Paul Sporer’s Baseball Chat – July 9th, 2025

Paul Sporer: Hello everyone! Thanks for coming out, just a quickie today at 30 minutes as I’ve got an appt. at 1:30 CT

Playing it close to the Vest: As a Tigers fan, do you think that Vest is their long-term closer? Or will they be looking to bump him down, either at the deadline or during the off-season? He’s already 30 years old and without a long track record of closing

Paul Sporer: I’d be surprised. Harris and Hinch seem to view the closer’s role as very fluid so I wouldn’t be investing with any sort of long-term vision on any Tigers RP, tbh

Ess Pee: Could you rank these arms: Slade C, Colton Gordon, T Rogers? Are they all above the rp threshold (Matt Brash) in an al only?

Paul Sporer: In reverse order of how you listed them but very little separation. I do think they all clear Brash unless you want some runoffs SVs and good ratios

Boston Pen: Where are you on Jordan Hicks? He hasn’t been that much better in Boston but people are spec’ing on him taking over for Chapman. Does the save potential make him better than arms with better results like Matt Brash/Varland/Yariel Rodriguez?

Paul Sporer: I’ve never been the biggest fan of his game, but especially at starter so at least he’s moving back to the bullpen. I definitely understand the Aroldis spec as he makes sense to get traded and it makes sense that they’d give Hicks a shot even if only to try & make the Devers trade look better

Matt: Next week 12 team roto. Starters haven’t been announced yet, but assuming all have a start in the first series after break you sitting either Rodon @ATL or Gray @ARZ in favor of either Kershaw MIL or Flaherty @TEX?

Paul Sporer: I’d rank ’em in the order you listed them with Rodon/Gray a cut above Kersh/Flaherty. Arizona is the toughest of those matchups by far, but I trust Sonny all the way

Look At This Sotograph: Thanks for doing this chat Paul. Any reason to kep Cag on my bench in 12T redraft? Adell is currently my worst OF/1B type.

Paul Sporer: It’s close and I’d lean toward trying to keep a little longer. If he was K’ing like 30% of the time, I’d have more issues, but he’s actually making contact, it’s just being dragged by a .163 BABIP. Give him this week and first 7-10 days out of the break unless you REALLY need the spot

Jon: Is Matt Shaw worth hanging onto at this point? Would you drop him for any of Zeke Tovar, Jake Cronenworth, Luis Garcia or JP Crawford in an OBP league?

Paul Sporer: With a sub-.300 OBP, I’m less inclined to hold Shaw unless I desperately need his SBs. I think w/the group of available bats, Shaw can be moved off the roster

Guest: Is it time to ditch Logan O’Hoppe as my C? The streakiness is brutal. Ben Rice, Caratini, Sean Murphy all available in my league

Paul Sporer: That sounds like a 1-C league so there’s plenty of depth and I’d move on from LOH

AL Central Casting: Once Rutschman returns from the IL, him or Kirk ROS? 1-C, 12-team mixed, OPS instead of AVG.

Paul Sporer: Still gonna lean Rutsch and hope that getting healthy gets his bat on track

Michael Harris: What’s wrong with him this year? Is he cooked or is there still hope he can be the annual 20/20 threat with a good average going forward

Paul Sporer: I might be the wrong person to ask bc I’ve never been a big fan and felt his bat was always on a thin margin bc of poor plate skills. He makes a lot of contact, but too much of it is just bad. The speed keeps him fantasy relevant, but short of a must-start or even must-roster is really shallow formats

Chucky: Would you add Cade Horton at the expense of either Roupp or Libby? ROS/ Keeper

Paul Sporer: Intriguing trio, but I think I’d favor Horton over Roupp. I’m a long-time Libby fanboy and he’s been doing v well this year, so I still like him of course. Horton/Libby/Roupp for me

Guest: Thoughts on Darvish ROS?  Assuming he stays healthy and builds up IP/Game over the next couple of starts…

Paul Sporer: Definitely a wildcard, but I think he can be fantasy relevant so while I had no interest in starting his season debut, I did think he was a must-scoop to at least stash

bingbongbing: Is Colt Keith a must-roster in 12 teamers? Throw out April and he has been a beast.

Paul Sporer: Still early in his career, but looking like a classic slow-starter type you gotta hang with through April. Like you said, since May 1st: 306 AVG, 895 OPS w/7 HRs (21 full season pace). Absolutely running him in 12s rn

Guest: Should I trade my Freeman, J-Rod, and Perdomo for his Harper adn Soto and pick up Doyle of waivers?

Paul Sporer: I’m OK w/that if it fits team needs

Winker Taylor Soler Fry: Darvish or Ryne Nelson in a 12T redraft

Paul Sporer: Like both, but lean Ryno

Anthony: Are we all BACK on the Semien train? Given the dearth of rosterable/playable 2Bs, is he back in top 5 range?

Paul Sporer: Yeah he’s riiight around there. It was dicey early on, but this is why I still think there is some value to considering draft cost when deciding how long to hold guys. Someone like Semien w/his track record and draft cost gets more than a month from me and I realize it was a gross 2 mos. paired w/a modest season last yr, but nothing in the profile suggested he was fully cooked and since that 4-hit gm on May 30th, he’s hitting 311 with a 916 OPS, 6 HR/4 SB (~30/20 full season pace). As you mention, position dearth also helps elevate him

Anthony: Am I crazy for thinking that Salvy rebounds and is the clear C2 behind Raleigh from here on?

Paul Sporer: Not craaazy but maybe clear #2 is a little too firm for me. But your general point that he’s back and awesome again is correct — 271 AVG, 7 HR, 26 RBI in his last 33 gms which covers 138 PA (34/128 full season pace)

Honkus Wagner: how ready are you to move on from Volpe? asking for ROS, and keeper/dynasty formats. difficult to hold imo when Story, Lopez, others are outperforming at this point

Paul Sporer: I really have a tough time moving on bc he’s still just 24 and loaded with talent so I’d really be trying to hold in keeper/dynasty situations

Paul Sporer: OK y’all, I gotta bust out early. SP rankings are all but done so I will post them here in the next few days during the break. Take care y’all!!!