What's up. Friends, are welcome into leading off all right here in Fantasy Pros. I am Chris Wels. That is Joe Rico. We got you for the last show of August. Joe, I'm my head is all over the place. I just did a tweet and I was like, all right, hey, let's get it. Last show of September. No no, no, no edit tweet, last show of October. No, no, no, it's August. The last show of August is what we're doing here. Twelve hundred revised tweets. I can't get my head straight
because there's so much going on. There's a lot going on in baseball. We're gonna be talking about all the latest as we usually do. We're gonna do some prep for next week. We're going to talk about some two star pitchers. We got our best bets of the day, and we're gonna be looking to answer some of your questions. So, as always I would tell the chat you guys got some final questions in here, do it. I'm gonna be
marking them. We're gonna hit it here shortly. We're gonna be answering those for your playoff runs or your run into the playoff mister Joe Rico, what's up, buddy.
It's pretty crazy that August has already done. Man, we kind of do this every year. It's like, I can't believe's already June. I can't believe's already July. But the season is really winding down, like there might be some people this is their championship week. It's just always crazy how quickly the season goes by in any sport.
Well, and you know, as we say a lot of the time too, I think there's another step at another level that is really interesting for this time of a year, even if you're not like heavily involved in playoffs. I mean, let's be honest, probably not consuming fantasy baseball if you're eliminated from playoffs. But there is this opportunity that's going on right now where you get to kind of lock into players that a lot of people are just not
going to know. Like we kind of jokingly do it with piece of Pa because he's off into football land and no baseball. But in reality, there are players over this last month or six weeks that are going to start to pop and their value is not going to be realized. Sometimes it does happen, but it'll happen like
in March or February when everyone really locks in. So there's this opportunity in dynasties to get in or if you're gonna do you know some really early season n FBC, whatever it is, you have a chance to lock into some players that people aren't going to quite get into. Perfect example, Lawrence Butler. Let's talk about Lawrence Butler. Now, Lawrence Butler did have a nice run middle ish through the year, kind of tapered back down. But yesterday Lawrence
Butler went off. He went three for four with three homers and four RBI, which has now put him up to in three hundred and ten at bats, almost is at a twenty fifteen season. He has a legit shot to be a twenty fifteen guy. He's got nineteen homers, twelve stolen bases, with a two point fifty three batting
average and absolutely gorgeous. We had more time, I probably would have pulled this up for the art just so you can see this beautiful savant page of theoretical like top twentieth percentile for the most part, expected batting average, expected slug barrel rate, hard hit rate, and if you guys have listened to me. You know a combination that I love to chase and monitor is double digit barrel percentage with really good hard hit numbers forty eight point
three percent hard hit rate, eleven percent barrel rate. You love that paired with a double digit launch angle. Yes, and he's gotten expected batting average that's higher than his So this is one of those players that the value will be realized of, like, oh, look what he did on the paper and stuff like that. But there's something for us getting to watch us right now, Joe, that Lawrence Butler is an absolute no brainer rest of season. By the way, his consensus rank between like Yahoo and
ESPN was low. I talked about it on ITL yesterday. Still pick up a bowl the not word. He is still pick up a bowl. But talk to me about obviously rest of season. I think you agree he is a absolute must own in a pickup, but that he might be one of those undervalued players next year, that it might not be realized until March that like, oh, this is going to be a dude as like a fourth or fifth out fielder and fantasy drafts that is going to have huge return.
Yeah, this is like you like you've alluded to several times one of those guys where if you're really paying attention right now, I don't think it's really gonna fall through the crack so much for the sharper players. You might be playing like a casual guy. Maybe you're not even listening to the show right now. You're picking it up later on and in February March and you're starting to draft. Maybe he's not going to be somebody that gets that much interest, But Lawrence Butler, like I've really
changed my tune on him. I wasn't that interested earlier on in the season. Guy gets off to this like incredible kind of run. They're not usually sustainable for guys that kind of just pop out of the blue like this. But like you've mentioned, the hard hit data is legit. Oakland's offense has been a lot better than we could have expected. I think that's also been a part of it. One hundred games and he has one hundred runs and
RBIs combined, which is really really good. Another thing to factor in for next year is that they're not gonna be playing in this awful ballpark anymore. They're gonna be playing in Sacramento, which is a very hit or friendly ballpark. So that's going to change a lot of the way
I view Oakland's lineup. I think because they've been in one of the bottom three hitters parks in baseball and now they're going to go, you're much better with the minor league park stuff than I would be one of the better parks to head into the minors from what I understand.
Yeah, I'm not actually I know ballpark factors and especially in minor league isn't like outside of like the PCL, and I think that's where this is. The PCL is just a better hitter friendly environment. But to your point, Lawrence Butler at home this year hitting two forty five with six homers in one hundred and sixty three at bats in one hundred and forty seven at bats on
the road, so essentially the same thing. Two sixty five a twenty a twenty point average boost and thirteen of his homers, so double the homers, twenty point boost on the batting average. Away that's getting out of this stupid ballpark. Just something to sit on there. So you know, if I imagine after last night, he's not sitting out there, but if there's any type of wavery thing or he was I understand getting out from Lawrence Butler when he
was cold, But to me, he's represented. When you see those type of like hard hit and barrel numbers, those are guys that I'm gonna hold on to a little bit longer. I'm probably gonna be a little bit more finnicky about letting go of those guys, because once they start getting going, especially a young guy like this, once we really start getting going, they've got the elements of like, oh, this is a guy that can do exactly what he's doing.
Twenty fifteen, twenty five to fifteen, next year, twenty five to fifteen, twenty twenty, definite realm of possibility for Lawrence Butler. Reminder again, you guys got fantasy questions for your playoffs, drop him in the chat. We'll start however many and we'll answer as many as we can, or just a couple, whatever it is. But any fantasy questions, your fantasy question might be one that another has as well, so we'll
do it here in just a tiny bit. Also want to remind you, guys, of course, that this episode is brought to you by Bet three six five promo code. Leading off, you can bet five bucks get one to fifty in bonus bets when you go to bet three six' five go and download the app. Today use that promo code leading. Off start betting your first, fives your player props and. More bet five, dollars get one fifteen bonus bets only at bet three sixty. Five gambling problem call
one eight hundred bets off or one eight hundred. Gambler let's get rolling. With how about Your toronto Blue? Jay Bowden francis has been on a heater seven shutout. Innings
he got the win Blue jay's one two to. Nothing he walked, on struck out five last five, starts four to zero with a one point zero SIX, era thirty six strikeouts and thirty four innings plus we had the almost no. HITTER i saw staff that said over the last twenty this was, oh this is codify Cad IF i put this, OUT i. FORGOT i pasted it right. THERE i was about to try to cite it for my.
Brain Cadify, baseball Said. Bowden francis has pitched twenty nine innings in his last four starts and allowed only ten base. Runners NO mlb pitcher has ever ever done that, Before and they said are they? Ended it's completely ridiculous.
Joke there is a couple of things That codify was posting yesterday WHERE i was, like what there was one Stat so there's a thing that's called game. SCORE i Think Tom tango Or Bill james or one of those older baseball pioneers came up with this thing called game score essentially to quantify how good a start. Was in the last thirty five, years has been four or five excuse, me five pitchers who had four consecutive starts of a
game score of seventy eight or. Higher those pictures Are Randy, Johnson Pedro, Martinez Johann, Santana Clayton, kershaw And pout And francis an unbelievable list to be. On if you look at what he's done as a starter this, SEASON i Love. Sierra sierra is my favorite era. Estimator if you look at his work as a, starter he is eleventh among
starting pitchers In. Sierra as a starting, pitcher there is some time in relief there that wouldn't be the number if you just look At, fangrafts but he has been in that department better THAN. C, Slogan Gilbert, Ranger, Suarez blake's, now, WELL i am going to be very interested to Draft francis next. Year and to your, point he might be one of those guys where people who just kind of tuned out baseball for the year just don't have any. Interest but, Man i'm going to be hammering him every
time in. Drafts and one last, thing The jay's are going to have two of the six pitchers of The month this season In Major League baseball despite being an awful. Team brios won it In, April francis is gonna win it In, august but the team just hasn't been able to live up to.
That, Yeah AND i, mean this is just one of those GUYS i really want to, see like how much he continues to roll with, it AND i probably need to pay a little bit more attention to some of the stuff plus numbers and everything like. That But i'll tell you five point eight two eras Pre All Star, game one point five to eight Post all, start and that includes six or six games, started seven, Pitched so
it's not just this like little. Run he still had a one point FIVE vrra and he's pitched better on the. Road that's another thing to take a look. At three point two four road Era Fountain francis has been a. Dude he's getting some, strikeouts he's deep into. Innings his surface level, STATS i don't think necessarily like jump jump, out like THE k percentage twenty four, percent the expected estimators at three point five seven EXPECTED, era so that's
about where he's. At but he's been just like really. Efficient he hasn't been dominant in any one standpoint of his, stuff but he has been dominant on the field for the last Couple so, yeah this is one of those. THINGS i think we're being. Honest a perfect, scenario you want him to taper just like a tad, bit so his cost isn't ridiculous next, year but he he. Is
he was borderlining, like, oh back into the rotation. Stuff if he continues, this he's going to be a dude that goes around one fifty two hundred and maybe even
a little bit. Higher LIKE i know we're making this case like, oh, hey these you know people aren't going to pay, attention but the hardcore baseball people are going to pay, attention and they're going to look at that second half and, go, okay well, yeah maybe it's a short sample, size but you, know he was one of those dominant pitchers in the second half and that will carry over to next year's. Value so you, know, SELFISHLY
i don't want that to go. Nuts but at the same, time you, know if you're running in a playoff run right, now you want you Want Bowden francis to not. Stop you want him to continue. This ten base runners in like thirty. Innings that's, absurd that's. Crazy.
John, yeah when you said that nobody had done that, Before i've, like that's just it seems like maybe like something primed To graham would have, done Or Pedro, martinez BUT i. Didn't nobody's done that to that. Extent who would have thought it For Bowden. FRANCIS i, personally as A Blue jay, fan would never have expected it if you asked me even a month. Ago but here we.
Are, yeah, yeah, WELL i MEAN i was very dismissive of. HIM i was, like, NOPE i don't think so let's move on. Here big. Injury he usually we do injuries in that. Section But vinnie Pass quantino gonna miss the rest of the. Season diagnosed with a broken right. Thumb the expectation is he is going to miss six to eight, weeks which that is going to take him out of the rest of the. Year that is. CRITICAL i actually
did hit ON Cbs SPORTS. HQ i think it was earlier this, week and we talked about The Cleveland royals situation and one of the biggest. Differences but because these teams have a lot of similarities The royals in The guardians like rotation has looked, similar bullpen has actually looked
kind of. Similar road, Record cleveland was a little bit better against like plus five hundred, teams but And Kansas city was one of the hottest teams as of Recent but what was the big differential between these Guys run? Differential The Kansas City royals in the division had the highest run differential but also one of the highest run differentials in. Baseball they're also. SCORING i think they were top.
THREE i think they were third in baseball and run scored per, Game AND i did this stat run scored per game year over. Year the top ten in runs scored this. Year the two teams with the biggest rise in run, well actually three teams who scored you, know more runs than last. Year, Yankees, diamondbacks And. Royals those are the ones that have had almost a full run differential from twenty twenty three to twenty twenty. Four so what AM i getting at the offense has been absolutely
critical for The. Royals and, Yes Bobby Wait junior looks like AN, mvp but Having vinnie Pas quentino kind of push it. Back this bad news for The royals from like a real baseball, Perspective horrible news for fantasy owners that have been kind of running out Pas quentino BECAUSE i don't know if there's any great first base alternatives that are sitting out.
There, Joe, yeah just like looking at the waiver, Wire ramoniaius has been really really hot for a little. While workleson is out there in a lot of. Leagues Josh bell is still doing. Things he's still got and clean up every day In. Arizona there are some, options but Losing, vinnie he'd been so so good. Man my best team this year of all my teams IS. Tgfbi i'm like top fifteen, overall AND i just Lost. VINIE i Lost
vinnie And Austin, Riley so it's gonna be not. Nice it's gonna be kind of tough to keep that going down the. Stretch but HOPING i can finish in the time if things break right for. Me but things are not breaking right.
So, far, no and if anything is a pretty brutal. Blow we've had a little waiver. Mania it's a shade back to old, school you, know a couple of years, ago Where august would happen and every team would just place players on. Waivers the reason behind that a couple of years ago was you have a guy go through, waivers if they, cleared you could then actually trade, them or if they were picked, up you could work out a. Trade doesn't apply. Anymore waivers now are exactly what they're
really meant and should. Be they put a guy on waivers and they hope another team goes and picks them up so they can kind of dump the. Contract so The giants placed multiple, players highlighted By, thyrostrada and then The cardinals just Placed tommy fam after reacquiring, him they put him on. Waivers so again these teams thrown him, out maybe trying to get out from under some of the. Money but we haven't seen any. Claims we haven't seen any. Movement but The tommy fam one was kind of a
kind of a bigger. Deal another big. Deal The reds are bringing Up Ret louder today to start the second. GAME i think that maybe even be the, first but it's one of the games of the double header that they've gone on against The, brewers and that was a big shock we talked about earlier In i'm excited about it BECAUSE i love we're At. Louder he's a high end command pitcher with a really devastating. SLIDER i think
he's going to be a successful pitcher in the. Majors i'm not sure this is the start THAT i, like or any of these starts this, year SO i would be very timid about. It but what are your? Thoughts are you Avoiding? Louder are you picking them up to stream.
First career start At Great American? Ballpark it's not SOMETHING i really want to get, into especially this time of. Year the strikeouts are kind of What i'm aiming for with a lot of my, pickups AND i don't think the strikeout, upside at least as of, today is that. HIGH i THINK i would have to be on your page here And i'd be. Passing unless we see like three or four dominance starts in a, row then you'd maybe think about it for the last week of the.
Year BUT i don't want to take chances this time of year with rookies who might do well and they might give up seven or eighter and runs and just end your season for. YOU i try and play a little more conservative this time of year with the.
Pickups, yeah AND i would be conservative in this in this, regard but you, know maybe he'll be solid with. It but again as a high end command, pitcher but rookie in his first, start So i'm not really. Sure we've had a little rookie. Madness just want to point out the two current favorites For rookie of The year both eclipse the twenty home run. Marker Yesterday Colton cal's aer twentieth home run against The, dodgers and he has kind
of taken. Its al's just like a really weird. Spot and in THE Nl Jackson merrill solo homer and stolen. Base so that's a little combo meal. There so he is at twenty homers and sixteen stolen. Bases he is almost at that twenty twenty. Marker and, Finally jacob De gram is going to make another rehab assignment start On sunday At TRIPLE A Round, rock and that potentially might
be the final. One he had pitched two perfect innings earlier in the, week and what was interesting is they then had him throw a side session after to kind of pick up some of those, innings like another twenty. Four SO i would expect this next outing to be around. Four and THEN i think he is gonna come back for next week and they'll probably put him at like
an eighty five ish pitch. Cap so if that, Happens Jacob dagram will be, back AND i think you can you could just kind of free flow him back into. Lineups oh, yeah oh.
Yeah De gram is one of those guys where all it's gonna take is like two or three great. STARTS i heard. IT i think it was some PODCAST i was listening to. IT i want to, say it was Like Roda wire or, something and somebody, suggested like The gram has three or four great, starts he's a first rounder next. Year he very well could be fucking fifteen.
TEAMERS i don't THINK i would do it, personally but all it takes is one person in a, room and if he has like if he looks like vintage of The, groam it's gonna be interesting to see if he maybe gets pushed Abup skimes Or schooble in a given.
ROOM i agree with the. SENTIMENT i wholeheartedly disagree with the. Take there is zero point zero percent Chance Jacob deGrom is a first. Rounder you're hearing her from me. First there's no. Chance, no there's no. Chance in fifteen, TEAM i guess we open it. Up but guess, what there's still no chance he's going to be a first rounder because is everyone in that conversation cannot help but say what you just, did, WELL i wouldn't do, it but
there is. Somebody no one's gonna do. It you Have Paul skeins And Terry skubele who are slam dunk one and. Twos no one's Taking jacob to gram in the First SO i think that take is. Wrong BUT i think the sentiment of where he's gonna go and how high he's going to push, UP i. AGREE i do think he can. Go he went in the third round of THAT nfbc thing That bubba was. DOING i think that's the.
Range but you're gonna have dude two years ago doing shows With Ariol cohen And ario's Super Smart guy talking about how good he can be And oriol's, like oh, yeah by the, way he's on my no draft. List like all the analytics, guys there's no. Chance all the old school, guys there's no. Chance so they're gonna just avoid him no matter what he. Does but there will
be people that will fall back. In but he will not be A he's not going to be a first rounder because this is like talking yourself Into Mike trout being a first. Rounder, again there is actual literal correlation between those dominant, awesome, crazy cool. Player but he's always. Hurt you cannot get more than one hundred, innings so no one's gonna take that. Risk so that's why it's LIKE i think third round is the max, range but he could be like a top end of the first,
round you, know something like. That but again sentiment, yes take, no that's WHERE i.
Don't think YOU'RE i don't think you're. Crazy, then LIKE i, said, Like i'm probably not gonna do, it BUT i would be willing to put a couple bucks on. It they're, like if we're looking at minimum, picks he sneaks in there in some, drafts PUT i put some money in the first.
ROUND i put some money on. That, well, No i'm not gonna. Lie, okay we're not Gonna i'm not gonna do, like, hey there's one hundred drafts and one person might take him in the first like. That of course that can. Happen, yeah, yeah you. Gotta i'm talking like ten drafts he's going in the first and like forty percent of. Them no, way there's always one. Outline yeah that's. Fair, yeah we did the prospect ONE p AND adp drafts WHERE i create my PROSPECT adp and someone took Like Leo devrees
in the fifth. Overall and this is like two months, Ago like outliers. Happened did A Fantasy football bestball last, Night Deebo samuel went in the first. Round these things, Happen BUT i, say from an industry agreement, standpoint it's not gonna, happen and there's no chance he's gonna get into that. Spot But i'm like rooting for. Him i'll be one of those that is gonna want to draft, him but not at a top three round. Cost that's gonna be too too. MUCH i wanted to point out
this is a good take By. ANGELO i completely agree with. This Big Christmas johansky, know, well if he qualifies at first would be a nice. Rip that is one of those nice. REPLACEMENTS i love his underlying stats and that would be one of those guys THAT i do take a look. At we had a couple questions for your playoff. Prep let's do those before we get to anything. Else O'Neal cruz or netto rest of season From Ryan ryan, McKenna the.
OUTFIELDER i Think i'd go O'neel. Cruz it's pretty, close BUT i THINK i would Take cruise. Overall what about?
YOU i asked a certain pitcher that's a friend of mine about Oneal cruz, recently AND i was, like what are your thoughts on Oneal? Cruz and he looked at me and he went, nasty. NASTY i am An Oneo cruz, homer So i'm gonna say O'Neal, cruz BUT i mean Zach. Nedo Zach neddo has put. HIMSELF i don't even think arguably in the conversation of that third round glob of the churios and the merrills and stuff like, that this
is a twenty twenty. Shortstop On'eal cruz is in that same, range and to be, frank could be lower than, Them but like everything in the profile is, good AND i think way too many people are focused on, like oh, yeah that the stats are. Okay dudes hitting almost two Seventy O'Neil, cruz the guy that had the thirty percent k rate at one point this, year he's hitting close
to two seventy and his launching. Sucks and if he can fix, that that's the type of change where a guy goes from twenty one to twenty two homers to forty. Homers with the way he, barrels the way his hard hit and the way you, know he gets the. Ball he could get the ball in the air with those hard hit, numbers that's a guy that would be forty. Homers So i'm gonna Say Oneo, CRUZ i guess long, Term i'll still go with him rest of this. Season but you, KNOW i wouldn't kill anybody that cared About
neto this. Year barry, says are we picking up either of The angels starting pitchers that were called? Up Caden dana the most interesting twenty year old, guy the very aggressive. Assignment the other, Guy, ALDEGERIA i think is going. Today, no, Thanks Cayden dana, maybe BUT i think it's the same line of like Ret louder and, desperation you'd have to really worry about what's. Around, YEAH i would worry about my.
Ratios so, Like i'm not trying to stream, him but in Like Dynasty keeper things, like, yeah you should probably swoop him. Up it might be a good little end of the. Season but there's not a lot of great support with The, angels what about.
You, No, No angel's pitching in general is pretty tricky to get. Around i'm pretty surprised That redemer still hasn't made his way back, up although the numbers In TRIPLE a have been been kind of not too. Good But, ALDEGARY i think he's the First italian born player who's going to play In Major League. Baseball from WHAT i, understand there was some SOMETHING i. Saw but if that's the, case then Forts azuli for all The italians who might be in the chat, Today.
Like you mean like he was born in something like?
That you' something like? That is it the First italian born player to play In Major League? BASEBALL i. BELIEVE i BELIEVE i could be wrong on, that but. Yeah, NO cbs has an article First italian born and raised player to appear in A Major League baseball.
Game pretty, cool all, Right Well joe should have been. Here this is Not that's not the show for. ME i need they'll Muddy Welsh celtic type of. People where's where are those guys for? ME md, Says what are we going to do With Marcus? Simian is he? Washed he was so hot earlier this? Season he's not.
WASHED i don't, think like he's still been relatively productive for the season as a. Whole he's not SOMEBODY i could. Cut like if you Cut Marcus, simeon what are you looking at on the short on the second base, Waveverwire like it's a pretty pretty thin, Position like unless you're really that confident That Connor noorby's gonna keep up what he's been. Doing, LIKE i just don't think you can
move on from. Him like it's been a bit. Disappointing he's not gonna get drafted where he probably has been the last couple of seasons going into next. Year but what are you gonna do about? It you can't really drop, him you can't bench. Him, REALLY i think you just got to roll with.
IT i don't think you can do much about. IT i think you can not draft him next year and maybe he is starting to taper down ten team, Leagues, like maybe there's something out, there But i'm probably not moving off of. Anything, lisays next, week start, One, Nemo, Julio Lane, thomas or SHOULD i pick Up Wollner?
Wallner? LIKE i like the improvements with the strikeouts that we've seen from him, recently but we're still talking about like a thirty percent strikeout rate at. BEST i, think, HONESTLY i still just have to go With. Julio and maybe that's wrong of, me, like BUT i just feel like that. UPSIDE i can't leave him on the. BENCH i know it's been a bad year by and, large but IF i Bench, JULIO i just know that he's going to hit three home runs and steal four bases that.
WEEK i got to just go with my first rounder and put him in my.
Line i'm STILL i THINK i agree with you on That nimo is. Interesting But nimo's also kind of tapered. BACK i, mean he's got an eighteen twenty season going on so, far but, yeah he just hit one eighty eight In july two twenty six In august really falling. Off this is after this Monster. JUNE i would go With based on those, OPTIONS i would go With. July and then the final question on the listener, side who's the number one overall pick next? Year jerry, Said, judge
what say you on? That just real? Quick we're gonna have tons of off season. Content we'll tell you about The september, plan but there's, also luckily for everybody we're in Have, October, november And december plans even in early, prep but we're going to be doing a lot Of dynasty and early look. Stuff but what say you real quick on who the number one overall player is next? Year because you probably Have? Otani judge un gets thrown
back into that, Mix Bobby wit AND i don't. Know i'm not saying this is for, sure but you could arguably Put ellie in that discussion. Too SO i think there's five guys you could maybe make cases.
For, personally for, me the top three is gonna come down To, Wit, otani And. Judge number one picked The, Grom, yeah De.
Gram according To Joe, rico it's gonna be Da gram number one.
Overall hey, hey hey come on, Now i'm just Using ellie is, interesting especially because the batting average hasn't sunk you the way that you might have thought when you factor in The cincinnati's probably gonna be better next. Season they just dealt with so many injuries and underperformers this. Year ellie's probably in the. CONVERSATION i think it's gotta Be, otani, Though like we're talking about a guy who has this
incredibly secure lineup around. Him he's about to go fifty to fifty in a year coming off OF i don't know if it Was Tommy john Or brace or if they ever even told us what it, was but a year coming off of elbow, surgery he's gonna go fifty to fifty and hit three. Hundred it's just. Ridiculous and then next, year depending on your, format you might also have the ability to put there's a pitcher on a given.
Week so let's, say like if it's AN nfbc, league you have to choose at the beginning of the week where you're, going so he's usually a hitter unless it's a two star. Week but LIKE, Espn i'm pretty sure the standard ON espn is daily, leagues and you can Put otani in the lineup every single day if he's pitching or. Hitting so, THERE i think it's Easily. OTANI i think you could defer and maybe go With Bobby Witt.
Junior he's gonna hit three fifty and go thirty. THIRTY i think the injury worries will scare people off a judge In akunya a little, bit SO i think a lot of the time it's going to come down To otani And, witt and for me it would Be. OTANI i think.
It's funny listening to that because you were almost like making the case for like all five of the. GUYS i Think akunya is going to be the. LEAST i actually think you will see More. ELLIE i think you will See ellie with a HIGHER adp Than akunya next year because of everyone's burn on. IT i think It's, otani even if it's just a hitter version Of. Otani the two way players and no, brainer AND i just
think that's really. EASY i think there's a case that el Like ellie's like absolute dominance as far as and also his like progression, Too like he has his strikeout rate under thirty, percent which is. Huge he's made major strides as a. Hitter he's hitting two, sixty and he's got video game. Numbers he's gonna end at like sixty five or twenty, five seventy or something like. That But i'll Say otani is going to be the top, guy but it's gonna be a pretty great like top four
or five next. Season that's what you love in. Fantasy and the back, end, too is gonna be so slick you're Got i'm gonna tell you this right, now kats, wise you're gonna want like a top five pick because the wrap around players in the, second third round are gonna be. Phenomenal that's where you're gonna Get meryl's And carrol's and in, surios oh.
Mine that was very well. Done that was very well.
DONE i think the back end of the first this, year like the top end is going to be really really, nice of, course but the back, end like you might be able to double tap Like akunya tattoos or something like that at the back end of the first it might be a pretty because there were some people this year who picked at the back end might have got like An, Otawani Judge combo good hypothetically get that If acuna slips to you, know nine or ten, tattoos is gonna be kind of, icy maybe he gets back to
the first Maybe tucker slips a little, bit like there might be some really nice combos at the one two turn next.
Year and something to think about, too is, like is there any Effective judge If soda doesn't resign with The? Yankees you, know does that affect anybody For? Judge maybe it's a good. Conversation we'll have plenty of it in the. Offseason and we're giving you guys some extra innings on the show today because we're gonna go a little bit long BECAUSE i do not want to skip past this two start pitchers for next. WEEK i think this is very.
Important i've highlighted four players THAT i think are doable to whatever degree we're going to find out. Here these are four PLAYERS i think you need to pay attention to that have theoretical two starts for next week for The september, week starting with the highest of. Owned BUT i LOOKED. Cbs he's owned, more but it's still like in the seventy percentile. Range his consensus rank is like
under forty. Percent Brian bayo with The Red, sox who has not been great this, season consists but he's been good as of recent especially over the last like two. Weeks next week he has got The New York mets and The Chicago White. Sox SO i ask, You Brian, bao yay or nay on two starts next.
WEEK i think it's gonna have to be format dependent for. Me in deeper, LEAGUES i would do it if it's a shallow format like we're TALKING, espn if it's a ten team or twelve teamer with those shallow, ROSTERS i just couldn't get behind. It like he has been a lot, better the command's also not been that great, recently lots of. WALKS i still worry about the overall. Product there's not a high strikeout upside here a lot of the. Time generally,
speaking it's a pass for. Me IF i can just start him against The White sox in the daily, League i'd absolutely do.
It but both of them kind of does scare. Me, YEAH i agree with The White sox. ONE i would be willing to take the risk if the risk was, needed if that makes sense for. Everybody i'm not taking unwarranted two start risk just to do. It but IF i need the, Innings i'm gonna go with. That probably the highest and most talked about in the most obvious at this, point as although b with The a's who we hit the other, DAY i hit on the strikeout. Prop he's just been in dude. Range and guess what
next week he has a phenomenal. Matchup he has got The mariners and The. Tigers this is great from a prop standpoint for. Strikeouts The a's have been pretty. HOT i Don't i'm not really sure you can get like if you're if you're bunching up like five or six teams that you want a pitcher to. FACE i think The mariners and The tigers would be at least two of those. Teams, obviously Like White, sox you would want to throw in, There beido yay or nay on the two.
Start The tigers scare me a little. Bit there's certain bats in that lineup THAT i do worry, About but generally, speaking this is a go for. ME i think of all the guys we're gonna talk about in the two, starts this is probably the one you should be aiming for the.
Most this is also. Mine Simon. Woods richardson's another one of those fifty percent ownership ON cbs way everywhere. Else he's Got Tampa bay In Kansas. City i'm gonna do this other. One David festa also in. There these two are The minnesota twins that are likely two. Starters he is way under. Owned also Has Tampa bay In Kansas. City, yeah your nay on the twins two starters next.
WEEK i prefer to go fast, though with the more strikeout Upside for me, Personally simon With richardson is it's like almost What Kyle harrison was doing earlier in the. Year it's very. Solid it's usually like five, innings three or in, runs four strikeouts or, something but it doesn't really move the needle so much for, me WHERE i feel like fest that does have a much higher. UPSIDE i think he's a more talented. ARM i, mean they're
both young. Guys there's a little bit of volatility risk with, both BUT i THINK i would lean Towards festa Before Simeon Wood, richardson.
That's funny you say, that BECAUSE i think my two like someone, else someone in THE, jat but Like, Springs, like, Yeah Jeffrey springs out. There, SURE i just didn't put him on. THERE i didn't think he'd be. AVAILABLE i would say That bedo And festa are probably my two favorite speculative two start ads this.
Coming yet we're on the same page FOR i think you.
Agree, okay we're on the same. Page three up and three. Down we had three players with two. Homers we obviously had one player with three. Homers three players had two homer days, Yesterday Matt, Olsen Brendan, rodgers And Derek. Hill just like you guys all wrote it. Up number TWO Jj blede with a five for five. Day he also had a. Homer he, says many's just they know what they're doing with them. Optimizing and Then Nadie valdi seven,
innings ten, strikeouts very very good start on the. Down Valente, Palazzo Rico palazzo four, innings six earned, runs gave up three. Homers no. Bueno Kate povich three and one third of an, inning gave up ten hits in five earned. Runs no. Thanks And torkalsen someone just put in the. Chat, hey remember When torkelsen was a sleeper this? Year oh for three with three. Strikeouts so it's still a little bit of a rough go on the injury. Front would you believe?
This Kyle tucker went through a pregame workout On thursday at minute Made Park, JOE i have, SAID i think you could be done essentially With Kyle, tucker but they keep teasing us with. This you think we're gonna See Kyle tucker?
Soon your guess is as good as. Mine, HONESTLY i hate to be the bad, analyst but who. Knows, man at this, POINT i feel like it could. Happen maybe we get a couple of weeks of. Him if you're killing an active bench spot at this point in a shallow, League i'm not sure it makes so much. Sense he's gonna have to come back and look exactly Like Kyle tucker of old to have it make. Sense but at
the same, time you've been holding him for four. Months if you cut him today and he comes back next week and starts Doing Kyle tucker, things you're gonna hate. Yourself SO i feel like you should kind of lean towards holding. On but, man he's on the milk, cart and who knows what's gonna.
Happen but, also, like what does it? Mean like they keep telling us dumb. Stuff they're like he ran a base and they're like pregame, Workout like what does that? Mean did he have a pregame chicken wings and he had a stretch, LIKE i don't know what that, means so i'd be more. Specific, yeah if you don't have to cut, him. Don't i'm just not, optimistic is really my big. Point Bobby miller apparently is dealing with a knee. Injury this is coming off of like what was FINALLY
i think a decent. Start like he's just really been a, huge massive disappointment this. Year lucas erseg he Left thursday's game in the eighth inning after taking a comebacker off of his pitching. Hand been the closer with The, royals so that one kind of. Stinks Alec boem was removed From thursday's game due to a left hand. Discomfort that one could be. WORRISOME i. DON'T i saone in the chat was freaking out about it. Earlier But i'm not
optimistic about that. One AND i think that one could actually be one of the more devastating ones on this. List and have you seen any update on?
Bone so the latest THING i, saw And i'm just double checking in case there's a new. Update the x ray was, negative but they're going to send him for AN mri and see if there's anything a little more in, Nefarious so holding my, breath but like you, said not expecting great things.
Here, yeah hold your, Breath hold on to your. Butts Tyler glass now is scheduled to play catch On. Friday have a. Catch apparently he's what he's going to. Do they're optimistic that he's going to return this, season so, again whatever that ends up actually, meaning And Red sox Plays David hamilton on The Tinday aisle with a fractured index. Finger he had been your stolen based monster and now he's. Not so there you. Go those are your. Injuries let's
turn our attention over to some, bets my. Friends that's, right it is time for the best bets of the day On. Friday, SORRY i talked right over. Here you, know it kills me That bubba doesn't do, It and THEN i kind of.
Know Why i'm THE i produced the, show SO i, like BEFORE i was doing it every day with, YOU i would hear. It So i'm, Like, okay someone's gonna have to fill in For. Well so When well says that there's going to be a gap, there so we'll have to Get bubba along, Here.
Yeah, yeah. Exactly, well you guys will have a chance to do. That we'll talk about that here in a. Minute so best bets of the, day let's do it bet three, six, Five my friends going download that use promo code leading off and download The Betting pros app and you can track all your bets AND i tell everybody as. Well you can sync to your books so you don't have to do any. Work that's WHAT i. Do but also if you want to see how you might do this is an underrated thing in like any
type of the betting. World just want to track to see like what AM i good at before you dip your toe into. It that's actually what The Betting pros app can do for. You you can go and just input what you would like to bet and you can track that and then you can start tackling. It so it's a great training tool and it's a great tracking. Tool you can also follow me and bettingpros dot com Slash. Welsh but Mister Joe, rico what do you got going for?
Today we're gonna start off With Seth lugo and he's been really not so great. Recently it's been the better teams when he faces a decent, offense they've really gotten. Him over the last four, Starts, Philadelphia, minnesota And boston have all kind of taken him out behind the, shed and today It's, houston AND i don't think he's going
to do terribly well Against. Houston i'm looking at the outs prop and it's eighteen and a. Half they're expecting him to work into the seventh inning today against a tough. Offense considering what we've seen from him as of, LATE i just can't really see him doing, That So i'm taking the under On Seth lugo eighteen and a half. Outs i'm also going back to The Toads bradley well BECAUSE i saw the strikeout line at four and a half.
Today it's a little bit daunting because it's Against San diego and they don't really strike out so, much but four and a half is a very low number to hit for a guy who's got a roughly thirty percent strikeout. Rate So i'm Taking TODs. Bradley it's a little bit, risky but it's at minus one thirty, five so the books do expect this one to hit as. Well and then the final one Is Vladimir Guerrero, junior who has been you, know outside Of Aaron, judge probably the hottest
player in baseball for the last couple of. Months i'm taking over one and a half total bases at plus one ten today Against Pablo, lopez who has been fairly solid, himself but there have been some inconsistencies this year and the way That vladdie's, Hidden like if it Was Walter johnson on the other side of the, BUMP i THINK
i might take over one and a half. Bases so those are the best Seth lugo under, Outs TODs bradley over, strikeouts And Vladimir Gero junior over one and a half total, bases and all of them at bet three six.
Five, WELL i am not dipping my toe into the player prop market, today as much AS i want to looking. AROUND i was actually looking last night to try to get ahead of some. NUMBERS i just didn't feel anything THAT i really wanted to jump. Into BUT i did find some lines THAT i like to, play and we got a couple first five total run. Unders we're gonna play. Today first, up we're gonna go with The Chicago cubs and The Washington. Nationals we Got shota on the. Mound
Jake irvan has also been pretty. Good four and a half under at minus one twenty, five, yes, please we're gonna take. That we're also gonna Go atlanta And philly on the four and a half under through the first five, innings a little bit higher on the one minus one thirty five on the, juice but we're gonna take both of those through the first five taking the, under and then we're gonna play a nurfy. Today we're gonna go with Your Toronto Blue jays and The Minnesota. Twins we
Got gousman And Pablo. Lopez we're going no runs to the first inning, again a little bit more juice minus one thirty, five playing a little bit safer BECAUSE i don't like the player props. Today that's What i'm jumping. Into and, those my, friends are the best bets of the day For. Friday IF i can get the artwork in. There look at? That all, Right let's go over to the home run board WHERE i am still not. There my, god It's i'm. MOVING i don't THINK i had any homers.
Recently Fred dinger can Confirm donnie hit me up like this. Morning it was like you get on the board because he wants to come bring. Something, NO i don't THINK i had any. Homers the bottom to get on the board is that thirty. Five JOEY p is at thirty, nine But wonky is coming in Hot Jumpin' JOEY p at. Thirteen but our leaderboard friends got to tell you it might be Over South AFRICAN. G i HOPE i didn't just. Drink South AFRICAN g has a six home run lead
over second. Place he has fifty four to forty eight FOR B Trot Razor ramone came in like a wrecking. Ball he has come up to three with forty seven And larry's got forty. Five that's the top of our Board South AFRICAN, G B Trot, Razor ramone And LARRY. C but, wow there is almost a ten home run difference between fourth and first place on the home run, contest which we have had a blast doing all season.
Long AND i would just remind everybody as, well you guys want to take part in, it maybe next year be a part of our. Discord it's a discord exclusive fantasypros Dot com slash. Chat get, inside be a premium member and then you can be a part of this contest where we're giving away that. Awesome Vladimir guerrero junior autograph. Bat the year, before we did the Custom Corman carol, helmet WHICH i got in. Person we'll blow it out again for next. Season just, wait maybe we'll do something even.
Bigger love to have you, Guys so, oh home. Runs we've got to pick our home. Runs who's your home run?
TODAY i went With Reese hoskins Against louder and his. Debut he has been very. COLD i think he's due to hit one today and a Great american ballpark against the guy making his first career. START i Think hoskins it's a get right day for.
Him, OKAY i mean that's the bold home run call To, yeah AND i like.
IT i like.
It i'm gonna go With Rafael. Devers i'm not Sure devers is cash for me at. All i've wanted to Go Jared. DURANT i just wanted to pick on the, matchup SO i wanted someone In. Boston So i'm gonna go With Rafael devers through the weekend UNLESS i go on to the betting pros app and decide to pick. Otherwise li, said what is everyone who Beats? Welshkit you get a good Old pat on the back. Congratulation i'm proud of. You that's what it. Is that's what you'll.
Get so here's a big, question what's going. On, september final month Of Leading, off is coming up here for the, season and again we're going to be getting into The dynasty. Stuff it really at the minute the season starts back, Up, Joe rico And Casey bubba for the most, part will be taking over for the show starting next. Week here's another caveat it's a holiday On, monday so there is no show On, monday BECAUSE i will still be on The monday. Episodes SO i will be on the next Couple.
Mondays you guys Can i'll. Hang i'll be once With, bubba once with A. Rico but the other Episodes arico And Casey bubba are going to be taking you. Home so still same grade. Show it's just not completely without, me But i'm still kind of, here SO i. Can't you can't throw me into The joe pot or anything like.
That So i'll be here On Mondays arico And bubba the other days as we finish Out Leading, off but we will have more off season content as, well and we'll continue telling about all that awesome stuff when we're Talking dynasty early ranks and all of The so find him At Joe rico ninety nine and you'll find him next. Week you also can find me over all over on The Fantasy pro. STUFF a very fun. THING i just want to remind everybody spent three hours last night With
Justin Steele club Starting Pitcher Justin. Steele we did an episode which is going to be on The Fantasy pros football, side if you want to check it. Out we had a. Blast we Rased Derek brown and then we actually hung out for like almost two hours after we did another Best. Ball we were shooting talking. Shop careful WHAT i say here talking shop, here you know WHAT i was about to get in. Trouble we had a good. Time we
had a good. Time Justin steele is an awesome. Dude so if you guys want to go check that, out we'd love to have. It but there you. Go that's. It extra long episode Because i'm not going to talk to you next. Week but you know you can find me at is it The. Wels you can find A rico At Joe rico ninety. Nine let's get, it my. Friends we'll talk to you next week right here on leading Off. Peace 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