Big Kid Adds (Week 13)

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named “High Stakes Leagues,” and there are eleven of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues.

Hitters

Jake McCarthy (9): McCarthy will always draw attention with his ability to steal bases. In each of the past three seasons, he’s stolen at least 23 bases. The problem is that he’s not a good major league hitter. To show the chances for being useful, I found AAA batters with similar plate appearances, age, iEV [iEV = (2*avgEV+maxEV)/2], and Contact% rates, and then how those hitters performed in the majors that season.

A .204/.271/.300 is not great, at least it’s better than the .155/.218/.282 he’s currently hitting.

Lane Thomas (6): Thomas went on the IL with plantar fasciitis. The condition usually destroys a hitter’s value, with Brandon Nimmo (so far) being the first exception. Since coming off the IL, Thomas is hitting for power (.217/.338/.433, 4 HR) and not much else. Additionally, he’s started nine straight games (five against lefties) while batting second or fifth

Nolan Gorman (5): Gorman isn’t doing anything special with his bat (.216/.302/.392, .189/.259/.377 over the last two weeks). He has started in 10 straight games at DH and third base.

Christian Moore (5): Since being called up in mid-June, Moore has been a lineup regular but got on a little hot streak to end June. In the last nine games, he hit .219/.316/.500 with 3 HR. I think this type of line can be expected from Moore with a low average but some power when he makes contact.

Michael Conforto (5): Conforto has been horrible this season, hitting .176/.298/.300 with 6 HR. He became less patient starting in June, with both his walk and strikeout rates down about 10% points. And he had his worst month yet with a 66 wRC+. On top of that, he’s moving into the strong side of a platoon (sat against three of the last four lefties).

Now, he has been “hot” since June 20th while platooning over the following series’s.

vs WAS
at COL
at KC
vs CHW

During that 11-game stretch (eight starts for Conforto), he hit .226/.250/.452 with 2 HR (both at COL).

Starting Pitchers

Chase Burns (11): There has been a ton written on Burns, so I don’t know what I can contribute on top of that. There wasn’t much to take away from his last start, but he did have a 33% Ball, which equates to a 2.4 BB/9.

Simeon Woods Richardson (9): The 24-year-old righty was added based entirely on matchups. This week, he faced Miami. Next week, he’s lined up for a two-start at the Cubs and versus the Pirates. I was hesitant to roster him because he’s been an ERA (4.41) and WHIP (1.34) killer this year.

This week’s gamble paid off, going 5 IP with 1 ER and getting the Win.

I try to stay away from mid-4.00 ERA talents, and Woods Richardson might even be worse than that. With few options, someone was going to take a chance on him with the matchup.

Frankie Montas Jr. (8): While I had Montas on some bid lists, I was happy not to get him. While his 6.00 ERA (4.03 xFIP) should regress downward, his lack of control (4.0 BB/9, 36% Ball%, 3.2 equiv BB/9) has him with a 1.56 WHIP.

I’d need to see Montas post two to three good starts (improved control) before considering using him. Some teams might have the roster space to bench him. In others, probably not.

Dietrich Enns 엔스 (8): Weirdly, Enns was the one available option I ranked higher and got the most of. In AAA, the 34-year-old lefty had a 2.89 ERA (3.68 xFIP), 1.22 WHIP, and 10.3 K/9.

The STUPH metrics liked his swing-and-miss (16% SwStr%), but his command was lacking. The results (29% Ball%) point to a 1.4 BB/9, so some disagreement there.

A lot of his value will depend on his Thursday matchup against the Nationals.

Emerson Hancock (7): I’m not sure who talked others into this move. Maybe it was the start against the lowly Royals (6 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 1 K). Usually, I find a reason for the add, but not here for the guy with a 5.47 ERA (4.77 xFIP) and 1.44 WHIP.

Relief Pitchers

Grant Taylor (5): He got the team’s last Save (Saturday) but struggled in his last appearance (1 IP, 3 ER, 2 K, 2 BB). For any fantasy team needing Saves, he’s a must-roster.

Matt Brash (5): As Seattle’s backup closer, he’s been lights out with a 0.49 ERA (3.13 xFIP), 9.3 K/9, and 1.04 WHIP.