Vlad Sedler writes a great FAAB article every weekend helping you to gauge the market and how much of your cash you should be dropping on Player A or B. Every Monday, or at least most of them, Ray Flowers tries to follow up Vlad’s advice with a review of how folks spent their free agent dough in the industry leagues over the weekend, from AL-only leagues, to 12 and 15 team mixed leagues.
WEEK 5 FAAB
FSTA (14-TEAM MIXED) – $1,000
Hunter Dozier $144 ($79, 78, 73, 35, 32, 22, 5, 5) – Tons of bidding after his hot run (I was the $79 bid). Injuries are everywhere and Dozier is rolling with a massive .388/.492/.776 line the last 14 games. He’s done a good job keeping the strikeouts in check, is worth adding in every league where he is available, but he’s as a corner infield option as he has so much to do to prove this is a true breakout.
Jordan Lyles $91 (28, 28, 13, 13, 21, 29, 27) – Hurt his finger last time out but is said to be OK for his next start. He’s been tremendous in three outings, but he was last an affective starter in like 2014, and even that is being kind. Aggressive bid, but defensible.
Cole Tucker $79 (78, 56, 36, 33) – I lost Jean Segura so I targeted Tucker and spent one dollar more than the runner up bid. I sure snuck this one out. Tucker is an athletic 6’3”, 185 lbs. shortstop who lacks refinement in his game. He was hitting .333 with five steals in 13 games at Triple-A, and that’s the part of his game that should play – the steal. Overall, he lacks power, has long levers that can lead to some slumps, but if he can keep things in check he has a shot to run with the shortstop gig with Erik Gonzalez on the DL and Kevin Newman working his way back from injury.
Zach Davies $77 (18, 18) – The youngsters have struggled, so the Brewers are turning to the vet. Davies doesn’t miss bats at all, but he’s the Mike Leake-type who keeps his team in the game without doing anything of note.
Roenis Elias $68 (55, 35) – He isn’t a very impressive figure, and he’s left-handed, but he’s getting a lot of work in the ninth inning even though Anthony Swarzak is more impressive as a talent. Oh, he’s also right-handed. Elias has a save in three of five games, but he doesn’t miss bats (6.59 per nine), and he allows a ton of fly balls which will eventually bite him (46.5 percent fly ball rate). It’s all about role, so I totally get the add, but Elias simply shouldn’t be working the ninth inning.
Jerad Eickhoff $63 (13, 13) – Will try to hold on to the vacated spot of Nick Pivetta. In his first start over the weekend, Jerad allowed four walks and four runs over six innings basically pitching as if he was Pivetta. He’s a solid addition, but he’s also unlikely to run with the gig, and his stuff doesn’t suggest that there is much of a chance of dominance.
Luke Weaver $59 (45, 43, 42, 21, 14, 13, 13) – A lot of similar bids for the right. His last three outings he’s allowed five runs with just three walks, and he has 17 punchouts the last 11.1 innings. He’s got a spot in the rotation on lockdown, so this level of bidding is total defensible. The ability to miss bats is there too with 24 in 20.2 innings.
Renato Nunez $47 (23, 16) – He’s caught fire of late with four homers, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored his last 14 games. A fine CI pickup.
Erik Swanson $45 (0) – Wade LeBlanc is likely to miss a month, giving Swanson a shot to run with the gig. Still, Justus Sheffield is lurking, and Swanson really profiles as a 5th starter. His fastball doesn’t bring high velocity, but it does have nice movement. His delivery causes some pause, and his secondary pitches grade out as merely average.
Michael Chavis $35 (0) – You will read about him a lot below, and as you will see league type and need will play a big part in the price spent. Chavis could run with the gig at second base in Boston, but Eduardo Nunez, Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt all shouldn’t be out of action long-term. That says, to me, that Chavis will need to hit immediately or he could find himself back in the minors a week from now. A good bat, he’s learned to use the whole field and has refined his approach to the point that he understands he doesn’t have to jack everything. He could be a .260-20-homer type this season, or he could be back in the minors soon.
Dwight Smith $35 (33, 5, 5) – He’s out of the lineup with a quad issue, but it’s not believed to be a long-term thing. Not a large investment for a guy who is at .311-4-13-9, the last two weeks. Still, his health and overall skill set suggest that a 5th OF option is likely a best-case scenario.
Drew Pomeranz $35 (0) – Throw that dart.
Ryan Zimmermann $23 (0) – Throw that dart.
Derek Holland $19 (0) – Brett Anderson hurt his ankle, so I’m going from one lefty in the Bay Area to another. Holland has allowed just 20 hits in 27 innings, and though the walks are awful (12) he has 34 punchouts and a 12.3 percent swinging strike rate in 27 innings.
Spencer Turnbull $19 (15) – My add at the cost of Justus Sheffield. I didn’t like dropping Sheffield, but I need some innings and Turnbull is a 2-start fella this weekend. Turnbull hasn’t allowed more than three runs in an outing, has 24 Ks in 21 innings, and he’s walked two or fewer batters in each outing. A solid start for a guy who should settle in as a bottom level mixed league SP.
Mike Tauchman $5 – He is one of the few healthy Yankees. He’s gone deep three times with eight RBI in 33 at-bats, but he’s also struck out 11 times giving him a massive 33.6 K-rate in his 92 big league at-bats. Can’t see how he plays long-term at all as Stanton/Judge/Hicks/Frazier will have it on lock down, so he’s merely a short-term pick up.
SIRIUSXM HOST LEAGUE (12-TEAM MIXED) – $1,000
Cole Tucker $242 (0)
Hunter Dozier $100 (66, 38) – I was the runner up bid.
Mike Soroka $82 (18) – As I keep saying and writing, the Braves are the new Dodgers, the team that is just gonna roll through arms all season long. It was Kyle Wright, then it was Touki Toussaint, then it was Max Fried and now it’s Mike Soroka. How long will any of these guys stick in the rotation with sooooo many options for the team to turn to?
Zach Davies $77 (38)
Roenis Elias $49 (38, 2, 2)
Christian Walker $38 (27, 11) – He’s currently fifth in baseball, minimum 25 batted ball events, in average exit velocity (96.1 mph). He’s crushing it when he hits it. He also has a 30 percent strikeout rate this season, 36 percent in his career, so there is no way that .353 average holds up. Given his overall game, a batting average .100 points below his current mark is the best-case scenario.
Willy Adames $27 (0) – My get as I took the plunge on him over Chris Taylor. Hated giving up on Taylor, but Adames has finally found his stroke with a .333/.422/.513 slash line the lat 12 games.
Jeff Samardzija $17 (0) – My get as I took the plunge on him over Dylan Bundy. I will speak of my Bundy love below, so you know this wasn’t an easy move to make and one I really struggled with.
TOUT WARS (15-TEAM MIXED)
Roenis Elias $89 (73, 58)
Albert Pujols $62 (5) – I don’t know if many realize that he’s on a decent of a roll of late (two homers, nine RBI the last 10 games). He is what he is at 39 years of age, but you could do worse at the moment.
Martin Perez $58 (39, 12) – He’s added two mph to his fastball. It’s helped to up his K/9 rate to 8.41. He’s also walked a hideous 5.31 per nine and has his lowest ground ball rate ever.
Homer Bailey $39 (18) – Better to have taken a shot on Perez than Bailey.
Chase Anderson $26 (19, 10, 9) – Allows homers like Dylan Bundy, but doesn’t miss bats. Very boring, rotation fuller.
Sam Gaviglio $24 (2) – His shift to the pen is working in the early going with 16 punchouts and just two walks over 15 innings.
Erik Swanson $22 (19, 14, 11)
Mike Tauchman $20 (17)
NFBC (15-TEAM MIXED) – $1,000
Marco Gonzales $186 (146) – I was the second-place bidder. I guess I should have pushed things a bit more. Poo pants to the extreme. Still don’t get why anyone dropped him. Nonsensical.
Cole Tucker $152 (129)
Hector Neris $142 (138) – Has two saves in three outings, and it appears that he’s the leader in the 9th inning club house in Philly. Will he hold the role or will his manager continue to mix and match as he has basically done for more than a year now? Neris numbers the last nine: 15.58 K/9, 2.08 BB/9, 0.00 HR/9, 0.00 ERA. He’s been a star since he was recalled from the minors last year.
Mike Soroka $142 (119)
Teoscar Hernandez $79 (43) – His last 11 games he’s gone deep twice with nine RBI. He’s also struck out 12 times and has a mere .318 OBP and .436 SLG. He’s basically a 5th OF place holder.
Jerad Eickhoff $78 (44)
Mike Tauchman $73 (46)
Roenis Elias $68 (31)
Wade Miley $55 (46) – Someone has to own him. He has a 1.20 WHIP over four starts, though 11 strikeouts in 21.2 innings speaks to the fact that he just doesn’t miss bats, and that leaves him open to beatings in any outing.
J.D. Davis $55 (21) – He’s the owner of a robust .418 OBP the last 16 games, but with the return of Todd Frazier close, playing time could soon become an issue.
Michael Chavis $51 (44)
Ty Buttrey $43 (21) – Cody Allen’s been a mess of late, so I added Buttrey. The last four outings, Allen has allowed a run each time out (five runs over a mere 2.1 innings) as he’s allowed three big flies. Seems like he’s on the precipice of losing the 9th inning gig, and Buttrey has been nails (no runs, three walks and 13 strikeouts over 9.1 innings).
Wily Peralta $41 (23) – I had the backup bid here. I need saves in a big way, but Peralta’s situation is muddled, his performance is spotty, so I took the shot on the better talent (Buttrey) in the hope that he gets the gig over Allen.
Dylan Bundy $26 (13) – I can’t quit him (I dropped Carlos Martinez since there is no DL in this format). I wanted to hold Martinez, but I had seven bench spots being taken up by five guys on the DL, and you just can’t let that be. Bundy has been better of late, five runs in two outings, and he’s walked just five batters his last four outings. The homer pace just has to slow. It’s a mortal lock, like the sun coming up tomorrow.
AL LABR (12-TEAM ONLY) – $100
*There is a rule that any player that you paid for in the auction, or any player you pay for off waivers, must be active in your lineup. That means you cannot bench a struggling player in this format, he must remain in your lineup. That further means when you add a player off waivers, unless one of your guys was placed on the DL or sent to the minors, that you have to drop someone you paid money on to add players off waivers.
Michael Chavis $22
Michael Tauchman $13
Danny Santana $7 – Qualifies in the outfield and at second base. It’s unclear what his role will be when Rougned Odor returns, but he’s off to a nice start with a homer, three steals and six runs scored in seven outings.
Ryan Cordell $5 – He’s gone deep with a steal in eight games. He hit .239 at Triple-A last season, but he figures to get some run with Daniel Palka sent to the minors. Plate appearances matter in only leagues.
Austin Romine $3 – Gary Sanchez should return this week, but Romine will still get work and Sanchez seems to be hurt an awful lot.
Adam Engel $3 – Just not hitting with a .504 OPS and a massive 41 percent K-rate.
Trevor Hildenberger $3 – No runs allowed through 11 outings.
Hanser Alberto $2
Wily Peralta $2
Manny Banuelos $2
Note – I dropped Nick Hundley to add a $1 Kevan Smith. Hunley isn’t hitting, Josh Phegley is, and Sean Murphy is coming. Smith by the way has hit .357 his last 14 at-bats and has hit .283 and .292 the last two years. I also dropped Socrates Brito to activate Carlos Gonzalez from my bench. In Brito’s spot I added Joe Biagini while sending the $0 Nate Jones to my bench. Biagini seems to be second in line for saves in Toronto, and he’s been solid to date (1 W, 1 SV, 12 Ks, 0.79 WHIP in 11.1 IP).
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday-Friday, 8-10 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). Follow Ray’s work on Twitter (@baseballguys) and be sure to listen to his podcast work too.
