What's going on? Everybody, Welcome into Leading Off the Fantasy Pros Baseball Podcast. We are presented by Bet three six five. If you bet five bucks, we'll get one hundred and fifty in bonus bets when you use that promo code leading Off, and that is only with our friends over at Bet three six five. It's not the season finale for the show, but for myself, Joel Rico and my dear friend and co host Casey Bubba, this is the last time you will see us on Fantasy Pros for
the season. Really appreciate all you guys who continued listening in the Peanuts and cracker Jacks in the live chat have really kept the shows going as well, So thank you to all involved. This is our last show, so we're gonna make it a good one. We're gonna be talking about a lot of different things today, playoff races, some streamers, injury updates, all the usual stuff. We're gonna have some fun. Bubba, how you doing today?
Doing great?
Glad to be here for the last hurrah of the diehard baseball guys that we are.
So it's good to be here.
The football guys will come back and Joet and he knows what's going on in September and all that fun stuff. So you guys will enjoy that and make fun of them all you want with your peanuts and cracker jacks, but yeah, we're here to get you some streamers, get you to the finish line for those that are still grinding. So thanks looking forward to it, And if you're in the Southeast, stay safe. Things are looking nasty.
Down your way.
I haven't seen what's going on.
Hurricanes coming through. Like there's a chance like tomorrow's gonna be complete wash out of Atlanta and the Mets.
There's like zero percent chance that plays.
And right now there's about a forty percent chance of rain starting about an hour there. They have a night game, so's things can get interesting in the Southeast and for the next couple of days.
That's what it was because I heard some people online saying there's a chance for the games to get delaid and then the Braves might get to throw sale in a not Game one sixty three, but Game one sixty two to kind of decide all the marbles. We're gonna talk a little bit about some of the wild card stuff in the second, but that would be quite the advantage of getting to use Chris Sale a second time there. Considering the season he's put together, It'll all be fine.
It always is pretty fun following these races in the live week of the season, and that's where our story begins today. Talking about the Padres, this was this is pretty cool. You don't usually see this, but they punched their ticket to October with a game ending triple play to leave Shoheo Tani in the on deck circle. But were you watching this one? Where were your thoughts on all of this crazy situation that happened.
I was recording last night' Bubba and the Bloom had the game on in the background, and I was kind of looking at it, like what just happened there, kind of confused, And then we finished our recording like right about that same time, and I got like a million alerts on my phone about Padres clinched the postseason, the ending with a triple play, all this stuff, and it was absolutely amazing, and it was poetic justice that one of the worst managers in baseball doesn't bunt in that scenario,
and he had to bunt on for the first pitch apparently, and then wiped it off after the first pitch and then that took place.
I'm just I say it, not just.
I know it's a Giants Dodgers thing, but Dave Roberts has cost that team so many big games down the line. Like he is, he's been blessed with the great with the great team, and to see it end like that night just made me laugh so much. For the years of everyone telling me how great the Dodgers are and the Giants suck. But we have three World Series, like legit World Series in the last you know, fifteen years, unlike the Dodgers.
The rivalry is a live and well folks. But yeah, I have heard a lot of criticism of Dave Roberts. It seems like every year we get down of this time. And I don't know how true it is because I don't focus on it so so much, not being a California guy, but they're not usually as prepared as they maybe should be, and it definitely definitely feeds into some of the rivalry. There for sure is Bubba rooting for the Padres. Joseph in the chat is wondering.
I am a big Padres fan. I wouldn't mind seeing the Dbacks, but the Giants have been beating them down the last two nights, which made me laugh because I did not see that coming. But if I had to pick an NL team, it's Phillies and Padres for me. Those are the two that I'm really really pulling for. It's hard not to love the Phillies team. Man, there's so much fun like the last few years in the
postseason watching them celebrate there a blast. But this Padres team's cool too, Like there's a lot to like there with them. So yeah, I'm rooting for pretty much eleven teams not named the Dodgers should win, and I'm a fan.
As long as the World Series doesn't go back to Chavez Ravine, Bubba will be a happy fella at the end of the season. I do want to talk a little bit about some of these final wild card spots because we are down to just a few games left. Let's talk about the American League to start off here, Buba, just briefly, because we'll get into the fantasy stuff. But what do you expect to happen with those final two wild card spots? Do you expect it to be as
it currently says? The Tigers and the Royals, the Twins and the Mariners also have a chance, and I guess the Red Sox, if they run very pewer here, could have a mathematical chance. How do you see those final two spots breaking down?
Though?
I think the Tigers, man, this is like a momentum thing. We've seen it year after you Like, I'm not saying they going to the World Series like the Dbacks were, but we all it feels like every year we get like one team that just runs so pure at the end. They find their way in the postseason. Now, how you know far does it get from there?
Who knows?
But I think the Tigers are getting in for sure, and Oils had the advantage on them technically. But if you go to fangrafts, Tigers eighty seven and a half percent, Royals eighty two percent, So it looks like they're pretty much locked in.
You mentioned though, that.
That's actually for the Yeah, no, they're pretty much locked into the playoffs right there. The Twins have a shot, like you mentioned, and you're looking at the Red Sox, it's like a slimmer of a whole, like zero point seven percent right now for the Red Sox. So the Twins are gonna need a miracle. I feel like it's a Tiger's Royal situation there, which is fun for baseball.
Two new teams we haven't seen in a while. The Royals have fallen off of late, because if you would have had this question early September, you would think they'd have a chance to like make a little noise in the postseason. But they got the pitching yacht Reagans, you got Lugo and walk is no slouch. That'll keep you in a lot of playoff games. But yeah, Tigers, come on Treek Scouble game one of a playoff game, Like, let's go.
That's pretty fun stuff.
I think the question at this point is who's getting the ball in Game two? I think that's the only rule.
Oh that's the Yeah, it is Kyder Montero, the guy you want to go to battle with, Like that is like brand Herder's actually probably been the best number two option of late. And that's the conundrum, and that's why certain teams just can't go the distance.
Like if the Tigers went the.
Whole dang thing, that's like beyond proving any analytic person correct, So that'll be nuts. But yeah, I just I'd love to see schools like the old theory, like would be great to see Trout in the playoffs. Like there's certain players I just they deserve the big stick once in a while. And the year Schoobl's having right now. I know we've talked about it all the time on this show, Like, dude, just put them on the stage for one game. Let them have it, and I'll give the Tigers fans credit.
They're coming out in droves. I saw a tweet from a Beat writer today the weekend series in Detroit. It's almost all sold out already, all three games in Detroit. Like that's insane for the Tigers. So it's cool to see.
And our friend Marty Tallman, I don't know if you saw yesterday you wont himself some free tickets courtesy of the Tigers. So good for him to get out there and support We got a lot of Detroit.
The Tigers get it.
The Tigers get it man, Like they're a franchise that doesn't fill out the place. They're not that they don't spend a lot of money, but hey, we need to push these young kids to go. Here's some tickets. Like they gave out a bunch. That's that's smart baseball. Unlike Pittsburgh. That is smart baseball.
Oh we'll talk a little bit about in the pocketbooks a little bit later on. I think that Minnesota might have a chance just based on the schedule. They have a couple of games left against the Marlins and then they'll be facing the Orioles to end the season, who won't really be playing for so much. Where with Kansas City, you know, they got to end up facing the Braves, who will be playing for a lot. So I don't
think it's set in stone that final spot there. I thought the Twins, like a couple of weeks ago, I would have thought that they had a chance to maybe be a World Series team. Really good offense, solid three headed monster in the rotation, good bullpen. But they have really really fallen apart here in terms of the National League. Here, it's the Mets, the Diamondbacks, and the Braves are the only teams that are really competing for those final two spots. Bubba,
I'm a little bit worried for the Mets. What do you think is gonna happen?
Though?
I feel like they're probably gonna be the odd man out based on the way things are trending. But what do you think.
Yeah, it's rough, but I still think I just it depends on how this whole rain thing plays out. I know that's kind of a cop out answer. Atlanta, like there is all these jokes on Sunday, They're going to their house of horror. They stink in Atlanta, and dude, they got smoked like they were red hot coming in got smoked on Tuesday night. Schwelly's a beast. There's no doubt about that. But yeah, you got sale and you got freed coming up like they have their three best
lined up to face the Mets. I still have a weird feeling the Mets get through, I really do. I agree it's almost a coin toss. Like if you look at fangrass projections, Mets are seventy seven percent, Braves are seventy percent. I think it's closer than that. I think it's like that number probably flips if the Braves win the night. Like it's that simple. It's that close of a coin toss situation. And you're mentioning the schedule coming up here, you got like you said, Atlanta gets Kansas
City this weekend. Singer Luga Reagan's you know, not a cakewalk scenario there and that's if that stays in line, of course, and then you got this Mets team that hopefully isn't reeling after this, but they get Milwaukee who might be off. You got ray montoss Myers, their pitchers aren't going deep. I think Mets are set up for a better weekend, let's put.
It that way.
Yeah, we've also talked about how the Brewers are probably going to be facing They're probably through with the drinking for now, with the celebrating, but they're not playing for much at this point. So if you don't see the A team lineups, if you see a starter get scratched or something there, don't be shocked. It could really go either way. In the National League, with the Braves and the Mets, they always tend to play each other in the final week of the season, which does make things
pretty fun. Sticking in Atlanta, Spencer Schwellenbach had a great final start of the season, the kind of cap off a breakout year for him. Really, seven innings of one run ball with four strikeouts. He finishes up with a three forty seven ERA and one zero seven WHIP over twenty games starts. I kind of want to pair him with the next guy tanner Byby but a great year himself. Seven innings of one run ball himself yesterday, and he'll finish with the exact same era of three forty seven
with a one to twelve whip. So just thinking about both of these guys separately or together, I kind of wanted to frame them together because I think there's a chance they go pretty close in drafts next season. What are your thoughts on the pair, Bubba, and who would you be more interested in trusting in twenty twenty five drafts as probably your SP two. I would imagine I'm.
Still a Tanner Biby guy, but it's probably more just biased because I was all in on Biby this year. I wrote articles on him, and I got a lot of pushback early in the preseason, like I was over excited on him, and he made the adjustments and it was great to see.
As no downplay on Schwellenbach.
Like he's absolutely amazing as well, but it's kind of like the whole are you paying for the career year?
Is this his career year?
A lot of questions to be said about Schwellenbach there. It's quite the jump. He took massive increase in the innings as well. I'm gonna lean with the Biby camp on this one. He's the ace of their staff, so to be your SP two is pretty sweet. Now, Schwelly is a great to option b if that's how it plans out. But I'm going to buy you on this one.
Do you think do you think they will go close together? I know it's way too early, but it feels like they'll probably be in a similar type of range in terms of sps and overall of my am I crazy there.
Now, they'll be pretty close.
Like Bibby'll probably be around five or six give or take on, maybe maybe four if he creeps up, but he'll be an SP and like Schwellenbuck in the early draft I did was tenth round and we all said a that was that was late August. Like, he's gonna move up and he keeps pitching better and better. He should be a fifth or sixth round pick when all things are said and done. So yeah, they should be going quite quite close together for sure.
That'll be an interesting one to monitor. I think it's just because the eras are ending on the same number. I figured it was a decent discussion point. But I think Bouten Francis is also somebody that deserves a bit of our time. I don't know if we've talked too too much about him on the show. I'm sure he's come up, but I think he deserves a little segment here another shout out outing from him. Yesterday, I'll be at just five innings. They could have probably let him
go a little bit longer. I think it was like seventy one seventy two pitches, but we'll take it over the second half. One point eight zero ERA and a point six zero whip. It's unbelievable type of numbers that you'd say, if you just saw those numbers, you'd think, all right, I was de Gram, maybe that was Strider, but the point six whip is just absurd. He's gonna finish with a three to three ERA and a point ninety three whip over one hundred and three and two
thirds innings. Insane to think he'll get one or two down ballot Czy Young votes after this performance. I know the innings are a bit lacking, but he's been the best pitcher in baseball in the second half of the season. I think he might get one or two. But is that just the Toronto Homer popping out in me.
No, like baby, No, I do think he should get some if it's either third fourth place votes, he should get some acknowledgment on the cy Young you know there's gonna be there should be one hundred percent going to one guy in Detroit and then you fill in the blanks afterwards on that. So I don't see an issue with Francis getting some you know, third fourth rate round type stuff.
I don't know how interested I'm gonna be heading into the next season. I feel like he's gotten a lot of babbit block and there will be some concerns for me taking him too early next year. But man like this. It's a shame that the Blue Jays wasted this in a season where it didn't matter. But one of the best stretches I've ever seen from a starting pitcher, and maybe that will ever see from a starting pitcher. Point point six whip and like said, unbelievable stuff he did
for your ratios. We got a question here regarding a couple of pitchers. How would we order Schwellenbach, Yuri and Sandy al Contra for next season? So Sandy start the year Schwelley's healthy, but I think i Contra's healthy heading in helps. Sorry sorry, but I think al Contra is kind of close to healthy now, so I think he'll be ready to start the year. But he sounds like you're Schwellenbach over al Contra.
Schwellenbach because he finished the year and Contra did not throw this year, So I'd have all Contra second yeary third. That's my only difference. Like al Contra is, you know, maybe the best. I've always been a little down on him because he's a he has to accumulate, So how much is he gonna accumulate next year is the question. So I'm gonna go Schwellenbach just because he finished this year on the mount.
I think that's totally fair. Yeah, when you see guys get hurt in the year or they don't throw at all, it definitely makes you worry wonder what they're gonna look like coming into next season. I think I'm probably on the same page. I wouldn't really have much of a problem going Yuri over Sandy just because of some of the things you meant, like the strikeouts, the volume concerns. But like Angelo said here, Yuri was kind of born on the injured reserve. It's hard to know when he's
going to be healthy or not. He's dealt with a lot of stuff considering what is he twenty one, Like, he's gone through quite a bit at this point.
Yeah, very very young and talent's there's got to somehow stay healthy.
Man.
It's an issue with the Elizardo Yuri al Contra Garrett like, that's almost every picture in Miami. He's had issues and must be a Florida thing. Tampa Bay and Miami have some fun stuff with the with the elbows and.
The Dodgers who had at some points, to say, two whole rotations with the pitchers on the IL. They had like nine pitchers. Good pictures on the IL at certain points this season. Let's change gears and talk about some hitters, and we'll start in your neck of the woods, Bubba with Elliott. Is it Elliott? I think it's Elliott, right, Elliott right, it's Elliott.
Yeah, it was jelln Ryan a ways back when I went to the Giants game for the first time early this season and they announced him in warm ups as Elliott Ramos, I was like, what, yeah, so now it's always it's Elliott from here on out.
I still hear Elliott, he I hear all these kind of names, but it's Elliott. It just imagine that the h is not there, essentially, But he went four for five yesterday. It is twenty third homer of the season. Looking at a two seventy batting average, one hundred and twenty one WRC plus almost an eight hundred ops and a fairly fairly small sample size of one hundred eighteen games. It's fairly small, but it's also fairly large, depending on
how you want to look at it. What's your interest level heading in the next season, Bubby, You've got to watch him up close and personal this year. Is he actually a breakout star or is this something that we should probably be wary of in drafts next year.
I'm a fan. I'm a big fan of what we saw this year. He was a big time prospect, one of our top prospects. For a while, people thought he failed, kind of like Luis Montos, and maybe Mantos figures it out. It's like, I know, I've said it on this show in mini shows. Young players need reps. It's just that simple. And you know they finally just ran with him. He had a couple of hot streaks, he had a couple of slumps. They stuck with him, and he's put together
a really good season. He's a staple in the lineup. He's going to be the starting left fielder for hopefully years to come in San Francisco. And is he going to be an MVP? I don't know if he has that level, But could the dude be a two to seventy hitter that gets you close to thirty home runs each year? Like that's legit who Elliott Ramas can be.
And I'm a big fan of him going forward.
ADP wise gets interesting because there's a lot of outfielders in play there, but he could be a very very strong asset. Just the speed He'll have some but not ton so that's what's will probably push him down a little bit. But I think everything else pretty solid. I think he's got one hundred and fifty combined runs in RBI is too. Like he's putting together a pretty strong season for the Giants. And that's why I tweeted last night when he hit his home run, I said, I
know schemes, I know Jackson Merrill. I just hope Elliott gets a few rookie of the Year votes to acknowledge how good he actually has been this season.
He's been fantastic, And I think part of that Once you said that, I went and looked at the at the betting odds. In the National League, it's just such a stacked field, and in the American League, it's like it almost feels like it's gonna go to somebody by defaults like, Okay, I guess it's gonna be Heal, I guess it'll be Cows, or I guess it'll be Wells
or whoever. In the NL, there's like five or even more legitimate Rookie of the year's in most season Skeiins Merrill absolutely a lot of seasons getting it done, Cheerio in a lot of seasons is getting it done. And then showed at Imanaga, who probably will end up on some cy young ballots, but the fact that he's thirty
one years old probably takes some of that away. But it is a stacked field in the National League, and somebody else who could potentially be there in a less stacked season, Tyler Fitzgerald, who I believe still has rookie eligibility even though he's a little bit older. I think he's twenty six, but hell of a season he's put together in just ninety two games, and he had a home run yesterday, which is partly whyse on the sheet, but also we're starting to wrap up the year a
little bit. I wanted to evaluate things as a whole now to some extent, a two eighty seven batting average, fifteen homers and seventeen steals over ninety two games that pro rated out over a whole season is probably not Probably it is a first round type of player. But you're looking at a high strikeout rate. You're not looking at a great track record. Not a bad one, but not somebody that you would have thought would be a star. What's your interest level in Fitzgerald and would you prioritize
him over Ramos? I no different positions in all but the two Giants assets there. Where do you put them?
Obviously the lazy answer depends on your format. Five outfielders, probably Ramos if you need speed, Fitzgerald, Like I took Fitzgerald around eleven of that too early draft because I want twenty twenty upside at my middle infield, and I understand the strict right, it's gotten better and this is again, a young player getting tight like regular reps. He's the starting shortstop. He's going to be the starting short stop next year. He plays pretty good defense. He's been in
a pretty good slump of late. They kept running him out there. They's moved him down the order, kept running them out there. Matt's starting to wake up again, like young players will do this, and I think there is a lot of talent trying not to be a home run. If anybody's listened to me long enough, I'm very narcissistic when it comes I'm very very angry when it comes to my giants, Like there's no sugarcoating that. But when I see like development, that's something I like to see.
Ramos has developed. Fitzgerald has developed wisely even this time around. Starting look like he took a lefty deep yesterday. Like he's starting to look like a little bit better ballplayer. I'm not all in on him yet, but the future is not as bleak as I once thought. We'll see this stuff signed free agents, and that's a whole nother podcast. But yeah, I'm very optimistic when we're seeing with Fitzgerald. I think if you want like a power speed guy,
say we talk about how shortstop drives up. If you miss out on shortstop, not a bad plan, be.
Not about at all. And they've already locked up Matt Chapman. Let's see if they open up the pocketbooks a little more this offseason. I'm sure Bubba is hoping for it, but I want to shout out Ryan in the chat here real quick, thanks showing Bubba won the ship a few weeks ago and joined the sweet taste of victory. You enjoy that, Ryan, enjoy the last couple weeks of the season, or couple weeks, a couple of days of the season at this point, hanging that banner, it will
fly forever for you, my friend. Let's talk about Michael Harris before we jump into some injuries. He's been on an absolute ridiculous heater, multiple hits in five consecutive games, and in four of them he has three hits. Over the last two weeks, he's hitting four oh seven, unbelievable stuff.
I feel like he's probably gonna be somebody that I you know, I've kind of gone back and forth, interested, not that interested, but it's hard to look at what he's done as of late and think that the Braves will be fully healthy next year and not be interested. Do you think Michael Harris is going to go bob a third round or so? And would you have interest where he is going to go?
You think, yeah, he's a third rounder for sure. It's a lot of that.
I think you know, everyone's gonna see the shiny new toy. They're gonna go Jackson Marrow, They're gonna go Jackson Curio and those things where last year that's where Michael Harris was going. So it's just going to push him down by default. And it's like again, it's I keep saying I want the back end round one right now. A lot can change. Obviously it's September twenty fifth, for crying out loud, but it's so loaded you get like two
great picks right there. In reality, you can get Michael Harris as well, like you could set up for like a just thunderdome in the back end there. So I think he will fall just by default because there's so many good players and it could be a nice little bounced back spot because you're not expecting the you know, massive batting numbers, but the power speed's legit and the only question is a coon He'll be back where does Harris hit? That's the million dollar.
Question, Hitt. And second, I would love it if he's down at ninth. I wouldn't hate it, but definitely wouldn't like it as much. The argument is he would like turn over for a Kunya and I'll be and whoever else. So it's not terrible. We've seen him produce from that spot before. I'd like to see him at the top of the order, though, but just an incredible season. And to your point, the outfield in the third and fourth
round next year is gonna be pretty good. You know you're gonna be able to double tap a couple of those guys. Hell, even at the back end of the first you might be able to take four outfielders in your first four picks. Ye Julio, Carrol Surio, Mike Harris hypothetically if you're drafting it like the back end of the first round. I don't know that if that's something I'd want to do necessarily, but it doesn't sound too shabby as of right now. If you're able to get all four of those guys.
No, man, it's the old philosophy I've been trying to instill the last couple of years and I bring it up on a mile out of my shows is we got to stop focusing so much on positions. Yes, you need to fill a roster, but in the end, it's the final stat line the matter. So these are the four best players, all right, let's rock and roll. Like two years ago, I think it was a labor draft. Ryan took five outfitters in his first seven picks, and he was not happy on the live stream. He won
the league. He won the league. So you just build the best team. That's that's why Fitzgerald comes into play now at stuff like that.
Yeah, absolutely, it's something you know. Even just last year, like Al two Vea and Bryson Stott were both targets of mine, and there came some drafts where I was like, especially early on, I was like, I have Al two v I don't need to take Stott. Throw him in the middle endfield for all. I mean that wasn't like he was an amazing player this year. But throw him in the middle enfield, throw him in the utility spot, wherever it is you can find room. It's why the
Otawani dh clogging that whole thing up. I think it's kind of gone with the Dodo Bird over the last couple of years between him and what Ozun has done as well. I don't think people mind clogging up to DH with those type of numbers. But let's go onto the injury segment. We'll talk Nester to Cortes. He's gonna
undergo an MRI on his elbow on Friday. Does not look like we're gonna see him again in the regular season, Babba, I think you can, probably if you're in a daily league at this point, just cut bait and pick somebody else up.
Yes, the only weird caveat i'd take just wait for the results because he's still technically scheduled to pitch tonight, so for some reason, it's just like a minor thing where they move him back to day. You're gonna want that. Someone in the chat way early on, I think was mentioning. They asked him, was potit starting right now? It's rumored to be Marcus Stroman jumping in there for that star
he's been on the bullpen. But yeah, I just yes, if the result obviously comes back negative, you drop in Nester Cortez one hundred percent on board there, But as wonky as things are right now, just sit back because the Orioles are not good versus lefties of late, so somehow you getting nester.
I'd run with it.
Second half Orioles have been really, really not good. I want to pair a I want to pair a couple of guys together here, Francisco Lindor and Jordan Alvarez. They're both I mean, for Lindor it's in play that he could come back today, not sure if it's one hundred percent going to happen. Jordan Alvarez hoping to get back in the lineup this weekend. I guess my question is for those people playing in weekly or semi weekly lineups. If you're on the NFBC, you got to set a
Friday through the weekend lineup. Are you putting these guys in if we don't have any clarity, like let's say they have to miss Friday, are you putting them in? Specific it looks like Lindora'll be back. I guess this is specifically a Jordan Alvarez question. How confident do you feel that he is going to play over the over the weekend.
Well, I'll give you this much, because about maybe five minutes before we started recording chan roam of the Houston Astros beat reporter said, jord On Alvarez and Chas McCormick will not accompany the Astros to Cleveland. They'll stay back and train with the team. So that answers your question.
So that puts a bow on his season. I guess yes. Okay, So Jordan Alvarez, get him out of your lineups. I guess that's that's a tough one to do it this time of the year. But if he's not gonna play, he's not gonna play. Lindor looks a little rosy, or somebody in the chat saying that he grabbed a bat last night, I think that. I don't think he actually had an at bat. I think you mean, like in the dugout he grabbed a bat or something.
He think he was getting loose. I'm just worried with the way the weather's so bad.
What are you doing?
That's another point. Yeah, Like if he, you know, takes a bad swing and strains something or something, plus you gotta worry about the weather. Although it is, you know, the guy who's gonna come second in MVP voting, So it's not somebody that you really want to put on your bench, but it's a. It's a tricky situation if we don't have an update or we probably will. But let's say Friday he's scratched. I think he's probably somebody I'm sitting for the weekend.
Yeah, yeah, No, it's definitely an up in the I set him for the first half of the week, so second half I need to see a lot more positive news in that direction.
Let's lock Clayton Kershaw not face hitters this week, and there isn't currently a plan for one that will happen, no idea when he is going to face hitters, So he's not going to pitch in the regular season. That seems clear enough. Any chance you think that Kershaw pitches in the playoffs, and hell doll, the Dodgers won him pitching in the playoffs.
Right now, it's literally I don't think he pitches in the playoffs. I think we've seen the last of Kershaw this season, unless a miraculous change takes place in his health. Because he looked like he was going to face pitchers on our hitters on Tuesday and he's basically shut down again, So I'm not feeling too optimistic about that.
The last piece of injury news is another bad one. No good stuff comes out this time of year. Really, Austin Riley season is done. He will not be available for the postseason as he continues to recover from a fractured hand. You think that him missing the last couple weeks of the season potentially takes a round or two off the price next year, Like you said, finishing healthy.
No, No, he was hitting the ball so well as kind of a freak injury. I think you ready to rock and roll for the regular season. You might get a discount and take advantage of him.
If I do see a discount, I probably will. Although as a whole it was pretty disappointing season, but I think the Braves just had some bad juju this year. I'll be willing to invest back into the next season. Let's run through some potential streamers for those of you still in the hunt. This week, we're going to talk about a few guys for the daily lineups. Obviously, weeklies are long done for the year, but let's talk about tonight Cody Bradford and Brady Basso on either side of
the equation, Bubba Oakland and Texas. If you're in a daily league, are you streaming either of these guys, I think I would with Bradford. What do you think?
I love them both, and I just want to throw out I think Basso's very, very good because in September, Texas is striking out thirty four percent of the time verus left. He's hitting one forty nine with a thirty five WRC plus as a team. That is atrocious, atrocious stuff. So I like both those pitchers and I'll throw one more out there real quick for you. Joey Cantillo going up against the Reds, a team hitting one seventy one with a thirty eight WRC plus with a twenty nine
percent carry versus lefties in the month of September. So Antillo is another one who's actually been pretty good of late. So there's some nice, nice Wednesday streams for you.
There are some decent options I'm looking into Thursday. Again, these are not all set in stone. I just kinda want to get Bubba's thoughts on a couple of them. The first one is a little bit dicey. I will admit Kyle Gibson at Colorado. Colorado is really not a team that scares me. Gibson is kind of whatever. But let's say it's a fifteen team league here, Bubbo, and I'll only type of deal. You're streaming him in deeper leagues or you're just trying to steer clear of Kyle Gibson.
Deeper leagues. You can stream shallow leagues. No, because you said the Rockies don't scare you, Kyle Gibson scares me. So that's that's the difference there. But in deeper formats, yes, you still roll Kyle out there because it is a chance at a w You got.
Kumar Rocker at Oakland tomorrow. I know that it hasn't been maybe as good as we would have hoped, but still pretty decent stuff against a team like Oakland. I think that in most cases I'm streaming him, especially if I'm looking for strikeouts. But but you have any worries about throwing Kumar Rocker out tomorrow.
If you need strikeouts, go for it.
I don't know if he has enough to get a win, so definitely, depending on what you're looking for.
That's true. David Festa against Miami coming off of not a great one, but a fantastic matchup here, Bubba Festa has disappointed me a little bit, but I do love the skills and I do love the matchup.
Yeah, I agree, skills are great matchups great over gave it four early but settled down on Monday. If you're looking for a little at late late push the season, I could see rolling the dice with festa.
Angelo mentioned Reese Olsen in the chat here. He's also on the list for his start against Tampa. What's your interest level for that one?
It just depends on how far Olsen goes in the game. But phenomenal matchup Rays have been pretty garbageably, especially a lot of strikeouts.
Let's move into Friday, there's just one and again these are a little bit dicey. As we go further and further along, you never really know one hundred percent. But as of right now, jpcars line up to start against Seattle. He's been not too bad in the second half. Seattle's been a great matchup. What's your interest level here, Bubba?
I like series. Just make sure you need it because the one thing I'll say is they have turned it on in September two sixty seven, average one twenty five. I have WRC plus versus lefties, and a lot of that is Jay Rod warming up in a big way. So if you really need, you know, strikeouts and a chance to win. Sure, if you're pretty safe, be cautious with this one.
Fred Dinger in the chat we just mentioned Kintio Bubba is a fan of using Joey Cantillo for Saturday. A couple of guys I've highlighted, Nick Martinez at the Cubs, Andre Polante at your Giants, Bubba, what's your thoughts on these two.
Cubs are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now, So I'm gonna steer clear of that one. So no attacking the Cubs in my mind. Polante if you're desperate, a lot of pitch to contact there, but he has pitched really well. I'll give him that much over the last month or so. So if you're looking for some upside, I get it. Probably he's going opposite Blake snell Win might be tricky.
I put Baba through the ringer there just quick fire, quick fire streaming questions. But that is kind of the group of options. Things will miss, things will mix around a little bit. But Bradford, Basso, Kumar Rocker for strikeouts, David Festa re Andre Polante, those are kind of the main ones here. Over the last few days For Sunday.
I'm not even gonna try and recommend anything because I have no idea what's going to happen for anybody, But through Saturday, those are our favorite picks, just for fun. I don't know how fun this is in Baltimore, but eloy him and has dropped down optioned to Triple A. What does his future look like at this point? Is he somebody that's gonna slowly fade out of baseball, you think, or does somebody give him another chance to actually live
up to that potential. It feels like we're kind of running out of time at this point.
Yeah, I think he'll get a shot just because baseball is so bleak, and he'll be affordable, i'd imagine, But it's been bad. An injury is lack of power when he does play, and then you know, getting basically traded for and sent to Triple A not looking good for you, Lay, that's for sure.
They might need to hang.
His jersey open the little dugout once again to bring him back to life.
They're not hanging it in the rafters anywhere. I'll tell you that at this point. Roddy Tillas, I saw you mentioned it on your sub stack. I don't understand why teams do this. I saw some people trying to defend the pirates and say and say, no, no, you know what, he didn't get the advats he did. They they cut him with a few games left so he wouldn't get there. It's just the scummy move over a couple hundred grand I think it was two hundred to two hundred and
fifty k. People don't forget this type of thing. Bubba teams players guys looking to sign. It's not like Pittsburgh is a big free agent destination anyway. Do you think this has much of an impact on their ability to bring in players at all?
It will.
It will probably give like Paul Skeens a re signing with the team, stuff like that. There's gonna be a lot of trepidation in those thoughts.
That's put it that way.
You could have let him play Tuesday, get four played appearances in DFAM on Wednesday. That's a very simple fix to the problem. It wasn't like you're bringing up a top prospect. You brought up Richie or Joshua. Pelasio's kind of know who he is and the over Pigero in his eighty eight WRC plus, so you didn't really neither one's the first basement to top it off, just throwing that out there. You could have waited a day. You could have done the right thing. There was no need
to make this move. Pirate bad teams stay bad teams.
I don't even know why they would have needed to make it like the season's done on Sunday, let him finish out the year. Is just embarrassing a player who, albeit he wasn't amazing for them this year, but there was a stretch where Rowdy Teles was really really good.
And they were in the playoff hunt at that time. They were continuing for like a while, like they were actually good.
So yeah, I just think it's a bad, bad thing to do to a good guy, to a somebody around baseball who is known as a good guy. I love him for my time in Toronto. Obviously he's not a superstar, but you shouldn't do this kind of thing to players. The Angels did it last year, a similar thing when there was somebody who could have gotten some kind of bonus or some health relief thing and they cut him.
I think it was a catcher. I can't remember exactly what it is somebody listening is gonna know what I'm talking about and think I'm insane for not remembering it. But there are these little weird people moves that people don't forget, especially those players around the league who are going to be looking for deals as free agents. But let's move on, and let's talk about the three up and three down quickly to Reik Scooble, to nobody's surprise,
have an nitting seven strikeouts and no earn runs. Ory Polanco, who has been on the down or just ignored a lot this season. I have dragged his name through the mud because he was one of my most drafted players. He very much disappointed me. He went four for four yesterday with a home run, and then Von Grissom also had probably his best game of the season. Hasn't been much this year, but he did have a three hit
game himself. So I wanted to highlight a couple of names there along with three school who haven't really done much, Ory Polanco and Von Grissom. Bubba, you gonna be buying the quote unquote dip next season on either.
Maybe I'm not gonna say no, but Polanco injury concerns throughout the entire season and Griffon. We know the talents there, but what's playing time look like there's a lot of question marks.
For both of them.
I think I'd rather take a chance on Grissom considering what we saw when he first came up. He's got a good ballpark, a decent team. Where with Polanco I don't know at this point. Three down John Carlos Stanton the golden sombrero of the night. JP Crawford also had one as well. Brandon fought two and two thirds, four earn runs, six hits and two walks. Not good stuff from brand and it fought to end the season. And
then a surprise name on the down Logan Gilbert. Four earned runs in three homers over six innings yesterday against Houston. Not his best. It wasn't terrible. Usually the down is a little bit worse than that, but no starting pitcher, I don't think you've up more than four earned runs yesterday. So it was hard to be good pitching, hard to find a true true blow up. But Baba, that will
take us for the last time this season. In two our best bets of the day for Wednesday, and Joey p and the Welsh are still up on the graphic. You'll get them back on Friday for the finale, but you're stuck with us for one more time. Here on the Best Bets of the Day, presented by a Bet three six five Bubba, how are you wrapping up your season? Here?
On leading off, we're staying on the plus money train here going Taylor Ward over one and a half total basis at plus one twenty five, talked about how good he's been lately. Gets a great matchup there against Davis and the Chicago White Sox had another good game on Tuesday, Corbyn Carrol. I think the the Dbacks bats wake up Versu or Tyler Black. Mason Black pitching for the Giants on Wednesday night, Corbyan Carol over two and a half hits, runs in RBIs at plus one twenty five might do
that in one at bat. And then Joey Cantillo talked about him earlier over five and a half strikeouts at plus one thirty. I was shocked to see plus one thirty on this one as the red strikeout a ton of Cantio has been getting six plus k's in his outings, so I like that one quite a bit.
And TiO you are interested in him. He had that amazing start. What was it against the White Sox? It was like ten strikeouts, seven shutout innings. He has I mean it is the White Sox, but he still has a lot in him. I think that he could be somebody that's pretty interesting. And tonight, I mean, plus money plus one thirty for five and a half strikeouts does feel pretty attainable for him. My bats, I'm starting off with one that I hit the last time. I'm doing
the exact same thing over here. David Peterson over two and a half earned runs. I don't trust him. I haven't trusted him throughout this streak. The underlying data is not good. He's still got command issues, the strikeouts aren't really there. And I think Atlanta, just based on the way we're trending here, I think that they're going to get to him tonight. They don't even need to really get to him for this one to hit. They just need to get three earned runs. I think that is
definitely gonna happen tonight. Shouldn't say definitely, but I think there's a good chance. Austin Gomber is the second one. How can we wrap up a season without betting against Austin Gomber. It's Saint Louis coming into town. They're not world beaters necessarily, but Austin Gomber is not very good, folks. I mean, he has the odds start here and there where he's okay, but by and largely somebody that you can target. So I'm taking plus three and a half
earned runs. That one is at plus one zero five, a little bit trickier at over three and a half, but I'm pretty confident that he's not gonna have a great start tonight. And then we're wrapping it up. I'm gonna be on the right side of history here. We're taking the Angels money line to beat the White Sox tonight and get them into the history books. I think that there's only so long the White Sox can hold this one off. They won yesterday. I don't see it
happening again. So those are our best bets of the day. And Bubba, the final thing to do on the season here for Leading Office pick our final home run call for today and I guess through the final week end of the season.
Yeah, I'm gonna go back to the well thought Monday would be the day for it. We're going back to it on Wednesday. I already picked Corbyn Carroll over two and a half runs.
Hits an rby.
I said it might happen and one at bat, and that a bat will be a home run for Corbyn Carroll. I really do believe Mason Black is not that great. A heat shuts down the d Backs, I would be just amazing happy at the same time. But yeah, give me some Corbyn Carroll going deep on Wednesday in the desert.
I am targeting Austin Gomber once again here and it'll be I believe they were teammates at one point, his old teammates on Nolan Aeronado.
No, they were traded for each other.
That's right, that's right for each other. I forgotten, my god, it.
Was Austin Gomber and a bucket of balls and a couple other things for Aeronado and cash.
Some shoelaces, a bunch of bunch of spare parts. I've totally forgotten that. That is pretty funny. But Nolan Aeronado, I think he's gonna take Gomber yard tonight in Colorado. It's been a bit of a down season for him, but I think the situation is right for as Angelo says, auestome goober to get hit around a little bit tonight. But guys, this is bringing us to the end of the show. I can't promise we're gonna cut the black and do a Sopranos type of ending or anything like that.
But I want to just take a moment to say thank you to Fantasy Pros, to everybody who let us take the reins here for the show, to Joe piece a Pa, to Chris Welsh. They're gonna be back on Friday, but I really do appreciate them trusting us with their baby over the final However many shows we did Bubba fifteen, seventeen, twenty shows or so, it's been a hell of a lot of fun getting to talk here with you three to four times a week, and we get to talk
a lot more putting the shows together and stuff. So thank you to Fantasy Pros, thank you to Joe and Chris, and thank you to you guys who continue to listen to the show. I know how strange it can be when you're listening to your favorite podcast and there's a different voice and you're probably thinking, what the hell. Some people might just tun it, turn it off, and I wouldn't blame them, but you guys stuck around, whether it's
on the podcast side on the YouTube side. So truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everybody who helped make the show what it is. Bubba. Any final thoughts before we do sign off here, No.
It's been awesome. It's been pleasure getting to do it with you, my friend. You know, we usually record a couple times a year. Anyways, it was fun to get to do it multiple times a week now. Watching your ascension in this world is a lot of fun. So looking to see what's next in store for you. But yeah, I've always enjoyed. This is my third year kind of being one of the September subs. It's been been great. I'm looking forward to probably doing it again next year
with you and see you'll see where it goes. But thanks to all the listeners in here, and I'll just keep supporting, support us off and do whatever we do. But if you guys like football, guys that'd like to talk baseball from time to time, Friday as your show. But if not, Joe and I have other content for you can check out, so enjoy and thanks to everybody for listening.
Yeah, make sure you follow Bubba over on Twitter. He's severely under followed at B d Ententrich bd E N t R e K. I'm at Joel Rico ninety nine. But go prioritize Bubba. I should not have more followers than this guy does. It's ridiculous. Go ahead and hit the follow button over there. But guys, I hate to actually end the show, but that's gonna do it for us for today, this season for us. But there's gonna be leading off with Joe and Welsh on Friday. I
do have some plans throughout the off season. We're gonna be doing some stuff. We won't go away. There will still be content on the baseball side. Make sure you guys are helping us out with those subscriptions, ratings, reviews, doing all that stuff to help the numbers stay steady throughout the off season. But guys, for the final time this season, for Casey Bubba, I am Joe Alrico. Good luck down the stretch. Have a great night. Cheers.
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