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Aug18_2025 BHQ Chat
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Brent Hershey
12:02
Happy Chat Monday! Thanks for joining; either "in person" or via the transcript later. Getting down to nitty-gritty time, but lotsa good baseball left ... let's crank through some issues here ...
Rich
12:04
Hi Brent. Please rank ROS in a 12-team 5X5 H2H league: Yu Darvish, Eury Perez, Dustin May, Landen Roupp, Cade Cavalli, Nolan McLean. Thanks!
Brent Hershey
12:04
I'd want to go to war with Perez (clear #1), then McLean, Darvish, Cavalli, May and Roupp. Could see if you wanted to lessen rookie risk with Darvish over McLean ... but that Sat McL debut was impressive.
Vince
12:09
Contending in 12-tm, weekly H2H category, w HD+S. Have Abreau and shaky Vesia (7.20/2.20) and Maton (8.53/1.26) ERA/WHIP last 2 wks. Please rank (and comment) for best combination of HD+S/good ratios ROS — Vesia, Maton, Deitmers, Whitlock, Ferguson, Lee, Brash, Treinen, Varland and Dominguez. Is Leasure’s nasty stuff and results an option, despite poor team context? Thanks!
Brent Hershey
12:09
Last question first ... I'd pass on Leasure for the reasons you state; HD/Sv chances are likely to be fewer with him.

Can't comment on all, but Vesia, Brash, Detmers and Whitlock would be my primary targets (good MLB teams, outside of Detmers). Even with last week's meltdown, I'm still holding Maton for a week if I can, though preferably on my bench. But that also is a bit league-dependent.
Hoyasaxa
12:12
hello from the woods of Norway my friend….Robbie Ray listed as weak two start with away games at MILW and SD. Chasing wins and strikeouts to try to place in our 26  team mixed auction keeper. Alternatives include Cavalli, Brash and Grant Taylor. Saves and Holds in this 5x5 league. Whenever I sit my big guns for tough matchups I regret it — roll the dice?
Brent Hershey
12:12
Int'l chat ... love it!

I think at this point in the season if you're chasing W/Ks, you just roll with Ray. Note that his individual K ratings for each start are the best of his components; that's a positive. Intrigued some with Cavalli, but not sure about start #2 against Philly in Philly.
jerry P
12:15
Good afternoon...who would be your top 3 ROY ....the two cats that are the closest are BA and OBP...L Garcia, O Lopez, P DeJong, M Vargas, J Ortiz, B Btay, j Outman, H Hernandez, Karros....also would you  take Mountcastle over any of those three ( hes available off waivers tomorrow)....THANKS!!
Brent Hershey
12:15
Garcia, Ortiz (on a heater) and ... Baty, I guess? With Lopez close. Vargas should have full-time AB, but BA/OBP a bit in question.
will
12:16
4x4 AL only keeper league. 2026 troy melton or morales (ath) Jax or Detmers (saves) basallo or rutchman robles or simpson and bradfield or Beavers. Thank you Brent!
Brent Hershey
12:16
Melton / Jax / Basallo / Simpson (even before last night's Robles incident) / Beavers.
Guest
12:21
Hi Brent,

As always, thanks for answering my questions. 
16 team H2H points league. $430 cap, 40 player roster - 23 active & 17 bench. Deep league. We start 5 SPs.

Question #1
I plan to start the 4 SPs with the highest rating: Cabrera, Darvish, Valdez And Woo (I can only suppose it would be high as there's no rating on his 8/22 start vs ATH.
My 5th SP comes from:
1. Bibee @ARI (+0.5)
2. Boyd vs MIL (+0.3) - ugh
3. May vs BAL (+0.5), @NYY (-0.5) 
4. Williams @ARI (+0.2), @TEX (+0.1)

I'm inclined to go with Williams despite his inconsistency. Also, any question about my SPs 1-4?

Question #2
I had thought to start Baty at CI until I read his H/A splits. He's got 6 games on the road this week. My options are Goldschmidt or IKF. Not great options. 

Baty or Goldy or IKF?

Thoughts? And thanks again.
Brent Hershey
12:21
  1. Would be inclined towards Boyd at home. In top four, not 100% convinced of Darvish just yet (vLA) ; if you really wanted to go Williams and pick up the extra start, I could see that here. But GW's ups and downs definitely frustrating.
  2. I'd prob stick w Baty.
Commish
12:24
With 1 1/2 months to go what is the chance of making up 100 strikeouts ??? I have Skenes,Yamamoto,Snell,Priester,Eury Perez and Pivetta…I know that not knowing other rosters makes your answer differcult but I am just looking to see if my strategy can work….thank you
Brent Hershey
12:24
I'd dig into weekly averages ... what you realistically expect from your team; what you expect from the team you're chasing. Note that to make up ~100K, you'll need tally in the range of 16-17 Ks each week MORE than the team you're hunting down. You've got good K arms, but that might be a little steep at this point. Good luck!
Ron
12:27
Happy Monday, Brent.  Baty has been mentioned a bit on the site.  What do you see for him (home AND away) ROS?  Is he a good buy in 12-team redrafts?
Brent Hershey
12:27
I'm still skittish about him in 12-teamers, frankly. If we could count on consistent PT, then perhaps. But the Vientos/McNeil/Maurcio group means that could well be you're not getting enough weekly AB there. Always liked him and curious to see how he finishes, and if/what it seems like Mets have in store for him in 2026. But still risky to me for 2025 12-tm production.
Porcho Villa
12:29
Looking for a 2B to back up Lowe who can contribute SBs ROS (OBP league). Who would you prefer to roster: Keaschall, Bogaerts, Hoerner, T. Freeman, Caballero, Rengifo, Stott.
Brent Hershey
12:29
Keaschall or Hoerner. Probably Nico given track record, good MLB team situation and no-doubt PT. Seems like a perfect fit for your needs.
Broken Bat
12:32
Looking at Cole Young and his ability to put ball in play last month. Your thoughts please, is he on verge of breakthru?
Brent Hershey
12:32
Some interesting signs. Worry, though, about if he has enough fantasy juice to plug him in this year. It's not like he's getting no doubt everyday PT, and hasn't shown much pop nor speed yet. Maybe as a backup in a 15 teamer. Youth makes him worth keeping an eye on for sure ... just not 100% convinced yet.
rocksmith
12:34
AL only, obp league.  CThomas or JJBleday ROS?
Brent Hershey
12:34
Thomas, I guess. Very odd in this week that passed, that ATH had so many RHPs, and Bleday sat so much. Thomas also has some speed that Bleday doesn't.
John
12:37
Which C for a 12tm H2h pts league this week: Yanier Diaz, Ben Rice, Willson Contreras?
Brent Hershey
12:37
If healthy (and in the lineup tonight), Contreras is the pick. But not sure that's the case. In WC is out, slight nod to Diaz in a points format.
Beano
12:39
Hi Brent! Thanks for all the advice and the chats! NL 10 team 5x5. I will likely finish in 4th or 5th so I'm "in it" this year but trying to get set for next-
Would you waive an $11 N Gonzales to add Saggese? Dom Smith? R Ritter? M Conforto? C Koss?  (assume everyone I might get is $1)

AND- do I keep $1 B Brown or toss him because he's just not good?
Brent Hershey
12:39
Only one I'd consider it for is Saggese. Otherwise, might just hold NG.

Oh, I'd hang onto Brown for now. Circumstances could be very different when you have to make final keeper decisions.
rocksmith
12:41
AL ONLY.  KHarrison is going to be of worth ROS?  Been holding him since the trade but now thinking I should drop (JPerkins, TMelton on waiver wire).  Inklings?
Brent Hershey
12:41
I see both Perkins and Melton as at least Harrison's skills equal, and both of them have MLB jobs right now. Still like Harrison a bunch and want to see him back in MLB, but for ROS, you should grab one of those two instead.
fernand gignac
12:43
hi Brent, which 3 hitters should play for me this week:butler, j sanchez, castellanos, m vargas, pham  burger, j polanco? Thank you
Brent Hershey
12:43
The first three: Butler, Sanchez, Castellanos (in the hopes that he's out of his slump, and back home this week). Vargas would be my #4; not liking what I'm hearing about Burger's wrist.
John
12:43
need to pick 1 UTL in a 12tm H2h pts league: Brian Reynolds, Michael Harris II, Xavier Edwards?
Brent Hershey
12:43
Harris, easily right now.
Bill Warts
12:45
12 team mixed, keep trying to drop Ward or Adell but they keep hitting. Also have Jackson Merrill forever struggling or hurt. Any obvious drops for Laureano or Crews? Thanks!
Brent Hershey
12:45
Would not touch Merrill, unless injury comes back bad (left game w/ ankle yesterday). Could see moving on from Ward with Laureano IF BA with a big consideration (there's a sizable gap). If not, probably just sit tight. In some instances, like Crews, too ... but not sure this one is it.
rocksmith
12:47
AL only.  Basallo, Quero or Higashioka or AWells ROS?  Rank with gaps please.  Thank you.
Brent Hershey
12:47
Quero, Higgy, <gap, only b/c of rookie risk> Basallo, then <a sizeable gap to> Wells.
Sidd F
12:51
10-tem NL-only 4x4.  At our trading deadline Friday night, my big prize was Zack Wheeler... so by Saturday night I needed help.  I'm at the back of a cluster of three teams in both Wins and ERA.  ERA has been fluctuating every night.  Would I be better off filling Wheeler's slot with a reliable short reliever (e.g. Jeremiah Estrada, Abner Uribe, various Ashcrafts) to firm up ERA, or combing through the Colin Reas and Brad Lords in the dregs of available SPs, or getting out on the high wire and chasing matchup wins with the help of the SP Matchup tool?  Thanks for any insight.
Brent Hershey
12:51
Would probably go Estrada/Uribe route; good thing there is both are good MLB teams so maybe you steal a win or two. Though vying for Matchup starters is interesting, too, since there are likely some out there. If you do that, you could focus mainly on ERA component scores in the tool to help. Rough weekend; sorry to hear about it.
Dave
12:56
Hi Brent,   I am sitting in first place, thanks in part to you and Ray, but my position is a little tenuous because of my pitching.  I am in a 6X6 mixed 14-team Roto league and my normally reliable pitching has been killing me recently, both starters and relievers.   Starters - Fried, Kirby, Cabrera, Gausman, Priester, Ranger Suarez and Misiorowski.   Relievers (Holds & Saves) - Adam, Jax, Munoz, Romero and Treinen.                                                                               Had a very bad week.  Is it time to exercise what Ron Chandler (and you guys) advise - excruciating patience?  Or should I move on from any of them.  I have about given up on Treinen.  Worried about Romero.  Can Fried be THIS bad (injury?).  There are lots of guys that have been pitching better than my guys, but the only thing that matters if this week and ROS.   Bullpen guys available include Whitlock, Brash, Topa, Little, Koenig, Strahm and Lee.  Starters - Warren, Melton, McLean, Javier, Cavalli.
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