Paul Sporer: Hello everyone, thanks for coming out!!

Robert: Hi Paul.  Pick one to keep in a 12 team roto league with 3 OF and no CI or MI: CJ Abrams 6th, Sale 6th, Jhoan Duran 6th, Naylor 6th, Bednar 11th.  Currently keeping: Soto, JRod, JRam, Crochet, Gilbert and Woo.  Thanks!

Paul Sporer: I think it’s a good spot to get your ace closer here with Duran or Bednar. I love Duran, but I can’t see him being worth 5 rounds more than Bednar so my heavy lean is toward Bednar. He was completely back last year and now has the Yankees job.

Dave: Is McGonigle worth keeping in a 12-team/keep-6 format?  Or is his playing time too unpredictable for this year?

Paul Sporer: I’d have a hard time making that commitment right now without any sort of spring work to see how he might be angling toward a role. I’m very excited about him, but my confidence in him being a top-6 best player on a 12-team league off rip isn’t SUPER high. Just go for him in the draft again!

Marissa: how many regular season gms will be missed due to the lockout next year?

Paul Sporer: Helloooooo everyone!! Thanks for coming out, hopefully you’re warming up wherever you are. The ice & snow is melting rapidly here in Austin, TX as we push into the 50s

Domingo: Regarding today’s article on Soderstrom: why aren’t projection systems buying in?

Paul Sporer: I think they kind of are, coalescing around a 25/80-type projection after 25/93 last yr. They bring the AVG down to the .250s instead of last year’s .276, but that’s just smart after a .327 BABIP. Plan for the .250s and take any extra as a bonus. I’m willing to pay the Top 100 pick for Soderstrom!

Chas: On Jose Ramirez, and I mean this question literally: How does he do it?
He sports poor barrel rates, poor exit velocities, poor hard-hit rates. Yet the outcomes are always outstanding. What gives? Is it his ability to square up the ball and launch? And if so, will that skill set age poorly compared to sluggers who simply hit the ball hard?

Paul Sporer: I will say off rip I don’t really know. But you’re definitely keyed in on one of his key attributes: the ability to square it up. He rates highly since that’s been being tracked. He pulls the ball in the air and lives in his sweet spot so while he doesn’t high rate of premium barrels, he has enough bc he also doesn’t strike out so he has enough volume to be super dangerous.

His 37% Hard Hit rate is 4 pts below league average and ranks 117th among qualified hitters but his 194 hard hits are 45th. It all still starts w/the basics – Ks and BBs. He doesn’t K (8th in MLB) and gets enough BBs (46th in MLB). Since he’s putting the ball in play so much, he doesn’t have to maintain insane Barrel & HH rates to be successful and these plate skills should age well so if he can continue to be a pulled-flyball stud, his HRs shouldn’t crater as he ages.

(Took a while on this one bc I had to look up a buncha stuff!)

James: About equal cheapish cost in a 14 team. Who is my last keeper? Jackson Merrill, o Neil Cruz, or Zach Neto? I’m torn.

Paul Sporer: Hey y’all, thanks for coming out Mini-update on the SP rankings just went live, too – https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/starting-pitcher-2026-fantasy-rankings

Paul Sporer: I’ll have another update this weekend as long as the icestorm doesn’t take out my power!

Frank: In a keeper forever, would you rather have Hunter Brown OR Logan Webb and Trey Yesavage?

Paul Sporer: As much as I love Hunter Brown, I’ve gotta take the 2 shots w/Webb & Trey

Greg: Who are some guys you would bump up your rankings in a points league that heavily weighs IP, K and W?

Paul Sporer: The guys with better volume track records. I still know it’s not guaranteed as any arm can get hurt, but the guys with several 30+ start seasons under their belt are gonna get the tiebreaker v. those per-inning monsters in a points format. I won’t completely shy away from a Glasnow/Snell type as I can still supplement their missed innings off the wire, but I’m not going to load my rotation up w/those types and have to spend most of my season replacing 2-3 arms via the wire. That’s already a risk any year bc pitchers break, but inviting it w/several guys who’ve max at 120 IP should only be done if you like playing waivers for arms and are in a league with a rich enough pool to make it worthwhile

Paul Sporer: Hello everyone! Sorry I’m late, I have to add my chat back to my Reminders app. I was just going through the day as if it were Tuesday

clydethedog: NL only 4 x 4 (no runs, no k’s) Keeper League

I have Emilio Pagan and Bryce Eldridge at incredibly cheap, would you try to package them together for another cheap keeper like James Wood or Jackson Chourio?

Paul Sporer: If you can do that, absolutely. I benefitted from Pagan’s huge year but I’m cashing the hell out. No chance I’m running it back. If he beats the HRs again (1.3 in ’25), I’ll tip my cap and eat the L

Deep in Draft Prep: Who is the one player (can be any position) you’re planting your flag on who is currently being drafted outside of the top 150 who will finish the season in the the top 75?

Paul Sporer: Addison Barger (190 ADP) is someone I really like. A bit raw, but smacks the absolute piss outta the ball. I don’t think he’d need to make a huge leap to go .260/30 – think Brandon Lowe from last year.

Davio: Sox get Ranger. Who do you prefer over Tolle or Early? I’d bet on of them goes in a deal.