During these last two weeks of the season, all that matters right now is playing time. And playing time changes a lot at the end of the season as out-of-contention teams look toward the future and veterans on teams that have wrapped things up might get an extra day of rest here and there. So let’s bring back the look at new everyday starters and discuss four of them.
With just two weeks left in the season, it’s as good a time as any to play the schedules. The Rockies are embarking on a nine game homestand, which means it’s time to load up. Obviously, most (all) of the starters are going to be rostered, depending on the depth of your league. So let’s just discuss the names that might not be, but do have a chance to play enough to make an impact.
Yesterday, I discussed five bench bats to consider adding in your keeper league if you’re playing for next year. Why not fill your entire roster with cheap flyers who could make for great keepers next year if they win a starting job? Let’s continue those names with another four.
If you’re in a keeper league and have no shot at the money, you are playing for the future. That means potentially dropping overpriced veterans and picking up as many youngsters for cheap as possible, hoping you hit on a couple who open next season with a full-time job. If your keeper league has a minor league roster, you may even be able to keep those hitters in your minors if they don’t win a starting job next year. So let’s review five hitters who don’t currently have an every day role and wouldn’t help a contending team this year. That means it’s very likely they are still in your league’s free agent pool, depending on its depth, and they could be plucked cheaply to load your roster with potential keepers, despite not helping much, or at all, over the remaining weeks in the season.
Yesterday, I discussed four hitters who could contribute in steals over the final three weeks that should be widely available, at least in shallower leagues. Let’s now shift our focus to power, and specifically, home runs. I filtered hitter performance over the last 30 days with a FB% of at least 37% (just above the league average) and a maxEV of at least 110 MPH. You need to hit a fly ball to knock one over the wall (welllll, except for those rare inside-the-parkers that require batter speed and usually a misplay or two) and you typically need to hit the ball hard. While these maxEV values may have come on a non-fly ball, it’s a quick proxy for power.
We only have three weeks left of the regular season, which means you can throw out your player values (if you haven’t already) and focus solely on your categorical needs. If you’re good in home runs and RBIs, feel free to jettison Joey Gallo. If you need stolen bases, here are four under the radar options who might be available in your league depending on its depth.
With September comes a number of minor league callups that figure to remain with the big league club through the end of the season. This includes new starting pitchers making their MLB debuts. Let’s discuss four of those.
Yesterday, I discussed five starting pitchers who appear inside the top 20 in strikeout rate over the last 30 days. These weren’t necessarily the leaders, but interesting names worth a deeper dive. Let’s now flip to the other side and discuss five pitchers who appear near the bottom of the strikeout rate leaderboard over the last 30 days.
As we head into the final month of the season, let’s discuss five qualified starting pitchers that appear inside the top 20 in strikeout rate over the last 30 days.
Trading in fantasy leagues is hard, frustrating, and annoying. I honestly hate thinking about trading, but still don’t prefer the NFBC format that doesn’t permit trades because I still want to be rewarded for building a deep roster. Trading in keeper leagues is on a whole different level. And it’s not a good level. It’s frustrating times 10. Now, the league is divided into 2021 contenders and those playing for the future, so depending on who you might want to trade, you may only have half the league as possible trading partners. You think the team in third to last place wants your $30 Joey Gallo? Of course not. And do you think the team in third place and within striking distance of first wants your $3 Nate Pearson? Heck no! So perhaps rather than trade to try increasing your own team’s point total, consider a different path toward the same goal…by trading defensively.
