4/30, Part 1: MLB recap, Red Sox closer situation, Pollock injury, and more...

You're listening to the Fantasy Sports Radio Network Fantasy Best Friends Forever, m to to to Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do do Yeah. This is the Fantasy Best Friends Forever here in the Fantasy Sports Radio Network alongside Frankie stamp Well. I am Greg Susman. Frankie. What's happening but Greg a happy Tuesday. Lots to recap from last night? It Alex for dugo time, Greggy, how about that one show planned Baseball? First hour? Um

pull the second hour? You gotta recap some of the NFL Draft top skill position players that were drafted, what it means for Fantasy football redraft, dynasty fits and where wets to talk about? Yeah? Very excited to do both sports today. June will join us for that as well as Yeah, it'll be good. It'll be really really good to do that and and have that have football conversation back. I did a little bit with g J, Zack and Ryes and a fanal probably asked him to come on.

Probably we got Jim. We'll get him at some point. Yeah, yeah, look very happy to have Jim Fantasy test obviously, but I want to try and get as many different guests as possible. Yeah, of course. So I took to j J about a time before. I took j J about it yesterday, and he's got some feelings and so I know where he's at, so I can. I feel like I know more information now, So that's good. I'd sleep

lest night, you know, I slept well. I was up vividly at three thirty, Like I had like a very vivid dream and this this is not funny, but um, Chris's mom is having surgery in a little bit, um, and I had a dream that I was in the hospital having the same surgery, not with Chris's mom, but I guess because it was in my head during the day. Yeah, I was having that surgery today and I was fine, Like the surgery has under anesthesia. Like four hours later, I woke up fine and like they said you could

only drink certain fluids. Was like now I'm ready for like real food. I was like trying to stress the doctor and were watching a movie and I woke up. I thinking like the morning it was like three thirty in the morning, and then I had it was very strange, and then like closer to the time I wake up, I was having like very vivid I don't know, memories or dreams of thoughts that like Todd Fraser would make a great manager Salt and Pepper. It was like it

was like Todd Fraser. For some reason, I had this vivid thought that Todd Fraser like future manager in the mats. I'm just like, all right, maybe do you remember your dreams often right when I'm right when I wake up? I do not, like not at this point, like the details that I remembered hours ago, I don't know. I don't remember at all now, you know. But when I was in it, like when I woke up, like I one thousand percent, I remember them very vividly, like characters

that are in it and thoughts. Yeah, I never remember any of my dreams when you just wake up, it's like you remember anything. Yeah, I said it pretty late last night because I was watching a Nuggets game. Great game, great game between the Nuggets and the Blazer. So I stood up to watch that, a little bit of back and forth. Nuggets pulled away monster game from Yoki. Um watch some baseball. Early on, I was watching the Rod versus Mantas. I was doing great there, I was watching.

I was watching a lot of sports last night because I was between that the Mets because Wheeler was on the mound, um and we'll be network on so I switched between that. The early game. I had that going on. There's just a lot of sports. One then at raw so well I'm laughing. Yeah, I'm probably just gonna take a break from wrestling until summer stime. I wish I could too. I wish I wish I could too. I

don't have enough time to watch for artsma guy. Yeah, I mean I just I, like I said, I do it in about it, like fast forward the entire show. I don't have time for it. You got that. I watched Killed Me Eve last night as well. I watched the You think it was pretty cool? It's funny, right, Yeah, I liked it all right, cool, Yeah, it was interesting. I watched last week. Oh I did. It was good. Yeah, I do look forward to watching more. It's very quick.

Seemed to somewhat enjoy it. Twenty it's long. Yeah, that's great. Speaking of which, what's up? Much better at choosing shows than King. She put on a show just before that. She's like, let's try this out. It's funny show, is it? I mean, I gotta I don't even remember the name. It was so bad. You know anything tails about it? Something about leaving Netflix? It is it leaving? Is that the name of the show. I don't know. Okay, I don't know. I'll text her, I'll find out. I'll get

it to you before shows over, Okay. I mean I'm always interested. Yeah, I don't remember the name of it. It It was so bad. It like random, like comedy, like skits together. Oh yeah, I heard about this. It's not good. I heard it was not good. I heard it was bad. She's like, so you didn't like it, right? I didn't want to tell the truth. They didn't, you know what. You gotta be honest. I was like, oh yeah, I didn't really like it, but deep down I was like this is the worst. And then what did she say

about brock Meyer. She was like, you know, it's pretty interesting. It's good. Okay, you're gonna take it. She probably hates it too, so I remember in the same boat. So the problem was, after I watched brock Meyer season, like the first season, I walked down the apartment saying, I'm Jim brock Meyer, and she was like, I think hate that. Please off. At least I couldn't. I couldn't stop for a couple of hours. You just want to do it, you know, yeah, right now, you don't know. You don't

want to do the accent. I can't even pull it off. I mean, the guy just has a very very interesting He's great, he's awesome. All right, let's get to baseball. Last night we spent we mentioned on ESPN. You had the Red Sox and the Athletics. It was ed E. Rodriguez against my man Floreni Montas and it was not a pitching gem from either side. Ed Edward Rodriguez get a lot of four runs in the second inning and that was it, got himself in a bit of a

trouble in the fifth, got pulled. He was upset by this, went nuts in them in the dugout, but he Henry got him out of it. And that was the final line, which is four four and third, seven hits, four runs oh in the second ending two walks, seven strikeouts. The Red Sox bullpen was fantastic after that, working in and out of trouble. Ryan Brazier pitched in the seventh after working on him a little bit of trouble. Raiser got him right out of it, and Burnes wind up getting

to save his first since opening day. On the other side, for Oakland's Frankie Montas, who was you know, I wasn't just breezing through. We got to the first couple of innings pretty easily, and then all hell broke loose in the fourth in the third inning, where a horrific throw at Jerrickson profile followed up by a Frankie Mantas error himself, allowed six runs to come through in the third, none

of which were earned. Came back out for the fourth, all good, came back out for the fifth, not all good, as he allowed another run. He went four in the third, eight hit, seven runs, only one were earned, a two walk, struck out four seventy five pitches. We knew as a brutal matchup, and it was for Frankie Montas had to see this pitching matchup. Frank, I don't understand why why Rodriguez was so angry. I mean he was, Yeah, he just didn't pitch well overall. I mean it's a pretty

it's a pretty tough matchup. Four left handed pitchers going up against the AIDS line. There's a lot of really strong right handed bads in this lineup, obviously, semi in Matt Chatman, Piscotti, Chris Davis, Pinder matches against lefties as well, Ramon Loriano, even Jerks and pro far your boy Greg Jerkson profar was betting one sixty, got on the board last night and had a hit in two ribbys. Uh yeah, just overall, so it's not a good matchup for left

handed pitchers going up against the Oakland A's. So I saw that here with e rod still did have the seven strikeouts in four and two thirds endings page, but overall just didn't really have it here. Reggie Mantas, Ye, it's just terrible defense behind him. You see that by the line um seven runs, only one of them was earned. I mean he caused that himself. Obviously you mentioned it with the era that he had, but still gave up eight hits only four and a third endings pitched. And

I still like Mantas a lot. It's just start geking a little bit worried the past two stars. He's given up a lot of hits, and that's kind of what Floria was talking about. Doesn't miss enough bats. So I'm gonna pay close attention to Mantas. I still like him a lot. I still think that his arsenal is really interesting. You'll watch him pitch. He's got the mid to upper nineties fastball. He's got you know, a near ninety mile per slider, near prower splitter that he's implementing this year.

So he has an interesting arsenal. Much just kind of gives off that Eovaldi vibe to me a little bit sometimes that he has the stuff but doesn't really know how to pitch, doesn't really know how to mix miss bats all that much. Maybe it's a sequencing thing. It's he's still learning how to pitch like on the fly right now. So that's that's my biggest issue with Mantas.

I still like him, but I want to start to see him develop a little bit here, and then the stuff with the Red Sox bullpen just more of the same. It was interesting. Ryan Brazier comes in in the seventh um with two outs, he pitches, you know, in any in a third. At the time when he came in, it was seven to four. So there are days where

he's used in the ninth inning. There are other days where he's kind of using a setup role, and yesterday was one of those days where he was a set up picture and that Barnes ultimately comes in once there was bases loaded a ninth thing, picks up a safe even though they were up by five runs. Greg, do you see any rhyme or reason to the Red Sox

bullpen right now? It's kind of matchup base but they're both right handed pitchers, so yeah, I don't think it's kind of just like a field thing for Alex Cora and the Red Sox. Yeah. So I was actually trying to figure that out, and it just seemed like, for whatever reason, they trusted Barnes more than the middle innings

Brazier more at the end. I don't know if it was because they trusted Barnes like multiple innings or whatnot, and they just trusted Brazier for that one that ninth inning, and last night Brazier goes an inning in the third. So I wish I knew they're they're both right handed. As you said, I don't know, it's kind of it's a it's a field for some way. What are the differences of how they could pitch, Frank, do you having

to know that bou any chance? Not? Really? Like only from what I've seen with the Red Sox facing the Yankees, Like when Brazier came in to face Bred Gardner, like that was a big spot. Again, It's like there are times where he's been and it wasn't even a good matchup because I think Gardner had, like all get a small sample size solid career numbers against him. He might have been like two for five or three for five, something like that. But Brazier comes in and gives up

the grand time to Gardner earlier on in the season. Overall, I think Matt Barnes is the better picture. He has a better ability to miss bats, He gets more swings and misses, he gets more strikeouts. He was like better suited for like the high levelge situations. But then last night he comes in, I guess technically it was a high levelge situation, right. So he comes in the ninth

ending with the Red Sox off nine to four. He ends up picking up a save because the tying run is the next man on the day, so it's not really a traditional save, but he did come in a big spot. It's just again, there doesn't really seem to be any gem of reasons for the way things like. I'm looking at it now. The Red Sox numbers for the year. Ryan Brazier has been in for seven of the Red Sox save opportunities. He has six saves. Matt

Barnes for three save opportunity, has one save. Yeah, and so he should have two saves one opening any one last night. Yeah, But Matt Barnes has twenty one strikeouts in the eleven innings, pitch Sounds has twelve strikeouts. So it sounds like that to me, like Barnes is the fireman. But why was he using that role last night? I don't get it. Yeah, that's that's why we're talking about here,

trying to figure it out. But I think overall I didn't realize that Brazier had this many more saves and Barnes. I thought it was a little bit, but he does have six of the seven Red Sox saves this here, so so seems like it's more so in phasion in favor of Braziers. Let me put it this way. Put it this way for our fantasy unders, right, if you count holds, both of these guys are owned obviously if you're just in a standard you're twelve team home league.

Right in my league, for instance, both of them are owned by the same guy. Both of them are owned by the same guy. Because you're getting Iran Wim kind of like we talked about, not necessarily Josh Hayter, but somebody really good releaserons Ryan Pressley comes to mind, and you're getting essentially Matt Barnes in that role, and you're getting the saves from Brazier or if they flipped them for whatever reason, like we saw last night, he gets

to save. Anyway, would you recommend doing that or would you just own Brazier, Like what would you do in your standard twelve team league? So if it's a twelve team let's say rhoto or head to head categories where you just kind of start a bunch of pictures. I don't have a problem owning both of them. But for example, in my head to head points league, my two home leagues, you just start two relievers, so I'm not going to

own both of these. Maybe I'll just own Brazier because he has six of their seven saves and he seems more likely to get saves at this point, so I'm more likely to own him where I just have to start two relievers at too head points league, whatever. But I think in your rooto leagues, where normally you just start nine pictures it doesn't matter, you know, if they're starters or relievers. I think there you can own all

both of them. And I think in the head to head categories league, especially in the holds league, you can own both of them. Um, so you know in two out of the three main formats, yes you can own both. But in the head to head points league or if you just start two relievers and that's all you have to start, I probably wouldn't own Matt Barnes unless holds is a category. Okay, reasonable enough, let's get into the hitting last night. I know you hit on the Oakland

side of things. Let me with the Red Sox where Michael Chavis once again came through. He was two before, he had three ribbis, solidifying he's spot in the lineup, and now he's talked about him a lot recently. Just wanted to be clear, like, once again, he gets the job done. Last night about this story, played first base, Greig, which is what we kind of thought could happen Mitch Moreland right now. So look, they're gonna find ways to

get his bat in the lineup Greig. Also, um and also of note, with j D. Martinez being the the d h U suway, Lynn started at second so it wasn't like the second base position wasn't eligible for him. I just think they wanted to get him some reps at first base to see where he could fit in the line up when some of these other infielders come back from Boston. Yeah, I think it makes sense. And Um, as I've said, I think as long as as long

as he's hitting well and performing well. Look, he's got the batting average up to two eighties six now, Um, he gets two singles yesterday, one of them was a bluep Three ribbies got ops over a thousand, will beat a small sample size. Michael Javis is performing well, and how about Mookie Betts. We were just talking about him a couple of weeks ago. Three hits last night, the batting average all about utter two eighty seven gread. No

concern for Mookie Betts, no concern whatsoever. He came through. One name that when you have the Mookie Betts I was looking up was Rafael Devers because his name we haven't talked about at all here. So Rabhail Devers on the year at six o BP sits at nine. That's pretty good. What's not good is the zero home runs, seven rivies, fifteen runs score. That's good. He has four stolen basis in six attempts when he's running a lot. What do you make what we've seen thus far from

Rafael Devers really interesting name. Started looking into him because Florio texted me. That's exactly why I am bringing him up. Rafael Devers has just had like a weird start to the season. Um So his launch angle this year is four point two degrees on average. Last year it was ten point nine. So ten point nine is kind closer to a line drive obviously four point two. I mean, he's hitting a lot of groundballs, and you see that in the battle ball data, right now, he's got a

fifty five percent groundball rate. He's the only hitting flyballs twenty of the time. He's striking out. He's striking out sixteen point seven percent of the time. So it seems like he's kind of making more of a conscious ever just to make contact and not necessarily worrying about hitting flyballs and trying to hit home runs. It seems like he's just trying to make contact right now and get on base and maybe hit for batting average, which he's doing.

He's got a two ninety six average, but he's got zero home runs. I mean, I mean personally, as a fantasy owner, I would tell Dever's he sacrifice some of the batting average. I thought, you hit two seventy two seventy five and give me twenty five home runs. That's what I want. It's good to see him running though, too. I'm gonna give you some more infoone Devers on the other side, I want to get in the bed in

Tende as well. Stick around more on the way next daily rhado dot Com learn from the game's best DPS players. We don't just give you advice. We play every day, all major sports, all year round. We never stop, industry leading DPS tools and custom projections, and now the daily rodo dot Com optimizer. In minutes, build an optimized line up for cash games and tourneys. Learn from the game's best DFS players. Join Daily rodo dot com. The following

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nevergen on your popular podcast providers. We do have some injuries. We're gonna get to you in a few moments when wrap up the Diver's and been attending conversation. Uh so we look forward to that, certainly, AJ Pollock, Anthony Rendon

h come to mind that Robinson Cano as well. But before we have the break, we're talking about Raphael Devers and what to expect and what I wanted to bring up Frank was in seventeen that year that he broke out and we were super high on him going in the last year was I was kind of looking at the batted ball profile a bit and he was a fifty groundball guy back then, and that number, you know, went down a little bit last year back now this year.

So even though the flyball percentage was obviously higher than it is now, he's always been a strong groundball guy. He's hard hit rate back then same as it is now. I don't know any of any indications all of a sudden he's just going to start lifting the ball and get back to where we think he could be this home run guy. I don't don't see any data that makes this thing that's gonna happen all of a sudden.

In fact, what the only thing I see is that all right back in he's vi it was at three two this year, is at three sixty seven last year to eighty one. I assume it's going to be somewhere closer to three in his three sixty seven. I think these numbers across the board probably for him go down. Outside of the on base percentage, where he seems to have a good eye, I think the number comes down a bit. Frank, I do like the fact that he's

walking more this year. It just seems like he's trying to mature this season in terms of cutting down the strikeouts of swinging strike rate is down, he's walking more so, he's got a better recognition of pitches while he's at the plate. He's not chasing as many pitches outside the strike zone. The line drive rate is up nine percent, so he is hitting line drives and he's hitting a lot of groundballs, but he overall his fly ball rate

is down eighteen percent from last year. So it just seems like he's making a conscious effort right now to make contact and he's not trying to do too much. But he's not trying to lift the ball. He's just kind of taking a picture giving tim. Yes, he's hitting more line drives, he's hitting more groundballs. It seems like

he's naturally maturing as a hitter. You know what. It kind of reminds me of a little bit Greg Chris Bryant the past couple of years, who when he first came into the year into the league, he started hitting a ton of flyballs, strike out a lot. Seems like he was kind of selling out for power, and over the past couple of seasons he cut down the strikeout rate. He's starting to hit more line drives, starting to hit more for batting average, but the power is going down.

We'll about this a little bit yesterday regarding Chris Bryant and that the groundball rate has been up. It reminds me a little bit of that regarding Devor's here. But if this continues to go the way that it's going, I mean, what are we gonna get home runs out of him? Maybe that I mean, he he could be one of these guys who already hits his home runs and bunches and whatever that they'll come. But I mean there's nothing right now in the battle ball data that

that says that that's gonna happen. Like it severely says that we underestimated his home run output for the season. Correct, we were probably expecting closer to home runs. Correct, It's not gonna happen. I mean, you look at the projections on fan graphs from the rest of like Steamer has n't for sixteen home runs the rest of the way. You didn't draft Roffie Devers for sixteen home runs. Derrick Cardi the bat projection hasn't for twenty but seventy three

batting average. So they just have to change. You know what did I get there? Though? Yeah, It's just it's been a really really odd starts of the year because like there's some good again, there's pros line drive rape being up, the wall rape being up, the strikeout rape being down. But the cons are that kind of sacrificing any shot at power. Here another name we a lot of infield fly balls too. It's just Nevers is all over the place right now. I don't I don't feel

great about him. Another name that we wanted to mention on the red soxes Andrew Benintendi. And I wanted to do that because there's a name that you were off very much in draft season now that you hated him, but you liked all the other guys going around him a heck of a lot more. Ben Intendee on the season two seventies six with the o b P at three fifty four, you got two homers, thirte runs, scores, the g RB. I has stolen a couple of bases

being caught once. When you look at the bat and ball profile of Andrew Benintendi, what do you see, Frank, He actually is trying to hit a little bit more flyballs. This year. He's been around, you know, thirty five to thirty eight percent throughout his career. Last year he was at thirty five percent. This year he's up to forty two, so he's lifted his fly ball rate by seven percent this season. Um, the hard hit rate is actually up, so overall, I don't think the battaball data is bad.

He's actually striking out a little bit more this year, which has put a bit of a damper on his batting average. To start, he's at two seventy six. He's got two own runs, two stolen bases. That's fine. The counting stats are okay, considering the slow start that the Red Sox lineup has gotten off to thirteen runs thirteen r b i s. But again, look at the projections the rest of the way Steamer fourteen home runs, thirteen stolen basis. That would make him a sixteen homer fifteen

stolen base player for the season. That's just that's part of the reason why I didn't want Andrew benn in Tennie, Like I say, he's probably gonna be close to a twenty homers twenty stolen base guy. The fact that he was leading off for the Red Sox who expected probably a hundred runs scored as of now, it looks like he would fall short of that. And look, the Red Sox lineup could get hot at that give an eye and you know he'll still probably give you eighty to

ninety runs scored. But overall, Andrew ben attend to me was it's kind of a boring player unless you were projecting him to do something that he hasn't done before, Like this was gonna be his third full season in the majors. Did you expect a third year breakout. If that was the case, then you probably took Andrew ben Attendee at that two three turn, you know, end of round two, early round three. He personally, you know, as you referenced, there were just other hitters going in that range.

I would you know, I would have taken Stalling Marte over him. If you know, Freddie Freeman, Jean carliston, any of those guys following towards the end of the second round. You know I was taking any of those players. I was just kind of a boring player for me. I didn't project him to take that next step. He still struggles against left handed pig. He has done so this year. He's hitting around two thirty against lefties. It's always been an issue for him. It seems like he sat out

a few games here and there against lefties. Are ready to start the year, not my gay? Had you been attending? Not my gay? The Dodgers yesterday started Alex Verdugo once again in center field. You get pitch hit for it in the game, but Alex Verdugo started in center field. And that's because A. J. Pollock has been placed on the disabled list or the injured list rather and Alex Verdugo. We have kept saying, he's worth picking up if he

gets a chance. What do we do with Verdugo. It's a common conversation that we have had on this show thus far. Well over the next ten days or so, it's the store elbow for Pollock. Verdugo is going to get his opportunity to play every day. Verdugo last night was batting seventh in the Dodgers line up, a Dodgers team that fell to San Francisco three to two. Alex Verdugo in the line of every day, How interested you are you in him? Frank? Yeah, he has to be

a musclown player for now. Um and hopefully these things kind of figured them selves that we talked about Michael Javis and all these other young players. The cream, the cream always rises to the top, and alec Rodugo right now, look, he's just been he's been crushing it this year. There's just there, There's no way around it. He is a pure hitter. You look at his minor league numbers as a guy that does not strike out. He's only striking out eleven point three percent of the time this season.

He's betting three thirty three. He's got four homers, sixteen RBIs, and limited plate appearances. He has seventy one plate appearances on the season. Hitting the ball harder than usual. This is a guy who has also hit too many ground balls at times gregs so far in his brief major league career, but upping the flyballs a little bit more this year, hitting more line drives. And I don't worry about splits with him. I know that this is something

like the Dodgers are super into splits. They it seems like they always bench Max Monty against lefties, and they'll bench Jock Peterson against lefties. But I don't think that Alex Verdugo is a bad hitter against leftiest smallest sample size. He's four for eleven against lefties so far this year. He said one of his four home runs against them, and I looked into the minor league numbers to Greg at Triple A last season. In nineties six at bats against lefties, he hit three six at Triple A N

S O p s against lefties. I think the guy can handle his own. In twenties seventeen ninety four games against lefties, ninety four at bats against left he rather he had to seventy seven ps. That's fine. He can handle himself against left handed pitcher. I just, please, Dodgers, give this guy a chance to play every single day. I think you do have to own him in every league. Right now. Um, right now, Polic is dealing with an infection in his elbow. This was the same elbow I

believe that he had surgically repaired in the past. So it doesn't sound like it's gonna be a long stint on the I l But if Alex Verdugo just kind of takes off here, I think he's kind of gonna work himself into every day playing time for the Los

Angeles Dodgers. Funny funny the fact, Greg I actually read an article yesterday regarding Alex Verdugo and the Dodgers, and it was basically saying that the Dodgers have a great problem on their hands and that A J. Pak was already starting to lose some playing time to Alex Verdugo because he's been so awesome, so they need his bat in the lineup. They're trying to find ways to get him in there. He's now gonna play every single day. I didn't I didn't love the A J. Pollock signing

when they did it. It's still kind of confuses me now because they have this young stud ready to go unless they plan on trading him away at some point for you know, assets to help them win. What just very weird signing with the A J. Polly signing for the for the Dodgers. Overall, I do think that Verdugo needs to be owning all leagues right Kensomanna started four l A. He would have five innings, seven hits, walked too, struck out of three for the first time this season.

Ross stripping came out of the bullpen for l A. It didn't go well. You only got one out and allowed three rons on a couple of hits, the big blow being Evan Longoria with a basis loaded double. Uh and that was the basiness clearing. No, I really should say against raw stripling. The big blow against him. On the other side, Baby Shark Jeff so margin pitched well five innings, two hits, no runs, one walk, only struck out one, which isn't great. But facing the Dodgers, you

want five shot on anythings, I think we'll take that. Yeah. Absolutely, If you started some margins four of this to start week, um, I would have liked to see him go deeper into the game. He only pitched seventy nine pitches and only you know, through five innings, So if you were able to get the quality star if that would have been great, But hey, don't press your luck when it comes to the baby Shark Jeff some margins, the fact that he

went five shutout innings. Of course you would have liked seen more strikeouts, but it is a tough to Hodgs line up a lineup that doesn't strip out all that much. So overall, I think if you started him in a two star week, you're fine with this, Greig, You're perfectly fine with it. I mean, he gave you an under under one whip, even zero point six whip. He gave you zero e r A. Of course you want more strikeouts, but overall, starting for the two star week, you avoided dangerous.

You did, Yes, you did, absolutely, absolute freaking lily. It worked out all right for you. Evan Littgoria is the name I wanted to bring up. It was a he pitched hit last night as Pablo Sandoval started this one for San Francisco. Lagorio's betting just to ten with an ov P of two forty eight. He'd be owning it all in fantasy leagues right now. Only I know only okay, yeah, he's he's just kind of washed, and he's not in a good hitting environment that I mean, that's ultimately what

it comes down to. The skills have kind of been dissipating the past couple of years. The walk grade has been dropping. He had only two forty four last year, only sixteen home runs. Just not a good ballpark to hitting, not a good line up to hit in. He's only hitting two ten right now. Just there's not a lot that's gonna end up going right here for Evan long Gloria.

Like the power numbers, he's not gonna give you my much, not gonna be able to give you counting stats in this lineup, and now only he should be owned just because he has a job and most of the time he's gonna play, But anything other than that, like even in a fifteen team mix Rhodo Greg, I wouldn't want him as my corner infielder. He just dropped in the main event, So that kind of tells you how you should feel about him. Only only only place worth oning him.

Zach Wheeler started for the Mets last night and just didn't have his best stuff. He allowed six four runs over his six innings, he walked three, struck out four seven hits. I will say this, he got better as he went on. Um Again, it wasn't a great outing by Zach Wheeler. Um. He allowed those runs all in the second inning, but I thought he was actually getting better as he had a feel for what was working and what wasn't. Frank, I watched a lot of this

start on the other side of Tanna row Ark. Tanna Roark line of three innings and two thirds, four hits, four runs, four walks and three You started him in a two star a week. You don't feel great if you would have got that, Jeff Somerg just start out of Tanna row or you would have been all right with that. I know it was the second ending that really doomed Zach Wheeler yesterday. But he was in the base runners on our all night, to be fair, but

he pitched a lot better after that second inning. Okay, yeah, So he he walks Pueaked to lead off the end of he walks Schebler, then gives but Double a single. And I didn't catch this because I was actually on my way to go play basketball, Craig. But Florio was saying that he was getting hit with a lot of dink and dump, kind of like really soft like bass hits, doubles that were just finding the right spots of following. That's part of the game. Obviously he was, but the

concern was the velocity was down. After averaging around in his last start, he was back around ninety five for an average, I believe last night, and it was freezing in City Field. I don't know if that is what's going on there, but it was worth noting. I read that he threw a pitch that was like on the gun, and Mickey Calloway came out to talk to him. He's like, are you all right right, because you know you're not

used to seeing that. If you see a straight fastball ninety one miles problem from Zach wheel You're like, Okay, what the heck is going on? This guy is normally per hour, sometimes touching a hundred. But you you're absolutely right about the the velocity being down. He had been, you know, on average, and then yesterday he was around. So I'm gonna pay attention to Zach Wheeler or for here. Hopefully he's not dealing with anything a guy who's kind of always been nicked up in his career with a

lot of injuries. So we're keeping a close signs. Zach Wheeler just was not a great start, but honestly, it could have been a lot worse the way of that second anyone. Absolutely again, he got better as things went on. The reason I also bring up this game is well, it's twofold first man Jesse Winker. It is eighth home run of the season. Whenever I look at Jessie Winkers game log, I'm shocked it's not Homer every day. It's not just feels that way, um, but Winker, he's finally

getting hit the ball better. He's much more comfortable in the cleanup spot. I know this is not a lot, but the average now back up to forty. Like if he just continues seeing the ball better and getting better contact. It's gonna be back when you want it, really, OK's not over three. Things are going better for Jesse Winker obviously. Is Who would you rather own? Jesse Winker Alex Verduga.

I will take Jesse Winker just because I think his playing time is more solidified for the rest of the season. If I knew that they were both going to have a starting opportunity every day from here on out, I would probably take for Dougo just because the lineup is a little bit better with the Dodgers, parks a little

bit better for Cincinnati. It is true we'rest putting hairs here for sure, because I do like both guys a lot, But in a vacuum right now, I would take Winkers just because I think the playing time the rest of the way is a little bit more solidified. Hit his eighth home run last night, Greig, already your career high. How about that for Jesse Winker. You mentioned the playing

time being solidified. Well, that's interesting because it looks like the Reds potentially as soon as this weekend, may have another outfielder brought up. As it seems as if lads up it's now time for Nick Senzel. Senz he'll return to the minors after his ankle injury from the spring

about eight games ago. Things are going well in his first home run of the season last night, and Senzel evidently has taken to center field very very nicely for Cincinnati and been playing Scottie Cheveler in center field for most of this season. Chevler's batting one thirty five two seventy three b V certainly doing nothing to hold down the job. Yashl Twig has been bad and Matt Camp is herb. The only outfielder performing. It's winker and Nick

Senzel gets called up. He's going to play every day and we could be just a few days away from Senzel time. Absolutely, Greg and Nick senzeill owning forty three percent of YAHOO league's right now, So you might be out there in your league, if you're playing a ten team league, maybe a shallower a twelve team league, just go out and check and make sure that Nick Senzel is owned, and if not, make sure to get him on your team. UH. The hit tool is absolutely legit, Greg.

That was really the UH calling card for Nick Senzel the past couple of years he's dealt with a lot of injuries, but his hit tool is his number one tool. But he does have an interesting power speaking combination as well. Just a few seasons ago in twenty seventeen, he had fourteen home runs with fourteen stolen basis and bad three twenty one with a nine oh five o ps. So there is a lot to like about Senzel here and just joining this lineup overall, Uh, they get another shot

in the arm. Yesterday I mentioned a they lead off Jose Perazzo with ends up working out well. He goes to for five hits and RBI double, So maybe this is a sign of things to come um with they can they can use him at the top of the order. They can use Ums at the top of the lineup, and and in Votto second, and then they still have Suarez and they still have Jesse Winker and the Senzel's coming to So this line is gonna get better. It's

a good ballpark to hit in. Once the weather starts to heat up a little bit, I think this Red's lineup will do so um with the weather as well. So looking forward to Senzel joining there, just make sure he's owning new lead when we come back. I want to ask Frank about a Mets player, kind of like we did with Ben and Tendie Endeavors, and that's Michael cold Aford all because we haven't talked all that much

about Conford, so we're talking about him. We'll also mentioned Jake Oderesi and what he did against Houston and it's a sign of things to come. Stick around. More baseball chatter on the way. Right after this, the Fantasy Sports Network gets ready to take you out to the ball game. Our experts and analysts are following the Boys of Summer through all one d and sixty two games of the two thousand nineteen MLB season with the best fantasy baseball

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in entertainment. The knowledge of the extra money'll put in your pockets. To Make It Rain with Joe Dane weekday mornings from six nine Eastern only on f N T s Y. I said before the break, I want to discuss maybe a good Ford just another meaning that very popular in draft days, but we haven't really spoken all that much about him. What can you tell us from

his batted batted ball profile? Another guy who's buying into the launch angle revolutions so far this year fly by all rate, that would be a career high for him. UH as of now, last season, he was right around thirty six point six percent UM. The hard hit. The hard hit rate is not great, it's right around league average thirty five percent. But the fact that he's putting the ball in the air more, striking out less, walking

a ton seventeen point six percent walk. Right, if you've got this guy in O b P or points lee, I mean, you feel great about it. Right now, he's got a nine's got twenty runs scored because the Mets lineup is a solid one, and the fact that he bats towards the top of it and he's walking as much as he is, and he's got six home runs. Chipping in some stolen bases now to not really a part of his game that we were expecting. He's already

got two stolen bases. I think Michael Conforto has done everything asked to him so far, right to seventies, six hommers, thirteen ribbies, twenty runs scored, UM, striking out less, hitting more flyballs. There's lots of like working. Yes, there is actually doing what you would hope he would when you selected him on Draft Dead. I mentioned Minnesota and Houston last night. It was a pitching battle between Justin Berlinder

went six innings, two hits, one run. The only run aloud was an Age Nanza solo shot in the thirties. First hommer of this season, I struck out seven while walking to well. Jake Odorici seven innings, four hits, one walks, seven strikeouts against that Astros lineup, Frank ODORESI. If you look at what he has done thus far this year, pretty good. Only one only one outing where he couldn't get through the first thing. Other than that, not on

Stephen Matt's like, he's been really good. What can you tell us about Jake LODORIZI They don't really trust it all that much. I will say this, The swinging strikes are up. The k per nine is up this year as well, which helps because there's a guy who normally when he gives up contact, he gives up a lot of flyballs. He just has a twenty three percent groundball rates.

So that's why you see is he raised three point three four but his x FIT is four point seven one because if you normalize his home run the fly ball ratio to league average, which is around ten eleven, and this is basically his he's adjusted e r A based on a normalized home run the flyball ratio. So a guy who gives up this many flyballs but hasn't given up this many home runs to start the year.

He's been a little bit lucky. I like the fact that he's getting more swings and misses and getting more strikeouts Greg, But overall, he's just not a guy that I trust. You know, he goes out here and has a great performance against the Houston Astros. He's the type of picture that you put him in your line up the next time out, and he's going up against the Cleveland Indians, the Detroit Tigers, ibout the New York Yankees.

It's that starts in Yankee Stadium too, Like doesn't that just scream Like that's a game where like the home run to flyball ratio regression kind of comes into play there because it is in Yankee Stadium. Look, if you if you start him for a two star with you obviously against the Astros, And yeah, we asked Modi yesterday. He said no, there's no way, and I agreed with him, Like he was available in my league. I didn't pick

him up. I didn't start him anywhere. If you started him yesterday for a two star a week and you got that start out of him, you feel from phenomenal. You'll basically take whatever you get out of him, and Yankees at him in his second start later this week. Greg. But overall, if I just play in a head to head daily league where I can pick him up and scream him, I would He was not be one of my active targets going up against Yankees. All right, So JAGODORESI,

Frankstanville not buying it at this moment. St. Louis and Washington. Last night you had Michael Waka come off the d L to face off against Patrick Corban and I bring this game up now. Uh talk about Corban, who he brought up a couple days ago where you're saying, maybe I deserved the L on that he went at five innings, allowed six hits, six runs, he walked four, he struck out five. The fifth inning was where all the damage having for Corban, who was just cruising right along. He

did not have it in that fifth inning. Yeah, the walks are really uncanny for him. I think that's kind of what did him in here, gives up a solo home run to Harrison Bader. I mean, it's a really tough St. Louis Cardinals lineup, and kind of similar to what I said about Irod going up against the Oakland A's earlier on. This is a really tough lineup for left handed cheers because you have gold Schmid, who's a righty.

You got de Young who's a right you got alrighty, Jose Martinez who by the way, Greg, good call with Martinez continuing to get it done too for four yesterday with another RBI Yadier Molina is a righty. They take Colton walk out of the lineup, they put in Jajerko, who's a right They have Harrison Bader. So this is a really really tough lineup for left handed pitchers to

navigate here. And I think, you know, once he starts walking four guys, Greg and a start, I mean, that's that's basically what's gonna do Patchri Corbin And I believe he also walked in a run at some point he had based on it and walked someone in UM. But this is a guy who last year he was two point one six walks per nine. This year he's two point three nine walks per nine, so normally has pretty good command, doesn't walk all that many so to see

him walk four guys. I think last night was just one of those nights where he just didn't have it against a really strong Cardinals line up. Like a walk A walk three guys and his five innings work he lot of four hits, three runs, he struck out five. Jordan Higgs did come on in the ninth inning and take off. I'm is not a walk done, man, I'm I'm long passed a guy. He walks too many guys he normally doesn't get that many strikeouts. Is just nope, pass.

I do want to note in this one Carter here Boom he went over three head his first ever, which isn't good. That had sixth in the lineup defense. Yes, there are one reason he may not last. Just I'm just putting out there. It's truth. Here Key Boom, that had sixth in the lineup yesterday, ahead of Brian Doser, ahead of Young and a head of Patrick Corman. Yeah, so you'd like to see that. Obviously, the over here

feel really really small sample size. Hit two home runs over the weekend in this game, and without Anthony Rendon, who remains out of the line up, they're gonna make it a decision on the i L today because it's ridiculous. Ready, So in this lineup you had Eaten robe Less, Juan Soto, and Howard Kendrick was playing third and batting fourth. Matt Adams and Ryan Zimmerman also had the lineup, batting fifth. It just shows you how much of the don't like

Raindoser right now? To me, Yeah, it's true. Look, he was batting below Carter key Boom. Is that a sign of you know, things to come? They like keybo more than Doser. Perhaps we'll see what happens in the long term. Here for the Nationals. Everyone kind of getting hurt here for the Nationals lineup, this isn't and they're not the Yankees, It's true, but you know, this seems like a far cry from the lineup that we saw on opening Day. He's weird seeing like Howie Kendrick in there and Matt

Adams batting in the middle of this lineup. It seems weird for the Washington Nationals. So hopefully Anthony Rendon could get back sooner rather than later. Um, we'll get that decision regarding Randon soon. And I'm sure that they can kind of like retroactive back to whatever days they can't remember he played one game in there. He's just seven out of eight. So they've been retroactive for the weekend until the weekend, so he's he's still gonna be out

without him for a little while. Here, Hayes's aguilar who we started because we had to this week? Did it worked for us? To home runs last night in Miller Park against the Rockies against Kyle Freeland, who came off the d L. Freeland went six in six hits, five runs, walking to and striking out three. Well, Zach Davies improved you three and oh Frank on the season five and the third three hits, one run. It was not earned. He walked three while striking out two. Oh man, Zach Davies,

what is going on with the world right now? Greg? Zach Davis has a one point three eight e R, a five point seven case for nine, three point five eight walks for nine. It's just what's happening? You just did that against the Rockies lineup two is like, I don't want to downplay what the guy did. It was fine start for him, but you got one point three eight year a four point nine six exits, So just don't buy into Zach Dave for some reason you were

thinking of buying into Zach Davies. Yeah, this was great to see from Hazer's aglar. We needed to see this from him. We were debating dropping him in our fifteen team roto league over the weekend. We ended up not doing that. We get him in the lineup, he gets

off the schni here, Greggy. Three hits to home runs and I really like the fact that one of them was to straightaway center field and the other ones was to opposite field to right field for a r. So it seems like it's one of those things like once you start seeing you see a few home runs pop, and the way that they did center and right field, it seems like, all right, this these are the types of things that we need to see and maybe Hayese's is about to come around. It was against the left

handed picture. Eric Thames wasn't in the lineup. Let's see what happens the rest of the week when they're going up against the righty. Do they get Eric Thames in the lineup? Do they find ways to get both of these guys in the lineup. It'll be interesting to see, but definitely something we needed to see from haere if he was dropped in twelve team leagues, should people go out and start freaking out. I gotta get back on my team because he's about to do what he did

last year. No, I'm not making a rash decision one day. If you just dropped him, and you dropped him over the weekend, I'm not running in the way over wire. We should give it a week. There's no worse feeling, though there is. On Sunday he goes three for four hits, two long runs, gives you four ribbies, and you're just staring at it on the waiver wire now and someone else is gonna pick it up so potentially reap the benefits of Hazel tagging out of the rest. It's a

terrible feeling. So what do you do? Now? Do you do? You blow some of your had to get him back on your team. You obviously drafted him for a reason. There was something there that you liked. We it's a tough situation. I mentioned Zach Davies, Lion. You were shaking your head while I was giving it. How come he's

not good? He pitches to contact your pitches in Miller Park, Greg pitches in a tough division, I say that all with him having a one point three a e R A and he's three and oh, but the underlying numbers from were just not good. He's gotta he's got nowhere, he's got a five k or nine and he almost has a four walks for now. His x FIP is almost five. It's bad, not good. It's very bad. Okay, let's have somebody did then, and it's it was your boy versus my boy last night? Did you know that?

Are you trying to figure out what I'm telling you about? It was Mike Saroka Mikeska who went six inties, allowing four hits, one run, striking out eight, neck meshes five and two thirds, three runs, also strike out three. He's defense let him down. Anything else on Nick Viscious Craig and they also Mike Sarroca was awesome last night. He just every start continues to impress me. I mean, his

arsenal was really good. Like his it seems like all of his pitches have movement, like his slider is legit. Eight strikeouts last night. I was a little surprised that it was either last start or the start before this. They let him go over a hundred endings almost a hundred and ten hundred pitches, like a hundred and ten pitches, and then last night he gets through six with only one pitches. Would have been nice to see him go seven, but I guess you know, if they stretched him out

a little bit too far last time. They didn't want to push their limits. Uh and ultimately me too. I don't want to get too greedy when it comes to to Roca, because this is a guy who has had shoulder issues. But it's awesome star last night only one walk, eight strikeouts, the whip well below one. There he's getting it done. And I would recommend streaming pictures against the Padres line up right now. They they're very cool. I know. Um, one of these days I would like to do some

like an all encompassing hitters Tobai and picture Tobai. Well, I think one of them is. Tomorrow, we're gonna look at some of the underlying statistics for the month of April, because you know how I like to kind of summon all up in April and March you're done. So we're gonna take a look back at the month of April and see certain numbers and who to buy and who to sell, not to who we should believe in, who we should not believe in. We do that on tomorrow

show for two hours. Let's do it all right, cool um? And do you want to know? Ozzie Albis hit his sixth homer of the year last night, leading off again for the Bravos to average three fifteen at o b P. So Chris Bench is feeling good. But by the way, he loved Ozzie Albi's gonna get you next. That's a venture man. Josh Tomlin picked seven yesterday and then in the ninth without a j Mints are available, without Luke

Jackson available. They started out with Jerry Blevins, who struck out the lefty, and then they bring in Jacob Webb, but no Religions Joe Webb. They bring Jacob Webb, who struck out a batterer on seven pitches, got another out and picked up his first save ever. This team needs to sign Craig Kimberle and be done with it. That's all I got. Yeah. The only thing that I see in their way right now, Greg is that draft compensation.

I think you know, once we get past that, once we get past the MLB draft, I do believe that Craig Kimber will be signed. I wouldn't be wouldn't surprise me at all if he ends up with the Atlanta Braves. But it seems like this is kind of like the next issue in a long line of issues when it comes to MLB and Major League Baseball in general. The fact that people are not signing Dallas Kigl, who is a former cy Young Award winner. I know, I thanks

to forget that Kai goes out there. Yeah, like, no one's signing down, it's Kikol, No one signing Craig kimberall. And we have like all these issues with like haying baseball players right now and draft compensation and and you know, leaving players down who deserves to be playing because of service time. Like there's a lot of issues going on in baseball overall. But this guy, Jacob Webb just looked into him. He has twenty three careers saves in the minor,

so he has been used as a reliever. He has some experience as a closer, um at least saving games. I don't really expect much from him here. I think it's just because those guys had the night off a j mentor. But Mintor has not been good. Luke Jackson has been pretty good. So we'll see what comes of this. Would be another you know, three headed situation here for the Atlanta Braves. We mentioned Tim Anderson before. Tim Anderson is arguably the hottest player in baseball at this point.

Another home run last night for Tim Anderson. He's six of the year. Um, he's just been on a fight. If you just look at what he has done on the self proclaimed Jackie Robinson of baseball, He's got a three seventy five with six homers, eighteen ribbyes, he has ten stolen bases or Eddie uh. Anderson has been on a fire. As the White Sox proved to five and three, just two games under five. Now have tension basis, Yes he does. Gosh wow, two games under five. Yeah, it's unbelievable. Man.

And how about this man Bam picks off his second win five and two thirds, five minutes, two runs, three walks, six strikeouts, with Urban Santana being designated for assignment, Manny Manualos staying in the rotation. I have to ask it, Frank, are you interested in Manny Manualos? Gregg, Yes, you're late to this one. I picked him up in a league man picked him up in the Great Fantasy based Limitational and started him last night, Greg, I had Homer Bailey on that team. I needed to pick up a two

star picture. I was like, all right, Manny bn Wualos owned in my league. That's insane, dude, Look Manny Ben Whales so not is not a must owned player by any means. I picked him up because he had a two star week maybe in fifteen team. Mixed a little bit of interest there. I mean, this is a journeyman. He did have prospect pedigree with the Yankees back in the day, just twenty eight. This is a guy who

I know Nando wanted to be a thing forever. Seems like he's getting a bit of an opportunity here for the Chicago White Sox. They don't have a ton of great pictures on their team, So mild interest, Like AO only he should be owned. Maybe make sho that like, don't not pick this guy up in a twelve team. So here's what Frank is the reason he's saying that. So it's caper and he's okay, it's eight and a half. The walks for nine not as okay at around five

nine five. This season, he's piping x FI over four not like terribly over former, but over four hr. Yeah, he's man, I mean having that second start to me shrike right right now, Boston h started star Well. I got what I needed to last night against the Orioles. They get a win out of Manny band Wlas. I gotta I gotta do a little bit of a deep dive to Manderson walk rate that's standard to Manderson. So that was my question right with Tim Anderson hard hit rate?

What are you selling Tim Anderson for? What are you buying Tim Manderson? Four? How real is Tim Anderson? This is a guy, in all fairness, he has a tent hard hit rate. He's a thirty percent hard hit rate for his career. So he's been able to put up good numbers even without the best bat a ball data. He's not going to maintain a three seventy five batting average. This is probably one of the guys for the next couple of days that we'll talk about. Greg's like, what

do you do Ryan? Sell them? Do you just keep him? I think I would just reap the rewards for the football. Next with Jim and Chris