May 16, 2025 • 42 mins
Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17) and Chris Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) recorded this episode of "Leading Off" LIVE on Twitch!
Join Joe Pisapia, Chris Welsh and the Peanuts &Cracker Jacks at 12 p.m. ET at twitch.tv/fantasypros every weekday for industry-leading fantasy baseball advice and to have your questions answered on the stream!
Timestamps: (May be off due to ads):
Intro - 0:00:00
Signed Jose Ramirez Jersey Giveaway - 0:03:21
Jacob deGrom and Hunter Brown- 0:03:41
Shohei Ohtani - 0:09:24
Hyesong Kim - 0:09:34
Ronald Acuna Jr. - 0:11:25
Spencer Strider - 0:12:19
Drake Baldwin - 0:12:25
Matt McLain - 0:13:37
Transactions - 0:14:00
Rookie Lookie - 0:16:43
Microsoft Challenger Segment - 0:20:55
3 Up, 3 Down - 0:22:48
Max Muncy, Jake Burger, and Brandon Lowe - 0:22:52
Osvaldo Bido, Kevin Gausman, and Tomoyuki Sugano - 0:23:17
Injury Updates - 0:23:34
MLB Best Bets - 0:25:24
HR Board and HR Calls - 0:28:09
Chat Q&A - 0:29:45
Outro - 0:41:46
Helpful Links:
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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 Bros. MLB. This is leading
off live. It is me, Joey p joe Pisipia back
in the chair with of course the Welsh and all
of you, the Peanuts and the Crackerjack. Shout out to
Joel Rico for covering me yesterday on the program. It's
great to see everybody again. It's Rivalry weekend, and I
gotta tell you, well, it's just the first time in
a very long time I am really excited about Mets Yankees.
(00:29):
Mets Yankees. I don't know if you realize this. When
Air League play started, this was the hottest ticket in town.
The whole world just would stop for Mets Yankees in
the Tri State area both times. And I mean like
if you were at an event on a Saturday, it's
some bar mitzvah, or you know, you were at a
kid's soccer game, whatever, everything was stopping for Mets Yankees,
(00:50):
doing what's the score? What's going on? It was madness, right,
and then it kind of just dissipated over the years.
But now last year with the Mets kicking there but
a little bit, and now the one Sodo stuff and
now he's gonna go back to New York. It's got
a juice that it hasn't had. I don't know, man,
in fifteen years easily, I'm excited about it. I'm excited
about Rivalry weekend here in New York City.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
It's a very East Coast things I could care less.
I had not thought what one moment about, Man, I
wonder what's gonna happen in the Subway series. I remember
a long time ago, Bogman and I were invited to
do this interview with this New York radio station and
they had us, you know, they okay, but and they
had us on, and one of the first things the
(01:32):
guy out of his mouth, he goes so he's like,
how about that James Dolan stuff and this basketball thing?
And we were both befuddled and we were like huh.
And it was a complete like I don't know what's
going on, and it was a complete East Coast by.
She's like, oh, well, you know, there's like ruined in
the Knicks and we're like, okay, you New Yorkers, You
New Yorkers love you some New York and think the
(01:56):
center of the universe is there. But I will tell
you it's gonna be a great series. The extra drama
with Sodo is gonna make it a ton more fun.
But I have not lost one ounce of sleep of excitement.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
For right free Week. I'll have all the excitement for you.
You know, It's been the same with Yankees Red Sox.
I was not a Yankee fan, nor a Red Sox fan,
but Yankee Red Sox was much must watch television for years,
especially in the playoffs, and then after they won, after
the Red Sox finally came back and beat them in
that magical Year of four, it just never had the
same juice again. It just did. It never did for me.
(02:31):
So I'd love to see that Baseball is better when
there's rivalries, right like right now. You know, when I
grew up, I was the Mets and Cardinals. That was
the rivalry, and then as I got older, it was
the Mets and Atlanta Braves. I don't know if you
feel like Diamondbacks Dodgers of rivalry, because rivalries like Giants
and Dodgers typically that's like the main one in the.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
West Nwmondbacks have kind of taken that over a little
bit over the last ten years, so it's there. But
to your point, I've probably suffered from, especially in baseball,
like coming to Arizona, being here from day one, like
we're not anybody's really rival.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, that story maybe to get.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Why New York is the thing. But again, yeah, center
of the universe, like.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yeah, you guys, you know, but even in the baseball universe.
Sodo going back to Yankee Stadium tonight, that's gonna be fun.
Like it's gonna it's gonna let's go, let's go.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I'm here for the Boo Birds for Sodo, but he's
gonna give Boo Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, And I can't wait for a Nit home run.
I can't wait. It's gonna be great. Also, it's gonna
be great. We're giving away Jose Ramirez Guardians Jersey for free.
So subscribe to our YouTube channel, Fantasy Ros MLB. Drop
your comments below on this or any video and you
might win. You still got about fifteen days left to
win this bad boy, so ring the belt that goes
thing for notifications and uh, you might win this Jose
(03:43):
Ramirez autograph Jersey. Let's start on the Hill. An incredible
pitchers duel last night. Well Jacob deGrom Vers, Hunter Brown
Deep in the Heart of Texas A one nothing gave
this old school kind of pitching, kind of you know,
just good stuff here. This was a really great Jacob
Gram start. He's now four and one. He had seven
strikeouts and eight innings. The two to three era, a
(04:04):
point nine to nine whip, fifty three strikeouts, eleven walks,
and fifty one innings. I don't think he's ever gonna
be the the Gram of of what he was, which
was on another planet. But this start, to me, was
the re emergence of maybe some hope that Jacob de
Gram can get back into that I'm one of the
top ten pitchers in baseball kind of territory. This was
(04:26):
a great start. We'll get to Brown the second, but
this was the Jacob de Gram I haven't seen in
quite some time.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, and I'm really starting to hold to this theory
that he was holding something back at the beginning of
the season, Like that is starting to hold quite a
bit stronger to me. That Villo was down a tiny bit.
I think you had some higher change of usage games
and he was just like pairing it back. He wasn't
being super hyper aggressive in the strikeout department. Then last
(04:53):
week he kicked back up this start, fastball Vilo almost
up a mile per hour, slider Villo a little over
half half a mile per hour, and it was ninety
four percent usage between slider and fastball, so both of
those pitches, and that he went slighter heavy as the
most used pitch thirty percent CSW, thirty eight percent wiff rate.
(05:13):
It made the fastball even more efficient. And I kind
of think it might have been just this internal game
plan of like, how can we keep him healthy for
the season, And they really laid back that first month
and he is looking dominant, and I'm only kicking myself,
you know, yesterday I had the first five on this.
It just pushed, which is fine, we pushed the big money,
but this was screaming an under game, and you could
(05:35):
have cashed on the under first five clearly the total
game all of the and I wanted to and I
moved away from it to play the first five on
the Astros. But Jacob deGrom looks looks vintage. But I
think the biggest test for everybody, especially someone like you, Joe,
is like are you gonna buy in? You know, like
is he back to being a top five overall pitcher,
(05:56):
because you know, the only one thing is looming, still injury,
the entry thing is still looming.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Can you look past it mid May now with how
he's looked, No, I can't look past it because I
have seen that show before too many times in my life,
So no, I can't look past it.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I think he's still an enormous risk to go through
the entire season. But this was still encouraging, nonetheless, And
if you paid a big price, like if you're Joe Rico,
your loving life right now and you look like a genius,
and I'm still terrified, but it was good to see.
It was also good to see Hunter Brown and Hunter
Brown equally, I mean, maybe the most underrated pitcher in
the last two years of baseball. He's got a one
(06:34):
four to three Era of point, a three whip, sixty
seven strikeouts, fourteen walks, and fifty six hittings. He's hold
it together. The Astros right now are a mess. Al
two Vey's a mess. Alvarez is on the il Smith,
you know, not playing every day. It's tough. Taking away
Bregman and Tucker in the same year is taking its
toll on the Astros. But Hunter Brown I the FR's
(06:56):
point second instil young votes this year. Maybe nobody's gonna
touch Schooble probably at the end of the day. But
if anybody could, it's Brown. He really has been absolutely
spectacular after a dismal twenty twenty four April. One of
the best pitchers in baseball ever since.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
He's really efficient, you know, and hat tip to Wonky.
Wonky wants a victory lap, you can have one. You were,
I think one of the highest one. Hunter Brown. I
kind of can't help but sit in a world of like,
oh man, for're second in Cy young on on Hunter Brown,
and we're talking about him as being let's say a
top eight overall sp kind of interested in selling. I'm
(07:33):
kind of in that world where you know, it might
be a really big cell high opportunity. But he has
just been massively efficient. He wasn't like quite as you know,
whiffy and stuff like Jacob Grohm took that over in
this start, so he didn't have that. But from you know,
an overall perspective, the one point four to three are
era is ridiculous. He's giving up low barrel, low hard
(07:53):
hit thirty two percent k percentage is elite, and he's
gotten expected e are of two seven four. So it's
not like you know, the regression is three and a
half or something like that, so he really does look dominant.
It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
I don't know if you can hear it.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh no, I see it in here, ladies and gentlemen,
Joe is frozen. Do you know what that means? Oh no,
I went away? Bring me back? Hey, Oh it's chaos.
It's chaos in here. I don't know if you can
bring me back normal Cali. But heyo, everybody, let me
tell you. Let me tell you something. Jacob deGrom gotta
(08:30):
sell high buy on Hunter Brown, So I don't know
if Joe is completely gone.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Joe says he's back, but can you hear me?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Can we get some puppet? Joe's in the chat and
the hey goes maybe, well, I will move through the show. Well,
you guys figure out what's going on. I like that
the chat is my co host here. That's actually kind
of fun. Let's go to the next thing in here,
because I wasn't planning on playing host today. Since we're
done with Hunter Brown and we are with our boy here. Hey,
(09:01):
there's Joe.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Hi. Hey, yeah, massive thunderstorms here like thunderstorm warning. I'm
surprised you can't hear it on air like it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
It's probably it's probably just the god so excited about
the Subway series that they doesn't contain it in on
the East Tiers of Joy, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Tears of joy? Are we talking about Otani yet?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I mean I was co hosting with the chat. I
had puppet Joe up. We were figuring out what we
were doing.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
But please continue, all right, Joey Otani not one but
two homers yesterday. He's got fifteen now twenty eight RBI,
ten stolen bases. That's fifteen right now, so he's tied
with Joje and Schwarber for the most high song. Kim
also good night for him three for three with a
double four run score two. Ribby's w do you think
of Kim so far in the limited time you've seen
him at the major league level.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm pretty impressed. Actually. I remember in camp one of
the days he came out and I was like that
dude's kind of jacked, you know, and they were working
at all different positions, really solid contact. Right now, he's
hitting four twenty not big barrels.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
You know.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
He looks like he's gonna be in that war. He's
towing the line between the is he gonna be low barrel,
gets the ball out there, has no loft, doesn't strikeout
type of guy like i'd loosely say like a riser
Jacob Wilson or is it going to get into that C. J.
Abrams world where it's like very minimal type of barrel rates.
But he gets the ball in the air and optimizes.
(10:23):
He would do really well if he did that. His
launch aingles around eight degrees, so you need to double
that into the near future. But overall eighty eight percent
contact rate mates a bunch of contact. He's stealing some basses,
hitting homers. Look like he's here to stay. He's still
kind of a fringy ish dynasty opt or not dynasty,
but like a fantasy option right now. But he's working
(10:43):
and as long as he's getting in the lineup, let's go.
But we'll have to see like balancing guys like Rushing
and Kim and getting them all in the lineup. How's
that gonna work.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Yeah, it's gonna be tricky. I have an amazing o
Tani stature ready for it. He's got forty two games
this season, fifteen homers, ten stolen bases, forty five runs, score,
twenty five walks. No one in Major league history has
put up those numbers over forty two game span at
any point in a single season. Ever.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Little Sarah langstat that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I got no. I didn't get it from Sarah. Got
it for somebody else.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
But it just sounds like something Sarah Lang will put together.
Whatever I said that. By the way, this is the
best thirty seven game run where the game's in before
six that we've ever seen in baseball.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And you're just like how she does it, It's amazing.
She's amazing. Ronald Acunya also amazing, two for three with
a double in a mind league rehab game, and he
looks good. He didn't make an error in the outfield.
He was hot dogging in a little bit if he
saw that the ball kind of dropped out. But he's
hit the ball hard everywhere.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Type of show, guys, it's going to be that type
of show. I didn't no nogging by Ronald Kunya. But
what I will say here, Joe comes in here, you
got to get me back here. I'll just stay happening.
What is what is going on?
Speaker 1 (11:58):
With what's going on? I was fine, I freeze again.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
You froze again. Yeah, you're you're a mess, right, you're
a home off. What I wanted to say before you're
talking about the hot dogging, is that Ronald Dacunya already
where he's at in that rehab assignment. Didn't you put
the like June was it June six? We have on Acunya.
He's going to destroy that.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yeah, he might be up next week.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
I mean, I know they're not saying that, but he
legit might be up next week.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
More talking about the Brave Spencer Strider is going to
come off the Eel's going to start against the Nationals
next week. Also for the Braves, I want to talk
about Drake Balden for a second three for four against
the Nats on Thursday. He's getting some more playing time
in two catcher leagues. What you're feeling on Baldwin. I know,
you know he's still not the everyday quote unquote guy,
but man, that guy's been hidden.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I think he was number one in war maybe amongst rookies.
Right now, like he's at the tippy maybe it's n L.
I don't know it's n L or a L. But
like he is a high war guy. He's hitting three sixty,
he's got four homers. This is a cool one because
I've been talking about him for some time because he
was out in the AFL this past year and really
really interesting bat. There's a bunch of offensive high upside.
(13:07):
He has a sixty two percent hard hit rate with
a sixteen percent k percentage. He's hitting the ball hard,
he's not striking out. He's earning himself more playing time.
I think in a two catcher league he's on that
bottom rang only because he's not starting. If Sean Murphy
were to go away and he were to play every
single day, I think Drake Balden has the chance here.
(13:28):
I'll put it like this, he has a chance to
be like next season's Ivan Herrera.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
If Murphy goes away, great, great, and he is the guy.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Think of him like Ivan Herrera as a next season
like top ten to twelve catcher.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Excellent comm Love that. Also love that Matt McLain's getting hot.
Sh don't tell anyone I told you, uh, double walk.
Things are going much better for him over the last week.
Signs of Life. You look at the last seven days
they were there for Matt McLain. So that's very good news.
You can still buy him over the weekend, but this
is your last chance. I sent out a bunch of
trade offers for Matt mclainon this morning, and I was
(14:01):
putting the show together after looking at the last week.
So good news. They are some transactions. Brandon Drury gets
released by the White Sox. My guess is he'll land
somewhere else. I don't think the career is done. The
Rangers recalled cole Win. I want to talk about this
for a second because Luke Jackson is currently the closer.
The closer and I'm using air quotes for that. Twenty
three innings so far hasn't given up a run. He's
(14:22):
got a point nine to four whip, twenty strikeouts to
eleven walks. Any chance that cole Win maybe flirts a
little bit with that closer.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Role, probably I need to see it before anything. Bruce
Bochie's just doing weird stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
With like I was all time now when managerial wins.
Did you see that yesterday? No, he is sixth all time.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
He's a huge human being. He has one of the
biggest heads you've ever seen in your life next to
a player. And he's also because he's like super old.
He's tall, like because I'm tall, he has the towers
over me with his big giant bobble head, Like he
is just a huge human being. He's crazy, but he
also just like he just does like the weird stuff,
Like why is Luke Jackson continuously the guy? Would love
to see them bring someone in. I think this is
(15:02):
a rotation for a while. I think it's just kind
of disastrous until they go and acquire someone. And I
one hundred percent think they should go and acquire somebody.
We've talked about Ryan Helsley. If they throw that at
us at all, then I'm cool with it. But I
don't I don't know of anything where cole Winn's going
to just be called up and just immediately jump.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Back to that role. Send cole Win for Helsley, Go,
send them Evan Carter, send them whatever they want.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Go and get Helen Carter and Hell's that would actually
make sense.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
But like the Cardinals really need like more another another
crappy outfield prospect that's no good. Sure, that's what they
do best, That's what they do best. Uh, let's get
to the last and certainly not the least transaction from
me yesterday This made my heart smile. The Chicago Cubs
reportedly are signing veteran right hander kent To Mayeta, so
(15:49):
he's not out of baseball yet, can ye Mayeta?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
The only thing we need for the true trifecta is
for him to be signed with the Mets, and then
the Mets jersey that I was sent. I've mentioned this before.
Somebody legit sent me a Mets jersey and it is
a comboed name of Senga and Mata. But I gotta
tell you the choice and how they worded it. It's
(16:13):
not really ideal, it's not I.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Just don't know why you get all this stuff. People
send you hats, they send you jerseys. I get nothing nothing.
I don't understand. This is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Why don't you don't you put your address, your your
home address publicly on the show?
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Right now, someone wants to send me something. There's plenty
of ways to get a hold of me. There are
a few things over the years, but they're all football people.
What's wrong with you? Baseball people?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Baseball people are great baseball people.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Baseball They have sent me nothing, nothing of people. Oh
that's what it is. You're the real hero. Everyone, Well,
which is the real hero. Everybody, All right, let's get
to the rookie lookies. Zebbie Matthews is back, baby Sunday.
He's gonna start bring that one. Nine three e R
thirty eight strikeouts, nine walks over seven starts. So far.
(16:58):
Wasn't the best debut for zeb last time he saw him,
but hopefully a little bit better the second.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
On the show yesterday, I'm like, it's clearly got to
be David Festat like David fine an incredible fourteen strikeouts,
no walks. He was up last, like, it's clearly gonna
be him, And then like eight hours later they're like
and it's Zebbie.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Matthews And all of a sudden, I got let a
fire under Paddock too, because he pitched Wall yesterday too.
He was like, oh crap, you can drop the guys
around here.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Somebody put out a stat where it was like the
first like two or three starts, Patta gave up like
niner and runs. He's giving up like twelve in runs.
Since then it's like over.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Like, yeah, he's bad to start, but he's got He
is just grip.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Gripping onto that that job, because you know he is
one bad blow up start probably hundreds losing that thing,
but it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Oh look, the Twins might be better off dealing some
of that starting pitching though, and laying the kids play
and just help them somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
You know that division Zebbie up tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I would agree. I'd rather see those guys in the
rotation with Joe Ryan and you know, some of the
starting pitch. The Cubs could deal with this. The Cubs
would love to have Chris Paddock right now. You know,
there's a lot of teams that could use him. I'm
just saying, let's talk about the Nationals for a second.
Dylan Cruz not in the lineup yesterday. He's down to
one thirty six, two fifty five, two seventy seven in May,
(18:11):
thirteen strikeouts. On the flip side, I wanted to bring
up Robert Hassel, who is having the inverse right now
at Triple A. He's hitting two to eighty nine with
a three forty OVP. The power hasn't been great, but
he does have three homers, eight steals in his last
thirty eight games, thirty strikeouts, nineteen walks, so not the
worst there either. Could we see hassle for Cruz as
like a switch in the next couple of weeks. Maybe
(18:33):
that's a super because Young has it, but Young also
hasn't hit. So they've got a problem in that outfield
right now where they've got multiple holes, and I don't
know what they're gonna do, but it feels like something's
got to give over the next two weeks for the NATS.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I agree with what you're saying. The thing with Likeause,
I've just been talking about Hassle. Hassel has been just
so not good for so long AFL like third straight run,
but he started to just he changed his approach. He's
a guy where it's like I'm making contact, I'm not
trying to swing through. He had really intense bat speed
that I had likened at one point to a guy
like being like Bryce Harper. But I think he's finally
(19:09):
just figured out, like who like the skill set. He's
locked into his own skill set. Now he'sitting for average
and he's doing a little bit of everything. By the way,
they're still an elite, but he's increased his hard hit percentage.
Last year at TRIPAA was twenty five percent. It's thirty
nine percent. That's a huge increase. His max EV went
from one oh six to one ten to jump up
(19:30):
like three miles per hour on that is huge and
average ninety one x velocity. So I do think Robert
Hassell is going to get a look at some point,
But is it at the expense of Dylan Cruz. I
think a normal team would probably already have cut bait
like the Cardinals would have already cut bait like they
Jordan Walker on Dylan Cruz. I think there is still
(19:50):
so much as far as like this guy being a
face of the organization. I'm not one hundred percent sure
if they're going to do that exact move, but I
don't think we're long out from Cruz going And I
would have to say if they were replacing with an outfielder,
it will be Robert Hassel. If they want to play
on the infield, Brady House is another prospect who's killing
it in TRIPLEA who they would bring up. So this
(20:10):
is a possibility. Just monitor Robert Hassel. But Hassele doesn't
have big, loud counting stat skills. He's going to probably
hit lower in the lineup. You're hoping he continues to
hit for contact and he can steal some bases, so
he's not a out the roof type of fantasy option.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Yeah, I gotta tell you wash Like I'm just I
always thought Would to Cruise was a bigger separation than
a lot of other people did. When I watched the
two of those guys play, I thought Cruz could be
a really good player, but I thought Would could be
a superstar. And that was my evaluation, and a lot
of people didn't share that. A lot of people felt
very differently about it. But so far, it looks like
what is that guy? One more guy to talk about too?
(20:46):
Who was up? Another rookie works about got sent down.
But things are going in the right direction for Matt
Shaw two or four with a walk in RBI two,
steals three runs yesterday in game one of a double hitter.
In game two he had a pair of homers. He's
starting to get hot. And that brings us to today's
Microsoft Chasing Challengers segment, brought to you, of course by Microsoft.
Just like the athletes, to push boundaries and redefine what's possible,
(21:09):
business decision makers today are turning challenges and opportunities. Microsoft
meets you are with tools and guidance to help you
make an impact with safe, secure AI solutions. So whatever
challenges you're facing, Microsoft empowers you with the expertise to say,
bring it on. In this segment, we're going to spotlight
the challenges faced by the Cubs with Matt Shaw because
they were very excited about Mattshaw, as all of us were,
(21:32):
and then, of course he did not hit for the
first few weeks of the season, so we send him
back down and now he is hitting now. The question
is how much longer are we going to leave him
down there? Because clearly Matt Shaw has figured things out again.
He's been a great contact guy, had a great season
last year in the minor leagues. There's very little for
him to still prove at that level. So if he's
going to prove it, he's got to prove it now
(21:53):
at the major league levels. So they're going to have
to give him a second shot. What does that second
shot look like and does it just stick this time?
That's the big question for fantasy managers, and we're gonna
have to figure that out. I would be buying Matt Shaw.
I'd be picking him up just to see because I
think the kid is too talented. We had so many
prospect people on in March talking about how great Mattshaw
was how he was a campmus kind of guy, and
(22:14):
I tend to agree. I think his skill set is
one of those heavy contact put the ball in play,
he's gonna walk, he's gonna have some pop. He's gonna
be a steady guy in that lineup for the Cubs.
It just didn't happen in the first shot out of
the gate. This happens to a lot of rookie So patience, everybody.
I think we'll be rewarded with Matt Shaw. Now might
be the time to pluck him off somebody else's roster
and put him on yours. And that's this week's Chasing
(22:36):
Challenger segment. Remember Microsoft's AI solutions empower you to take
bold steps and make new ideas to 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. Well,
she let's get to three up and three down, shall we?
Max Munci three f four with a dinger. Jake Berger
(22:59):
our boy are buy low from last week two for
three with a homer. Yay, it's good to see Jake Berger,
he's little bulkier than the last time I saw him too.
Did you notice since he come back looks a little bulkier.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
He looks about the same burger esque that he is.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I think it might feel like more of a five
guys burger than the bulk hear just saying. Brendon Lao
three for five, pair of two run homers for him
the downs yesterday Bedo was bad, oh, six runs for him,
five hits and just an inning and two thirds. Kevin
Gossman was hit hard yesterday unfortunately, six runs, ten hits
for him, and Sagano again was bad four runs. That
(23:35):
Orioles pitching staff is a complete joke, continues to be
and it will always be. The injuries. Landon Knack could
be a candidate for the team's fifth starter job. According
to manager Dave Roberts, are you buying that Welsh and
are you streaming him in any deeper leagues because he's
a Dodger.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
I mean, okay, maybe maybe I would consider like a
streaming option, but I'm not running to the hills for
land and Knac No, thanks. I think I mean this
is very very short term as well. Once they figure
out the only reason that they're going to guys like
Land and Knack or the continued injuries of Snell and Glass. Now,
I don't even think it's out of pocket that this
team might end up going and looking in the market
(24:14):
to see if they can have some more depth, because
it's like every I mean, you go to Fangrafts and
Roster Resource and you look across it's incredible. It's just
they're all hurt and they've lost that depth. But to
the point, I guess it gives some opportunities for a
KNAC but I would look at streaming pinning the matchup,
but not a must pick up.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
I don't know who had the original idea in the chat,
but the Welshism blanket, I'm here for that. A blanket
full of welshisms, like you know, just like print all, yeah,
like a quilt. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
I think we start with like a shirt and I
think it almost something like this and be like welshisms
and maybe like almost like an asterisk like a thunderbolts,
and then maybe try to explain it but the explanation
doesn't really make sense, and that would be like the
perfect perfect.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
You Darvish try to work his way back from the
elbow issue for for him in El Paso yesterday, so
we'll see how that. Actually Wednesday, both Buxton and Korea
they collided yesterday. Both were on concussion protocol, so we
have daily lineups. Just keep an eye on that. That
could be something that lingers over the days ahead. Spencer
Horriwitz three for five and a double in his rehab start,
(25:17):
so hopefully he's going to come back soon and deal
Hall two and two third shoutout innings for TRIPAA Nashville.
So the Brewers have a lot of pitching in the
minor leagues and pitching coming through. They need some hitting.
They need to figure things out sooner than later. Which
brings us to Welsh. It's time for the best bets
of the end of the week with Joey p and
the Welsh. It's Friday, It's fun. It's Texas on the
(25:38):
run line minus one and a half at plus one sixteen.
I said earlier the Hunter Brown's most underrated pitcher, number
two right behind him probably Nadiavaldi. He has been absolutely
spectacular and he gets a matchup today against the Houston
Natroals offense that has been struggle busts. So give me
the Texas Rangers to win out here and cover this
run line of minus one and a half are getting
plus one sixteen on it. Of all these its been
(26:00):
so sharp all year, and without alvarezing that lineup, it
just does not go. There's too many pieces missing and
the Astros offense is not good right now? Also good
right now? Chris Sale seven and a half strikeouts, let's
go over on this. I know the juice is tight here,
it's minus one thirty eight, but it's against Boston. They
strike out a ton. They are a little struggle right now.
Christian Campbell's had a rough week. You've got Trevor Story
(26:22):
who hasn't been hitting. So I'm gonna take my shot
with Chris Sale against his old club, sticking it to
him a little bit. And Cole Reagan's I can't believe
this number. I look, I know it's minus one forty four,
but over six and a half strikeouts, you could take
that parrot with the money line Royals and you can
probably get that into plus money in a nice little situation.
A little two to bet parlay there, Welsh, where are
(26:44):
you going for your best bets for Friday?
Speaker 2 (26:46):
All right, we are gonna tag the rookie Cad Horton,
who he did only go four in his last but
it was seventy seven pitches. I'd assume they're gonna push
him into the mid eighties. He's going up against the
Chicago White Sox who like to strike out, So four
and a half minus one to twenty, we are gonna
take that. Corbyn Burns was much better in the last start.
The cutter Vela was back up. That's a big thing.
(27:07):
I think that rest might have turned the table a
little bit. And he's going up against the Colorado Rockies,
so you know, Burns could have one of those weird starts,
but Colorado Rockies strikeout at an incredible clip. Burns looked
good in the last one. Minus won twenty over six
and a half strikeouts for him, And we are gonna
go swimming with some nurfe's Atlanta Boston no run first
(27:28):
inning because it is Garrett Crochet and Chris Sale, it
is the matchup. It is juice to minus one forty five.
But if we can't have this, what nerfy can we
possibly have friends? So minus one forty five Atlanta Boston
no runs through the first inning with a couple k Props.
Those are my bets.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
And don't forget to place your bets on fanduelver. At
fantasybros dot Com slash leading Off, new customers placed their
first bet of five bucks. If it wins, you get
two hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. Again, that's
Fantasypros dot Com Slash leading Off. And don't forget Betting
Pros Free Trial is still going out there. Download the
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promo code leading off to unlock exclusive betting tools like
(28:06):
the prop bet cheat sheet for MLB, the Betting Pro Systems,
the same game parley builder, Sharp Ai, and so much more.
Let's take a look at the home run board right
now as well. See what that is that we look upon? Oh,
there it is there, it is Wankeye Peng went up
to seventeen. Does she have Otani yesterday? I wonder she
must have?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
She knows she was at sixteen, so no, oh, she
wasn't sixteen.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
She was at fifteen last time I was here, So
I don't know she's on.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Kelly had a winner. Can you believe that the top three? Well,
you know what one of those must have had Atani
because I don't think we had three nineteen.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I don't think so three, But I wasn't here yesterday.
Marty's at nineteen, George's at nineteen, far Outs at nineteen,
and Wonky Peng went at seventeen, keeping it, keeping it real,
holding it down here for us FP folks. While she's
still respectable of fifteen, I'm not at double digits yet.
I think after this weekend I will be again The
Sammy Sosa jersey that is up for grabs right now
from Pristine Auction dot Com for the winner, and if
(28:58):
you want to join, go to Fasbros dot Com, slash
chat our discord. That's where you can make home run calls. Welsh,
I know he's been cold a little bit lately, but
I'm going to go with Pete Alonso for today's home run.
That's right, Pete Alonso for the weekend in itty bitty,
little teeny tiny Yankee Stadium picking up his guy Juan Soto.
I think Pete shows up in these kind of big spots,
(29:20):
So I'm gonna go with the Polar Bear. Where are
you going for your home run call today or is
it for the whole weekend?
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Well?
Speaker 2 (29:25):
Right, now if I unless I do otherwise, it is
an im perpetuity. We're gonna go with Corbyn Carroll, Corbyn
Carroll near the lead in Homers. I don't know who
they're running out today. It doesn't really matter crushes baseball
as they're at home. If they're home or away, it
would both play. Kund Tell Marte would be an interesting
play here too, because he's a little less susceptible to
Righting's lefty since he's a switch hitter. But we're gonna
(29:45):
go with mister Corbyn Carroll for my home run call
through the weekend.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Now, wasn't a lot of baseball yesterday, so let's get
to some questions today because it's kind of a light show.
Who dat drop Schneeman for Royce Lewis in a category league?
I say yes, let's say yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
I mean Shneman's been going into some like decent spots
in the lineup, but I'm still like a no thanks,
I'd rather play the upside of Royce.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Choose your Josh Josh Low or Josh Young twelve team Cats.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I'm gonna go with Low because of the stolen bases
and like Josh Young's favorite thing is to get hurt.
But Josh Young's played really well.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
His favorite things to get hurt, the favorite, second favorite
past Josh Low or Jonathan India Low. Okay, there you go.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
More Josh questions.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Josh Lou, I'm looking a see if you get keeping
Max Munsey. We're keeping Munsey.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
I mean probably, I don't know what else is out there.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
That depends on what's out there.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Semen Schneeman or Max Munsey. I'll probably still take Memen.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Let's go to this question from CC what do you
do with Westburg? Hold or move on? You know, I
was a fate of Westburg going into the year, but again,
obviously the injuries put a wrench. I was not.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Yeah, he had like a little bit of a setback.
I'm holding by it. I don't know, like I've had
a lot of people hit me up about like, oh,
this is what my il looks like. And I feel
like every time someone is asking like should I cut
this guy? Because I look at my eel and there'll
be like one guy that you clearly they'll be like,
well I got you know, Kershaw and Snell and glass
Now and Spencer Arraghetty. I can't cut anyone. It's like
(31:17):
you can cut Arraghetty. You can clearly cut him. So
I just don't think Westburg should be the first guy
I'm trying to cut off eye L if you're in
some like NFBC type of league where you have, you know,
no il spots or something. I guess I get why
you would cut him, but I just I want to
wait on Westburg.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, I can understand that. I think you just hold
right now because you have a lot of draft capital
on him if you did take him, like tak.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Right there, Booswell, Westburg, seeger Manaia, and Jerry Jones are
on the i L only three spots. Cut Manaya or
cut Jerry Jones.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
We don't before at Manaya.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Yeah, Jerry Jones a better picture than Manaya. But I
know you're the Mets guy.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
How how I mean in what term? Oh, defend your
defend statements? Sir? Uh.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Well, we'll first start with we'll start with the algorithm
of modeling, pitch modeling that spends that Jerry Jones had.
I believe he was the only pitcher with a one
thirty stuff plus on his fastball and his sliders. So
he is a primary two pitch pitcher and both of
those are at Advanced plus pitch modeling grades and obviously
(32:22):
fell apart a little bit at the end. I think
Manaia has more floor, but from a fantasy perspective, Jerry
Jones is a much higher upside, and I would say
on the pitch modeling side, those two pitches are like
absolutely elite pitches.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Tough. I understand, you know, in terms of quote unquote stuff,
Jones is better, but it's not because I'm a Mets fans.
In spite of that, Manaia last year he turned it around,
gave you the wire to wire, and Jared Jones has
never given you a full season of great. We don't
giving you that season. So yeah, he gave you ten
good starts last year. Basically, I mean it's basically give
(32:59):
or take what he gave you. So I have a
hard time with that where we anoint these guys who have,
you know, little sporadic moments of showing it to you,
whereas when a guy chose it over a full season,
I think you got to go there, especially when the
offense is much better, the bullpen is better, like all.
The situation is so much better for Manaia too. I
think from a fantasy asset point. I'd rather have Manaya,
(33:20):
but I agree in a vacuum, Jones is the more
exciting pitcher. But I want stats, I want proactivity.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
I will I will say this that works in your
favor as well. For this is like the Mets are
a better team. The context is better than what they've
done from the major league developmental standpoint of their pitching,
and having this ragtag group be able to continue to
have like low eras like, there's a lot working in
Manaya's favor. It's just Jared Jones also has this like
top twenty sp upside, but again, you can't live in
(33:50):
an upside world all the time. Both of these guys
are hurt. They both have not pitched this year. I
don't know what the hell's going on with either one
of them, but more so that's why I would be
more willing to cut one of those guys before I
would cut Westburg.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Okay, here's one, McLain or Louis Robert from Chief Knockaholma.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
I'll go with Roberts.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
I will also go with Robert, but I'm buying McLain
right now. Let's go to nixt question here. Boz Tye
On or Hodge drop one. We get to drop tye.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
On for me? Yeah, I would drop tye On.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
That kind of makes a lot of sense. Here's the
one from a laser sharp. Someone drop Brian Reynolds. Do
I drop Roberts for Louise Robert? I believe is what
he means. For Brian Reynolds, I say.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Nah, that's tough. Probably not. I'm still like, I'm still
kind of banking on Robert getting traded. Reynolds is underperforming,
Like we know he's gonna be cool and solid when
he gets back, but it's not going to be like
you know, otherworldly that where that could happen with Louis Roberts.
I'll stick with.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Robert Angel, Theory Henderson or byby rest of season. Now,
this is tricky because Logan Henderson isn't guaranteed to stay
in this rotation. Now, Bibby is not a guy that
I want, but because his stats are all going the
wrong Caper and I's going the wrong direction, the expected,
the ray all that stuff. So this is tough. I mean,
Bibby has a rotation spot. Welsh, this is where do
(35:08):
you stay on this one?
Speaker 2 (35:09):
I'd go with Biby on this one. I get it.
He did just rattle off seven innings against the Phillies.
His strikeouts are pretty bad. He doesn't have a game
over five strikeouts this whole year, and over one, two, three, four, five,
six seven over eight starts he has. He already has
three games of three or less strikeouts. I mean that
(35:32):
is moving in the wrong direction for sure, but there's
still a great team context. He does have a three
three eight e Ray logan. Henderson's not guaranteed anything, so
it's byby Henderson's.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Pitch better in the two starts he's had, though, He's
given you more than Biby has in any of one
of his starts, like no doubt, and they should leave
him in there, Squeeze McQueen. I sung Kim or Bryson Stott.
I mean, I haven't seen a lot of Kim yet,
Like again, small sample size, so I'm going to lean
towards Stott. But Kim is more exciting to me potentially.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Yeah, I guess, uh, Bryson Stott's kind of boring for
some people. But I'll go with Bryson here. You know,
he's stealing bases at his normal clip, hitting a few homers,
hitting four ish average two fifty eight to forty eight expected.
I think Kim is it's gonna be tough for him
to like maintain a full time role the entire season,
or if not, he might be hitting lower in the
(36:24):
lineup like Andy pet paj has has to start moving up.
He's gonna always hit at bottom of the lineup. I
guess Stott relatively does too. I'll go with Stott though,
with the kind of elite stolen bases.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
Last one here. Keep Christian Walker and there's a lot
of Walker stuff. Walker or Kurtz who would rather have
rest of season Walker or Kurt.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
Ah Man. There's only so much longer. I guess we
can keep saying Walker, I'm gonna say it. I'm gonna
do it because we don't have much longer for it.
He does need to turn it around this whole like,
because here'd be one thing I would say, you know,
we I've been for like a month. I mean, like
Christian Walker, Christian Walker, if you're god awful for two
months and then you finally turn it around, be able
(37:00):
to come on here and be like Nigah, it's until
you you know, it's like, no, you just ain't two
months of Christian Walker. That's brutal to your fantasy team.
So you know, if there are viable options, I get
why you can move off of that guy, especially with
first base, when there have been incredible options. Hopefully you
haven't passed all of them up. But we're getting towards
that line of like, it's only so much longer that
(37:20):
we can even wait on Christian Walker that has just
dump him and wait them to get for him to
get ready. But I do think when we look back
on the season, we're gonna have a close to normal
ish Christian Walker year. But he had, like I said,
has to turn it around quick.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
That's going to be We're getting really close to it.
No looking like that, we're like two weeks away. If
it's doesn not by Memorial Day, you start making some
hard decisions there. And if he turns it around, great,
but you can't you can't sit on it too much longer.
I think you have till Memorial Day and then you
gotta like that's two thirds of a season or I
think she'd be a third of a season more. Actually
we're almost past that, so you gotta you gotta make
(37:54):
those hard decisions here, especially in those season long rotal leagues.
You need more productivity out of first place.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
I believe how far are we are end of the
season already. It's like, yeah, I almost closing on June.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah, it's crazy gone.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Joe's gonna be gone on like three weeks.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Going anywhere I was going yesterday again, shout out to
Joe Rico. I appreciate him filling in for me on
the live stream on Wednesday afternoon and yesterday on the show.
And I want to encourage all of you out there,
if you're in your forties, go do the right thing. Okay,
go get your check up. Go. I know it's not
gonna be fun. Well, this was the this is the
(38:27):
old colonoscopy. Here you go that nobody looks forward to.
Nobody wants to do this. You have to drink the
stuff that makes all the other stuff go out of
you so they can stick other stuff inside you to
look inside. But all jokes aside. My friend and neighbor,
great guy, passed away a couple of years ago, forty
four years old, from colon cancer. And he ignored a
(38:51):
lot of signs and he didn't unfortunately, you know, catch
things in time, and he passed away a couple of
years ago, we'll have two daughters behind terrible situation. Don't wait. Luckily,
everything for me was good a okay, you know, very
grateful for that. But a lot a lot of us
sit there and I'm that first one to say, don't
do these things. Oh I don't want to do that.
It's uncomfortable, it's no fun us. Do it. If you're
(39:12):
in your forties and you're supposed to do it, do
it because your family needs you, everybody needs you. So
public service announcement from the guy always doesn't want to
do that stuff, me telling you go do it, and
if I help somebody, that makes me happy. And that's
all I wanted to say, and shout out to our
team here holding it down for everybody. But look, sometimes
you got to do these things that you don't want
to do. It's twelve hours of inconvenience and it might
(39:33):
save your life, So go do it, Welsh, anything you
want to add there. You're getting close, buddy.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
I know, like a year or two you're like, this
is really great advice for everybody. But me, I'm like,
this is really good advice. I have a couple of
years on it. But they did didn't they move the
bar a little bit. It wasn't it used to be
forty and now it's like forty five.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
It is forty five. And I didn't do it last
year because why, you know, my dad passed away. Things
were crazy. It was a whole you know, it was.
It was a crazy year for me. Do it?
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Do it? I got a couple years smart, but I'll
do it. There you go, keep me on check back
in in three years.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
You have something to look forward to now, just like
I have that Subway series to look forward to. But look,
they knock you out. The first time my whole life
I have ever been under it was glorious. It was glorious.
Uh great, sleep, great nap. There you go. Do it
all right?
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Do you have real quick on anesthesia? I've only had
it like like twice. Are you one of those people
where you're super weird? Are you super nice or you're not?
Like when you kind of come out when I come.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Out, I am the same. I am whenever I smoked
weed or or smoke weed or any sort of THHD
drink or whatever. I am silly and fun I am.
I am. I am the life of the party. I
was I was walking out like there's doing.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
All the dancing and stuff.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Yeah, I'm not. I'm the best. I'm so some people
are quiet and moody, not me. I am. I worry.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
So I worry that when I come out of it,
that I'm gonna like say something, you know what I mean,
Like I'm gonna be like I'm to like go beyond.
But I am actually every time I'm like this super caring.
I'm like, are you okay? Was this okay? Like I'm
very gentle, I'm super super gentle when it comes out,
making sure everyone else is okay. So I actually like
the version of me that's out of there. But also no,
(41:16):
thank you.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
There you go. There. The not eating is the hardest
part for me. I'm Italian. I like to eat. So
the not eating for the day or whatever a twelve
hour twenty four hour period rough rough for me.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
See the probe up me is more of mine.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
Oh yeah, that was nothing. That was nothing. I couldn't
even know. It was nothing.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Glad that was nothing for you, It was nothing.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Feel good I worked out today. There you go. So
enjoy Baseball Rivalry weekend. Again. We joke around. I know
it's not the greatest topic, but again do the important things.
You get, save a life and make a huge difference.
So go do it. 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. Thanks
for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Baseball podcast. If
(41:59):
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
Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Bros. MLB. This is leading
off live. It is me, Joey p joe Pisipia back
in the chair with of course the Welsh and all
of you, the Peanuts and the Crackerjack. Shout out to
Joel Rico for covering me yesterday on the program. It's
great to see everybody again. It's Rivalry weekend, and I
gotta tell you, well, it's just the first time in
a very long time I am really excited about Mets Yankees.
(00:29):
Mets Yankees. I don't know if you realize this. When
Air League play started, this was the hottest ticket in town.
The whole world just would stop for Mets Yankees in
the Tri State area both times. And I mean like
if you were at an event on a Saturday, it's
some bar mitzvah, or you know, you were at a
kid's soccer game, whatever, everything was stopping for Mets Yankees,
(00:50):
doing what's the score? What's going on? It was madness, right,
and then it kind of just dissipated over the years.
But now last year with the Mets kicking there but
a little bit, and now the one Sodo stuff and
now he's gonna go back to New York. It's got
a juice that it hasn't had. I don't know, man,
in fifteen years easily, I'm excited about it. I'm excited
about Rivalry weekend here in New York City.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
It's a very East Coast things I could care less.
I had not thought what one moment about, Man, I
wonder what's gonna happen in the Subway series. I remember
a long time ago, Bogman and I were invited to
do this interview with this New York radio station and
they had us, you know, they okay, but and they
had us on, and one of the first things the
(01:32):
guy out of his mouth, he goes so he's like,
how about that James Dolan stuff and this basketball thing?
And we were both befuddled and we were like huh.
And it was a complete like I don't know what's
going on, and it was a complete East Coast by.
She's like, oh, well, you know, there's like ruined in
the Knicks and we're like, okay, you New Yorkers, You
New Yorkers love you some New York and think the
(01:56):
center of the universe is there. But I will tell
you it's gonna be a great series. The extra drama
with Sodo is gonna make it a ton more fun.
But I have not lost one ounce of sleep of excitement.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
For right free Week. I'll have all the excitement for you.
You know, It's been the same with Yankees Red Sox.
I was not a Yankee fan, nor a Red Sox fan,
but Yankee Red Sox was much must watch television for years,
especially in the playoffs, and then after they won, after
the Red Sox finally came back and beat them in
that magical Year of four, it just never had the
same juice again. It just did. It never did for me.
(02:31):
So I'd love to see that Baseball is better when
there's rivalries, right like right now. You know, when I
grew up, I was the Mets and Cardinals. That was
the rivalry, and then as I got older, it was
the Mets and Atlanta Braves. I don't know if you
feel like Diamondbacks Dodgers of rivalry, because rivalries like Giants
and Dodgers typically that's like the main one in the.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
West Nwmondbacks have kind of taken that over a little
bit over the last ten years, so it's there. But
to your point, I've probably suffered from, especially in baseball,
like coming to Arizona, being here from day one, like
we're not anybody's really rival.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, that story maybe to get.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Why New York is the thing. But again, yeah, center
of the universe, like.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yeah, you guys, you know, but even in the baseball universe.
Sodo going back to Yankee Stadium tonight, that's gonna be fun.
Like it's gonna it's gonna let's go, let's go.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I'm here for the Boo Birds for Sodo, but he's
gonna give Boo Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, And I can't wait for a Nit home run.
I can't wait. It's gonna be great. Also, it's gonna
be great. We're giving away Jose Ramirez Guardians Jersey for free.
So subscribe to our YouTube channel, Fantasy Ros MLB. Drop
your comments below on this or any video and you
might win. You still got about fifteen days left to
win this bad boy, so ring the belt that goes
thing for notifications and uh, you might win this Jose
(03:43):
Ramirez autograph Jersey. Let's start on the Hill. An incredible
pitchers duel last night. Well Jacob deGrom Vers, Hunter Brown
Deep in the Heart of Texas A one nothing gave
this old school kind of pitching, kind of you know,
just good stuff here. This was a really great Jacob
Gram start. He's now four and one. He had seven
strikeouts and eight innings. The two to three era, a
(04:04):
point nine to nine whip, fifty three strikeouts, eleven walks,
and fifty one innings. I don't think he's ever gonna
be the the Gram of of what he was, which
was on another planet. But this start, to me, was
the re emergence of maybe some hope that Jacob de
Gram can get back into that I'm one of the
top ten pitchers in baseball kind of territory. This was
(04:26):
a great start. We'll get to Brown the second, but
this was the Jacob de Gram I haven't seen in
quite some time.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, and I'm really starting to hold to this theory
that he was holding something back at the beginning of
the season, Like that is starting to hold quite a
bit stronger to me. That Villo was down a tiny bit.
I think you had some higher change of usage games
and he was just like pairing it back. He wasn't
being super hyper aggressive in the strikeout department. Then last
(04:53):
week he kicked back up this start, fastball Vilo almost
up a mile per hour, slider Villo a little over
half half a mile per hour, and it was ninety
four percent usage between slider and fastball, so both of
those pitches, and that he went slighter heavy as the
most used pitch thirty percent CSW, thirty eight percent wiff rate.
(05:13):
It made the fastball even more efficient. And I kind
of think it might have been just this internal game
plan of like, how can we keep him healthy for
the season, And they really laid back that first month
and he is looking dominant, and I'm only kicking myself,
you know, yesterday I had the first five on this.
It just pushed, which is fine, we pushed the big money,
but this was screaming an under game, and you could
(05:35):
have cashed on the under first five clearly the total
game all of the and I wanted to and I
moved away from it to play the first five on
the Astros. But Jacob deGrom looks looks vintage. But I
think the biggest test for everybody, especially someone like you, Joe,
is like are you gonna buy in? You know, like
is he back to being a top five overall pitcher,
(05:56):
because you know, the only one thing is looming, still injury,
the entry thing is still looming.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Can you look past it mid May now with how
he's looked, No, I can't look past it because I
have seen that show before too many times in my life,
So no, I can't look past it.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I think he's still an enormous risk to go through
the entire season. But this was still encouraging, nonetheless, And
if you paid a big price, like if you're Joe Rico,
your loving life right now and you look like a genius,
and I'm still terrified, but it was good to see.
It was also good to see Hunter Brown and Hunter
Brown equally, I mean, maybe the most underrated pitcher in
the last two years of baseball. He's got a one
(06:34):
four to three Era of point, a three whip, sixty
seven strikeouts, fourteen walks, and fifty six hittings. He's hold
it together. The Astros right now are a mess. Al
two Vey's a mess. Alvarez is on the il Smith,
you know, not playing every day. It's tough. Taking away
Bregman and Tucker in the same year is taking its
toll on the Astros. But Hunter Brown I the FR's
(06:56):
point second instil young votes this year. Maybe nobody's gonna
touch Schooble probably at the end of the day. But
if anybody could, it's Brown. He really has been absolutely
spectacular after a dismal twenty twenty four April. One of
the best pitchers in baseball ever since.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
He's really efficient, you know, and hat tip to Wonky.
Wonky wants a victory lap, you can have one. You were,
I think one of the highest one. Hunter Brown. I
kind of can't help but sit in a world of like,
oh man, for're second in Cy young on on Hunter Brown,
and we're talking about him as being let's say a
top eight overall sp kind of interested in selling. I'm
(07:33):
kind of in that world where you know, it might
be a really big cell high opportunity. But he has
just been massively efficient. He wasn't like quite as you know,
whiffy and stuff like Jacob Grohm took that over in
this start, so he didn't have that. But from you know,
an overall perspective, the one point four to three are
era is ridiculous. He's giving up low barrel, low hard
(07:53):
hit thirty two percent k percentage is elite, and he's
gotten expected e are of two seven four. So it's
not like you know, the regression is three and a
half or something like that, so he really does look dominant.
It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
I don't know if you can hear it.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh no, I see it in here, ladies and gentlemen,
Joe is frozen. Do you know what that means? Oh no,
I went away? Bring me back? Hey, Oh it's chaos.
It's chaos in here. I don't know if you can
bring me back normal Cali. But heyo, everybody, let me
tell you. Let me tell you something. Jacob deGrom gotta
(08:30):
sell high buy on Hunter Brown, So I don't know
if Joe is completely gone.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Joe says he's back, but can you hear me?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Can we get some puppet? Joe's in the chat and
the hey goes maybe, well, I will move through the show. Well,
you guys figure out what's going on. I like that
the chat is my co host here. That's actually kind
of fun. Let's go to the next thing in here,
because I wasn't planning on playing host today. Since we're
done with Hunter Brown and we are with our boy here. Hey,
(09:01):
there's Joe.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Hi. Hey, yeah, massive thunderstorms here like thunderstorm warning. I'm
surprised you can't hear it on air like it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
It's probably it's probably just the god so excited about
the Subway series that they doesn't contain it in on
the East Tiers of Joy, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Tears of joy? Are we talking about Otani yet?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I mean I was co hosting with the chat. I
had puppet Joe up. We were figuring out what we
were doing.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
But please continue, all right, Joey Otani not one but
two homers yesterday. He's got fifteen now twenty eight RBI,
ten stolen bases. That's fifteen right now, so he's tied
with Joje and Schwarber for the most high song. Kim
also good night for him three for three with a
double four run score two. Ribby's w do you think
of Kim so far in the limited time you've seen
him at the major league level.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm pretty impressed. Actually. I remember in camp one of
the days he came out and I was like that
dude's kind of jacked, you know, and they were working
at all different positions, really solid contact. Right now, he's
hitting four twenty not big barrels.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
You know.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
He looks like he's gonna be in that war. He's
towing the line between the is he gonna be low barrel,
gets the ball out there, has no loft, doesn't strikeout
type of guy like i'd loosely say like a riser
Jacob Wilson or is it going to get into that C. J.
Abrams world where it's like very minimal type of barrel rates.
But he gets the ball in the air and optimizes.
(10:23):
He would do really well if he did that. His
launch aingles around eight degrees, so you need to double
that into the near future. But overall eighty eight percent
contact rate mates a bunch of contact. He's stealing some basses,
hitting homers. Look like he's here to stay. He's still
kind of a fringy ish dynasty opt or not dynasty,
but like a fantasy option right now. But he's working
(10:43):
and as long as he's getting in the lineup, let's go.
But we'll have to see like balancing guys like Rushing
and Kim and getting them all in the lineup. How's
that gonna work.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Yeah, it's gonna be tricky. I have an amazing o
Tani stature ready for it. He's got forty two games
this season, fifteen homers, ten stolen bases, forty five runs, score,
twenty five walks. No one in Major league history has
put up those numbers over forty two game span at
any point in a single season. Ever.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Little Sarah langstat that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I got no. I didn't get it from Sarah. Got
it for somebody else.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
But it just sounds like something Sarah Lang will put together.
Whatever I said that. By the way, this is the
best thirty seven game run where the game's in before
six that we've ever seen in baseball.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And you're just like how she does it, It's amazing.
She's amazing. Ronald Acunya also amazing, two for three with
a double in a mind league rehab game, and he
looks good. He didn't make an error in the outfield.
He was hot dogging in a little bit if he
saw that the ball kind of dropped out. But he's
hit the ball hard everywhere.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Type of show, guys, it's going to be that type
of show. I didn't no nogging by Ronald Kunya. But
what I will say here, Joe comes in here, you
got to get me back here. I'll just stay happening.
What is what is going on?
Speaker 1 (11:58):
With what's going on? I was fine, I freeze again.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
You froze again. Yeah, you're you're a mess, right, you're
a home off. What I wanted to say before you're
talking about the hot dogging, is that Ronald Dacunya already
where he's at in that rehab assignment. Didn't you put
the like June was it June six? We have on Acunya.
He's going to destroy that.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yeah, he might be up next week.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
I mean, I know they're not saying that, but he
legit might be up next week.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
More talking about the Brave Spencer Strider is going to
come off the Eel's going to start against the Nationals
next week. Also for the Braves, I want to talk
about Drake Balden for a second three for four against
the Nats on Thursday. He's getting some more playing time
in two catcher leagues. What you're feeling on Baldwin. I know,
you know he's still not the everyday quote unquote guy,
but man, that guy's been hidden.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I think he was number one in war maybe amongst rookies.
Right now, like he's at the tippy maybe it's n L.
I don't know it's n L or a L. But
like he is a high war guy. He's hitting three sixty,
he's got four homers. This is a cool one because
I've been talking about him for some time because he
was out in the AFL this past year and really
really interesting bat. There's a bunch of offensive high upside.
(13:07):
He has a sixty two percent hard hit rate with
a sixteen percent k percentage. He's hitting the ball hard,
he's not striking out. He's earning himself more playing time.
I think in a two catcher league he's on that
bottom rang only because he's not starting. If Sean Murphy
were to go away and he were to play every
single day, I think Drake Balden has the chance here.
(13:28):
I'll put it like this, he has a chance to
be like next season's Ivan Herrera.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
If Murphy goes away, great, great, and he is the guy.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Think of him like Ivan Herrera as a next season
like top ten to twelve catcher.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Excellent comm Love that. Also love that Matt McLain's getting hot.
Sh don't tell anyone I told you, uh, double walk.
Things are going much better for him over the last week.
Signs of Life. You look at the last seven days
they were there for Matt McLain. So that's very good news.
You can still buy him over the weekend, but this
is your last chance. I sent out a bunch of
trade offers for Matt mclainon this morning, and I was
(14:01):
putting the show together after looking at the last week.
So good news. They are some transactions. Brandon Drury gets
released by the White Sox. My guess is he'll land
somewhere else. I don't think the career is done. The
Rangers recalled cole Win. I want to talk about this
for a second because Luke Jackson is currently the closer.
The closer and I'm using air quotes for that. Twenty
three innings so far hasn't given up a run. He's
(14:22):
got a point nine to four whip, twenty strikeouts to
eleven walks. Any chance that cole Win maybe flirts a
little bit with that closer.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Role, probably I need to see it before anything. Bruce
Bochie's just doing weird stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
With like I was all time now when managerial wins.
Did you see that yesterday? No, he is sixth all time.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
He's a huge human being. He has one of the
biggest heads you've ever seen in your life next to
a player. And he's also because he's like super old.
He's tall, like because I'm tall, he has the towers
over me with his big giant bobble head, Like he
is just a huge human being. He's crazy, but he
also just like he just does like the weird stuff,
Like why is Luke Jackson continuously the guy? Would love
to see them bring someone in. I think this is
(15:02):
a rotation for a while. I think it's just kind
of disastrous until they go and acquire someone. And I
one hundred percent think they should go and acquire somebody.
We've talked about Ryan Helsley. If they throw that at
us at all, then I'm cool with it. But I
don't I don't know of anything where cole Winn's going
to just be called up and just immediately jump.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Back to that role. Send cole Win for Helsley, Go,
send them Evan Carter, send them whatever they want.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Go and get Helen Carter and Hell's that would actually
make sense.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
But like the Cardinals really need like more another another
crappy outfield prospect that's no good. Sure, that's what they
do best, That's what they do best. Uh, let's get
to the last and certainly not the least transaction from
me yesterday This made my heart smile. The Chicago Cubs
reportedly are signing veteran right hander kent To Mayeta, so
(15:49):
he's not out of baseball yet, can ye Mayeta?
Speaker 2 (15:52):
The only thing we need for the true trifecta is
for him to be signed with the Mets, and then
the Mets jersey that I was sent. I've mentioned this before.
Somebody legit sent me a Mets jersey and it is
a comboed name of Senga and Mata. But I gotta
tell you the choice and how they worded it. It's
(16:13):
not really ideal, it's not I.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Just don't know why you get all this stuff. People
send you hats, they send you jerseys. I get nothing nothing.
I don't understand. This is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Why don't you don't you put your address, your your
home address publicly on the show?
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Right now, someone wants to send me something. There's plenty
of ways to get a hold of me. There are
a few things over the years, but they're all football people.
What's wrong with you? Baseball people?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Baseball people are great baseball people.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Baseball They have sent me nothing, nothing of people. Oh
that's what it is. You're the real hero. Everyone, Well,
which is the real hero. Everybody, All right, let's get
to the rookie lookies. Zebbie Matthews is back, baby Sunday.
He's gonna start bring that one. Nine three e R
thirty eight strikeouts, nine walks over seven starts. So far.
(16:58):
Wasn't the best debut for zeb last time he saw him,
but hopefully a little bit better the second.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
On the show yesterday, I'm like, it's clearly got to
be David Festat like David fine an incredible fourteen strikeouts,
no walks. He was up last, like, it's clearly gonna
be him, And then like eight hours later they're like
and it's Zebbie.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Matthews And all of a sudden, I got let a
fire under Paddock too, because he pitched Wall yesterday too.
He was like, oh crap, you can drop the guys
around here.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Somebody put out a stat where it was like the
first like two or three starts, Patta gave up like
niner and runs. He's giving up like twelve in runs.
Since then it's like over.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Like, yeah, he's bad to start, but he's got He
is just grip.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Gripping onto that that job, because you know he is
one bad blow up start probably hundreds losing that thing,
but it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Oh look, the Twins might be better off dealing some
of that starting pitching though, and laying the kids play
and just help them somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
You know that division Zebbie up tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I would agree. I'd rather see those guys in the
rotation with Joe Ryan and you know, some of the
starting pitch. The Cubs could deal with this. The Cubs
would love to have Chris Paddock right now. You know,
there's a lot of teams that could use him. I'm
just saying, let's talk about the Nationals for a second.
Dylan Cruz not in the lineup yesterday. He's down to
one thirty six, two fifty five, two seventy seven in May,
(18:11):
thirteen strikeouts. On the flip side, I wanted to bring
up Robert Hassel, who is having the inverse right now
at Triple A. He's hitting two to eighty nine with
a three forty OVP. The power hasn't been great, but
he does have three homers, eight steals in his last
thirty eight games, thirty strikeouts, nineteen walks, so not the
worst there either. Could we see hassle for Cruz as
like a switch in the next couple of weeks. Maybe
(18:33):
that's a super because Young has it, but Young also
hasn't hit. So they've got a problem in that outfield
right now where they've got multiple holes, and I don't
know what they're gonna do, but it feels like something's
got to give over the next two weeks for the NATS.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I agree with what you're saying. The thing with Likeause,
I've just been talking about Hassle. Hassel has been just
so not good for so long AFL like third straight run,
but he started to just he changed his approach. He's
a guy where it's like I'm making contact, I'm not
trying to swing through. He had really intense bat speed
that I had likened at one point to a guy
like being like Bryce Harper. But I think he's finally
(19:09):
just figured out, like who like the skill set. He's
locked into his own skill set. Now he'sitting for average
and he's doing a little bit of everything. By the way,
they're still an elite, but he's increased his hard hit percentage.
Last year at TRIPAA was twenty five percent. It's thirty
nine percent. That's a huge increase. His max EV went
from one oh six to one ten to jump up
(19:30):
like three miles per hour on that is huge and
average ninety one x velocity. So I do think Robert
Hassell is going to get a look at some point,
But is it at the expense of Dylan Cruz. I
think a normal team would probably already have cut bait
like the Cardinals would have already cut bait like they
Jordan Walker on Dylan Cruz. I think there is still
(19:50):
so much as far as like this guy being a
face of the organization. I'm not one hundred percent sure
if they're going to do that exact move, but I
don't think we're long out from Cruz going And I
would have to say if they were replacing with an outfielder,
it will be Robert Hassel. If they want to play
on the infield, Brady House is another prospect who's killing
it in TRIPLEA who they would bring up. So this
(20:10):
is a possibility. Just monitor Robert Hassel. But Hassele doesn't
have big, loud counting stat skills. He's going to probably
hit lower in the lineup. You're hoping he continues to
hit for contact and he can steal some bases, so
he's not a out the roof type of fantasy option.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Yeah, I gotta tell you wash Like I'm just I
always thought Would to Cruise was a bigger separation than
a lot of other people did. When I watched the
two of those guys play, I thought Cruz could be
a really good player, but I thought Would could be
a superstar. And that was my evaluation, and a lot
of people didn't share that. A lot of people felt
very differently about it. But so far, it looks like
what is that guy? One more guy to talk about too?
(20:46):
Who was up? Another rookie works about got sent down.
But things are going in the right direction for Matt
Shaw two or four with a walk in RBI two,
steals three runs yesterday in game one of a double hitter.
In game two he had a pair of homers. He's
starting to get hot. And that brings us to today's
Microsoft Chasing Challengers segment, brought to you, of course by Microsoft.
Just like the athletes, to push boundaries and redefine what's possible,
(21:09):
business decision makers today are turning challenges and opportunities. Microsoft
meets you are with tools and guidance to help you
make an impact with safe, secure AI solutions. So whatever
challenges you're facing, Microsoft empowers you with the expertise to say,
bring it on. In this segment, we're going to spotlight
the challenges faced by the Cubs with Matt Shaw because
they were very excited about Mattshaw, as all of us were,
(21:32):
and then, of course he did not hit for the
first few weeks of the season, so we send him
back down and now he is hitting now. The question
is how much longer are we going to leave him
down there? Because clearly Matt Shaw has figured things out again.
He's been a great contact guy, had a great season
last year in the minor leagues. There's very little for
him to still prove at that level. So if he's
going to prove it, he's got to prove it now
(21:53):
at the major league levels. So they're going to have
to give him a second shot. What does that second
shot look like and does it just stick this time?
That's the big question for fantasy managers, and we're gonna
have to figure that out. I would be buying Matt Shaw.
I'd be picking him up just to see because I
think the kid is too talented. We had so many
prospect people on in March talking about how great Mattshaw
was how he was a campmus kind of guy, and
(22:14):
I tend to agree. I think his skill set is
one of those heavy contact put the ball in play,
he's gonna walk, he's gonna have some pop. He's gonna
be a steady guy in that lineup for the Cubs.
It just didn't happen in the first shot out of
the gate. This happens to a lot of rookie So patience, everybody.
I think we'll be rewarded with Matt Shaw. Now might
be the time to pluck him off somebody else's roster
and put him on yours. And that's this week's Chasing
(22:36):
Challenger segment. Remember Microsoft's AI solutions empower you to take
bold steps and make new ideas to 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. Well,
she let's get to three up and three down, shall we?
Max Munci three f four with a dinger. Jake Berger
(22:59):
our boy are buy low from last week two for
three with a homer. Yay, it's good to see Jake Berger,
he's little bulkier than the last time I saw him too.
Did you notice since he come back looks a little bulkier.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
He looks about the same burger esque that he is.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I think it might feel like more of a five
guys burger than the bulk hear just saying. Brendon Lao
three for five, pair of two run homers for him
the downs yesterday Bedo was bad, oh, six runs for him,
five hits and just an inning and two thirds. Kevin
Gossman was hit hard yesterday unfortunately, six runs, ten hits
for him, and Sagano again was bad four runs. That
(23:35):
Orioles pitching staff is a complete joke, continues to be
and it will always be. The injuries. Landon Knack could
be a candidate for the team's fifth starter job. According
to manager Dave Roberts, are you buying that Welsh and
are you streaming him in any deeper leagues because he's
a Dodger.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
I mean, okay, maybe maybe I would consider like a
streaming option, but I'm not running to the hills for
land and Knac No, thanks. I think I mean this
is very very short term as well. Once they figure
out the only reason that they're going to guys like
Land and Knack or the continued injuries of Snell and Glass. Now,
I don't even think it's out of pocket that this
team might end up going and looking in the market
(24:14):
to see if they can have some more depth, because
it's like every I mean, you go to Fangrafts and
Roster Resource and you look across it's incredible. It's just
they're all hurt and they've lost that depth. But to
the point, I guess it gives some opportunities for a
KNAC but I would look at streaming pinning the matchup,
but not a must pick up.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
I don't know who had the original idea in the chat,
but the Welshism blanket, I'm here for that. A blanket
full of welshisms, like you know, just like print all, yeah,
like a quilt. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
I think we start with like a shirt and I
think it almost something like this and be like welshisms
and maybe like almost like an asterisk like a thunderbolts,
and then maybe try to explain it but the explanation
doesn't really make sense, and that would be like the
perfect perfect.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
You Darvish try to work his way back from the
elbow issue for for him in El Paso yesterday, so
we'll see how that. Actually Wednesday, both Buxton and Korea
they collided yesterday. Both were on concussion protocol, so we
have daily lineups. Just keep an eye on that. That
could be something that lingers over the days ahead. Spencer
Horriwitz three for five and a double in his rehab start,
(25:17):
so hopefully he's going to come back soon and deal
Hall two and two third shoutout innings for TRIPAA Nashville.
So the Brewers have a lot of pitching in the
minor leagues and pitching coming through. They need some hitting.
They need to figure things out sooner than later. Which
brings us to Welsh. It's time for the best bets
of the end of the week with Joey p and
the Welsh. It's Friday, It's fun. It's Texas on the
(25:38):
run line minus one and a half at plus one sixteen.
I said earlier the Hunter Brown's most underrated pitcher, number
two right behind him probably Nadiavaldi. He has been absolutely
spectacular and he gets a matchup today against the Houston
Natroals offense that has been struggle busts. So give me
the Texas Rangers to win out here and cover this
run line of minus one and a half are getting
plus one sixteen on it. Of all these its been
(26:00):
so sharp all year, and without alvarezing that lineup, it
just does not go. There's too many pieces missing and
the Astros offense is not good right now? Also good
right now? Chris Sale seven and a half strikeouts, let's
go over on this. I know the juice is tight here,
it's minus one thirty eight, but it's against Boston. They
strike out a ton. They are a little struggle right now.
Christian Campbell's had a rough week. You've got Trevor Story
(26:22):
who hasn't been hitting. So I'm gonna take my shot
with Chris Sale against his old club, sticking it to
him a little bit. And Cole Reagan's I can't believe
this number. I look, I know it's minus one forty four,
but over six and a half strikeouts, you could take
that parrot with the money line Royals and you can
probably get that into plus money in a nice little situation.
A little two to bet parlay there, Welsh, where are
(26:44):
you going for your best bets for Friday?
Speaker 2 (26:46):
All right, we are gonna tag the rookie Cad Horton,
who he did only go four in his last but
it was seventy seven pitches. I'd assume they're gonna push
him into the mid eighties. He's going up against the
Chicago White Sox who like to strike out, So four
and a half minus one to twenty, we are gonna
take that. Corbyn Burns was much better in the last start.
The cutter Vela was back up. That's a big thing.
(27:07):
I think that rest might have turned the table a
little bit. And he's going up against the Colorado Rockies,
so you know, Burns could have one of those weird starts,
but Colorado Rockies strikeout at an incredible clip. Burns looked
good in the last one. Minus won twenty over six
and a half strikeouts for him, And we are gonna
go swimming with some nurfe's Atlanta Boston no run first
(27:28):
inning because it is Garrett Crochet and Chris Sale, it
is the matchup. It is juice to minus one forty five.
But if we can't have this, what nerfy can we
possibly have friends? So minus one forty five Atlanta Boston
no runs through the first inning with a couple k Props.
Those are my bets.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
And don't forget to place your bets on fanduelver. At
fantasybros dot Com slash leading Off, new customers placed their
first bet of five bucks. If it wins, you get
two hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. Again, that's
Fantasypros dot Com Slash leading Off. And don't forget Betting
Pros Free Trial is still going out there. Download the
VP app get seven day free trial when use that
promo code leading off to unlock exclusive betting tools like
(28:06):
the prop bet cheat sheet for MLB, the Betting Pro Systems,
the same game parley builder, Sharp Ai, and so much more.
Let's take a look at the home run board right
now as well. See what that is that we look upon? Oh,
there it is there, it is Wankeye Peng went up
to seventeen. Does she have Otani yesterday? I wonder she
must have?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
She knows she was at sixteen, so no, oh, she
wasn't sixteen.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
She was at fifteen last time I was here, So
I don't know she's on.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Kelly had a winner. Can you believe that the top three? Well,
you know what one of those must have had Atani
because I don't think we had three nineteen.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I don't think so three, But I wasn't here yesterday.
Marty's at nineteen, George's at nineteen, far Outs at nineteen,
and Wonky Peng went at seventeen, keeping it, keeping it real,
holding it down here for us FP folks. While she's
still respectable of fifteen, I'm not at double digits yet.
I think after this weekend I will be again The
Sammy Sosa jersey that is up for grabs right now
from Pristine Auction dot Com for the winner, and if
(28:58):
you want to join, go to Fasbros dot Com, slash
chat our discord. That's where you can make home run calls. Welsh,
I know he's been cold a little bit lately, but
I'm going to go with Pete Alonso for today's home run.
That's right, Pete Alonso for the weekend in itty bitty,
little teeny tiny Yankee Stadium picking up his guy Juan Soto.
I think Pete shows up in these kind of big spots,
(29:20):
So I'm gonna go with the Polar Bear. Where are
you going for your home run call today or is
it for the whole weekend?
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Well?
Speaker 2 (29:25):
Right, now if I unless I do otherwise, it is
an im perpetuity. We're gonna go with Corbyn Carroll, Corbyn
Carroll near the lead in Homers. I don't know who
they're running out today. It doesn't really matter crushes baseball
as they're at home. If they're home or away, it
would both play. Kund Tell Marte would be an interesting
play here too, because he's a little less susceptible to
Righting's lefty since he's a switch hitter. But we're gonna
(29:45):
go with mister Corbyn Carroll for my home run call
through the weekend.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Now, wasn't a lot of baseball yesterday, so let's get
to some questions today because it's kind of a light show.
Who dat drop Schneeman for Royce Lewis in a category league?
I say yes, let's say yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
I mean Shneman's been going into some like decent spots
in the lineup, but I'm still like a no thanks,
I'd rather play the upside of Royce.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Choose your Josh Josh Low or Josh Young twelve team Cats.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I'm gonna go with Low because of the stolen bases
and like Josh Young's favorite thing is to get hurt.
But Josh Young's played really well.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
His favorite things to get hurt, the favorite, second favorite
past Josh Low or Jonathan India Low. Okay, there you go.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
More Josh questions.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Josh Lou, I'm looking a see if you get keeping
Max Munsey. We're keeping Munsey.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
I mean probably, I don't know what else is out there.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
That depends on what's out there.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Semen Schneeman or Max Munsey. I'll probably still take Memen.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Let's go to this question from CC what do you
do with Westburg? Hold or move on? You know, I
was a fate of Westburg going into the year, but again,
obviously the injuries put a wrench. I was not.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Yeah, he had like a little bit of a setback.
I'm holding by it. I don't know, like I've had
a lot of people hit me up about like, oh,
this is what my il looks like. And I feel
like every time someone is asking like should I cut
this guy? Because I look at my eel and there'll
be like one guy that you clearly they'll be like,
well I got you know, Kershaw and Snell and glass
Now and Spencer Arraghetty. I can't cut anyone. It's like
(31:17):
you can cut Arraghetty. You can clearly cut him. So
I just don't think Westburg should be the first guy
I'm trying to cut off eye L if you're in
some like NFBC type of league where you have, you know,
no il spots or something. I guess I get why
you would cut him, but I just I want to
wait on Westburg.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, I can understand that. I think you just hold
right now because you have a lot of draft capital
on him if you did take him, like tak.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Right there, Booswell, Westburg, seeger Manaia, and Jerry Jones are
on the i L only three spots. Cut Manaya or
cut Jerry Jones.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
We don't before at Manaya.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Yeah, Jerry Jones a better picture than Manaya. But I
know you're the Mets guy.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
How how I mean in what term? Oh, defend your
defend statements? Sir? Uh.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Well, we'll first start with we'll start with the algorithm
of modeling, pitch modeling that spends that Jerry Jones had.
I believe he was the only pitcher with a one
thirty stuff plus on his fastball and his sliders. So
he is a primary two pitch pitcher and both of
those are at Advanced plus pitch modeling grades and obviously
(32:22):
fell apart a little bit at the end. I think
Manaia has more floor, but from a fantasy perspective, Jerry
Jones is a much higher upside, and I would say
on the pitch modeling side, those two pitches are like
absolutely elite pitches.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Tough. I understand, you know, in terms of quote unquote stuff,
Jones is better, but it's not because I'm a Mets fans.
In spite of that, Manaia last year he turned it around,
gave you the wire to wire, and Jared Jones has
never given you a full season of great. We don't
giving you that season. So yeah, he gave you ten
good starts last year. Basically, I mean it's basically give
(32:59):
or take what he gave you. So I have a
hard time with that where we anoint these guys who have,
you know, little sporadic moments of showing it to you,
whereas when a guy chose it over a full season,
I think you got to go there, especially when the
offense is much better, the bullpen is better, like all.
The situation is so much better for Manaia too. I
think from a fantasy asset point. I'd rather have Manaya,
(33:20):
but I agree in a vacuum, Jones is the more
exciting pitcher. But I want stats, I want proactivity.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
I will I will say this that works in your
favor as well. For this is like the Mets are
a better team. The context is better than what they've
done from the major league developmental standpoint of their pitching,
and having this ragtag group be able to continue to
have like low eras like, there's a lot working in
Manaya's favor. It's just Jared Jones also has this like
top twenty sp upside, but again, you can't live in
(33:50):
an upside world all the time. Both of these guys
are hurt. They both have not pitched this year. I
don't know what the hell's going on with either one
of them, but more so that's why I would be
more willing to cut one of those guys before I
would cut Westburg.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Okay, here's one, McLain or Louis Robert from Chief Knockaholma.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
I'll go with Roberts.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
I will also go with Robert, but I'm buying McLain
right now. Let's go to nixt question here. Boz Tye
On or Hodge drop one. We get to drop tye.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
On for me? Yeah, I would drop tye On.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
That kind of makes a lot of sense. Here's the
one from a laser sharp. Someone drop Brian Reynolds. Do
I drop Roberts for Louise Robert? I believe is what
he means. For Brian Reynolds, I say.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Nah, that's tough. Probably not. I'm still like, I'm still
kind of banking on Robert getting traded. Reynolds is underperforming,
Like we know he's gonna be cool and solid when
he gets back, but it's not going to be like
you know, otherworldly that where that could happen with Louis Roberts.
I'll stick with.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Robert Angel, Theory Henderson or byby rest of season. Now,
this is tricky because Logan Henderson isn't guaranteed to stay
in this rotation. Now, Bibby is not a guy that
I want, but because his stats are all going the
wrong Caper and I's going the wrong direction, the expected,
the ray all that stuff. So this is tough. I mean,
Bibby has a rotation spot. Welsh, this is where do
(35:08):
you stay on this one?
Speaker 2 (35:09):
I'd go with Biby on this one. I get it.
He did just rattle off seven innings against the Phillies.
His strikeouts are pretty bad. He doesn't have a game
over five strikeouts this whole year, and over one, two, three, four, five,
six seven over eight starts he has. He already has
three games of three or less strikeouts. I mean that
(35:32):
is moving in the wrong direction for sure, but there's
still a great team context. He does have a three
three eight e Ray logan. Henderson's not guaranteed anything, so
it's byby Henderson's.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Pitch better in the two starts he's had, though, He's
given you more than Biby has in any of one
of his starts, like no doubt, and they should leave
him in there, Squeeze McQueen. I sung Kim or Bryson Stott.
I mean, I haven't seen a lot of Kim yet,
Like again, small sample size, so I'm going to lean
towards Stott. But Kim is more exciting to me potentially.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Yeah, I guess, uh, Bryson Stott's kind of boring for
some people. But I'll go with Bryson here. You know,
he's stealing bases at his normal clip, hitting a few homers,
hitting four ish average two fifty eight to forty eight expected.
I think Kim is it's gonna be tough for him
to like maintain a full time role the entire season,
or if not, he might be hitting lower in the
(36:24):
lineup like Andy pet paj has has to start moving up.
He's gonna always hit at bottom of the lineup. I
guess Stott relatively does too. I'll go with Stott though,
with the kind of elite stolen bases.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
Last one here. Keep Christian Walker and there's a lot
of Walker stuff. Walker or Kurtz who would rather have
rest of season Walker or Kurt.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
Ah Man. There's only so much longer. I guess we
can keep saying Walker, I'm gonna say it. I'm gonna
do it because we don't have much longer for it.
He does need to turn it around this whole like,
because here'd be one thing I would say, you know,
we I've been for like a month. I mean, like
Christian Walker, Christian Walker, if you're god awful for two
months and then you finally turn it around, be able
(37:00):
to come on here and be like Nigah, it's until
you you know, it's like, no, you just ain't two
months of Christian Walker. That's brutal to your fantasy team.
So you know, if there are viable options, I get
why you can move off of that guy, especially with
first base, when there have been incredible options. Hopefully you
haven't passed all of them up. But we're getting towards
that line of like, it's only so much longer that
(37:20):
we can even wait on Christian Walker that has just
dump him and wait them to get for him to
get ready. But I do think when we look back
on the season, we're gonna have a close to normal
ish Christian Walker year. But he had, like I said,
has to turn it around quick.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
That's going to be We're getting really close to it.
No looking like that, we're like two weeks away. If
it's doesn not by Memorial Day, you start making some
hard decisions there. And if he turns it around, great,
but you can't you can't sit on it too much longer.
I think you have till Memorial Day and then you
gotta like that's two thirds of a season or I
think she'd be a third of a season more. Actually
we're almost past that, so you gotta you gotta make
(37:54):
those hard decisions here, especially in those season long rotal leagues.
You need more productivity out of first place.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
I believe how far are we are end of the
season already. It's like, yeah, I almost closing on June.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah, it's crazy gone.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Joe's gonna be gone on like three weeks.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Going anywhere I was going yesterday again, shout out to
Joe Rico. I appreciate him filling in for me on
the live stream on Wednesday afternoon and yesterday on the show.
And I want to encourage all of you out there,
if you're in your forties, go do the right thing. Okay,
go get your check up. Go. I know it's not
gonna be fun. Well, this was the this is the
(38:27):
old colonoscopy. Here you go that nobody looks forward to.
Nobody wants to do this. You have to drink the
stuff that makes all the other stuff go out of
you so they can stick other stuff inside you to
look inside. But all jokes aside. My friend and neighbor,
great guy, passed away a couple of years ago, forty
four years old, from colon cancer. And he ignored a
(38:51):
lot of signs and he didn't unfortunately, you know, catch
things in time, and he passed away a couple of
years ago, we'll have two daughters behind terrible situation. Don't wait. Luckily,
everything for me was good a okay, you know, very
grateful for that. But a lot a lot of us
sit there and I'm that first one to say, don't
do these things. Oh I don't want to do that.
It's uncomfortable, it's no fun us. Do it. If you're
(39:12):
in your forties and you're supposed to do it, do
it because your family needs you, everybody needs you. So
public service announcement from the guy always doesn't want to
do that stuff, me telling you go do it, and
if I help somebody, that makes me happy. And that's
all I wanted to say, and shout out to our
team here holding it down for everybody. But look, sometimes
you got to do these things that you don't want
to do. It's twelve hours of inconvenience and it might
(39:33):
save your life, So go do it, Welsh, anything you
want to add there. You're getting close, buddy.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
I know, like a year or two you're like, this
is really great advice for everybody. But me, I'm like,
this is really good advice. I have a couple of
years on it. But they did didn't they move the
bar a little bit. It wasn't it used to be
forty and now it's like forty five.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
It is forty five. And I didn't do it last
year because why, you know, my dad passed away. Things
were crazy. It was a whole you know, it was.
It was a crazy year for me. Do it?
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Do it? I got a couple years smart, but I'll
do it. There you go, keep me on check back
in in three years.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
You have something to look forward to now, just like
I have that Subway series to look forward to. But look,
they knock you out. The first time my whole life
I have ever been under it was glorious. It was glorious.
Uh great, sleep, great nap. There you go. Do it
all right?
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Do you have real quick on anesthesia? I've only had
it like like twice. Are you one of those people
where you're super weird? Are you super nice or you're not?
Like when you kind of come out when I come.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Out, I am the same. I am whenever I smoked
weed or or smoke weed or any sort of THHD
drink or whatever. I am silly and fun I am.
I am. I am the life of the party. I
was I was walking out like there's doing.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
All the dancing and stuff.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Yeah, I'm not. I'm the best. I'm so some people
are quiet and moody, not me. I am. I worry.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
So I worry that when I come out of it,
that I'm gonna like say something, you know what I mean,
Like I'm gonna be like I'm to like go beyond.
But I am actually every time I'm like this super caring.
I'm like, are you okay? Was this okay? Like I'm
very gentle, I'm super super gentle when it comes out,
making sure everyone else is okay. So I actually like
the version of me that's out of there. But also no,
(41:16):
thank you.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
There you go. There. The not eating is the hardest
part for me. I'm Italian. I like to eat. So
the not eating for the day or whatever a twelve
hour twenty four hour period rough rough for me.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
See the probe up me is more of mine.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
Oh yeah, that was nothing. That was nothing. I couldn't
even know. It was nothing.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Glad that was nothing for you, It was nothing.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Feel good I worked out today. There you go. So
enjoy Baseball Rivalry weekend. Again. We joke around. I know
it's not the greatest topic, but again do the important things.
You get, save a life and make a huge difference.
So go do it. 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. Thanks
for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Baseball podcast. If
(41:59):
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,
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