Fantasy Baseball 2020: Starter Pitcher Rankings!

in yours. With that, we will get you inside of Studio thirty four and the meadow Lands here in New Jersey. I am Gregan, joined as always Bama BVFF. Frank Stample, what's happening, Frankie? Okay, what's going on? Man? That was an extended version of the intro there for you, Greggy. I hope all is going well. I'm excited, man. I'm part of two slow drafts right now. Clearly I have a problem. Like I've been saying all along, We've got like fifteen spring training games going on. We're about to

talk about starting pitching. What more could you possibly ask for? How did you sleep last night, Grey dude? I slept great. I I didn't think I had any weird dreams. I not that I remember um, but I I slept pretty well. I I feel good. I feel refreshed. Last night, Judy was talking to me about something. I wasn't listening, why, Frank, because I was making starting pitching rankings. Let's go, let's go, Greggy. I love to hear it. Yeah, me see man. You

know what I also love to hear. I also love to hear an update from Alex Passano, which comes your way right now. I am Alex Passano with your sports Grid news update here on the fantasy the f f let's start in the NFL, Guys, Bears general manager Ryan Pace reaffirmed the team's commitment to starting quarterback Mitchell Trabisky. In however, Chicago could change its offensive philosophy. Here's a quote from Pace. He said, to be clear, yes, it

is asked about Bears commitment to Trabisky. We believe in Mitch. Mitch knows he needs to be better. We need to be better around him, and that's our goal. Trabisky was the former second overall pick in the two thousand seventeen NFL draft. Last year, the Bears went eight and eight and failed to reach the playoffs. Sticking in the NFL guys, the Giants are open for business with the fourth pick the fourth pick in this year's draft, while the Giants

said they are quote open for business. According to manager David Gettleman. The Giants joined the Detroit Lions, who picked third overall in aprils draft, as willing to at least listen to offers. The Lions and Giants appear to be in the sweet spot for draft plays out as expected. At the top quarterback meaty clubs fall in love with Alabama's to a Tagle Viola or Organs justin Herbert. We will see what happens as the NFL draft. UH is far away for now, but it will soon be right

around the corner. Go to the MLB guys where the Braves Freddie Freeman was sidelined by a right elbow irritation. Freeman wasn't in the Brave starting lineup Tuesday because of irritation in his right elbow. According to Braves manager Brian Snitker, here's a quote. We're trying to nip it in the butt. He's been throwing balls and doing things. It's better that it's in February than the end of March. Snicker said

he is not sure how long Freeman will be out. Also, really quickly in spring training, the Mets third baseman J. D. David stayed down on the ground for a few minutes after diving for a Cameron Mayben groundball. It was a single in the fifth inning. He's back up, but he left the game. I'm Alex Passano. When this has been your sports grid news update. Now back to the fantasy b ffs. Yeah, so I know we're getting the getting the NBA comment from Uh, We'll hear from Drew, and

we're gonna hear from seawn A just a second. But before we do, Luis Savarino go and have Tommy John surgery. So smile and think about that as we check in with Shaasamlakia Andrew dack Meyer, who had this to say about their favorite player. All tonight's end me a slate, someone who's under the radar but not real league. That's

Steven Adams. He's having a great year and he's coming off four straight double doubles yet twenty one and fourteen rebounds in the thunder win against the Spurs last time out. Steven Adams, you're center tonight. Yeah, there's been a really nice buying opportunity for Steven Adams over the course of the the last week, and we think it continues tonight. And the reason that there's been a buying opportunities because Steven Adams was injured for a while kind of coming into

the All Star break. He's gotten healthier since then. The minutes of tick back up and now you've got another favorable matchup against the Bulls, the team that ranks towards the bottom of the league in defensive efficiency against opposing centers, and they've lost a lot of their center depth during the course of the season. The absence of Wendell Carter Jr. Has really hurt their defensive proficiency down there. They've also lost Luke Cornette. They're down to playing Daniel Gafford and

Christiana Felicio. It's a really good matchup for Steven Adams. We think he cleans up tonight. Center position is kind of thin, and he really makes sense. He fits a lot of the lineup built with that intier price tag they have. It's Steven Adams is the player that you gotta build your lineups around tonight, according to Seawn and Drews, make sure you do that. Oh her wherever you play, Fandal,

Draft Kings, what have you. But we'll talk more about the NBA come a little bit later on if not tomorrow. Does certainly see that on the NBA Fantasy Hour on Twitch. But Frankie, today, we're talking about starting pitching, and we're gonna start the show with the news that is breaking, and that's the fact that Luis Severino, it has been recommended to him after all the tests in New York from the doctors that he needs Tommy John. So of course you had an injury since October, so you might

as well wait until March to have Tommy John surgery. Yeah, this is a big blow for the Yankees and fantasy baseball in general. Here, Greg, we lose another starting pitcher who was being drafted as a top twenty starter. We saw last week that you know, he was dealing with something in his forearm, his elbow area. Now Tommy John is recommended for him only through twenty innings. Last year, it's been a rough go for Luis Severino the past

couple of seasons. Greg, this honestly sucks just for again fantasy, for the Yankees. I mean, we just lose another top tier starting pitching for the upcoming season. It'll be interesting to see what the Yankees do from here on our because I think that they're probably going to make a move. I see a few people speculating on Twitter that they should go out and signed Colin MQ. I don't know

how much of a difference that makes. Greg. I have thrown out the possibility of them trading for Ross Tripling. The Dodgers have already tried to trade him to the Los Angeles Angels, so we'll see what happens. But I think the Yankees are probably gonna end up making a move here. This just sucks, man, This this sucks. Greg Sweeney Murdy says a die contrast, Mr I revealed a partially U c L tear in the elbow. He's head of a Tom and John surgery. He'll miss the entire season.

Testing also revealed pain in the area of the ligament for the first time. Cashman says, as you expect that he would Frank in house competition will fill the spot. Jay have obviously in the rotation, Jordan Montgomery obviously in the rotation, James Paxton shirt. The Yankees are gonna rely quite heavily on Massa Heiro Tanaka, and on Ja and on Garrett Cole of course, and that fifth spot you might see David David Garcia earlier than you expect. Jonathan

Lewis Aga, Uh, Michael King, Nick Tropiano, Chad Banish. I mean, these are the types of players that the Yankees having house. We thought last year they make a move when Savorino went down. We thought last year they needed pitching anyway. Uh, they didn't. Uh Frank one of the I would say that they could try to convinces bath to come back. He just toreds a c L ski So the Yankees

doing great as a list. Yeah, it's you know, whoever is part of the Yankees rotation, whoever has been part of the Yankees rotation, it seems like you are susceptible to a major injury right now. They lost Paxiston, they lost Savorino. You're right, they can't even talk CC Sabathia into coming out of retirement because he just towards a c L on a skiing trip. So we'll see what happens there. It's very frustrating to from the Yankees perspective.

It's you mentioned it. They knew about these injuries dating back till last year in the postseason, Paxton with the back, Severino felt something, you know, dating back to those playoff games, and they waited until now. They just thought that, all right, an off season, a couple of months off was going to help a partially torn u c L If he had an issue back then, why didn't he get X

ray is then why didn't he get testing then? Why couldn't they find out what was wrong with him back in October November and then maybe we would have had him season now? I mean now he did have some testing done, right, like, he did have some testing done eating what December and February he flew up to New York and he had an m R and everything was clear, And somehow now it's not clear. I don't know how

this works. And can we go back about a week ago where we originally had this conversation and the Yankees are ready to treat this like the Mets. He wasn't gonna have more testing done. Do you remember this. He wasn't gonna go through to see the doctor. He was just gonna rest, take some at Ville. He's gonna be fine. He needs Tommy John. The Yankees are ready to handle us like the Mets. Yeah, I think ultimately they just didn't want to find out what was the inevitable here,

Greg is that he needs Tommy John surgery. So I think that's what it comes down to. And you're right, maybe we see you know, Devi Garcia pull pulled up to the majors a little bit sooner than expected. But he did not perform well in Triple A last year, so I don't think that they should rush him. It's gonna be interesting to see what they do. I don't think that Chad Bettus or Nick Tropiano is the answer

there either. Mike King last year struggled big time in Triple A. We'll see what he can do throughout the course of spring training. Jordan Montgomery is an interesting name right now, Greg, because last night they were talking about how he was topping out at ninety four miles per hour seeing increased velocity, and he has performed well in

the past. Back in now he had a three eight a e R, a solid whip, good strikeout stuff, good swinging miss So I'm interested in Jordan Montgomery in the later rounds of drafts as a late round flyer with some upside here, Greg, but I think the I think the Yankees are gonna wind up either signing some kind of veteran another one or training for somebody. Today they got big nicky nanky T. Yeah. I don't think big

nikky T is the answer. I don't think Chad Bettis is the answer either, but we will see what happens. I'm telling you Ross Stripling is the name. That's the name that the Yankees should be going out for. Right now. I'll tell you this, Frank. I just moved out Jordan Montgomery number nine my rankings to number seventy six. So get excited, Frank, it's starting pitch here day. Here on the VFFS, I've got rankings, their color coding. Look at this, it's all about the colors. Here on the BFFs. You

don't want to miss this. Frank and I break down the top of the storry pitching market right after this. Are you ready for the nation's first and only, free, twenty four hour network dedicated to you the betting and fantasy sports enthusiast. Sports Grade will provide you with a real time content, statistics and gaming intelligence unlike anything you've ever seen before. Located both in the heart of New York City and inside the FanDuel Sports book at the

Meadowlands Sports Crade. He's live eighteen hours a day here to serve you the fanatic. This is sports grade. Get all the grid. We're back here, BFFs. Greg here, Frank in New York City and of course you watching live with us. We appreciate you joining us in of course breaking news today that's only fitting Frank you. We're talking about starting pitching as Luis Severino is out for the

season following Tommy John's surgery. Uh. Severino was in its hero guys that we were really excited to talk about, and unfortunately we won't be talking about him this year. He is Donzo. Yeah, and it's a huge blow again for the Yankees. For fantasy owners. He was someone who in early drafts, Greg was being drafted as a top twenty starting pitcher and rightfully so, we all remember what

he did in eighteen, the talent that he has. But unfortunately, it looks like he's going to miss all of the season and you know, potentially even a portion of the one season. So whether you have him in a keeper or dynasty league, Uh, it seems like it's gonna be a rough go here for Severino over the next couple of years, and maybe if you're rebuilding in one of those deeper formats, keeper or dynasty type format, maybe it looked to acquire him on the cheap while you're trying

to rebuild your team. I think that's maybe the only positive that we could take away from Severino here. Greg, Yeah, there's no positive. Man. Like I said, Luis Savorino, he'll ride, he'll uh drop, and everybody's writings unless you're kith orgynasty lead is Frank mentioned that's the only spot you'll draft him in Jerman Montgomery, He'll somebody. He's somebody that will definitely arise. He's gonna be a lock forward this rotation. Now, uh super said stuff when it comes to the Yankees.

But when it does come to the Yankees overall, and we mentioned them, they have my number one picture in Fantasy Baseball this season, and that is Garrett Cole. As we begin our starting pitching rankings here on the VFS, Frank, I know he's not new your number one. Your number one is Jacob Degram, but we do have the same top four. Cole, de Gram Verlander and chaser for you is de Gram Cole Verlander, and that's the only difference.

That's the top tier. Yesterday I was describing how with the relief pictures, I don't have that ability, uh to figure out where to break this down. And that's the same old true for starting pitching, because my guys like five food through twenty one are all one gigantics here, but the top four to me, they clearly separate themselves. And yeah, for me, it's it's a top three. Greg. I have the gram Garrit Cole, and Justin burl Area in my top tier, and then I have in tier two,

I have Max Scherzer, Walker Bueller, and Shane Bieber. So I haven't broken down a little bit differently in terms of tears. And you can see my top twenty rankings here on the BFS right now live on the Sports Create TV network. I do have Jacob Degram one spot higher than Garrett Cole, just because he's done it for longer. Greg, He's been the most valuable starting pitcher over the past three seasons in Fantasy Baseball. He's won back to bag Cy Young Awards for the New York Mets. Over the

last three years. He's got a two five three e R a A two nine seven x fib over eleven case per nine A zero point nine seven whip for Jacob Degram Garrett Cole. I think you can argue he's going to give you more strikeouts, likely going to give you a more wins with the Yankees bats backing him up in terms of run support. But again, he's done it. He's been super elite for two years, whereas Jacob Degram has done it for three. That's the reason why I have de Gram over Garrett Cole. Uh. And then I

don't know where you want to go from here. Do you want to kind of break down our top ten, see what we have differently, maybe just you know, choose out a few names here the you want to talk about. But I have Verlander in that top tier as well. With these guys, I think he should be a first round pick. I'm not scared off of Justin Verlander whatsoever. There's some people who are ranking Walker Bueller, Max Suers

ahead of him right now. Everything that's going on with the Houston Astros, I don't think it affects Justin Verlander one bit. He wasn't even part of the team during that whole trash can banging scandal he was for potentially for other stuff that happened in two thousand and eighteen and two thousand nineteen. But Greg, there is no sign whatsoever if you deep dive justin Verlander on him falling off. And because of that, I still trust him. I still

have him as my third sp off the board. Yeah, I have Verlander as my third story of picture off the board as well. And Max Chers are four. I think they're in the same tier. Um and you can see my top twenty now on your screens if you're watching on Sports Grid, and mine is a little bit different than French, but it's not all that dissimilar in general. But our top four remains the same. I like Garrett Cole.

We've talked a lot about Cole versus the Graham here and we just mentioned that both guys could of have their categories right in your standard five by five where you expect the winds from Coal, you expect the strikeouts from Cole, the women era AA, probably the Gram, and it's kind of how you're building your team. I don't think you would go wrong. I understand the de Gram has done it longer. I just expect a big year from Coal and me. Yiakee, Homer, what do you want

from me? But in regards to Justin Verlander, he has shown no signs of slowing down. You're right, and Max Scherzer did have some of those injuries that he had to battle through last year. But unlike Clayton Kershaw, who also spoke about last week, and unlike Chris Sale who we've spoken about in the past here too, Sheerzer was able to battle through and pitch through all of his stuff, didn't really uh remain out for a long time. I'm

really confident mat Max Sherzer bounces back. I know we didn't have a surgery and others something done to correct uh what heild him. But I still I still trust Scherzer, who has been the number one starting pitcher for a very long time in Fantasy baseball. And I think Sherser at four to me, still fits the top tier. I know you you said that your top tier, and after three I think Sherser was closer to Verlander then he used to walk blerf the board. Yeah, with Scherzer, I'm

just worried about the back and neck injury stuff. Greg. I know you mentioned it, and I get it. We're still ranking Kershaw very highly this year, one year after you know, he dealt with injuries similar to what Max Scherzer is dealing with. And you know, Scherzer pitches deep into the postseason and he even missed a World Series game because he was dealing with, you know whatever. It was a stiff neck at the time, but he's clearly

dealing with something in that neck back area. So it's not enough to completely scare me off of Max Scherzer, but it is enough for me to lower him down the rankings opposed to where he has been the past couple of years, where normally he is the SP one off the board or the SP two off the board. When it comes to Walker, Bueler Gregg I will point this out. Remember last year in spring training he mentioned he was dealing with like dead arm or something like that,

and everyone started freaking out. He pitched deep into the postseason the year before, into the World Series with the Dodgers back in eighteen, and then last year going into the nineteen season, he got off to a slow start because he didn't really have a normal spring training. His first eleven starts he had an e r a over four. Greg. But for Walker Bueler's final nineteen starts. Listen to these numbers.

Greg to eight eight e r A three oh eight x FIP one O two whip over eleven case per nine under two walks per ninety percent groundball rate, uses a fastball, slider, cutter curve. He has four different pitches he can rely on, thirty five percent chase rate percent swinging shrike. I mean, Walker Bueller over his final nineteen starts pitched like a top five pitcher for Fantasy, and that is why he earns his ranking, and that's why

everyone's excited about him. Greg. The only thing for me when it comes to Bueller is I think people are almost prematurely pushing it him ahead of guys like Verlander and Scherzer. I just still respect what those guys have done, and they're still pitching at an elite level. I think people just want that shiny new toy, and they see Walker Bueller as the up and comer and they think that he can take that next step. But even if he takes that next step, Greg, he's still only as

good as Justin Burlander, as Max Serrs. So I don't really understand why people are pushing Walker Bueller ahead of either of those guys. I think you're right. It's a shying toy, and you're excited about Walker Buller. You're excited what's to come. He's so young, he doesn't have the innings on him, he doesn't have the injuries that you worry about with the Max Scherzer. For me, Walkervieller is five. As you saw before, as as we've discussed. I like

Walker Peeler. I love Walker Peeler, even though you wanted to trade him on May first last year after the terrible April. For me, uh, it's Walker Bueller at five, and I feel very very confident at that number. After that, I think we both have Steven Strasburg here at number six. Strasburg changed himself around last year. Obviously was able to remain healthy. That was the most important thing for Strasburg. I know you've been hesitant to take him. He's not

somebody that's I don't honestly off your radar. He's not someone that in your draft you're going out of your way to go and get. Why is that? Yeah, I still do worry about the injuries. It just so happens that he manages to stay healthy in his career year, and they were saying that he changed things up last year in terms of his routine, and uh, he was doing things differently in order to remain healthy. Uh. He was awesome. There's no doubt about it. He's always awesome

in his career. He has a three one seven e r A and a two nine five x FIT. I mean, the guy has been one of the most elite starting pitchers since he has entered the league, consistently over ten case per nine Greg, consistently under three walks for nine last year three three two e r A. He was awesome, There's no doubt about it. The chase rate last year thirty seven percent, career high hist sween strike create a career high. The skills are only getting better for Strasburg.

So if you trust that he's going to stay healthy, then you should be drafting him in that, you know, second third round range. I just still have some kind of pause. There's just been so many injuries for Strosburg over his career, UH that they're kind of lingering in the back of my mind, and I almost don't want

to get sucked into what we saw last year. And we said exactly this, Greg, remember when we were doing our sp breakdown last year, we said Strasburg is one of these guys who was going in like the fourth, fifth round. Last year, we said it, he's going to have an awesome season in a contract the year, he's gonna get pushed up the draft board. Next year he's gonna be drafted as a top ten pitcher again, and then he's going to let us down because he's going

to get hurt. It seems like this always happens. He stays healthy for a year, we draft him early, then he gets hurt, he falls down, you know, two or three rounds the next year. This seems to be a pattern when it comes to Strasburg. So I don't know if that's going to hold true. The skills are awesome, but I still do have some pause when it comes to Stephen Strasburg. All right, Yeah, I think that kind

of pause is fair. But you're right, this one, like this wasn't really a surprise as long as he stayed healthy last year that he could do this, and he did. I think obviously what we watched on a figure out this year is who's the guy that's really on the fourth and fifth round, Uh, that's going to wind up exactly where Steven Strasburg is this year next year. That's a question we're gonna try to add answer over the

next two days. Let me go more broad, Frank, as I said, as I told you for me literally from Walker Bueller and maybe that's not fair, but from Jack Flaherty down to Zach Grinky, all those guys are in one tier of me. Is that too large? Should I separate it more? I mean, I think it's personal preference. It's however you feel. I mean, everyone's gonna do their

rankings differently. I currently have uh my third tier as SP seven through SP fifteen, so that starts with Blake Snellen ends with Louis Castillo, and those are all players that you know. I wouldn't really mind as my you know, SP one if I waited until the second or third round to wind up with. Actually, in the Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational, I didn't take my starting picture until the eleventh pick of round three, and I wound up with

Patrick Corbin. I don't have a problem with you know, getting Patrick Corbin as your SP one, but I I currently break it down with you know pictures seven through fifteen as my third tier, and then I have sixteen through one, which starts with Kershaw and ends with Zach

Grenky up. So for me, it's just I think we actually have the same one top twenty one by the way, well that's the exact same top would be, I mean what else would It's true we are where do you have st Beaver by the way, because I haven't met six I haven't been eight. Basically, you and I flip flop Shane Beaver and Stephen Shossbrook okay, yeah, and I have Jack Flowerty a little bit lower than you two. Oh you're silly on flower Let's talking about him. On

the other side, Flowery was amazing the second half. I know the first half wasn't what you wanted. That second half was amazing. We will break it down and why you should like Jack Flaherty coming back here on the VFS. Are you ready for the nation's first and only free, twenty four hour network dedicated to you the betting and fantasy sports enthusiast. Sports Crade will provide you with a real time content, statistics and gaming intelligence unlike anything you've

ever seen before. Located both in the heart of New York City and inside the FanDuel Sports book at the meadow Lands Sports Crade is live eighteen hours a day here to serve you the fanatic. This is sports grade. Get off the grid back here with you. B f f's Greg Sam and Frank Stamble hanging out with you in the Meadowlands. It's very loud here today, Frank. There is a lot of horse racing going on over there. You saw it coming back from ray at that fantastic

job getting that in. It's loud. Do you hear that or now? I hear it a little bit. I hear obviously more so when I'm there doing fantasy sports today, I'm with you. I hear it a lot of the times. When I first get in there, they start doing the national anthem while I'm on the air. I feel like I should stand up and join them in doing shu l anthem. Coming back from the break there, Yeah, I saw that guy. He was freaking out. He's getting in there,

getting something, getting on some ponies. Greg, What are you doing, man? I mean, well, what's the play tonight? Well where the horses at? What are you doing? Come on? Man? Uh? Frank, I am not betting on horses, but thank you. Oh. Speaking of which, last night my Devin Booker under twenty six and a half points that I gave out on MSG that hit Grizzlies not awesome. Um, so I guess you're saying I did poorly. I don't know. I don't remember what you gave out. Would you give up? Well?

I know, I know I took the Grizzlies that that didn't go well. Um my dalla halla, that meant that one also went poorly because I also revolved around the Grizzlies. Uh. And then I took the under in the Jazz game. Did it go under? I I can't confirm or deny that right now I have I have no idea. I have no idea. Um, before we hit the break, we were talking about Jack Flaherty, and I have I think

of my number seven right seven overall? Yeah, he's my seventh overall picture right in front of Jack Flaherty, right behind Steven Strassburg. You have Flaherty closer to your where that's mine you put up Frank so I can see that where he has Flriday. So you have Flaherty at number nine just inside you were Taughts and why are you a little bit lower on Jack Flaherty Despite the awesome second half. Yeah, Greg, I think you're gonna find this a consistent theme with starting pitchers. This year. It

was guys who had monsters second halves for the most part. So, like you, Darvish and Jack Flaherty, I'm both kind of skeptical of It's like, when things like that happened, do we just forget what happens in the first half of the season and something doesn't matter. That's that's not true, Greg, It actually has happened. And that's exactly why you should like Caleb Smith Moore because he was awesome in the first half and you only remember things that happened in

the second half of the season. Greg. But look when it comes to Jack Flaherty, his first seventeen starts last year, Greg, he had a four nine oh e r A. I mean, how do we just forget about something like that? The shrikeouts were great, but the average was three over three walks for nine. I just worried that what he did in the second half, is he able? Is he going to be able to maintain that level of control? Does he have enough? I think he has a really really

good slider. I worry about the third pitch when it comes to Jack Flaherty. Uh. And while he did have a zero point nine three e r A in the second half, Greg, final sixteen starts, you had three to seven x fits, so that that's fine. If he could just like a load of mid three's e r A, that would be great. But I'm not discounting what he did in the first half there as well. And again we're nitpicking. I still have him inside my top ten. I just I personally prefer Shane Bieber over him because

I like the strides that Bieber has made. Bieber has, you know, three legit pitches that he can go to me as two breaking pitches that you know are are great pitches. So and and the strikeouts are great for Beaver. He's been reliable, he goes deep into games, I know it through a few complete games shoutouts last year in Shane Bieber. So if you're just asking me between these two who I would rather prefer, I'm gonna go with Shane Bieber. I'm a little bit skeptical in the second

half for Jack Flaherty last year. Greg, Well, I'm skeptical of you, Frank, because Jack Flaherty is going to have a fantastic full season. Uh for the Cardinals. You though we both felt like the Cardinals this year. I'll probably take the under on that wind tone. I'll go back to my rankings here, Uh, Blake Snell, Patrick Corbyn. They round out my top ten I've lived there also rounding

out your top ten two? Right? Is that correct? So inside my top ten I have I actually have Blake Snow at seven, so I have him pretty significantly higher than you safely. And then I have I have Chris Sale at ten, and I know that you have him at fifteen. And Sean Gassimaki was actually asking me about this during the break. This is almost like a respect

ranking for Chris Sale. You know, Greg, I understand there's a lot of injury risk when it comes to him, but there's a lot of injury risk when it comes to a lot of these starting pitchers. Like why do you have Chris Sale ranked fifteen if you have Steven Strassburg rank sixth, Like, that's the question that I would throw back your way because they both have injury concerns in the past, and you still have Blake Snell inside

your top ten. It's I feel like if we have Snell and Strasbourg inside of our top ten's, we should probably still have Chris Sale inside the top ten as well. So that's why I have him rounding out the top ten. And there's no doubt that if he is healthy, if he just gives you a hundred and sixty innings, Greg, a hundred and seventy innings this upcoming season, Chris Sale is probably going to be a top five, maybe top

three starting pitcher for fantasy purposes. Uh. The underlying numbers for Sale we're still great last year, Yes, he had in the year he over four is X fit was two point nine three. Swinging shrike great was four percent. I mean that's still a massive, massive mark. Something was wrong with him. We know that for sure. I owned him. His velocity was down last year. It seemed like he was missing his spots. Has left on base percentage was not good. He couldn't pitch well with with runners on base.

I understand all of those things. The underlying numbers were still really good for Chris Sale. If he can stay healthy, I want to recognize that he has top five maybe even top three upside Greg. So it's really funny because we have switched sides in this debate, right, like when we were talking about Chris sal previously, I told you everything that you're telling me right now about the X fit, about the strike a percentage just seriously, like all of

it looks really really good. And he gave you, even though it felt like he was hurt all last year, he gave you a hundred and fifty inch. So I understand everything that you're telling me. And yet now he's battling this illness. It feels like something's not totally right with the elbow. And you know me, I've been saying exactly illness, it's right, Um, you know me that I'm

inevitably waitn't even Christelli get hurt. And it's a Red Sox team that like doesn't like really want to be good, right, So I don't know, man, Chris Tale is the one that I have had the toughest problem ranking today, Like I originally had him at number ten and then I was like, you know what, I really like Patrick Corbyn. I'm gonna have Corbyn higher than that. And then we got into the guys you talked about last week, or we talked about last week in Syndergarden and Paddock and Nola.

I kind of liked those guys more also, and then we talked about Clayton Kershaw and I had him ranked Uh screwed up this morning when I sent my rankings in and I had him too high. And I'll like, wait a minute. One of these guys is healthy right now and went to um fix his pitching mechanics in the off season, and the other one is battling let's do it together and illness again. So I put Kershaw in front of Sell as well. For me, Chris Sale is number fifteen in my rankings. Look, it's hard to

argue with any of those points. And it's worth mentioning that I've already I'm in the middle of my my fourth draft right now. I have two going on right now. I have to completed already over at the NFBC, and I have wound up with zero shares of Chris Chris Sales. Ust to pull the trigger on that. But here's what I will say, right Ultimately, what it comes down to is, and I've said this before on the show, I don't like the value of the Round two and Round three

starting pitchers this year. Greg. I don't mind spending up in the first round on an ace because to me, There are hitters going in the second and third round that our first round caliber players, and for whatever reason, I don't know why they're falling as far as they are. J D. Martinez should not be a second round pick. Jose Ramirez should not be a second round pick. I understand struggled in the first half, but Jose Ramirez in the second half last year, what are the first half?

I'm telling you this is what to do. Jose Ramirez in the second half last year was the Josier Mirrors. He was a couple of years ago in seventeen and eighteen. Bryce Harper, I think is capable of being a first round player. Javier Baias was a borderline first round player last year. Now you're getting him in the third round. So I really like the hitters that are going in rounds two and three, And often times I have I've seen myself passing on the starting pictures going there because frankly,

they're going too high. Jack Flaherty, remember he was one of those pictures going in the round four round five range last year. Who's to say that Chris Paddock this year's Jack Flaherty, Right, I think you know the guys that you can get in those round four and round five. Round four and five can give you similar numbers to the guys that we're drafting in rounds two and three. So I just think that they're being overvalued where they're being drafted, and I really like the hitters that are

going in that range. Give me the first round starting pictures and if not, then I'm probably waiting until you know, the end of the third, beginning of the fourth. Guys like Patrick Corbin, Guys like Louise Castillo, Chris Paddock, synder Guard. I like that range. I think you're getting good value on those starting pictures. Greg. So the reason that I have my pictures right the way they are with this massive tier of five twenty one is exactly what you're describing, right.

The fact is that we like all these guys, and what's to say that they got towards the end? Your guy at Charlie Morton, who you have rankingside of your top fifteen, I haven't ranked the eighteen right there. What's to say Charlie Morton can't finish in there? What's to say that Noah synder Guard, who you know, I really like this year, he can't be Steven Strasberg or Jack

Flaherty from a year ago. Nothing has to say that, and you're getting all these guys a little bit later on, which is why I think that's here really should be five flute one. I'm like, I'm a real big proponent of that, because I think all those guys have the potential to really be first or second round picks next year. I like almost all of them. I think I have

questions when it comes to Kershaw and Sale. They they aren't really the guys I want um, and maybe I should kind of stop and break the tier up after Rinola, who I do like when you get to the Mike Clevinger's and Luis Castios and for me that Charlie Morton's, Gelido, Darvish and Greggy, and I'm cool with those guys, I really am. So I like how this tear is set up great. Can I just remind everyone, or maybe revealed to everybody, why I love Charlie Morton as much as

I do. I haven't read inside of my top twelve. I have him as eleven starting pitcher off the board, and I think the only reason why you're getting him where you are right now in that fourth fifth round range is because of his age. He's thirty six years old. People are scared off of Verlander, and they're scared off of Max Scherzer, and they want to push Walker Bueller up the board. And you know Greg wants to push Noah center or off the board because his nickname is

Thor and he throws a hundred miles per hour. But let's look at what Charlie Morton has done. He was even better in than he was ever with the Houston Astros, and we had concern over whether or not he can continue to be that good with the Tampa bay Rays last year a three oh five e R, a three to eight x fit, a one oh eight whip with the Tampa Bay Rays in the a L East with the juice ball, going up against the Yankees, the Red Sox, all these teams in the American League, and he was

that good. Over eleven case per nine, two point six four walks per nine was a three year best for Charlie Morton, forty eight percent groundball rate. I mean, this guy just checks all the boxes. The only reason why you wouldn't want Charlie Morton is because he has missed time in the past. It's a hundred and ninety four and he's last year and because of his age. Outside of those things, he's a top twelve starting picture for me. Greg, Yeah,

fair enough, fair enough, Frankie. We'll talk more about this Top twenty one uh more on today's program Tomorrow. We'll get into the guys later, but coming back, we continue with our top twenty Here the BFFs. Ye are you ready for the nation's first and only free, twenty four hour network dedicated to you, the betting and fantasy sports enthusiast. Sports Grade will provide you with a real time content, statistics and gaining intelligence unlike anything you've ever seen before.

Located both in the heart of New York City and inside the FanDuel Sports book at the meadow Lands Sports Crade, He's live eighteen hours a day here to serve you the fanatic. This is Sports Grade. Get off the grid. We are back here on the BFFs. You're in the beginning of the starting pitching overview. Frank How do you think we're doing this far? I was just thinking to myself, and I'm not kidding Greg. I'm having a lot of fun. I am. I am enjoying doing this right now, going

over the top twenty starting pitchers. Look, this is probably what I've devoted the most time too so far in terms of my research, is really like the top thirty, top forty starting pitchers. Obviously, I've still got a lot of work to do. We have a lot of work before. We have a lot of time before we get to drafts here, So you know, uh, diving in, excited to do so, and uh, let's go, Greg, come on, let's run out the top twenty. Let's do it. Well, I

think its top twenty one. I think we just rephrasing he was the top twenty, because first it's like a clear top twenty one, right like that, zact grenk. It's basically the top twenty zacch grinky, yeah, Zac grinky at exactly right. But and that's where my um tier ends right there, As I said, like seventy four times thus far. All right, So there we go. So there's the top twenty one. We're not doing a top twenty, we're doing a top one. Zach Grikey, has he reported to camp yet?

I don't think he. I think he's showing up this week, Greg, And I think I think it kind of actually makes sense for Zach Cranky, right, because with everything going on with the Astros, he's dealt with like the anxiety in the past, and he has issues like that. So you know, I think not having him around the team while reporters are asking a bunch of questions about things he had nothing to do with, he wasn't on the team throughout

all that stuff. I think it actually makes sense. And you remember, annually every single year, Zak Granky gets off to a slow start in spring, He's throwing like eighty seven miles per hour and by the time the season starts up, he's throwing ninety and he's his reliable self that he is every single year. Greg, I mean Granky, I just I guess I'm just gonna own a bunch of old players this year, Greg, because these players are

under her value because of their age. Right, He's like, that's why he was top five started coching in Rhodo and head to head points last year and he's been drafted as outside the top twenty. Why is that why? I like? I like? I like Zachrangy. He's my number of twenty one man. But that's why the VF partnership works so well, because I'm infastuated with the young guys, and you're infastulated with the old guys. So we gotta just settle in the middle. And that's that's our team. Yeah,

and you know I did, uh. I did Diamond Bets recently with Joe Piezappia, and we also came to the realization there that I just love old players. He told me to sign up for a dating site that only you know has old people on it. You have to be like sixty. So I'm really glad you brought this up. I read today as I was prepping for the show that The Bachelor is going to come out with a

senior Bachelor for sixty five and over. Only I'm not joking, all right, So maybe I should check it out considering the type of baseball players that I am targeting this upcoming season, Greg, I don't think King could be mad at you. No, I mean, she'd I don't know, I don't I don't know what, I don't know how she would react. She just I don't know. Maybe she would join me in looking at some Let me ask you

about a younger guy. Yeah, because we're not out of times, I want to make sure I ask you about a younger guy, and that brings me um to Luise Castio, who for me is number seventeen. He wasn't a guy I was on last year. A lot of the industry jumped back in. They talked about a slider, They talked about his second half, and I wanted nothing to do with him. His first half unbelievable last year. I know the second half wasn't as good. Where do you stand

on the Luise Casti is. I don't know that he's an active target of yours, But isn't he somebody that you feel comfortable drafting as your number two picture maybe number one? I would be all right with him as my SP two. I would feel better about that than having him as my SP one, because I think there are still some concerns when it comes to Casto. I

worry about the command. He struggles with walks, but he is able to mitigate that because he does get a lot of strikeouts, so he can wiggle out of these jams. And he gets a lot of groundballs too, So last year fifty five percent groundball rate. You know, when when you average over three walks per nine, you need something

to help you out. Somebody getting those groundballs that turned into double plays, and being able to wiggle out of those jams with strikeouts is something that Louise Castido could do because you know he gets as many strikeouts as he does. Greg a fifteen point nine percent swinging strike rate that was fourth best among starting pitchers in ten uh three point four zero ear a three point four eight x tip, right in line with what Luis Castillo did. I would feel much better with him as my SP two.

But I think if you do draft two hitters in the first two rounds and you wind up with Castillo in the third or fourth, maybe as your SP one, you can do worse than that. I don't mind it. I have them inside my top fifteen. He is my SP fifteen overall. Greg, Yeah, I think I'm okay with that as well as your number two. You laid it. You laid it down here. I think it makes sense, which frings me now. It's a Lucas Gledo. He's the guy that I had a hard time ranking as well.

I had him way lower before I set my rankings in and was like, man, maybe I was just being too harsh, like I was a Gelgo guy last year. Um I owned him for that. Entire second half run and I regally picked them up because the schedule was really nice, and you looked the peripher roles and they were pretty solid as well. And then you you feel like and you ask yourself, can he do it again? Because in the back of my mind, man, this guy went on draft last year. He was so bad two

years ago? Has he just gotten better? Gilto checks on my number nineteen Pitcher off the board for you, Frank, where do you have geo? And how confident are you that Gileto can be like Louis Castio I havent said right by two players here. I have had my SP thirteen and I've actually lowered him a little. It's really higher. I had him even higher than this Greg And the reason why I lowered him is just because he's dealing with an injury right now in camp. It's like a

chest train that he that he has fine. Yeah, he should be all right. And assuming hold on, knowing what I know about you, are you really gonna take Luis Lucas Gilto over Chris Paddock? There's no way. Yes, I would. I would. I would have done that today if he came to me. I'm telling you I will confidently take Lucas Gilto in the third or fourth round. But he's being pushed up draft boards a little bit. I'm I'm

in a draft right now. He just went with the with pick thirty one, so the first pick of the third in a fifteen team draft, so pulled up the board a little bit. And look, Greg, he completely revamped himself last year, changed his mechanics. He started throwing harder, the velocity was up like two miles per hour, started using his change up more. His fastball changeup combination is

absolutely ridiculous. And if you worry about the second half, where he posted at three seven six e r A, his x fit was three points to eight, So his underlying numbers were actually much better in that second half, almost thirteen case per nine. Think about that, Greg, twelve point six case per nine in the second half with a one oh six whip and a fifteen percent swinging strike cread I mean Geeledo in terms of his underlying numbers, pitched like a top ten starting pitcher, may maybe even

top five, like a borderline top five pitcher. That's how good the underlying metrics were for Lucas Gilto, and in that second half Greg He made twelve starts, eleven of those he went at least six endings pitched. So starting to go deeper into games, starting to mature a little bit. Uh, And I think having as Monti Grandala as his catcher, someone who is one of the best pitch framers in all of the game I am. I'm bullis on Lucas Giulio.

I like him. I wouldn't mind him again as similar to Luis Castillo as probably feel better with him as your SP two, but if you start hit or hit her, I wouldn't mind him as my SP one. Where have you settled in with Mike Clevinger? Remember Clev has this surgery towards meniscus, He's gonna be out for a while and he doesn't have a real spring training. You can see him come back to early struggle in the first half, maybe go off in the second half. Where did you

settle it on Clevinger? Because I remember you dropped him way too far and you you watched him where he was going in drafts and watched where other people ranked him and he had to move back up. Where did you settling with Clev? So I have Clevinger ranked as my SP fourteen right now, so right in between Lucas Giulido and with Luis Castillo. And the reason being is you finished on the top twenty starting pitcher last year while only pitching a hundred and twenty six innings, Greg, So,

I mean, what do we expect that of him? That he misses the first month, He's probably back in early May, mid May, probably misses five or six starts, and of course he'll always have the chance for re injury. But if he makes let's say, you know, twenty four twenty five starts this upcoming season, that means he's probably gonna throw around a hundred and fifty innings. Again, he was a top twenty starting pitcher last year in Roto leagues,

only throwing a hundred and twenty six. So if he gives you a hundred and fifty endings pitched, those are probably you know, the quality of a top ten starting pitcher, just in terms of talent. So I've I've picked them back up a little bit. I think I was a little bit too reactionary dropped him outside my top twenty. Now I moved him back to back inside my top fifteen. He is someone that you know, if you do play

in an overall competition like the NFBC. If you want to take a swing on him in like the fourth round. He's someone that once he returns, he's probably going to pitch as like a top seven or eight starting pitcher in baseball. Yeah, he's been number sixteen pitcher. Here inside my top one. Frank, we got about three minutes to go. Is there any picture here inside the top twenty one that you want to dive a little bit deeper on

in the time remaining. Yeah, I'm just going to dive back in on cre Paddock and we and we spoke about him during the a DP and the Money in the Bank that we did recently. But he keeps talking about this curveball that he's developed, and I think that if it just develops into an adequate an adequate pitch, a serviceable third offering four Paddock he already throws per hour. He has one of, if not the best changeups in

baseball right now. If that curveball is just solid, then I do think that he could take that next step. And in terms of projecting his endings last year he was at about a hundred and forty. Let's say, you know, they attack on another thirty maybe forty. I would project him for between a hundred and seventy and a hundred eighty innings, a really good ear, a probably sub three five, a really good whip. He doesn't walk. Anybody just got

nasty stuff. Greg Paddock is someone that I am in on. Uh, and I like where he's going right now in the fourth round range. I have him ranked right now at SP seventeen. I would take him just ahead of Aaron Nola Noah Synderguard. Uh. You Darvish ends at cranky all right, So for me, I have my man Noah synder Guard over him. As I said, I have a synder Guard, then Paddock, Uh, then Aaron Nola. Um. And who's the last guy in there, Frankie you yeah, yeah, So then

I have you way lower. I haven't met number two. I haven't down at number twenty. And let's briefly get into the dar Wish in the last minute, year Darbish just sneaks into my top twenty here at number twenty. Um, you dar Wish another second half. It was crazy, the walks. We always were back to that game we watched together. That was like the epitome of you. Dar Wish. Do you think he just is a U dar Wish of old this year. I don't think so. I think we

still see a high whip there. Yeah. Look, that's part of my concern with him and Jack Flaherty. I mean, he was so good in the second half in terms of his walks one point four six walks per nine over his final twenty three starts. Gregg, it wasn't even just the second half. It was it was a large majority of the season. It was almost two thirds of the season where his command was really really good. But

typically he has struggled with command in his career. Uh. And I said this when we spoke about Darvish recently. I just think that everything came together for him over those final twenty three starts where the cutter was working. It was a phenomenal pitch. He used it more than ever. He uh improved his mechanics as well, He managed to

stay healthy. I just think everything came together, and you need all of that to happen once again for where he's being drafted, you know, as a top twenty starting pitcher. I just worry about, you know, an injury popping up, maybe the mechanics are thrown off a little bit again, maybe the walks creep back in. I have some concerns when it comes to you, Darvish, This season tomorrow is gonna be really fun because I can't imagine the lists

are as similar twenty two to forty and beyond. I'll see if you have to use three days starting pitchers. We'll see tomorrow on the program. More starting pitchers are Frank stafeld I, a Greman. Farrell comes to Coast is live right here that comes your way next. We hope, we hope. Are you ready for the nation's first and only read twenty four hour network dedicated to you the

betting and fantasy sports enthusiast. Sports Grade will provide you with a real time content, statistics and gaming intelligence unlike anything you've ever seen before. Located both in the heart of New York City and inside the FanDuel Sports book at the Metal Lands, sports Crade is live eighteen hours a day, here to serve you the fanatic. This is Sports Grade. Get off the grid.