Episode 010: Fantasy Baseball with Seth Klein
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Episode 010: Fantasy Baseball with Seth Klein

Fantasy Baseball, Podcast

Episode 010: Fantasy Baseball with Seth Klein

Episode 010: The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Fantasy Baseball Edition for the week of July 7th

Featuring Seth Klein (@SethDaSportsMan)

Seth Klein of FakePigskin.com and Razzball.com

About My Guest: Seth has been playing fantasy sports for over 17 years. He is the Editor-In-Chief of FakePigskin.com and also covers Fantasy Baseball, Football, and Basketball at Razzball.com. You can find his rankings on FantasyPros.com. He has been featured on many podcasts and radio show including the Dear Mr. fantasy Podcast and The Fantasy Black Book on Sirius XM. He is currently featured in the 2014 Fantasy Football Preview issue of Lindy’s Sports Magazine. You can purchase the FakePigskin.com 2014 Fantasy Football Draft Guide by going HERE. Episode Summary: Seth and I talk about the week that was and the upcoming week of fantasy baseball as well as answer some listeners’ questions in The Coach’s Office. Episode Breakdown:

Intro-Here I somehow forget the spelling of Seth’s Twitter handle as I see Ryan Braun get injured on my computer. It gets better, I swear.
Get to know our guest Seth Klein a little.
News and Notes. Fantasy analysis and reaction to these topics: Big A’s and Cubs Trade. Brandon Belt returns from the DL for the Giants. Corey Hart comes off the DL for the Mariners. Nolan Arenado came back Thursday for the Rockies. Joey Votto looks hobbled and isn’t hitting for any power. Chris Davis’s Batting Average almost dips below .200. David Wright was supposed to return on Friday, but wasn’t able to. Joe Smith has a decent week as the Angels closer. Hanley Ramirez finally returns to the Dodgers lineup. Solarte gets sent to the minors and Zelous Wheeler gets called up. Kike Hernandez and Domingo Santana get the call for the Astros. Oscar Taveras returns to the Cards from the Minors. Xander Bogaerts struggling offensively since the move to 3B.
2 Start Starting Pitcher Streaming Options
The Coach’s Office: Q1) Is Chris Davis a buy low or should I look elsewhere for upside? Q2) Do we think Jason Grilli gets a shot to close? 16 Team 5 x 5 Roto. Q3) What’s your thoughts on cock blocking trades? A listener feels like one guy in his league only gets involved in trades when he’s almost sealed a deal.
Outro

You can Download this episode as well as the previous three on Itunes and Stitcher Radio.

Thanks For Episode 010: I want to thank Seth Klein (@SethDaSportsMan) for taking the time on a Saturday to come on the podcast and talk some Fantasy Baseball. I look forward to having him on again real soon. I would also like to thank C-Quel for providing the intro music as well as the outro beat. You can Find all of C-Quel’s current music available here.

Fantasy Baseball: Jeff Samardzija Trade Reaction

Fantasy Baseball: Reaction to A’s and Cubs trade

Samardzija will now be slinging in Oakland.

The A’s were picked by many to be the team to watch this year in the American League. They have looked really good in the early going of the 2014 season as they lead the league in runs scored and lead the AL West by 3.5 games over the Angels. Even with all of that there were some concerns that the A’s may need to address their starting pitching as well as shore up their offense at some point before the trade deadline. Enter Friday night’s trade between the A’s and the Chicago Cubs.

What the trade actually is:

Exact deal: Russell, McKinney and Straily to #Cubs for Samardzija, Hammel.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 5, 2014

Let’s look at the A’s side first. The A’s were getting dangerously close to burning out their bullpen and really needed to look for starting pitching that could get deep into games. Enter Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija who have been work horses in that department for the Chicago Cubs. Peter Gammons said it best on Twitter yesterday.

in 34 starts, Samadzija/Hammel failed to get Cubs to 6th once, to 7th 8 times. Welcome to Oakland

— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) July 5, 2014

The A’s bullpen has been their strength so far this season even with Jim Johnson failing miserably in the closer’s role earlier this season. Sean Doolittle was unhittable up until just recently and that may have bee due to his usage. They all could use a bit of break and the new additions should be able to help.

Jeff Samardzija’s Season Stats: W-L 2-7, 2.83 ERA, 1.204 WHIP, K/9 8.6, BB/9 2.6, FIP 3.06

Jeff Samardzija is exactly what the A’s wanted if they were going to give up a potential future star in Addison Russell. The A’s get a starting pitcher in their prime who has the ability to miss bats as well as go deep into games. Samardzija is having his best season statistically in the major leagues. His walks are down and so are his home runs allowed. Samardzija’s win loss record of course can be thrown out the window when speaking about him. They also get control of a top of the rotation starting pitcher in their prime for two years. They can ride him to a title this year and flip him next year for picks, or they can let him be their workhorse for the next two seasons and then make him a qualifying offer and let him walk while getting back a compensation pick.

Jason Hammel’s Season Stats: W-L 8-5, 2.98 ERA, 1.021 WHIP, K/9 8.6, BB/9 1.9, FIP 3.16

Jason Hammel was going to be traded one way or another this season and the A’s did the right thing in getting him as a true rental for the rest of 2014. Hammel is also having his best statistical season and has been incredibly efficient at getting deep into games. It was only a year ago that Hammel was the opening day starter for the Baltimore Orioles so you know he has talent. The big thing this year is he’s gotten away from a terrible ballpark for pitchers in Baltimore and limited his walks in Chicago. His fast ball command has been spot on all season and he shouldn’t take too much of a knock moving to the American League. I think his ERA will rise a bit, but as long as he keeps his walks down he should have no problem staying fantasy relevant.

What the Chicago Cubs Get:

Addison Russell is looked at by many as a future star in major league baseball. He has power and speed and can hit for average while fielding the all important position of short stop at an elite level. Russell was looked at as a fast riser this year after having an excellent season at High A last year, but suffered a tear to his hamstring entering the season. He just recently got back and immediately showed that his hamstring is healthy by stealing 3 bases in the first ten games back. Some may look at this deal and ask why the Cubs dealt for another top short stop prospect after they already have Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara stashed away in the minor leagues. The reason is because Russell is an elite asset that the Cubs coveted. Not only do the Cubs covet him, but almost every organization in baseball wanted him. The Cubs will find a way to get all of these young players to the major leagues and if not they will spin them off for talent. Link to Cubs’ Best Prospects Page Here.

Dan Straily struggled this year at the major league level after the A’s had penciled him in to be their 3rd or 4th starter to open the season. He was giving up way too many home runs and walking too many batters. He hasn’t fared much better since being demoted to Sacramento. He’s walking too many batters and giving up 1.3 home runs per 9 innings. The Cubs needed a major league ready arm in return for 2/5ths of their starting rotation and Straily has upside as a starting pitcher that is able to miss bats. The Cubs got lucky when they traded Feldman last season for the up and down Jake Arrietta and maybe they can resurrect Straily’s career the same way. He’s still young and is on the radar in fantasy leagues as a source of K’s.

Billy McKinney is an outfielder that is a bit further off from becoming a top major league prospect. He’s a left handed hitter that played well last year in his first taste of pro ball, but has struggled a little this season at High A Stockton. I liked him during the draft in 2013 because he has a really pretty swing. I’m not sure how he fits into the Cubs future plans, but he could very well be in the majors in a few years as an outfielder with a plus bat and some speed.

The Old Player To Be Named Later: So it looks like the Cubs also get a prospect that is yet to be named. I expect the Cubs to pick an upside arm from the lower levels of the A’s minor leagues as they could use some future bullpen arms.

In short I think this deal works best for the A’s when compared to the potential deal that had been rumored for a while between the A’s and the Rays. Two years of Samardzija is better than one year of David Price, especially when you factor in the addition of Jason Hammel. Samardzija and Hammel landing in Oakland is as good as it gets for two National League pitchers that were traded to the American League in the middle of the season. As for Addison Russell he goes from a situation that looked like he had a clear path to the major leagues as early as next season to a minor league system that’s loaded and he will have to fight his way to the Major Leagues.

Fantasy Baseball: Waiver and Watch out List

Some of the hot names available on the Waiver Wire in a league near you:

Drew Pomeranz (Oakland A’s-SP) Pomeranz is the beneficiary of the Dan Straily demotion to Sacremento. While Straily was a nice target late in drafts for his strikeout upside his tendency to give up the untimely home run finally caught up to him. Keep an eye on Straily’s progress in Triple A as he could be called up before to long with Tommy Milone not lighting it up in the rotation. Now onto Pomeranz. Pomeranz was top prospect that just couldn’t break through to the big club in Cleveland and was eventually shipped to the Colorado Rockies in the Ubaldo Jimenez deal. Pomeranz struggled in Colorado and eventually the Rockies decided to eat their losses and let Pomeranz go for the price of Brett Anderson from the Oakland A’s. Pomeranz has been reinvigorated by the change of scenery and has been pitching well out of the A’s bullpen before getting a chance to blank the Mariners for 5 innings in a spot start during a double header last week. Pomeranz was a top 30 prospect before fizzling out in Colorado and could be a nice addition to your fantasy baseball rotation, especially in deep leagues, where injuries around the Major Leagues have fantasy managers scrambling. I have tried to grab him in most formats where my league size is 12 and up. I’m hoping we have another Jesse Chavez on our hands, but I’ll settle for what we expected from Straily.
Cody Allen (Cleveland Indians-RP) Allen was the first name at the top of the list as managers were scrambling to replace John Axford in their fantasy bullpens. Well it seems Terry Francona isn’t looking for a long term replacement at closer and wants Axford to work his way back into the role. I was high on Axford as a late round sleeper closer in the build up to fantasy drafts, but in the back of my head I had trouble getting over the fact that he couldn’t take the job back from Jim Henderson in Milwaukee last season. Whether it’s trouble with his pitching mechanics or he’s tipping his pitches again, I really don’t know if he CAN get the job back if one of the other Cleveland relievers run away with it. The problem is it’s going to be closer by committee in Cleveland for the time being and Allen isn’t the only one to lay claim to the closer’s role. Bryan Shaw has been lights out as well this year and picked up a save in that role on Sunday in 9 pitches. If I’m an Axford owner I’m hanging onto Axford and picking up either Allen or Shaw in the short term. Personally in very deep leagues I snuck in sneaky cheap bids on Shaw and hope that he can run away with it. If he doesn’t I’m sure one of the million players currently clogging up my DL will take the spot come June 1st.
Rafael Montero (New York Mets-SP) Montero was always going to be the first of the Mets triple A prospects to get a shot in the rotation because of arbitration entanglements, but Noah Syndergaard struggled to start the season and Montero has kept up his strikeout stuff in the mean time. Jenrry Mejia could be headed to the bullpen to make room for Montero in the Mets rotation and it could be a boon for your fantasy team. Montero has a lot of the things I’m looking for when I need a prospect to save my fantasy rotation. He is called up to a pitcher’s park and has a better than 9 K per 9 Innings ratio. The Mets defense is the only drawback for me liking more, but I see Montero as a must grab in any league larger than 12 and of course for NL only leagues.
Chase Headley (San Diego padres-3B) headley struggled out of the gate this year just like most of the Padres offensive players and then was forced to the disabled list with a strained calf. A ton of fantasy GMs jumped ship when Headley hit the DL as they saw that as the last straw. Personally I am grabbing Headley where I can because he has all the ingredients to pay off. He’s in a contract year, he is way off his career number (even if those are inflated by an outlier season) and he also holds that special value as the one that got away. There is nothing like picking up someone’s cast off and having him light it up when he plays for your team. I have seen it time and time again where the amateur fantasy owner can’t get over the fact that his castoff is lighting it up for someone else and ends up making a lopsided trade to get that player back on their squad.

Watch out! These players could be playing themselves into a DL or minor league stint:

Mike Moustakas (Kansas City Royals-3B) The struggles just won’t stop for this immensely talented pain in my butt. In all seriousness I will gladly admit that I drank from the Moustakas has finally found it fountain this Spring Training and I was once again wrong.
Chris Archer (Tampa Bay Rays-SP) Archer has struggled for a few outings now and his control is what worries me. If it was just getting hit he clould make some adjustments, but his command has really become an issue. In 10 league teams I would consider dropping him for a more solid option.
Clay Buchholtz (Boston Red Sox-SP) Buchholtz has not looked like himself since spring training. He is giving up hits in bunches and missing less and less bats as he struggles to get outs. I actually uttered the words He’s Dead To Me on the Fantasy Black Book Show on Sirius XM this weekend and I think I should clarify that a little bit. I’m holding on to him in the hopes that they put him on the DL to correct whatever the issue is that is going on with a guy that I thought could be a nice late round gamble.
Dan Uggla (Atlanta Braves-2B) Uggla is going to be DFA before the year is through. This was inevitable, but the Braves haven’t decided who is going to be the one to get the first shot as a full time replacement. Tommmy La Stella could be coming up from the minors when he’s ready and could help teams in larger leagues that need some BA help and maybe even runs if he gets to hit in front of Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton. Ramiro Pena is better a s a bench bat and glove and using him full time at 2B would hurt the Braves more than it would help. Stear clear for now.

Situations to monitor:

Alex Fernandez is scheduled for an MRI in Los Angeles and just typing this has me shaking a little as I am not diversified enough when it comes to shares of Fernandez.
Alex Wood will be heading to the bullpen in Atlanta as Gavin Floyd will get a chance to stick in the rotation. I am keeping Wood on my bench everywhere I have him because he will eventually be back in the rotation and has proved that he’s a fantasy asset as a starter. The Braves can limit his innings by putting him in the bullpen now and continue to ride the resurgence of Aaron Harang. (while it lasts…….)

Funny Side note:

Carlos Carrasco (5.81 ERA) beat out both Aaron Harang (2.98 ERA) and Josh Tomlin(2.13 ERA) for the fifth starter job in Cleveland and this is just another example of Cleveland having absolutely no luck….