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Valentine’s Day may be over, but some are still struggling to let go of what love used to feel like. The highs that once came effortlessly now arrive less and less, yet you stay, hoping they’ll return. It’s exhausting to realize the person who once gave you the best you’ve ever had now mostly gives you the worst.
I’ve been there, holding on to who someone used to be instead of who they’ve become. YUNGBLUD puts it better than I ever could in his song, 11 Minutes:
“You’re the best I’ve ever had,
You’re the worst I’ve ever had,
And that keeps fuckin’ with my head.”
That contradiction is exactly what keeps you stuck. You start clinging to who they were at their best and ignoring who they are right now.
As a grizzled vet in the game of love, I’ve found that letting go is the hardest part. There have been so many times I thought I’d finally found “the one” to bring everything together. I’ve dealt with those who lacked discipline in the hopes they’d figure it out. I’ve been blinded by the person I met years ago, letting my memory of them excuse the person standing in front of me now. I even defended others mercilessly no matter how many strikes they racked up. I hurt when they hurt, hanging onto them even when I didn’t hear from them for months… sometimes years.
Trust me, I’ve questioned my own judgment more times than I can count. I’m here to give you a fresh perspective so you don’t have to repeat my mistakes.
It won’t be easy, but you have to stay strong and keep a level head. It’s time to stop managing with your heart and start to Scout the Statline. Once you do, you’ll see the error of your ways before it’s too late.
Don’t let the name on the back of a jersey blind you from the stats and data. It’s time to move on to a player or prospect who is ready to give you the best your fantasy team ever had.
What?
You thought I was talking about something else?
Like what?
Finding “real” love? That happily-ever-after shtick?
Do you think I’m some kind of matchmaker?
Like I’m Will Smith played in the movie Hitch?
Bruh!I I just spent Valentine’s Day, alone on my couch, rewatching the first season of 90 Day Fiance as I ate an entire heart-shaped ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins.
I don’t know what to tell you? Maybe check out Hitch or apply to be on 90 Day Fiance?
Anyway, with all that being said… Let’s break some more hearts…
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My Adored AUSTIN RILEY,
Please don’t think I forgot the good times. The elite numbers you put up between 2021 to 2023 but you haven’t been there for me in the last two years. I can’t play this charade anymore. Your slash line and power numbers… Well, they don’t excite me like they used to.
Don’t get me wrong! The metrics are still there.. Your Exit Velocity is still hovering around 92.3 mph which is on par with your career numbers along with an elite Bat Speed of 75.9 mph, a 50.2 HardHit% that still puts you in the 88th percentile, and the 15.2% Barrell rate you put up is impressive. All numbers that some other fantasy team would love to have! But, I need to look out for my future and the 112 games you’ve missed the last two seasons… Well, that scares me. So, I need to move on and find someone who fills my needs.
🤕 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔 💔🤕
I understand trading Austin Riley is as tough as realizing that the ice cream cake I ingested was over 6,000 calories and 500 grams of sugar. Riley is still only 28 years old, and finding any fantasy elite-type production outside of J-Ram, Machado, and Caminero at the hot corner is a nightmare, but this is where you have to look at the big picture.
Because Riley is still widely considered an elite talent despite his injury history, his trade value is likely higher than his actual production. This might be the perfect time if you are rebuilding your fantasy team to take that name value to land yourself a “blue-chip” prospect.
Alternatively, you can pivot and acquire a bridge-type third baseman to go along with a “lottery-tier” prospect that is a few years away but has compelling metrics or play some 5D chess and acquire a first-round pick in next year’s loaded pool of hitting prospects that consist of eight potential elite-level type hitters.
Credit to Down on the Farm (@DownontheFarm8 on X)
We will get into all of that a little bit later but let’s first go over the one “Blue Chipper” prospect that will help you forget all about Austin Riley. Along with a prospect that you might have forgotten about.
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THE BLUE CHIPPER PACKAGE
CALEB BONEMER, White Sox and Draft Capital
The helium started in his first full professional season when the 19-year-old Bonemer shattered expectations. He became a revelation for the White Sox system as he flashed an exceptionally rare power/speed combination with 12 HRs and 29 SBs to go along with a slash line of .281/.401/.473 in 107 games that garnered him the Carolina League MVP. But what I found most impressive was the mid-season swing adjustments he made last season by flattening his plane which resulted in a ridiculous 192 wRC+ during his late-season promotion to High-A ball. Don’t take my word for it this is Ross Claus and other scouts think of Bonemer and what the advanced numbers show:
Credit to Ross Jensen (@RossJensen on X)
- Possesses elite raw power for his age, recording a 90th percentile exit velocity over 104 mph.
- Maintains a rock-bottom chase rate below 20% (well under the 28% MLB average), showing a preternatural understanding of the strike zone.
- His contact rate sits at 78% overall but jumps to 85% on swings inside the zone, proving he has the “hit tool” to back up his massive power.
ANOTHER INTERESTING NAME: BROCK WILKEN, Brew Crew
Wilken is a last minute addition to my list because one of my favorite writers, Darren “Doc” Eisenhauer from Prospects Live (@DocEisenhauer on X) just happened to put out a X post yesterday on a third baseman that he raved about for the last three years. I can’t do justice to how eloquently Doc wrote about prospect development not always being linear so you should check it out on Prospects Live.
Wilken has had some horrible luck since being drafted with some scary and what sounds like horrific injuries which explains his inconsistencies. His fantasy stature has taken a bit of a tumble but he might be on track and as Doc said, “6’4 225 lb power bats don’t grow on trees!”
Credit to @DocEisenhauer on X
2027 DRAFT TARGET: TYLER SPANGLER
Baseball America’s 10th-ranked prospect for this summer’s draft, Tyler Spangler is a name to watch in the prep ranks. While he is committed to Stanford, all signs point to him turning pro and entering the 2026 MLB Draft following his senior season at De La Salle High School. Even though he currently plays shortstop, many scouts believe his 6’3″ frame and defensive profile fit better at third base long-term.
Due to his physical presence and the upright, left-handed batting stance he maintains in the box he has garnered Corey Seager comps. From what I saw in the limited tape Spangler’s hands start up a bit higher and he is not as quiet in the box as Seager is with a bat wiggle. But Spangler possesses an easy and fluid swing, featuring simple mechanics that will allow him to repeat consistently. I love the torque he gets even though it doesn’t look like he uses his lower body like Seager does. It might be because Spangler uses a much shorter stride but it works.
While high school statistics can be deceptive, I trust the consensus from knowledgeable analysts and scouts. They believe Spangler possesses a 55 hit tool, 55 power tool, and 50 speed, making him an incredibly balanced 18-year-old prospect with a massive fantasy ceiling.
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THE BRIDGE GUYS
TRADE FOR: COLE KEITH, Tigers; MATT SHAW, Cubs and JOSH JUNG, Rangers
Colt Keith is just a year removed from being one of the top hitting prospects in baseball. I believe his inconsistent playing time and shuffling between 1B, 2B, and DH hindered his performance at the plate last season. In fact, his wRC+ as a 3B (118) was significantly higher than when he was stuck in the DH spot.
That all changes as he enters 2026 as the Tigers’ full-time starting 3B. While his 2025 surface stats were modest, his batted ball profile tells a much different story. Keith posted a .336 xwOBA compared to a .325 wOBA, a ‘power gap’ that suggests he was far unluckier than the box score showed. With a hard-hit rate that jumped to 43.7% and a walk rate that climbed over 10%, his advanced metrics scream ‘breakout!”
Matt Shaw may lose 3B eligibility after this season, but he could also become much more valuable in some fantasy leagues with the Cubs using him as a swiss knife to fill in at 2B, SS, 3B and OF this season.
Shaw’s hit tool remains elite despite his rookie season. While his 2025 MLB line of .226/.295/.394 was modest at best, his underlying metrics suggest a major breakout is coming this season. He posted an 85% Zone Contact rate and an elite 90th percentile Exit Velocity of 105.5 mph, proving the hit tool is translateable to the highest level. He is a polished hitter as demonstrated by his 35.3% Sweet-Spot rate last season. Look no further than the numbers he put up just a year ago in his 2024 MiLB campaign, where he racked up 21 HRs and 31 SBs with a 151 wRC+ to get a better gauge of what he is capable of. Whether he’s at third base or in the outfield, his power-speed combo is criminally underrated and is worthy of taking a chance on.
Josh Jung was a consensus top-100 prospect and a top-10 dynasty 3B after a stellar 2023. Unfortunately, a “rash of injuries” and a mid-season slump in 2025 tanked his value, leaving him near the bottom of most rankings. However, his 2025 was truly a tale of two seasons defined by a mid-summer “swing reset.”
- Pre-Option (Through July 1): Jung struggled significantly with a .237/.283/.366 slash line and a sub-par 82 wRC+.
- Post-Recall (July 21 – End of Season): After a brief stint in Triple-A, he looked like an elite talent again, slashing .271/.308/.424 with a much improved 104 wRC+. He actually led the Rangers in hits (55) and RBIs (26) during that final stretch.
The most important “stat” from 2025 was his 131 games played. After appearing in only 168 games combined over the previous two seasons, proving he could handle a full-season workload was a major hurdle cleared. He enters 2026 100% healthy and possesses an elite 92nd percentile SweetSpot rate (39.4%). If he carries that second-half momentum into this year, he should easily replicate his ’23 form where he produced 23 HRs and 75 RBIs in just 120 games.
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“LOTTERY” TIER TRADE PACKAGE: JUAN SANCHEZ, Blue Jays,
Along with one HIGH-FLOOR PROSPECT at a position of need or (COLT KEITH) along with a FIRST or SECOND ROUND DRAFT PICK. (if you need pitching get a draft pick for this year or if you need hitting then get a draft pick for next year)
At just 18 years old, Juan Sanchez seems to have already solved the launch angle puzzle, posting a robust 44.8% flyball rate last season. He is the quintessential “pull-hitter,” with roughly 55.8% of his balls in play going to his pull side which is a trait that allows his natural bat speed to translate into massive home run power. In his pro debut, he absolutely punished the ball in the DSL, posting an insane 1.004 OPS with 8 HRs and 28 extra-base hits in only 56 games.
I understand the trepidation with such a small sample size, especially coming out of the DSL. However, when MLB Pipeline officially named Sanchez the third base prospect with the highest ceiling in the game, you have to take notice.
Since Sanchez is still a few years away from the majors, you have two suitable choices: don’t listen to me and hold onto Austin Riley but find another way to acquire Sanchez, or move Riley now for a haul that includes Sanchez plus a “bridge” starter to fill the hot corner until he arrives.
Credit to Kirk Snyder (@dynastyinfo411 on X)
ONE LAST INTERESTING NAME: CONNOR NORBY, Orioles
The best way to describe Norby is that he’s a pure hitter. The numbers he racked up between 2022 and 2024 in the Orioles’ system were impressive, to say the least: 67 HRs and 225 RBIs with an .873 OPS. His plate discipline was also rock solid, maintaining a 21.6% K-rate and a 9.2% walk rate during that span.
Despite that, I’m torn. Not only because of his durability issues and the modest .250/.300/.389 line (with 8 HRs in 337 PAs) he put up last season, but because he went after my guy, Owen Hurd (@OWEN_FBB) on X… However, after finding out yesterday that Owen didn’t invite me to his mock draft, I’ve decided to give Norby the nod. GO IRISH! “GARUNTEED” CHIP in ‘26, OWEN!!
Credit to Owen Hurd (@Owen_FBB on X)
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I only wish you health and happiness, Austin!! I will always remember the good times… between 2021and 2023. I hope you know I’m doing this for the both of us!!!! Well… really only for my fantasy team. But, I wish you only the best of luck except when you play me! You broke-ass hoe.
(Sorry I had to add that last part to see if anyone catches it but to be honest… Austin you played like a broke ass hoe last year and cost me a chance to make the playoffs! So sorry but not sorry)
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Till next heartbreak… 27
