Roto Riteup: April 1, 2018

I am sad to announce that I will be leaving Rotographs and the fantasy baseball industry to pursue an opportunity with a Major League club. I want to thank Paul Sporer, Eno Sarris, David Appelman, and most of all the readers at Rotographs for the opportunity to allow me to spew my nonsense and thoughts on the world of baseball. It was a good run…

 

via GIPHY

Come on! There is no way I could leave you guys…. Unless the Giants are hiring… CALL ME!

 

On the Agenda:

1. The Dentist is Out

2. Various News and Notes

3. Streaming Pitchers

 

The Dentist is Out

Delino DeShields was placed on the 10-Day DL with a broken hamate bone. He will likely miss the next 4-6 six weeks with the injury. While hamate injuries can sap power from players, DeShields is coveted for his speed, so he should be ok once he returns. Carlos Tocci will likely profit the most from his absence and can swipe bags as well, making him the perfect replacement in deeper formats.

 

Various News and Notes

Yulieski Gurriel is scheduled to return to the Astros on Tuesday after a five game suspension. Gurriel was suspended for racist actions during the World Series. He is also recovering from a hand injury, but was not placed on the DL to start the year. He should be good to place in your weekly lineups this

There have been some trade rumors floating around that involve a proposed deal of Ryan Braun to the Dodgers in exchange for Matt Kemp. Brewers general manager David Stearns shot down the rumors late Saturday, but the Brewers have been looking for a way to get from under Braun’s contract and secure more playing time for players on the roster. This would be a boon to Domingo Santana’s and Eric Thames’ value if it happened, but at the moment, it doesn’t seem likely.

Ian Kinsler was placed on the DL with a strained groin. The injury was serious enough to get him placed on the DL, but doesn’t appear to be too serious as Kinsler himself said he should be back after a minimum stay. Luis Valbuena will enter the lineup at third while Zack Cozart will move over to second in Kinsler’s absence. Valbuena is a decent AL only fill in for the next week or so and Cozart could add second base to his growing positional eligibility which is always nice. The Angels also acquired Ryan Schimpf from the Braves and he could be a short term option at second or third base.

Nelson Cruz was removed from Saturday’s game against the indians after injuring his ankle. Cruz slipped and fell in the dugout after hitting a homerun. He was seen wear a walking boot on the injured ankle after the game making it appear more serious than previously expected. If he heads to the DL, Dan Vogelbach could get some extended looks as the DH. Vogelbach was on fire during spring training and is a former top prospect that has been held back by the fact that he is absolutely atrocious defensively. If Cruz hits the DL, Vogelbach is a very interesting short-term pick up, especially in OBP formats.

 

Streaming Pitchers Options

A pitcher for today: Chris Stratton @LAD

This is a risky play for the day, but I can’t tout a guy all offseason and then not start him in his first start. Stratton looked good in spring training.

A pitcher for tomorrow: None

I was tempted to throw Jakob Junis in this spot, but this early in the year, I will be a bit more careful.





Justin is the co-host on The Sleeper and The Bust Podcast and writes for Rotographs covering the Roto Riteup as well as other periodic articles. In addition to his work at Rotographs, Justin is the lead fantasy writer/analyst and co-owner for FriendswithFantasyBenefits.com, and the owner of The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational. He is also a certified addiction treatment counselor. Follow Justin on Twitter @JustinMasonFWFB.

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Brett
5 years ago

Well played sir. I was surprised and …. now I want a donut. 🙂