March 6th, Hour 2: Relief pitching talk with Jim Sannes and the Closer...

You're listening to the Fantasy Sports Radio Network. Did let me just become best friends? Fantasy best Friends forever? Our number two Fantasy best Friends forever. Fantasy Sports Radio Network is live with you. I am Gregg Sousman, joined by Frank's Staffle the Closer talking about closers, Chris Ventral Well, Chris, what up? What up? What? How's everybody doing? Close to day? It's only fitting the closes the voice doing. How does everything feel better? Much better? Yes? A lot of soup,

a lot of teas. I'm just waiting for the wind. That all the man, That's what we're talking about yesterday. We all are, but not not just gonna get blasted by like another snowstorm though for sure. Yeah not just Joined by the closer. Though. We're also joined by our guy from Fan Duels, my buddy Jim Sons. What's up, Jim? It's all good, Greg. You know we're talking relievers today. I struggle with relievers in season long. I'm here to

listen to you guys too. I want to get your insights to make sure I'm on the right path this year. So this is as much a learning experience for me too as it is a fund to shares insights with the two. Right. I'm with you. Well, I think we're all in this. I don't think it's just learning experience for everyone. It's not just you, Chris. I I hope you guys aren't just looking my way because I'm not. I have my own looking around to Chris, you decide

how much you're selling your rankings for yet? Oh did I decide how much? No? I have not, because I I had told our audience that I am uh my rankings for what Penny lessons. We'll see I'm undercutting the market. But marketing will see what happened, right, all right, So let's let's kind of get back to where we were, guys, and I'm gonna ask you. I asked Frank a moment ago, jam I'm gonna ask you, and then I'll ask you too. Chris, rank these three guys for me, Brad Hand, Felippe Vasquez,

and Roberto Osuna. So I have Roberto Suna first on that list by a pretty decent margin. I really don't like saying positive things about him, giving all the stuff that went down last year, But when you look at him as a fantasy asset, the situation is so good with that team. It seems like he's pretty locked in as being there closer. And last year, you know, the numbers were not great, but you get back to seventeen, he had a thirty three percent strike out right, a

four percent walk rate. His swinging spranker was sixteen point eight percent. And when I look at those numbers and you put them in a pitcher's park on a team that is as good as the Astros are projected to be once again, even with you, if you assume the starting pitching takes a step back or which I do, I still put a Zuna first. So for me it's

as a first I do put Brad Hands second. I think the skills are very good, thirty five strike ever right for him, I expect Cleveland to take a step back this year as well, given the fact that you know, they don't care something about their their outfield. But the pitching is still very good. The starting pitching is still very good. They're still gonna get wins. So I ranked those three, Oh, Zuna and then Hand and then Vasquez

is third, largely because of team strength. Well, it's it's interesting, actually bring anything and Lely you Chris, you write those three guests. So it's close, right, Um, yeah, it's close. I would say as soon as well. Houston. You know that's a big deal to me. I think he holds down that job the whole year. He's still a young guys, twenty four years old. Uh, he's got the stuff. I didn't have the greatest year, but listen, I think he'll

the strikeout rate will go up with Houston. He'll get a lot of opportunities in Houston, I think as well. I just like the sooner, the best out of these to hold down his job for the whole year. I like Hand as well. I think I'm gonna go though with Um. I think I'm gonna go with Vasquez Overhand them.

I think I would take baskets overhand, just because I know, you know, he has a little bit more of a pedigree for me, and I think that, you know, he'll continue to hold down his job as well in Pittsburgh and listening. Even though they're a bit they're not a great team Pittsburgh, I think, listen, bad teams often give you the most save opportunities. I know one year, the Miami Mallins had like the most save opportunities and uh

A j Ramos benefited from it. And I had one of the most you know, top three and saves the Mets when um it's his familiity and the Mets didn't have a good year. He had like eighty you know, like crazy amount of saves that year. Um So I think, you know, he could definitely get the save opportunities in Pittsburgh. Now, it's it's interesting past three of different people, you might get three different answers here. Greg asked, is that what

is that? What's happening? Continue? What do you got? Frank? How do you have that? That wasn't my ploy? Just I haven't I have Brad Hand, Philippe Vasquez, Roberto listen to six and the issue for me for Roberto as soon as the fact that he's he's had like mental lapses on the mound and stuff like, I don't not just on the mound, I don't know how he's gonna like handle the pressure of like pitching for a contender,

and like they have pretty good people behind him. You know, Jim, I know that you're a Twins fan, so you've seen Ryan Pressley up close, and he's amazing there in that bullpen. I mean, once he came over to Houston last year. I mean, he had a one e r A last year, and you know, they add and of course, as Houston does, they take Ryan Pressley, they tell him start throwing more slider,

start throwing more Curdi balls. He starts strowing more breaking stuff, and he turns into an elite reliever, like they do with any anyone that the Astros get their hands on, just turns into an elite picture. I still think Roberto Soon is very good. He doesn't offer the same strikeouts upside upside of some of these guys. I mean, last seares below eight strikeouts per nine. Still very good for

Roberto Sooner, no doubt about it. But I do think like whatever thinks he's gone through, like off the field. On the field, the mental lapses. I don't know if he's gonna handle the pressure. Hector Rondon is there as well. Um to me, it just feels like brad Hand and Felipe A Baskets. Maybe the job security is a little bit more safe. I can't really argue. I mean, he might have the most upside though, pitching for the Astros,

which is the best team of this bomb. So that kind of sounds like where Jim and Chris's heads were at, Like, hey, he's playing for the Astros. He's still very very young, and I want the chance the most saved. I mean, hands on Cleveland, where are you gonna have a lot of opportunities as well? Actually just games? And there's there's no more inan miller there, Like I can't tress that enough. There's no one here to really press brad Hand. But

so here's we're on that. Here, care's we're on that with And you actually pointed this out, Christ, like when Jerry's familia did what he did the Mets, that's weren't like winning ninety games right like that that wasn't a thing. So wins and great teams aren't necessarily the perfect indicator for getting the most saved, so I don't necessarily want

to use that. And I said this to you. I think he was on the air, Frank, but like I said this to you yesterday, and that a guy like Roberto assud On, My only issue with him on the Astros is kind of you just brought up with Ryan Presley. We have seen so many guys come out for the Astros and be successful, and Ken Giles was the closer until he wasn't and even when he was pitching, well, Hector Rondo, Aldo, Brad Peacocks got a shot, Kristevinsky got

a shot. There's a lot of names in that Astros, and I'm just a little bit nervous that if Roberto Studo falters even a little bit, they're just not going hesitant to go in a different direction. When I looked to Cleveland, Brad hand is by himself. When I looked at Pittsburgh, no Felippe A. Basquez is by himself. Like Vaska's struggled last year at times before he ultimately turned it around, like he really struggled, and they just stuck with him because like, listen, this is the guy's our

best option. And he was and he wound up having a really good season. To me, Oh, Soona is last on this list. I'll go with Vasquez because he's been really successful for Pittsburgh for a couple of years now. So I have Vaska's first. I have hands second because I trust him with this job. I trust his ability. As Frankie mentioned, they gave up a top prospect for this guy, and there's nobody else in this Bullpend I believe will be the closer. So for me, it's very easy.

Vasquez hand in the no soon not worried about John Edwards. I believe he was already he had a kid out of wedlock. When he's running for president in North Carolina. I will say, I'm sure you do not get reference. I have no idea. That's why I'm just gonna keep moving on here. I like I like Greg's point. I mean, you don't e be on a good team to be a good clare don't. Yeah, And that's why he's gonna

play close games these terrible teams. Diego, I still have Felipe Vaska is ranked ahead of Osuna just because for what you mentioned, Greg, I mean, they stuck with him last year. I will say this, I have him behind Brad Hand because I do think that there's a better next man up in Pittsburgh than there is in Cleveland. They went out and they acquired Keona Keller last year, and Keona Kelly is kind of a name we've been

talking about for years. We thought he was gonna be like the Rangers closer for years, frankly, and it has never really happened. But I do think that he is more talented than some of the guys behind brad Hand. So that's why I pushed felipe A. Vaskis down the board. I guess at this point, I'm just ranking based on like job security, and I think brad Hands job is the safest. That's probably the best way to do it.

So I think if you want to do one counter argument to brad Hand and the strength of the other guys in the bullpen is that Cleveland last year had a lot of issues holding leads down. And it wasn't just Cody Allen, it was the rest of their bullpen too, And if you don't get to that ninth inning with

the lead, you're not getting a save op. So I think that that could actually it is a positive for brad Hand that there's no competition, but it could also lead to fewer save opportunities if the guys before him are blowing those chances that saves. And I think that when you look at Houston, that's not gonna happen because Ryan Pressley, as you mentioned, is dirty and he's really good. And the Houston the thing that I love about them

is that they're a very smart organization. They understand when to use guys like Ryan Pressley, bring him out there in the highest leverage spots, keep that lead and then get it to us soonest. So I think that that when I when you think about it in that from that perspective, it makes me feel better about us soona

and a tiny bit worse about Hands. But I think that the job security angle is a good reason to potentially have Oh it's been a lower than where I have in which is is higher potentially than it should be. For sure, is there anybody else guys that you have in this tier with these guys? So for me, the next few that I have in here, Hervey Yates, Sean Doolittle, jose La Clark, and I as Rice Sell Glacia is

here too. That's the start of a new tier for me just because I think the combination of the relievers we've already talked about here with Vasquez and and the combination of what they've already done, what we've seen them do, their job security, their talent level. I think it's all better than those other names that we're gonna talk about. Okay, and and that's fine, let's let's start off the next I do have Josh Hater in that tire, but it's

like what you do, we'll get to Hater. So if the next tier is Yates La Clerk Iglesias, how would you rank those crest Yates order. Yeah, I might even put Yates, Oh boy, oh boys should go right into the next tier too. Does in them too? I mean, like Yates proved last year that, like I meant, hit sixty three innings, didn't really want seventeen walks, not a lot of walk, nineties, strike at six, like everything you want to see to one four r a not done

across the board basically point nine two whip. Like I think in San Diego is a great place to get saved because they always play close games, you know what I mean. I mean this is a little bit bolstered of age now Machado and everything else. But that should only make him a little bit more competitive. It means they should be in a lot of games and they

should be saved out the two days. I think Kirby Yates should top this list, at least in this tier, or maybe even be at the end of that that tier we were talking about with soon a hand and U, how do you rank of Jim? I had the same order Yates the clerk, and then uh and then Iglazias last. I think they were the Yates. It's pretty easy to

me to put him first. And I think like if I were putting a tier on it, I think I'd have Yates a tier above the other two guys too, just because he's been He's been really good for a long time now. Two point two six skill interactive r A last year strikeout rates, seven percent, walk rate, and he keeps the ball on the ground a bit, gets a lot of swings and misses. And I agree that the strength of San Diego this year will be better

than it has been years past. Like they kind of have an issue with playing time, like they have too many guys who need to play, and that's like a good issue to have, and especially when you look at the potential progression of the young guys too, this is not a bad offense. They're going to get leads. They have some mildly competent starting pitching. I guess you could say I do like Joela CAZy Chris Paddock. Once he gets up there should be pretty good too. So like

they're not a bad team. And when you give me someone who is on a not bad team, who is as good as Curby Yates, I'm going to take him about the rest every single time. I hate La Clerk's team with a pretty fervent passion. Iglesias not gonna get every save ops. So I think for me it's pretty easily Curby Yates of those three. Yeah, I have a reliever ranked above these guys that we haven't mentioned, hitter. I have Sean Doolittle as my tenth closure. So I

have my head of Curby Yates. And I can't disagree with anything that you guys have said about Yates. You know, I do think in terms of his talent, his swinging, missibility, his strikeouts, he's I mean, he's up there with the rest of these guys, And you know, for me, I have the next man up for the padres as Craig Stammon and Jose Castillo. So I'm not really worried about

job security when it comes to Curby Yates either. I don't think that Andy Green has committed to him yet definitely as the closer, but where else are they gonna go? I think he's just the most He's the most talented reliever in that pen. And you know, once they drafted Brad Hand, they did go to him last year, uh four save opportunities. So I trust Curby Yates. It's just I like Sean Dooittle as long as Craig Kimberal is not signing with the Nationals, I like him a little

bit more. I think the peripherals are a little bit better. He just needs to stay healthy like Nassive nassive point six zero or a last year from doing it. But I'm not questioning doolittle talent. I'm questioned his ability to stay still had at least twenty four saves and needs of the past two years. Sure, great little pedigree also wiries me a little bit too, what's up in years past?

He he hasn't been this good, nearly this good? Well, yeah, he was really good, really good he was, he was solid twenty seventeen, he wasn't what he did like five in one hits sixt k like, I mean, he literally was lights out last year. I don't think you're gonna get that again over each of the past three years. I am not question is not a question for not even remotely a questions John Doolitt. It is his ability

to stay healthy. Yeah, I think I understand that, But I mean, the Nationals are also gonna be the best team that we've talked about of this group with the Padres, the Reds. And though you know, it might sound a little hypocritically here because some people, you know, some people are making the argument, well, you know, if a team is not you know, if they're not so good, they're

going to be in closer games. But it's also it also helps when you have a team that is going to be in more positions to just ultimately win more games. We're you know, we're expecting the Nationals to win at least what you know, eight plus games this year, which look, they're just gonna be a better team than the teams that we're talking about here. So Jimmy wants to do a little over over these guys in here. So I have Sean Doolittle above Brad Hand and Felipe Vasquez like

I have him like above both those guys. He is behind the guys that talked about so far, he's behind, only it was sooner for me because I think almost

two a fault. I don't worry as much about health because past health is not necessarily indicator of future health, and you know it maybe is a higher injury risk than others, but any picture can get hurt, especially a reliever, at any time, So I don't want to overcorrect for health in my rankings and overlook a guy who last year had a one point nine five Sierra thirty seven

percent strikeout rate, four percent walk grade. I agree with what Frank said about the Craig Kimberl thing because I saw that blur pop up on on Rhodo World and my skin got all itchy because I was really scared once I saw that, because I do like Sean Doolittle a lot, and that would be the one downfall here. But I think unless that happens, Sean Doolittle will be probably my the reliever I have on the highest percentage

of my leads this year. Right. If you have to guess Sean Doolittle's whip last year, what would you say one point one? What would you say that? Negative seven? We'll just say it was his whip like pointn F zero point six zero elite And that's why I put him in three of eer A with strikeouts and as long as he says healthy. The Clark is the worst of the tier because of the world walk right too, very high walk rate. When we come back, we'll talk about jose La Clark, who's got a contract extension, and

we'll also talk about Rice Siler Glaziers. I want to ask Jim Sonnas a question about that. Jim's with us for the next hour, as is the Closer Chris Venture. We continue on trying to tear this all apart when we come back on the Fantasy Best Friends Forever. Daily Rhodo dot Com learned from the game's best DFS players. We don't just give you premier advice. We play every day,

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All right, gentlemen, So we were talking about this tier of closers against how I have the tier really really and ozyla Clerk and Rosslglesias. We're here, and if it wasn't for a couple of reports out of Sinnati, Jim right u LASiS probably be in most of our tier ones because he's been very good for a very long time. At this point, he theoretically, when he's healthy, is the unquestioned guy. And because reports saying, hey, we're gonna let this guy face the heart of the order whenever that is,

we've all dropped him into closer you know, ten to fifteen. Basically, have we gone too far here? Like I understand? And that all right? You want to use them in situations where the game is on the line, But does that happen often enough for us to drop him to these deaths? If you will? Do you think we're making a mistake.

Uh No, I don't think so, because I've dropped him pretty far in my own rankings, and I think that the way that I think about it is if I had zero questions about this guy's talent, and I loved his strikeout right, and I loved his walk right, everything about him, like if he were Sean Doolittle level talent, that I wouldn't worry as much, and if he were on a better team, I wouldn't worry as much. When you look at right sol I Glaziers, his numbers is

still interactive. He r rate last year with three point three one the strikeout rate twenty eight percent, walk great nine percent. His swinging striker was still very good at fifteen points three percent, but not high enough where I would say that his lower strikeout rate was a total anomaly. And he does allow some hard contact and a hit her friendly park. So I had concerns about Ricel Iglaziers from a talent perspective and from a team perspective before

this report came out. Now you are taking away the most valuable resource he has, which is his you know, his hold on this job in Cincinnati, and you kind of make that a bit more questionable, and then you start to dig into the rotation here for Cincinnati Sonny Gray, what's he gonna do? I like Alex Wood if he can stay healthy, but that's a big gift for him as well. Uh Luis Castillo is very good, but Tanner Rourke in that park not great. Anthony day Scholfani didn't

have a great year last year. So I think that when you stack the concerns up for Rice saw Glaziers and then add in the report that he's not gonna get every save ob that makes me concerned because I'm not totally sold that this guy will drag down both my whip and my e r a like someone like Josh Hayter would do. So I think that for me, the report was just kind of another reason for me to have sketchicism about right so I Glaziers, and I think that that's why I have him pretty low in

my rankings relative to consensus. Where do you have him points leagues like it's it's real low. And that's because again, a lot of it comes down to team strength. I kind of treat relievers similar to running backs in season long fantasy, where I want to target good teams and good situations and then worry about talent second. And I think that when I do that, I wind up putting guys like Matt Barnes who could have this really good situation.

Could is the key word there, and I'm gonna put them above Rice saw Glaziers because I love that upside. So I think, you know, I like Cincinnati's offense, but I have enough concerns about the pitching staff, enough concerns now about Igleziers his ability to maintain that high strikeout rate, and enough concerned about his park and other things where I probably won't have him pretty much anywhere this year.

So I like the idea of comparing closers to running backs also, But the one thing you didn't mention there is Bell Cow, and you we all want Bell Cow running backs. I think Rice sell Iglesias could be essentially a Bell Cow closer, Like I know what you're doing in that Barns and potentially in Boston. I get that, But Rice sell Iglazias is a to me ahead of

the death charter right right now. And I know the numbers aren't weren't there the peripherals you give the Sierra out as well, But to me, Frank he's kind of he is a bell cow type of guy. I think you think that's that's the question mark right now, and the issue that I have it was obviously that report that says he's gonna be used in the highest leverage situations. Again, that could be, you know, the basis loaded in the sixth inning, It could be, you know, the seventh enning

with runners on. But I don't think it will be. I think you're talking like but they're but but there's been something that has happened with the reds in that they've brought over over the Brewers pitching coach that kind of like discovered Josh Hayter and used him in that similar fashion, right, Like that's how they used Josh Hayder

in Milwaukee. Derek Johnson comes over as the pitching coach of from the Brewers over to the reds Now, and it just so happens that they they say these things about Riceley Glaciers that he could be used in the same way as Josh Hayter. Now, look, I do think he's the best reliever of the bunch that they have, but I'm I have concerns as well. I'm not as

many as Jim I haven't. I still ranked as my thirteenth the ranked reliever because I do think that he'll get the most save opportunities for the Reds this year. But what does that turn into is that? I mean, I don't I don't know if he has the opportunity to win, like to get like thirty thirty five plus saves like maybe some of these other guys that were talking about, like Kirby Gates, Chris. We just mentioned Josh Hayter in that sentence. I know he's what number three you, Frank,

I have nine, So he's number nine for Frank. Probably won't ever drive off. Are you drafting Josh Hyder? I mean it depends right Like obviously as we get closer to the season. That's why we do our drafts later. But in rural leagues, I would think we're close. Man, we're twenty two days out. I know, I'm saying within like a week or two, I'm hoping something happens where we find out exactly what his role is gonna be.

But um, the deal is so like rotal leagues, you like a guy like a hater because he still gives you the k the innings AND's gonna give you like a D thirty plus strike, it's gonna give you an elite e r a elite whip as one. He's going just behind Doolittle, Iglezias and Kirbas Yeah so and Igleziers to me, I think would be a little bit more same thing, like higher rated in rural leagues, just because even if he's not the closer, he'll give you innings, will be in big spots, He'll get a lot of

innings pitched. Um. But the thing is for me, I play points leagues and you want saves and all that. You know, you don't want a sketchy situation. So the guy got like Matt Barnes isn't gonna be on high on my list. He's gonna be down more because I don't know if he's gonna get those opportunities. I'm thinking this situation with Rosiglaciers, maybe he misses a couple, maybe

three save opportunities the entire season. I don't think it's really gonna AFFECTI that much because honestly, the biggest thing in closing Okay, and I was a closer true story Jim Jim uh just a joke explainer. He was a closer for his junior varsity base of a high school and accounts man. That's the highest level. That's intensity. You need the attitude there for mey, you need that mentality and closing mentality is a real Some people don't have the capacity mentally to do it. None of these guys

in this bullpen really have the experience. Jared Hues did well. He did Oh yeah, he did well, But like, can he do it sustain it for a season? People fall apart. People can't take the pressure sometimes, and Glaciers has done it for two years now. I think he's locked down that he can get the job done at closer. He secured that. Uh so I think more often than not you're gonna see him closing games. So I like you, Glaziers.

I think he's pretty safe even with these comments. Not too too worried about those comments, you know what I'm saying. I wouldn't drift them high though, but people aren't going to drift in my eye way, He's falling down the board, so it's better for me. Here's what I'll say about points leagues when it comes to Josh Hayder, Greg and Everyone's points leagues are different. Like you know, if you give out points for for holes or saves or whatever it might be. UM using the CBS Sports just they're

default scoring system. From last year, Josh Hayter was the tenth best reliever. Now, he did have a historic type season, but he can I mean, even if he dials back a little bit, he could be a top twelve guy. I mean even in points leaves. Right. Look again, when it comes to points leagues, I don't really I don't target closures that much more. I think they're much more valuable in ROTO. Obviously, when you're trying to find the

saves category. Um, you can win punting a category in roto, but it's really really hard, as I mentioned, I mean, you're gonna have to be top three and like every other category if you want to pull that off. So I wouldn't advise punting it completely. I do think Josh Hayter still has some value in points leaves based on what I'm looking at it. He was the tenth best reliever. Yeah, and his whole career he had he's done nothing but do well. I mean he's you know, he's a pretty

young guy, twenty four years old. He's gonna be twenty five very soon. But like, I think this guy could lock down the job. The problem is you've got other guys there. You know, Corey knebel Is, you know, he he did very well the year before as a closer, so he you know, he has that experience. Once again, the experience means a lot. So I would like to see how the Hater thing develops. That's why I would put Iglesias ahead of Hater right now, because I know,

I Glecias is the best relief on the team. Is the closer on the team. To me, at least, no one else I could see that could do that. You know throughout the whole season. Hater might end up being like and Andrew Miller was for Cleveland and end up pitching you know, like six, seven innings, seventh inning, eight, you know, eighth inning, set up man, long, set up man, something like that. So I don't know, I'm a little worried about that. But he is a great picture. We

all know that. Yeah. We we've mentioned throughout the show that there's like closer committees and you know, multiple guys that can be used. Based on what I've seen and researched, there's only one team that potentially has three guys that can get saved on like a regul or basis, and that is the Brewers with Josh Haydn who was great last year as well. It's great for the team for life. I mentioned before, Clark gets the contract extension and is

the closers for the Rangers. You expressed some concerns there, Chris, Yeah, the walker. You don't want to see what he did last year, which I think was twenty eight walks? Uh was it twenty five walks? I'm sorry in fifty seven innings a little high from me, little worries. So it's a guy who you know you probably didn't do too well, you know, younger guy, kind of years old. Like we don't know if he can be that closer for entire season.

Like I said, this experience thing is very important. So if he gets into that role for a full season, can he hold it down? If he he might have a short I know that Texas doesn't really have too much behind him, but can he hold that down? If he blows four saves in a row, You're really gonna start to worry, especially if he's walking guys, putting guys on pace. That's really bad for a closer. You want a closer that's gonna get guys out quick. You know, first guy needs to be out. You need to pound

the zone against that first guy. You don't want to get that first guy on what. I didn't walk anybody. You didn't walk anyone. I pounded the zone. If they smashed the pitch more to contact, I'd say my strikeouts will probably like a little below. Okay. You know he's like Roberto Yeah, kind closer. Yeah, was solid with jose La Clark. I will say this right, I think the

second half he was elite last year. The walks for nine in the first half four point nine one not really what you want to see out of your closure. In the second half that drops all the way down to two point five. I mean, he does have elite swing, and I think the fact that the Rangers don't really have much behind him. What I'm looking at here is they have Jesse Chavez and Sean Kelly. Yeah, that's Sean Kelly, who feels like he's been on every team in baseball

and he's bounced around the MLB. I just don't really think the Rangers have too many dozens. And I know that they just gave him a contract extension as well. You're gonna play a little bit of Devil's advocate here.

Though with the contract extension thing, I don't know that that necessarily makes him more likely to be on the team, because Brad Hand was given a contract extension this time last year and he ended up getting traded, So I don't I don't think that the contract extension automatically means that he can't be traded. It just Rangers are probably gonna be really, really bad. But I do think that he's unquestionably the closer in Texas just fear it just

feels like he's a little bit safer in Texas. Jim, where are you? And whose la Clerk? I'm lower than a DP on him, but I think I'm higher on the talent, Like I love the talent of la Clerk. You mentioned Frank the cut in his walk rate the second half. That was great to see, but also the strikeout rate stayed really good, like the strikeout right for the full year last year thirty eight percent, and that is high enough where he is going to help you

in multiple categories. For a road league. It won't just be saves. It will be your e R right, it will be your whip and he'll get you some strikeouts too, So I like that. I just think this team is terrible, Like it's a terrible team. Like let me read you their rotation right now, roster resource like minor Lance Lynn is their number two starter in the year twenty nineteen, Drew Smiley coming off of fifteen surgeries. Edinson Volkez is

in the league. Shelby Miller is there number five starter, Like, how many safe chances will he get? I still am okay drafting the clerk if he falls a little bit below his ADP because again, I like the talent a lot, but I value situations so highly that it's really hard for me to to go out of my way to get him. So if he falls to me cool, I'll take him. I think that he's a good pitcher, and I like his job security. I just can't seek him out with how bad that pitching staff is. Yeah, I

agree with him. You don't really want to target him if you could get him in a nice value, great, But like he said that, that rotation is a bunch of guys that have promise about eight years ago, you know what I mean? Uh, and the and the bullpens, you know week as well. So the road to him, like he said earlier, to be even like I wouldn't check l Clerk for more than like that's not good. Yeah, you don't want I wouldn't target him, but if you could, he's gonna give you a lot of strikeouts. And I

think the peripherals. Greg. You know fun fact about Edson Volcas He actually started his career with the Texas Range. Yes, he didn't remember who he was traded for. He was traded for Josh Hamilton's and it's correcting traded from the Rangers to the Reds for Josh Hamilton's. Absolutely all right, let me continue on a little bit lower it tire that I think I combined all together. I had to Cody Allen, I get to Ken Giles, I get to Wade Davis. Jim, how do you write these three guys?

I would go with Cody Allen first, Um, what was the second name there? Ken Giles? Oh, Ken Giles. I would go second, and then I've got Wade Davis third. Wade Davis is actually pretty low on my list. I'm worried about his A couple of things with him. With Cody Allen, I think, like I don't totally subscribe to the Unita A closers mentality, but like you has done it before, I think he has a good team as well.

Now he had last year too, but you look at last year, like, yeah, the numbers were pretty bad overall. Is skill interactively or even was three point seven seven That's higher than I'd like. But strikeout rate still twelve point seven percent swinging strike rate. And he's not a super old guy either, And again I like the team he's on. So Cody Allen, to me, I think is

a really solid picture to pick. And we've seen in the past the Angels having committed to a closer, but I think that's partly because most of the guys they had in that role were bad and they couldn't hold down that job. But I think that Alan, given his experience and given the fact that he does still have talent, I think he's gonna hold that down. So I have Alan first in that tire, I have Gile second. I still think I can get sucked in as still to

Ken Giles. I know, I know I boom myself sometimes too with Ken Giles, but I think I still subscribe to a bit and then Wade Davis to means a pretty distant third in that group. Really with Wade Davis, I haven't ranked highest something because look, I know it's tough to pitch in corps Field and it's scary. It's like he's had an e ar A over four, but the indicators were better than that last year. I just don't think that there's anyone else there really in Colorado

that's going to push him. And I do you know they gave him this huge contract extension. I mean outside of him being hurt. I just I don't really I can't envision Wade Davis losing his job here. Uh what I'm looking at They have Sung Juano and Scott Oberg right behind him, behind Wade Davis. So I just don't know that they can go to you know, Sean Juan Oh. I mean, he's lost his job like multiple times in multiple locations and now find himself as a setup man

in Colorado. So I just think the the contract here is gonna dictate Wade Davis. Canna be pretty safe for saves out there in Colorado. Plus I drafted him in the Great Fantacy Basic Limitation, so I have to myself feel better about drafting him. I tend to feel pretty good as well. I don't care that he's old either way. David's listen. He has experience, right, that's important to me.

He's got that job pretty much locked up. And I do like Colorado's, you know, starting rotation, the rotations getting a lot better. It's the best it's ever been, really, and I think that's a good road for him to get, says. I think the opportunities are gonna be there. So he's got the security, he's got the opportunities, the pretty decent picture. I think he's the best these other two. As I said,

I like Cody Allen and Ken Giles as well. I have these guys all here together for me, we'll think a break, we'll come back a whole lot more guys about. I don't know how we're gonna fit in the next two minutes, and we'll figure it out. This college basketball has reached the climax of the two thousand nineteen season, and the Fantasy Sports Network Pass you covered for all the news and betting information for the conference tournaments leading

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and you'll win more often than not. You're playing I'll just blindly take the best NBA line that they have and I'll play it head to head and I'll generally win. Expcet if I'm playing against somebody that has it sometimes like we're tied, I'm like that is dude, did the same thing. But you can't just copy and paste. You've got to be like, all right, I like to gass, but I'm gonna add that we gas not amm e Stering on F and T s Y Radio and on

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fantastic show. Uh. From six to nine a m. Eastern Time, it's make It Rain with Joanari who is saw a little bit earlier on and Dave Martinez and the twelve morning after Gave and Joe and then tomorrow at noon Eastern It'll be your bff s face what we still leave? Were talking about closers at this point. Sorry are you sorry? We didn't We didn't get through all the closers, all the relievers. I didn't. There's a lot to get to.

I didn't know. You know, some people have asked us to start talking about holds too, so we got to try and find sometimes so I wasn't the one who needed to fit this and you felt that you need to fit the talking. Could always do a second, I said, I was having to do a second show. Let's get this all in. Yeah, you could do a second. I hate talking about relievers. There's a lot, but it's important, important,

it is important. I didn't want to rush through anything. Okay, So in my around, the guys that we're talking about even want to call it tears because we all have different tiers. Essentially, there's a bunch of names here, so I'll throw them out. Everyone's kind of a comment and we'll continue one. What do you make of I guess I should move this guy up Hunter Strickland, Seattle Jim. How safe is he? Uh? I'm avoiding, like I don't even want to draft him at all. Like I questioned

the talent, I questioned the team's desire to win. I questioned the stability to the bullpend to get in there. They did a like they're doing in the middle of this weird. I don't know if they're tearing down or rebuilding or what they're doing. But like, when you combine that with the fact that it's Hunter Strickland, I really just want no part of it. So hard pass for me. And they haven't committed to a closer either. They've actually gone the route of saying they're going to use a

committee approach. As of now, that's all we know, and it's gonna be between Hunter Strickland and Anthony Swarzak, two guys that are both not great, splitting stage for a team that's not great. No, I'm not excited about the situation at all. What about in Chicago, Jim, Alex colon A, Kelvin Harreros. You guys have done it before. Two guys we like Herrera. I believe it's not pitching yet, Colony

is What do we think about Chicago? Yeah? I think this is a hard situation for me to read, and I think that we can expect the White Sox to be better this year, even though they took on all Manny Machado's friends and didn't get any Machado like. I think that they should be better than May were because Roy Him and z is probably gonna hit one or two bombs this year and that's gonna help out their offense. Having Carlos row don't healthy for a year should help.

You know, They've got guys who could improve in their pitching staff too. So I don't mind targeting this team, but it's so hard to predict who's going to be now. Personally, when I look at a Galley Carrera, you look back at last year and it wasn't a great year for him. At three point eight one, Sierra t strikeout rates a swinging striker. It was better, but it's not anything eye popping. So I think, if I'm going here, I'd rather go

with the guy who's gonna give me more strikeouts. Go with column A, get him, and then see if he can take that job. So I'm going between one of the two, and I don't mind going with them. At the end of draft, I go column Ay there agreed, and there actually has been reports out of White Sox Beat Beat reporters thus far. Let's say column has a leg up on the job because he's been pitching in the spring. He's healthy. You know, I think Harrer is still returning from like a foot injury or heal injury,

something like that. So it seems like column A has a leg up on the job as of right now. But you know, even once the season starts with both guys are healthy, they could end up splitting something here. Because of that, I have column A ranked as my twenty six reliever, but you know, he's in a tier of Yeah, it's like Michael Givens, Shane Grey and like Pedro Strope. That's because because you don't know who has

the job. Let's say you knew that common was the closer, Like I like mat As himself, you know what I mean. Tampa Bay, he did really well. You know, I think he I think he deserves to be the closes over. However, at this point, yeah, look he does. He gets more spings and misses, he gets more strikeouts, So I look,

I can't dispute those things. I feel like there was a report earlier on even before this, that they were gonna it was gonna be like a fluid situation, like they're not gonna have a set closer kind of thing. But then now we're getting like from like beat reporters that like, if there is going to be a guy like Colum has been better, I mean he's the only one with pitching right now. So we've kind of got

like conflicting reports. And this is again, this is what a lot of what's going on in baseball right now is. There's no set closures, there's no set roles. So it's frustrating. But you know, if I had to choose right now, who's gonna lead the White Sox in saves coming out of the season, I would choose. I got a question real quick, is this leading to an era of like no closers. We have to get rid of closers. That's why I think more and more people are going to

saves plus holds. I mean, asked the Phillies. They've already gotten rid of the closer, then they don't have a set close. Yeah, it's gonna be Robertson, it's gonna be Domingu. However, like if there's lefties coming up there, they'll probably fresh listen there, Maybe Hector Nervis gets worked in again, you know, like it's you ask a few teams in baseball, I mean, the clothes is already gone. It kind of makes sense though, like why always go to the closer all the time?

You don't happen on the show I said. I mean from a baseball real life perspectives, if it helps you win games, like with the Brewers last year, if it works, don't fix it. I don't have a problem with that. I mean from as a fantasy player, of course, I have a problem with it sucks, But I mean from a real life perspective, if it's helping you win games, I can't really knock it. I mean it's kind of similar to running backs in that in that way that you know, if if it helps using a committee approach

for running backs. If that makes your team more effective and helps you score more points for real life football, I can't knock it, but it sucks for fantasy. It's true. It's like the you know, the running back by committee thing. It's the same situation. There's two more names here that I think my interest because I don't know their situation. I do know a situation. They're really good. I wonder how many saves are gonna get. That's Jose Alvarado and

that's Jordan's Hicks. Jim. What do you think of those guys? Yeah, I like all I like Alvarado because I think that I agree with you where the talent is definitely there at strikeout rate last year, twelve swinging strike grade. And he's on a team that, you know, given the creative means they use to win games last year, and given you know, the talent I think that they do have on that roster in the rotation, I'm okay with him.

So I like Alvarado. I agree with you. I don't know how many saves he will get, just because they are another team that thinks about things in an analytical way and may not put their best reliever and necessarily at the end of the game. But I think I do like alvarado quite a bit, So I think Alvarado's gonna be my pick there. I think that he's he's really fun. But Jordan Hicks, I like watching him pitch. I don't enjoy owning him in fantasy as much because

the walks really tilted me a lot. So I'd rather just watch him pitch than than have him in my my fantasy team. So I'll go Alvarado over Hicks. Personally, Yeah, like Alvarado over Hicks as well. But I'm intrigued by both of these guys because I think Alvarado has legit stuff. I mean over eleven case per nine last year two point three nine e r A. The X fit was three point one five. But you know, even if he could be a low three ear a kind of guy

with getting that many strikeouts, uh per endings pitched. You know, the walks werery me a little bit with Alvarado. But you know last year and we were trying to figure out who's gonna pick those games for the raise, Greg, you know, I was constantly telling you Alvarado is the best guy in the bullpen. Even though he's a lefty, Like I know, you know, your typical closure is not a lefty. He was the best one out of that bullpen. They still kind of like use Sergio Romo here and there.

It was a frustrating situation. But you know, Sergio Romo is now gone. Thankfully he's in Miami, so you know, just doing enough to make another situation another committee. But with the Tampa bay Rays, I don't know that, you know, Chas Row and Diego Castillo, I just feel like Alvarado so much better than those two guys. I want to go with the talent here. We also have really seen Alvarado be used as an opener. They traditionally like him in the back. It's a good team to have a

to have a closing. The problem is you just don't know if he's gonna close every game. I like Jordan Hicks a lot too. I mean, he's overtaken um rollers. Chapman is like the fastest throwing reliever in baseball that doesn't automatically translate to saves, and he did. He still did walk a lot of guys, didn't get a lot of strikeouts. But if you've been watching throughout the spring, he's throwing the slider more and it is nasty, Gregg, it is absolutely nasty. So I'm the young dude. I'm

hoping that that's something that could carry over. I mean, if he can essentially turn into a roll of Chapman that has like a one mile proud fastball and a nasty slider, I mean, that's really all you need to be a good reliever. You worry about Andrew Miller being there, but I think they're gonna use Andrew Miller and the Andrew Miller roll him. That wiries me a little bit. The Miller thing thoughts. You know, blown we said that for years with Cody Allen. It was a different to

it definitely was. It could be you know, organizational philosophy, no doubt about it. And they paid they they paid Andrew Miller, right, you got in two years millions something something around there. So yeah, they clearly needed him. But what do they want? What are they needing for Miller? And I hate a hater type guy then and all right, then that helps us, and I think, you know, Jordan Hicks will be more of that traditional closes. This could be like a value this team, particularly if you take

Hicks Miller. Whatever it is, the closer here could be the value pick of the draft as far as closes, because I think it's teams pretty good, pretty decent rotation there, and I think they're gonna be in a lot of close games. It's just going to be a lot of a lot of these teams are just all gonna beat up on each other. I think top to bottom, the end of Central is uh the most talented division in baseball. Jim, let me parody, Let me throw this out. We're towards

that middle of the pack. These all these guys who we cannot trust, the players we have not mentioned yet. Who do you have rights the highest? Who do you want the most? Who do you trust the most? So trust is not the word I would use. But the guy I have ranked highest, largely based on the upside he would have if he were to get his job is Matt Barnes. And you look at the situation with

the Red Sox. They've said they're not gonna resign Kimberll, so it's pretty sure that the guys they have there are going to be the guys trying to close it down. It's Ryan Brazier and Matt Barnes, and Barnes last year at a thirty six percent strikeout rate a lot of walks. That's a concern, But I think that when you strike out thirty percent of the guy as you face, you can deal with a little bit higher walk rate. And

what Barnes would get you is strikeouts. He gets you a good her right, not as good of a whip because of the walks, but he gets you access to a whole lot of safe chances. And it may not work out. That's a very real possibility, and I think that that is something that's the reason I'm not gonna, like, you know, take him like a hundred overall or anything.

But once you start to get into this this really weird situation with relievers, I'm okay taking a gamble on someone else I may not trust, But who has higher upside than everybody else if he were to get that job? So for me, that answer is Matt Barnes, just because that team is so good. Same question to you, Chris, So, guys, you haven't mentioned who do you want the most? You trust the most A guy that I'm interested in. Yeah, I mean, it's hard to trust any of these guys

in the backpack, But definitely Archie Bradley. I agree with closer. I think he's gonna have that job pretty much. For the only thing that worries me about him. Listen, he does everything well. You know, he could get the innings pitch. You know, he pretty low. You know, hits per perrainting um walk raide isn't bad, the ky's k raid isn't bad, pretty solid across the board. The problem is four saves

in eighteen opportunities in his career. That worries me. Maybe he doesn't have the closing mentality, but you're getting him late and he should hold down that job for the most party should have a decent leash. So so I don't know, I don't even know if he has a leash at all. I Greg Holland could start the year as the closer. He could, I mean, he could end up, but I think that Verano could start the year as

a closer. To me, with the diving backs. They've never wanted him to be the closer ever, they want to be a starter. They've tried to find every reason and not to make this was a top prospect. But the thing is he is that kind of like swingman, multi ending reliever type of rolling. He's been very good in that rule. So I just feel like I don't doubt the talent with Archie Bradley. I just feel like for years now they've tried to find reasons not to give him the closed role. To me, the next person I

have ranked tias is is Corey Knabele. I mean we haven't really talked about him. I haven't ranked nineteen ahead of some of that, just ahead of like Will Smith and Visky, you know. But with Corey Knabel, I think we've seen his upside. His upside is a top five reliever. Two years ago he had thirty nine saves. I mean, he was lights out to the league by storm, So we've seen his upside. It's just can do the Brewers go back to that kind of like close our mindset?

I don't know. I don't think anyone has. Like this is more like who do I want? Was one of your questions, Greg, I mean, who do I trust the most? There's not a lot of guys who I trust at this point. It's like Shane Green. I probably trust him to like be the Tigers closer, but I don't really want him because he sucks. But I mean the next guy up all things consider that I would wants. It's a good point because Milwaukee, honestly, if they had a true closer right now and knew who it was, he'd

be up there on the list. Maybe, you know, he'd be up there to say if he doesn't convert like three in a row, that they're just like, all right, this is working, Let's just go with it. Let's use cork Nable the way that we did. And you know he wins thirty, he gets thirty plus saves for a really good brewer. Seam. So a couple of names that

that call teams. I should say that I want to hear that we really haven't gotten into I don't we have about five minutes ago the Phillies, right, the Phillies and Braves both with the Phillies and David Roberts there with the Braves. If they don't sign Kimberall, I do think it's Viscay, you know, I think he has a leg up, just because Minter got hurt throughout spring and you know they went to vis guy you know first last year as well. San Francisco giants Will Smith and

Mark Mulanson. Jim, I like Will Smith, Um I think that the talent there is probably gonna win out for him. Thirty four percent strike out right, four swinging strike rade, good park to uh and the pitching staff could be word. I think that's the best endorsement I can give for the Giants. UH So, I like Smith. I think I'm actually a little bit higher on him than than his

ADP right now. So I will probably wind up getting him a decent number spot just because I think that he's good enough to win that job and hold it down. I think he I think skill wise, he's like very underrated because I think he's a prime candidate to be traded this year probably. So, Yeah, Pedro stroke for the Chicago Cubs is Brendon Morrow works his way back. I mean, there's no guarantee Morrow gets his job back if Stroke converts. Similarly,

I like, I like where strokes but going. I like taking a stab on him as an upside play here for exactly what you mentioned. I mean, if he's the closer for the first, you know, month of the season, and he does a lights out job, who's to say that Brandon Morrow just comes back it automatically gets his

job back. I feel like that happens a lot in baseball where we say, all right, well, you know when this reliever comes back, he was the closer before, he's definitely gonna be the closer again, and it just doesn't happen. So if Pedro stroke gets the opportunity and he runs with it, I do think that he's kind of a sneaky sleeper in this range. I look at the Minnesota Twins where they have at a read, they have Trevor May,

they have Blake Parker, Trevor Hildenburger too. Yeah, and I think we should go to uh, we should go to the resident Twins fan this one. This is a Jim Soilist question I had as Yeah, resident Twins fan and resident Trevor May enthusiast, always have been to a fault back when he's a starter. I love Trevor May, but last year he came back from Tommy John two point one seven skill interactive e R A thirty five percent

strikeout right, five percent walk great. He is the best reliever on this team, and I think it's by a pretty decent margin. My concern is that this is another front office that is analytically minded. I could see them using Trevor May more in the Josh Hayter type role, more in the Andrew Miller role, and not getting in the night bitting. So that's my one concern. Trevor May,

I have no concerns around the talent. I know he has a mentality for it, so I have a little bit of concern that he may wind up getting that that other role, but also taking regardless he's really freaking good at baseball. What about Chris staying in the Al Central in Kansas City where while he Parleta did a nice jobs and to the year, brad boxburgers there too.

I want to stay clear of that situation. You're talking about five games this Yeah, there's no road there, Yeah, ned Yost all of a sudden, now, I mean these are pictures that aren't even brending towards analytics, no set closer kind. I mean, Um, Miami, we have Miami. We haven't mentioned Drew second rider, Adam Conley seemed to be the favorites there. Sergio Romo is there as well. So all three of those guys, Um, Shane Green we talked

about briefly. Is there anything else I'm missing? Guess now we talked about Michael Gibbons, a little bit earlier on in the show. I just don't know who else they have there, like Richard Paul Fry and Richard Byer, Like I don't I don't know who's going to take the job away from him. Um. Ryan Brazier pretty much covered everything here. We did it. We did the whole thing. We didn't even need the ducks. Jim sadis following match

missions list of the podcast watched. You fan to a hurry up and head on over to Number fire for all of Jim's projections. I want to thank Jim Sanas. I want to thank uh Jordanian. I want to think Chris Fincher. I want to thank Fank Stamford. I want to thank Chris Bavona. I want to thank showing it downstairs as well. Alex Masano to Greg Susman, stood all me Tomorrow, we hope