Paul Sporer: Hey yall, sorry for the mess ups. I mis-timed my post, but let’s get this party started!

mokajige: Josh James or Jesus Luzardo? (Roto:W,L,K,SV,ERA)

Paul Sporer: I’d go Luzardo by a hair

Ray: Paul! I can’t stop watching Twitter vids of Kyle Lewis hitting bombs in intrasquad games. Had a nice oppo taco last night. Can you see a breakout in 2020? I want to drop Renato Nunez for him in my dynasty points league but I need your blessing.

Paul Sporer: Do ittttt

Zach: Pick 2: Matt Magill, Austin Adams, Diego Castillo, Jose Alvarado, Tyler Rogers, Nick Burdi, Kyle Crick

Jeff Zimmerman: Hello everyone. The focus of this chat is to discuss FAAB and Waiver Wire adds. I answer those first and then go back to answer any others.

Guest: Can you rank these bench bat OFs for an OC:  Santander (on roster), K Calhoun, Piscotty, or Kyle Lewis.

Jeff Zimmerman: This one is pretty tough. I like Santander with the Red Sox the first week and the Marlins in week2

Jeff Zimmerman: then I’d go Lewis (upside), Calhoun, Piscotty

Ryan: Houser or Sandy A

Jeff Zimmerman: Neither right now.

Paul Sporer: Welcome to this week’s chat! Hope y’all are doing well, let’s talk some baseball!

Slapshot: Yoenis Cespedes says he’s healthy and ready to go.  Would you consider him stash worthy in standard 5×5 roto formats, and in so, in what league size would you consider him worth getting?

Paul Sporer: I’m starting to consider him in 12ers. The DH is playing a big role in that consideration, of course

Julio Urias: How much does my value increase in 2020, without an “innings cap”?

Paul Sporer: A little, but let’s not just assume the Dodgers are gonna let Urias go 6+ every time all of a sudden. I’m a huge fan of the skills, but let’s not get toooo outsized in our expectations of the volume

Kyle: Hi Paul, I hope you are doing well these days! I have an OOTP/MLB The Show question for you. I grew up playing MVP Baseball 2005, and the franchise mode on that was very deep, as I know you are aware. It was really awesome to be able to have that extensive sim/management side, but still be able to “play” in the games with realistic gameplay when I wanted to. Have you ever desired there to be a hybrid game where OOTP and MLB The Show were combined? For example, the franchise mode would have the super in-depth management aspect of OOTP, but still give you the ability to jump in and play some (or all) games in an MLB The Show fashion. I feel like the closest things we’ve ever gotten to that is MVP Baseball 2005, and I long for that all-encompassing game again…

Jeff Zimmerman: Sorry for the delay, I was catching up on the Puig news

Jeff Zimmerman: Welcome everyone. About one week to the season’s start.

Bobby: Where can we see updated 60 man rosters? Players from the 2020 draft are only eligible in my league if they make the 60 man.

Jeff Zimmerman: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/blue-jays All the players in the projected 30-man plus those listed in the “Player Pool”

Kevin: Concerns about Juan Soto? Info on his self-isolation has been pretty light.

Jeff Zimmerman: Some. I just have to get him at some discount

Paul Sporer: It’s time to chat! I had a mock draft hence the hour delay on start time, btw.

Owen: You predicted Hampson to lead the league in steals. I love it. But where do you think he will get most of his PT? Is that a prediction that Hilliard and Rodgers don’t get much action?

Paul Sporer: I think he’ll be the primary 2B and spot into the OF

Paul Sporer: Though I know the Rockies cannot be trusted to be smart

Bobby: Considering letting Nate Lowe ($4) go in a dynasty and trying to get him cheaper in the draft + keeping Eric Thames 테임즈 ($3) and his playing time instead. Wise gamble or foolish?

Paul Sporer: No, I can get behind this move for sure. Thames should have full-time against righties and it’s hard to guess at Lowe’s PT at all

JP: Who’s one player you were off on in a full season but are now targeting in the abbreviated season?

Jeff Zimmerman: It’s more to do with the DH, but Braun

Jeff Zimmerman: I thought I might like RP more but the market jumped on them.

Chris: Are you grabbing treinen or someone else as a speculative add?

Jeff Zimmerman: No speculation but more of handcuff for my closer. If I get Diaz, I might also add Lugo.

Jeff Zimmerman: Over the past 6 seasons, on average 5 closers have lost their jobs in the first two months

Paul Sporer: Hello everyone!! Let’s talk some baseball. My new SP rankings went live last week so I’m definitely open to questions on them: https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/top-100-sp-for-a-60-game-season/ (notes column on the rankings: https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/top-100-sp-notes/)

Babyfarts: What do you think of Thor in a dynasty league? Good buy low with hopes of half a season from him next year or do you think he is overhyped? Top 30ish still in this format?

Paul Sporer: I’ve always been a huge fan so I’m down to take the gamble on the cheap. As long as there’s a reasonable discount, I say go for it

Jon: Keep 8 roto 12 team league. Judge/Torres for Soto fair? Which side do you prefer?

Paul Sporer: That’s heavy. I love Soto, but I’m not sure he and Torres are THAT different so Judge to cover the difference is too much

Sam: Thoughts on Kyle Gibson’s chance of a breakout?

JV: Would you add a couple bench spots in a 12 team league with all of the moving and shaking that’s likely to happen? We currently have 8 bench spots and do not use IL spots

Jeff Zimmerman: I don’t know. Maybe just a couple IL slots. Maybe. Eight slots in a 12 team league is quite a few.

Up north: Been hearing teams will be bringing starters along slowly, such as the dodgers. Should I plan to lean more heavily on middle relievers for the first couple weeks and leave my worst couple starters in the bench, until it’s clear they are built up to full workload?

Jeff Zimmerman: This is a team by team philosophy. I know the Reds and Rangers expect their pitchers throwing 4 to 5 innings when they report.

Jeff Zimmerman: I try to catch them all in Mining the News: https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/mining-the-news-6-29-20/

Jeff Zimmerman: There is no over arching patterns.

Paul Sporer: Baseball has a start time, let’s talk about it!!

Fleece Johnson: Any chance you can help get the new TheBATX in auction calculator?

Paul Sporer: I will mention it today!

Fleece Johnson: What strategy changes are you making in casual home leagues based on 60 games? Do any player types/positions move up your board compared to normal?

Paul Sporer: I haven’t made any changes to that effect, but my overall strategy in-season is going to change as I’m going to be moving a lot quicker. Obviously, I’m not cutting my #1 pick if he goes 0-fer in the first 6 games, but the last few rounds of players are getting a week or 2, the couple rounds before that are getting 2-3 wks, and so on

99: seems like a lot of people are selling for next year even with the season planned because it won’t feel as legitimate.  thoughts?

Larry: If you ran a H2H league how would you handle a 60 game season

Jeff Zimmerman: I’d move the league to overall points or roto. If you must go H2H, just the top 2 make the playoffs.

thelaundry: Jay Jaffe ran down some NL DH candidates today. Are there any NL bats fringe-y enough to be available in deeper mixed leagues (14+) worth stashing?

Jeff Zimmerman: The fringy guys are still fringy. They weren’t playing for a reason.

Jeff Zimmerman: I’m more interested in clearer playing time pictures like Edman in StL.

Jeff Zimmerman: The player most likely to shoot up is Puig once he can sign.