Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:07 And welcome back for another addition of the fantasy alarm fantasy baseball podcast. I am your host Colby Conway at Colby, R Conway on Twitter. And with me back in the saddle this week, rested recovered, he's got the voice back is Matt sells at the sales man on Twitter. So, Matt, how are you feeling? How's everything going over there for you?
Speaker 2 00:00:27 Uh, I'm feeling pretty good feeling jazzed up. You know, we got, uh, the closing month here of the MLB season. We got some wild playoff races still going. We got a major, um, MVP race going in the, uh, Al and, uh, we get the start of football this week too. So got, uh, I am now covering four sports starting this week. Cuz we got baseball, NFL, F1, and NASCAR. So lot of stuff happening over here.
Speaker 1 00:01:00 Yeah, absolutely. I got two sports, not quite your four. I'm doing, I guess I'm doing about half the work you are. I got baseball and football. We're gonna have a ton of week one content. So whether, you know, if you play on thrive, fancy, if you play over on prize picks underdog, if you do just, you know, regular sports betting where you make laugh on fando and draftings there is going to be ample NFL content. And if you still have any drastic, like I know I have one draft, um, the night before the season starts, some people will maybe draft heading into this weekend, but make sure you check out the NFL draft guide. It is free. There's a ton of rankings, a lot of great information in there as well. So make sure you check out that. And then of course, again, you'll have all of your NFL week one content as well as all of Matt's F one and NASCAR content and is always we're in discord answering any questions that there might be so fire away if you are in there, but Matt, you already talked about some crazy playoff races and the main one we gotta talk about, uh, James Grande at the unders square real underscore Grande is obviously not here for this episode.
Speaker 1 00:01:58 And that might be for the better as there might be. I don't know what kind of word to use to describe what is happening in New York? Is it like a, a, a meteoric or I guess it could be the reverse of that, but just an absolute seismic seismic collapse in New York Yankees are struggling to say the least. If you look at their record over the last, you know, I mean you can really pick and choose when you wanna look at, but this team is struggling bad. Like I'm pulling it up here quick. And they're below 500, definitely in August, struggling in September, Andrew Ben and Tendi Trey deadline guy as a hook, a broken hook bone and the handmaid. And we all, we, you know, pick any random episode of this podcast and you'll hear us talking about quote, we don't like hand or wrist issues for hitters.
Speaker 1 00:02:46 It never ends. Well, of course it usually SAPs power and Ben attendee has like negative six of that anyway. So maybe that wouldn't be the biggest concern. Um, but Matt, we really have two big storylines with the Yankees and on our show sheet here, I, I wrote Aaron judge. Yay, New York Yankees. Nay. That's pretty much what we're talking about. Judges is chasing the team record and the Yankees are also chasing an, an absolutely historic collapse if things don't pan out here, the rest of the way. So talk to me about judge and just <laugh> the state of affairs in New York in, in general.
Speaker 2 00:03:16 Yeah. By the way, is judge having the greatest, uh, screw you contract season of all time? Cause
Speaker 1 00:03:22 I can't name one better.
Speaker 2 00:03:24 He, he, he didn't wanna sign with the Yankees long term before the season started. He said he would, you know, listen to all 30 teams in free agency. And now he's on pace to not only break the team record for home runs in the season, which is obviously Roger, Mari is 61. That's also the American league record because everybody that's broken that has all been nation league with McGuire, uh, and Sosa and bonds all in the national league. But you could also make the argument that if Aaron judge hits 62 home runs, he might be the legitimate home run king for a single season. I mean, there's no hint of steroids with him. Everybody else has broken that mark has been linked to and or tested positive for steroids. Um, so yeah, I mean that's, that's insane. The other thing that's insane is he may hit 62 home runs and not win the a L MVP.
Speaker 2 00:04:22 There's a legitimate shot that he does not win the a L MVP because of whats ha Otani is doing, because he's better this year than he was last year than he won the MVP last year. Um, so yeah, that part of it, of the Yankees is fantastic. Aaron judge is putting on an absolute show every single night, but that's where the good news stops, right? The Yankees were up mm-hmm <affirmative> 15 and a half games at one point. And James and I got on here about a month ago and said, Hey, I don't think that we both said, yeah, I don't think the Yankees are holding this division. Uh, like either Toronto or Tampa is gonna beat them. Um, and unfortunately, uh, well fortunately for everybody, who's not a Yankees fan, which is most of baseball. Um, that prophecy seems to be coming true right now.
Speaker 2 00:05:17 Um, they just don't have enough pitching. It doesn't matter what their offense can cobble together. They have zero pitching outside of Garrett Cole, which has been the problem for two years. So it's not really that shocking. They also don't have people that get on base at a very high rate. So if you're Homer or bust and you don't have pitching, how exactly are you gonna hold onto division leads? Like it's, it's not that hard to, to tell that they were in trouble a while ago. Um, I don't put this on Aaron Boone. I put this on Brian Cashman. I've been saying for two years, I think he should be fired. Um, cuz he's not done anything in 20 plus years at the helm of the Yankees.
Speaker 1 00:06:05 And it's, it'll be interesting to see what happens. We talked about it at the trade deadline. When you, you, you typically can trade from strength. You can say that where you have strengths and you have depth, you can make those trades. Yankees didn't have pitching yet. They go get Frankie motos, fine, get a pitcher. That's fine. But then you trade a pitcher who was arguably the one constant in that outside of Garrett Cole, a constant in that rotation that has been, you know, sure. He wasn't gonna compete for an Al ALCI young, but he at least was decent every time that he towed the rubber and you send him, excuse me, to St. Louis for an outfielder that who knows when you're gonna see him and right. He's great defensively that that's cool. But if
Speaker 2 00:06:49 He can run
Speaker 1 00:06:50 And play, that's the other part of this whole thing? Like when, when are we gonna see him that, that move at the deadline,
Speaker 2 00:06:58 Cost them the division.
Speaker 1 00:07:00 Yes. And that's going to cost some stalwarts in the front office. You know, you've been calling for Cashman's head for the past couple years. Yeah. If the Yankees blow this and it could have even be something where if they, if they it's crazy to think of saying a team about a month or so ago, that was 15 and a half games up in the division is going to quote, sneak into the playoffs. Cause that's what it feels like at this point, Yankees, aren't making the playoffs, they're sneaking into the playoffs. If they get there, they're kind of getting there by the skin of their teeth. If they lose that first playoff series, that could be enough for the team to let go of Cashman. Because what happened at the deadline is, is just ridiculous. And this team, you can't have someone hit 50 plus home runs potentially 60 plus home runs on your team and not make noise in you in the playoff. You just can't have it. So let me put it to you this way. I think we're gonna agree on the first part of this. We'll see, on the second part, do you think judge breaks Mari's record and the Al record. And then do you think, however, you envision the season panning out, do you see Cashman back in 2023 with the Yankees?
Speaker 2 00:08:02 So I think judge breaks the record. Agreed. I think he's hitting them at, as our colleague James Grande said to me earlier this morning, he's hitting them at the same clip that bonds did. He's just played fewer games than bonds did. Um, so I think there's enough time. Look, there's almost a whole month left to the season. I think there's enough time for judge to break that record. He only needs what eight more. Um, so yes. And then the second part of that is, I don't know that Cashman will be fired. I really desperately hope that he is. Um, because I think his argument is, well, I've still beefed up the farm system. Um, but if you go, well, he is been GM since like 95. So he's got several world series. Well, no, not really. Cuz the first three don't really count under him because he didn't build those rosters. Those weren't his teams. Those were the previous GM's teams. So if you say that, well he's lost the 2001 world series, he lost the 2003 world series. He won in 2009. Right? Like that's not really, meanwhile Boston has won a few Tampas, made it like, you know, you're getting outpaced by your division. So yeah, I would hope that that Cashman gets fired and I desperately hope that Aaron Boone doesn't because look, he had a flawed roster up 15 and a half games.
Speaker 1 00:09:37 Yeah. And we'll have to see, and you look down the stretch for, for the Yankees. I mean, there's a good chunk of games at home, which is obviously good. We know judges prowess in his home park and then there's some other series there. Like they get a couple games against Pittsburgh. They get Milwaukee, uh, Baltimore in Texas to end the year they're winnable games. The Yankees let's say it this way. There's still a chance they can win the division. It's not like we're completely writing 'em off. They can hold on. It's just a matter of they're going to sneak in and this team, I mean, let's be honest. Sure. They've they're well over 500 at this point. But at this point they're not a fearsome ball club. Like
Speaker 2 00:10:14 No, they're definitely not getting the number one seed because it's gonna go to Houston who by the way will get Justin fur Lander back in time for the playoffs. Um, if they don't win their division, they're gonna have to go on the road to play a three game series on the road as a wildcard team. Um, which isn't great for them. So yeah, I, I would be absolutely floored if they make it out of the second, like make it to the second round of the playoffs.
Speaker 1 00:10:44 And that just goes to that point, you know, April, may and June, especially like closer to the end of June after coming off a month where they went 22 and six, you did not want to face the Yankees. That was just simply put, you did not want face them. It was like you were standing on the train tracks with the train coming. Whereas now you look 500 in July, eight games under in August and
Speaker 2 00:11:02 Early. Yeah. By the way, that was the first August they've had in 21 years, I think. Yep. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:11:09 This, this team is not this, this team is not to be feared when Garrett calls on the mound. Sure. When Aaron judge is up to bat sure. Outside of that, does this team really scare you that much? At this point with the slide they've been on? No, it shouldn't that's Hey, if you ask me, they shouldn't, we'll have to see how the rest of the year plays out, but the Yankees are in some serious, serious trouble. And again, I agree with you. If they get into the playoffs, if they win the first series, I would be surprised. I just, this team is they don't have, they don't have the horses to make a run for it. Another milestone we're watching Albert Holz, he's obviously getting close to 700 home runs, uh, looks like the Carls have about 27 games left in the regular season. And he is sitting at 695 home runs. He's about five away based on his current pace. He's gonna blow it outta the water. He's 42 years old. He's not APRI chicken out there, but the Cardinals are going to do whatever they can to get him whatever at bats are needed because they, they want him to get to 700 before seasons end. So kind of like, judge, do you expect tools to hit five more long balls in the last 27 games of the season?
Speaker 2 00:12:20 Yeah, I think so. That's one every five games or so I think that's doable. Look, he's ding at this point. So he's not playing the field. All he's gotta do is think about going up to bat 3.4 times a game or whatever it is. Um, and look, if, if people would stop robbing him of home runs, he'd have already been there. MLB network showed a montage the other night of like eight home runs that had already been jacked from him this year. Um, that would have him at 700. So I, I think he gets there. I think he may get directly on 700 and kind of be the gatekeeper for that. Um, which would be kind of cool much like isn't it Roberto Clemente. Who's the gatekeeper for the 500 home run club that 3000 hits
Speaker 1 00:13:13 Sounds. I think he does have the 3000.
Speaker 2 00:13:17 I think he's the gate, he's the gatekeeper for one of them, cuz obviously he ended the season on it and then
Speaker 1 00:13:22 It's the 3000 hits. That's where you do so,
Speaker 2 00:13:26 So Clemente's yeah, the gatekeeper for the 3000 hit club. So I think pool holes might be the gatekeeper for the 700 home run club.
Speaker 1 00:13:33 And when you look, they have 27 games, like I said, the rest of the way series against they end the year, obviously they're in Washington, but they play Washington, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee since San Diego, Dodgers Milwaukee. And then they have six games to end the year, uh, against Pittsburgh, which we talked about a little bit here. So that could be the time that he does it. If I, you know, we romanticize the, the game of baseball and the final three games against Pittsburgh are on the road. So the three games prior to that would be his three final home games in St. Louis. I think that would be the ideal time
Speaker 2 00:14:07 For him to do that. Here's my question for you Colby, cuz you're a pirates. If he's sitting at 6 99 going into that home stand or going into the, the Pirate's home stand, you know, the last three games of the, the season against the Cardinals, do the Cardinals or do the pirates avoid pitching to pool holes so they don't have to give up the momentous home run.
Speaker 1 00:14:30 I would hope not.
Speaker 2 00:14:32 I would too. I would, that'd be, that'd be really nothing to fight for. Let's just let history happen. But
Speaker 1 00:14:38 Yeah. Uh, and a guy is decorated and as Harold did, as pool has been for what seems like 30 years now in the league and this little comeback that he's had now, especially in this season, I, I would hope not. I personally hope if he's gonna do it against Pittsburgh, do it at home, do it in your park where you played the majority of your career or a good chunk of it at your prime, do it in St. Louis. Don't do it in Pittsburgh. You know,
Speaker 2 00:15:02 I would, I would agree, but we have seen guys bunch during no hitters when their team is down seven, nothing true. So, you know,
Speaker 1 00:15:10 It's and you know, the other thing too is I'm sure if you're, again, you know, baseball's a business, we talk about it, but if you're a Pittsburgh, you can probably up those ticket prices from like six or seven bucks to like 12 or $13 when the pool is there going for 700. So you know, something to something to think about there, but I
Speaker 2 00:15:28 Think those outfield or will be sold out for that series.
Speaker 1 00:15:33 And they'll probably be for a milestone watch, probably the cheapest milestone tickets that you'll be able.
Speaker 2 00:15:38 And please, dear God, somebody keep Zach Hemple out of the damn stadium.
Speaker 1 00:15:42 Yes. Keep that guy out of there. I wanna talk to you a little bit about, uh, Lance line. I wrote him up in the daily Roundup. So today, but it's uh, Tuesday. So in the Roundup I talked about Lancelin and I said Lancelin is back. And actually I said, he's all the way back. Now, the only thing is I equate it to, uh, back when David Johnson's first year in Houston, I say, you know, David, Johnson's a guy that you wanna draft. And by the time he actually started performing your team was probably out of the thick of things. And it didn't matter at that point anyway, when he was giving you the 20 and 30 point games down the stretch, but Lancelin started the year late, came back, sucked 5.8, eight era through his first 11, start to the season. But now over his last five addings we're talking about a 1.4, two under on average and 11.3 K per nine.
Speaker 1 00:16:30 And in each of these five starts, he's gone at least five innings has six or more strikeouts while allowing two or fewer earned runs. I'm looking at his pitch, his pitch mix by game this season. Um, and the cutter is slowly decreased and he's starting to use that curve ball a little bit more again for a veteran to kind of look at just a one year in terms of pitch mix is a little cheating to kind of prove my point. You know, I'm cheating it a little bit there, but he is back. The only problem is those who drafted Lance Lynn may not be playing for anything right now just given how bad he was when he did finally come back after a lengthy stint on the aisle to start the year. Um, it's encouraging none the less, but talk to me a little bit about Lance Lynn and you have to agree if someone is in their fantasy baseball playoffs and they made it <laugh> if they made it with Lance Lynn, they're finally getting handsomely rewarded now.
Speaker 2 00:17:22 Yeah. Um, if you made it to your playoffs in spite of Lance Lynn's struggles, then he may be pitching well enough to win you a league, which is crazy to think about, right. Um, as for the white Sox, I guess it couldn't have come at a better time cuz they're struggling yet again under the confusing managerialship of, uh, Tony LA Russa who continues to make confounding decisions. Um, and by the way, though, this isn't related how in the world do you not walk? Uh, Luis arise the other night in ceases, no hip bid, like how does that not happen? It wasn't a perfecto bid. It was a no hip bid. So why not walk the Al leader in batting average to go get to a guy who's hitting like, oh 85 doesn't make any. So I dunno if he get, if, if Lansing can pitch well, in spite of Tony LA Russa, then, then congrats to you and making the fantasy baseball playoffs, uh, cuz he will help you. I think you, I think your assessment is correct. I think he has figured out his pitch mix and how to, you know, use them this season. So yeah, I, I don't see any signs of him slowing down and look usually September they face a lot of divisional opponents and that division is terrible. Generally speaking offensively, except for maybe the twins. Um, so yeah, I, I think he's perfectly fine the rest of the way.
Speaker 1 00:18:58 And I, you kind of hit the nail in the head while some of these aren't necessarily divisional opponents. When you look at the white Sox schedule, the rest of the way they have obviously the current series of Seattle, then they got Oakland, Colorado, Cleveland, Detroit, Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, San Diego, Minnesota. He's gonna get, you know, looking at that Oakland, Colorado, Cleveland, Detroit, Cleveland, Detroit mix, he's gonna get three-ish starts in there. And those are all offenses. You can easily target. He's gonna continue. This. Detroit
Speaker 2 00:19:28 Is leading the majors in strikeout rate.
Speaker 1 00:19:31 Well they're leading in a lot of stuff that isn't good for
Speaker 2 00:19:34 An offense. Yeah. And San Diego's often struggling so bad that they booed Juan Soto at home the other night. Oh
Speaker 1 00:19:41 Man. How the mighty have fallen.
Speaker 2 00:19:43 He's hitting 1 35 right now after the trade,
Speaker 1 00:19:46 Just miss he Mrs. Washington
Speaker 2 00:19:48 Too much keen on base percentage
Speaker 1 00:19:50 Misses. He Mrs. Washington too much. I actually talked about it. Hopefully, hopefully this ends up aging. Well, but uh, in the underdog plays of the day for Tuesday, September 6th, I actually went at the San Diego lineup with Meryl Kelly in terms of his strikeout. So that's gonna be something we see there, but in DFS for the next couple of weeks, whenever Lance Lynn pitches, I know his price has to get to the point where it's gonna be tough to play him, but I mean, good grief against Oakland or Detroit saddle up, cuz he has been pitching well, Matt, we got you back this week. So we have to do a little bit of prospect talk. So last week, uh, when you were resting that that voice of yours, we talked about Corbin Carol in the Arizona outfield, obviously in elite elite prospect. And that might be not quite doing him enough justice.
Speaker 1 00:20:34 There's been some growing pain. He's only a handful of games in and it's really nothing that we haven't seen from any talented prospect that comes up batting average is a bit down compared to the minor. Strikeouts are a bit up. They're not walking as much. They want to make an impression. They know, they know that the franchise is tied to them to a certain extent. So they might press a little bit. So talking to me about Corbin Carol here, and you can mention a little bit about what he's done currently, which hasn't been much admittedly, but this shouldn't taint his long term profiles. He figures to be an elite fantasy asset for years to come.
Speaker 2 00:21:07 Yeah. Um, in my latest update of my top 300, he is the number one overall prospect in my top 300, uh, guy has ridiculous speed. He's also got some pretty intriguing pop that comes with that and a very good hit tool. So that makes very, very appetizing outfielder, um, you know, for, for fantasy purposes. And man, if Christian Robinson ever gets things straightened up with his visa, the diamond backs could have a very, very good outfield trio if Christian Robinson, Alec Thomas and Corbin Carroll, and that's no dismissing Dalton VA show who's already there and pretty good. Um, but yeah, Corbin Carroll is gonna be a stud for, for a while. Um, I'm not sure like if you pick him up now for fantasy playoffs, you're just banking that he can get on base enough to use his speed, um, or maybe sneak some extra runs cuz he's so dang fast. Um, for example, he hit a chopper the other day in between the pitcher and first base and wound up making it to third base cuz the pitcher had to rush the throw over through the first baseman and he wound up Corbin Carol wound up at third base cuz he's fast is all get out. So that's the kind speed. Um, we we're talking about like Trey Turner type speed, if not a little quicker. So he is a very interesting guy to, uh, have in fantasy going forward.
Speaker 1 00:22:37 We saw two pitchers make their debuts on Monday in hunter brown and Ryan Nelson, hunter brown is going to, uh, if you saw the pitching ninja tweet, uh, he looks just like Justin Burland in terms of delivery, you know, just in terms of delivery, um,
Speaker 2 00:22:51 He's not as tall,
Speaker 1 00:22:52 Correct? Yes. Has got the, the, the delivery spitting image of the two and we'll have to see does, you know, maybe you can, maybe you can speak to this will brown remain in the rotation upon ver Landers return or they use them as a, just a strikeout heavy reliever cuz the strikeout numbers have been there for him and the minors. And then Ryan Nelson looked very good for, uh, Arizona and his debut despite having a pretty horrific era in the minor. So to me, brown is more intriguing, but that might be just cherry picking off the Houston pedigree and just kind of what I saw in that first start. But um, talking about hunter brown and Ryan Nelson.
Speaker 2 00:23:26 Yeah, no, I would agree. I would, I have hunter brown as a number two starter going like long term. Um, not necessarily this year, I think, um, until Orlando's back, I think hunter brown remains in the rotation and then once the, um, playoffs start, I think you see him be kind of a multi inning relief guide just to get his feet wet in the post season. And you know, they've, they've got some guys that are pitching really well in that rotation right now and it'd be pretty unfair for a untested rookie to unseat them. Um, you know guys like ER Valdez and Orke and um, those folks and Garcia have all been great so far. So I don't see him cracking the rotation in the playoffs. I think you're correct with a high strikeout reliever type guy, um, for the, for the post season. And then next year he slots in probably is the number three or number four and works his way up into that.
Speaker 2 00:24:29 Number two spot in the Houston rotation, Ryan Nelson has some absolutely filthy stuff. Um, can't take era terribly seriously in the minors cuz you don't know what the defense is. Also. Reno tends to be a massive, uh, offensive park for their triple a affiliate. So it's really hard to judge, um, what pitchers are actually controlling in that environment other than strikeouts and walks, which he seems to have down. Uh, he's got some absolutely filthy stuff. I think the Diamondbacks are just like, Hey, let's get all these young guys up now. Um, their service time won't count at this point. So let's see what they've got and we can start kind of piecing together what we're gonna have for next year. Um, he will be in the rotation next year. I would assume they have another guy who will be coming up next year as well. Who kind of has to, uh, figure out a little bit of control issues. But Ryan Nelson and hunter brown are two very impressive pitchers. I would say the upside is more on hunter brown in terms of number two starter. I think Ryan Nelson more of a number three guy with a little higher strikeout than you would see for number three starter, but that's where they shake out.
Speaker 1 00:25:41 And then Baltimore obviously has a be of prospects that yes we've been waiting for. You know, first it was a, Rushman finally got to see him. We thought it was gonna be gray and Rodriguez haven't quite seen him yet, but we have, well,
Speaker 2 00:25:54 He got injured,
Speaker 1 00:25:54 So correct, but we have seen gunner Henderson and again, smaller sample size. So it's tough to take his three 11 expected batting average, like two carry it with too much weight as he's only played about a week's worth of games. But in that week we've seen him do, I mean, what he's been advertised to be, you know, one Homer, one steel, uh, 2 96 batting average, again, strike out maybe a little bit higher compared to when he went and see like what he did at double a and the walk rate is down, but again, just put the bats of the ball right now that walk rate will settle in as he gets more accustomed, the big league pitching. But to me, gunner Henderson has been, everything is advertised and a little bit more and you know, talk to me long term, obviously a solid fantasy asset, but those that have him the rest of the way, um, how much of an impact can he make for the fantasy baseball post season?
Speaker 2 00:26:41 Yeah. So in my latest top 300, I said Corey Carroll was number one, gunner. Henderson is number two in that list. Um,
Speaker 1 00:26:48 How, how close is that gap outta curiosity's
Speaker 2 00:26:52 Pretty it's, it's pretty close. I mean, let's put it this way. There are a few different, um, prospect ranking folks that if gunner Henderson has an eligibility, rookie eligibility left for next year could be the number one prospect. And then it would be the first time in a very long time maybe ever. I can't remember that the Orio that a team would have two different prospects, be the number one prospect in baseball in back to back years because Adley Ruman was number one last year and there's a shot that gunner Henderson could be for next year. Um, so yeah, he's very good. I comped him to the next coming of Manny Machado in Baltimore. Um, a guy who plays shortstop third base has power, has speed, has a hit tool plays pretty good defense. He's basically the next coming of Manny Machado, but perhaps a SCO that are in the speed department.
Speaker 1 00:27:57 Those are big shoes to fill you're putting on the poor guy.
Speaker 2 00:27:59 Yeah. He's also a he's I believe he's lefty if I'm not mistaken. Yes. Um, so you got a lefty. Matata is a righty that actually helps Henderson because right field didn't get changed in Camden yards and left field did. So that kind of helps Henderson a little bit, but yes, I think, I think he can easily be a 25, 25 bat with a two 90 plus batting average.
Speaker 1 00:28:30 Baltimore would certainly love that. And I mean their, their trajectory is just the era was pointing up cuz of all this young talent, they put it together a little bit. This season that young talent is still there and we haven't even seen the one that we've probably been excited for a while in terms of grace and Rodriguez, cuz of that I believe was a shoulder issue that slowed down his campaign. Cause I'm I, again, I have no insider information. I do not know, but it seemed like that call was close. But prior to that shoulder injury, it seemed very close.
Speaker 2 00:28:57 Yeah. I think if he had had one more healthy start, he would've been called up. Um, so, and just, just for clarification in my latest top 300, I have uh, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Orioles in the top 45 prospects. That's Grayson Rodriguez, Jackson holiday, Colton cower, DL hall and Kobe Mayo.
Speaker 1 00:29:21 The tides could be turning in the American league east it's no, they might no longer be
Speaker 2 00:29:25 Westburg or STS or uh, Heston, Kirks, DOD. All of those guys are a little further away, but yes.
Speaker 1 00:29:35 Yep. It's we're we're looking at the time. That seems so unfathomable of Baltimore running the American league east could be here sooner than we know it. Yes. There, there is so much young talent there. And we've talked about a couple of the prospects here on Baltimore, but also in terms of Nelson brown, Carol. So Matt, let me ask you this, who is the next, it might not be the next prospect that comes up here before season's end, but who's the next impact prospect that comes up that fancy baseball managers need to know.
Speaker 2 00:30:05 So look, it's a little tricky now to determine who's going to be called up because keep in mind that the September rosters are now only 28 guys instead of 40. So it's not like a free for all, um, that we normally see. Um, but there are some, there are some guys that, that might make the run. I mean, I know Tristan Cassis was just called up the other day. Um, I don't see why Josh Jung couldn't be the next guy. Um, he's been lighting the ball on fire. Um, you could see a guy like Curtis Mead get called up for Tampa if they need some offensive depth as they try to run down the Yankees, um, in the Al east. So there's a few, there's a few different guys. There are some guys that I thought would be closer to coming up and then they've struggled.
Speaker 2 00:31:00 Um, this year, like BN Davis for the Cubs had an absolutely terrible season this year and I thought he was gonna be up a lot quicker. Um, but yeah, obviously Kate caval lasted one start and now we may not see him again this year cuz he got shut down. Um, but if you want an arm, it might pop up for a little bit. I could see Bobby Miller getting the call for the Dodgers. Uh, he's a guy who's like a number two caliber starter. Um, and just to give some of their starters rest before the post season, I could see them making a call to get Bobby Miller up and then keep 'em for the playoffs to get another high strikeout bullpen piece.
Speaker 1 00:31:46 Yep. So those are the names you all need to be on the lookout for whether you're in roto leagues, where you play the rest of the way, or if you're in matchup base leagues where, you know, you play someone each week trying to advance for the semi-finals or maybe quarter five or championship to win your league. Those are some prospects that you can kind of keep on the back burner. But to wrap up this episode, Matt, just a quick, quick little segment on level of concern, James and I talked about Zach Wheeler to the IL and his forearm issue to me in simplest terms. What a wrist slash hand issue to a hitter is, is what the forearm is to a pitcher. It's a precursor to something that I don't like, and I don't even want to say it. And you know, everything was all very optimistic.
Speaker 1 00:32:28 Everything's gonna be okay with Zach. We were it's fine. Minimum stay. And here you go. Sounds like he was ready to come back to throw and Nope reported, continued soreness in his forearm. I don't like it. And in the injury report, um, that I'm looking at here for this week, Ryan Hallam, uh, fancy alarm guy as well basically said the same things. Forearm is never good for a pitcher, but still, Hey Matt, the team isn't concerned despite the fact that it was gonna be a minimum stay, everything was fine, but there's continued soreness, but don't worry. Everything is fine. So what's the level, what's the real level of concern here for Zach Wheeler for the rest of this season, at least
Speaker 2 00:33:05 For the rest of this season is a 10. I don't think we're seeing him again.
Speaker 1 00:33:08 Yep. I think like
Speaker 2 00:33:10 Think you're right. I aren't really in the playoff hunt. I mean they could be, but they'd have to get unbelievably hot and get everything to go their way. Um, which is not gonna happen. Um, but look, we saw Bueller go down with, oh, he just has soreness in his forearm. He'll be fine. It'll be great. Then what happened three months later he undergoes Tommy, John and now costed cost you next season. Um, I think we could be looking at the same thing for Wheeler, like forearms almost always wind up in Tommy, John surgery. And at this point, if he has it now there's no shot. He gets back for next year either. And as for their team being, uh, it, it's fine. What are they? The Mets training staff. Like the Mets said that for Drom starting in June of last year and we didn't see him until August of this year. So like, I don't know, man, I'm, I'm, I'm pretty concerned for this year and next year for Zach Wheeler right now.
Speaker 1 00:34:09 I think I am too unfortunately. And you know, perfect segue talking about the good old, uh, Mets pitching staff there. So what do we make of maxers or they said it was just precautionary move it's fatigue, which I don't think we've ever heard of fatigue and Macers or ever as that guy's a bulldog on the Mount of fatigue. Never gets him, but we do have, he missed some time with an oblique injury earlier on the year to my knowledge, from what I can see, I don't believe he's been a or placed on the injured list yet. I don't believe so. We're still kind of waiting for news there, but the Mets obviously have lofty expectations headlined by their one, two in DRO. Insurers are here for the pose season as they look to make a run for the world series. So what is the level of concern for max sch are in this quote unquote fatigue issue
Speaker 2 00:35:00 For the rest of the regular season? I guess I'll put it at about, I guess I'll put it about an eight for the rest of the regular season. Um, we did see him miss time with an O bleak earlier this year, the left O bleak, which he said had he had never injured in his entire career. Um, and now after the start against the NATS, which by the way, he got out, pitched by Patrick Corbin in that, um, he said he felt soreness in his left side again, which is basically where your left O bleak is. So I'm concerned. Look, they can't afford to really like skip him that much because the Braves are one game back. Like as of yesterday, they were one game back in the division and charging and they seemed to have no bounds of stopping, uh, calling guys up that can help them. Um, and Carrasco still looked injured cuz he didn't exactly pitch very well. <laugh> the other day either. So, um, I would say it's about an eight on Scher because look, if you got obliques can linger and maybe that's the case here, but I don't know that you're gonna get more than like true starts out of them. The rest of the way at this point,
Speaker 1 00:36:15 My, my concern would be lessened if it's for the exact reason that you had said, say if the Braves weren't where they were, even if they were six, if they've won six or seven fewer games and that lead in the division was closer to double digits than just one game, you could skip sures or first start or two, you can send out David Peter said, and you can get by with their offense the way they're hitting, you can get by. But when you look there, like you said, the Braves are nipping at their heels. They have all these young people that they just call up and are automatically good. Then they just sign 'em to these insane deals that are super team friendly. And then they have 'em for the next eight, eight or so years. Anyway. So my level of concern like yours is heightened solely because Atlanta's in the fold there. And I mean within striking distances, obviously correct.
Speaker 2 00:37:00 And different world champs like yep. Let's not discount. The fact that they came from under 500 to the trade deadline last year to win the world series. Like they know what they're doing and the, the Mets haven't done that in like forever.
Speaker 1 00:37:14 Yeah. So I think I'm gonna go with you I'll I'm gonna go step higher than you. I'm gonna say it's about an eight and a half in terms of my concern with max Scher. But obviously this is the most important time in the fantasy baseball season, especially if you're in matchups and you're looking for that title. So if you do have any questions, if you are in the fantasy alarm discord, post your questions there and you know, Matt, myself, Breland Grande, all of the fantasy alarm folks, John Howard, all of us are in there. We'd be happy to help you out. And of course, again, if you are still drafting for fantasy football, the NFL draft guide is free. So check that out and get ready for week one content that should be coming out probably by the time you're listening to this, there should be some week, one content already out there on the site.
Speaker 1 00:37:53 If you fancy yourself and F one and NASCAR content, Matt sells is the guy. So make sure you give him a follow at the sales man on Twitter and Matt, I look forward to being back here about a week or so talking with you and who knows, maybe we will be talking about pools is at 700. If he had an insane run, we'll maybe talk about how the Yankees are now three and seven in their last 10 games who knows what we'll get to talk about next week, but there's nothing short of plenty of storylines in major league baseball. So again, make sure you give Matt sells a follow at the sales man on Twitter. I am at Colby Conway on Twitter and we will see you next week for the next edition of the fantasy fantasy baseball podcast.