4/3, Part 1: Phillies lineup, Harper’s for real, and more...

listening to the Fantasy Sports Radio Network. Fantasy Best Friends Forever. Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do do too? Yeah, says the Fantasy best Friends Forever here in the Fantasy Sports Radio Network alongside Frankie Stanfell, I am Greg. So, Frankie, what's going on about? What's happening? Happy hump day to you here on a Wednesday. Another night of MLB action. Yeah, another brutal, brutal injury, Greggy Fred Turner. This time we'll talk about

that obviously. Uh, Chris snefe velocity seems to be a huge story right now as well before before all that, Greg, how did you sleep last night, Buddy? I slept pretty well. I woke up once like an hour into my my slumber. I thought it was like I thought it was one of those like four or five am wake ups. I turned to it was like twelve thirty, Like this is strange. Um, not really. I went to bed at like love thirty was literally like an hour later. Um. And then then

it was fine. After that it was pretty good. How about yourself? It could have been better. He is starting to attack me again a lot in sleep, so I think I gotta woke up. I had to like lay down the law a little bit, put her back in time out a little bit because she, um, she's a big cuddler and it's affecting my sleep. Greg. We're at the point where it's affecting my sleep. So it's not good.

Not good. You know, I'm not a morning guy already, as it is very hard to get out of bed for me, you know, I think Judy, it is like she was snoring about we're still embraced, and I let go and then she rolled over like a perfect great job, Greggy, we have I mean, listen, it's the system. The system. It's been pretty efficient for a long time now. No things are good. I'm happen here that buddy. Yeah, I

can hear that. You know, it's crazy last night. I don't know what it is, but this is just nothing that she wants to watch on TV at the moment. So I just watched like Chris Sale against the A's No, no, we watched the Yankees. I'm sorry. Then we watched the Phillies and Nats because she's a Philly fan, which is awesome. So I thought we saw Bryce. It was it was fun,

which was all. Watched the Mets a little bit. It was like it was like a whole lot of baseball, and I'm just like, this is crazy Gregy watching baseball. Quote crazy, No, just being gonna watch so much different baseball. Yeah, yeah, that's what I tried. That's what I try to get through every night. I'll carve out a little bit of time to obviously spend with KINGO, watch a couple of shows or whatever. But then it's, uh, it's right back. I was watching a lot of that Chris Sale last night,

and it's scary. Man. We're what a weird time right now for Chris Sale on the Boston Red Sox. We are we're gonna talking more about that coming up until twenty where we'll have a Boston beat writer on to to break that down for us, and then really the Red Sox struggles in general as they just haven't been able to hit Mookie Betts, J D. Martinez and Andrew Ben attending the rest. When you're getting shut out by Aaron Brooks and Mike Fires, some of this are wrong, weird.

We might have a little world series hangover here going on for the Boston Red Sox again. Aaron Brooks and Mike Fires. You know, if you told me it was like Snell Charlie Morton, all right, you know, maybe I can understand that a little bit more. But Aaron Brooks like Fires, it is a little bit worrisome to me. The biggest story obviously, Trade Turner and Chris Sale get into that Velocity will ask him about it. It is

it's Sean McAdam falm on Twitter at Shawn Underscore. McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal will have him coming up at twelve so interested to see uh and hear what he has to say. I thought, I thought it was interesting, um that Crystal, Chrissell and the Velocity remains the top stories in fantasy baseball, and I get it, But the velosophy, if I'm not stay was up last night, Wasn't that? So like he's high was up from where the where

his previous start wasn't that? No, he was hitting in his first start, so I thought he reached that again last night. Oh No, he did his max last night was and he was averaging eighty nine point one miles per hour, which is his lowest for an entire start, eating back to Okay, so not good, Greg, And I'll

just let you know. Look, everything that I've read to this point is that this is something that he's consciously doing, that they're slowly ramping him up, and that after the first start they wanted him to dial it back a little bit. I mean, there's dialing it back and then there's eighty nine per hour, Greg, And that's a little bit different. The fact that he only had six swinging strikes. I can see Oakland A's the night before David Price

had like fourteen fifteen swinging strikes. Chris Tale had six. He allows one and run alright, great fun one strikeout. I don't know, man, I don't know. That's what we're gonna tell Sean McAdam about, uh and and find out where where he is on that and how worried Fantasy owners should be the big story. As you reference at the top, franc that was trades Hardner in this Phillies game. This Phillies Nats game was the story of the night,

was the game of the night. As Bryce Harper made his return to Philly, returned to Washington rather amongst a chorus of booze and every Philly game now seems like a rock show, and they hit mac shows or they got up to nothing exact. Definitely, I want to get to in a second. Was wonderful. And then Bryce Harper hit the bomb hern around the world and just did a monster baff flip. It was awesome, and Phil is right away with it. Yeah, it was an awesome game.

I was watching some of that. The first couple of battles between Scherzer and Bryce Harper were awesome. That was worth the price of admission alone. I was. I was watching the Nationals broadcast and honestly, one of the broadcasters was just saying, I'm gonna sit back and let you take this one. Man. I'm just gonna I'm just gonna watch like a fan. I want to enjoy this. And you know they mentioned that it felt like October baseball. It's only April two last night, so it really did

have that feel. I mean, these are games that obviously matter a lot. Now I could matter even more so. Uh you know, come around October September if these two teams are in the race. But Rice Harper later on, you see the majestic home run. The bat flip was amazing. Trade Turner injury though. Man, it's like he's the second batter of the game. I understand he's super fast. Why are you trying to bunt there? Greg? Why are you trying to bunk that? And understand like you're asked, you

know you want to try and bump for hit. Okay, what Trey Turner coming off a game where he hit two home runs? It's a game winning home run, a walk off home run like this guy, I don't know, It's just li doesn't seem necessary to me. His his role is is a table center for the guys behind him, and that that's why it's very simple. He has that speed. You're defending him because you're the table center for your kickboxing team and kickball team all team, and you would

do the same thing you bought. I mean that's his role. I think he knows his role and shuts his mouth, and now he's on the unfortunately now on the I l yeah, well this is it is brutal, Greg, obviously a brutal loss. I mean, and there's no replacing him, but we will try and we could try and give you some same with Danny Murphy. But it's like, Okay, wilmur Dafoe is going to fill in for him right now, And I know they have a prospect. He's not coming up. Yeah,

he's not coming up yet. He's not Yeah, he's not coming up yet. I mean, you know what he's gonna give you. He doesn't. He doesn't offer much upside for fantasy. Last year he played a decent amount. He had four and fifty six plate appearances. He had seven home runs, hen stolen basis he hit two thirty. So a little bit of pop, a little bit of speed, nothing crazy here. So it's not gonna come from within. It's not gonna come from the Uh. It's not gonna come from the

Washington Nationals here. Uh. In Wolmer, Dafoe and the line up as already out today, Greg, I thought there was a pretty good chance that they can move Victor robolists up in the lineup. It's Brian Doser who was hitting second, and you know, he's hit at the top of the lineup for a large majority of his career, you know, to his days with the Minnesota Twins. So it's still Adam eating leading off, it's still it's now Brian does

are batting second, Victor Robot still batting ninth. I thought there was a chance that he can move up in the lineup. Greg Um, Yeah, and I think that. I think it's a obvious thought. We talked about that a lot. Thatd be a matter of time before Adam Eaton got hurt and Victor robolists and we have a lot of unfortunately with Tray Charterer that got hurt. Roby is still batting nine. And we'll see how long this last. We'll see what Dave Martinez oltenly decided to do with his

line up. And speaking a lot ups, Todd's a lucky Who's a Phillies beat writer that tweeted out a little while ago that Gay Capitals used the same lineup for the first five games of the season for the Phillies. He didn't use any lineup five times last year. More than five times last year Yeah, Yeah, that's insane. Look, it's everything kind of everyone kind of fits there. They're placed in that lineup right now. It's it's a great

line up. We said that coming in. Look Cutchen as their leadoff hitter, he's got great eye at the plate. He's gonna have an Ohio BP, Jean Sagura obviously speed at the top of the lineup, Bryce Reese Hoskins. They're very selective hitters. Everyone just fits what they're supposed to do. And even Michael Franko all the way down at the bottom of the lineup. He's been awesome. Greg. I mean, you know, he's been mashing already, hits a home runoff Max Scherzer yesterday and then he had a few walks

after that as well. It wouldn't be surprised if we see him move up in the lineup at some point. But another thing that I've heard talked about a lot um throughout these games with the Nashville and the Phillies is remember like last year Odopo Horrero was their number three hitter. He's now their number six hitters. Like, like, that's how deep this lineup is right now. So it just goes to show you where they're at, how good they are, and uh, I don't think they should really

change anything the way that they're playing right now. And I agree that there's how does any human baseball and a lot of that, um, well, they're the hottesteam basically four now, um and a lot of that certainly is how good Mike Keilla Franco's gonna be, who's really has no room to move over the line up, which is kind of frustrating and as great as he is that he's a eight for thirteen to start off the year, Um, you're the lineup guy, like sort of you can move

along to six though, right if he keeps mashing, can't you? If you want to break up the lefties and the righties, I get it right because they look today's lineup aslready out there playing at one o'clock cutch In, Sigura, Harper, Hoskins, Real Mutto. That's not changing and rightfully so that's their top five. But o'doopo Horrera hasn't done much so far, and he's batting six, and understanding he's a lefty, so you might want to break up the two rightis with

Hoskins and Real Muto. Fourth and fifth. But Michael Franko the way that he's swinging the bat right now, I could I could see him moving up to six, and then maybe you put o'double at at seven and you know, maybe back the picture eighth and sees an end of his ninth and do something similar to what the Nationals are doing. But I do think that there's a chance that if Franco keeps swinging the bat the way he is, he can move up to six in this lineup. Greg

all right, we'll see. We'll see if kape Haffler ultimately makes that happen. It's talking about pitching frank in this game as Max Scherzer nine more strikeouts, pitch well but high pitch count, five innings, five intes lets, two runs when we're earned, struck out nine, as I said, he got out pitched by Zach Eflin, who strug out nine batters uh in these games himself hiding trying a career high for Eflin. He only walked one. He seemed dominant a lot of the night. He was very good. The

strikeouts were there. He had twelve swinging strikes. He was basically fastball slider a lot in this game. Greggy threw eighty two pitches. UH Sixty four of those came on his four seam and his slider combined only through his change of four times, with three out of four of those we're swinging strike. So maybe he starts to use to change up a little bit more. He used it

more last season as well. I want to pay attention to the velocity for zach Eflyn because the average ninety two point eight miles per last night and last year went with the velo spike that we were all talking about in the In the preseason. In spring training, he was up over ninety four regularly. Nine point three was his average fastball velocity, so last night it was two point eight, but drizzling a little bit last night. It's his first start of the season, so I think he

can ramp up. I don't want to buy too much into this because I want to see the fastball velocity take up a little bit. But if you are stashing him, I used to be owning in fifteen team leagues, I'm not ready to say he's a muscle player in twelve team league. I don't know man like. So I drafted at the end of a twelve team draft and there was a lot of upside when it came to zach Ef. I like him, People were excited about him. He's obviously on a very good team, the Nationals. A lot of

it is a good lineup. And even though he only drawed up right now, is he didn't reach the velocity were hoping for. Walks were limited, strikeouts were there. There's a lot to like right now, is Jack Ethlin? Yeah? Yeah, And I don't want to downplay that. Look nine strikeouts to one walk over five innings and limiting the Nationals lineup to zero runs. It's great. It's a great feat. But I think there's a lot of many pitchers two he could have. I know he got pitched hit four five.

He got pitch hit four in the top of the six. Is why he came out, and they were gonna push him once past eighty five minutes first started. It's probably not only owned in twenty seven percent of Yahoo leaguess right now, that should probably be I think that should be higher. That should probably be higher. But in terms of all the other starting pictures we've talked about, Greg, I still think I'd rather own some of those guys maybe, but Hablo Lopez, I would say Orban Burns, I would

take him. I don't Ki Mantas, I don't know. He's right there. He's I think he's right there, like I understand, like the stuff is better than a guy like Corbyn Burns. And we're all EU side of my Frankie Mantas. Elan's good. People have underrated him for a while. I like him too. I like him to. I just think, you know, there's a lot of starting pitchers right now that people are excited about and want to add. So it's you know, you gotta figure out people to rob. You only have

so many bench spots as well. So yes, I want to stash zach Ethlyn and I like him, but there's a lot of starting pitchers that people want to add right now. And I think that there's a few names just for me that I have ranked ahead of him in terms of who I would rather own. Fantasy as another one, jordan'sim Run. We don't have to get it. You want to get into him now or you want to get into him later. I'm a little intrigued by Jordan's what he's done the first two games thirteen point

to u endings pitched. He's allowed one ear and run, and he's actually throwing his curveball more more and throwing his fastball less, so you can do. He's gotta double. He's gotta to start week next week, Greg, and he faces the Indians. Indians suck. They do the Indians and at the Twins. The Twins line up is very good, but it's still very cold in Minnesota. The ball is not flying out there. And they learned this about jordansim

Run last night Greg via the Yankees broadcast. He's from Wisconsin, so the cold doesn't face him, so he can pitch well in Minnesota. He's wearing short sleeves yesterday and whatever, it was forty five degree weather in the Yankee game. A little fun facts there for for Jordan's Immerman. I know it feels like we do with Jordan's Immerman thing every year. I can't say I'm very interested. Perfectly. I put in a few bids on him in some of

my leagues. How does that feel? Not great? But to start a week next week, the Indians are bad, as I've said, you know off stream, you pitching against the Cleveland Indians, So Jordan'szimmerman should be able to have some success. Uh yeah, so anyway, Nationals Phillies, Bryce Harper, what do you think the Majestic Bomb? Oh was sick. The bad flip was what made it. It was awesome. And I texted you this last night after it hits the home

run and it. Drafted Aaron Judge in the main event and all draft season I was talking about how I had Bryce Harper ranked higher than Aaron Judge. I had him ranked as my UH for No. Right behind Christian yellow Acuna and JD Martinez like that first round group right after him. I had Bryce Harper up. The reason I didn't draft him in the main event in the NFBC Main Event was because he got hit the day before and his ankle with a pitch. I didn't really have a lot of information, so I pivot and I

go with Aaron Judge. It's still very early, but you know, first week of the season, I'm kicking myself a little bit because I love Bryce Harper coming into the year and it was easy to see, you know, what his upside could be playing in Philadelphia in that lineup, and so far, you know, he's done everything you could ask. A lot of people got him in the second round of drafts and he could turn out to be one of the one of the steels of the year. Greg.

You know, if he hits home runs in the middle of that line up, he's gonna drive in over a hundred. You got to see the batting average bounce back, but it did in the second half last year. He had over three hundred and second half last season just more Bryce Harper and I'm a huge fan. Obviously I have his jersey, So it sucks. It sucks that I didn't end up with him there. It sucks he didn't end up with him there, and it sucks about trade Turner.

What also sucks Chrysale, the Velocity and the Boston Red Sox. Right now, when we come back with talk the Sean McAdam and we'll find out how concerned fantasy owners should be. Is Yankee fans concerned? Fantasy owners concerned? Let's talk with Seawn right after this Daily Rodo dot Com learned from the game's best DFS players. We don't just give you advice. We play every day, all major sports, all year round.

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how we can help you. Eight six six four eight four nine six two one eight six six four eight four nine six to one. That's eight six six eight four ninety six one game time decisions up. Speaking of league's unfortunately the bell has told for these for whom the bell tolls, the Alliances League is no more as been shut down. It's pretty stupid. I played the owner of the Carolina hurry. The guy came in like on you know, The Night on a White Horse earlier in

the year, and they can't even get through the first year. Weekdays, four pm Eastern, one pm Pacific only on the Fantasy Sports Radio Network. Back with you on the Fantasy Best Friends Forever Fantasy Sports Radio Network, Frank Staffle, Greg Suspen. Uh, that's your BFS. We wants to get into Chris Sale to do that. You're joined now from the Boston Sports Journal is Sean McCowen. What's going on, Sean? How are you?

We're doing well, sir? How are you good? Thing? So the big story for us and fantasy owners are like, and I'm sure Boston reads Ox fans as well, he's a performance of Chris All who the first few two games has not been all that effective, and a lot of that is coming from the velocity at least we think, how concerned is Chris Sale, how concerned or the Red Sox and how concerned should we be? Well, just to clarify a little bit, uh, certainly the opener last Thursday

in Seattle was not good at all. Three innings, three home runs given up, um he loved seven runs and six hits. So that was not a good start by any stretch. But last night in Oakland, even though the velocity wasn't there, the results were he gave up one run over six innings and gave up just three hits. Now, he did have just one strikeout, and that's the first time in Chris Sale's career in which he had an appearance of longer than four innings where he struck out

only one batter. And the velocity certainly was not there last night in Oakland. Uh, he was averaging for the first time again in a career appearance under ninety miles with his fastball, and he was five. But it seems as if that's by design. Um, you know, he used. He threw his fastball only twenty nine times out of eighty seven pitches. That's exactly one third, and of course that's very low for any pitcher in Major League Baseball to rely on his fastball at less than fIF um.

But he mixed in the changeup and slider and got a lot of weak hits and miss tim hits. And uh, the only thing hit hard was a home run by Chapman, the second batter of the game, who clubbed the fastball at the top of the zone that was about ninety

and hit it out. Um. But I think this is all part of the bigger plan here where Sale and the other veteran starters in the rotation are being brought along slowly because the workload they had last October in the postseason, and both Alex Corn pitching coach Daniel Levinjy have advised Sale there there's no need to on a up here in April. Let's ease into this and have you operating at peak efficiency by the time they get

to September and October. So, um, you know, the fact that he could get by last night without the use of his fastball, and when he threw it, it wasn't thrown very hard is an indication to me that, you know, Sales figuring it out, how to you know, manipulate things through the first six weeks here until he feels like the the arm strength has been built up, and then it's okay to you know, put the pedal to the metal.

Speaking with Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal, Sean, I wanted to ask you about the rest of the Boston starting pitchers. You touched on it a little bit last night was for sale through the first quality start of the season for the Boston Red Sox starting pitchers.

And we have a lot of interest in guys like in Ward Rodriguez and Nathan Vivaldi and even Rick Porcello to an extent for fantasy purposes, just because they're gonna get a lot of ins and obviously what Evaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez showed us last year, we were expecting them to build off that. It's extremely small sample size, but is there anything to be worried about with those guys? Is this kind of just like a World Series hangover thing?

What about the rest of the Boston starting pitchers. Yeah, with the exception of Rodriguez, the other guys meaning Price, Porcello, and um evolved the are also we're also kind of on the same gradual build up program that the Socks had for sale. Uh, you know that they pitched until October. Those weren't just late into the calendar, but they were also obviously very high leverage innings with lots of pressure, as you would expect they would be. When you're in

the postseason, every pitch takes on additional significance. UM, So to help deal with that World Series hangover, as you guys correctly labeled it. UM. You know, they built up very slowly here. They didn't have the eyes UH in actual grape Fruit League games until the middle of the

of March. Their first couple of outings were either on back fields and inter squad games or in minor league spring training games or controlled settings like live BP, because they didn't want to ask too much of those guys too soon considering what they did in the fall. UH. And there's a reason that no World Series winning team

has repeated in this century. You have to go back to the thousand Yankees to see a team that successfully defended its title, and most teams will tell you that a lot of it is about the workload on the starting pitching staff. So the Red Sox have designed this program, which they did to a degree last year, but then uh did so even more this year. The year before, they were coming off a quick exit in the Division Series against Houston, so they hadn't pitched nearly as many

stressful winnings in October as they did last year. So they amped up even more this year to hold these guys back, to ease them in gradually in April, manage pitch counts and emphasize that, Um, you know, it's not about hitting nine with your fastball in March and April. It's more about maintaining your strength and being ready to contribute in September and October again. And it seems like, you know, that's as good an explanation as any for

why they've struggled UM from a pitching standpoint. Now, Rodriguez because he didn't put nearly as much as the other guys, and because he's far younger than the other guys. He's, you know, twenty five years old as opposed to all the other guys who were in their thirty thirties except for Um, of all these twenty nine. And he was coming off Tommy John surgery a couple of years ago, So that's another issue. Uh, Rodriguez didn't pitch well because

he didn't really follow the game plan. They had advised him to sort of changeups to lefties for whatever reason, he didn't, and he got burned by J. Bruce on a three run homer. Um, so that was more execution. But I'd say for the other guys, the veteran guys, it's been more about you know, still building arm strength, and being um, you know, perhaps not at as the season goes along and the early results have reflected that.

We're talking to Sean Adam Boston Sports Journal, who is basically, I think Frankie telling us to preach little patients with some of these Red Sox starters that were building up the Red Sox long term plan. Of course, September October had the velocity be back in the playoffs and the World Series. And this is spring training essentially for a lot of these guys as they build back up and get rammed up for the summer months out of the

heart of the season. But as you alluded to, Sean, like that's the pitching problem right there, building back up, and they started mid March, and this is almost like spring training for them. They don't need to throw ninety eight in March and April. But hitting wise, it seems to be a little bit different. The bats have not woken up yet. Well, actually that's only two of the last two games they you know, even though they lost three out of four in Seattle, they sparked twenty four

runs in their first four games. Um, so they're actually uh, you know, hitting the ball okay. Against the Mariners, I think they have. It's a combination of things. Obviously, Oakland is not a great hitter's ballpark. Um, the Red Sox have had difficulty there over the years there fifteen and thirty seven over their last fifty two games there, which is pretty extraordinary given you know, when how good the Red Sox have been as a as a team over the last you know, three or four seasons, winning the

division three years in a row. So this is a team that regularly wins ninety plus games but can't seem to win games in Oakland. Um, and then you run into kind of a bus off that is the Oakland A's rotation. I think they've allowed one run in their last thirty six innings the starting pitchers, So it's not just the Red Sox that they've quieted. They also took three out of four from the Angels, who have a pretty good offensive team as well. UM, so I you know,

I don't know that it's going to be Uh. Look, this lineup is too good with Mookie bats and J. D. Martinez and Andrew been Attendee and Xandrew Bogart's Um, they're not going to be silence for long. But I think combination of um, uh, you know, the a's being on a pretty good role. Maybe some cooler weather in the Bay Area where the ball isn't traveling. Well, um, they did okay in Seattle, but they have definitely hit a wall here in Oakland over the last two nights, scoreless

over the last eighteen innings. I want to ask you to final questions here sean first one regarding the bullpen. Obviously the team doesn't bring back Craig Kimberal eas also sitting out there in free agency. Matt Barnes had a save in Seattle, So is he the guy? Have you heard that they're gonna roll with matchups? Because I know it's what a lot of bullpens are doing nowadays baseball, And you personally, are you worried about Chris Sale? It's kind of wrap it up with those two. Yeah, I'm

the bullpen. Um. I think you're right. Well, well, there will be a lot of opportunities for Barnes and those traditional ninth inning save opportunities the way we saw last Friday, the second game of the season, where the Red Sox took the lead in the top of the ninth, got Barnes up quickly and he came in and got a one, two three bottom of the ninth for his first day of the year. Um, he will, I think, get the lion's share of those sort of traditional ninth inning chances.

But they won't be afraid to use Brazier and there occasionally, and I think they are going to be a lot of match up based Uh you know, whether they go to that um uh, you know a little trickier set up where they might use Barnes in the seventh inning to get out of a first and second one out jam because those are the highest leverage outs down the stretch, rather than coming in with the bases empty in a three run lead. Of the nights for a traditional save. Uh,

that's yet to be seen. Alex Core has been kind of kg about how he's going to use the bullpen. He said he's not going to quote name a starter. But I think you're correct that Barnes will be the guy on most but not every night and occasion where there is a same situation at the night. And as far as sale goes, Um, from a health standpoint, no,

I'm not. I wouldn't be worried. Um. You know, they gave the guy a hundred and forty five million dollars a week and a half ago on a contract extension, and part of that deal was a thorough physical examination back in Boston by the team's medical staff UH to make sure that the shoulder inflammation that limited him the last couple of months last year was a temporary thing

and not everything chronic are ongoing. UM. And you know, Sale has said repeatedly that he feels healthy, that with an off season UH weight training program and shoulder program, that he's back to normal. But clearly he is UM taking his time at the urging of the manager and the pitching coach in unleashing his best fastball and trying to get by Um with other secondary pitches for the time being until that that arm strength is totally built up and they feel like it's okay to let him go.

One final question from Mi Sean before we let you go. He talked to the bullpen in our score of being a little kg, what percent chance would you put on this team resigning Craig him roll below one. I just don't see it happening. Uh. You know, they were opportunities I think over the winner to get something done if they wanted to do it. UM, a big problem there is going to be their payroll and luxury tax situation, because they're about, by various accounting methods, three or four

million dollars under that final third luxury tax threshold. So let's say that they give Craig Kimberle, even on a short term deal that they don't want to get into anything long term because he's a closer in his thirties and we all know the danger is there. Let's say

they gave him one year at fifteen million bucks. Well, because of where they are with a luxury tax threshold, much of that outlay would actually be taxed at So a fifty million dollar contract for Craig Timbrel would cost the Red Sox closer to twenty two or twenty three million dollars because they would have on that highest threshold

and attacks of seventy percent. And I just don't see them justifying that, nor should they, you know, if it's not saying that they may not need to add somebody to that bullpen or make a trade or go out and augment what they have. But if just doesn't seem like, uh, you know, good finding anential sense. If you have some concerns about a closer in his thirties and his effectiveness, and I got an investment that will be uh. Even

the fifteen million, you could question that decision. At twenty three million, it seems to be no question at all. So I would say, you know, nothing in this life is full proof. But gun to my head, I'd say, as I said, less than one percent that he ever that he comes back. Less than one percent chance that Craig Kimberill comes back to the Red Sox. Hopefully there's more of a one percent chance that you'll come back and hang out with us again. Sean, we appreciate the time.

I'd be happy to do so. Thanks for having me, guys. You got it. That was Sean mcgadam, Boston Sports Journal breaking down everything that's going on with the Red Sox and Chris Sale and this team as a whole. A lot of patients there, Frank from Shawn saying, let's let's hang on, hump the brakes. It's a long season, and I think fantasy owners needs to do the same. Yeah, you know, I agree, especially with the offense, that the

offense is gonna come around. You heard the stats regarding Boston's record playing a Quinn so for whatever reason that they struggle whenever they traveled to the West coast, specifically with Oakland Um and so I'm not worried much about the offense a little bit more with the rotation. We'll see what happens. Obviously, you know, we have a lot of shares of EDWARDA. Rodriguez, we have a lot of

shares of Nathan Vivaldi. I didn't get David Price, I didn't get Rick Porcello anywhere, but still very highly owned players for fantasy purposes. I think it won't be long before these guys turn it around. But you heard it. It was an organizational philosophy right where they're bringing these guys along slowly. I mean specifically Sale. He didn't start until you know what, two weeks before the season started

in training. So you know, as you heard on the broadcast for opening Day, they asked a rod Uh, when do you expect Chris sale to be himself? And he said May one. So that's what we're kind of looking at here is the first month of the season is kind of kind of being treated as spring training for the Red Sox starting pitchers, specifically Chris Sale. Uh. It eased some of the worries that I had regarding him.

I do agree that, Look, they're not going to sign him to this extension if there was anything that he saw going on wrong with him physically. So I think him throwing as as low velocity as he did last night, Jesus, this is not this as ridiculous, right, trying to make as sure he is working, and I think, uh, I think him throwing as as low as he did with

his fastball last night was was by design. Just kind of crazy to say, because going from eighty nine is a huge drop, but it seems like it was by design, So I have to agree with that. At least. Let's hope it ramps up man because Chris Tale, I mean, borderline first round pick this year, and there's a lot of high expectations for him for fantasy purposes and and for the Red Sox purposes as well. Yeah, and absolutely the Red Sox counting on the fantasy owners ac counting

on him. You're counting on him. Um. I think that Chris Sale, Um, I think he's gonna be Okay, I listened to me music to my ears. Greg, you want to try to buy low on chrisl and some dumb owner you go red ahead. What do you think you could pull off though? To get Sall? Now, So that was like I could see people freaking out about him and just trying to ship him out for anything anything. So so let's play that game, right, are you trick? Would you you're the Chrysale owner? Right, would you accept

Mike Clevinger for Crystal? No? No, I'm just saying questions. You're in the right You're in the right mindset though, in the right mindset for sure. Like if you're trying to buy low a classic by Low so high doesn't get it doesn't make more sense than that, right, trying to sell my Clevinger and get Chris Sale. I don't know if the Christale owner is gonna do it because they invested a first second round pick. But if someone's really freaking out they're reading all these reports about below,

maybe they do that. Me personally, if I'm the Clevinger owner, I would throw it out there. So that's that's the range for you. Yeah, that's what I was thinking about that too. Like James Paxston, if someone came to you with James Paxston, Harmon Marquez definitely not obviously not even close. What about Paxton. Greg You as Yankee fan, you own christis a rather cleventry pack about had his own concerns on the Crissel guy. I'll not over reacting. When we

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Who Celie's married to? No? I don't. I know. It's a big name though, Hallie Berry or something. It was not Hallie Berry. It was. It was not Hallie Berry. You again, Uh, you're googling now, googling now, you're you're cheating the people. I don't I don't know who it was. Seal is married to supermodel he clue, I see that? Now? Did he ever have a different wife? For? This is not current? There? Right? All right, all right, well, good for him, Good for Seal. A great song though, great movie.

I have a have a tribute question for you, if you'd like it, let's go hit me great game. There's some the Yankee Games two nights ago. So I mean, if it's actually baseball related, I'm gonna have a better chance it's a really politics related. Miguel Cabrera, he's one of two players in the American League to win multiple batting titles since two thousand. Can you name the other two? Related Mike Trout isn't obvious guests for me. I'm gonna yeah,

that's probably not true. Are you gonna like that? I'm looking at how many guesses do I get? Three? Since when? Since it's two thousand two? Players have other than mid Yell Cabrera, I have won multiple batting titles only in the American League. In the only in the nationally there's only one and it's Barry Bonds. Oh, the American League, there's two. Am I going to know this person? Our pool holes is incorrect? Okay? Our pools never won about

batting tile in the American League, so that's true. Well, I just meant. I thought they meant in the American League. Now in the American League, Robinson Cano every one of batting title in the American League that is in correct. Each Yarro Suzuki survey says you are once again in correct. Actually you're not, You're correct? Okay? Greg Voda is correct me when when we guess each years correct? He said that all I miss spot from Venture down I missed

each year. Who wanted in two thousand and one and two thousand four. I'm sorry, look at that. I'm better than Gregor Trivia what else is new? Interesting? It's the trick question is wrong. There's one more guy. It's done it actually, oh, outside of outside American league. I don't have a good guess. Alex Rodriguez. It is not a great guess. The answer we're looking for is very easy. Actually, he's won it three and the last five years. Oh,

Mookie Bets, No, he went it last year. That was not one of the five years, three out of four years. But it was a decent guest. He won it last So Mookie Bets won it in twenty eighteen. Biel Cabrera won it in you naven want in seven. Alex two years was not a bad guest. He has years of three twenty one. Alex Rodriguez never won a batting tide on the two thousands. His last bags had a win was ninety six year. I don't have a good guess. It's not a big trout, very easy. JD. Martinez, who's

lt Bay? Yeah, it was just Affel two bay this yere. He's just completely off my radar now. I don't know why. Clearly I believe he's still a bass. Last night the Astros running wild. Last Night Georgia, Georgie still basis for the Astros last night they started. That's exciting. Since, yeah, we have a game on a twelfth thirty here, Greg, we do Cincinnati Milwaukee. Uh underway, we're about to start. You can watch. That gives him a nasty Louise Castio

change up on Twitter right now. That's that's great. Frankie, Houston, we do unbelievably. So Houston fell to Texas last night, six to four. It was justin Verlander. I'm pitching great. Four innings, six hits, four runs, three walks, four strikeouts. As frank mentioned, Houston was running wild with four stolen bases, including one from Brantley, one from al Tuve, one from Springer, one from Alex Bregman. It's the Houston side of things. For Texas, it was Shelby Miller on the mount who

only went three and two thirds allowed two runs. Jesse Chavis also allows too runs. The bullpend a nice job for Texas. Yeah, Jose Laclerk locks it down again here. He has two saves on the season. Justin Verlander, huge, huge disappointment last night. I know it's tough to pitch in Texas, but this lineup is one that's prone to striking out a lot as we've seen on the season so far, and you know he had four strikeouts, he had a strikeout for ending, but he got hit hard

last night. He gave up a home run to as Drew bal Carbrera, two run shots. So pretty pretty bad performance from Justin Verlander here. He wasn't exactly lights out to start his first game as well either against Tampa Bay. You know, gave up the leadoff homer against Austin Meadows. So, uh, keep a little bit of an eye on Justin Verlander. Look at the velocity from last night. It's not like it was bad. I mean the average nine point four miles per hour on his fastball he maxed out at

its twelve swinging strikes and nine pitches. I mean probably looking at more than that. We want more than that from uh, from Verlander, But keep an eye on him here. After its first two starts, he was he was not good last night. No, he was not eating wise for the Rangers. Kind of what you expect telling a lot of ships. Did you let off Rugen and Odor Elvis andrews all Get having a nice game for Texas against Verlander and then for the astros Um who's held two.

They believe that he won seventy four on the season as far with in like four games. So I'm not gonna worry about that. Um and man, Josh Reddick's got a bunch of hits, all singles with a bunch of hits. Josh Reddick fatting four sixty two. Greg again, small sample size. He might be owned in fifteen team mixed leagues Rhodo even I'm not getting involved in Joshua fielders. You know, they kind of mixed things around a lot. I think one of the biggest takeaways from the Astro's lineups thus

far Greg has been the absence of Tyler White. No I was in. It was something that we we spoke about for sure coming into the year, and it was something I was kind of worried about with him. But Tony Kemp has been d ching and I understand he adds the speed element. They want to be aggressive on the base paths, but he's probably more useful to them in the outfield. I'd imagine, why don't you play him over Josh Reddick instead. So the baffling to me, I

want to see more Tyler White here. I guess it's kind of been that's been the American League version of Jesse Winker. For me, I wanted to see more Tyler White, but a Winker actually in the lineup against today leading off. So we'll see if that sticks. But there's been some frustration there so far. I mean guys like Winker and Tyler White absolutely absolutely. What with Jesse Winker has been so so frustrating. I'll see how we go out of a lot of staves Cincinnati, Jesse Winker in the lineup,

Tampa Bay and Colorado. The Rockies get shut out four to nothing and Blake Snell in a rough opening day with all those home runs. Not a rough yesterday against the Rockies in Tampa Bay as Snell was ridiculous. Seven innings, two it's one walk, thirteen strikeouts, did not allow a run. He was amazing. Kyle Freeland, Um, it wasn't great, only four thirty three runs, but struck out ten batters in this one. So a lot of strikeouts in this game,

twenty three combined. It's you're starting pictures, Frankie. Yeah, streaming your pictures against the Tampa Bay Rays is dangerous. But they do strike out a lot, and they're gonna continue to strike out a lot. That's what they've showed us, you know, through this first week of the season, is that the Tampa Bay Rays are gonna strike out a lot. So Kyle Freeland, Uh, he had a really rough first ending,

settled down a little bit. The four walks. You don't like to see that on only four and two thirds ending his pitch, but he strikeouts sixteen swinging strikes. He was actually second among starting pitchers and swinging strikes yesterday, behind only Blake Snell. And what the performance. If you needed something to uh calm you down a little bit after that first opening they start from. He did exactly that yesterday and against the good Rockies lineup two. Garrett

Hampson was in there. He was frozen a few times on some nasty pitches by Blake Snell. Only two hits, one walk, zero earned runs, thirteen strikeouts, twenty four swinging strikes and Greg to me, the biggest takeaway here was Blake Snell is a four pitch pitcher. He's gonna throw his fastball, he's gonna throw change up, curveball, and slider. They're all nasty pitches. Last night he only threw his fastball thirty six times out of one pitches, So easy math,

it's right around a thirty six percent usage rate. Over his first three seasons, he has thrown his fastball over fifty percent of the time. So if you're telling me that he's going to reduce his fastball usage, which is a very good fastball, it's nine and he's gonna start throwing his off speed stuff even more. It's slider, his curve, his changeup, and he had at least four swinging strikes

on each of those pitches. He might actually be able to replicate or come close to what he did last year if he's throwing those off speeding and breaking pitches even more great because those pitches are are money pitches. It's always his fastball. But if he has four legitimate plus pitches that he can use and go to on a regular basis, he might actually come close to doing what he did last season. Big takeaway here for for for Blakes. Now, speaking of Tim, I have a lne

up question for you. I don't know what to do. Do you got? So the Daily Change League and Garrett Hampson had him on the bench because I haven't been starting. He hasn't really been starting. I have been starting him.

He's been terribly as one hit on the season. Do I he's in the lineup today betting a correct Do I start him knowing that he's going through start against Chuck Morton, Or do I play Chris Taylor, who I expect to start against lefty Derek Holland, but I no know that he's gonna start, but he has played the two the past two games against left head Um hmm, A little bit more upside with Taylor obviously the ways

line up is playing. Yeah, I would probably just take the safety and put Garrett Hampson my lineup because we already know he's gonna be in there. That's what I did. You never know what's gonna happen with the Dodgers, that's right, So I put Hampson in there just I mean, you want to get as many Hampson starts as he possibly

can when he's in the line of Greg. My other thought is, just in case, for whatever reason, Elvis Andrews doesn't play or Justin Turner doesn't play, I have Taylor on the bench that can kind of southern a little bit later on. I'll take the guaranteed start with Garrett Hampson. You must feel pretty good about picking up Elvis Andrews. He just gets done, man Like, maybe he doesn't have enough a lot of power, he's not gonna feel basically

he used to. But he's rock solid man for for points leagues, I mean, gets a lot of singles sitting in the middle of that line up to I mean, just that's it done. I feel okay, you know special or anything. When I feel you have a you have a trio of misfit shortstops. This will actually be Chris Taylor's last day on my team. I'm gonna pick some money up today. Drop him. Yeah, I'm gonna drop them.

You're dropping him for you can't reveal anyone they do, but hopefully by the time they listen, I already picked the guy up. I haven't decidned yet. Do I want it? It's kind of kind of waited out. Are you? Are you debating like some of these starting pitchers. No, Actually, because tomorrow's a light day for my team in baseball. Um tomorrow, there's it seems like there's a lot of games for whatever reason. I guess my team doesn't have a lot of games for whatever, so um so I

think I'm picking up a hitter. Just replace Chris Taylor with and between two. What So I clicked the error to look at tomorrow's games on Baseball Press and there's a PPD next to the Mariners and White Sox. I see that also already been in that. You know what. They might have a lot of snow on the ground or something. If it's in it is in Chicago. So if this is it's just the White Sox home opener too. I don't think they've been yet about Wait a minute,

this this, this, this is crazy. How is it possible it's postponed a day early? Again, Greg, I mean, if they're expecting a huge snowstorm or something in Chicago, that's probably why Mariners white socks postponed. Google And you're doing a great job, Greg, I think doing a great job of googling. While you do that, we will inform everyone that Joe with a Mustache, long time listener and wash

herver the BFS is here live in studio. If you ever want to join in on the fun and and watch the show live in studio and come hang out and buy us a beer, and will buy you a beer. Deal always stands. You know where to find us from time and end. Uh, we're open to the people. There are tickets tomorrow available. It's t shirt Thursday too. All right, Well, we're not gonna be traveling in Chicago, at least I

don't think I will be. So the game isn't postponed, I don't from what you've seen, I don't think so. I don't. I don't see that outside of Baseball press. I haven't seen this anywhere else. Greg Well, ESPN has the same thing. Has it postponed? Okay, so then it's probably postponed. Doesn't make sense. MLB dot Com also has it postponed. Inclement weather. Makeup on April five is the

next day. This is the White Sox home opener. And this is why they leave the next day off because if it's bad weather, then they could just do the the home opener. The makeup date April Gona. They're gonna do it Friday, Okay, hopefully there's no snow on the ground. I don't know what's going on in Chicago, Okay. Um, anyway, so the players, I was between her at the moment, and I said this to you before as a Garrett Hampson owner, I'm thinking of picking up Ryan Mikaman. Definitely,

what are we waiting for? Greg? Wait now for someone else? I'm saying my pickups? Um, how many have two left? A gap? All right, so use it and we still have one left for the week. I agree. That's why I was waying towards the end of this week. That was that was my plan. Uh, I would do it now? Okay, thank you? Now do you know who one of who the other person is on the watch list? Yandy Diaz Andy and Andy dealing with an injury left last night's

game with a leg injury. I would rather have the Rockies kind of platoon situation lockdown and I can just always have a closure to the Rockies. That's me. You want to win the last person? Who is that? Greg boom boom boom boom Man Senior. I like boom boom Man. He has some eligibility here first based in outfield, and he's hot bat so and that's a little bit closer between him. No, that's so close, isn't It is very clearly the third option here I would I would still

take McMahon. So what the Rockies exposure? Man, dude, I would have in this case, I would have doll Ronado Garrett Hampson and Ryan McMahon, four out of the eight Rockies hitters on a daily basis. You know what I thought about in my home league, I have story Doll and had Murphy see Murphy. But I thought about this after I drafted all of them. In the weeks where they play on the road like this one, they haven't been great. Now you're gonna have awesome weeks when they

play six seven games in corps Field. We're also gonna have a few clunkers when they have three games in A T and T or Oracle Park and then three games in Petco. Right, So now you're saying boom boom, This is what I'm waiting because I don't know. Yeah, so I think I was actually so I think it was. Actually you have Hampson, I would I would pick up McMahon. I was leaning boom boom because they played tomorrow and the Rockies don't have seven games next week as well.

I'm trying to pick them up in a few weeks. He's my John Carlo Stanton replacement. So that tells you where I'm at. It happens today. See see if right McMahon as well today or Booman does one to night, and you'll be on my team tomorrow and then they won't play, and then I'll be upset and they'll be a disaster. Anything else from the last night, you want to hit four before the top of the our. Here's

a lot more I want to hit. And actually, let's talk about Boom Boo's game between the Orioles and the blue Jays. Hedge passionally going six shot on things like well kid and Marcus Stroman. You honestly maybe could have predicted that against the Blue Jays. Dream anyone against the blue Jays right now? Who in five and two thirds, nine hits, two runs, five strike as Mike Floria are very excited about Marcus Stroman. Can I have a mom in here? Do you mind? Do you mind if I

do this? Woman for Rowdy? Ready till by the way, Rawdy Tiles had a homer here in this one. Every aftergot the start when over three Randall green Chuck replaced him. Um Rowdy had another home runs that was good, so we feel which of course, we got the text at midnight from Michael Florio's I did not not do that. Um So the first thing that you put on today's run down, I believe was about Migel Cash your getting the save. Yes, Miguel, that is correct, miel Cash, You're

getting the same. And I feel like the last couple of things on the rundowns last couple of days was Richard Bleier was Michael Gibbons Baltimore. And my reaction to you was like, what why why are we doing this Baltimore thing? And then Venture walks in here this morning and he'll be upstairs about a minute. Venture walks in this morning, just oh my god, Like Miguel Casher gets to save last night. I'm like, why are we freaking out about Orioles relievers because they don't have a close here.

They don't have a closer. I don't know how many times we can figure this out. Michael Gibbons isn't the closer, Richard Flyer's not the closing, but Yell Casher's not the closer. They don't have a closer. Let's stop worrying about the Orioles and they're closer. It's ridiculous already. We'll go to Seattle in a second. Where Frank's feeling awesome because you have any swards I got to save him? Is if Seattle needs to save today, hen me have me the guy?

Well that I mean, you could say that about any team, Greg, No, I can't closer comes off the d L and he pitches one night, right, might not use him in back to back nights, right, but you don't know the closer he's the last night, he was the best option. You don't know that an extremely high leveled situation and on that, so he's gonna get the next save. I would feel really good that. Have any swars acade, that's fine. We

don't know. We don't ee Greg flow now, I wasn't on the Kennedy were freaking out about the Royals in the Orioles. They sucked, but Yel Castro nineties six points at the yell, cashtro and effort piste off today where Michael Gibbons saves the game. Ridiculous or baseball talk Up next