Who is Being Dropped & Why (Week 1)
It’s the first full FAAB period for the NFBC Main event and it’s time to see who owners have soured on. Two trends I saw were managers dumping a ton of injured or demoted players. Also, bullpen arms were dropped for as situations clear up.
For this analysis, I use the NFBC Main Event because of the number of identical leagues. Additionally, the managers stay engaged longer on the whole since each spent $1700 per team. I tried to find that sweet spot between obvious and bizarre and will focus on players dropped in six to nine leagues.
Hitters
JaCoby Jones (9): Started two games over the weekend and hit ninth. He might end up being the replacement level outfielder when managers are desperate.
Kevin Kiermaier (9): This drop is a little odd. He started two of the three games at an NL park (no DH) batting fifth and sixth. With steals at such a premium, it’s tough to ignore them and 15 HR potential. I know he may struggle with batting average, but what else is expected from the waiver wire.
Rougned Odor (9): Not on the major league club.
Tim Locastro (9): With Kole Calhoun out, it looks like Locastro is on the short side of a platoon with Pavin Smith.
Willie Calhoun (9): He’s out for at least another week, likely longer. I’m sure he’ll get hot at some point and his demand will rise.
Amed Rosario (8): Only one start over the weekend at shortstop. He’s not playing in the outfield with Jordan Luplow and Ben Gamel in a center field platoon.
Luis Urías (8): This drop was unexpected. Urias started two games and has a respectable .708 OPS. If an manager saw enough to draft him, why drop him now?
Roman Quinn (8): He’s in a center field platoon with Adam Haseley.
Ryan Jeffers (8): As I write this, he’s started two of four games. If he’s hitting by the end of the week, managers with a disappointing catcher will be looking to add him.
Yoshi Tsutsugo (8): He led off the first two games, but isn’t hitting so far (.200 OPS). Also, he will be a drag on a team’s batting average (~.230 AVG projection).
Austin Barnes (7): Another move I don’t 100% understand. Maybe managers were just hoping for two games in Colorado, but the catcher pool is so shallow, he’s a must-add for someone in 15-team mixers.
Jo Adell (7): Nearly impossible to roster while waiting for a possible callup.
Tommy La Stella (7): Sat twice against a left-handed starter with the DH available (at Seattle).
Victor Reyes (7): It has been known that he’ll be on the short side of a platoon. Expected drop.
José Iglesias (6): Full-time defense only middle infielder. He’s going to be added and dropped a ton.
Miguel Cabrera (6): I love how people are flocking to Yermin Mercedes, when a comparable player is available on the waiver wire.
Scott Kingery (6): Demoted in order to learn how to hit.
Wilmer Flores (6): Started against two lefties with a .889 OPS so far this season. His playing time this week will determine his demand.
Starters
Chris Sale (7): Not enough roster spots to hold him for three more months. Ed. note: I truly don’t understand why he was even drafted. Sure, he’s a big name, but he was never going to be available early enough to merit holding him.
Logan Gilbert (7): The highly touted prospect has been chopped.
Luke Weaver (7): Fantasy managers weren’t ready to stomach a start in Colorado.
Caleb Smith (6): One of the teams I co-manage made one of these cuts. Someone had to go and with the bad start (three runs in three innings with his velocity down 1.4 mph). I expect he’ll get added once he has an easy matchup.
Joey Lucchesi (6): He was in line for two starts this week, but the Nationals positive COVID-19 cases messed up the schedule.
Spencer Howard (6): Demoted to the minors.
Relievers
Enoli Paredes (9): I know some people considered him Pressley’s backup in Houston, but he’s not worth rostering with other options.
José Alvarado (9): Hector Neris got the closer’s label.
Tanner Rainey (9): While nothing has happened to Rainey, backup closers are this week’s dispensable asset.
Keone Kela (8): Mark Melancon seems to be the closer in San Diego.
Randy Dobnak (8): Lost out on a starting role and his bullpen role is undetermined.
Tanner Scott (8): Soft-tossing Cesar Valdez (0.00 ERA, 5.31 xFIP) has the Orioles first two Saves.
Tony Gonsolin (7): Out for a while with shoulder inflammation.
Joakim Soria (6): This move seems a little reactionary. I’d wait at least a week to find out the full extent of his calf injury caused by covering first base.
| Name | Drops |
|---|---|
| Rafael Dolis | 34 |
| Josh Lindblom 린드블럼 | 24 |
| Kyle Gibson | 24 |
| Nick Ahmed | 22 |
| Chad Green | 21 |
| Chris Archer | 21 |
| A.J. Puk | 19 |
| Garrett Richards | 19 |
| Blake Treinen | 17 |
| Daulton Jefferies | 17 |
| Chris Martin | 16 |
| Rich Hill | 16 |
| Ronald Guzman | 15 |
| Kohei Arihara | 14 |
| Matt Bush | 14 |
| Trevor May | 14 |
| Brandon Workman | 13 |
| Kyle Crick | 13 |
| Stefan Crichton | 13 |
| Stephen Piscotty | 13 |
| Archie Bradley | 12 |
| David Bote | 12 |
| Deivi Garcia | 12 |
| Mitch Keller | 12 |
| Nick Wittgren | 12 |
| Brent Suter | 11 |
| Cristian Pache | 11 |
| Ross Stripling | 11 |
| Merrill Kelly 켈리 | 10 |
| Mike Brosseau | 10 |
| Odubel Herrera | 10 |
| Spencer Turnbull | 10 |
| Enoli Paredes | 9 |
| JaCoby Jones | 9 |
| Jose Alvarado | 9 |
| Kevin Kiermaier | 9 |
| Rougned Odor | 9 |
| Tanner Rainey | 9 |
| Tim Locastro | 9 |
| Willie Calhoun | 9 |
| Amed Rosario | 8 |
| Keone Kela | 8 |
| Luis Urias | 8 |
| Randy Dobnak | 8 |
| Roman Quinn | 8 |
| Ryan Jeffers | 8 |
| Tanner Scott | 8 |
| Yoshi Tsutsugo | 8 |
| Austin Barnes | 7 |
| Chris Sale | 7 |
| Jo Adell | 7 |
| Logan Gilbert | 7 |
| Luke Weaver | 7 |
| Tommy La Stella | 7 |
| Tony Gonsolin | 7 |
| Victor Reyes | 7 |
| Caleb Smith | 6 |
| Joakim Soria | 6 |
| Joey Lucchesi | 6 |
| Jose Iglesias | 6 |
| Miguel Cabrera | 6 |
| Scott Kingery | 6 |
| Spencer Howard | 6 |
| Wilmer Flores | 6 |
| Austin Slater | 5 |
| Chad Kuhl | 5 |
| Daulton Varsho | 5 |
| David Peterson | 5 |
| David Price | 5 |
| Elieser Hernandez | 5 |
| Garrett Crochet | 5 |
| J.B. Bukauskas | 5 |
| Jose Cisnero | 5 |
| Josh Staumont | 5 |
| Matt Moore | 5 |
| Michael Lorenzen | 5 |
| Mike Foltynewicz | 5 |
| Mitch Moreland | 5 |
Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.
the La Stella drops are weird. He was expected to sit vs. LHP with or without the DH. The Giants are known to be big platooners, and he’s a below average hitter vs. LHP for his career. They didn’t start Dickerson in either of those games either.
Hard disagree on Sale. His line from FanGraphs’ Depth Charts, which projects him for 82 innings, would make him the 40th most valuable pitcher by a z-score rating. If you combine his production with that of a replacement level SP until he’s activated — say, Sean Manaea — you get something close to Jack Flaherty’s overall line. That’s worth the dead roster spot, IMO. By the same logic, I usually end up carrying one elite non-closer RP even in saves leagues.
Especially when you’ve got an IL slot like lots of leagues.
It’s true to a point – you can use injuries to create value if you’re smart and lucky enough you don’t have to use that extra spot. The basic problem is Jack Flaherty would almost exactly half as valuable if he took up 2 roster spots. In this case maybe you drop Manaea midseason (a very generous timeline!) so maybe it’s more like 1.5. But as long as you’re not dividing by 1 you’re severely limiting the value. Drafting Kole Calhoun too late as your extra OF isn’t quite stealing, it’s more like gambling the other guys don’t get hurt or have games cancelled the first 2 weeks while you have 1 less roster spot than your competitors. I’m fine to take the risk sometimes but marginal roster spots are highly valuable.
I think it depends entirely on how many IL slots you have. One of my leagues has two and the other has three (for covid). If Sale’s going to take up an actual roster spot, then yeah, I might not hold onto him for him to only pitch half a season. But it takes two injuries for rostering him to be a problem, and he only cost me a 19th round pick. Half the guys drafted that late will be on the waiver wire by May anyway.
Luis Arreaz needs to be added. He will be a hit and in base machine. Kairmaier and Odor can easily be relaplaced. Winker worries me as he sits as well.
Agreed on Arraez. In auction leagues, his multi-position eligibility, low price, high BA and OBP, R all mean significant value at a bargain. I also think Cincy is simply giving some players early playing time just because manager. Winker is fine, missing a couple games due to flu (same as Arraez, it seems).