JotCast | Paul Sporer Rotographs Chat

Paul Sporer Rotographs Chat

Paul Sporer

2:38

Wooo, it's baseball chat time!

Dan

2:39

Heya, Paul! Hope you're enjoying the off-season. So next year I'm doing my first head-to-head fantasy leagues. What are the major differences, strategy-wise, from a roto? I figure punting a category is less advisable, but what else should I be aware of?

Paul Sporer

2:41

It depends if it's points or categories h2h. In pts leagues, SPs are usually pushed up a bit. SBs mean less since you can get pts from any avenue and don't specifically NEED SB.

Jumanji Laurasia

2:41

What are your expectations for Glasnow this season?

Paul Sporer

2:43

I'm not a huge fan so he's gotta show me something. He made some mechanical changes that bore some fruit in the minors, but did nothing for him in his last MLB stint with 15 BB in 7.7 IP.

Luke

2:43

Please help the Giants outfield, please Paul

Paul Sporer

2:43

Like, by playing for it? OK, fine... I'm the Giants LF now.

Jumanji Laurasia

2:43

Any chance Yonder's 2017 first half return in 2018?

Paul Sporer

2:44

Sure, but it probably won't be an entire season of his 3 best months. Consider also that his 2H 2017 was still light years better than anything he was doing power-wise with a 25 HR pace

Guest

2:44

Robert Jonas

Paul Sporer

2:44

Which one is he? I didn't really follow the Jonas Brothers

2:45

Paul! Trying to figure out which excess keepers I should move in a 6x6 keeper (with OPS, keep 8). How would you rank Dozier, Olson, Cain & Khris Davis?

Paul Sporer

2:45

Dozier, Davis, Cain, Olson... might boost Olson if Cain goes to a bad spot

Bryan

2:47

Why does the auction calculator value Billy Hamilton so poorly?

Paul Sporer

2:47

Because he's a bad hitter?

Billy

2:47

I won two dynasty leagues last season and my teams in both are obviously in solid shape. But I'm always itching to trade and definitely have spots I could improve. What kind of approach would you take in a situation like this?

Paul Sporer

2:49

Trading is super-fun, but don't trade JUST to trade. If you are making tangible improvements, then proceed. But if you're just shuffling pieces, you're probably doing too much. A good indicator of doing too much is when the trade expands beyond 6 total players. Even 3-for-3 can be doin too much, but I don't ever see 4-for-4s or beyond that NEEDED to be done

Jeff

2:52

Now that you're all aboard the Ozzie train, what're you expecting from him in terms of power/speed this year?

Paul Sporer

2:57

I think we'll see low double-digit homers (11-13) and 30+ SB. His ADP is such that we can get a .270 AVG with that and it'd be fine, but he has the upside to push .290+ -- poor man's... or even better stated, middle class man's Trea Turner

Ohtani Problem Solver

2:58

Hey Paul, can we start a grassroots movement to get fantasy platforms to implement a new position to add in leagues? It'd be HittingSP - only SPs are eligible, hitting stats count, and you could put Ohtani there if you have him or an AL pitcher if you don't want to accrue hitting stats. Problem solved!

Paul Sporer

2:58

Fantrax already allows you to shift him between P and UT

2:59

If you want his hitting stats, you shouldn't just get them while he's in the P role unless you're willing to take all the P-hitting stats. I think having him movable is the way to go and certain outlets are equipped for it

Bryan

2:59

Is trading a $7 Jose Ramirez for a $4 Rhys Hoskins crazy?

Paul Sporer

3:00

Not crazy, no. I prefer Ramirez, but digging in deeper on Hoskins the other day has me understanding why his ADP is SO high after a sub-60 game sample

Sean

3:01

Hi Paul -- I've got Ahmed Rosario in a keeper league. Do you see him adding good fantasy value, or will his IRL value be too glove-dependent? i.e. should I protect him?

Paul Sporer

3:03

It really depends on league format and keeper count. I think he's better than we saw in 2017, of course, but it might take some time. His defense should earn him playing time while he figures it out and as long as he can hold at least a 90 wRC+, he'll get a full season this year

3:04

And obviously 90 isn't good or particularly fantasy relevant, I'm just pointing out the threshold I think he'd need to stay on team instead of heading back to Triple-A

Big Bill

3:04

Andrew Heaney: does he ever get back to being decent?

Paul Sporer

3:06

Injuries are a bitch! Yeah, I think we could see some solid stretches out of him this year after essentially missing the last 2 years (27 total IP)

Sterling Malory Chris Archer

3:07

I’m in a shallow league with only 3 OFers, no CI/MI, how would you adjust priorities for positions?

Paul Sporer

3:09

I'd probably just focus on the best player available there. The only real scarcity in standard formats with 5 OF, MI, CI is catcher and I think that factor is amplified in your setup. There will still be tier cutoffs at positions and that can drive some tiebreaker decisions, but I wouldn't take an obviously lesser player just bc he plays a position perceived as scarce unless it's Gary Sanchez

Big Bill

3:10

How do you avoid attachment to players in long-term leagues?

Paul Sporer

3:12

LOL, I don't! I definitely *fall* for players. As long as you're committed to honest assessments of players and not blinded by how your favorites are performing, you'll be fine. Curtis Granderson is my absolute favorite player, but I'm not taking him before a late-round pick in 5 OF leagues

Toddrey Jeff

3:12

Will the Dodgers fork over money to get a decent set up man or will they continue to try to underpay anyone in the bullpen not named Jansen?

Paul Sporer

3:15

I think they're geeked on Scott Alexander and turning their lower-cost investments into MRs like Morrow. Guys like Brock Stewart, Wilmer Font, and Henry Owens could be factors in the bridge to Jansen. I don't know that there's an RP available who is markedly better than those 4, Baez, Fields, Stripling, etc...

Doug

3:15

Any thought on where Addison Reed ends up and probability he lands a closing job? Seems to me the Cards have a massive hole at the back end and would make way too much sense

Paul Sporer

3:17

We're gonna do a team-by-team bullpen breakdown on the pod soon so I haven't checked in on every club yet, but St. Louis does seem like a solid fit for Reed. Not sure they're dying to go with Tyler Lyons and Luke Gregerson

Joe B

3:17

Do you think Francisco Mejia will get at least half playing time at catcher for the Indians.

Paul Sporer

3:18

I do not. They'd be cycling in 3 Cs at that point with Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez

Ted

3:18

How often do you keep fewer than the max possible in order to have a bigger draft-day budget?

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