being able to pull the ball, plus
his own ballpark, so I'm a pass. It's been a
nice little run, but I'm not going to jump on.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Well. He also has RP eligibility, to which I know
in some.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Leagues is yeah, maybe Points League, like if he doesn't
get blown up, like I have kind of bet against
him a couple of times, and he's not gotten blown up,
so maybe Points League he's more applicable.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
All right, Another one too, Edward Cabrera. We spntioned him
at the top of the show too, But another good
performance by him. He had two hits over six and
thirty innings. That's the most he's worked in any outing
this year. I feel like Cabrera is in otherwise, guys,
and you know, we joked earlier in the year because
Lance Brazowski was big on Max Meyer and Cabrera and
(25:10):
Meyer looked terrific, and then Cabrera looked terrible again, and
then they seem to have flip flopped here, and then
the health of Meyer becomes something too. But Edward Cabrera
is starting to feel like a guy that maybe want
to pick up in a trade, like in a package
deal kind of thing, and just see what blooms for him.
So why are we getting this new version of Cabrera
who's been so uneconomical and so inconsistent over most of
(25:31):
his career.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Now, well, I mean, one thing is he's just overperforming
because if you look same ish k percentage, he's dialed
that down walks about the same, but they're just like
a tiny bit less quality of contact still kind of
looks generally the same. The secondaries have induced some pretty
big whiff numbers. Last year, curveball was thirty nine percent
(25:56):
with rate. It's forty one percent this year. And he's
thrown his slider more. So that must be the big key.
Because he threw a slider about eight percent of the
time last year, He's thrown at fifteen percent of the time,
and that is an over forty percent with rate pitch
as well, So he is primary change up. Oh and
I guess the other thing I didn't even notice was
he's moved from a fastball to a sinker to just
a heavy sinker. So he's killed the RPMs on it
(26:18):
a little bit. That's probably you know, seeing eye change,
and then he's dropping this slider and more so that
pitch arsenal change has made him just a little bit
more dominant. And obviously he's with the Marlins. He's kind
of whatever value. I kind of think he I think
he's a tough guy to trade over Sandy, but if
he were to be traded, it's kind of we're back
to that. Like someone was asking us about Mitch Keller.
(26:39):
They were just like, what am I missing about Mitch Keller?
And we're like, well, listen, he's got quality.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
He talked about what he starts at the Yin Yang.
I mean, you know what you want, like quality start.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
He's going six innings.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
That record will be nine to one if he pitched
for the Yankees. With that.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Again, he doesn't have big strikeouts, which is kind of
stinky and stuff. But guess what I think Cabrera is
kind of maybe a little bit more walk heavy, but
he's got higher strike out upside, But I don't know
if he you know so, like I think those guys a.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Project in the right place. They'll just say the right organization.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
He's a very I'm more interested, way more interested in
Cabrera than I am.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Jacob Lopez, Gavin Williams shout out the giants yesterday six
struck out six excuse me a no decision on Thursday. Also,
Kyle Harrison, since he got sent to Triple A. People
wondering why he got sent to Triple A. Well, apparently
he's adding a cutter and working on using his sinker
more so. If that's the case, I'm very excited to
see what we get from Kyle Harrison going forward in
(27:29):
the and he will inevitably get some stars with the
Red Sox this year. It's just it's going to happen.
A couple pieces of note as well in terms of history.
Nolan Aeronato hit his three hundred and fiftieth career home
run and Juan Soto got his one thousandth hit. He's
got more walks than anybody else in the history of
baseball at that age to have a thousand hits, So
just putting that out there, that's pretty stunning, and you
(27:51):
can keep going for all the I saw another stat too,
I'd have to find it. I have to pull that
up there, but I had to do with the amount
of times that he has led I think of the
league and walks in a month. I think I have
it here. Here you go, so fun fact here Juan
Soto won soda leads the Major League baseballs and walks
this month. That's a seventeenth time he's done it in
(28:12):
his career. The next most times in a month and
a player has done that before turning twenty seven Babe
Ruth and Mickey Mantle each with nine, and he's done
it seventeen times. When you start getting mentioned in like
Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams things, I mean that
just tells you where the career is going for Sodo.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yeah, I was like, where's bonds? But you said the
before twenty seven thing? Because I think if you expand me,
I would like to hear how many months bonds led
and walks.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Well, go take it up with the stat heads. I'm
just here to report the stats, all right. Three up
and three down. Here Xander Bogart's four for four with
a homer five three win there for the Padres over
the Dodgers. They hung on too. That that was the
weirdest part too about all that was you had the
situation where Otani gets hit in a very precarious ninth
(28:59):
inning too, which I was like, Oh, do you really
want to do this now? Is this the time we
want to do this? Like you really want to give
up this game? Just for the integrity they got out
of it. But still definitely one of those weirder ones. Then,
of course, the other ups Logan Webb nine strikeouts for him,
he's been brilliant. Logan Web's thirty ninth start Welsh of
seven plus innings since twenty twenty three. That's four more
(29:20):
than anyone else in Major League Baseballs for that span.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
That's a great stat. That's a crazy stat right there.
That's a Logan Web is wildly underrated, valued every single
plenty and he had an awful spring. If you recall
this year where everybody was like, what's wrong with Logan Web?
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Guess what? Nothing? Nothing. He's having his best year effort
Byron Bucks and homer twice at a twelve five victory
as well. So he's got a bunch of Homer's the
last couple of days, the downs Kevin Gosman, he got
shelled seven runs four to third. BA boo. Bad day
for Kevin Gosman. Good thing I traded him in that deal.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
For Strider, you turn for Tommy Edmund Clail No I got.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
I traded McClanahan, Alcontra and Gossman and I got Spencer Strider.
And it was a keeper league. And I think I've
done okay so far on that deal. Clay Holmes walked
everybody six to be exact yesterday, and Francis scool Anddor
went hitless in its four straight game. He's only five
for thirty eight. He becomes an interesting by low at
this point in the season two, which brings us to
(30:15):
today's Microsoft Chasing Challengers segment of the day, because of course,
Microsoft is just like the athletes that push boundaries and
redefine what's possible. Microsoft is looking at the business issues
and makers today and are turning challenges into opportunities. And
Microsoft meets you where you are with tools and guidance
to help you make an impact with safe, secure AI solutions.
(30:35):
So whatever challenges are facing, Microsoft empowers you with the
expertise to say bring it on, and this segment we're
going to talk about the challenges with rookies, because I
feel like that's the theme today. Christian Campbell got sent
down after being brilliant in the month of April, coming
on strong right out of the gate. Everybody was super excited.
Then he absolutely tanked in the month of May. Then
you have other guys who are brilliant coming up through
(30:56):
the system, like Nick Kurtz and Jack cagleone and then
they struggled first. Either way, patience has to be practiced here.
As we said earlier in the show, these guys are bonuses.
They are not building blocks of your rosters in redraft.
If you're doing it that way, then the bonuses are
assets on your roster that eventually help you win leagues
or make trades to bring in other players to win leagues.
(31:18):
In keeper leagues is a different scenario. But if you're
using rookies as building blocks, inevitably you're going to have
too many peaks and values I think to win a
lot of championships in Redraft Fantasy. So keep this in mind.
As we have had a great year of rookies. Some
have performed well, some have not, Some have performed well,
then not performed well and gotten sent down, and others
(31:39):
like Dylan Cruz just we're still waiting on how that
works out at some point. So you're always going to
hit these ups and downs, these peaks and valleys. Understand
what their place is in your fantasy baseball league, and
if you use them correctly, they can be big difference makers.
So that is this week's Chasing Challenger segment. Remember Microsoft
AI solutions empower you to take old steps and have
(32:00):
new ideas to help drive your business forward. With Microsoft
as your trusted partner, you can navigate your journey with confidence,
finding innovative solutions and reaching new possibilities. Visit Microsoft dot
com Slash Challengers to learn more. All right, well, let's
get to some of the injuries. For an endo tatists,
we mentioned x Ray's negative going for the MRI. Are
you worried. I'm a little worried, Like, I don't know, Okay,
(32:22):
you think.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
I mean he's like he's always getting hurt, so I
always this one not like his fault, but yeah, I
mean I clearly like I'm like a little stressed about it.
I just want to see him back in the lineup.
But you know things are negative. I'm gonna hold the
positive all right.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
The Astros have a ton of news here, some good,
some bad. Your Alvarez has yet to resume hitting. Still,
that is bad. If you have Alvarez now, he looks
like he's just gonna crush your season, which is really
sad because he's had a really good run here and
this health, unfortunately is not great. Luis Garcia, he faced
live hitters next week, or he's going to Christian Xavier
through twenty pitches in a live VP session. So Garcia
(32:57):
and Xavier should be back in this rotation. Well, theoretically
they're getting Arogetti back. All of a sudden, the Astros
are getting a ton of pitching reinforcements without having to
move anything. I think that moves the needle for me
thinking about what the Astros can do this year. But
here's the problem. Without Alvarez, you don't have that big
straw that stirs that drink. So they've got to make
(33:18):
a move. If you have an abundance of pitching, you
look at these other teams, everyone's desperate for more of it.
Do you think you could see a move here where
the Astros flip a pitcher to try to big get
a bat here.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
I think they could try it, but they might need
to go get they might need both pieces. They might
need to pitcher in a bat like the thing when
you say like Javier and Luis Garcia and then you
think of McCullers, it's like, oh cool, that's one spot
in the rotation covered. Because someone is gonna be hurt
at all times, so they're gonna need depth there. I
think they look at it, but I think the division's tough.
I mean, the Mariners, they just got back all of
(33:50):
their pitchers. They got their dudes back, and that's like
the core while the offense has been going. That's the
core of why they're so great. You know, if the
Rangers decided to sell out, which we don't think they're
going to, I think there's still a problem wheny're gonna
get Evaldi back. So I tend to think that the
Astros are probably going to just kind of see if
it rights itself and then not make the playoffs because
(34:12):
they don't have a ton of fantastic, like you know,
minor league prospects to trade from. They got a couple,
they brought a bunch of them up and they've been Eh,
they got Bryce Matthews and the miners, but I just
don't think I have enough bullets to go and make
any impactful trade. So maybe they go into a depth trade,
but I think there's holes offensively and on the pitching side,
so I don't know. I just don't think they'll be aggressive.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
Yeah, I'm still looking at some of these teams unless
the Diamondbacks aside, and they're only three games out of
the wild card themselves. Like, there's not a lot of
bats out there that I feel like can really make
an impact and help right now, not on some of
these teams. And Robert's done nothing, Tony gonsol and got
moved to the sixty day IL, and apparently God Carlos Mendoza,
Mets manager, says that Montas, Frankie Montas, is gonna join
(34:53):
the rotation next week against the Braves. What's the over
for that game? Can I bet it? Now? I just
want to bet it because it's gonna be so.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Bad, like like freaking minto us, right, You're just like
so freaking mind and then Triple A starts, have you just.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Like yeah, well, look, I mean, why wouldn't I be
like Freggie Montas, Reggie Montas. When I look at what
they've done with every other scrappy pitcher, but he's been
terrible in the minor leagues, and I'm gonna throwhim against
the Braves the first time out. That's an awful idea.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Yeah, it's not a good start.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
No, if you want to throw it against the Marlins, Okay, fine,
let's see if you can get on track and maybe
you know, Hefner can do some stuff with him. Oh
the terrible idea.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Yeah, let's just get ahead of it, though, if you're
gonna ask the question, no, we're not starting freaky mind.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
No, we're not to forget get ahead of it. No,
Max Sures are so Mex Suser was good at his
rehab start, but he's still experiencing soreness in his thumb.
Now they say he's still gonna start anyway, But Welsh,
I don't know. This is starting to get like get
This is like woodrof territory is what we're getting here.
And we promise everybody we would do the all Star
break stuff, but the show had so much rookie stuff
and everything to talk about today. So we're gonna do
(35:52):
that next week. So we'll figure that out. Don't worry.
All Star voting is gonna happen here on the show.
It's gonna be a fun bit. We're gonna set it
up for everybody. Let's get two of the best bets
of the day with joeyp and the Welsh. Let's start
in uh. Let's see with the Texas Rangers here Jacob
de Gram against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. All give me
Texas on the run line minus one and a half
at minus won ten with da Gram on the mound
(36:14):
at offense is putrid. Give me the Yankees on the
run line two minus one and a half at minus
one thirteen and Max Freed against Baltimore. Sounds good. And
whenever you see the Yankees in Baltimore, that means one thing.
It's Aaron Judge time. Aaron Judge data home run plus
one seventy two. Nobody kills the team the way Aaron
Judge kills the Baltimore Orioles. And I know he's been cold.
(36:34):
It's a perfect time to heat up. The weather's getting
hot this weekend in New York. Ball is gonna fly
out of there, and Aaron Judge is gonna be hitting
home runs Welsh, Where are you going for your bets
for today?
Speaker 2 (36:44):
I am also gonna go to Texas. I'm gonna go
with Jacob de Gram over strikeouts point six point five.
It's almost even money, which I really like that number. Again,
I guess I can ever pick on the Pirates. I'm
just gonna do it. De Gram has had I mean,
this is one of those where it's like he strikes
out two or he strikes out nine, like he just
lives in that territory. So Pirates a really good matchup
(37:06):
minus one oh five. I mentioned with our boy the
not in Jail Diddy, did he air Fuintes. He's on
the mound Atlanta and Miami, isn't it right? Yeah? I
just the Florida threw me off, So yeah, fl I
don't know why. But Atlanta and Miami, I'm gonna go
with the overruns. They've got Junk Jason Junk up there
(37:26):
and Quintes, so I love.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
It's kind of weird, isn't it. Diddy's first start is against.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Junk well and Akunya is going to get that junk
out of there as well. So I'm gonna go with
the over total runs on that and then Milwaukee, Minnesota,
no run first inning, Miserowski and Joe Ryan. Miserowski was hitless,
you know, hitless in that first start. So I'm gonna
go Miserowski Joe Ryan hold it down, no run first inning.
(37:52):
That one's a little bit more juiced up. But there
you go, my friends. That is what I have for
my bets, all right.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Make sure you place your bets using go to fantasypros
dot com slash leading Off bet five bucks, get two
hundred and fifty and bonus bets if that bet hits
only on FanDuel again at fantasypros dot com Slash Leading Off,
download the Betting Pros app for free, and of course
use the tools there, including the prop bet cheat sheet
that's available right now. And you get these seven free
days of premium when you use that promo code leading Off,
(38:20):
So download it right now and then go use the
prop bet cheat sheet as well. So let's get to
the home run board. See what looks like after yesterday.
George still at the top, Wonkey's at twenty three, twenty
one still the number to get on the board. I
am now three away from that.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
But I'll never get on.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
I'm going Aaron judge for the weekend against the Orioles.
So I'm gonna be there. I'll see you on that
board on Monday, Boys and girls, I can get three
home runs from Aaron Joe. I get three tonight against
the Orioles. It's possible. Samy Sosa Jersey up for grabs. Welsh,
where are you going for your home run call this weekend?
Speaker 2 (38:50):
You're annoying optimism, like, oh, I'm in a good third.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
To lose, baby, I gotta get there before. I just
want to be on there one time before I leave
the show this year, and I'm close.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
I'm going ron I'm going Ronald d'acunya. He's taken junk
out of the stadium today. So Ronald d'acunya. I need, like,
I don't know two. I think I need him at nineteen,
so I need three to even get on the board.
I just don't think it's gonna happen. I think I
don't think time is not on our side. Cold Ice
Cold on the home run I haven't called. I've called
two homers I think in the last month, and it
(39:21):
was one guy on one day.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
So Ice Cold, I like, I think that's a good one.
He's been obso hot by the way. All right, that'll
do it for us, but the story of the game
goes on for the Welsh. I'm Joey P. We'll see
you next time. Kids. Have a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Baseball podcast.
If you love the show, the best freeway to support
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Fantasy Pros, and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube
dot com slash Fantasy Pros MLB
Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Pros MLB. This is leading
off live. It is me, Joey p Joe Pi's appear
with me of course is the Welsh and has all
of you the Peanuts and the Crackerjacks here on our
twitch Twitch dot tv slash Fantasy Pros. That's the place
to be. We have over a thousand followers now and
we're just getting cooking because guess what football seasons around
the corner. We'll be on here doing football stuff as well.
(00:25):
So if you just love sports or you just tolerate us, subscribe.
That's what you want to do with your Amazon Prime account.
Get rid of those nasty commercials. And of course you
can always watch us on our YouTube channel, Fantasy Pros MLB.
That's the place to be. Welsh good to see was
always my friend. We had some fun banter about some
classic films before we came in here. And you're wearing
your Fernando Tatis T shirt today, which I can only
(00:48):
assume is in solidarity with our boy Fernando.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I'm with him, I'm with the Fernando. I'm with him, yes,
one hundred percent. Yeah, I mean I'm in a not
good mood. Today, So I feel like I'm in. Yeah,
I'm in a not good mood today, so I feel
like I'm in with Fernando. I feel like I'm I'm
taking over for what Fernando's feeling today. A bench clearing brawl.
These teams just keep smacking each other with baseballs. Maybe
(01:16):
let's not hit the best players in baseball. Maybe when
we hit players, we don't hit Shohyotani and Fernando Tatis,
let's go hit you know whoever they had thirty five
year old that they just called up with the Padres
and let's go hit. I was gonna say, Andy Pieas,
but no, I.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Don't think you want to hit that.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Maybe you go hit Max Muncy and Jake Croninworth please.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah. Well, I mean, look, guys, get hit. It's baseball,
you know, and good. We could talk about all this
as we're in it right now. I mean, Shield did
what he was supposed to do. And to be honest
with you, the Otani reaction to me was the one
that was most choice, because he knew he was getting drilled.
He got drilled. He turned round to when everybody just
(01:59):
chill out, bro, everything's fine. Goes to first it's talking
to Arias at first, and he's just like hanging out
with him. He's like, hey man, everything's going show. Atani
is a g he is awesome. I love that guy,
just like, hey man, let's like whatever, let's just play baseball.
And he knew he was gonna get drilled. He got
drilled a tough spot too. So hopefully Tatis will be
(02:20):
okay again. X rays were negative. He's going for an MRI.
We'll see what that does. But we got a lot
to talk about today. We've got some incredible performances from
the rookies, and that's where I want to start. So
for everybody who's been panicking about Kurtz and caglioon, just
as a reminder, these guys, when they come up with
the rookies, they're not building blocks the a roster. They're
bonus babies. They're guys you want to have on your
(02:41):
roster so that when they start to hit, they either
become trade assets and redraft or they potentially become solutions
to problems in your lineup. If you've been banking on
them being starters, then you've already failed in your roster construction.
But as you can see, Nick Kurtz is getting hot.
Let's start with him to run homer bottom of the
tenth another walk off for him. He hasn't drawn a
(03:01):
walk in a month of June, but he's been more
aggressive and that has resulted as a six thirty six
slugging percentage for the twenty two year old. And he
is the youngest player in Major League Baseball history with
two walk off home runs in the same series, the
first A's player to ever do that in the fifty
games excuse me, in the last fifty seasons to walk
off two home runs in a calendar month at age
(03:23):
twenty two or younger. The last guy to do that
was Eddie Murray in nineteen seventy eight. So Nick Kurtz
looks confident. Nick Kurtz is hitting balls like launching balls,
flipping bats. That's the guy that I saw last year
on the tape, and that's the guy that I saw
in the minor leagues on tape, and this is the
guy that've been waiting for the big leagues. Welsh.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, kind of to what you said before. The one
of the difference in rookies are there are bonus babies
and CAGs and Kurts a bonus babies. But there's also
rookies that are not the guys that you drafted. They
do have roster equity, they do have like starting equity,
so they feel the little bit different. So you know,
a Christian Campbell or a cam Smith, they hurt a
(04:04):
little bit more, but sometimes they do get clumped in
a little bit. But really, at the end of the day,
you know, like you should do the best you can
when drafting rookies or picking up rookies to have your
backups to cover yourself because of the volatility. But this
is also it's just kind of like a this is
an easy algorithm. You know, like obviously we don't know
(04:24):
if these guys are going to work out, but guess
what if there's an amazing batter arm, Like there's the
potential to struggle. That's why, maybe annoyingly, but like when
these guys hit a buck fifty after two weeks and
we're like, hey, hold up, and you're like, oh, well, yeah,
it's because like it's a very small sample size. These
guys are adjusting kind of across the board. You need
(04:45):
a proper sample size, which also means need the proper
roster construction to be able to do if you're gonna
get in the game of dropping fab or waiver wires
on guys like Nick Kurtz and Kaglione, make sure that
you have some backups or some of the roster constructions
so you could hold on and not make it a
four day thing and cry about it. Because like Nick
Kurtz is bouncing back. He looked the profile, fourteen percent barrel,
(05:07):
almost fifty percent hard hit rate, a fifteen degree launch angle.
He's getting the ball in their and he's not even
pulling the ball, as you could see on those walk offs.
He hasn't even gotten to the level where he has
the ability to pull the ball. Yet. I think we're
in a good spot. I don't think he's an elite player,
but I do think that Nick Kurtz is a legitimate
shot to walk out with twenty plus homers, probably maybe
(05:27):
a subbish part batting average, and we have that ballpark,
a little bit of the ballpark that's going to benefit us.
So yeah, there's a little bit of I told you
so with Nick Kurtz, and obviously with kag Leana, we're
going to.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Talk about yeah. And look, I also think baseball is
a game of streaks. So when these guys are red
hot for six weeks, eight weeks down at Triple A,
double A, wherever they are, and they come up. It's
also just the nature of the beast that sometimes you
slow down, Like mentally, things are different, things are changing,
are at their comfort zone right, Like, there's a lot
to adjust to at the big league level. So you
just have to be patient. And if you've been patient,
you've been rewarded. Especially yesterday, speaking of them, Jack Kegleione
(06:01):
two home runs. The first one he hit too. His
first home run was hilarious because it was a ball
in his eyes that he hit. I want to say,
I saw Sarah Langs sweeted it's the since the stat
cast era, the highest ball that a rookie has hit
for a home run ever or something like that. Yeah,
it was some kind of absurd stat like that, and
I mean at his eyes and he just tomahawk that
bad boy out of there. Was pretty awesome. And then
(06:22):
this the home already hit, was in the same location
of the ballpark, but like thirty forty feet like further
than the first one. So just an incredible day for
both of those guys. I'm very happy for both of them.
Hopefully this builds the confidence. Again, it's just a matter
of I do think both of these guys are going
to grow into elite sluggers. Like I think we are
in a renaissance of slugging first baseman that we haven't
(06:43):
seen in a long time. It's been kind of a
kind of disappointing. You know, you've had like the Freeman's
of the Alonso's kind of keeping it real last couple
of years, Vladdy, you know, a couple of those guys.
But you know, back in the day, it was always
like every team had like a slugging first baseman. This
is fun and again we'll see if Kaglio six outfield
first base in the years to come. James would pair
(07:03):
of two run homers for him, including a walk off
in the eleventh. He's had a great season. You know,
Wood was one of our favorite draft values, and I
just want to take a moment here to talk about
how good of a season James Wood has had on
a team that has really been disappointing. We thought they
might be plucky, and they had a lot of talent
and stuff, and they've kind of been misery and they've
kind of been sleepwalking through the month of June pretty much.
(07:24):
But this was another great day for James Wood. And
as this guy continues to I think grow physically, James
Wood is going to be just an absolute superstar in
the league because he's still got a lot of weight
to put on, a lot of size. I think still
that he could put on that frame and when that happens,
he could be a forty home run guy someday.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Embarrassing that he's not on the All Star ball I mean,
he's on the ballot, but he's not in the current starters.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Well, he'll be an All Star though, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Know he'll be an All Star, But like he is
projecting out like the fans didn't put James Wood in
and it looks like he could have a forty twenty season.
He's got one of the more ridiculous from a profile perspective.
It is almost July. He has a fifty seven percent
hard hit rate, almost twenty percent baril rate, crazy ninety
four average exit velocity, he's walking more. His expected batting
(08:11):
average is actually better than he currently is. James Wood
isn't vying for just a super valuable piece. He's like
a It's kind of like an MVP type of discussion.
He's not gonna get it, oh no, but he's like,
it's that type. But it's that type of season that
James Wood is putting in together, massive, massive fantasy value,
(08:31):
you know, and we're not gonna do it today. I
think we're gonna do it next week or I might
do it when I'm not here. But talking about the
Fantasy All Stars, you know, he he's in that discussion.
If you really think about, like if you were to
pick one outfielder, you know, Corbyn Carroll, you and obviously
you have come back down Tatis. You paid first round
value for all those guys. Akunya got the second round.
(08:52):
But James Wood was like a third to fourth round
type of player that he justifiably really does kind of
belong in there. And I remember all off season long,
you know, we talked about him versus Wyat Langford. It
was one of those two and James Wood is just
kind of ye just what so just.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Has lapped him. Here's a one from Uncle Baby, Billy Kurtzer,
Jack kagleone and dynastylsh would you rather have you're the
Dynasty guy? I know my answer, and I think it's
gonna surprise you.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
I've got them really really close. I'm at the point where,
in long term betting, I'm going to bet on cagleone
to really impressed with Cagleon's strikeouts going low. I mean,
Kurtz is striking out like almost ten percent more than
him right now. I think kag Leon's homer potential is crazy,
you know, one of the things because you kind of
burned through CAGs. But he has a lot of untapped potential.
(09:38):
Everything he's doing, barrel hard hit, all that type of stuff.
He's he's in the like Vladimir Guerrero stage of his
rookie He's not getting the ball in the air. He's
got like a four degree lunch Agle right now. So
he's not even at the point where he's getting the
ball in the air where he can pull the living
crap out of it. And once he does start doing that,
it's gonna be like next level. You can see it,
just flick of the wrist, you know, look like what
(10:02):
is the what's the people with the wood lumberjacks? Lumberjack?
It looks like a lumberjack man.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Thank goodness, I don't want to get flagged again for
another thing. On our YouTube channel, yeah, what did we
get flagged? I don't know. But the funniest thing is
we did not get flagged for the Rusty Kunz conversation.
I'm just gonna say that just in case the YouTube
is watching again. Uh, here's one from Finner do drop
Sworderstrom for Kurtz and a ten man points like one
hundred percent, yes, one hundred percent. Yeah, ten man, it's
like you want the upside guy you can. If it
(10:31):
doesn't work out in two each you flip it around again.
But yeah, by the way, what's the people.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
That you have to be able to decipher me? Sometimes
like I can't. Sometimes the thing isn't there, So.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Yes, sometimes the thing is not there.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Joe knows Joe can speak Welsh.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I do.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
I am fluent in Welsh, but I also know well
enough sometimes where I like to let you wallow in
your Welshness because if I do, I know I'm going
to get a Welshism that's going to be a gem,
because your brain's gonna eventually go to two different places
and try to put something together and it's gonna be fantastic.
More on that to come on the show. By the way,
speaking of our friend Rusty Kunz. Did you know he
(11:07):
played on the eighty four Tigers. I just want to remind.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
You I didn't. I saw some which is where Cecil.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Fielder also played. And we're giving away the Cecilfielder jersey still.
So drop your comments below, subscribe to the YouTube channel,
and you might win it again. That's all you have
to do. Autographed by Cecil Fielder from Pristine Auction dot
Com ring the bells to leg Goes Dang on Fantasy
Pros MLB. When you subscribe to drop your comments and
you might win this bad Way giveaway for the month
of June. Big dadd ain't I'm a forty five Tigers jersey.
(11:32):
If we'll get hell Lou Whitaker Alan Trammel one next,
that'd be fun. Let's get to the Mets being terrible
and the Braves being good, and I bet the Braves
to make the playoffs at plus two point fifty and
now it's under two hundred currently, just putting that out there. Yeah,
I'm just saying. Spencer Strider was terrific. I watched him yesterday.
(11:53):
One run, six innings, eight strikeouts, the Mets pitchers walk
nine guys or something by the fifth inning. Was ridiculous.
So Strider was topping out at ninety eight point four,
his average fastball was at ninety six. So again, I
feel like we've turned the corner here, and for everybody
that was impatient and made bad decisions and traded Spencer Stryder,
(12:14):
to me, as some people did, it looks like that
corner has been turned in. Strider's officially back, and so
were the Braves as well. I just want to say, Welsh,
They've got a big series coming up against the Mets
next week, against the Phillies as well coming up soon.
They handle their business. They are right back in this
bad Boy. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Well, and I don't know if you saw the rumor
two moving into the Mets just for a second, but
remember I had mentioned like, you probably want to get
some rotation help, and you were like, but their pictures
are so great, they're not. Now all the pitchers are
falling apart. They need depth, and that the Mets are
now potentially going to be looking in the pitching market
to get some more depth, because that's the thing that's
going to kind of hold you tight. And the Braves
(12:53):
they got the hot streak right now, even though Albi's
and Michael Harris aren't doing anything for them. Acunya has
stepped up the pitchers, Schwellenbach has found that rhythm. Chris
Sale looks like a cy young winner, and Spencer Strider
is like at least ninety to ninety five percent back,
you know, I mean like like we've seen some better
eras I think from Strider. I guess it was three, eight,
six and two twenty twenty three. But yeah, the K
(13:17):
numbers are back, the walk numbers are I mean, everything's stabilizing.
I guess it's a better way to say it, like
he is stabilizing, which is a positive.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
And the Mets pitching was always pitching over their heads,
so it was going to come back down to earth.
But the injuries have hurt too, So health has been
an issue. I'll tell you what. The way we're gonna
talk about Vard Cabrera in a second two. Cabrera is
really building up his trade value also from the Marlins,
So Cabrera all contra those guys out there. We'll keep
an eye on that. Also, we've been keeping an eye
We mentioned this on a was a Monday or Tuesday show.
(13:45):
Was earlier in the week. Ryan Kirkering got another safe
against the Marlins. So Welsh we said to speculate. If
you speculate and you've added him for nothing, it's feeling
like by the time the end of the weekend rolls around,
it might cost you a couple bucks to add this
guy for saves. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Probably, And you know they kind of kept going back.
That's the thing. I kind of felt like they might
not keep going back. But that's why you speculate, because
if something turns in that direction, and if it's worked,
if it's broke, if it ain't broke, they ain't gonna
fix It's not exactly the same. I shouldn't have saying
if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Sure, Pete grow Armstrong and two run Homer for him.
He's the first guy to the twenty twenty club this season,
so good on him. Fun fact though about him. I
was doing some research for the Sunday TV show on
sports Grid. You shall watch me over there Sundays eight
to ten on your streaming services on sports Grid is
the only place you're cana fy a two hour fancy
baseball show. That's for damn sure. But fun fact about him.
(14:44):
Despite the twenty twenty and all the success that he's had.
I did some digging because we talked about Splitsville, his
splits Verst. Right handed pitching, hitting three or four with
a nine to fifty eight ops. Awesome first lefties this
year one to eighty five batting average a six thirty
four OPS. I continue to be blown away by the
success of Peekrow Armstrong. I like him. He's fun to watch.
(15:04):
He's my kind of player. He's very exciting, he's very
into it, like you just you love Peekrol Armstrong if
you love baseball. But I'm still super concerned about this pace.
And I know he's already basically returned as draft stock,
like he's giving you twenty twenty ready, so it doesn't matter,
so you're not gonna trade him. But it's one of
those things where I keep looking at it. I'm going,
you know, when is the shoe gonna drop? When's the
shoe gonna drop? Because I feel like it's it's inevitable,
(15:27):
and I feel like I'm gonna be at the Black Book,
you know, and I'm gonna be writing about Peek Crow
Armstrong be Like. After an incredible twenty twenty first half
of the season, Peekrol Armstrong fell apart of the second,
I feel like that profile is coming. I don't want
to write that profile, but I kind of feel like
it's I don't want to say inevitable, but possible.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
It probably will because like I just made a very
significant adjustment in my Dynasty ranks of Dynasty ranks on
my in this league, in this league, dot Com, Patreon.
But I'll also be today updating the ranks on Fantasy
Pros for the back end stuff, so make sure you
guys have your your logins and everything. But like I
made a big adjustment for Pete Crow Armstrong and that
(16:07):
will probably be the reason why he now backtracks because
it's been it's been absurd. The stolen bases are crazy,
the batting average is supportive. Just profile stuff, the profile
stuff that I want to I'm going to look at
to be like, oh, can this guy continue being a slugger.
It's there, you know. I mean, he's making tons and
tons of contact. He's seven percent increase in his zone contact.
(16:30):
But yeah, he does have there's some splits in there
that kind of worry you a little bit. So I
think he comes back down to the earth. I've always
been open in redraft to at this point because you
made the most interesting point you made is that he
may have already returned to your whole season value.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Yeah, it's over, So like twenty can we go on?
What more are you walking?
Speaker 2 (16:47):
You if you think there's like a thing or two
that you know, maybe he ticks down, but you could
get first round return value, which, by the way, that
is Pete Roh Armstrong's like return value his trade value
right now, his first round. So you should get nothing
less than what a first rounder would get. Then I
think I'm open to it. You can make your team better.
But the problem is is like if he doesn't come
back down to Earth and he continues to destroy righty's
(17:09):
and improves against lefties, he might he might end up
being a forty forty guy this year. So I don't know.
It's really tough to say, but because I am backing
him more in Dynasty, he should probably.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Well, the Dynasty keeper situation is totally different, Like if
you could flip him for Fernando Tatias or something absurd,
like you do that if there's a proven asset that
somebody wants to give you for Picrow Armstrong, let's have
to get down year. I would take it in the second,
but in redraft you're just holding because everything else is bonus.
Now twenty twenty, that's great. Who dat cheered some one hundred? Here?
Would you trade away Michael Garcia, Roman Anthony and a
(17:39):
next year third round pick for Chris Sale many Matchado
an eleventh round pick, twelve team head to head category league.
If I'm trying to win this year, I want Chris
sale So I'm good with this. There's a win now trade.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I mean, it's clearly a win now in trade. I
don't know. Roman Anthony is like a top fifty dynasty
asset right now. Chris Salees a million years old, Ay
Machado is about to be thirty four. If I did it,
I'm not treading a third round or two. I honestly, like,
I know, you have to have like extra little pieces.
(18:11):
I don't know, man, I don't want to do that one.
But if your ultimate win now that those are fantastic
win now pieces, get that pick up, Swap those picks.
The Roman Anthony gives a tenth rounder, eleventh rounder, and
then you get a third rounder back or something like that.
Roman Anthony hasn't clicked, but from a dynasty perspective. Most
dynasty leagues, you're not getting a caliber of play of
(18:33):
Roman Anthony for a couple thirty four year olds or
thirty six or thirty seven year olds. So that's a
weird trade. I tend to say not, but it clearly
makes your team better, no doubt about it. All.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Right, Now, yesterday we did a little bit of math. Oh,
by the way, Beattie says, there's some mixture stuff there.
What's the wouldn't keep?
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Okay, that makes a different right there. So if you're
not going to keep Roman Anthony, then yeah, sure, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Okay, there you go. Let's remind her by yesterday show
in case you missed it, we were talking about some
of the the math of Paul Skeen's potentially getting more
wins and how the lack of wins could hurt him. Well,
yesterday was another Paul Sken's esque performance and another no
decision against the Tigers. Nine strikeout, six runnings, two run
baseball here. But he did walk five guys that I
(19:16):
do want to tell you, So that was not great.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
But I told you thirty percent of the time he
needed thirty three point five percent of his start.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Well, I don't want to make you be able to win.
We interviewed Welsh before the show to give you the
full math, because I know you struggle with it. So
let's take a look at that right now. You know what,
I forget Steiner math. It's all about the Welsh math,
and now it makes perfect sense. Thank you for clearing that.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Up for as well. It makes sense, little Joe.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Yeah, that was Oh goodness, gracious God bless Scott Steiner.
All right, let's go for some transactions here, Emma she
and got sent down to triple A. People are freaking out.
I just think it's procedural right now, so I wouldn't
freak out. Wells should people freak out about him and
she Han being sent down?
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I don't think you should freak out about m and
she Hen, But yeah, I mean I didn't. I didn't
even get into the reading. If it was one hundred
percent procedural, I imagine he'll be back soon. But not
what anybody wanted when they were like banking on Emtry
Hen's gonna save my rotation or whatever.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Yeah. No. Jeff passing A reported yesterday that the Red
Sox demoted Christian Campbell, so the slash for the month
of May was one fifty three, two twenty two. That'll
get you sent down. Look, they made an investment in
Christian Campbell, he'll be back. Great time to buy on
him in Dynasty, I would think, right.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah, very very good time, very very good time. Probably
pushed way outside like a top one hundred. I mean
he's still young and everything like that. But you know,
positional changes the league adjusted to him. This is like
this is this is Welsh math, by the way, this
is real Welsh math.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
War.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
You have top prospect who comes up, rakes a bit,
then struggles beyond belief and gets sent down forty eight
percent of the time. You want to make a move
to that sixty seven percent where it's going to work
out in favor of you. So go and buy these
post hype rookie guys who have been sent back down
(21:06):
one hundred percent, especially Christian Campbell, not all of them.
Campbell is one.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Yeah, all right, the Blade did well, rookie. Lookie, time's
gonna get the season opener for the Phillies against the Phillies.
I should say, uh so that's not going well, and
the Met's rotation is not going well. Also, this is
a fun one too, because he's twenty years old. Is
I think it's Dittier or Didier? I don't know yet.
Either way, let's call him Ditty or Fuentes Kah Diddy
(21:32):
did find I don't know if we shot him Diddy,
And you know you don't want to get this video flag.
I definitely don't think we should say that. So Fuentest
is getting called up from the Braves. Last four games
for him eighteen innings between Double A and Triple A.
Over those eighteen innings, twelve hits, five earned, four walks,
twenty three strikeouts. Now, this is like that fast track
stuff that they do. The Braves are famous for this, right,
they get these live young arms, they fast track him through.
(21:54):
So it's great because if you have, you know, weekly transactions,
you can see what the starts. So depending on what
that looks like today, what do you think the prediction
of the Fuintes fab spend might be come Sunday.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Night unless he goes off? I mean, I'm going to
tell you right now, I am betting against it. Dude,
just turn twenty years old. I think they said he
is the youngest call up since twenty nineteen, so and
putting him right into the rotation. It shades of like
aj Smith Schaffer when he was up, like he might
be decent. I think everyone is going to be pretty
(22:31):
timid about it unless he goes off. If win, this
is like six innings and eight strikeouts, it gives up
three hits and stuff, then I think people will drop
some fab But I think we all kind of know
younger guy. If he were to stay, maybe he's gonna
end up being a bullpen piece this team. They're not
going to like probably rely on him in that rotation,
so I would think they could use him more in
(22:52):
the bullpen long term. I think it's interesting. He's had
a phenomenal minor leg He's ad a good minor league season.
It's actually not phenomenal. It hasn't been like, you know,
one point to eire the entire season like it's good.
I think they like his fastball slider combination. We'll see
if did he can stay, Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
We shall see there. Let's get to some I want
to get a couple of pops on some starting pitchers
here that maybe you know, are so floating around in
leagues or could be available. Jacob Lopez has gone twelve innings.
In his last two starts, right, he's given up just
one run. He's got back to back outings with nine strikeouts.
So he's got eighteen innings. Excuse me, eighteen strikeouts and
(23:31):
twelve innings. Now, I know Lopez has taken some lumps
at times, but this one kind of made me go,
oh wow, this is, you know, kind of worth noting
and understanding. So do you have any thoughts about Lopez
and what he's done in these back to back starts
here for the athletic because if you're desperate for pitching
and you're looking for a streamer. I think he's got
the Tigers next week, which is not like the best situation.
I could be wrong on this, which maybe the worst maybe,
(23:52):
But at the same time, it's like, look, you know,
if he has another gut start against the Tigers and
forget it, like, you're never gonna be you know, people
are gonna be all over him. So what do you
think about this recent success from Lopez.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
I'm gonna pass it is interesting. It's been a nice
little run. But you're talking about like this is an
average ninety mile an hour fastball guy. His slider, it's
a real slow, sweepy slider. It has a thirty percent
with rate, but his forcing fastball has a thirty one
percent with rate. That's not going to continue. All the
secondaries are okay, I'm not looking at stuff plus numbers,
(24:26):
but I'm gonna guess they're all below average. People are
pulling the ball. Actually, he's one of the worst in
baseball and people being able to pull the ball, plus
his own ballpark, so I'm a pass. It's been a
nice little run, but I'm not going to jump on.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Well. He also has RP eligibility, to which I know
in some.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Leagues is yeah, maybe Points League, like if he doesn't
get blown up, like I have kind of bet against
him a couple of times, and he's not gotten blown up,
so maybe Points League he's more applicable.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
All right, Another one too, Edward Cabrera. We spntioned him
at the top of the show too, But another good
performance by him. He had two hits over six and
thirty innings. That's the most he's worked in any outing
this year. I feel like Cabrera is in otherwise, guys,
and you know, we joked earlier in the year because
Lance Brazowski was big on Max Meyer and Cabrera and
(25:10):
Meyer looked terrific, and then Cabrera looked terrible again, and
then they seem to have flip flopped here, and then
the health of Meyer becomes something too. But Edward Cabrera
is starting to feel like a guy that maybe want
to pick up in a trade, like in a package
deal kind of thing, and just see what blooms for him.
So why are we getting this new version of Cabrera
who's been so uneconomical and so inconsistent over most of
(25:31):
his career.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Now, well, I mean, one thing is he's just overperforming
because if you look same ish k percentage, he's dialed
that down walks about the same, but they're just like
a tiny bit less quality of contact still kind of
looks generally the same. The secondaries have induced some pretty
big whiff numbers. Last year, curveball was thirty nine percent
(25:56):
with rate. It's forty one percent this year. And he's
thrown his slider more. So that must be the big key.
Because he threw a slider about eight percent of the
time last year, He's thrown at fifteen percent of the time,
and that is an over forty percent with rate pitch
as well, So he is primary change up. Oh and
I guess the other thing I didn't even notice was
he's moved from a fastball to a sinker to just
a heavy sinker. So he's killed the RPMs on it
(26:18):
a little bit. That's probably you know, seeing eye change,
and then he's dropping this slider and more so that
pitch arsenal change has made him just a little bit
more dominant. And obviously he's with the Marlins. He's kind
of whatever value. I kind of think he I think
he's a tough guy to trade over Sandy, but if
he were to be traded, it's kind of we're back
to that. Like someone was asking us about Mitch Keller.
(26:39):
They were just like, what am I missing about Mitch Keller?
And we're like, well, listen, he's got quality.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
He talked about what he starts at the Yin Yang.
I mean, you know what you want, like quality start.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
He's going six innings.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
That record will be nine to one if he pitched
for the Yankees. With that.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Again, he doesn't have big strikeouts, which is kind of
stinky and stuff. But guess what I think Cabrera is
kind of maybe a little bit more walk heavy, but
he's got higher strike out upside, But I don't know
if he you know so, like I think those guys a.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Project in the right place. They'll just say the right organization.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
He's a very I'm more interested, way more interested in
Cabrera than I am.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Jacob Lopez, Gavin Williams shout out the giants yesterday six
struck out six excuse me a no decision on Thursday. Also,
Kyle Harrison, since he got sent to Triple A. People
wondering why he got sent to Triple A. Well, apparently
he's adding a cutter and working on using his sinker
more so. If that's the case, I'm very excited to
see what we get from Kyle Harrison going forward in
(27:29):
the and he will inevitably get some stars with the
Red Sox this year. It's just it's going to happen.
A couple pieces of note as well in terms of history.
Nolan Aeronato hit his three hundred and fiftieth career home
run and Juan Soto got his one thousandth hit. He's
got more walks than anybody else in the history of
baseball at that age to have a thousand hits, So
just putting that out there, that's pretty stunning, and you
(27:51):
can keep going for all the I saw another stat too,
I'd have to find it. I have to pull that
up there, but I had to do with the amount
of times that he has led I think of the
league and walks in a month. I think I have
it here. Here you go, so fun fact here Juan
Soto won soda leads the Major League baseballs and walks
this month. That's a seventeenth time he's done it in
(28:12):
his career. The next most times in a month and
a player has done that before turning twenty seven Babe
Ruth and Mickey Mantle each with nine, and he's done
it seventeen times. When you start getting mentioned in like
Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams things, I mean that
just tells you where the career is going for Sodo.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yeah, I was like, where's bonds? But you said the
before twenty seven thing? Because I think if you expand me,
I would like to hear how many months bonds led
and walks.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Well, go take it up with the stat heads. I'm
just here to report the stats, all right. Three up
and three down. Here Xander Bogart's four for four with
a homer five three win there for the Padres over
the Dodgers. They hung on too. That that was the
weirdest part too about all that was you had the
situation where Otani gets hit in a very precarious ninth
(28:59):
inning too, which I was like, Oh, do you really
want to do this now? Is this the time we
want to do this? Like you really want to give
up this game? Just for the integrity they got out
of it. But still definitely one of those weirder ones. Then,
of course, the other ups Logan Webb nine strikeouts for him,
he's been brilliant. Logan Web's thirty ninth start Welsh of
seven plus innings since twenty twenty three. That's four more
(29:20):
than anyone else in Major League Baseballs for that span.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
That's a great stat. That's a crazy stat right there.
That's a Logan Web is wildly underrated, valued every single
plenty and he had an awful spring. If you recall
this year where everybody was like, what's wrong with Logan Web?
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Guess what? Nothing? Nothing. He's having his best year effort
Byron Bucks and homer twice at a twelve five victory
as well. So he's got a bunch of Homer's the
last couple of days, the downs Kevin Gosman, he got
shelled seven runs four to third. BA boo. Bad day
for Kevin Gosman. Good thing I traded him in that deal.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
For Strider, you turn for Tommy Edmund Clail No I got.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
I traded McClanahan, Alcontra and Gossman and I got Spencer Strider.
And it was a keeper league. And I think I've
done okay so far on that deal. Clay Holmes walked
everybody six to be exact yesterday, and Francis scool Anddor
went hitless in its four straight game. He's only five
for thirty eight. He becomes an interesting by low at
this point in the season two, which brings us to
(30:15):
today's Microsoft Chasing Challengers segment of the day, because of course,
Microsoft is just like the athletes that push boundaries and
redefine what's possible. Microsoft is looking at the business issues
and makers today and are turning challenges into opportunities. And
Microsoft meets you where you are with tools and guidance
to help you make an impact with safe, secure AI solutions.
(30:35):
So whatever challenges are facing, Microsoft empowers you with the
expertise to say bring it on, and this segment we're
going to talk about the challenges with rookies, because I
feel like that's the theme today. Christian Campbell got sent
down after being brilliant in the month of April, coming
on strong right out of the gate. Everybody was super excited.
Then he absolutely tanked in the month of May. Then
you have other guys who are brilliant coming up through
(30:56):
the system, like Nick Kurtz and Jack cagleone and then
they struggled first. Either way, patience has to be practiced here.
As we said earlier in the show, these guys are bonuses.
They are not building blocks of your rosters in redraft.
If you're doing it that way, then the bonuses are
assets on your roster that eventually help you win leagues
or make trades to bring in other players to win leagues.
(31:18):
In keeper leagues is a different scenario. But if you're
using rookies as building blocks, inevitably you're going to have
too many peaks and values I think to win a
lot of championships in Redraft Fantasy. So keep this in mind.
As we have had a great year of rookies. Some
have performed well, some have not, Some have performed well,
then not performed well and gotten sent down, and others
(31:39):
like Dylan Cruz just we're still waiting on how that
works out at some point. So you're always going to
hit these ups and downs, these peaks and valleys. Understand
what their place is in your fantasy baseball league, and
if you use them correctly, they can be big difference makers.
So that is this week's Chasing Challenger segment. Remember Microsoft
AI solutions empower you to take old steps and have
(32:00):
new ideas to help drive your business forward. With Microsoft
as your trusted partner, you can navigate your journey with confidence,
finding innovative solutions and reaching new possibilities. Visit Microsoft dot
com Slash Challengers to learn more. All right, well, let's
get to some of the injuries. For an endo tatists,
we mentioned x Ray's negative going for the MRI. Are
you worried. I'm a little worried, Like, I don't know, Okay,
(32:22):
you think.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
I mean he's like he's always getting hurt, so I
always this one not like his fault, but yeah, I
mean I clearly like I'm like a little stressed about it.
I just want to see him back in the lineup.
But you know things are negative. I'm gonna hold the
positive all right.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
The Astros have a ton of news here, some good,
some bad. Your Alvarez has yet to resume hitting. Still,
that is bad. If you have Alvarez now, he looks
like he's just gonna crush your season, which is really
sad because he's had a really good run here and
this health, unfortunately is not great. Luis Garcia, he faced
live hitters next week, or he's going to Christian Xavier
through twenty pitches in a live VP session. So Garcia
(32:57):
and Xavier should be back in this rotation. Well, theoretically
they're getting Arogetti back. All of a sudden, the Astros
are getting a ton of pitching reinforcements without having to
move anything. I think that moves the needle for me
thinking about what the Astros can do this year. But
here's the problem. Without Alvarez, you don't have that big
straw that stirs that drink. So they've got to make
(33:18):
a move. If you have an abundance of pitching, you
look at these other teams, everyone's desperate for more of it.
Do you think you could see a move here where
the Astros flip a pitcher to try to big get
a bat here.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
I think they could try it, but they might need
to go get they might need both pieces. They might
need to pitcher in a bat like the thing when
you say like Javier and Luis Garcia and then you
think of McCullers, it's like, oh cool, that's one spot
in the rotation covered. Because someone is gonna be hurt
at all times, so they're gonna need depth there. I
think they look at it, but I think the division's tough.
I mean, the Mariners, they just got back all of
(33:50):
their pitchers. They got their dudes back, and that's like
the core while the offense has been going. That's the
core of why they're so great. You know, if the
Rangers decided to sell out, which we don't think they're
going to, I think there's still a problem wheny're gonna
get Evaldi back. So I tend to think that the
Astros are probably going to just kind of see if
it rights itself and then not make the playoffs because
(34:12):
they don't have a ton of fantastic, like you know,
minor league prospects to trade from. They got a couple,
they brought a bunch of them up and they've been Eh,
they got Bryce Matthews and the miners, but I just
don't think I have enough bullets to go and make
any impactful trade. So maybe they go into a depth trade,
but I think there's holes offensively and on the pitching side,
so I don't know. I just don't think they'll be aggressive.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
Yeah, I'm still looking at some of these teams unless
the Diamondbacks aside, and they're only three games out of
the wild card themselves. Like, there's not a lot of
bats out there that I feel like can really make
an impact and help right now, not on some of
these teams. And Robert's done nothing, Tony gonsol and got
moved to the sixty day IL, and apparently God Carlos Mendoza,
Mets manager, says that Montas, Frankie Montas, is gonna join
(34:53):
the rotation next week against the Braves. What's the over
for that game? Can I bet it? Now? I just
want to bet it because it's gonna be so.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Bad, like like freaking minto us, right, You're just like
so freaking mind and then Triple A starts, have you just.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Like yeah, well, look, I mean, why wouldn't I be
like Freggie Montas, Reggie Montas. When I look at what
they've done with every other scrappy pitcher, but he's been
terrible in the minor leagues, and I'm gonna throwhim against
the Braves the first time out. That's an awful idea.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Yeah, it's not a good start.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
No, if you want to throw it against the Marlins, Okay, fine,
let's see if you can get on track and maybe
you know, Hefner can do some stuff with him. Oh
the terrible idea.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Yeah, let's just get ahead of it, though, if you're
gonna ask the question, no, we're not starting freaky mind.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
No, we're not to forget get ahead of it. No,
Max Sures are so Mex Suser was good at his
rehab start, but he's still experiencing soreness in his thumb.
Now they say he's still gonna start anyway, But Welsh,
I don't know. This is starting to get like get
This is like woodrof territory is what we're getting here.
And we promise everybody we would do the all Star
break stuff, but the show had so much rookie stuff
and everything to talk about today. So we're gonna do
(35:52):
that next week. So we'll figure that out. Don't worry.
All Star voting is gonna happen here on the show.
It's gonna be a fun bit. We're gonna set it
up for everybody. Let's get two of the best bets
of the day with joeyp and the Welsh. Let's start
in uh. Let's see with the Texas Rangers here Jacob
de Gram against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. All give me
Texas on the run line minus one and a half
at minus won ten with da Gram on the mound
(36:14):
at offense is putrid. Give me the Yankees on the
run line two minus one and a half at minus
one thirteen and Max Freed against Baltimore. Sounds good. And
whenever you see the Yankees in Baltimore, that means one thing.
It's Aaron Judge time. Aaron Judge data home run plus
one seventy two. Nobody kills the team the way Aaron
Judge kills the Baltimore Orioles. And I know he's been cold.
(36:34):
It's a perfect time to heat up. The weather's getting
hot this weekend in New York. Ball is gonna fly
out of there, and Aaron Judge is gonna be hitting
home runs Welsh, Where are you going for your bets
for today?
Speaker 2 (36:44):
I am also gonna go to Texas. I'm gonna go
with Jacob de Gram over strikeouts point six point five.
It's almost even money, which I really like that number. Again,
I guess I can ever pick on the Pirates. I'm
just gonna do it. De Gram has had I mean,
this is one of those where it's like he strikes
out two or he strikes out nine, like he just
lives in that territory. So Pirates a really good matchup
(37:06):
minus one oh five. I mentioned with our boy the
not in Jail Diddy, did he air Fuintes. He's on
the mound Atlanta and Miami, isn't it right? Yeah? I
just the Florida threw me off, So yeah, fl I
don't know why. But Atlanta and Miami, I'm gonna go
with the overruns. They've got Junk Jason Junk up there
(37:26):
and Quintes, so I love.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
It's kind of weird, isn't it. Diddy's first start is against.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Junk well and Akunya is going to get that junk
out of there as well. So I'm gonna go with
the over total runs on that and then Milwaukee, Minnesota,
no run first inning, Miserowski and Joe Ryan. Miserowski was hitless,
you know, hitless in that first start. So I'm gonna
go Miserowski Joe Ryan hold it down, no run first inning.
(37:52):
That one's a little bit more juiced up. But there
you go, my friends. That is what I have for
my bets, all right.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Make sure you place your bets using go to fantasypros
dot com slash leading Off bet five bucks, get two
hundred and fifty and bonus bets if that bet hits
only on FanDuel again at fantasypros dot com Slash Leading Off,
download the Betting Pros app for free, and of course
use the tools there, including the prop bet cheat sheet
that's available right now. And you get these seven free
days of premium when you use that promo code leading Off,
(38:20):
So download it right now and then go use the
prop bet cheat sheet as well. So let's get to
the home run board. See what looks like after yesterday.
George still at the top, Wonkey's at twenty three, twenty
one still the number to get on the board. I
am now three away from that.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
But I'll never get on.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
I'm going Aaron judge for the weekend against the Orioles.
So I'm gonna be there. I'll see you on that
board on Monday, Boys and girls, I can get three
home runs from Aaron Joe. I get three tonight against
the Orioles. It's possible. Samy Sosa Jersey up for grabs. Welsh,
where are you going for your home run call this weekend?
Speaker 2 (38:50):
You're annoying optimism, like, oh, I'm in a good third.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
To lose, baby, I gotta get there before. I just
want to be on there one time before I leave
the show this year, and I'm close.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
I'm going ron I'm going Ronald d'acunya. He's taken junk
out of the stadium today. So Ronald d'acunya. I need, like,
I don't know two. I think I need him at nineteen,
so I need three to even get on the board.
I just don't think it's gonna happen. I think I
don't think time is not on our side. Cold Ice
Cold on the home run I haven't called. I've called
two homers I think in the last month, and it
(39:21):
was one guy on one day.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
So Ice Cold, I like, I think that's a good one.
He's been obso hot by the way. All right, that'll
do it for us, but the story of the game
goes on for the Welsh. I'm Joey P. We'll see
you next time. Kids. Have a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Baseball podcast.
If you love the show, the best freeway to support
us is by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts
or Spotify. Follow us on x, Instagram, and TikTok at
Fantasy Pros, and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube
dot com slash Fantasy Pros MLB
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