Fantasy Beat – With Ray Flowers
August 4th, 2012 | by Ray Flowers |
Trevor Ray and Justin Fensterman finally get their chance to talk to the man that gave them their shot….the one and only, fantasy oracle, fantasy pterodactyl, host on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (M-F, 7-10 PM EDT, Sirius210, XM87), owner of BaseballGuys.com, Ray Flowers. There’s a discussion about expectations and how it’s often wise to keep things in perspective. They also break down Mike Trout, Dan Straily, Mike Olt, Yoenis Cespedes and others as the guys interviewed the man that gave them their start.
Tags: Adrian Beltre, Dan Straily, Domonic Brown, Jayson Werth, Mike Olt, Mike Trout, Nate Schierholtz, Steve Lombardozzi, Yoenis Cespedes
By Bigs on Aug 4, 2012
Whats up Ray ? We draft minors in my dynasty league. Who out of these players do you think will be the most fantasy relevant ? Carlos Correa ,or Byron Buxton. Thanks
By Ray Flowers on Aug 4, 2012
Bigs – Wow, going deep here, eh? I’d go Buxton because of the wheels
By david on Aug 4, 2012
hi, ray. a frustrated owner in my 12 team mixed just dropped yu darvish. can’t say i blame him, but do you think darvish is “done done” so to speak? would you take him over edwin jackson or anibal sanchez rotw?
also, this is a head-to-head category league, so one blow-up outing can really kill your era and whip for the week. thanks.
best,
david
By Ray Flowers on Aug 5, 2012
David – Darvish has had control issues all year. Nothing new there. Should also be pointed out that I was never as high on him as others this year anyway. Jackson slightly better last four starts than Darvish, but his WHIP still nearly 1.50. Sanchez is stable, but AL hurts value. I’d go with EJax and hope he can keep the blow ups to a minimum.
By Brad on Aug 5, 2012
I was offered Chris Sale and Hanley Ramirez for Cole Hamels and Kyle Seager.Its a keeper league what do you think?
By Mike on Aug 5, 2012
What do you foresee for Giancarlo Stanton when he comes back? Is he someone to aggressively try to add for HR, RBi?
By jon on Aug 5, 2012
Ray – need a Panda fill-in for a week. Frazier or the disappointing M. Young until Panda gets back? 10-team w/ AVG, OPS. Also – would you hold onto Boni for 2 weeks in this kind of league? Injury doesn’t seem to be as bad as expected.
By Ray Flowers on Aug 5, 2012
Brad – I was offered Chris Sale and Hanley Ramirez for Cole Hamels and Kyle Seager.Its a keeper leagu
Gotta do this. HanRam not nec. super elite, but he’s still a damn good fantasy performer, way beyond Seager. Nothing to think, based on his track record, that Sale can’t be the pitcher Hamels has been the past 5 years. I’d do it.
By Ray Flowers on Aug 5, 2012
Mike – I would expect Stanton to be the same hitter he has shown himself to be. Prorate his .270-35-100 work for however long he is active.
By Ray Flowers on Aug 5, 2012
Jon – Frazier .245-3-11-6 the past two weeks. Solid, but not great. Still, he’s likely a better option right now than Young who has hit. 266 with no homers/steals in his last 20 games. In a 10 tm lg that uses OPS, Bonifacio is not an every week starter in my mind.
By Jeff on Aug 6, 2012
Morning Ray,
Question… I was “that guy.” The guy that chose Troy Tulowitzki in the first round this year. A guy in my league offered me Billingsley, Stephen Drew, Hanley Ramirez and Papelbon. I am in 6th for a 10 team league, and we get to keep seven. I would potentially keep both players. I guess what it comes down to is Han Ram vs. Tulo… Thoughts? Thanks!
By Ray Flowers on Aug 6, 2012
Jeff – HanRam and Tulo are both keepers in this setup. In a 10 tm lg, you can’t keep Billingsley, Drew or Papelbon.
At this point I’d still take Tulo. HanRam may or may not qualify at SS next year, he won’t as things stand right now, and for two years he’s looked nothing like the .300 hitter he once was. Tulo is a HUGE health risk, but he’s just a better hitter at this point.
By Joe M on Aug 6, 2012
Good Morning Ray
Trying to make a push to win this season. I’m in 5th place and 10 points out of second place. (i’m dead last in wins and k’s by a lot and first in era, whip, and saves)
I figure i’m going to trade some pitchers for some sticks. I’m giving guys that are keeper eligible and the players i’m receiving are not.
I give:
Rizzo (26th round keeper)
Hellickson (10th Round Keeper)
Gio Gonzalez (8th Round Keeper)
I Get
Kemp
Carlos Santana (2 catcher league and I have nothing)
Bourn or Pence as 3rd player
IMPORTANT:
I need to 20 HR’s to make up 5 Spots
I need 20 Runs to make up 3 spots
I need 40 RBI to make up 7 Spots
I need .020 Avg to make up 4 spots
Are these numbers doable with a trade like this? I will have to sit Rizzo soon anyway once Votto returns.
I probably have 6 other keeper besides gio and rizzo, but I love rizzo’s value at 26th round. He will not trade if Rizzo is not in the deal.
12 team, 35 man roster, 2 catcher league.
By Ray Flowers on Aug 6, 2012
Joe M – Keep in mind – that to make up 20 HRs you need to gain 20 homers over your current roster pace, and hope no other teams improve their rate. Adding Kemp, Pence, Santana certainly are an impressive trio, but Rizzo has been the power equal of Pence, Santana, so it’s questionable if this move would give you the #20 you need unless of course, your current roster is made up of Span’s and Suzuki’s.
Impossible to make up .020 pts in averge by this point.
Could make up the runs, maybe the RBI, but that’s a bit point.
There’s no reasonable way that I can think you can make up all those gaps and somehow win the league. Maybe it’s possible, but that’s a whole lotta if’s. Plus, you’re giving away three players you could protect for guys that you can’t. Keeping six guys I’d probably only keep Rizzo though, so I don’t have a huge issue from a keeper perspective.
I’d go for it since you are getting back three impressive performers, but I dont know if its too little too late or not.
By joe on Aug 7, 2012
10 team keeper league. Would you trade alex gordon for Dan haren
By Joe M on Aug 7, 2012
I know you dont like to do follow ups but maybe you can entertain this one.
First of all I meant .002 on the avg (not .020)
It’s so funny you mention Span and Suzuki. I actually would be using Pence and and Kemp to replace Span and Cody Ross.
So my OF would go from:
Span – Ross – Ellsbury – Werth – De Aza
TO
Kemp – Pence – Ells – Werth – De Aza
Catchers would go from:
Derrick Norris and M. McKenry
TO
Carlos Santana and M. McKenry
Also, he said he would take Edwin Encarnacion instead of Rizzo if I prefer.
EE is also keeper eligible and I have him as a 19th round.
If I do this trade would you rather give up Rizzo or EE?
I also would still have Josh Johnson, Wandy, Chen, and Buccholz to try and trade for even more offense.
Thank You so much for your help with this as well as all the questions I’ve bothered you all season with.
-Joe M
By Ray Flowers on Aug 7, 2012
Joe – Haren obviously starting the slow slide on backside of his career, but he’s still one solid pitcher. I’d look at these two very similarly at this point, so based on need this is fine to do.
By Ray Flowers on Aug 7, 2012
JoeM – I’d keep Rizzo over EE. Not only is he seven rounds cheaper, I’d think his luster might still be higher than EE when it comes to the draft next year giving him even more value if you wanted to deal him at that time.
By Joe M on Aug 7, 2012
Last one, I swear.. Zimmerman or Pence? No need for reason. Just a name.
By Ray Flowers on Aug 7, 2012
Joe M – I’d go Zimmerman who continues to simply tear it up.
By Joe M on Aug 7, 2012
Trade went through (I went with Pence since I forgot I had Votto coming back and didn’t want to have to sit one of my corners which is my main source of offense, Pence replacing Blanco was a much bigger upgrade for me)
Figured I’ll add the numbers here and see how it changes at the end of the season if you don’t mind.
Current Stats Before Trade (me being the lowest:
HR: 183, 187, 191, 198, 200, 204
R: 774, 777, 789
RBI: 696, 704, 716, 728, 731, 739
Avg: .2672, .2677, .2682, .2691
SLG: .4306, .4319, .4332
With the current standings 10 Points will put me in second place..
Thank you so much for the replies in helping me make a rational decision.
Will reply to this thread at the end of the season.
Just for my own reference
HR: 9/12
R: 5/12
RBI: 11/12
AVG: 8/12
SLG: 9/12
By Bob on Aug 7, 2012
Thank you in advance for your advice.
I’m in a super deep NL only 5×5 league, 12 team, 25 active players each with a $275 cap. My hitting is fading and I’m about 4 points back in 3rd place with 4 teams basically in the running. I currently have two spots filled with Mather and Valdespin, with Mesoraco and Berkman on the DL.
I have the opportunity to trade for Corey Hart and Altuve who’s contracts end this year and have prospects Billy Hamilton, Kolton Wong, Nolan Arenando, and Matt Adams at $5 each for 2 years after this one. Which order would you rate these 4 from best to worst with a primary focus on next year and do you think its worth trading 2 of them for the players indicated above or hold on to them and hope for promotions and returns from the DL to bail out my offense?
By Ray Flowers on Aug 8, 2012
Bob – The NL lg you speak of isn’t really “super deep.” 12 teams, 25 active players = 300 starters. The “normal” NL only lg is 13 teams, 23 starters = 299 players. Same thing. Regardless…
Rank for 2013 (diff than overall rank mind you): Arendado, Adams, Hamilton, Wong
If you are only four points back of first place, still easily within striking distance. If you can get Hart/Altuve for the first two I listed, I’d take the chance and try to win this year.
By Joe M on Oct 4, 2012
Just to follow up, I did not place in this this league and sort of sabotaged my team in the last 2-3 weeks to get a better draft position next year. Was worth the attempt but like you said, it was too little too late for a run like that.
Thanks again for all your help this season as I mentioned on your most recent thread.
Thanks
Joe M