Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Pros MLB. This is the Fantasy Baseball Podcast. It is B Joey P Joe Pisapia and today it's mock draft time. That's right. The Welsh is sick. I knew this was coming. I did a show with him on Monday. He was not one hundred percent Welsh. He's gonna get squeezed. He's gonna come back, hopefully healthy later in the week. He is day to
day on the injured reserve for a little while. But Joe Rico's here with us, and in the conference of Joe's we decided, you know, we need a big personality, a big time guests in the world of fantasy baseball, and who better than Justin Mason to pinch it for the Welsh today. Of course, if you don't know Justin Mason, then I question your choices in life. You can follow him on x the Twitter machine at Justin Mason FWFB. Of course, Fantasy Benefits is where he is living fangrafts
doing podcast TGFBI creator Justin Mason. I missed your face. I love your hoodie. Look look how great your setup is. Now, look how it's a voet over the years. That's what I'm most impressed by.
I gotta be honest, this is in a large part due to you. Right, this is the exact same room that used to call the Mason Murder Mansion.
The Murder the Murder Mansion.
Yeah, exactly. So I have, I, you know, put up walls and I actually have things hanging up on them. So it's a painted wall. It's orange, which is bad at night because I look orange. But uh, that was a mistake. But yeah, no, it's it's in large part thanks to you.
Well, if I could shame anyone else into fixing their setup, I'm happy to do it. But it looks great, you know, and the evolution of it is terrific. It looks it looks very professional and exciting. And you know, as long as you don't start putting up emotional balls, Mason, that's all I want, Just no emotional balls, just the physical ones. Joe Rico, you've been working your tail off doing a
million mock drafts. One trend that you've seen recent just out of curiosity, have you seen some players start to really shoot up the board is Cam and Arrow that guy that's starting to really pop, Like, what's happening because you know, and I know, spring training, a couple of guys start getting some hits and all of a sudden, ADP starts to go bananas.
You literally nailed it, Joe, Like, I'm literally thinking, Well, the first one that comes to mind is Junior Cam and Arrow. I did an ADP show yesterday that you guys may or may not have heard by this point with Jeff Erickson and Derek Van Riper, and we were talking about Cam and Arrow and Mark Vientos, and I forget what one of them said, but this isn't really that close an ADP anymore. They just getman. Arrow is
shooting up so much, he's going to be terrific. I know that sometimes players get hyped up in spring and then they end up jumping up three rounds and then falling flat on their face, but this doesn't feel like one of those situations. Considering the ballpark, considering the skills the team around him, Cam and Arrow might be a third round pick pretty soon, and it's maybe a little bit early, but it's really hard to argue with it.
Yeah, look, we're trying to draft teams that are what the ADP is going to look like in twenty twenty six. I remember, ADP is just polling, it's a suggestion, it's a consensus. Start to think about what nexts, first and second round look like. And that's the guys you should be targeting. And today we've got a different style draft. We're doing head to head at roto categories and change it up a little bit. I was getting bored too many BA would do OBP today, So no batting average.
We're gonna do quality starts instead of wins. Because I'm a man of the people. That's what we're gonna do today. It's twelve teams. We're gonna have corner spots. We're going to have two mandatory RP spots. Then we're also going to have four outfielders one U till and we're gonna have the seven pitcher spots just three bench Still today, we're gonna, you know, we don't want to take too
much of Mason's time. He's gotten murders after all, to commit later in the afternoon and line to purchase and probably shovels and all the other things that go along. But seriously, the orange I like it. I think it looks good. Before we kick things off today, we're giving away a signed John Smoltz Braves jersey cursey of our friends at Pristine Auction dot com. All you have to do to enter is subscribe to the Fantasy Pros MLB YouTube channel right now, drop a comment below on this
video or any video, and that's it. We'll be announcing the lucky winner right here on the channel. So make sure you turn on those notifications so you know when new videos are up and you can claim your prize. Also, don't forget mark your calendars. Wednesday, March twelve, three pm Eastern Fantasy Pros Fantasy Baseball Fest a four hour live stream packed with busts, breakouts, and bowl predictions to help
you crush your competition. It'll be me Welsh Worm, Mike Mayer, all of our friends and special guests like Chris Towers, Frank Stamfel, Eric Cross, Scott Pianowski and more to break down the best sleepers, rookies, and a whole lot of fantasy baseball in between. So tune in live on Fantasy Pros MW YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash Fantasy Pros MLB to get the insight you need before Draft day approaches. Let's kick things off here and let's see
it where we're at. And of course we're using draft Wizard here for the mock draft today. Make sure you are using the cheat code to open up all of the fabulousness that is fantasy baseball, because you're a tool. If you're not using the tools at Fantasy Pros, download Draft Wizard day, go to fantsypros dot com, slash m ob draft Wizard and sink your leagues for free. Use
the draft simulator. You can find mock drafts everywhere in our discord or just you can run them here with the robots two as well, but it's going to sink directly to your leagues and you can use it in your real drafts as well. I am in the fourth spot. We've got Joe Rico at eight, twelve teams, Mason at the turn, of course, he's at the turn first. A couple of picks off the board. Bobby Witch, Showel Tani, Aaron Judge. Oh no, it's an OBP league. Do I have to take Juan Sodo? I guess I do. I
guess I will. Okay, you twisted my arm, by the way, Mason when Sodo signed, did you have a little bit of the feels for me just out of curiosity.
Like I definitely felt good for my Mets friends, right, Like my Mets fans friends, like they have suffered for long enough, and it feels really good for them, especially getting him from the Yankees, right, Like yeah, the crossdown big brother. You know, it feels like at that moment when you're finally bigger than your big brother and you get to punch him in his face and he can't do anything about it. So like, yeah, that I felt good for you guys.
Yeah, go and tell mom you loser. That's right, and it just took your toy from you. You nailed it. That is the cherry on top of the Sunday for sure. But look in OBP leagues and head to head leagues. Obviously you know want Soto, great player, but also you know, strategy wise here things might change a little bit because when you're looking head to head, I know, for me, I'm looking for guys who do everything right. I'm looking for those those overall players as much as I can
get them. Mason, for you, what's your strategy when you're doing the head to head categories too? I like to instead of going with the specialists, the guys who do it all, and I value those guys a little more. Is there a certain strategy you like to employ.
I definitely like to employ a strategy of more balanced players, more balanced rosters. I think a lot of people want to take like the boomer Bus guys in head to head leagues, and that's how you lose weeks because guys go cold, and there's nothing worse than like dominating your season, and then your guys go cold in the playoffs and you get knocked out in the first round. So for me, I like these guys who contribute to as many categories as possible but also are pretty even week to week.
Yeah, it was tough for me to pass on Jose Ramirez here, but again, OBP, I've got to go with Sodo here. After Ramirez, Elie de la Cruz, Gunner, Henderson, Joe Alrico. You took Kyle Tucker at eight. We'll let you go make your pick here, Mookie Betts at nine. Then we had the tenth pick, Corby Carrol, Fernando Tatisa, and then Mason. You took Lindor and Guerrero. That's a pretty nice start here. How do you feel about these two players going into twenty five.
Love them. I think they're both like top ten players. It's getting him in the back end of the first round is great. I think this is a great year to draft at the back end, getting that early second round pick. There's some really leap players, especially in a twelve team.
Agreed, all right, Joe Rico, let's talk about your picks here. Because after vlad went Freeman, Scooble, Skimes, a couple of pitchers, then you took Alvarez, So Tucker and Alvarez. I like that you reunited these guys. That's very sweet. They must be very happy to play on your team together. Yeah.
I think the OBP, like Justin and I just talked last week about how we're both a little bit worried about Kyle Tucker considering how bad Wrigley is for lefties, but OBP bumps it up a little bit. As OBP was over four hundred last year, albeit he did miss some time. But I think the OBP format does boost up both him and Jordan Alvarez. As much as there are some reasons to be concerned about both, I think it's a pretty solid foundation as well.
Now because it's head ahead. I'm a little bit more willing if a big time pitcher makes it to me that I like to go ahead and pull the trigger on. So after Alvarez goes Julio Cheerio, Bryce Harper, I took a Tel Marte at two oh nine. Again, line up the scores. A ton of runs. Love Marte there. Second base is not great, so feel pretty good about starting there. Then Zach Wheeler went now Wheeler, Gilbert and Sale were all on the board still when I took Marte was
hoping one made it back to me. They did, so Wheeler went Durand and ad to turn Ronald Acunya to team one. Trey Turner at three oh one, pick than jas Chisholm, Logan, Gilbert. I wanted Gilbert. He didn't make it to me. Oh well, I'll have to sell for Chris Sale. Question here at the two twelve, Mason, Look, you're mister NFBC. You're you know, throwing money around and you know thousands of dollars on leagues and stuff. What is your risk management of Ronald Acunya this year? What's
the what's the magic eightyp spot for you? For him?
He's gotta be fourth round for me to really want to work and like, you're just not gonna have that happen, especially in the NFBC world, right Like people are gonna see that upside and go, hey, I want a Ronald Acunya because he can be the best player on a per played appearance. Basis, the problem is in NFBC specifically, you don't have enough IL spots or you have zero IL spots, so like, yeah, you're having to carry that on your bench. You don't know when he's going back.
Even in leagues where you only have one or two IL spots, it's really difficult to roster because you're gonna suffer other injuries. So for me, I would not be drafting Ronald Lacunya at cost right now. But I understand why people chance that upside.
Okay, it's a good conversation. I think it's very helpful to everybody out there too, because the temptation of a Kunya obviously is huge off the charts. I think I would sput the difference. I'd go fourth round. Rika, Where would you go for Akunya? I know you're on the clock. Can you walk into you gum at the same.
Time, we'll see I think Acunya for me is probably like a mid third round value something along those lines, depending on format. I wouldn't have any problem if somebody in an IL format wants to move him up a little higher than that, because then you especially if it's like a ten team league. My home league is ten team head to head categories, and I'm going to target a Kunya because there's IL there. The replacement level is so so high, even if I only get four and
a half months when I like that. But in leagues where you have limited or no IL spots, he's probably a mid third for me. And I have no problem with Justin's fourth round valuation either. I think that's that's totally fair.
Yeah, I'm a little more fast and loose I think I would go in the third round there for him, especially the more shallow league, the more willing I am to do it. So ten or twelve team, Yeah, we get to fourteen, that's what I'm a little more risk
averse to him. So after we have Garret crochetgo, Raphael de Nevers, Matt Olsen, Michael Harris, then Justin Mason at the turn here for the three four Manny Machado and Emmanuel Class a. Machado is a guy that I find to be, you know, continuously underrated every year and underappreciated. I like the steady eddie manny Machado and it looks.
Like you do two Mason, Yeah, I mean, and he was my third round pick in TGFBI. I just think he is about as stable as you can get, a guy who can completely just deliver. You pencil him in on like perfect. You know, thirty homers, one hundred RBIs decent batting average, like He's just stable and it's easy to work around.
Easy to work around. That's that's the key right now, all right after that selection, Contraras Burns. All right, So George Kirby to you, Joe Rico, how do you feel about that tandem of Crochet and Kirby as the front of your rotation.
I really really like it. I think it's a great pairing. I'm going best player available a lot of the time in the early rounds, and I think the pairing makes sense. But I also think that Kirby just at the time was the best player on the board. But when I'm talking about pairing somebody who has the massive strikeout upside with the consistency that Kirby brings with a low whip. I really like that as a one two.
All Right, after Kirby goes, you have Cole Reagan's, Blake Snell, Jacob de Gram. I took Brent Rooker because I love me some Brent Rooker. I love the power. Really surprised how this draft is going for me. This is not what I thought I'd be doing here, but this is where the values falling. Every draft is a snowflake. It's
so perfect and unique on its own. Corey Seeger goes next, O'Neil cruz Azzi, albis than Dylan Cees at the five oh one, five oh two, Wyatt Langford off the board, Jose al Twoba at five oh three, and Langford's gone, which means I decided to reach for James Wood at five h four because he's got power, he's got speed, he's got batting average, he's got it all. I'm a
big fan of James Wood. Let's talk about him for a second, Mason, because I think James Wood this time next year is going to be going probably in the late second round. Therefore, I think in the fifth round he's a steal. Do you think I took him a little too early, ADP suggests, maybe I did. But what does Justin Mason suggest?
I think you should throw ADP out the window and go get your guys. ADP is a collection of data points that includes the team that's going to finish last in the league as well as a team that's going to finish first.
A right, but that is the most zen thing you've ever said, and you've said a lot of zen things.
I mean, it's true, right, It's a collection of every member of a league, and you know the last place team has waited the same as much as the first place team. Use it as a guide to know, like especially the mid max is like, hey, how early would I need to go in order to get this guy? Or how late could I potentially wait? But it's not really that useful from a drafting perspective, right, because it's weighing a bunch of teams that are not going to cash in your league. So I don't think ADP is
that useful. Have your own projections, have your own ranks, and go buy that. Don't worry about ADP. If someone lasts at you, you can laugh at them at the end of the season.
All right, Now, was that just pilibustering because you didn't like the James Wood pick or No.
Actually, like I think for a young guy, I think he has a pretty safe floor, especially with the speed. I think his hit tool is is still developing a little bit. I think the power is still developing a little bit. But you know, progression isn't linear, and this could be a guy that really takes off. Like I think he's a pretty safe guy, but with a massive upside, very similar like Jackson Turio was coming into last year.
Yeah, Cherio player. I'm very high on this year, but not getting a lot of pieces. I got him in a draft the other day. We did though, I think one of the last drafts we did. I finally did snag a share there of him. All right, let's continue on with the draft board. See what it looks like here after I took Wood, Ozuna goes Garrett Cole, goes, Devin Williams, goes Mason Miller. All right, so closer time,
Joe Rico. When you have mandatory closer spots, it does force the hand a little bit more towards the relievers. I find that when I take relievers early, though, I'm missing out on a little offense or starting pitcher, and I feel like it's just not my move. So why Mason Miller?
Now?
For you, I know he gives you, you know, strikeouts, obviously gives you a lot on the whip side too. So let's talk about Mason Miller and what those builds look like when you start going reliever of these kind of rounds.
For me, it's more so been the ugly builds that have turned out of the Luke Weaver specs and the Lucas air SAgs earlier in draft season. I typically am more on your side there that I like to shop a little bit later on, but I also like to have at least one guy that I know is not going to lose the job, one solid lockdown closer, and then for the second guy, then I can kind of
shop in that little bit more variable range. I guess you could say for guys that you're not one hundred percent sure of, if it's like Carlos Astevez, if it's an air seg, if it's maybe Justin Martinez or somebody like that. That's kind of the way I like to go about it. If I'm taking two guys from that range, then you risk one of them losing the job. There's players that could still get signed out. I think we're probably at the point now where it's not as big
of a risk, but David Robertson's still out there. David Robertson could sign as a closer potentially, and I'm not necessarily expecting it, but I just like to lock down at least one of them so that I just remove that fear and I can just say, Okay, I'm getting thirty saves here regardless.
Zeno Mieto four, Joe Rico, that's no fear for those people who enjoy a little penta. That is c j Abrams next at five oh nine, then Bryce Miller five to ten, Josh Hater at five to eleven. Then you have Justin Mason at the turn, taoskarnandez Edwin Diaz. I know you're on the clock again. Welcome back to you here ya, I'm Amoto at six h two, then Diaz, Michael King, and then Joe Rico. You stole Pablo Lopez for me? How dare you? How dare you? He was my ideal number two guy, but now he's your three.
That's a pretty good looking pitching staff. Are you worried? Though you've gone one, two, three, four pitchers in a row so far, just Tucker and Alvarez, you think you can make up the difference here on offense.
I definitely can in a twelve teamer at least I think I can pitching the way that it does eventually dry up, because I know that the common narrative right now is that pitching is very deep. Give it a couple of weeks, it's not going to be as deep into I want to lock down at least a couple of aces, and like I said, I'm kind of going best player available there, and I think that Lopez, like
I wanted to go hitter. I really did want to take a hitter there, but I didn't want to force it when it didn't feel like that was the best time based on my valuation. So I went with my best player on the board, and that's Pablo Lopez. There's the SP three. I'm very happy there now.
Mason. At the turn here, you took Ti Oscar and Edwin Diaz. You went into the closer game as well. So are you somebody that has to come away, especially in a mandatory RP situation, with at least one guy that you feel really good about or are you willing to let the draft come to you?
I think a twelve team league, I'm more willing to let the draft come to me than I would be in a fifteen team league. Being said, there's a limited amount of closers, and I don't want to deal with the guys who are going to be sharing roles or potentially losing their jobs. So I grab closers as early as it possibly can, just to make sure I don't have to deal with that. Because you're going to pay
for Saves one way. They're going to pay for Mint the draft table, You're gonna pay for him in season, and rather just pay from the draft table and worry about other things.
See, I'd rather spend all the fab chasing Saves. Sounds like an Adell song. I'm pretty sure there might be one that's coming in on the new album. Possibly all right, So after Pablo Lopez at six oh five, Framber Valadez off the Bard, Marcus Simeon, Mark Vientos Goes, I took Lawrence Butler. I'm feeling good about Lawrence Butler. Look at me. We'll give you two a's what's the word? Uctioned me Athletics pardon me, pardon me, I I gotta change my
verbiage here. Butler a guy that had a magnificent summer. I think he can build on it again, power, speed, everything there. Rutchman goes than Helsley Imonaga at the turn at seven oh one, Willia Damas. Then you have Rhyso Iglesias, Tyler Glass. Now I took Josh Nayler at seven oh four. We were getting a little dry there at the corners, and I certainly needed one. So I'm gonna ask you this, Mason Williadamas, really good player, great season in Milwaukee. Now
he's with your San Francisco Giants. Obviously, the ballpark factor is going to factor in a little bit to his ADP. Is Willias steal here at this adp? Or is he still a little tenus based on the change of ballpark factor from Milwaukee to San France.
It's not just a change of ballback ballpark factor, but that is definitely playing into it. It's also just a much worse offensive team in a much worse offensive park, in a team that does not steal. Right. They were like bottom five and stolen bases as a team in twenty twenty four. I don't see that changing, whereas Milwaukee's the top five teams team stolen bases, right, So I think all those things make Willia Domas worse in twenty twenty five. Now, I do think that the ADP is
probably a little bit too harsh on a Damas. People are downgrading that a little bit too far. And we see this all the time. We're seeing it with these A's players that you're just referencing that we're seeing prices get out of control on some A's hitters and some Tampa Bay hitters because they're going to be in these minor league parks. You should always take advantage of the
opposite of what the general public is doing. And so I think a Damis represents one of the last sky Is at shortstop that I really want to roll with at that position, and so I'm okay waiting on him, but just know it's not going to be as pretty as it was in Milwaukee.
All right, Let's continue on the draft board. See how things are flying here. I took Josh Naylor at seven oh four, then Luis Robert at seven o five. I had so many outfielders I decided to go at Naylor instead of Robert team six, go ahead and take Christian Walker Junior Kmenaro at seven oh seven. I was hoping I could make one more round, but obviously I could not. So Brian Reynolds at seven o eight to Joe Alrico, that's a nice offensive player. It gives you a lot there,
Brian Reynolds, very underrated, very underappreciated. Anthony santanderre at seven o nine, Brenton Doyle, Jordan Westburg, and then Justin Mason. You went and you took Matt McClain for me out of my queue, and then Logan Webb. Now I am in on mcclan. You look good in the Fall League, had some power there. So far, so good in spring. To me, it's just him getting at bats again. And with Spencer Steer being heard, I think that also clears up a little space here potentially for an easier path
for mclan. Let's talk about McLain and Webb. One of the most consistent guys to make it thirty starts every year, but it was a rough end to the season. Any concerns with the end of the season for Web and what are your expectations for mclin.
Yeah, no, real concerns, and I'm not a big Web guy, but in a quality starts format, you know he's gonna go deep into games, right like the Giants are gonna let him get his six. So and there are other guys down below that actually have rated higher than him that I know I can get in the next kind
of next turn that I'm gonna make here. So usually if if you, you probably never see me draft Lagan Web, especially in an NFBC for it, because I'm going to reach on the guys that I want that are going a little bit later in a in a Fantasy pros mock draft, or in an ESPN or Yahoo league or something like that. But just a stable force McLain, I love. I was a little worried coming into draft season about
the health. But he's healthy right now. He looks good in spring, look great in ears on a fall league. Like you said, I think he could have a massive season all right.
So possible massive season coming. I have a I have a tricky decision on the board here right now. Is this the time where I try to take Mike Trout because he's still around? Do I dare do it to myself? Do I hate my life? If I do that justin Mason will I.
Uh, you might, but it's it's a twelve teamers so and in not very like deep benches, so like there's gonna be a lot of room on the waiver wire to pick up guys for him when he eventually does get hurt. But in ob league, like it's still on a you know basis or played appear in spasis. Mike Trout is a stud still, so like that's.
How I think in the OBP. So you know what, let's do it. Let's have some fun. Welcome back to that pick in just a second. Here, I want to run through the rest of these after Web Nola, Grason Rodriguez, Luis Castillo, Freddy Peralta goes next, then Hunter Green, Tanner Byby I took Mike Trout, Salvador Perez goes next, and then cal Rawley, Hunter Brown, Joe, Ryan, Max Freed, Cody Bellinger. Now I passed because I thought I had some pictures there that I still felt pretty good about, and I did.
And his name is see McClanahan. So I'm gonna go ahead and just go here with a picture that is normally an ace, normally a guy people would take as a one. He's now my two. Now I've waited on pitching. We'll see how this works out here. Joe Rico hit the pitching like a like a Justin Mason, uh, you know, in a murder shed. I feel like I feel like I'm like a Norm McDonald mood today, Like, oh boy, it is Justin Mason. He sure does murder starting pitching. Ah, God,
look at him. He's got he's got a wagon.
He really upset at Team nine. I don't know who Team nine is the robot in the parking lot robot Team nine.
So let's go through the Team nine roster. For the people not watching on the YouTube channel, subscribe to the YouTube channel, get us a twenty five thousand. That's what we're trying to do by opening day. Team nine, Mookie Skeens, Raphael Devers, Alonzo Abrams, Michael King, Santander Castillo, Schwellenbach. This could be the the Jordan Mason robot for all we know, I mean, just a Mason robot.
For I like their team. I'm not gonna lie like that. That is as a pretty fun team right there, especially that pitching stuff. But Schwellenbach I have as a top ten pitcher this year.
Is the fourth starter on team and.
He's their fourth starter this year.
So like you have in the top ten, justin I.
Do, and I'm about to take someone that I know Joe doesn't like.
Right, So, no, I like Bailey Ober? Is that is that?
Joe was talking some mad trash on Twitter about Bailey Ober the other day.
Oh Joe, that Joe? What do you mean? I like Bailey over? You gotta specify your Joe's here. Confusing for me.
We've got multiple Joe's here. So I was hoping to get schwelle Bach and Ober right there. That was the gamble I took. I wish I now had taken Schwelling back last round over Logan Web. But then I'll go grab, you know, like a Zach Gallon, who I just think is perpetually underrated this year.
Deal that is such a steal right there. So mcclana and Contreras steer Volpi, Bregman goes to a Rico, Schwellenbach goes to Team nine feel expatista Kwan. Then Mason took Ober and Zach Gallen. I can't agree with you more. I mean Zach Gallen absurd. I think that he goes where he goes here, Tristan Costas a teo to Will Smith, Bobashett at Team nine, Joe a Rico right out from under you. That's got to be very upsetting. So how
do you pivot here? Let's talk about Bregman and then this next pick you're going to make here.
Now, Yeah, Bregman. I really think that that's a good opportunity for him to still keep his fantasy value. I don't think that he's going to be quite what he was in Houston necessarily, but I think he can still be really valuable. Plus he's likely going to be gaining a multi position eligibility. I'm still not sure how that whole thing's gonna shake out, but he should get second base. And I'm gonna take Juan Duran here with my second of these two picks and just lock down that second
reliever spot. I really think that Duran has the potential to give you close to one hundred strikeouts. I don't want them to be playing any games with Griffin Jacks or anything like that. I hope it just Duran, that's the question. But I think he can give me thirty saves with good ratios and probably ninety some odds strikeouts, so and I also don't have to worry about relief now, I don't have to worry about when Jeff Hoffmin's gonna
go and when the astavezes of the world. I can just focus on filling out the rest of my team. At this point as well.
I'm developing a theme with my pitching staff here. We'll see if you can guess it. So after Deron Goo's Riley Green, Royce Lewis, Andres Munios, Matt Chapman to me, I needed a corner guy here, so let's take the third basement. Chapman gave me fifteen steals last year, fingers Cross could do the same. Definitely light ups and stolen bases. We'll see if I can find some Later Sunny Gray than Justin Steele won at ten eleven, Rookie Sazaki at ten twelve, Robert Suarez at eleven oh one, eleven oh two,
Jack Flaherty, then Vinnie Pasquentino. I took Sandy al Contra, So al Contra, Shane McClanahan, two guys returning from Tommy John. But so far it seems like no problems, and I feel like I've got three aces here, Mason, is.
Is your theme for your pitching staff? Guys who won't make it through the season.
Yes, it is guys that will make it for the season for one thousand. Why why won't they make it through the season. You know, everybody's everybody's falling over themselves to draft Jacob de Gram who hasn't thrown a hunting since twenty nineteen, and Sandil Contra and Shane mcclanann are going rounds rounds later, and one of those guys just want to say young a couple of years ago.
I actually don't have necessarily a problem with uh with the top of it with with a Chris Sale, I do worry about a guy like Seane mclann and a guy like Saniel Contra, just because community control are tricky.
We saw it last year with Robbie Ray coming back from the from the Tommy John surgery, where like he came in his first start, he looked like vintage Robbie Ray, elite Robbie Ray, like was I think it's throwing five perfect innings before they've pulled him out, and then the next start he comes in, he can't find his own at all. And that's what happens with these guys coming back from Tommy John sure is they struggle with consistency
in their command and control. I prefer McClanahan overall contract because all contract is one on a terrible team where he's not gonna get wins. Now, this is a quality start league, so.
He's got a terrible team for the first three months of the season. That's the capital for.
The first three months. This is I don't think they're going to trade him. They the contract to team friendly and then he is a pitcher who relies on committal control. He's not an overpowering guy. And so I think for me, if I'm going to take a gamble on one of these guys, it's McLean and over our contract, oh.
One hundred percent. I think your assessment's absolutely correct, there's no doubt about that. But I'm taking shots on these guys. I think the difference with Robby ray too is the amount of time of him coming back and maybe trying to push to come back at the end of the season. Mclana has been gone a very long time, while Contras on the normal schedule coming back, and I think also coming back in spring with everybody else and the hitters
and the pitching coaches around you and all that. I think is a very different environment than rehabbing on your own and trying to come back late in the season. I think it's very different. They feel like they're on a normal, getting ready kind of pace, and I think that does go a long way. Pitchers are creatures of habit. They are very strange birds, and to me, I think that is crucial for them mentally to feel like this
is just a regular offseason. I'm preparing as normal. You shouldn't play your fantasy baseball as normal because on fan Tracks, the home of fantasy sports, they've got year round engagement, offseason trades, real time updates, and seamless player transactions to keep the excitement alive three hundred and sixty five days a year. Dynasty mastery, forget about it. They've got automated salaries contracts to let you orchestrate your league like a pro.
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leave off? Sandy alcntra, Ian Happ goes at eleven oh five, Jake Bergert eleven oh six, Ryan Walker, then Joel Rico takes Randy A. Rosarina eleven oh eight, Christian Yellich at eleven oh nine, then Xavier Edwards and Olas Garcia. Then Mason you took Terrang and Dylan Cruz. Love Dylan Cruz. Question for you about Terrang? If these stolen bases drop off save from fifty to thirty six. Is that a pick you end up hating, Uh.
For sure. But I don't think they're going to drop off. I actually think, if anything, they could even increase. Terrang is a much better in zone hitter than I think a lot of people give him credit for it. Is a good defender, so I think he's going to be playing every single day. I think the batting average will bounce back, and I think those stolen bases are going to be fine. And this team right now needed stolen bases, so I kind of had to make this pick, had to make the pick.
Forced into a corner. That's where he is right now. All right, let's continue on here with the draft board, Joe Rico when it comes back to you after Dylan Cruz Tovar, Spencer Strider, Jared Jones, Jonathan India, so Rose Arena in India, let's discuss those two players and what you think about them in twenty twenty five.
Yeah a Rose Raina, Well, both of them really get a nice bump from OBP. Both of their batting averages leave something to be desired, especially Rose Raina. Last season it was brutal. He batted two nineteen, but he walked eleven percent of the time, so the on base is still there, almost a guaranteed. Twenty twenty, I did need a little bit more balance in those two categories with a Rose Arena and with Jonathan India, I think he's
going to be leading off for Kansas City. I had of Bobby with Junior, I had a VINTP ahead of sal so he should have the potential to score one hundred runs while giving me probably a three forty ish on base percentage, And I really like that. I don't want to focus in too much on on base percentage, but these guys are also very well balanced assets that also just get a bump from their OBP.
Going back to Dylan Cruz real quick, I took James Wood, Mason took Dylan Cruz. Who do you prefer jul Rico at their current ADP in terms of return on investment?
Sorry, Dylan Cruz and Hill Cruise and James would in terms of return on the investment? Yeah, in the ADP like obviously later, Yeah, Cruz is probably a better bargain. Welsh and I talked about him yesterday. He could probably go like fifteen and thirty if things break right. I think James Wood is really really good, but he's a top fifty pick and he's got a serious groundball problem.
Like that's I think a legitimate problem. Can he fix it? Yeah, but his launch angle last year was like two degrees. He has enough rob power to mitigate that. But I also think that Cruz going one hundred picks later, I think is probably a bit of a safer play to return value.
All right, all right, we'll see how the draft goes here. I am up on the clock. I don't love what I've got in front of me, so I'm gonna make a pick here and continue on. So after India, Shane Langliers goes, Luis Garcia goes, code I Singa Than I took Brian Wu. I was hoping Rodin would make it back to me, but he did not. Ezac Parides goes next. Another pick that I was hoping for. Mi Q got
absolutely obliterated. In these next couple of picks. Here, Xander Bogart's Carlos Rodonna twelve twelve, that thirteen oh one, Jason Dominguez Pete Carl armstrong erseg goes, and I took Seth Lugo, who had a phenomenal season last year. He was one of my breakout guys in the Fantasy BlackBook last season, one hundred and eighty one strikeouts, a three E A
one O nine whip, he threw two hundred innings. I get it, like people say it came out of nowhere, but it didn't if you were paying attention to San Diego the year before Mason. Where are you at with Seth Lugo? I mean, at thirteen oh four, it seems like a guy that isn't getting enough respect considering what he did last year. And it wasn't out of the blue because all the earmarks were there for a big season after twenty twenty four.
Yeah, I wasn't out a blue. He's always been a very good pitcher. He just has vacillated between being a starter and a reliever and moved to a great park in Kansas City. I think he is one of those kind of safe glue guys that I like in a twelve teamer. I don't know that I draft him very often because I just don't see the massive upside that
you're looking for in those kind of leagues. He's kind of a guy you stream in and out of your lineup as opposed to someone you rely upon, but in a fifteen teamer I love him because it gives you that volume that is so king in fifteen teamers, and I think he gets underrated, similar to like teammate Michael Walker, who's just been a fantastic picture that nobody seems to talk about because he doesn't like have these huge amount of a huge strikeouts, but the volume matters, and being
in a good stadium like that can matter. And so yeah, I definitely like Lugo more in a deeper league setting, but just generally speaking.
You know, it's funny. I mean, Lugo kind of started off the year a little lukewarm in terms of strikeouts and then they started to really pop and come on. So just kind of interesting to see how that ended up just unfolding at a certain point. But again, I don't know what he needs to do to prove everything to everybody. And as my let's see where he's my fifth starter, I'll go to war with Seth Lugo my fifth start. This is a guy who has been exciting
conversation last year. So yeah, all right, I gotta eventually, I guess take a closer here, at some point, so we'll see how it goes. Maybe Pete Fairbanks can actually stay healthy for a season. We'll see I've gotten some value picks. Thanks Draft Wizard. Appreciate the thumbs up. I need that kind of encouragement. It's very important for me. So after Seth Lugo, Logan OHOPPI then Brandon Neimo thirteen oh six, Kerry Carpenter, Bryson Stott to Joe Arico Tanner.
Scott goes next, Nico Horner, Yuenio Suarez, Justin Mason. You took Munsei and Colton Kowser. Your thoughts on Kowser this year, and I also want to ask you about the Orioles too. If Kobe Mayo Kurstad holiday all push and perform, does Kowser get pushed, does Westburg get pushed? How does that all work out?
I don't think either would necessarily get pushed. Cowser is a really, really good defender and one of the reasons why he continues to play even when he does struggle. So he will go through kind of ups and downs, but he's got a lot of powers, a little bit of speed, and he just plays such good defense that
the Oriols are going to give him opportunities. I think if anybody gets pushed out of that outfield, it might be Cedric Mullens, my boy, which is sad from a personal standpoint because I've made a career on calling Cedric Mullens before anybody else. But I think Kowser's defense will definitely keep him in there. Westburg I'm not as big of a fan of but I think he will just accumulate. It's just to me, like he doesn't do anything spectacularly, so he needs that volume, and we did see him
lose time last year to injuries. So I'm a little bit more scared about Westburg than I am about Kowser, and Westburg's going way too high for me, especially recently in drafts.
Yeah. See, Westburg is the guy that really scares me too, So I'm glad you kind of said that, like just a little bit concerned there. I am buying back in big time though. On Jackson Holiday. So after the cows Aer pick, we have Kevin Gosman, Jerkson Profar casting on us, and then Brandon Lao so Stott and Lao al Rico. Let's discuss these two infield picks here back to back yeah.
I early in the draft, I took nothing but pitchers and outfielders, kind of similarly similarly to what we did on the mock maybe a few weeks ago, Joe, where I just packed up the outfield. So I needed to fill in some of these infielder positions, and I think I got a lot of values, Like you know, lowing the fourteenth Stot in the thirteenth, I got Danzy Swanson in the fifteenth. It just feels like really solid picks, guys who are just overall contributors, who aren't going to
really hurt you anywhere. That are just really solid guys that are falling about around past ADP generally speaking. So it does change things because it's on base percentage and it probably confuses people, But I think that these are all really solid picks. My own base percentage right now is projected to be second in the league behind some guy named Joe Pizzapia, So I'll take that.
Well, Jan Soto equates for about ninety percent of that. Yeah, So just so I'm winning the OBP war, I'm I'm behind on stolen bases. This is one of the great things too about Draft Wizard is you can look and see where the categories are. So if you're playing in rotal formats, I mean it's it's a dream man. Obviously I'm behind on saves too, so I've got to figure that out. Uh, but quality starts again right now. It's showing me at thirteen, it's showing Joe Rico at eleven.
So for all those pictures you took, you're still behind me. Joe A. Rico. Do you feel like that's stop being fair draft Wizard maybe not being fair with you.
Yeah, I have to talk to the devs. This is ridiculous.
We're gonna have a long conversation. I'm going to write a strongly worded letter. Oh my goodness, shortstop has dried up and I am not a happy boy right now because Carlos Correa is gonna have to be a selection for me. Do I have to do that to myself? I hate life right now. I don't think I have much of a choice. But while I'm all that decision, let's continue to look at the rest of the picks. Here after Brenton Lao, Paul Golschman, Alec Bohm, Trevor McGill,
Luis re Rengifo to me at second base. Then Mason Win goes next to shortstop. That's the guy that I really wanted to make it back. He did not very upset. I'm just getting crushed here at the turn with these three teams. Mason Win, Ronaldo Lopez, That's okay, he can go. J t Real Muto at fourteen twelve, then Jeff Hoffman start fifteen oh one. You say, Kakuchi at fifteen oh two, Josh Low at fifteen oh three. Then I took Fairbanks.
After that, Brandon fought Stevenson, Jeremy Panya. Nice value there. Dansby Swanson to Joe Rico Dansby, what do you think of the Cubs this year? I'm in on the Cubs, and I feel like Dansby needs to elevate a little bit because the rest of this team is getting better around him. Do you think that is going to help him kind of reach that next level.
I don't know that he's gonna necessarily reach another level. I think he can probably do something like similar to what he did in twenty two or twenty three. Give you like low twenties homers, really good counting stats, counting on him for some steals, the on base percentage, is nice because he walks close to ten percent of the time, So even though the batting average is in the two forty range, the on base should be in the three twenty. Hopefully he can get up to three thirty. So I
just feels like a really balanced player. In terms of the Cubs overall, I think the Cubs offense is fantastic. I think they're super deep one through eight. Mcelmayah even I shouldn't slander mcgalamya, he's not too bad. The whole lineup really is very, very solid now. Like I alluded to earlier, we talked about it last week, Justin and I about how Wrigley is awful for left handed hitters.
So probably not the greatest news for Kyle Talker Michael Bush, Pete car Armstrong investors because they do take a little bit of a hit there. But I think this team is really really underrated.
I do too. I think they're gonna make a strong run for that division. I think they smell blood in the water. The Cardinals are week Pittsburgh doesn't have enough offense. Cincinnati's still trying to figure themselves out a little bit. But look, if Swanson can bounce back, we're in a good spot there. Certainly he would be a huge contributor
for that team. Kyle Finigan goes next to fifteen oh nine, then Christopher Sanchez, Ryan Mountcastle, Justin Mason, look at you, Robbie right, and Spencer Arraghetty, who that was another target of mine in this draft. Arrogedtty the first few starts of the year terrible, the last twelve dominant, which Spencer Araghedty. You think we're gonna get in twenty twenty five?
I don't know, but my team really needed strikeouts. You know what, Let's go get some strikeouts here while while I still can't. And Arraghetty and Robbie Ray really fit the bill right there. So I've got to figure out another guy who can go get some strikeouts. I'm gonna go with Nickeldolo, even though that medium scares the crap
out of me, but I needed those strikeouts. And sometimes when you're playing these kind of leagues, you gotta make a pick you don't necessarily want to, just because you can go and get a category that helps you.
Yeah. Right, So after you took Araghedtty, Jackson Holiday goes at sixteen oh two. Yondi Diaz Luis hell, Ryan Pepio to Joe Rico, Andre Simenez, then Alexis Diaz Arise. I ended up taking Korea, but grudgingly Correa goes to me. Then Taylor Ward Francisco Alvarez, who I am high on
this year. I like the adjustments he's made in the offseason here with the bat being in a different position, Tommy Edmond at the turn seventeen oh one, Michael Tolia seventeen oh two, Lane Thomas Barrios, and then Nate Avaldi to be at seventeen oh four. He was the biggest boost on the board, so I took him Show Mania the Team five, Bednar Jackson job and then Eflyn so Arico, Pepio and Eflyn building some rotation depth. Eflin's not a guy that I'm in on. I think the Orioles are
going to take a step back this year. Grayson Rodriguez, I love. I just feel like they had they had everything in their hands and then it kind of fell apart at the end. You let Corbyn Burns walk. You really didn't replace him. I don't know. I'm just the Orioles I think are It's weird. I think they're in a retool, which sounds bizarre because I've got all these young players coming up, But I look at the pitching
staff and I'm just not impressed. What is intriguing to you about Zach Kaflin sell me on Ethel this year?
Well, you don't think Charlie Morton is a good replacement for Court?
When pitchers are as old as me, I get very concerned.
Like you're a very young man, Joe. You don't don't talk about yourself.
I don't look a day over forty five.
So for Efflin. For me, the predictive nature of whip has become something that I've focused in on quite a bit. Previous season's whip for Affluent over the last three years one twelve, one oh two and one fifteen. He gave you a three fifteen era last season. The strikeouts aren't quite what you're hoping for, necessarily, but I already have a hell of a lot of strikeouts. I got Pablo Lopez, I got Garrett Crochet. I don't need to really worry about strikeouts. He's more of a ratio booster for me
and Ryan Pepio. I just think he's gonna be an ace, like I think you know over the edge last week you know why why what did.
You know say? In that show? For those people whom I missed it, you can go back and watch. We have the Ultimate Pitching Guide show with Eno and then part two with myself and Nick Pollock and then you have the ADP battles there. But for those people who want to miss that show, you can go back and watch on the YouTube. But tell me about if you could, just real quick what EO was talking about Pepio.
So again, just not to focus on it, but the whip was really good. At one fifteen, he has five pitches that are at least average in terms of stuff grades out as a one oh seven overall stuff plus, which is really good stuff plus. Just got a bit of a facelift recently. I worry a little bit about the ballpark and that could be something that holds him back to some degree. But I think he's talented enough
to overcome some of the ballpark concerns. He's been fantastic throughout his career, albeit it it's forty three games, thirty six starts. He's a three twenty eight Era one thirteen whip to go along with some of the stuff numbers. The hard hit rate only at thirty seven percent. Ino will describe it a lot more eloquently if you want to go back and listen to that show. But he, I think, is somebody that definitely has a chance to take that next step forward this season.
All right, let's continue on the next step of this draft here, because after you took Pepio and Eflyn Sadoni Rafaela, then Netto Neveda, Justin Mason takes Horis Hilaire and as you mentioned Nick Lodolo. Now Lodolo is another one of my sleeper pitchers too, and I heard you were excited about taking him, So Mason to me, you know, sometimes those lefties take a little bit longer in the pressure cooker. But also you've got a situation where the health just
wasn't there. If the health is there, you've got some good leadership there. Now with Francona there, you've got a really exciting young team here. It looks like you're investing in the Reds from this draft that we're doing here.
I like the Reds, and so I did this series on TikTok earlier in the off season where I went through every single team that I felt like could surprise and make the playoffs. It didn't last year. And you know what I did. I covered every single team in the NL Central because I think every team in the NL Central has an actually shot at winning this division. Because the Brewers are taking a step back, the Cardinals
are taking a step back. The Cubs got a little bit better, but not much better in the grand scheme of things. Like the Reds are a really interesting team. They need health. This team cannot stay healthy and they're already dealing with Spencer's ears bum shoulder issue right now. But if Lodolo can stay healthy, I think he is
an elite starter. I really really like Nickelodolo, but the problem has been staying on the field on that mount So in a lead this size, where I know there's going to be replacement value for starting pitchers on the wire, I'm totally fine taking a guy like Nicolodolo in a fifteen teamer.
Maybe not, No, that makes sense. It's a good cell job on Nicolodolo too. I like where your head's at, Tanner, howk goes next? Then Luke Weaver at eighteen oh three, Shane Boz, Christopher Morel to a Rico who's on the clock for his next pick t j Friedel eighteen oh six, then Bradley Rasmussen. I took Zach Gelloff because I needed
somebody in the middle infield. It's an OBP league, so I don't care about his two eleven batting average, and I'll just take this deals in a little bit of the pop. Kelly Jansen goes next, Rounout Blanco, then Tyler O'Neil, Josh Young at the turn at nineteen oh one, Glaber tour Is at nineteen oh two, Parker Meadows at nineteen oh three. I took Bowden Francis, another pitcher I'm very high on. Maybe the Blue Jays are one of those teams that could make the playoffs this year. Blue Jays Athletics,
I think very much in the mix this season. You Darvish goes next at nineteen oh five, then Ryan Weathers at nineteen oh six. Team seven, Mackenzie Gore, Joe Rico, Clark Schmidt. Now that's a picture. I think people are sleeping on pitches for a good team. Bullpen now has somebody solidified in the ninth inning role. If things break right for the Yankees, obviously, the upside is ninety five plus wins and Clark Schmidt. I mean, the quality start guy in league is seat of a wins league. Maybe
we can have that discussion. But Schmid's a guy that's you know, been waiting in the wain for a while now and had a good, solid season, kind of very under the radar last year. Let's talk about Clark Smiitt in this pick. He just made.
Yeah, people kind of forget about Clark Schmidt because he missed a lot of the year with injuries. But over his eighty five innings he had a two eighty five ERA one eighteen whip at eighteen percent strike up minus walk rate. He was very good. And now there was some concern throughout the offseason, kind of keeping the price down. I think of is he going to have a rotation spot? Blah blah blah between all the Marcus Stroman stuff. Luis Heal got shut down yesterday, It's going to be like
four to six weeks for him. Clark Smith absolutely has a spot in this rotation. I think the skills are good enough for him to probably give me double digit wins go one hundred and fifty hundred and sixty innings, hopefully, because he won one hundred and sixty innings in twenty twenty three, down to eighty five last year. I'm kind of hoping he can just get back to that one fifty one sixty range and I should be able to
return a decent profit on him. Here at the point of the draft post pick two hundred, it feels too late for him.
Yeah, it does. Gabriel Moreno goes next Michael Garcio than Kirby Yates, JJ Bladena, Justin Mason. Another guy that had a good season last year, Austin Wells So JJ Bleday, a player that was in that Marl system for a while, a player that I liked. It took a lot of crap basically from a lot of scouts, I feel like, and I always thought was going to end up being a decent major league player, and we started to see that version of him last year with the Athletics. I'm
excited for this Athletics team. I'm excited for Rooker Butler. I'm excited for them to go be playing in Sacramento and get out of that trash ball park. What's the upside for Blade in twenty twenty five in your opinion.
I think the upside is pretty massive. Moving from the Oakland Coliseum to that park. And here's the thing. I think on a better team, bla Day would not be playing full time. I think he'd be on a strong clvilaltoon he's not good against left handed pitching. But on the A's I think he may play every day. And while that may hurt the overall batting average and an on base percentage league, he walks at a double digit rate. He's got power. He's going to be moving to a
park that's going to be much better for power. Like, could he be like a twenty eight to thirty homer guy with a kind of a decent average but a much better on base percentage? Yeah, I think he could. And like there's this is a team that is getting better around him. So I really like Bludey is kind of a late outfielder. They kind of take a gamble on all.
Right, looking for some late possibilities there. Let's move to the next couple picks here in this draft, we're almost at the tail end. Here. You have Walker Buehler going next at twenty oh two, which also feels like a pretty good dart throw. Heli o'ramos, Sean Murphy Hazels Sozzardo di Jo Rico. If you didn't pull the trigger, I would I know you're up right now. Jeffrey springs up next. Then Mitch Keller Castro I took Brandon Woodriff at twenty
oh nine. We're taking shots here if Woodriff works out. Nick Pollock just talked about it on the last show we did last week. If you missed it, go watch it, go listen. Why not take a shot on a guy who was looking like a front end starter And again, more strikeouts from Brandon Woodriff, Gavin Williams. That was what I was going back and forth beween those two guys. I ended up taking Woodriff because I'm sticking with the theme guys coming back from injury. What could go wrong?
Starting pitchers? Nathaniel goes next, and then you have noan Aernado Rangers Suarez at twenty one oh one, Alex Burlson, Reese Olsen. I took my catcher. Finally, Colt Keith goes next, than Michael Waka Cutter, Crawford, jul Rico, Ivan Herrera, Lozardo and Herrero. Your last two picks. Lozardo seems like nothing but upside at this ADP the twentieth round. You take a shot on a guy two years ago when a terrific season, He's got more offense behind him, he's got
a better defense around him. It feels like a no brainer. And if it doesn't work out, you cut him.
Yeah. You and Welsh talked to me intil hages Lozardo I had got into my head for some reason. He was a lot older than twenty seven. I don't know why. I think he's just been around a long time, around a long time. Yeah, but I thought he was like thirty one or something, and at that point I'd be a little bit less interested. But at his age. He didn't pitch a ton last year, just sixty six innings. He's in a much better spot, no pressure on him as the number five starter in Philadelphia. I think it's
a good bounce back opportunity. There's certainly at this point of the draft there are a few players with as much potential as Hazus Lozardo. Just a couple of years ago, in twenty twenty three, he put up what was pretty close to a cy Young worthy campaign, and he really looked like he was starting to break out. Over those couple of years, until the injury bug got him. So I think it's a good point to buy back in here, all.
Right, So buying back in Lozardo again on the cheap makes sense to me. I definitely like it all right after you went ahead and did that, Ivanarreira, Christian Carnascio, strand A. J. Puck Merril, Kelly Kumar Rocker, Justin Mason, Max Scherzer. So two risky pitchers against late in the draft. We're taking shots here. You want to talk about innings concerns. I have them about Kamara Rocker. I think Rockers should
be turned into a closer. Personally, I see a lot of Lease Smith and him Mason's that's my evaluation of him. What I watch, he writes me a lot of Lee myth. It's just big fastball coming at you, intimidating presence on the mount of Mex sus Er. I mean, what do you want to set the over under seventeen and a half starts? What do you want to take there?
I probably take the under there. But he looks healthy right now, looks good in his first Springs start. Kamaracker looked great in his first spring story. But these are guys at the back end of your rowster that you're gonna drop that you're going to stream in and out. So take some upside, you know, gamble see if it works. If doesn't, you move on really really quickly.
Okay, So gambling time here, that's what we're doing in the draft. Cedric Mullens goes next. Who you say is your guy yet you passed on him. I'm just putting that out there. Tyler Fitzgerald, Jordan Romano. I was trying to snag him later, but it's okay. Francis qualifies at ourp so I'm just gonna start him there. See what I did. I'm just gonna just play the waiver wire. That's what I'm gonna do. Jock Peterson, that goes next to Joe Ricos on the clock, Guriel Robless, Joey Ortiz.
I took Cronin Worth for a bench bat here, Brandon Donovan, Ryan Presley, Connor Wong to finish the twenty second round to begin the twenty third, Ben Joyce, Ryan McMahon, Justin Martinez. I took Clay Holmes another shot here. I keep talking about him being like that conversion of Derek Lowe years ago, but I think Holmes has some more strikeout ability extreme ground ball pitcher as I've done a good job with Manaiyah, a good job with sever Maybe Clay Holmes is that
next reclamation project. Ree Detmer's Brady Singer another late pitcher that I really like. I think he's a solid, like bench starter, two start week guy. I like Brady Singer, Matt Shaw, and then Joe Rico takes David Festa, So Peterson and Festa two really good picks here. Festa guy. He might not start the year in the rotation, but I like what I saw from Festa. Those first two starts were a disaster. After that, things looked much better for him, so let's discuss him.
Yeah, I have been all in on David Festa. I think that there's a good chance he doesn't start in the rotation. Like you said, I just don't think Simeon Woods, Richardson and Chris Paddock should keep him out for very long. Paddock has been a disaster for a while. Simmy Wood, Woods Richardson say that ten times Fast was a bit of a troubling guy last season from a fantasy point of view, like he was fine, but he's also not good enough that you'd want to start him in a
lot of shallower leagues. I think Festa's talent is probably, you know, third or fourth best on that staff, and I think that by the time we're talking about mid May, he's going to be in that rotation. Whether it's due to an injury, whether it's due to Paddock falling on his face, I think the Fest that does have that job soon than later.
The shade, the shade that Joe just through that. Ever, having actually say Bailey Ober's name is insane, right, because saying that David fest is the third or fourth best starter is pretty much just saying, oh, David Fest is better than Bailey Over. Which don't get me wrong, I love David Festa. I think he should be in this rotation. I don't know that he's going to be, like Joe mentioned.
I think there's a chance that he starts the year in the minors because of paying Chris Paddock and for some reason they have a love affair with Simeon wis Richardson. But Bailey Over is still better than David Festa. Let's just stop with this nonsense.
He is he is better than David Festa. He's fourth, all right, I'm just I'm just spewing narratives at this point. But blame it on Eno. Eo got into my head last week about Bailey Over.
I love you. Nobody loves you know more than me. I owe partially owe my career in this industry to EEno, Sarah, but you know is wrong on Billy Over. You know he's insane on Bai. I have Billy Over as a top twenty pitcher this year, no questions asked. You have to remember if you take out that first start where he just was terrible, he was fantastic the rest of the way. Like, I think Billyover is gonna be fine.
He's one of my one of my undervalue guys all year. It's funny because you mentioned heal earlier, Joe, when you were talking about the Yankee stuff too. He's my number one fade this year. You know, it's it's funny, how like some of these things are already starting to look like they're true and we haven't even started the season or anything. They want to put too much in the spring, But you know, sometimes you know, these red flags are there for a reason, and the green flags are there
for a reason. To pay attention to after Festa, Connor Norby, Nester Cortez, Estevez, you took Springer and Hoskins at the end. Here Mace Saganu goes next, Cabaljeriro Severino, last round nowt bar Bush, Grant Holmes, Bubba Chandler, Liam Hendrix to me. So hopefully he's a closer for the Red Sox. If not, I'll just pick up chat and A'll give Chris Bassett, Eric Vetti and Tario Estrada nice finish their nice last pick.
So the winner of the draft was Team two, but the best of the three of us was me, Joey p coming in at third and eighty seven a B plus not so bad. Kelly Kirby the Wonky Penguin liked my draft. I've been working so hard for Kelly and her to respect me for years now, so the fact that this happened makes me really excited. In fact, I'm going to screenshot this as I'm talking, and I'm going to send it to her in our slack channel. So because I'm very excited about that that just happened. Joe
Alrico number five, Justin Mason respectable at number six. Here's my favorite part is that Team nine the team that Justin Mason loved the most finished dead last Mason, what does that say about your evaluation process?
Oh no, they fell apart after I talked trash at that spot when they took Spencer Schwellenbach in the ninth round. They just completely fell apart. Boba, Schet Christian. You know a guy in Buschett who I don't even know who what he is at this point. Kristen Yell, it's got a back issue. Tanner Scott is he the closer? I don't know if he's the closer. Kyle Finnegan, like really really shaky skills in the second half. Louis heel is injured.
Like they just completely bombed the second half of that draft. I got in Team nine's head, that is.
Where you go. You got in his kitchen. H thumbs up for me. Look at this group Scott Bogman, Andy Barn, Scott Pianowski and Joe Pi's appeal Like by draft. Who did not like my draft? Mike Maher who never likes me, So I mean it makes yeah, yeah, I mean, you know I like him, he doesn't like me. Whatever. Uh, I'm just kidding. Mike and I love each other. This is what we do on the program. All right, let's
run through your team. Justin Mason, Austin Wells, Vlad Guerrero, Matt McLean, Lindor Machano, Munsey, Bryce Terrang, then the outfield Ta Oscar, Dylan Cruz, Cowser, Springer, Solaire, the pitching staff Logan Webb, Bailey, Ober the aforementioned many times, Zach Gallon, Robbie Ray, Spencer, Arighedti Lodolo, Max Scherzer, and then you had class A and Das Boy. That's a pretty good tandem there, believers in a head to head format, Hoskins, Bodet and Kumar Rocker on the bench. Mason, this feels
like a very Mason team. What do you feel like at the end of it all.
I'm gonna I'm not gonna lie. I hate this team. I don't think I did for I had a strategy coming in, and this is what happens when you don't look at your rules and realize that you have to draft starting pictures. Because my plan going into the draft was I was gonna let you guys draft all starters. I was gonna punt quality starts and strikeouts, and I
was just gonna load up anything else. And then about seven rounds into the draft, I started to realize, oh no, there's actual starting pictures slots I have to actually fill, and that just kind of changed the complete outlook of my team. I wouldn't have taken the two clorses as early as I did. I would I would have prioritized at least an elite starting pitcher, which I didn't do in this draft. So yeah, know your rules number one rule of fantasy.
In all fairness, though you did come in late the game. Here, you're pinch hitting for the Welsh, which we appreciate a great deal.
This is what monk drafts for, right like, this is what mock drafts are.
Four And if you didn't like this team, you could restart the whole thing. You could do it again. You could back out the picks, which is beautiful, and then continue to make the pitchds the best.
Do another hour, mon that's great.
I mean, I'm not after this meeting. I got at one o'clock. I got nothing else going on, So why not. Let's let's do that, Joe Rico. Let's run through your team real quick. Here as we look at the evaluation process and the expert opinions Joe, Rico, Ivan Herrera, Brennan law Stott Swanson, Bregman, Morele India. I gotta be honest with you, Joe, This infield doesn't jump off the page to me. Outfield Kyle Tucker, Alvarez, Reynolds, Suzuki a Rosaina
much better there. The pitching staff impeccable Crochet, Kirby Lopez, Pepio then Eflyn Schmidt, Lozardo, Mason Miller, Doran Than Neuke Bar, Jock Peterson, Festa. So pitching is tremendous, Joe. You think if you had to do it again, maybe you would have hit a little bit more offense early, considering how the starting pitching fell.
Yeah, with those Mason Miller and Pablo Lopez picks, I probably should have gone something like maybe tay Oscar Hernandez and something else, maybe cam an Arrow or something like. I did kind of ignore the infield a little bit too much. The offense is especially if you look at the projections here. One of the best things about doing these drafts is that updates in real time and shows
you how you projected. My pitching stats are all projected for the most part in the top five and then a lot of the hitting stats tenth, eleven, seventh, So I definitely left the offense a little bit too late, especially in the infield. But I think the pitching is strong. I don't have to worry about streaming pitching as much for this team. I can worry about using fab or waiver priority on some of those guys that pop in April on the offensive side. So I like the team overall.
I think it would be a team I'd be happy to play out the season with.
All right, my team here, Jeffer is a catcher than Josh nail Or Katl, Marte Correa, and how I know, Matt Chapman, Rangifo, Zach Geloff, Van Juan Soto, James Wood, Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, Mike Trout. This is if you're not first, your last team right here and get there right now. I mean Correa and Trout. What a kind of death wish do I have with this squad? But it still has Won Soto and James Wood on it. So I feel like I got some pieces here and
Marte as well. The pitching staff Chris sal Stan McClanahan, Brian Wu, Sandy Alcntra Seth Lugo, Eovaldi, Brandon Woodriff again took some shots there, Fairbanks, Bouton Francis. I also got relievers in Clay Holmes and Hendrix. So my strategy here is just load up on starts with guys that qualify at RP, which is a fun way to dupe the system. I can punt saves, wait for saves. But again, if I've got that second arpeace spot, that's mandatory. I don't
have to have a reliever. It can be a starter who's also a reliever, and I can get my quality starts, more strikeouts, more innings there for those guys too, So different approaches here for all three of us. What's your favorite? Drop your comments below on the YouTube channel. Let us know who your favorite draft was. Was it Joe Rico, was it Joe Piezapia or was it Justin Mason? And of course don't forget to subscribe to the channel. We're trying to get to twenty five thousand before opening day.
We can do it. I believe in you, Justin Mason, You're a mench I love you. You're the best. I appreciate you filling in early on West Coast time. Nonetheless, for the Welsh. I know the Welsh appreciates it too. You're right, we should do this again. So we're gonna be hitting you up. And who knows, maybe this is your new morning thing, just hanging out and doing drafts with us.
What do you think I would love to just hang out with you guys. You know you and Joe and Chris are some of my favorite people in the industry. I've been friends for a long time and I miss hanging out with you guys.
Agreed, agreed, So just let's just hang out more. Joe Rico, thanks for putting everything together today for us, and of course thanks everybody who watched and listen. Subscribe to the Fantasy Pros YouTube channel wherever you get your podcasts as well, and make sure you ring that bell for notifications so you never miss a piece of content. There's so much going on here on the channel, all the ultimate guides, all the mock drafts, you get you ready for fantasy
baseball season. Subscribe today again, twenty five thousand. That's what we want to get to. That'll do it for us. But the story of the game goes on for Justin Mason and Joel Rico. I'm Joey P. We'll see it next time. Kids.
Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Baseball podcast. If you love the show, the best freeway to support us is by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow us on x, Instagram, and TikTok at Fantasy Pros, and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash Fantasy Pros MLB