MLB: Leading Off March 28th, 2024 (EP. 778)

Welcome in everybody to Fantasy pros MLB. This is Leading Off Live, brought to you by Bet three sixty five Bet three six five, our new sponsor here on the channel.

Welsh and I are here. It's Opening Day. Happy Opening Day to everybody who celebrates, and I know you all do because you're here with us. It's a beautiful day. Baseball's begun. Leading Off Live is back, and of course we have a new sponsor for the show, Bet three six y five. If you haven't already made sure you are doing all your wagering over there, support our supporters. Leading Off is the promo code. That's what you're gonna use.

Well my name is Welsh Exotic.

And you know who will not be watching this stream today, Carol Baskin won't be watching this stream today.

I guarantee you that rocker Joe Yeah.

And I see all of our old friends here already, go cards, I see, Let's see Joey here, I see Lee here, Cody's here, the Wonky Penguins here, everybody's here. All our rowdy friends are here today to hang out with us. So again, it's great that we're back. Fantasy Baseball's back, wagerings back, everything is back. So let's get after it here and let's start of course with the headlines,

Uh, this is a great signing for them.

By the way, how we can transition into being serious is a plus for us.

By the way, maybe I'll take my glasses off just to be a little bit more serious.

Yeah, to makeup or anything like that. I mean I went full on. I shaved the handlebar and everything like that.

I went full mullet. I mean, you know, I saw this and it's funny because the guy on the Amazon wig you know, model kind of looked exactly like me with this. So I said, well, there you go. It's just kind of meant to be.

Well. The great thing with the Diamondbacks, even though they will never financially recover from this investment with Jordan Montgomery of twenty five million dollars on the year, it's exactly what they needed. They needed the depth. They had nothing they were gonna put up. Tommy Henry and Ryan ry Nelson had a great spring but Jordan Montgomery, this is exactly what they needed to do. It's a great landing spot for him. You've got a great defense, you've got

I don't think he's gonna miss much time.

I think he's gonna probably throw a game in the backfields here, probably in the next couple of days, and then he's probably gonna do one minor league starting triple A and he'll be up. So maybe he misses one start. Bunch of innings three four era projected across most actually four to one to eight. Bat X does not like him, but ATC likes him a decent amount. Three eight, one hundred and seventy plus innings, double digit wins.

It's great. Welsh Exotic approves.

Welsh exotic absolutely approves. By the way, Uh, Mikey here in the chests as Welsh might be the sexiest blonde I've seen in a while. Mikey, you gotta get out more. That's the only thing I could say to that.

This is my natural hair. Do you hang around with tigers enough and you get this.

The weirdest thing is I would never say you look like that guy, and then you put this wig on and you shave down to the handlebar, and it's uh kind of unsettling.

It actually is.

Unsettling, Like, well, I've been in jail for a came a little bit of wait.

But I'll tell you what, when I get out, I'm coming, Carol.

Nobody has more fun in the baseball world than us. Also, Ezekio Tovar is he gonna have a lot of fun. Seven year contract extension with the club through the twenty thirty one season. It's kind of weird to see twenty thirty numbers. I don't know. I'm not quite ready for all that. But this was a player we talked about quite a bit, and clearly the Rockies see the same thing we have, which is a young player with a lot of upside. They're locking him up. He was one

Yeah, I think they're petty.

I think writers are petty and they pick anything that they possibly can to hold back. There were things that were working against him by the way, you know, like having Mookie Bets and Freddie Freeman on that team, the Dodgers itself super teams, you know, players on super teams and stuff like that. Yeah, but I think they're petty enough that, you know, I'm actually shocked that his number went up. It went from like plus nine hundred to plus like seven to fifty. On some books, I think

That was fun, Bung. You guys came and joined it.

Well you were alive on spaces. I didn't know you were drafting. Yeah.

Well I took I took over the account, and I hung out answered fantasy questions. But I was live doing my final DC at the ninth pick, and I took o' tony and I took the util and I had to build around that. So I'm not afraid in fantasy. I'd be a bye if anyone is being weird about it. But from like a betting perspective. Yeah, I think MVP is gonna be pretty tough.

Yeah, I would agree, and I was. I'm kind of bummed about that, you know, because I already had some investments early on. So there you go. It's gonna be an interesting season for the Dodgers. That pitching staff already having some issues. But here's from Go Cards, good friend of the show here Billy ray Cyrus and Tiger King. Maybe I am a little Billy ray Cyrs. Don't tell my heart though. I just don't think you would understand. I just don't think you would understand. All right, let's

Well, you want to know what's really funny is people that know this. Joe and I have already talked about what nineteen and twenty thousand on the YouTube could get, And what you just did was kind of what your idea to twenty was.

If you remember, Oh, well, well, we've been teasing the idea that if we get to twenty thousand subscribers that we might turn this into perhaps a one day Hamilton where we do some wraps and some things.

That's on the table as being discussed. But it's your channel, everybody, so you let us know.

I think they would love my idea, which well, we'll say for another show, not opening day, but my idea at nineteen or maybe even further's a pretty fantastic one.

Is well, who woke up Scott Bogman this early to watch this show? How did this guy get here? I don't know a good friend of the show friend in real life. Anthony won't be by the way hold on hitting six Edward Julian out against Reagan's today, which is annoying, but I get it. He's a really elite lefty. I don't expec Julian to be out against every lefty but the elite ones to start the season. Fine. I just

Wanted to throw in.

There's a couple other little additions here, Angels released. We're not seeing Neto get moved up at all. The opening day lineup has Anthony Rindon leading off, no Shanwell, no Netto, and then the Cardinals are leading off Brendan Donovan.

So that was one I had not expected.

So throwing these all out here, which one is the most shocking to you? And which which one of these pieces has the biggest fantasy impact early on? I mean, Ellie going six India leading off Michael Garcia, is there a big impact and is there a surprise?

I think labor tour is if I can go off the board hitting lead off today, because again that is temporary in air quotes because le Mayhew's hurt, but they think it's the Vulpi sixth glabor one. If Glaber gets off to a hot start. The only thing it's good it could potentially hurt is is RBI totals in those season long leagues. So that's a problem potentially. But I

By the way, I want to point out, can you imagine somebody who's never watched this show that just came was like, what's going on?

By the way, the people that are watching all the off season content and went, oh my god, what is just Yes, it's unsettling, I see you all, but it's also amazing. And the people, the cracker Jacks, you know what this show is about.

I'm seeing some great compliment. I'll take these compliments. And somebody did put in here. I don't know if you can find the comment. Someone was like, what Welsh's wife must be? So many you guys have no idea. I shaved it and I looked at her. I was like, how does this look? She's like, it's the most It's the grossest thing I've ever seen. And I'm like, can you imagine.

If I said that to you?

Now? This is divorce potent. Like I told you the full beard if my people have said it on the YouTube comments, the full beard looks good. I've given you support.

I agree I have.

This is wretched.

She asked me if this was going to be all day.

She asked me, and I said no, after the show will probably give but maybe I'll bring up all day.

By the way, I'm going to opening h Opening Day today with.

The Diamondbacks with Bogman, so maybe you should wear it for opening ball. Let me throw this in real quick, so on those so I wanted to get your take on it. The Ellie hitting six is interesting. We kind of knew mikel Garcia bolt be at six. I think is something to be on the lookout for because if he hits in that spot has a few more RBIs, he could get moved up.

But I'll tell you.

This, Jonathan India leading off, if he gets this, he gets to continue doing this. We know Matt McLean has gone. Matt McLain, I don't even know. We said at the top of two, I got the.

Tigers in my ears. I don't know.

But Matt McLean had surgery. He's going to be out two to three months, maybe the season. At this point, Jonathan India has a legit shot to keep this lockdown all season long. And if they lead him off with a young team like that with Ellie, who will end up moving up? Jamer Candelario, there's a chance in ten man leagues India's out there. He might end up being a really big early season steal being able to lead off, So I think the India one is one to pay attention to.

You're probably right. Also, why is O Hopi hitting eighth? Because it's opening day and the Angels are not a good organization. That's my answer to that. All right, let's continue on here with the program before we get to the three up and three down and a lot of other funds. Were gonna have our picks of the day, the bets, of course, the home run calls. We're gonna have all that stuff. But also we're giving away free

We Tigers love that trophy coming for them.

Tag team championships. Boys, WHOA, let's get that's that's definitely we definitely have.

Maybe I should do the other fist.

Yeah, nineteen eighty three WWF. Actually it's more like Crockett Promotions WCW. If I'm gonna be honest a little.

It's a little also like we're here to shake and bake.

I don't know which thing I would do. I go this way, it's always the opposite. Oh, now you gotta go the other way. There you go, dude, shake a bake ba baby, there you go. We worked all day

Of course, if he lights up with strikeouts. That's what's sexy about Jordan Wicks.

This guy can strike out ten but I don't trust him for a full season. I think he is quintessential spot starter unless you're in like a big league. I'm looking for teams that I'm going to be looking for the lower half, strikeout teams, hitter friendly environments because his problem is he can completely fall apart. The guy can walk seven, you know, like this can be a disaster. But when he's on, he's on. So this is volatile. This is a guy that can ruin your ratios all

Well, you know, when when Wicks is going up against Carol Baskin.

Yeah, uh, here's a question for you. You keep saying Wicks by the way too, you mean like John Wick?

Yeah, sorry Wick, John Wick.

Jordan Hicks. I think you mean, you know, like we look like Hicks. I think that's a that's one hundred percent right, Jordan, because I know they're gonna call you out on the chat about it, so I might as well do it before Jordan Hicks. Look, we're just so excited to be back for a long time, somebody said you look like Guy Fieri. I say, you look like Guy Fiery. If you never found flavor Town, I think that's what you look like.

But when I have to have I don't remember even when Guy does Guy Ferry have the handlebar?

Uh?

He definitely has some weird mustache choices at the times. He's definitely got the sole patch and the mustache, but it is a different color than his actual haircum.

Maybe if I brought oh, this is a little like, oh.

My god, that is terrifying. You look talk about like fourth grade school picture. Wow. Oh my god, that's wow. I don't know, I got no words.

By way, Jordan Hicks is a pitcher for the Cubs. I kept saying, I don't know why I kept saying that you'd be wis Jordan Wicks, And I just say that I'm I'm done. I'm done, Bye bye, turn out the camera, Welsh, who's on first?

I don't know a third base.

Matt McClain three down underwent shoulder surgery to address the cartilage damage repair the laborum. When do we see Matt McLain again, Welsh.

As I was saying before, I think the earliest is. I mean, they said like it's at least a two months, so there's through May June. I'll take a guess after the All Star break. I don't think they're going to push him. I don't think they're going to need to push him. I think that's probably the play something after the All Star break, which has made him not rosterable. Really, unless you got IELs, I'd be down to pick him

And he would be a cuttable guy.

Like if you're holding on and then three weeks everybody's hurt, Yeah, you're absolutely gonna cut Matt McClain, so you're not having a such a dead roster space.

It's bad.

This is not a good surgery you have at the start of the season.

No, it's definitely not good. Brian wu is going to start the season on the injured list, whoo, which is unfortunate with the elbow inflammation, so that's kind of kicking the nuts there. And then Paul seawalled with the grade two left oblique streaking. So what do people do for saves in Arizona?

The Ginkle Ginkle.

I unloaded And this might be crazy, but I unloaded some fab on Ginkle across the board in multiple leagues, in multiple keeper leagues.

I did it in.

I love when you unload your Ginkle. It's one of my favorite things. What I do.

I gotta get.

I gotta go hard on the Ginkle because I think there's a possibility, it could be slight that Ginkle does not let go of this job at any point this year. I think that's a possibility. Now. Obviously Seawall seawall, but he's old. He keeps getting hurt. This injury might not be three weeks or a month, this could be two months. I think Ginkle is the guy. He's a must pick up in my eyes for save.

Mike Mayer actually very funny in the chat running the Fantasy pros account. I'm still welsh. Is just exciting. It's opening day. We at least it names there's a million things going on.

At least it had nothing to do with Kintamata. That's all that matters.

It's all God that almost got us canceled last year or so. Also another thing that's fun to do besides

Well, I mean you should always hold your breath with any picture that's been you know, rooming around with some injuries and stuff like that.

But I was buying.

I took any of the discounts I could. I got him in the ar Bogman Home League. I think of the fourth round. I got some third round late shares. This is a guy that was like number three sp and people are terrified. He was going after Paba Lopez in some cases, you know, Trek Scoop going ahead of him. So I'm not gonna worry. I'm gonna be beautiful with Kevin Gosman. Yeah, all right, I'm hopeful, but I'm a

I'm just not gonna do it. I'm trying to find some discipline. Maybe after two three months I'll have that confidence. If everything's good, we'll see. Cardinals manager Alie Marmal says that Lars Nukebar took some soft swings on the weekend, so he's moving forward with that rib fracture on the left side, so that's a good thing. So we're getting Nukebar back sooner than later. He might be floating around there and some shallow leagues too. He might have gone

I don't know none that stands out.

I mean, the Nupar one's actually a pretty interesting one because the newpar one could have an effect on Victor Scott. Everybody is very excited about Victor Scott, as we should be. He could be running wild, he could lead the league in stolen bases. Have given the opportunity. But when Nupar comes back, what is that going to do? Are they going to start getting finicky with the line. He's not really a center fielder, so it might not affect him. But then you have Edmund coming back, so that's a

Got a handful of these, will these guys end up closing?

Yeah, because Toronto's Jimmy Garcia who likely could be closing, so we have to watch is he going to be the guy in Milwaukee?

Is going to be payoffs?

So the injuries I'm actually most concerned about have to do with the closing market and the guys that are going to fill in. And I've been betting on Jimmy Griffin Jacks And as much as Payomps might be the guy in Milwaukee, I'm your Rebay. That's someone I've been picking up. But then watch McGill's gonna take it. So there you go, all the closers.

You know, this is exactly why you know, when we do all those mock drafts in the off season, you see me fade closer all the time. I mean most of the time. You see me fade it and fade it fat Why because we're here an opening day and already there's all these new names that are coming up, and this is just day one. It's literally day one.

I'm sorry, I think you need one. You need one, though I know you don't. That's fine. I need I need one. I did it last in my DC last night. I took I don't remember.

What you last night. I loaded my GK.

I tried last night. I got. I got Alexis DS. That's what I got. I got Alexis DS.

And then I waited and then I played the speculation market. But sometimes I don't know, that can hurt you a little bit, Like Mason Miller is a great When someone just posted in here, I think it's key. And this is how I want to go into the season, having at least one guarantee closer and then.

Speculate to your heart explodes.

Get all the guys that you want, Get the ginkles, get the Michael Kopex get all those guys get the Wilson once.

It was not pretty. It was some really good lines here, Mel Brown, Joe looks like an American gladiator. Fred Dinger a good friend, Fred Welsh, the Hammer Valentine also some good stuff. You got questions to drop them here, We'll try to answer them for you. A Lance asks a question India or Jeremy Pania. I go India hit at

I go India too. I mean, I'm not a Painia guy.

Penia is just like the bad version of Carlos Korea and that kind of says a lot. Maybe he'll work out, and they trusted him as a as a leadoff hitter at one point, but I would go with India. He's leading off, He's a twenty twenty guy. I think the stolen based potential is better. Maybe there's a little bit more power with Paania better offense, sure, but I'll take the lead off India over Penia.

Some guys coming up over and over in the chat, Mason Miller, Michael Kopek, who has more saves this year of the area like that? How's that for some fun?

These are two of the worst teams in baseball.

Yeah, I think Kopek might have that opportunity. I was trying to draft him ember I got sniped on him last night. It really hurts the only problem with the White Sox is they've got a bunch of just garbage relievers that are kind of the same, and everyone's like, you know, is it Brebia, is it Jordan Leisure? The A's have one clear guy, but I don't trust the A's. I don't trust the A's with Mason Miller. Mason Miller has the stuff to be a top ten closer in

I would I would he not go to go He's not gonna go three days in a row back to back, maybe, but never that third day in a row.

They're gonna not gonna have three days of winning in a row opportunities and there's no chance, So I would I would prioritize Miller if he were available. If you guys are playing ten team leagues or something like that, or someone cuts him. That's actually a better key point here is the A's are so bad, they could give and switch opportunities. If Mason Milly doesn't have a lot, people could cut him early. Yes, I would pick him up.

He was hitting triple digits.

The team still wants to push this guy, and there's no reason unless you have You lack confidence in Kopec being able to shut down a game that you're gonna have John Brebia or Jordan Leisure closing out and pre Lander Baroa is hurt. So I would pick up Copek if given the opportunity one.

More India or Gorman, let's call it rest of season.

I'd still go. I think Gorman can hit thirty this year.

Okay, there's close.

It's a lot closer.

It is pretty close. We'll be doing our home run calls of the day. And remember, if you want to make your home run calls and be involved in the contest this year, go to fantasypros dot com slash chat. It's free, it's amazing, Join our discord, make your home run call and you can win fabulous prizes, monthly prizes, annual prizes. Wellsh do we have the official prize ready

That's what we do. We do have an official prize.

It looks like it was announced that it is going to be an autograph Vladimir Guerrero Junior bats That's what looks like the prize and I would take that.

Yes, sir as well. Also member kids, this is not just fantasy, not just MLB, it's a little bit more. It's also a little bit of betting. So without further ado, let's get to it. Our best bets of the day

Well, I'm gonna give one caveat.

My top two prop bets of the day were Pablo Lopez Entrigu scouble, so I'm gonna just at least give you one. I really love the Pabo Lopez when last year struck out eight even in some walks on opening day last year, these one of the big strikeout guys.

We talked about it.

If you guys haven't seen the video, go back and check out Craig mish with just setting.

Very high on Schooble. Maybe my dark horse, say young candidate.

Well that's what he said, because I you know, you like Luis Castillo, and who's pitching today. I really like George Kirby. He was saying, trek Scuble look out as the dark horse, say young award winner. So what better way than to come out slang in against Kansas City Royals who liked to strike out. They had believe it was eight strikeouts through the first five of their order on opening day last year and you've got young guy.

I was just kind of digging around.

Gabria Moreno total bases one and a half plus one thirty, So that's a plus money bet that I'm gonna jump. And and by the way, I said royals, but that was that was Pablo Lopez going up against a rose, which is another reason. Wick Also, yeah, I know I'm having I'm having a day with that. It's the wig that's getting to me. But that is a good reason for to follow Pablo Lopez. In general, Tiger's got the White Sox.

Of those lie.

But Detroit first five up a run, Pablopez five and a half strikeouts, Gabria Moreno total bases one and a half over plus on debt three six five. I'm gonna be there and I'm gonna be jumping up and down for Gabby.

Let's go parlay of the day in case you want to play it. Detroit minus one and a half at minus one o six, Cleveland minus one and a half at plus one to eight, Baltimore minus one and a half plus one eighteen. All have their elite guys on the mound against weaker opponents. You put these three things together, you get plus seven eighty one. Throw a unit on that, and that, my friends, is your opening day of betting thanks to us here at leading off, and of course

Man?

I hate that bat Alex Bregman. I hate him.

I'm gonna go over to the Los Angeles Dodgers. I know Bogman's gonna be disappointed, and I'm gonna be picking on Miles Michaelis, who gave up twenty six homers last year, and I'm gonna go with leadoff hitter Mookie Bets to start it off. I will tell you my heart of hearts really wanted to pick O'Neal Cruz. I don't love that he's going up against a lefty, so that's why

We've also got some fun and exciting new things this year. So besides Leading Off live every day twelve thirty Monday through Friday, we will be here. Besides that fun, which is super fun, We've also got the Waiver Wire videos every week. We've got the Bicell videos every single week too. The trade video is coming out. We're gonna have our social shorts everywhere. Follow us on social media on x

Yeah, no, I'm going to beg in downtown Phoenix. There's some sports books.

I'm gonna be hanging.

I'm gonna be live watching Opening Day because the last game I was at was the Diamondbacks losing the World Series. I'm also, by the way, you can follow me on Twitter at is it the Welsh probably tweeting out some stuff.

Should be a fun time.

What am I looking forward to besides confusing all of the pitchers and stuff. It is the matchup. The matchup of matchup is the Pablo Lopez matchup today. Cole Reagan's Pablo Lopez fuenomenal, that is.

I mean, you want to talk about two buzzy pitchers.

All season long, it was Cole Reagan's flying up. Pablo Lopez was going into you know, sometimes sp four. There's a lot of great things, Oneo Cruz, the hype Elie de la Cruz stealing bases my Diamondbacks. But you want to talk about matchups Pablo Lopez, Cole Reagan's that one.

I am that it's a good one.

Grouper super stoked about that is a good one. Actually, I'm gonna go the other direction. Usually as a Mets fan, I joke before, well they can't lose today, but typically they always win opening Day. So in a way, you know, I didn't get the opening day win today. That a good story, and usually it's the other direction the rest of the season. So I didn't quite get that. But I want to remind everybody if you like your baseball here and again, we're three ninety two live. Let's get

More excited for baseball. May excited for y'all baseball, good baseball.

By the way, this thing came with like six piercings. My earloads are so thick.

No, no, don't show. Oh yeah, well you.

Didn't want to see where I didn't, I did not want It's near the ginkle.

But on that note, everybody again, thank you for joining us live here, Join us live every single Monday through Friday, twelve third Eastern on the channel. Subscribe ring the bell to lickos ding for notifications. Stop putting those things in your nose. Welsh, and again, welcome back, everybody. Baseball's here. Baseball's back. We're back. It's Opening Day. Enjoy the fistivities. We'll be back again tomorrow to recap and most importantly,

Kids.

It's happy opening Day. Let's go