Episode 141

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is now live! As they slide into the All-Star break, Jason Collette and Nicholas Minnix talk fantasy All-Stars, MVPs, and ROYs by league. Do not be afraid to share your dissenting opinions!

We also discuss a little ROS fantasy team evaluation, a few players coming back from injury, a few – especially Masahiro Tanaka and what to do with him – going out with injury, Shane Greene, the Minnesota Twins’ evolving rotation, and the Tampa Bay Rays’ infield.

As usual, don’t hesitate to tweet us or comment with fantasy questions so that we may answer them on our next episode.

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Episode 140

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is now live! Eno Sarris and Nicholas Minnix discuss Homer Bailey, in light of his knee injury; Joe Nathan’s mechanical adjustments; rumors of Jimmy Nelson’s pending arrival; Arismendy Alcantara; A.J. Pierzynski’s designation for assignment; Nolan Reimold; Jacob Smolinski; the punting of a roto or head-to-head category; Chris Davis; Manny Machado; Curtis Granderson; David Peralta and Ender Inciarte; James Jones; Robert Refsnyder; Matt Kemp; and Jacob deGrom.

As usual, don’t hesitate to tweet us or comment with fantasy questions so that we may answer them on our next episode.

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In the past few weeks, I wrote about my and, I presumed, others’ distaste for certain categories in rotisserie and head-to-head baseball leagues. Some of us don’t care for wins, saves or other cats, or we think we have ideas for better ones. Reader response has been fantastic, I think. Some good discussion, some good points, some good concepts put forth.

Running Frog made a good point. Wins seem to correlate well enough with things like a great number of strikeouts, a good ERA and a good WHIP. He, like others, doesn’t see a reason to change.

I dislike the win in general because:

• If not for its somewhat subjective assignment to an individual, it’d be a team statistic, not just for fantasy purposes.
• Saves and holds are exclusive to relievers, whereas wins aren’t exclusive to starters.

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I don’t like to recommend to stash players too often. The deeper the league, the more such a move is beneficial, however. Each of these pitchers will have taken different paths to his major league recall. The first is a more exciting option, in my opinion, the second likely a bit safer of a bet. Both are still pretty exciting.

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Episode 139

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is now live! Eno Sarris and Nicholas Minnix discuss the Chicago Cubs’ new rotation members, including Kyle Hendricks; Shane Greene; what Jake Peavy might look like in a St. Louis Cardinals uni; and a series of requested topics, comprised of Clay Buchholz, Dallas Keuchel’s updated outlook, Charlie Morton, Anibal Sanchez’s disappearing K’s, Jimmy Nelson, Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller, Andrew Heaney, Chase Headley, Xander Bogaerts, and J.J. Hardy’s empty batting average.

As usual, don’t hesitate to tweet us or comment with fantasy questions so that we may answer them on our next episode.

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Brian McCann, whose batting average rests at .230 after a 3-for-5 performance on Monday night, is acutely aware of the quality of his performance at the dish this season. Despite the usual shortage of media attention on the New York Yankees, his feelings on the subject weren’t lost in the shuffle. He’s notorious for high expectations of himself, and he may have taken that to a new level this year, but he’s confident that he’ll turn it around. So is his manager. “He’ll figure it out,” Joe Girardi says.

But what if he doesn’t? McCann, 30, hasn’t hit .270 or better since 2011. His ISO is at .149 and his home run and doubles totals are at just 10, however. Fantasy owners drafted McCann with the expectation that 20 home runs were practically a given and that 25 or even 30 were possible, thanks to the move from spacious Turner Field to the new Yankee Stadium, complete with short right-field porch. It seemed like a good fit. What kind of effect does pressure on oneself have? What if he just stinks?

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Episode 138

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is now live! Jason Collette and Nicholas Minnix discuss, among other things, the fallout of the Jeff Samardzija et al. trade; the Brandon McCarthy trade; the loss of players in mono leagues after crossover trades; the pending returns of Bud Norris, Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hellickson, and Francisco Liriano; more on the injury front, including the expected departure of Edwin Encarnacion; and the official naming of Santiago Casilla as closer.

As usual, don’t hesitate to tweet us or comment with fantasy questions so that we may answer them on our next episode.

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Episode 137

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is now live! Jason Collette and Nicholas Minnix discuss Addison Reed; Joaquin Benoit, Huston Street and the Detroit Tigers; the Rays’ bullpen now that Brad Boxberger has entered the saves picture; T.J. House and Miles Mikolas; Hunter Pence to the leadoff spot; Allen Craig’s playing time now that Oscar Taveras is up; Steve Pearce, by request and of interest; how to leverage current and future performance for keeper leaguers, another topic by request; and what to make of Kevin Kiermaier, Brandon Guyer, and Logan Forsythe playing regularly for Tampa Bay.

As usual, don’t hesitate to tweet us or comment with fantasy questions so that we may answer them on our next episode.

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I have enjoyed many of the discussions from the last couple of weeks in response to my invitations into innovation. I’ve expressed my displeasure with one of fantasy baseball’s most notorious categories. Then, because the feedback was so good, I asked what else those who play our game would like to see done differently as far as categories are concerned. The reaction has implored me to collect the ideas and sift through them to see what we can come up with and then take the conversation to another phase. I have also preliminarily developed a couple of suggestions that are intriguing, at least to me.

I realized after I’d posted the second one that I’d left out something, however. I’d wanted to ask what opinionated, creative rotisserie and head-to-head baseball game players thought of saves. Aw hell, let’s include the indifferent and unimaginative ones, too! OK, some of your reactions addressed that topic. And if you really expressed your feelings on saves, then I might have to censor all the curse words.

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Opposite ends of the fantasy baseball spectrum for folks in search of pickups, once again. One of these cats is basically no-duh, must-own material, but I just wanted to explain why I believe so for those who may be reluctant. The other is a flier, a shot in the dark, a cross-your-fingers type, and he just appeals to me.

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