ESCAPE THE MATRIX – HITTERS EDITION
*******************************************************
You keep losing Ronald Acuna Jr to injuries?
YES! You can find another 40/70 guy.
You lost the best fantasy third baseman in Jose Ramirez?
YES! Now you can find the next best fantasy third baseman.
Aaron Judge is out for at least another four to six weeks?
YES! You can find a better outfielder who can fill that void in your lineup.
No matter what happens just say YES and your problems will go away.
Honestly… who falls for this? If you own any of these guys, it flat-out sucks. There’s no spinning this into a positive. Let alone finding a viable replacement to fill the void on your roster.
No one is this gullible to believe that just saying yes will take care of your problems?
Well, if you are reading the second part of this series then maybe????
Seriously, if something like that or anything bad happens to you.
Say to yourself: This is not a freak accident. I’m not an unfortunate or unlucky person because I lost the best player on my team. I’m not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself. This situation was deliberately given to me by the simulation because it wants me to level up and prove I can get through it. This is my big opportunity to earn some karma from the fantasy baseball universe and to become the fantasy manager I’m supposed to be. This is my chance!
This isn’t a bad thing!
This is finally my fuckin’ chance!
Thank God this happened!
Now I can prove to myself. Fuck what anyone else thinks. Prove it to my fuckin’ self that I can be like RFF and be the best Fantasy Baseball Manager I can be. And become the version of myself!
This is my shot!
MY FRIEND, THIS VERSION IS INSIDE YOU.
FORGET THE COUNTLESS FAILURES YOU’VE MADE IN THE PAST!
Like when you thought Victor Scott II was going to be the best leadoff hitter in baseball.
Or how about when you thought some 25 year old kid that hit over .300 in Vaun Brown was going to be the second coming of Barry Bonds.
And what about the time you dropped Jordan Walker in the beginning of the season because you thought Esteury Ruiz was showing signs of life.
FORGET ALL OF THAT except if you’re Ross Jensen who mostly thought those things were going to happen.
Well, mostly… I embellished just a tiny bit. But you get the picture.
All of us make mistakes so there is no point in feeling bad for yourself or dwelling on it.
WORK! WORK! WORK! WORK! WORK!
WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
It’s so easy to win!
The first step is to take a step back and look at your fantasy team.
Take a real look.
Step into the real world then decide if your team has an actual chance of making the playoffs.
You need to look at the chess board and make the correct move.
Once you come to the realization that you need to change instead of staying at the bottom of your division.
You can move forward.
Look at me…
Years ago I escaped the Matrix and embraced the struggle.
I gave up everything to study the insides and outs of the statline to become the most successful fantasy baseball manager in the game today.
I’ve won hundreds if not thousands of championships!
I’m known through the fantasy baseball multiverse.
The most well-known and renowned fantasy baseball expert in the world today.
I can take your team and win right now.
There is nothing I cannot do.
Not only do I have all the credentials and accolades to back this up but I own and experience every luxury you can think of.
I drive a 2019 Volvo S90.
I own a one bedroom condo on the top floor of a five story building with an obstructed view of another five story building.
I only use ultra-soft two-ply Charmin.
I have Netflix AND HBO Max!
Every fantasy baseball analyst envies me! (especially Ross Jensen)
I’m a winner!
And you can be too!
There is a version of you that never fails…
It is waiting for you.
ARE YOU READY FOR YOU NEW LIFE?
ESCAPE THE MATRIX WHILE YOU CAN, MY FRIEND.
BLUE PILL – STAY IN THE MATRIX AND RE-TOOL FOR A RUN THIS SEASON
The guys highlighted below fall into two specific buckets: they are either buy-low buys or young players on the verge of everyday playing time as the trade deadline clears out the veterans ahead of them or they get traded to a new team. More importantly, because of their disappointing first halves, they are all highly attainable targets for your roster right now. So you won’t see guys like Munetaka Murakami, Oneil, Cruz, or Byron Buxton.
I’m betting heavily on the Nationals because of the massive organizational shift in how they develop hitters, and the track record of this new regime speaks for itself with what they’ve done with James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr., Curtis Mead, and CJ Abrams. Second, we are targeting a select group of Colorado Rockies. Historically, Colorado’s home/road splits can be tough to navigate, but the second-half schedule heavily favors them with the Rockies playing 45 of their final 75 games at Coors Field. With the trade deadline looming, the Rockies are primed to transition into a full-scale youth movement. The veteran roster roadblocks are highly likely to be cleared out, leaving a slew of talented young hitters with guaranteed everyday playing time. Buying them now, right before they get a sustained run in the altitude, is a classic high-upside move.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
ESTEURY RUIZ – MIAMI MARLINS – I felt bad for taking that jab at Ross) Strictly ROTO leagues for stolen bases.
ENDY RODRIGUEZ – C – PITTSBURGH PIRATES – He would have made my Top 25 if he wasn’t injured.
OWEN CAISSIE – OF – Same as Rodriguez
JONATAN CLASE – OF – TORONTO BLUE JAYS – Probably won’t get much playing time when Jesus Sanchez comes back from injury but I like what I see.
KAHLIL WATSON – OF – CLEVELAND GUARDIANS – Same as Clase on why he didn’t make the list
MOISES BALLESTEROS – C/DH – CHICAGO CUBS – He needs to get his confidence back. His numbers in Triple-A are not enticing enough for me to add him to the list but he should get a call-up later on this season.
25. LUIS ROBERTS – OF – NY METS – Maybe?
24. ABIMELIC ORTIZ – 1B – WASHINGTON NATIONALS
23. DALTON VARSHO – OF – TORONTO BLUE JAYS – He is too talented not to put it all together. Right?
22. EUGENIO SUAREZ – 3B – CINCINNATI REDS – You know this motherfucker is like the Undertaker and will eventually rise from the dead and go on an incredible hot streak for a few weeks to a month. It will happen.
21. TROY JOHNSTON – 1B/OF – COLORADO ROCKIES
20. JAKE McCARTHY – OF – COLORADO ROCKIES
19. DYLAN CREWS – OF – WASHINGTON NATIONALS
18. JOSHUA KURODA-GRAUER – 3B – SACRAMENTO ATHLETICS – This is just a gut feeling. Also playing their home games in Sacramento doesn’t hurt.
17. KYLE KARROS – 3B – COLORADO ROCKIES
16. (tie) WYATT LANGFORD – OF – TEXAS RANGERS and SPENCER STEER – 1B/2B/OF – CINCINNATI REDS – I don’t like Steer but people love his underlying numbers so I put him here. I love Langford but he is turning into Mr. Glass so I figured they can share this spot.
15. COLT KEITH – 1B/2B/3B – DETROIT TIGERS
14. MATT SHAW – 2B/3B/OF – CHICAGO CUBS
13. LUIS LARA – OF – MILWAUKEE BREWERS – I’m leaning on StS on this one. He seems to be a 4-A guy to me.
12. FRANCISCO ALVAREZ – C – NY METS
11. BRENDAN DONOVAN – 2B – SEATTLE MARINERS
10. PEDRO RAMIREZ – 2B/3B – CHICAGO CUBS – I love his bat and will be a prime trade target so that should open him up to more playing time with a new team.
9. KERRY CARPENTER – OF – DETROIT TIGERS
8. JACOB WILSON – SS – SACRAMENTO ATHLETICS – It looked like pitchers started to figure him out or something so he lands outside the top five.
7. DALTON RUSHING – C/1B – Dude is a dog! He reminds me of those 80s ball players who just mashed and didn’t give a fuck. We need more of that in MLB.
6. ZAC VEEN – OF – COLORADO ROCKIES – I’m worried he is another 4-A guy but I love his swing and mechanics
5. CURTIS MEAD – 3B – WASHINGTON NATIONALS
4. NOELVI MARTE – 3B/OF – CINCINNATI REDS – I wouldn’t want a hitter to get traded out of Cincy but he might need to. He is way too talented of a hitter to be putting up pedestrian numbers like he did when he got recalled to the majors.
3. DOMINIC CANZONE – OF – SEATTLE MARINERS – His underlying numbers on Baseball Savant are fuego rojo.
2. AJ EWING – OF – NY METS – I hope the Mets just give him the green light at all times when he gets on base
1. COLE CARRIGG – OF – COLORADO ROCKIES – PLEASE run more!! You’d be a poor man’s PCA if you do!! C’mon I know you’re fast as fuck!
RED PILL
Embrace the struggle and rebuild. These are MiLB hitters who have not debuted in the majors yet but should be called up within a calendar year. Before you start crying and whining if your favorite prospect is ranked too low or not at all. I have a couple cavaets to these rankings. First. you won’t see prospects such as Arjun Nimmala or Zyhir Hope because I don’t think they will be called up before a calendar year. Second, I didn’t include any players from Single or High-A since they are so far away. So you won’t see Eli Willits. Josuar Gonzalez, or Edward Florentino. If you want those kinds of guys along with the Complex guys that you should roster then spend some money and subscribe to Scout the Statline.
You cheap bastard.
20. OWEN AYERS – C/DH – CHICAGO CUBS – Intriguing numbers and a prime trade target
19. GEORGE LOMBARD JR – SS – NY YANKEES
18. JAMES TIBBS III – OF/1B – LA DODGERS – Remember him and that ridiculous start he had? He has cooled off but he is also dealing with an injury. Also, he is on the Dodgers so maybe he will get called up in 2030 when they have an opening for him in their outfield.
17. DEVIN TAYLOR – OF – SACRAMENTO ATHLETICS – I love Taylor’s hit and power tools. He would be in my top ten if I strictly went on fantasy value/ceiling but he won’t be called up till next year at the earliest so I have to put him this low on my list.
16. (tie) LAZARO MONTES – OF – SEATTLE MARINERS and SEAVER KING – SS – WASHINGTON NATIONALS – Montes might not be called within a calendar year because he just started Triple-A and the Mariners are pretty solid in their outfield right now. King, however, has a pretty good shot of being called up. He isn’t a top-tier prospect but as I mentioned the Nationals have revamped their hitters and he has looked really good this season so he lands here.
15. CALEB BONEMER – 3B – CHICAGO WHITE SOX
14. ANDREW FISCHER – 3B – MILWAUKEE BREWERS
13. MAX CLARK OF – DETROIT TIGERS – After the Tigers trade Skubal then Clark might get the call up when the rebuild starts.
12. KAELEN CULPEPPER – SS – MINNESOTA TWINS
11. THEO GILLEN OF – TAMPA BAY RAYS – He’d be higher but he is in the Rays organization so who knows when he will be called up.
10. DEVIN FITZ-GERALD – INF – WASHINGTON NATIONALS
9. LEO DE VRIES – SS – SACRAMENTO ATHLETICS – Only because he won’t be called up for at least two years that he is outside the top-five on this list.
8. RALPHY VELAZQUEZ – 1B – CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
7. WALKER JENKINS – OF – MINNESOTA TWINS
6. CHARLIE CONDON – 1B/OF – COLORADO ROCKIES – Best young hitter that will get regular playing time in Colorado after the deadline. Go get him as my boy, Shanks would say.
5. (tie) HECTOR RODRIGUEZ – OF – CINCINNATI REDS and JOSUE DE PAULA – OF – LA DODGERS – Rodriguez should be called up this season and on mostly any other team so would De Paula. Both have the talent to be top 20 fantasy outfielders. I give the slight edge to De Paula but Rodriguez will be called up sooner so that is why they are lumped together at the five spot.
4. JOSHUA BAEZ – OF – ST LOUIS CARDINALS – Him along with Jordan Walker in the outfield in the Lou is the second coming of the Bash Brothers.
3. MIKE SIROTA – OF – LA DODGERS – Yeah, I’m one of the few guys who believes Sirota is better than De Paula. I just love his advanced approach at the plate.
2. FRANKLIN ARIAS – SS – BOSTON RED SOX – He has shown so much improvement that the Red Sox might just call him up this season. I know he is only in Double-A but he might push the envelope especially if the Red Sox want the best players on their roster for a playoff run.
1. JESUS MADE – SS – MILWAUKEE BREWERS – He won’t be called up this season but he is worth the wait.
TOP RFF – OUT