Paul Sporer Weekly Baseball Chat – May 6th, 2020

Paul Sporer: Good afternoon, everyone! It’s time to chat!!!

Joe: What current big leaguer would be best suited to playing in Korea?

Paul Sporer: Korea is a bit more power-focused than Japan while both leagues strike out a TON less than MLB, so probably the power/contact studs would go there and just OWN the league: Bellinger, Bregman, Rendon, and Arenado — they leap to mind as they all had insane pop and solid K rates last year

Nick: Are any websites running fantasy KBO?  Are you playing?

Paul Sporer: I’m not sure if any are running season long leagues, I played some DraftKings though

Paul Sporer: Most of y’all probably already know, but if you’re going to follow the KBO, Dan Kurtz’s site & twitter are a must: https://mykbostats.com/ | https://twitter.com/MyKBO

Jeremy: How would you order this list of 2019 underperformers / injured pitchers? Anyone you particularly like in 2020? Gausman, Bundy, Freeland, J. Montgomery, G. Richards, K. Wright

Paul Sporer: Bundy, Richards, Montgomery, Gausman, Wright, and Freeland is my order. I’ve been in on the first four specifically, though my interest in Gausman would go down some if they don’t play at their home parks as I’m definitely boosting him a bit bc of Oracle Park. Bundy and Monty are probably my two favorites at their prices

Acuna Matata: What are you expecting from Nomar Mazara now that he has put his thumb injury behind him and moved to the South Side? What are his prospects of emerging as a top 40 dynasty OF?

Paul Sporer: I’ve been a Mazara believer for years, but I started to push away last year as I just wasn’t seeing the development. I still can’t fully quit him, though. He has those glimpses of top of the scale power every year and I keep thinking there’s a chance he could pop 30+ HR. Maybe a move to the White Sox fosters a breakout. I have a share, but I’m not as invested as previous years

Martin: My keeper league has already drafted and decided that if the season is cancelled we’d nullify the draft completely and start with our 2019 rosters going into next year. Do you think that’s a fair approach? We all knew the plan going in but I just hate the idea of cancelling something as sacred as a keeper league draft.

Paul Sporer: Ya I’m OK with that. This is such a unique circumstance that there’s definitely going to be some weirdness if the season is fully cancelled. As long as the league is communicating and not just having a commish decide everything on their own, I’m OK with the various approaches

Jeremy: Who has the better 2020: Trent Grisham or Lorenzo Cain?

Paul Sporer: I lean Cain, but I’ve only got them 12 spots apart in OF ranks so they’re really close

Martin: What do you think will be the biggest change in strategy in a shortened season played offsite? 6 man rotations reducing starter value, lots of bullpenning, MORE dingers etc?

Paul Sporer: Yeah I think you’ve hit on the big changes, especially if they don’t play at the MLB parks

Dfan: Do you see Rich Hill continuing his high K rate as well as QS?

Paul Sporer: I think he’ll continue to get strikeouts for sure, but I’m not he’s much of a QS source. He’s mostly a 5 IP per start kinda guy

Jeff: Hey Paul! Logan Gilbert or Yusei Kikuchi in Dynasty formats?

Paul Sporer: I gotta go with Gilbert. I actually have a little hope for Kikuchi to improve this year, but I’m taking the prospect in dynasty

Bob: Can I wait until the end of my draft to grab hold relievers in a saves+holds league? Or is it a mistake to miss out on some earlier round closers?

Paul Sporer: I think you’d find yourself behind. Holds counts just aren’t as high as saves and you wouldn’t even be getting the high end holds guys like Ryan Pressly so I don’t think I’d totally wait until the end

HarryLime: Touki Toussaint a victim of an abundant minor’s system? Still hope or a trade token?

Paul Sporer: Ya he’s still just 24 years old, but I’ve got him bullpen bound anyway. I really like him, but I just haven’t seen anything to make me think he’ll develop enough command and control to be a regular SP

Angel: Do you think Ohtani can be a top 20 SP this year?

Paul Sporer: Ehh, probably not this year. Even with the time off making it more likely he’ll be ready by the time we getting goin, I still wouldn’t go that high this year. Still buying him, though!

Dfan: What are the odds of Alex Wood pitching like he did for the Dodgers a few years back?

Paul Sporer: Certainly plausible. He wasn’t great last year, but that’s an injury washout so I’m willing to give him a pass for it

Martin: Can you rank these guys in a universal DH world for 2020 only?: Braun, Thames, Kevin Cron, Renato Nunez (I know he’s already a DH)

Paul Sporer: I’d rank them in the order you have ’em list. Braun & Thames REALLY close

Bob: please rank for me in an obp league, Lux, willie Calhoun, or Kyle Tucker. Not a dynasty. Straight redraft. Normal categories besides the obp instead of avg. Thanks!

Paul Sporer: Calhoun, Lux, Tucker (last only bc he’s not guaranteed a role)

Aceman: You like Uriquidy in QS league?I’m a little leary Dusty won’t have freedom to push starters like he’s done in past,asked Dan earlier this week and he felt the same

Paul Sporer: I do, especially at his price. One thing I really like about him is that he doesn’t walk a ton of batters, which often runs up pitch counts for young arms (and veteran arms with control issues, tbh) so I could see him getting a decent # of QS. And again, he’s so cheap that I like the gamble

Bob: Hi Paul! Hope you’re healthy and safe… What kind of year do you expect from Ian Happ? In an OBP league is he currently a top 60 OFer? Do you think he gains 2B eligibility?

Paul Sporer: I’m in on Happ for sure. If eligibility is scaled to match the game count, he could def get 2B, but I think he’ll primarily run CF. 60 is right around the area I’d consider him among OF

Thor no more: Is Plesac really out of the rotation or was sending him to minors just something til the season starts back up?

Paul Sporer: I’d say the latter. I think he and Civale will definitely be in the rotation

Guest: Last keeper-Jimenez or LeClerc.

Guest: Salary of each is the same $10.

Paul Sporer: At same price and similar talents, I think you gotta go with the better team so that’s Leclerc

Martin: Meadows or Bell higher upside for 2020?

Paul Sporer: Meadows has a more complete profile so definitely him

Dan: Does dansby continue his 1st half breakout this season? What’s his upside?

Paul Sporer: He *can*, especially if he’s healthy and ready to roll. I think a high-20s HR, high-teens SB count is possible in a full breakout

Bob: Bullish or bearish on Jon Berti? If I’m desperate for speed is he playable in a 12-team mixed league?

Paul Sporer: He’s on the cusp in 12s bc they added some talent in MIA that cuts off his playing time. I like him a lot in 15s, but 12s it’s gotta be one of the last couple picks

Spike: Points league…Franmail or Willy Calhoun?

Paul Sporer: I gotta go Franimal!!

Paul Sporer: OK y’all, I gotta keep it to a tight hour today. Thanks so much for coming out! Follow me on Twitter (@sporer), Twitch (sporer), and Instagram (p_sporer). I’ll be streaming on Twitch (twitch.tv/sporer) later today and you can definitely come by and ask questions about fantasy there. Have a good one, y’all!