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Mar28_2025 BHQ Chat
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Ray Murphy
12:03
Happy Day 2 of the 2025 season, everyone! Had a ball yesterday binging Opening Day with Brent (our running diary is here). Guessing we'll have a lot of questions in the queue about what you all saw yesterday, and I'm sure a bunch of you are still drafting this weekend. Let's get to it...
Broken Bat
12:05
“Let’s play two” said the late great Ernie Banks, in expressing his excitement of Opening Day; mine as well. There seemed to be some hop in the 2025 baseball yesterday. SSS, but my guess to equalize all the velocity being packed into 13 arms on every roster, is that the rabbit is back. Thoughts?
Ray Murphy
12:05
I also said "#happyFunBall" is back yesterday afternoon, after about 4 HR in the first 30 minutes of action. Obviously that's premature... but this tweet from our friend John Laghezza confirms that this just might be the canary-in-coal-mine. Something to monitor in the coming days.
Broken Bat
12:07
4x4 15 team, rank Marsh, Bennitendi, Jordan Walker in keeper league, all just $5 for next 2 years.
Ray Murphy
12:07
I think for two years I take the flier on Walker's upside there, even though I'm not as optimistic as some others. But the other two are barely above replacement level in a 15-teamer.
Beano
12:10
Closer Chaos! It's been one day - a wee bit early to throw in the towel and build for next year! - but --- who can/will close games for the Reds, the Pirates and is it Tinoco in FLorida?
I hate chasing saves but I only rostered E Diaz and T Kinley and replaced IL pitchers with J Estrada and Alvarado. Should any of my guys be replaced?
Ray Murphy
12:10
Touched on all of these in our diary yesterday. Wasn't horrified by the Bednar outing... one hard-hit ball from Fortes that Oneil Cruz played into a triple. Reds: Santillan looked good in the 8th, he could get the next opp. Alvarado likely had a save opp coming yesterday if Romano didn't blow it in the 8th. You're still sitting ok...
Carl
12:10
I have been offered Trout and Ohtani (pitcher) for Rooker.  What is your opinion of this trade?  Thanks and keep up the great work!
Ray Murphy
12:10
One year only? I'm dubious of Ohtani's P value this year. But a healthy Trout vs. Rooker could be a pretty close call, so a "free" Ohtani-P for your trouble has some appeal.
will
12:12
Ray, Thanks for the chat.which one of the following pitchers will excel in 4x4 AL only ..newcomb, sugano, detmers, Festa, if any.. and does Kochkanovich have enough STUFF to maintain his sport.? (sorry for the first message hit return by mistaje)
Ray Murphy
12:12
Sugano probably has the highest floor of this group, but you're asking for "excel" and 4x4 trims the strikeout upside from Detmers in particular. I don't see an excellent choice here.
Don Dringus
12:12
Over/Under 5 games played at catcher for Ben Rice?
Ray Murphy
12:12
I think he gets there. May have to wait a while tho.
sowen246
12:14
Game on! 10 team mixed 5x5. Waivers run Sun night.  I need saves and SB. V. Scott is available, along with AJ Puk, J. Slaten, L. Jackson, R. Garcia, and the Cincy, Det, CO, CHW, & Miami messes. Who should I take a shot at?
Ray Murphy
12:14
Scott for sure. Brent noted in our chat yesterday that his game-changing defense will keep him in the lineup. For the closers... Slaten has good skills and is at least option 1-B in that pen. I'd take a shot at Clevinger too. Santillan as mentioned above. Those are my faves in these messes.
Judley
12:16
Hey, Ray --

Hope you had a great Opening Day! I have a few quick-hitters for you:

1) Which young "lotto ticket" are you most interested in this year -- Cam Smith or Jordan Walker?

2) Am I crazy to think this could be Nick Lodolo's year? Finally?

3) TB's ballpark. Does this factor into your assessment of Rays' SPs?

Thank you!
Ray Murphy
12:16
  1. Not particularly chasing either, but I'd favor Smith slightly.
  2. Not crazy at all. Would love to see even 120 IP.
  3. It's absolutely a consideration, but I think the preseason hype machine has the effects overblown. I've still gotten a ton of Pepiot in particular.
Mugghead
12:16
Hi Ray, Points League question. Scoring is as follows:

IP: 1.5 PTS
K: 1 PT
W: 6 PTS
L: -3 PTS
QS: 7 PTS

How would you rank the following: J. Soriano, M. Boyd, Pfaadt, T. Bradley

Thanks, as always.
Ray Murphy
12:16
Pfaadt, Bradley, <gap>, Boyd when healthy, Soriano.
Hoyasaxa
12:18
Happy opening weekend for Roto! Waiver wire ideas for 5x5 mixed keeper with obp and solds - aye or nay? Drop K Hayes for Vargas for 3b on active roster (have Horowitz in reserves and 3b and CI with Vaughn my weakest slots ). Drop Luis Oriz (have enough pitching) for Mead or Roden (keeper potential or production at some point this season, would join reserves). And have a minors slot to fill looking for this season contribution tor can’t miss keeper (trade) value - B Eldridge or Z Mathews or Jace Jung or Jesus Made. Thanks!
Ray Murphy
12:18
  • I wouldn't be too quick to get away from KeBryan Hayes. 2 SB yesterday suggest he's at least healthy. Been a while since we've seen him healthy.
  • Sure, if you have enough pitching, I like Mead in particular as a guy with prospect pedigree who could pop this year. Or if it's not happening, recycle that spot in a month or two for someone else.
  • I'm not a prospect wonk, but I think Eldridge is the choice in that group.
michael
12:20
NL only auction 5x5 traditional. Any injured players you would draft at current ADP values? Any catcher values in general (or from injured list)? thanks
Ray Murphy
12:20
The Sean Manaea injury doesn't scare me off, I'd jump in on him (and have, actually). Not sure I have an NL catcher value I love, off the top of my head. Oh, MIguel Amaya... I think he separates from Kelly and gets the big part of that job-share, and the bat shows signs of breaking out.
Don Dringus
12:22
Do we trust Devers this year after a shoulder injury that has lasted all offseason?
Ray Murphy
12:22
Mostly? I wouldn't be surprised to see a slow start, between the shoulder and the DH transition. But as a Boston fan/observer, I think Breslow's running a pretty tight/competent ship. If the shoulder was a huge problem, I think they'd be addressing it now.
Atlanta rotation
12:23
hi Ray, how probable is it that the Braves move to a 6 men rotation following Strider’s return? I am watching Smith-Sawyer…
Ray Murphy
12:23
So many teams talk about a 6-man, but it seems to very rarely actually get implemented, at least for more than a turn or two. AJSS has a lot of paths to that rotation, just might need to be a bit patient. Something will open up; always does.
5th sp
12:24
hi Ray, thank you for taking my question. Can you rank these 5th SP: Povich, allen, mize, kochanowczy, liberatore roupp vazquez hart rocker b brown bubic mlodzinski smith-sawyer?
Ray Murphy
12:24
That's a lot of guys. Mize, Bubic, Rocker, Brown stand out from that group for me.
Guest
12:24
I need an OF in a NL 5x5 league but the bottom of the barrel has already been scraped.  Do you think any of the following guys might have some surprising upside?  Griffin Conine, Dane Myers, Blake Perkins or Kyle Stowers.
Ray Murphy
12:24
I've always liked Stowers, and MIA seems likely to take a very long look at him.
Don Dringus
12:28
any surprises in yesterday's lineups?
Ray Murphy
12:28
Nothing springs to mind, but I'll take the opportunity to announce a new toy we're just launching: we revamped our Depth Charts pages, and one of the new features is a brand new 'recent usage' tab, where you can see all recent lineups (batting or defensive) for a team in log form, search for individual players, etc. Going to be a great tool with a few weeks of data, helping to spot emerging playing time/lineup trends.
Katman
12:30
Drafting on Sunday. Last week's activity will cause some players to be over/undervalued. Can you name one on each side of the ledger? Who will be overvalued (Mackenzie Gore) and undervalued?
Ray Murphy
12:30
Well if you're not drafting til Sunday, sort of need to know what happens today/tomorrow first, right? Gore's an obvious one... we liked him quite a bit, but that sexy line yesterday probably means someone will overpay. Torkelson, too.... yesterday was terrific, but lets see what he can do vs RHPs before we get carried away.
Brian K
12:31
Hi Ray, 5X5 16 team redraft. What kind of role to you see Kenta Maeda having with Detroit this year.. Any chance of seeing some saves from him?
Ray Murphy
12:31
I mean, sure, just in the sense that Hinch has shown he'll use anyone on the staff at any time. But if you're asking if "some" saves is > 10, I'll say that's doubtful.
Tom
12:34
Ray, what is the thinking in Boston on the future of Devers? He might be UT-only next year, and it seems like he is aging early. Will he even be in Boston next year?
Ray Murphy
12:34
I think you're overstating the scope of the problem pretty dramatically. Yeah, he might be UT-only, but that's not assured yet either. Might be easier to get 10g in-season next year than 20 this year, but either could happen. He's only 28, I don't think we have to worry about "aging early". DH role could actually counteract that concern. And yeah, he's here for the long-term, if only because the contract isn't tradeable if he tanks, and if he's hitting from the DH spot I don't think they would look to move him.
Peter
12:36
Max Muncy (2b Ath)--buy low?
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