Full Transcript for Dynasty Podcast Episode _145 - Dynasty Closer Hierarchy Tool

way that the American League would shake out, it would. 76 00:04:27.370 --> 00:04:29.430 Kind of be the best teams kind of knocking each 77 00:04:29.470 --> 00:04:31.870 other out the way it kind of settles in because 78 00:04:32.569 --> 00:04:34.740 they want the division winners to have. 79 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.040 The best route all to get to the World Series. 80 00:04:40.100 --> 00:04:44.100 But the way it works this year is the Rays 81 00:04:44.139 --> 00:04:47.800 currently have the best record in the AL. And then 82 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:52.290 the next best division leader is the White Sox. And 83 00:04:52.529 --> 00:04:53.670 I don't know how many teams. 84 00:04:53.509 --> 00:04:55.990 Are actually fearing the White Sox in the playoffs right now. Obviously, 85 00:04:56.370 --> 00:04:59.709 they've made it this far. Honestly, I do. Like, I 86 00:04:59.730 --> 00:05:01.480 don't fear their pitching, but I definitely fear their hitting 87 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:04.939 because they have, like, Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas, Murakami, all 88 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:08.399 three guys have 30 homers. And I believe they have 89 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:11.639 three hitters with 30 homers. No other team even has one. Sorry, 90 00:05:11.670 --> 00:05:14.779 more than one, I mean. So, yeah. that's going to 91 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:17.800 be a very deadly offense to face. I see that. 92 00:05:17.819 --> 00:05:20.579 And what we know also when playoffs hit pitching and 93 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:24.480 defense kind of play a bigger role, um, in those, 94 00:05:24.620 --> 00:05:27.339 in those games that mean a lot. Um, so, I mean, 95 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:29.139 I'd rather, I'd much rather play the white socks than 96 00:05:29.180 --> 00:05:31.680 the red socks or the Yankees at this point. 97 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:34.339 Um, so I think. 98 00:05:34.259 --> 00:05:36.279 The route for the team that is on the other 99 00:05:36.339 --> 00:05:41.269 side of that, whether it's the Jays, the guardians, the Astros, uh, 100 00:05:41.699 --> 00:05:44.519 the white socks, I think they've got a path there 101 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.319 that they're seeing to the ALCS to face one of 102 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:52.310 those three ALEs teams that, uh, whoever survives the gauntlet 103 00:05:52.910 --> 00:05:53.610 of those teams. 104 00:05:53.689 --> 00:05:55.189 So, I mean, that's, that's at least the way it 105 00:05:55.209 --> 00:05:55.790 looks right now. 106 00:05:55.810 --> 00:05:58.089 That could change. Um, we still have. 107 00:05:58.589 --> 00:06:01.870 Probably maybe 72, 73 Blue Jays make it to that 108 00:06:01.910 --> 00:06:05.269 World Series again. I would hate for a team. 109 00:06:05.769 --> 00:06:08.149 That doesn't have a winning record. I just, I don't 110 00:06:08.170 --> 00:06:09.189 want to, I don't want to see that. 111 00:06:09.990 --> 00:06:15.610 Um, But what if they beat the Dodgers? Who do 112 00:06:15.649 --> 00:06:19.550 you think is the best team right now? Honestly, I 113 00:06:19.750 --> 00:06:23.209 don't really know. I guess it's the race by record, 114 00:06:23.269 --> 00:06:26.980 but I don't really see... I think the Yankees and 115 00:06:27.069 --> 00:06:29.939 the Red Sox can definitely beat them. Honestly, with the 116 00:06:29.980 --> 00:06:32.980 way I've been playing lately, there is a world where 117 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:37.980 if they make it to a World Series, as you said, 118 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:41.430 pitching dominates them. The Red Sox and honestly the Yankees, 119 00:06:41.449 --> 00:06:46.410 they're the two best rotations. So maybe that wildcard series 120 00:06:46.670 --> 00:06:49.290 determines who makes the playoff, the World Series, which is 121 00:06:49.310 --> 00:06:52.329 a bit crazy to say, but technically possible. 122 00:06:53.050 --> 00:06:54.730 Yeah, I mean, as much as I don't want to 123 00:06:54.769 --> 00:06:56.709 say it, I think the Yankees are probably the favorite. 124 00:06:56.930 --> 00:07:01.730 But just on pitching alone, like their offense was terrible 125 00:07:01.990 --> 00:07:04.790 when Judge was out. He was out for 80, 82 games. No, 126 00:07:04.870 --> 00:07:07.509 he's out for 100 days, 82 games, I think, or 127 00:07:07.550 --> 00:07:08.189 something like that. 128 00:07:08.509 --> 00:07:12.430 It was like 99 days, which was pretty fun because 129 00:07:12.649 --> 00:07:14.870 his number is 99. Yeah. 130 00:07:15.509 --> 00:07:19.290 And their offense was like 29th and 30th in most categories, 131 00:07:19.889 --> 00:07:23.730 except home runs. Obviously they're a slugging team, but their 132 00:07:23.750 --> 00:07:25.670 pitching just kept them in it and they really didn't 133 00:07:25.689 --> 00:07:28.310 lose any ground in the standings at all while he 134 00:07:28.329 --> 00:07:32.509 was away. So now that they get him back, I 135 00:07:32.550 --> 00:07:34.129 think they are the team to beat and their, their 136 00:07:34.149 --> 00:07:35.189 pitching is so deep. 137 00:07:35.810 --> 00:07:38.879 They've got guys coming back now as well. So, I 138 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:39.839 think they're the favorite. 139 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:41.800 I think the Red Sox, if they are clicking on 140 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:43.839 all cylinders, are going to be a really tough out 141 00:07:43.899 --> 00:07:46.040 in the playoffs as well. And it looks like those 142 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:48.180 teams will meet each other. So one of those teams 143 00:07:48.220 --> 00:07:49.899 would move on. One of them will get eliminated. 144 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:52.100 I don't know. 145 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.930 I don't see many other teams kind of challenging those two, 146 00:07:54.990 --> 00:07:56.790 but we know in the playoffs, I think it can happen, 147 00:07:56.810 --> 00:08:00.230 especially in a short series. If a team gets a 148 00:08:00.250 --> 00:08:04.250 couple of hot pitchers going and can forge a lead 149

00:08:04.290 --> 00:08:06.670 in a series, they have a chance. Let's go a 150 00:08:06.680 --> 00:08:09.620 little deeper into the NL here. The Braves are leading 151 00:08:09.660 --> 00:08:13.040 in the NL East. Brewers, NL Central, and the Dodgers, 152 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:16.120 NL West. The Dodgers have just crept ahead to that 153 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:21.990 second seed, so they currently have the bye. And then 154 00:08:22.170 --> 00:08:24.670 in the wildcard, the Phillies are the first team. The 155 00:08:24.689 --> 00:08:27.470 Cubs are the second. And like you mentioned, the Diamondbacks 156 00:08:27.569 --> 00:08:29.790 are third. Just a half game up as we stand 157 00:08:29.829 --> 00:08:33.350 right now on Tuesday evening. This could change by the 158 00:08:33.389 --> 00:08:37.289 time this podcast releases. And then the Cardinals are still 159 00:08:37.309 --> 00:08:43.259 within five games, just kind of hanging around. Who do 160 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.480 you feel like is... Do you think the Dodgers are 161 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:47.360 still the best team in the NL, or do you 162 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:49.580 think somebody else can unseat them at this point? 163 00:08:50.299 --> 00:08:54.100 Yeah, I think it's still the Dodgers. They were a 164 00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:57.909 little bit rough in August. I think they actually finished 165 00:08:57.950 --> 00:09:01.649 with a below 500 record in August. But in September, 166 00:09:01.669 --> 00:09:05.350 they've been clicking. They already passed the Braves. I think they... 167 00:09:05.659 --> 00:09:08.480 probably not sure if they want to be in that 168 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:11.320 second spot. Like I, cause I know like in the 169 00:09:11.340 --> 00:09:13.710 past when you've had that bias sort of like hurt 170 00:09:13.750 --> 00:09:17.730 them a little bit, but it's the Dodgers. Like there's 171 00:09:17.769 --> 00:09:18.850 still like the best team. 172 00:09:19.490 --> 00:09:22.070 Yeah. I mean, you can't bet against them at all. Um, 173 00:09:22.269 --> 00:09:26.509 they're so deep, so talented. Their pitching is ridiculous. Even 174 00:09:26.529 --> 00:09:30.509 without Otani throwing, um, they still have five, six, seven 175 00:09:30.549 --> 00:09:32.129 guys that could start in playoff games. 176 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:36.590 Um, I don't know. The Brewers have a very good squad. 177 00:09:36.610 --> 00:09:38.960 They've been good all year long. They were great last 178 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:39.559 year as well. 179 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:41.759 Maybe this is the year. 180 00:09:41.860 --> 00:09:44.460 The Braves are actually looking decent as well with Acuna 181 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:49.340 starting to look more like himself. And then the Phillies 182 00:09:49.419 --> 00:09:52.490 are playing really well. 183 00:09:52.769 --> 00:09:54.809 Last year, the Brewers had the best record in MLB 184 00:09:54.830 --> 00:09:57.769 last year. They played very similarly. And

I feel like 185 00:09:59.629 --> 00:10:01.500 the same thing might just happen again. They have a 186 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.500 very good regular season, but they just get swept by 187 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:06.960 the Dodgers. Maybe not swept just because I think Mizorowski 188 00:10:06.980 --> 00:10:08.759 can help them steal a game or two, but I 189 00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:13.120 really don't see them beating the Dodgers in those games 190 00:10:13.139 --> 00:10:14.019 where he's not going to be starting. 191 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:17.580 Yeah, they got Miz, and then Logan Hedges looks really 192 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:19.399 good as well. He could be their number two in 193 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:21.179 his series, in a short series. 194 00:10:22.830 --> 00:10:25.029 I think that buy helps them quite a bit. 195 00:10:25.070 --> 00:10:26.830 It gets them so they can set their rotation up 196 00:10:26.950 --> 00:10:30.830 and be ready, have home field advantage to however they play. 197 00:10:32.029 --> 00:10:34.669 So I think they're definitely a team to be reckoned with, 198 00:10:35.230 --> 00:10:36.549 for sure. But then the Phillies, too. 199 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:39.159 The Phillies are playing really good baseball right now, and 200 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:41.580 their pitching is excellent as well. 201 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:42.019 I mean. 202 00:10:43.950 --> 00:10:48.110 In a five-game series, who's your fourth starter? 203 00:10:48.149 --> 00:10:50.169 Do you go with Nola? Do you go with Andrew Painter? 204 00:10:50.190 --> 00:10:52.889 Because Painter's throwing really, really well right now, too. Obviously, 205 00:10:52.909 --> 00:10:56.669 you've got the three studs on top with Wheeler, Sanchez, 206 00:10:56.690 --> 00:10:59.769 and Lizardo. You can't beat that trio, really. Even the 207 00:10:59.789 --> 00:11:04.009 Dodgers would have trouble matching up with that. The Phillies 208 00:11:04.029 --> 00:11:05.909 are very difficult. I believe I read that. 209 00:11:05.830 --> 00:11:08.970 The Phillies have three starters with at least 20 starts 210 00:11:09.070 --> 00:11:12.820 and 1 percentage above. 700. Which is like, I know 211 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:15.240 get that wins like are not that important anymore. But 212 00:11:15.259 --> 00:11:18.779 like three guys like winning that many, most, much of 213 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:23.419 the games, like that's kind of insane, especially like in 214 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:25.539 the playoffs, like you're going to need a ton of 215 00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:28.210 top guys. And they have like three guys who are 216 00:11:28.250 --> 00:11:30.889 probably like aces on like, honestly, those three guys would 217 00:11:30.909 --> 00:11:33.750 be starting for the Dodgers, which is crazy to say, 218 00:11:33.809 --> 00:11:37.049 given how much talent the Dodgers already have. Yeah. Yeah. 219 00:11:37.429 --> 00:11:39.490 The one thing I worry about the Phillies is their bullpen. 220 00:11:39.509 --> 00:11:42.250 I'm not sure, other than Duran, what else you were 221 00:11:42.309 --> 00:11:44.740 leaning on. Not a lot of their guys are performing 222 00:11:44.750 --> 00:11:46.279 that well this year. 223 00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:49.980 We'll talk about the bullpens later. We're not coming to Phillies, 224 00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:53.000 but the Phillies do have a few names. Bowen has 225 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:56.039 really emerged as the top guy. Alex Morfano, they recently 226 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:56.500 called him. 227 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:57.639 He has very good stuff. 228 00:11:57.740 --> 00:12:00.870 I know Ryan Kirkland, he's been struggling a little bit, 229 00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:03.649 but I know his peripherals are still pretty solid. I 230 00:12:03.690 --> 00:12:08.100 think Duran is... we'll help shorten those games like from 231 00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:11.259 nine innings to eight. And then your starters can give 232 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:15.090 you like seven innings pretty, uh, cause maybe not consistently, 233 00:12:15.110 --> 00:12:17.250 but like they can give you seven very good innings. 234 00:12:17.470 --> 00:12:20.610 So it's really just figuring out that who pitches that final, 235 00:12:20.629 --> 00:12:25.169 like one inning, maybe two, if they started those six. Yeah. 236 00:12:25.190 --> 00:12:26.789 The NL, the NL is going to be a lot 237 00:12:26.809 --> 00:12:28.570 of fun watching the playoffs for sure. There's a lot 238 00:12:28.590 --> 00:12:33.240 of teams that are really, uh, entertaining and skilled. So, uh, anyway, 239 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:35.200 it's going to be a good final stretch here to 240 00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:38.129 see who, gets those final couple spots in each league 241 00:12:38.169 --> 00:12:40.740 and then how it kind of shakes out after that. 242 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:45.659 All right, let's get into this Otani discussion because it 243 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:48.759 seems like he's probably not going to pitch the rest 244 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:49.159 of the year. 245 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:51.980 Dave Roberts has pretty much. 246 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:53.419 Said that as much. 247 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.139 And then Otani actually spoke to the media for once 248 00:12:56.500 --> 00:13:01.720 this weekend and through an interpreter sort of alluded to 249 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:04.269 the fact that he needs to try and stay healthy 250 00:13:04.309 --> 00:13:06.029 and that if he's going to be trying to pitch it, 251 00:13:06.169 --> 00:13:08.269 it may not work for this season anyway. 252 00:13:09.110 --> 00:13:10.429 Um, so I. 253 00:13:11.909 --> 00:13:14.659 Mean, rest of season, he's, he's a DH obviously leading 254 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:15.539 off for the Dodgers. 255 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.019 Um, but what, what does it look like in dynasty? 256 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:24.070 If you own Otani, uh, you, you've been able to 257 00:13:24.450 --> 00:13:26.830 get

the full value out of him. I mean, not, 258 00:13:26.970 --> 00:13:29.529 not the full season that obviously, but he was pitching 259 00:13:29.570 --> 00:13:31.450 at the start of the year and, and hitting, um, 260 00:13:32.940 --> 00:13:35.240 What does it look like if he's only a one-way player? 261 00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:38.720 If he's a one-way player, he's a hitter, right? Yeah. 262 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:44.000 But I think that's still very valuable. The last time 263 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:46.200 he was a one-way hitter, people were sort of fading 264 00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:48.519 him a little bit. And then he wound up hitting 265 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:52.059 50 homers and stealing 50 bases, which hasn't been done since, 266 00:13:52.360 --> 00:14:00.690 not by any 50-year second baseman. Sorry. But yeah, Otani, 267 00:14:00.730 --> 00:14:03.340 he's still a very good hitter, even this year. It's 268 00:14:03.419 --> 00:14:05.100 sort of a down year, but it's still a 140 269 00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:10.840 DWC plus, 30 homers, 11 stolen bases. And he obviously 270 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:12.480 gave you like a little bit of pitching value, but 271 00:14:12.700 --> 00:14:14.320 if you can focus on hitting, he could probably be 272 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:16.759 even better as you saw a couple of years ago. 273 00:14:17.580 --> 00:14:20.620 So if you want to, honestly, if you want to 274 00:14:20.659 --> 00:14:23.860 sell him, you can, you probably can just cause he, 275 00:14:24.139 --> 00:14:27.179 he will pitch again. Like it's not, they're not willing 276 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:29.139 to get out for next year or the year after 277 00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:32.950 just for us to this year. So. You can still 278 00:14:33.409 --> 00:14:35.370 sell him as number one asset if you really want to, 279 00:14:35.389 --> 00:14:37.590 but I would still hold on to him just because 280 00:14:38.070 --> 00:14:39.909 the value is that high for him. 281 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:43.019 Yeah, I think you made a good point is that 282 00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:46.179 when he does play as a one-way player, as a hitter, 283 00:14:46.899 --> 00:14:50.570 he elevates his game. We talk about that all the 284 00:14:50.610 --> 00:14:53.929 time in the prospect world where when the guy focuses 285 00:14:54.029 --> 00:14:55.950 on one of the two, they come in as a 286 00:14:55.970 --> 00:14:58.629 two-way player. Um, they focus on one of the two, 287 00:14:58.669 --> 00:15:01.490 they obviously become better. And we have Nolan McClain being 288 00:15:01.509 --> 00:15:03.230 a good example of that and many, many others. 289 00:15:04.149 --> 00:15:07.740 Um, so. And also, like, just in a broader sense, like, 290 00:15:07.789 --> 00:15:12.320 if you're doing less, if your role is, like, diminishing, 291 00:15:12.340 --> 00:15:14.820 you sort of want to do more for your team. Like, 292 00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:16.759 I know, like, let's say, like, a guy who's, like, 293 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:20.720 maybe not necessarily struggling, but, like, maybe, like, in a 294 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:22.440 bit of a slump, like, do you still, like, want 295 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:23.960 to help your team? Like, maybe want to get on 296 00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:25.500 base and try, like, steal that extra band. Like, that's 297 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:28.500 sort of what I feel like Ohtani is doing, like 298 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:32.379 when he's hitting only like, oh, I'm not pitching anymore. 299 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:35.059 Maybe let me help my team more by being more 300 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:39.470 aggressive on base fast and stealing more bases. And that's like, 301 00:15:39.490 --> 00:15:42.549 that's what he did 24. 302 00:15:42.549 --> 00:15:43.429 Yeah, exactly. 303 00:15:43.490 --> 00:15:46.830 And he's unlike any athlete we've ever seen in this game. 304 00:15:46.850 --> 00:15:51.159 He's so good. And I mean, he played, We don't 305 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:53.879 know what injuries he's had because he just plays. He 306 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:57.870 doesn't sit out ever, really. He's been hurt significantly with 307 00:15:57.899 --> 00:16:01.269 the arm injury and the knee a little bit this year. 308 00:16:01.330 --> 00:16:06.110 But I think with a full season of recovery and strengthening, 309 00:16:07.149 --> 00:16:10.909 he comes back as a pitcher again. But I think 310 00:16:11.509 --> 00:16:14.490 the Dodgers have a little more stay than they have 311 00:16:14.549 --> 00:16:18.190 in the past. It's been pretty much him dictating, really. 312 00:16:18.210 --> 00:16:20.009 He wanted to win the Cy Young. 313 00:16:20.029 --> 00:16:22.700 It was very clear this year and it's not going 314 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:25.279 to work out because he just hasn't been able to 315 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:27.620 be on healthy on the mound. But I think the 316 00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:31.629 Dodgers have more of a say going forward now. And 317 00:16:31.710 --> 00:16:34.610 I think they're going to limit the amount of innings 318 00:16:34.629 --> 00:16:36.570 that he's going to pitch. I don't think he's going 319 00:16:36.629 --> 00:16:39.669 to be a 160 inning pitcher anymore. I think it's 320 00:16:39.700 --> 00:16:43.279 going to be 120. If that, maybe they put him 321 00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:45.720 into like a relief role. I don't know what that 322 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:46.179 looks like. 323 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:49.149 Um, I think if they do do it, they'll have 324 00:16:49.169 --> 00:16:50.809 to like, sort of use them as an opener just 325 00:16:50.850 --> 00:16:54.049 because they can't really put him, take him in a bullpen. 326 00:16:54.070 --> 00:16:57.649 Cause then once he gets good comes out of the game, he'll, 327 00:16:58.230 --> 00:16:58.970 they'll lose the DH. 328 00:16:59.029 --> 00:17:00.309 So yeah, exactly. 329 00:17:00.330 --> 00:17:01.870 They, they ought to take advantage of that. Oh, Tony 330

00:17:01.909 --> 00:17:04.250 rules as an opener, maybe a two inning guy or 331 00:17:04.269 --> 00:17:07.509 something like that. And then, uh, you kick it to 332 00:17:07.549 --> 00:17:11.269 one of those other elite starters after that as a piggyback. 333 00:17:11.509 --> 00:17:13.869 So, um, anyway, so this is in conversation. 334 00:17:14.829 --> 00:17:17.170 And there's a lot of people holding onto a Tani 335 00:17:17.210 --> 00:17:20.130 that maybe, I mean, he's, he's the number one guy 336 00:17:20.150 --> 00:17:26.650 going into the, into the season and good. 337 00:17:24.490 --> 00:17:26.730 People I think are thinking about what you could get 338 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:27.079 for him. 339 00:17:27.190 --> 00:17:30.200 Like he's not at his peak right now, but could 340 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:32.240 you get a huge hall that makes your team better 341 00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:33.319 is the question. 342 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:37.099 So it's a good discussion and what I wanted to have. 343 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:37.319 So. 344 00:17:38.750 --> 00:17:42.609 All right, Raj, uh, just a few, uh, roster notes here. Um, 345 00:17:42.990 --> 00:17:45.650 not too many injuries this week, which was, uh, nice 346 00:17:45.670 --> 00:17:47.829 to see. So at least Robert jr, who was just 347 00:17:47.869 --> 00:17:50.299 claimed by the Orioles goes down with. 348 00:17:50.230 --> 00:17:51.539 The left hamstring injury. 349 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:54.319 And that might be it. I don't know how to, 350 00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:56.480 how severe that injury is, but there's not a lot 351 00:17:56.500 --> 00:18:00.440 of time left. So, uh, 10 day IL, uh, puts 352 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:04.660 him to the 17th of September. Um, and there's 10 353 00:18:04.660 --> 00:18:07.960 days left after that. So, um, They took on a 354 00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:11.710 lot of salary to take him on and hit the 355 00:18:11.769 --> 00:18:16.950 one home run, but that was pretty much it. Sade 356 00:18:16.990 --> 00:18:20.950 and Rafaela, the Red Sox has a quadriceps strain. 357 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.940 Trent Grisham, as Judge comes back, Grisham goes down. 358 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:26.039 With a right hamstring strain. 359 00:18:26.099 --> 00:18:28.700 So that kind of makes it easy for the Yankees 360 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:31.000 to fit their pieces together. They would have had a 361 00:18:31.140 --> 00:18:33.319 little bit of a log jam had he been healthy. 362 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:37.690 And once he comes back, they will. And then Dalton Rushing, 363 00:18:37.809 --> 00:18:41.029 right elbow discomfort. And then one pitcher, Shane McClanahan. This 364 00:18:41.109 --> 00:18:45.259 is kind of notable for the raise here. Left forearm tightness. 365 00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:48.359 I have not heard the severity of this. I didn't 366 00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:50.460 know if he was going for imaging or anything like that. 367 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.940 Or if they're just going to be extra careful with 368 00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:55.390 him sitting as the number one seed. I don't know 369 00:18:55.410 --> 00:18:57.109 if you'd heard anything extra about McClanahan. 370 00:18:57.809 --> 00:19:00.369 Yeah, I haven't really heard much. It definitely sounds like 371 00:19:00.430 --> 00:19:04.009 something that could be. Seriously, it's something that could lead 372 00:19:04.029 --> 00:19:08.009 to TJ, but I think I'm not really sure what 373 00:19:08.210 --> 00:19:10.569 like he might just be set out until the playoffs 374 00:19:10.809 --> 00:19:12.490 I'm not sure what will happen with him. 375 00:19:14.809 --> 00:19:17.890 And then obviously some players coming back here Aaron Judge 376 00:19:18.309 --> 00:19:23.230 James Wood Connor Griffin so some superstar power on their 377 00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:24.710 way back to your lineups to help you in the 378 00:19:24.779 --> 00:19:28.160 stretch run here and then a few other role players 379 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:32.119 on your dynasty teams Mason Wynn Tommy Troy Kyle Karros 380 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:36.940 Victor Robles Kyle Thiel and then I put Cabrian Hayes 381 00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:39.230 on here, but he's not going to help any defensive teams. 382 00:19:39.450 --> 00:19:40.970 So you have defensive stats. 383 00:19:42.329 --> 00:19:45.549 Corbin Burns pitched for the first time this season today 384 00:19:45.650 --> 00:19:48.890 and had three scoreless innings, I believe. um so good 385 00:19:48.910 --> 00:19:51.460 to see him back on the mound super helpful for 386 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:54.539 the diamondbacks they need arms uh sounds like they're getting 387 00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:58.099 a few guys back ryan nelson um zach gallon also 388 00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:58.900 on his way back as. 389 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.440 Well i think maybe soroka as well. 390 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.900 And soroka yeah they're getting almost their whole rotation back 391 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:08.500 in this week which is phenomenal for them Amazing that 392 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:10.079 they made it this far in. 393 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:11.259 The situation that they're in. 394 00:20:13.309 --> 00:20:16.369 And then Joe Ryan also back, Griffin Jacks and Nick 395 00:20:16.410 --> 00:20:18.930 Pavetta for the Padres. So the Padres getting some reinforcements 396 00:20:18.990 --> 00:20:19.269 as well. 397 00:20:19.289 --> 00:20:22.069 So that, you're right, that final wildcard spot for the 398 00:20:22.250 --> 00:20:24.210 NL is going to be a lot of fun to 399 00:20:24.250 --> 00:20:27.619 see who kind of picks that off. On rehab and 400 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:30.779 close to being back, Ryan O'Hearn, Josh Young on the 401 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:33.759 hitting side, and then Jack Flaherty, Justin Steele for the Cubs. 402 00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:35.000 His. 403 00:20:35.869 --> 00:20:38.410 he's had a rough recovery from his injuries this year. 404 00:20:38.430 --> 00:20:43.430 Ryan

Nelson, as I mentioned, Clark Schmidt for the Yankees 405 00:20:43.470 --> 00:20:45.430 and then a couple of relievers, Edwin Diaz and Tanner 406 00:20:45.450 --> 00:20:53.839 Houck for the Red Sox. So just on, on McClanahan here, 407 00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:56.799 Kevin Cash said he's optimistic Shane McClanahan will pitch again 408 00:20:56.839 --> 00:21:01.079 this year. So that, that sounds good for the Rays 409 00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:03.549 and if they can get him some rest and get 410 00:21:03.589 --> 00:21:06.819 him ready for He'd be game one probably, I would think, 411 00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:07.859 for the Rays. 412 00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:09.160 I think probably Rasmussen. 413 00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:10.720 Oh, Rasmussen, yeah. 414 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:14.049 So he'd be maybe game two or maybe game three 415 00:21:14.069 --> 00:21:15.529 if they want to give him some extra rest. But 416 00:21:16.390 --> 00:21:18.569 that'll be good for the Rays to have him. 417 00:21:19.710 --> 00:21:23.430 Some interesting promotions this week. Michael Arroyo of the Mariners. 418 00:21:23.930 --> 00:21:24.650 Too little too late. 419 00:21:24.529 --> 00:21:25.529 For them, unfortunately. 420 00:21:25.549 --> 00:21:30.069 They've really faded hard the last month or so. Carlos 421 00:21:30.089 --> 00:21:34.410 Jorge of the Reds and then On the pitching side, 422 00:21:34.470 --> 00:21:36.950 some debuts, Cooper Jerpy, who looked really, really good in 423 00:21:36.970 --> 00:21:40.309 his debut four innings, didn't give up any hits or runs. 424 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:44.160 And then Austin Peterson and Miguel Mendez made debuts this 425 00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:48.279 week as well. And then a few guys recalled, Davison 426 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:53.460 De Los Santos, Jonah Tong, Brandon Sprote, Emmett Sheehan, Christian Curtis, 427 00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:59.230 and Daniel Espino. So some former top prospects getting recalled. 428 00:21:59.250 --> 00:22:02.369 A couple of DFAs, Alec Thomas, DFA'd by the Dodgers. 429 00:22:03.049 --> 00:22:05.430 And then Max Kepler was really never going to keep 430 00:22:05.470 --> 00:22:08.130 his roster spot just because he's suspended and can't play 431 00:22:08.150 --> 00:22:08.690 in the playoffs. 432 00:22:08.730 --> 00:22:10.750 So gets DFA'd. 433 00:22:11.630 --> 00:22:15.920 And the Astros claimed Jorge Barrosa from the Diamondbacks to 434 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:19.220 play in the outfield for them. All right, Raj, moving 435 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:21.700 on to the minor leagues. A couple of interesting things here. 436 00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:26.960 Thomas Pannone, former Blue Jay hurler, pitched a perfect. 437 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.839 Game this week. The first. 438 00:22:29.619 --> 00:22:32.930 by a single pitcher since 2017 in the minor leagues. 439 00:22:33.630 --> 00:22:36.369 So pretty amazing feat there. You don't see that. You 440 00:22:36.390 --> 00:22:38.309 often see a lot of combined no hitters and

things 441 00:22:38.349 --> 00:22:40.690 like that in the minor leagues, but for one pitcher 442 00:22:40.730 --> 00:22:44.690 to throw the whole game and a perfect game at that, pretty, 443 00:22:44.730 --> 00:22:49.269 pretty awesome for him. JR Ritchie struck out 15 over 444 00:22:49.309 --> 00:22:56.930 the weekend. Amazing feat. That's the highest total since 2013. 445 00:22:56.269 --> 00:22:56.950 In the minor leagues. 446 00:22:57.829 --> 00:22:59.809 And then we're starting to hear some names for the 447 00:22:59.849 --> 00:23:04.670 Arizona Fall League. Arjun Namala was named today of the Angels. 448 00:23:06.170 --> 00:23:08.319 It's been reported that Aiden Miller will probably go there 449 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:11.880 as well. It hasn't been finalized, but we think he will. 450 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:15.539 He's just getting back. I think he's played a couple 451 00:23:15.579 --> 00:23:18.599 games so far this year. And then this news came 452 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:22.329 across tonight. Leo Gervais is going to have labrum surgery, 453 00:23:22.349 --> 00:23:26.109 and he'll be sidelined approximately eight months later. So that 454 00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:28.990 is not good news for Leo DeVries. He was rumored 455 00:23:29.009 --> 00:23:32.269 to maybe even possibly play for the athletics this year. 456 00:23:33.269 --> 00:23:35.130 So we won't see him probably till the middle of 457 00:23:35.250 --> 00:23:40.269 next year, unfortunately. So that's a tough one there. Promotions 458 00:23:40.329 --> 00:23:42.930 in the minor leagues. So we're seeing the low minors 459 00:23:42.990 --> 00:23:47.250 kind of finishing up their seasons. Single A and high A. 460 00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:50.680 High A's got a few more games left. Double A's 461 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:53.890 got this week. AAA has got one more week after that. 462 00:23:54.009 --> 00:23:57.049 So Caden Sorrell was shipped up to high A for 463 00:23:57.069 --> 00:24:00.710 the last weekend. And up to AA, Aiden Miller, like 464 00:24:00.730 --> 00:24:06.420 we mentioned, Eli Willits, Welbin Francisca, Daniel Dickinson, Eric Batanti, 465 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:10.960 Jason Schiavone, Andrew Hueso, and Nate Dome. And then up 466 00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:14.319 to AAA, Gage Stanifer of the Blue Jays and Gary 467 00:24:14.380 --> 00:24:18.700 Gil Hill. Stanifer, I, I, kind of thought that he 468 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:20.440 might be a good bullpen piece for the Blue Jays 469 00:24:20.509 --> 00:24:23.549 if he performs well the next week or so in Buffalo. 470 00:24:23.569 --> 00:24:25.750 I think his stuff would. 471 00:24:25.670 --> 00:24:27.950 Play up really, really well in a shortened role. 472 00:24:27.970 --> 00:24:30.549 I mean, he's only been going three, four innings at 473 00:24:30.569 --> 00:24:33.849 a time at this point, but I feel like he'd 474 00:24:33.869 --> 00:24:37.339 be a good asset. He throws really hard with good secondaries. 475 00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:41.420

Yeah, I've actually been using him out of a bullpen recently. 476 00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:44.640 So I was just looking at the game. Lately, it's 477 00:24:44.660 --> 00:24:49.359 been like one inning, two innings first at since moved 478 00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:55.089 to bullpen, 16 innings, 27 strikeouts, 15 walks. So it's like, 479 00:24:55.569 --> 00:24:58.049 walk rate's still an issue, but still. 480 00:24:57.890 --> 00:24:59.710 338 here, I guess. Yeah. 481 00:25:00.769 --> 00:25:02.309 Really good stuff. High electric. 482 00:25:02.329 --> 00:25:04.829 So we've seen teams bring up guys like that before. 483 00:25:04.849 --> 00:25:06.619 I feel like Gage Wood might be a guy that 484 00:25:06.630 --> 00:25:08.900 the Phillies might consider doing that with as well. 485 00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:14.779 The Phillies, I think they, maybe not just because, like, yeah, 486 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:17.039 in this case, you also have to think about next year, like, 487 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:20.289 If you add him to the 40-man, you lose that 488 00:25:20.309 --> 00:25:23.130 development time the next year if there's an extended lockout. 489 00:25:23.170 --> 00:25:26.730 So I think because of that, Gage would probably not. 490 00:25:26.970 --> 00:25:31.150 But Gage Sanford, honestly, you don't really care as much 491 00:25:31.210 --> 00:25:33.730 about his development, to be honest. He's not as notable 492 00:25:33.829 --> 00:25:36.500 of a prospect. So I think you need to consider it. 493 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:39.160 Yeah, good point there. 494 00:25:40.089 --> 00:25:43.190 All right, Raj, what's going on with Prospects Live? So 495 00:25:43.269 --> 00:25:46.430 we're going to spend this episode of the Dynasty podcast 496 00:25:46.450 --> 00:25:49.670 talking about the Dynasty closer hierarchy. You've updated that in 497 00:25:49.769 --> 00:25:51.730 full and you had an article that went out this 498 00:25:51.769 --> 00:25:55.710 past week to kind of touch on how it works 499 00:25:55.849 --> 00:25:59.609 and some key, some interesting teams that we'll talk about 500 00:25:59.650 --> 00:26:03.150 on this episode. I sent out a Dynasty survey to 501 00:26:03.210 --> 00:26:07.329 all of our subscribers. So make sure you check your 502 00:26:07.369 --> 00:26:11.000 inbox or to make sure you fill out that survey. 503 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:14.039 We want all the feedback possible to provide the best 504 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:18.190 content for you guys. We feel like we leveled up 505 00:26:18.230 --> 00:26:20.829 this year, but we can get better. So give us 506 00:26:20.910 --> 00:26:23.029 all of your feedback, positive, negative. 507 00:26:23.150 --> 00:26:26.230 We want to hear it. Send that survey in and 508 00:26:26.970 --> 00:26:29.119 we will work on what you want us to do. 509 00:26:29.390 --> 00:26:30.180 We want to be. 510 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:33.059 Making sure you guys are getting what you need. 511 00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:36.509 So please give

us that feedback for a second. I, 512 00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:39.140 have not filled out the survey, even though I am 513 00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:44.049 a public side subscriber technically. So I will be sure 514 00:26:44.069 --> 00:26:44.880 to fill that tonight. 515 00:26:45.569 --> 00:26:47.460 Okay. Thank you, Raj. I appreciate it. 516 00:26:49.589 --> 00:26:52.690 And then we, I've already started off season planning for 517 00:26:52.710 --> 00:26:54.930 what we're going to provide for content as well. So 518 00:26:56.329 --> 00:26:58.549 we got big plans this off season and a full 519 00:26:58.589 --> 00:27:00.109 team to be able to attack it. 520 00:27:00.849 --> 00:27:03.369 And I think hopefully you guys will be happy. 521 00:27:03.150 --> 00:27:05.730 With what we offer. So we go full year round 522 00:27:05.769 --> 00:27:08.130 here at prospects live. So, For you guys that are 523 00:27:08.150 --> 00:27:12.210 Dynasty diehards, we've got stuff for you. So we're excited 524 00:27:12.250 --> 00:27:17.089 about that. Some really big articles came out this week 525 00:27:17.170 --> 00:27:23.170 from the card side. Our 2026 Bowman Chrome preview with 526 00:27:23.190 --> 00:27:28.109 the TLDR version as well. Max Arterburn did a wonderful 527 00:27:28.130 --> 00:27:30.880 job with his team of writers to be able to 528 00:27:30.890 --> 00:27:34.059 provide this. They go so deep. If you collect baseball cards, 529 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:37.700 this is a must-read article. Um, this is going to 530 00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:40.359 tell you exactly what you need to know about all 531 00:27:40.420 --> 00:27:42.119 the prospects in this product. 532 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:45.400 So, um, please check that out. This is one of 533 00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.900 the best articles we put out all year. 534 00:27:46.920 --> 00:27:50.180 Uh, definitely one of the most read articles we put 535 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:52.740 out all year is definitely a very popular article. 536 00:27:52.859 --> 00:27:55.700 So, all right. 537 00:27:56.519 --> 00:28:00.200 Uh, and then dynasty baseball pickups had their 156th episode 538 00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:01.059 over the weekend. 539 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:05.900 And that is about it around our parts. Okay. Raj, you, uh, 540 00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:10.480 You ready to do this after the break? Yeah. All right. 541 00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:13.309 We'll be back in just a minute here and we 542 00:28:13.349 --> 00:28:16.390 will talk about our dynasty closer hierarchy. 543 00:28:16.430 --> 00:28:17.029 We'll be right back. 544 00:28:22.609 --> 00:28:25.170 All right. We are back. I am Greg joined by Raj. 545 00:28:25.250 --> 00:28:28.670 We are talking our dynasty closer hierarchy tool on the 546 00:28:28.710 --> 00:28:33.950 prospects live.com website. So Raj, can you explain exactly what 547 00:28:34.009 --> 00:28:37.230 this is and what, value it holds for our subscribers. 548 00:28:38.529 --> 00:28:41.450 So this is basically a

look at what a team's 549 00:28:41.529 --> 00:28:43.750 sort of like future outlook is in a bullpen. Like 550 00:28:44.670 --> 00:28:46.829 you can always like look at maybe like whatever like 551 00:28:46.849 --> 00:28:49.869 rosters and look at like what the current closer is. 552 00:28:49.970 --> 00:28:51.809 And in fact, like we have our own tool for that, 553 00:28:51.829 --> 00:28:54.970 like the POS Paying Time tool sort of has that 554 00:28:55.019 --> 00:29:00.779 hierarchy already, but sort of predicting like who's the next closer. Like, 555 00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:04.839 let's say like, for example, the Yankees, they have David Benard, 556 00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:07.940 as an impending creation, like who's going to replace him. 557 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:10.720 If they're probably going to size him up, let's say 558 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:12.349 they don't, like who's going to be the guy? It's 559 00:29:13.029 --> 00:29:17.029 basically a tool to basically sort of predict that. And 560 00:29:17.069 --> 00:29:18.809 so I'm just going to share my. 561 00:29:21.269 --> 00:29:24.430 So I'm just going to zoom in on this. So 562 00:29:24.450 --> 00:29:26.609 basically this is like for the, how I can for 563 00:29:26.630 --> 00:29:29.410 the AL East team. So right now for the Yankees, 564 00:29:29.470 --> 00:29:32.579 it's Fernando Cousine, though, like at this point, he's probably 565 00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:37.220 going to miss, like he... He might get TJ soon, 566 00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:39.769 so it might not be him. And then Brett Hedrick, 567 00:29:39.789 --> 00:29:42.410 he's been pretty solid, but he's, like, also a bit 568 00:29:42.450 --> 00:29:45.230 of a, like, he's a lefty and pretty funky, and 569 00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:47.740 he's really only good against lefties, so he doesn't really have, like, 570 00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:51.140 many good options, and also, like, if you hover, you 571 00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:54.920 can see, like, I've written, like, a bit of a 572 00:29:54.920 --> 00:29:58.900 small blur on each of these guys, but, yeah, Yankee's 573 00:29:59.180 --> 00:30:04.930 pretty meh bullpen outlook, whereas Boston, they have Willis Chapman 574 00:30:04.970 --> 00:30:08.009 and Garrett Whitlock as two elite guys, in my opinion. 575 00:30:08.029 --> 00:30:13.839 I basically have three tiers. Elite, which is like top-end relievers. Strong, 576 00:30:13.859 --> 00:30:16.819 which is just sort of like above average, I'd say. 577 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:22.779 And then mid is more average relievers. You can see Yankees, 578 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:26.839 not that great. Boston, very good. Baltimore, we'll talk about 579 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:29.839 them in a bit, but it's a very interesting situation. 580 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:33.779 And then the Rays pretty good. And then the Jays, 581 00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:36.799 it's sort of, okay. I was like, we're very good 582 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:39.279 with foreign, but as I not agree.

And then I 583 00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:42.900 had that for all 30 teams. And that's sort of like, 584 00:30:43.880 --> 00:30:46.230 just to give you a sense of like, who's going 585 00:30:46.269 --> 00:30:48.490 to be the future closer. And also like, let's say 586 00:30:49.089 --> 00:30:50.849 the current closer is still like, who's going to be 587 00:30:51.109 --> 00:30:53.910 the guy that could take your place in that role. 588 00:30:55.349 --> 00:30:55.529 Yeah. 589 00:30:55.849 --> 00:30:56.170 Awesome. 590 00:30:56.210 --> 00:30:58.980 So this is something you're going to be, well, we're 591 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:01.740 heading into the off season now, but, As moves happen, 592 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:04.640 you're going to be adjusting this and changing out the roles. 593 00:31:04.740 --> 00:31:10.779 As players are signed, as players are released, or roster 594 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:15.480 moves happen, it'll be a changing of the guard, really. 595 00:31:15.509 --> 00:31:18.230 And that's really what bullpens are. 596 00:31:18.269 --> 00:31:22.450 For example, Hayden Harris was on my hierarchy for the Braves. 597 00:31:22.490 --> 00:31:26.029 It was one of the weaker bullpens because outside of 598 00:31:26.309 --> 00:31:28.230 Robert Suarez and Dylan Lee, they don't really have that 599 00:31:28.250 --> 00:31:30.089 many guys who are under control for a long time, 600 00:31:30.109 --> 00:31:32.460 so I put Hayden Harris on there, but then he 601 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:34.500 recently got DFA and got claimed by the Rockies. So 602 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:37.779 now I have to replace him with someone else. Yeah. 603 00:31:37.819 --> 00:31:40.480 So it's a, it's a constantly changing thing. 604 00:31:40.569 --> 00:31:44.869 And, and that's really what bullpens are because we know 605 00:31:44.890 --> 00:31:48.450 how volatile belief pitchers can be one season. 606 00:31:48.470 --> 00:31:49.809 They can be absolutely elite. 607 00:31:49.890 --> 00:31:51.970 And then the next, they can just fall off the 608 00:31:52.009 --> 00:31:56.029 wagon and be almost a useless pitcher on a roster. 609 00:31:57.349 --> 00:31:59.349 So what I wanted to do was just to give 610 00:31:59.369 --> 00:32:03.789 more information, explanation behind that is look at the, the 611 00:32:03.910 --> 00:32:07.779 saves leaders and holds leaders for this year at this point. Um, 612 00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:09.700 because I think it's interesting to see the names that 613 00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:11.779 kind of pop up and where we were at the 614 00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:15.740 start of the season, trying to get one or two elites, uh, 615 00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:18.880 closers for your roster. Now we know that a lot 616 00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:22.210 of leagues have saves and then saves plus holds as well. 617 00:32:22.309 --> 00:32:24.190 So I'm going to talk about the holds as well. 618 00:32:25.069 --> 00:32:27.950 So right now the saves leader and the major leagues. 619 00:32:27.809 --> 00:32:31.430 Is Brian Baker. of the Tampa Bay Rays. I don't 620 00:32:31.450 --> 00:32:33.329 think anybody had him as a top 10 reliever kind 621 00:32:33.349 --> 00:32:38.750 of heading into the season. So this tells you really 622 00:32:38.930 --> 00:32:43.319 right off the bat where bullpens are with relievers and 623 00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:46.599 fantasy and all that. Riley O'Brien is number two. I 624 00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:50.380 think people maybe thought he could be the closer in St. Louis, 625 00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:53.980 but he's got 36 saves. Maybe we didn't think he'd 626 00:32:54.000 --> 00:33:01.480 be that effective. Kate Smith, Mason Miller, Aroldis Chapman, are 3-4-5, 35-34, 627 00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:05.339 and 33 saves, respectively. They were all top closers heading 628 00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:08.279 into the season. Louis Varland kind of took over the 629 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:10.960 role in Toronto and has been as good as any 630 00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:15.119 reliever out there all season long, 33 saves. And then 631 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:21.529 David Bednar, Raizel Iglesias, Joanne Duran, expected closers, top 10, 632 00:33:21.519 --> 00:33:23.079 top 15 guys. 633 00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:23.420 At the worst. 634 00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:26.920 And then Jacob Latz of the Texas Rangers is 10th. 635 00:33:28.250 --> 00:33:30.009 with 28 and I don't think anybody, he was a 636 00:33:30.029 --> 00:33:34.259 starting pitcher to head into the season. So, so Lats, 637 00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:39.640 Riley O'Brien and Brian Baker are names you would not 638 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:42.140 have expected to be in, in this group. 639 00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:43.880 Louis Varland as well, I guess. 640 00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:49.150 So that's four out of 10. Sorry. I just sort 641 00:33:49.170 --> 00:33:52.490 of expected Riley O'Brien as sort of like, he's, he 642 00:33:52.549 --> 00:33:54.450 was the guy who like entered you, who's probably going 643 00:33:54.490 --> 00:33:55.869 to be in a committee, but I felt like he 644 00:33:55.910 --> 00:33:58.210 was the guy that would, I think would have eventually 645 00:33:58.230 --> 00:34:00.839 like pitches right there. And even though like at year 646 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:02.880 eight this year, not that great, like four or three, 647 00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:05.400 like the rest of these guys, some of them have 648 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:07.079 areas in the one, some of them are like low 649 00:34:07.140 --> 00:34:10.320 mid twos, but rather by four or three, he hasn't 650 00:34:10.340 --> 00:34:12.889 been a great closer, but he's been getting to shop then. 651 00:34:13.929 --> 00:34:16.130 Yeah. And like, he was one of three guys that 652 00:34:16.170 --> 00:34:18.710 was vying for that position. So it's not like he 653 00:34:18.750 --> 00:34:20.750 was the lead guy going into the year. I'm just 654 00:34:20.789 --> 00:34:23.679 talking about, the value of these guys heading

into the 655 00:34:23.739 --> 00:34:25.260 season during draft season or whatever. 656 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.119 Yeah. 657 00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:27.820 Let's go to the holds here. Cause this is a 658 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:31.969 little bit of a different story. So Tyler Rogers holds, 659 00:34:32.769 --> 00:34:36.170 holds the lead for holds in the majors at 31. 660 00:34:36.170 --> 00:34:39.010 Kevin Kelly of the Rays at 30 Dylan Lee of 661 00:34:39.050 --> 00:34:42.369 the Braves, 30 Hunter Gattis. That's a name you probably 662 00:34:42.389 --> 00:34:46.170 would have expected 28 for the guardians. Bizzardo with the Mariners, 663 00:34:46.170 --> 00:34:49.610 26 Brent Hedrick 26. Really not a name that was 664 00:34:49.670 --> 00:34:50.789 on my radar for. 665 00:34:50.730 --> 00:34:52.909 Holds coming into the season. 26. 666 00:34:52.909 --> 00:34:56.780 Ryan Stanek with the Cardinals. Been a good reliever a 667 00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:57.179 long time. 668 00:34:57.179 --> 00:34:57.239 25. 669 00:34:57.219 --> 00:34:59.659 Garrett Woodlock. You mentioned him. 670 00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:00.820 He's an elite reliever. 671 00:35:00.820 --> 00:35:03.539 24 holds. Garrett Clevenger has been very good for the 672 00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:06.880 Rays the last couple seasons. Adrian Marjon is another name 673 00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:09.380 that's been very, very good. So that's the top 10 674 00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:15.219 in holds. So, I mean, you could throw 100 names 675 00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:19.449 in there and you'd be like, okay, he has 30 holds. Um, 676 00:35:19.570 --> 00:35:23.309 so talk to me about building a bullpen and dynasty 677 00:35:23.349 --> 00:35:24.889 and fantasy, because I. 678 00:35:26.510 --> 00:35:26.769 Don't know. 679 00:35:26.869 --> 00:35:30.510 I don't know if there's a concrete way to do it, honestly. Um, 680 00:35:30.550 --> 00:35:32.110 so like, what do you, what do you look for? 681 00:35:32.139 --> 00:35:35.269 What are you looking at? Uh, what's it, what's a, 682 00:35:35.900 --> 00:35:38.800 what's a good strategy in 2026 to build a bullpen. 683 00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:41.860 So I think it really depends on your lead. Like 684 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:44.780 if it's saves only, then I'm targeting the guys who 685 00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:47.989 are probably going to get saves. So like a lot 686 00:35:48.010 --> 00:35:49.820 of those top guys you mentioned, like, even, even though 687 00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:51.889 it was like a few like random guys, like Brian 688 00:35:51.909 --> 00:35:54.190 Baker out of Brad, two guys on top, like K 689 00:35:54.250 --> 00:35:56.369 Smith was a very good closer last year. Mason are 690 00:35:56.389 --> 00:36:00.349 very good close last year. Chapman, uh, Iglesias, Bernard Duran, 691 00:36:00.650 --> 00:36:03.309 like a lot of the top closers are guys who 692 00:36:03.329 --> 00:36:06.250 like were good closers last year. So I think those 693 00:36:06.289 --> 00:36:09.070 top guys, you really want to like, if you can 694 00:36:09.130 --> 00:36:11.809 get a guy who, you know, is going to be, uh, 695 00:36:12.110 --> 00:36:17.230 getting saves and, uh, they're worth investing in, but Those, like, 696 00:36:17.329 --> 00:36:21.340 Frenchie guys, like, let's say Brian Baker or Brian, those 697 00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:24.079 guys are really valuable in those leagues, even though, in 698 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:28.059 my opinion, they're not really, like, on the same tier. So, honestly, 699 00:36:28.099 --> 00:36:30.820 those guys, I'm probably going to be selling them just 700 00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:33.300 because I know that in a season-only league, those guys 701 00:36:33.510 --> 00:36:35.289 are going to be, like, very valuable and I can get, like, 702 00:36:36.130 --> 00:36:37.110 very good assets in return. 703 00:36:39.900 --> 00:36:42.119 Um, yeah, I think you mentioned it right off the top. 704 00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:44.480 There is, is knowing your league format. I think that 705 00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:46.860 is the most important thing when you're going into this. 706 00:36:46.949 --> 00:36:49.050 So if it's a saves only league, you're not even, 707 00:36:50.050 --> 00:36:52.789 you're not looking as much at the guys that are 708 00:36:53.409 --> 00:36:56.550 positioned in the whole situation, unless they're elite ratio guys, 709 00:36:56.650 --> 00:36:59.670 elite strikeout guys, because those skills will get you into 710 00:36:59.690 --> 00:37:01.909 a closer position when the position becomes. 711 00:37:01.769 --> 00:37:05.130 Open, whether it's through a lack of performance or an injury. 712 00:37:05.150 --> 00:37:08.860 You also have to look at like, when guys like struggling, 713 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:11.639 like who's the guys who could like take over, like, 714 00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:14.920 for example, uh, entering the year, DeJay's had Jeff Hoffman 715 00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:18.900 as a main closer. And, uh, obviously like he's been inconsistent. 716 00:37:18.920 --> 00:37:20.800 I thought he was going to be good, but like, 717 00:37:21.699 --> 00:37:25.480 obviously like he ran into a ton of bad luck. So, but, uh, 718 00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:28.199 at that time, like Louis Varland, he was like, Perfil 719 00:37:28.219 --> 00:37:30.400 was like one of the best release in baseball. He 720 00:37:30.480 --> 00:37:35.000 still is. So, uh, like, uh, by the end of 721 00:37:35.019 --> 00:37:37.969 like April, I'm not sure like when, Hoffman, like, lost 722 00:37:37.989 --> 00:37:40.170 his job, like, maybe, like, late April or late May, like, 723 00:37:40.949 --> 00:37:44.340 you probably could have, like, maybe added Varland, depending on 724 00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:47.139 the league, but if you were able to add Varland as, like, 725 00:37:47.159 --> 00:37:49.599 just a speculative add, they got a very good closer 726 00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:52.219 out of that, just because, like, seeing that Hoffman was, like,

727 00:37:52.280 --> 00:37:54.940 struggling and then seeing that this guy with very good 728 00:37:54.960 --> 00:37:59.650 stuff is sort of, like, vying, has been performing better from, like, 729 00:37:59.989 --> 00:38:02.130 a fit basis or whatever peripherals you want to use, 730 00:38:02.190 --> 00:38:05.610 and just looking at that, it can really help you, like, 731 00:38:05.630 --> 00:38:12.250 finding out what who can be the next closer. Also, 732 00:38:12.309 --> 00:38:14.269 watching the usage patterns as well. 733 00:38:14.929 --> 00:38:17.110 The way they used Vardland in the playoffs last year, 734 00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:19.480 he pitched basically every game with off days and things 735 00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:23.000 like that. In that fireman role, you put your best 736 00:38:23.059 --> 00:38:26.900 pitcher in those positions often. The way the Jays used him, 737 00:38:27.239 --> 00:38:30.639 they had signed Hoffman to be their closer. They paid 738 00:38:30.679 --> 00:38:35.380 him closer money. Obviously, he has not performed as well 739 00:38:35.429 --> 00:38:38.699 as Vardland has. And eventually it turned and then they 740 00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:41.980 traded Hoffman to the twins at the deadline and part 741 00:38:42.019 --> 00:38:47.699 of their buy slash sell deadline. But every team has 742 00:38:47.719 --> 00:38:50.539 that type of a situation where they're making sure their 743 00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:55.420 best guy is in that fireman role. Whenever those best 3-4-5, 744 00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:58.400 2-3-4-5 hitters are coming up in the lineup, that's when 745 00:38:58.420 --> 00:39:01.219 they're putting in that reliever in the late innings. And 746 00:39:02.010 --> 00:39:05.190 some teams use their closer for that situation when it 747 00:39:05.230 --> 00:39:08.199 really counts. some teams have a reliever there. They're kind 748 00:39:08.250 --> 00:39:11.670 of maybe good with runners on base and not, not 749 00:39:11.730 --> 00:39:13.110 phased by any of that situation. 750 00:39:13.190 --> 00:39:16.829 So usage patterns really, really important, especially early in the season. 751 00:39:16.849 --> 00:39:19.530 Like you mentioned, like closer jobs. 752 00:39:19.329 --> 00:39:21.230 Change early in the year often. Right. 753 00:39:21.369 --> 00:39:24.829 So those situations that are up in the air, like 754 00:39:24.849 --> 00:39:26.210 the Cardinals one at the start of the year, and 755 00:39:26.230 --> 00:39:29.320 there was a number of other ones um watching those 756 00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:32.539 situations and grabbing that guy and maybe even like at 757 00:39:32.559 --> 00:39:34.800 the end of your draft grabbing a handcuff guy like 758 00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:37.239 if you if you got hoffman in the in your 759 00:39:37.260 --> 00:39:41.329 draft grabbing varland as that secondary guy as maybe your 760 00:39:41.369 --> 00:39:44.610 last pick or whatever um i know you you had 761 00:39:44.789 --> 00:39:47.829 uh varland you have varland in our home league um 762 00:39:48.429 --> 00:39:49.820 Did you pick him up in the draft or was 763 00:39:49.860 --> 00:39:50.360 he in early season? 764 00:39:50.400 --> 00:39:53.239 No, I added him in free agency. I got probably 765 00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:55.079 a bit like a little bit too much. Cause I, 766 00:39:55.099 --> 00:39:57.920 when I added him was like right when Hoffman lost 767 00:39:57.940 --> 00:40:00.099 the role, but I probably could have added him. Like 768 00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:03.900 I bid like 11. I'm pretty sure like a week 769 00:40:03.920 --> 00:40:05.480 before I could just add him for one, honestly. 770 00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:07.139 Yeah. 771 00:40:07.179 --> 00:40:08.949 So being, being early on the trigger for those things, 772 00:40:08.969 --> 00:40:10.590 you're going to miss on a lot of those guys. 773 00:40:10.750 --> 00:40:12.650 Cause maybe they don't get the role or maybe they 774 00:40:13.030 --> 00:40:15.579 get hurt or whatever, but. if you can hit on 775 00:40:15.659 --> 00:40:17.500 one of them, like you did with Farland, you've been 776 00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:20.579 laughing all the way to the end of the season here. So, 777 00:40:20.599 --> 00:40:25.860 so that's a good thing. How would you use this tool, Raj? 778 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:27.820 Like how would you apply this tool to what you 779 00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:29.969 do in your dynasty analysis? 780 00:40:31.570 --> 00:40:36.369 So honestly, I'm just looking at like, just using as 781 00:40:36.409 --> 00:40:39.010 sort of like a tier list, sort of. It's like 782 00:40:39.050 --> 00:40:42.889 the top guys sort of, sorry, hold on. But yeah, 783 00:40:44.590 --> 00:40:47.659 For example, I'm just going to use a red side example. 784 00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:51.079 Emilio Pagan, I have him as a mid-tier bullpen arm 785 00:40:51.099 --> 00:40:56.000 because I'm not really that confident in him. So basically, 786 00:40:56.179 --> 00:40:59.010 I look at the reds and Pagan, not that great 787 00:40:59.050 --> 00:41:01.369 of a closer. I look at the guys behind him, 788 00:41:01.429 --> 00:41:06.130 like Graham Ashcroft, I have as a strong leader, Luis May, strong, 789 00:41:06.730 --> 00:41:10.480 and Santillan is sort of a mid, even though he's 790 00:41:10.659 --> 00:41:14.739 been getting close because he's been good last year, so Basically, 791 00:41:15.400 --> 00:41:19.219 for the Reds, I'd probably be selling Pagan and maybe 792 00:41:19.300 --> 00:41:22.469 adding Ashcroft because I think, especially by next year, I 793 00:41:22.510 --> 00:41:25.250 think Pagan will probably lose that role and then Ashcroft 794 00:41:25.269 --> 00:41:28.829 can step in. If May can improve on his command, 795 00:41:28.849 --> 00:41:31.489 I think at least May can really take that role 796 00:41:31.530 --> 00:41:31.769 as well. 797 00:41:32.650 --> 00:41:34.780 That brings up another interesting thought, too. You talked about 798 00:41:34.800

--> 00:41:37.860 the Yankees early in the conversation. That's a team that's 799 00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:40.199 more likely to buy a closer in the offseason through 800 00:41:40.219 --> 00:41:43.400 free agency versus the Reds, who probably won't. They're going 801 00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:46.079 to fill internally with, they have a lot of guys 802 00:41:46.119 --> 00:41:47.400 that could fill that role internally. 803 00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:49.940 And also the thing is like, they could sign a closer, 804 00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:51.260 but they're not going to sign like a top guy. 805 00:41:51.340 --> 00:41:54.059 Like for example, the White Sox entering the year, they 806 00:41:54.099 --> 00:41:56.849 signed Sanford Dominguez to be the closer. And right now 807 00:41:56.889 --> 00:41:57.889 he's not on the team anymore. 808 00:41:58.610 --> 00:41:59.409 Yeah, exactly. 809 00:41:59.510 --> 00:42:01.349 So knowing which teams are going to make moves like 810 00:42:01.550 --> 00:42:04.510 that helps you make your decisions to kind of look 811 00:42:04.550 --> 00:42:08.260 for the future with your relievers as well. What about, 812 00:42:09.199 --> 00:42:11.119 you might mention this in some of your team discussions, 813 00:42:11.139 --> 00:42:12.699 but what about, like, minor league relievers? 814 00:42:12.719 --> 00:42:15.440 Do you ever roster them in deep minor leagues? 815 00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:22.510 Honestly, not really, but it's something that I always have, like, 816 00:42:22.530 --> 00:42:26.369 you have to consider just because when, like, both of 817 00:42:26.389 --> 00:42:28.570 us are so fluid that a guy who starts in 818 00:42:28.590 --> 00:42:30.590 the minors can really, like, skyrocket up and just, like, 819 00:42:30.630 --> 00:42:33.130 become a leverage guy by the end of the year. Like, 820 00:42:34.090 --> 00:42:38.670 for example, like, I guess the Rangers, like, they have, uh, 821 00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:40.739 I have Peyton Gray on there, like he's hurt right now, 822 00:42:40.760 --> 00:42:44.110 but he's like someone who's, uh, like, uh, always had 823 00:42:44.130 --> 00:42:45.389 a goal and they have like a few other guys, 824 00:42:45.409 --> 00:42:48.849 like Carter Ballmer. I think Ballmer was a rule five pick, 825 00:42:49.789 --> 00:42:52.750 but I'm not sure if they, I can't remember if 826 00:42:52.789 --> 00:42:57.489 the Rangers picked him up or he was returned to Rangers. Right. 827 00:42:57.510 --> 00:43:00.590 So he was, uh, he initially was on the Orioles, 828 00:43:00.969 --> 00:43:04.039 taken by the Pirates in rule five, got immediately traded 829 00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:06.820 to the Rangers. And then the Rangers were able to 830 00:43:06.840 --> 00:43:09.340 hold on to him and now he's like, a pretty good, uh, 831 00:43:09.650 --> 00:43:12.630 it got one of pretty good stuff. And then, uh, 832 00:43:12.710 --> 00:43:16.389 not just, sorry, let me just scroll this because I 833 00:43:16.389 --> 00:43:18.449 have like a lot of names on my list outside 834 00:43:18.469 --> 00:43:21.449 of the top four on each game. So Peyton Gray 835 00:43:21.489 --> 00:43:25.469 was a guy who really skyrocketed up bomber, uh, Ben Peoples, 836 00:43:25.489 --> 00:43:28.469 who I think the range is quite from the White Sox. Uh, 837 00:43:28.489 --> 00:43:31.519 Gavin Collier also too, like he's never very good arm 838 00:43:31.800 --> 00:43:36.340 in that bullpen. So yeah, just like, uh, it's very fluid. 839 00:43:36.360 --> 00:43:38.750 It's like a guy. can just like pop up on 840 00:43:38.769 --> 00:43:40.170 another and be very. 841 00:43:40.050 --> 00:43:42.949 Good yeah and there's so many arms in the minors 842 00:43:42.989 --> 00:43:46.429 that are throwing triple digits at this point that one 843 00:43:46.469 --> 00:43:49.030 of those guys could just pop and stick and uh 844 00:43:49.210 --> 00:43:51.730 it happens quickly like you mentioned all right let's kind 845 00:43:51.769 --> 00:43:53.929 of go through some teams here some interesting teams that 846 00:43:53.949 --> 00:43:56.230 you thought would be worth going through here so we'll 847 00:43:56.250 --> 00:43:58.750 start let's start in the nl we always start in 848 00:43:58.769 --> 00:44:00.630 the al start in the nl we're going to go 849 00:44:00.670 --> 00:44:03.530 with the nl east the washington nationals why is this 850 00:44:03.550 --> 00:44:04.590 an interesting bullpen to. 851 00:44:04.550 --> 00:44:09.300 You because the nationals like Entering the year, well, at 852 00:44:09.320 --> 00:44:11.079 the start of the year, they had, like, easily the 853 00:44:11.119 --> 00:44:15.760 worst bullpen in baseball. Like, when I wrote it up, 854 00:44:17.000 --> 00:44:19.360 they had, just, like, a little over a week ago, 855 00:44:19.380 --> 00:44:23.769 they had 35 bulls on the year. The all-time record 856 00:44:23.809 --> 00:44:25.610 for a bull in the series is 37. Right now, 857 00:44:25.630 --> 00:44:27.570 the Nationals have 37, so they've already blown two more 858 00:44:27.590 --> 00:44:31.710 series since then. So, yeah, it's a very bad bullpen. So, 859 00:44:31.750 --> 00:44:34.050 you say, like, oh, why didn't the Nationals address it 860 00:44:34.070 --> 00:44:35.730 at the deadline? Like, why did they stop? Well, they 861 00:44:35.750 --> 00:44:38.119 actually did. a dress step open because a lot of 862 00:44:38.159 --> 00:44:41.300 guys that they acquired at the deadline were guys that 863 00:44:41.320 --> 00:44:45.969 they were like a lot of the leaders. So like, wow. 864 00:44:46.269 --> 00:44:48.710 For my Luis Garcia Jr. trade to the Yankees, they 865 00:44:48.730 --> 00:44:51.949 got Yvonne Cruz. I really like, I think he's their 866 00:44:52.010 --> 00:44:55.050 future closer. Uh, he, he has very good stuff like 867 00:44:55.329 --> 00:44:59.010 triple digit fastball. Uh, he used to have like pretty 868 00:44:59.070 --> 00:45:02.780 bad walk race, but since he was signed by a

nationalism, 869 00:45:02.980 --> 00:45:06.469 my creation, he's actually like sort of float. Solved that 870 00:45:06.510 --> 00:45:08.929 walk rate problem a bit since he got traded to 871 00:45:08.949 --> 00:45:15.010 Nashua was not that great, but yeah, still, still like 872 00:45:15.050 --> 00:45:17.690 has a very, very good stuff like fastball, a couple 873 00:45:17.710 --> 00:45:19.469 of days, 90 mile per hour slider, 90 mile per 874 00:45:19.510 --> 00:45:23.309 hour splitter. Like I, if you can bring back to command, 875 00:45:23.329 --> 00:45:26.130 I think he's a easily a closer for them. And 876 00:45:26.150 --> 00:45:29.750 then Ben Grable, another very good arm in that system. 877 00:45:30.110 --> 00:45:32.159 Jake Bird, he's like a big league guy, but he's 878 00:45:32.179 --> 00:45:37.159 sort of been up and down. Like he's solid. And 879 00:45:37.179 --> 00:45:40.780 that's just one trade. From the Cleveland, they got Will Dion, 880 00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:45.239 who's sort of a lefty, over-the-top guy. Pretty good stuff, 881 00:45:45.260 --> 00:45:47.590 but also very good commanding. He's sort of a multi-inning 882 00:45:47.610 --> 00:45:50.989 guy as well, which is pretty valuable, just because the 883 00:45:51.030 --> 00:45:53.170 Nationals' starting location isn't that great either, so a guy 884 00:45:53.190 --> 00:45:56.949 can bridge the gap between a guy who gives you 885 00:45:56.969 --> 00:46:00.210 four or five innings to the Knife is very valuable. 886 00:46:01.090 --> 00:46:04.650 And then, for guys who is a lower-level guy, who 887 00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:08.679 He's at AA right now, but he's a very good fastball. 888 00:46:09.280 --> 00:46:13.369 Upper 90s, topside 101. Very similar to Giovanni Cruz, honestly. 889 00:46:13.389 --> 00:46:17.909 He was like fastball, side of splitter. But yeah, very 890 00:46:17.949 --> 00:46:22.349 good arm and then also another minor deal that they made. 891 00:46:23.190 --> 00:46:26.800 They traded away Christian Franklin, who's a prospect that I 892 00:46:27.059 --> 00:46:30.860 kind of liked. Very good power and speed combo, but 893 00:46:31.239 --> 00:46:34.690 couldn't really get that power that much. But they traded 894 00:46:34.710 --> 00:46:37.929 him for Joe Glassie, who's arguably been one of the 895 00:46:37.989 --> 00:46:40.869 best relievers, like, in the minor leagues over the past 896 00:46:40.889 --> 00:46:45.170 couple years. Last year, he had a 2 ERA and 897 00:46:45.449 --> 00:46:49.090 a 2-7-1-5. And this year, he, like, when he rolled 898 00:46:49.110 --> 00:46:51.070 him up, it was a 2-6-4 ERA, but a 1-3-6-5 899 00:46:51.679 --> 00:46:55.800 and 30 innings for the Orioles. And then he lowered 900 00:46:55.820 --> 00:46:59.119 that ERA to sub-2 since joining the Nationals. So they 901 00:46:59.139 --> 00:47:01.539 have a lot of names in there. Even guys who 902 00:47:01.579 --> 00:47:08.789 I didn't write up, like, Eric Coleman and Jacques Sinclair, 903 00:47:08.829 --> 00:47:11.230 they've recently been called up by Nationals and they both 904 00:47:11.250 --> 00:47:14.250 look really good as well. They had command issues. A 905 00:47:14.269 --> 00:47:17.670 lot of these guys have had command issues lately since 906 00:47:17.690 --> 00:47:21.289 joining the Nationals or just in general. Very good stuff. 907 00:47:21.949 --> 00:47:25.230 The thing with the Nationals bullpen is that they have 908 00:47:25.329 --> 00:47:28.519 so many names that it's very hard not to have 909 00:47:28.619 --> 00:47:31.400 five or six guys do well next year. Let's say 910 00:47:31.440 --> 00:47:35.230 you've even let's say the guys you picked to start 911 00:47:35.250 --> 00:47:38.389 in that bullpen to start the 2077 season, like let's 912 00:47:38.409 --> 00:47:40.610 say all of them fail. You can just like option 913 00:47:40.630 --> 00:47:42.829 all of them, like bring up a fresh side of 914 00:47:42.849 --> 00:47:44.679 eight guys and see if they work and then just 915 00:47:45.570 --> 00:47:48.010 ride the hot hand. Yeah. 916 00:47:48.090 --> 00:47:50.920 I mean, on a team that's the rebuilding right now, obviously. 917 00:47:51.019 --> 00:47:53.460 So on a team like that, that is absolutely the 918 00:47:53.500 --> 00:47:56.139 perfect way to kind of build a bullpen is to 919 00:47:56.179 --> 00:47:58.539 have all these cheap guys with options and to be 920 00:47:58.579 --> 00:48:01.179 able to ride the hot hand, like you said. Um, 921 00:48:01.809 --> 00:48:04.070 when you were talking earlier and made me think about like, 922 00:48:04.429 --> 00:48:06.409 obviously velocity is the name of the game. You want 923 00:48:06.449 --> 00:48:08.730 guys that can throw hard and generate swing and miss. 924 00:48:09.289 --> 00:48:11.719 But what we've seen some forward thinking teams do as 925 00:48:11.760 --> 00:48:17.199 well is look at arm angles and offer, give the 926 00:48:17.219 --> 00:48:19.300 hitters different looks every time they come. 927 00:48:19.219 --> 00:48:19.639 Up to bat. 928 00:48:19.699 --> 00:48:19.920 Right. 929 00:48:20.000 --> 00:48:22.119 So the Jays have done that really, really well the 930 00:48:22.139 --> 00:48:25.800 last couple of seasons. But it seems like the nationals 931 00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:27.389 are kind of doing the same thing with some of 932 00:48:27.429 --> 00:48:30.449 the types of pitchers that they're bringing in lefty righty. 933 00:48:31.130 --> 00:48:35.530 over the top three quarter sidearm. Um, so I think 934 00:48:35.550 --> 00:48:37.449 a lot of teams are looking to do that to 935 00:48:37.469 --> 00:48:41.739 really diversify the looks they're giving, um, teams and, and, uh, 936 00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:44.059 it's an interesting strategy, but I think one that's been 937 00:48:44.099 --> 00:48:47.920 working for sure. Like, um, we know like one, two, 938 00:48:48.000 --> 00:48:50.880 three times through the lineup, starting pitchers struggle because they're 939

00:48:50.900 --> 00:48:53.340 giving the same looks and the pitters have seen their 940 00:48:53.360 --> 00:48:56.380 pitches three times through now. Um, but then when you 941 00:48:56.400 --> 00:48:59.510 get to the bullpen, I mean, You can only see 942 00:49:00.010 --> 00:49:01.889 a 100 mile an hour fastball too many times before 943 00:49:01.929 --> 00:49:03.230 you hit one out, right? 944 00:49:03.329 --> 00:49:05.730 So you need to be able. 945 00:49:05.610 --> 00:49:07.739 To have a Tyler Rogers in your bullpen that gives 946 00:49:07.780 --> 00:49:12.480 you a crazy funky look. So I think the Nationals 947 00:49:12.579 --> 00:49:15.809 are kind of looking in that direction and doing that. 948 00:49:16.170 --> 00:49:20.110 So, awesome. Yeah, like Will Dion was very overconfident. the 949 00:49:20.139 --> 00:49:21.820 top lefty like even though he only sits 91 like 950 00:49:21.840 --> 00:49:24.159 he's he's very good at command like gets a ton 951 00:49:24.219 --> 00:49:26.699 of chase turn a ton of whiff despite like saying 952 00:49:26.719 --> 00:49:29.300 i don't want to fastball because like there's just a 953 00:49:29.400 --> 00:49:32.360 really unique look and then you have yvonne crews and 954 00:49:32.420 --> 00:49:35.079 very guys who are like those low side righties and 955 00:49:35.099 --> 00:49:39.230 then with uh very good stuff and then uh Jake Burris, 956 00:49:39.250 --> 00:49:42.230 so like a sinker-slider guy. And then just like, and 957 00:49:42.969 --> 00:49:45.710 also like Tolman, he's high slot lefty, but not the 958 00:49:45.750 --> 00:49:47.550 same slot as Dion. Like it's a little bit more 959 00:49:47.570 --> 00:49:50.070 like high three-cores rather than full over top. And he's 960 00:49:50.090 --> 00:49:54.760 like a very fast ball and then very steep drop 961 00:49:54.900 --> 00:49:56.400 on his changeup. Yeah. 962 00:49:56.420 --> 00:50:00.019 All right, let's move on to Vandal Central. Pittsburgh Pirates 963 00:50:00.139 --> 00:50:01.659 were the team you called out here. 964 00:50:01.920 --> 00:50:08.230 Why? So the Pirates is a little bit interesting because So, 965 00:50:08.269 --> 00:50:11.110 first of all, like, Mason Montgomery, he's sort of emerged 966 00:50:11.150 --> 00:50:13.150 as an elite closer to my eyes. Like, easily a 967 00:50:13.190 --> 00:50:21.619 top two closer to Nate Mason in baseball. But outside of... Yeah. Like, 968 00:50:21.659 --> 00:50:26.000 Mason Montgomery, like, he's another, like, over-the-top guy, but he 969 00:50:26.039 --> 00:50:28.559 can actually, like, touch 100. And then you have, like, 970 00:50:28.599 --> 00:50:30.920 a very hard slider, a very hard curveball that's, like, 971 00:50:31.559 --> 00:50:35.809 not as much off, but, like, very hard. Like, I believe, like, it's, like, mid-80s. 972 00:50:36.230 --> 00:50:39.159 I'll have to double-check, but outside of Mason Montgomery, it's 973 00:50:39.179 --> 00:50:43.099 just that there isn't really that much. Like Luke Weaver, 974 00:50:43.139 --> 00:50:45.860 he's been, he's been pretty good before, but not sure 975 00:50:45.920 --> 00:50:48.059 if you read the reports, but like he's been infected 976 00:50:48.079 --> 00:50:50.760 by like poison Ivy or something, which is like a 977 00:50:50.760 --> 00:50:55.219 very weird. I didn't hear that. No. No. Yeah. So 978 00:50:55.239 --> 00:50:57.639 basically he's been struggling with the parents and he said 979 00:50:57.659 --> 00:51:00.219 that it's basically because he's been dealing with like poison 980 00:51:00.280 --> 00:51:05.119 Ivy for some reason. And I guess that's really worse 981 00:51:05.139 --> 00:51:10.710 for you. But yeah. Uh, weaver he's like you're hoping 982 00:51:10.730 --> 00:51:12.329 in bounce back but maybe that's like more of a 983 00:51:12.329 --> 00:51:15.590 next year thing and then yeah next in line i 984 00:51:15.659 --> 00:51:18.820 wrote in johan ramirez who's sort of a multi-inning guy 985 00:51:18.840 --> 00:51:21.739 uh pretty good stuff like not command is in grace 986 00:51:21.760 --> 00:51:26.079 which is sort of not you usual for like a 987 00:51:26.659 --> 00:51:29.679 multi-inning guy but i think he should be like a 988 00:51:29.699 --> 00:51:32.340 single inning reliever but they've been using him as like 989 00:51:32.380 --> 00:51:36.840 multi-inning relievers and then evan sisk he's solid but he's 990 00:51:36.880 --> 00:51:39.380 more of like one of those lefties who is really 991 00:51:39.440 --> 00:51:42.039 only great at getting lefties out, and then against righties, 992 00:51:42.239 --> 00:51:46.210 they struggle a bit. So then, and then the guys, like, 993 00:51:47.090 --> 00:51:48.710 in the minus, who I think, like, could really help 994 00:51:48.769 --> 00:51:52.130 out that bullpen, like, I wrote, Anton Kelly and Wilbur Dottel. 995 00:51:52.489 --> 00:51:54.570 There are also guys who are, for now, they're being 996 00:51:54.630 --> 00:51:57.190 used as starters, like, or at least, like, multi-inning leaders, 997 00:51:57.210 --> 00:52:01.460 which is sort of interesting. Like, they, the price to, like, 998 00:52:01.500 --> 00:52:04.400 a lot of those multi-inning guys, which I think is 999 00:52:05.159 --> 00:52:06.920 a trend, another trend that we're starting to see with 1000 00:52:07.280 --> 00:52:10.460 bullpen sites, because starters are getting less and less innings, 1001 00:52:10.820 --> 00:52:12.579 but you still have the same number of open hours. 1002 00:52:12.619 --> 00:52:15.239 You need guys who can, like, give you two innings 1003 00:52:15.280 --> 00:52:17.239 instead of one just to, like, save an. 1004 00:52:19.030 --> 00:52:19.219 Arm. 1005 00:52:20.010 --> 00:52:22.909 What you're kind of looking at who might kind of 1006 00:52:22.929 --> 00:52:25.489 pop into one of these roles, we rank. 1007 00:52:25.369 --> 00:52:28.389 Four for each team, but what are you looking for? 1008 00:52:28.429 --> 00:52:31.289 Like, what stats do you like to

look at for relievers? 1009 00:52:31.909 --> 00:52:33.130 What kind of catches your eye? 1010 00:52:34.630 --> 00:52:37.789 For me, it's a combination of stuff and results. Like, 1011 00:52:39.139 --> 00:52:41.429 I think if you want to be a high leverage guy, 1012 00:52:41.829 --> 00:52:43.250 a team is one I'm going to trust if you 1013 00:52:43.289 --> 00:52:47.670 have very good stuff. For example, Evan Sisk, let me 1014 00:52:47.690 --> 00:52:53.849 just pull up real quick. Also, Sisk is a lefty too, 1015 00:52:53.949 --> 00:52:58.039 so that's another thing too. Lefties usually don't get saves. 1016 00:52:58.139 --> 00:53:00.079 Mason Gumby is a lefty, so he's a big exception, 1017 00:53:00.099 --> 00:53:03.519 but that's because he has very good stuff. Whereas Evan Sisk, 1018 00:53:03.940 --> 00:53:06.659 he's just 91 with fastball. He's getting good results, but 1019 00:53:06.699 --> 00:53:09.619 he's not going to be I don't think he's ever 1020 00:53:09.659 --> 00:53:11.420 going to be closing games for the Pirates or any 1021 00:53:11.480 --> 00:53:14.960 other team. Whereas someone like Johan Ramirez, he's like 96 1022 00:53:14.960 --> 00:53:19.360 on the fastball. He's maybe like, it's similar to your 1023 00:53:19.389 --> 00:53:23.010 system in terms of the results and performance, but I 1024 00:53:23.030 --> 00:53:25.610 think he's more likely to get saved just because of 1025 00:53:25.650 --> 00:53:29.869 the stuff. Yeah, I'm looking at stuff and also results, 1026 00:53:30.210 --> 00:53:36.170 both on-field results at ERA, I guess, but also peripherals 1027 00:53:36.190 --> 00:53:39.949 like FIP, strikeout rate, walk rate, I ideally, I want, 1028 00:53:40.070 --> 00:53:42.269 I like guys who like don't walk a lot, but 1029 00:53:42.329 --> 00:53:44.530 you're not going to see many of those guys in 1030 00:53:44.550 --> 00:53:47.010 the bullpen. So. Yeah. 1031 00:53:47.030 --> 00:53:50.230 It's like a lot of bullpen guys are failed starters 1032 00:53:50.449 --> 00:53:52.409 or starters that couldn't stay healthy even. 1033 00:53:53.530 --> 00:53:53.750 Right. 1034 00:53:53.849 --> 00:53:58.090 So often many of them have trouble keeping in command, 1035 00:53:58.130 --> 00:54:00.710 but in a short spurt it works because the stuff 1036 00:54:00.769 --> 00:54:01.369 is so loud. 1037 00:54:01.429 --> 00:54:01.650 Right. 1038 00:54:01.730 --> 00:54:04.170 So it's a little bit of a trade-off. You're going 1039 00:54:04.190 --> 00:54:05.369 to have some guys that. 1040 00:54:06.150 --> 00:54:07.650 Strike out a ton of guys but they also walk 1041 00:54:07.690 --> 00:54:09.150 a ton of guys too so that's something you have 1042 00:54:09.170 --> 00:54:11.010 to keep in mind but they those guys also don't 1043 00:54:11.030 --> 00:54:12.989 give up a lot of hits because i mean they're 1044 00:54:13.010 --> 00:54:14.380 not a lot of balls are being put in play 1045 00:54:14.480 --> 00:54:15.980 it's either a walk a strike out or um. 1046 00:54:17.500 --> 00:54:19.739 That's pretty much it for a lot of these guys so. 1047 00:54:20.659 --> 00:54:23.360 All right let's go with the nl west now colorado 1048 00:54:23.440 --> 00:54:27.630 rockies can a bullpen work in colorado should we be 1049 00:54:27.670 --> 00:54:29.949 targeting rockies relievers. 1050 00:54:29.489 --> 00:54:35.530 Raj honestly it depends like I started off this write-up 1051 00:54:35.550 --> 00:54:38.230 by basically talking about what really works in Coors. And 1052 00:54:38.969 --> 00:54:41.510 the gist is that, generally, if you're a good pitcher 1053 00:54:41.630 --> 00:54:45.230 outside of Coors, you're going to be worse. But the 1054 00:54:45.269 --> 00:54:46.969 best pitchers outside of Coors are still going to be 1055 00:54:47.239 --> 00:54:50.840 good in Coors, I feel like. But one thing that 1056 00:54:50.900 --> 00:54:53.559 really works better in Coors are the guys who are 1057 00:54:54.840 --> 00:54:59.440 very good stuff, but very bad command. Just because their 1058 00:54:59.460 --> 00:55:03.929 issues stink. maybe it's too wild. They can't really find 1059 00:55:03.949 --> 00:55:07.030 a zone, but in Coors, the ball moves... I think 1060 00:55:07.050 --> 00:55:10.239 it's because the ball moves less, your pitches move less, 1061 00:55:10.280 --> 00:55:12.239 and because they're closer to the zone, which is a 1062 00:55:12.260 --> 00:55:18.460 bit weird to say, but if you... For example, Seth 1063 00:55:18.480 --> 00:55:21.519 Hollinson and Victor Varnick, they're guys who used to be 1064 00:55:21.579 --> 00:55:25.699 on the Rockies, very good stuff. They both could touch 1065 00:55:25.719 --> 00:55:28.619 triple digits, but didn't know where it was going. And 1066 00:55:28.639 --> 00:55:33.860 then Varnik at home with the Rockies, he had a 1067 00:55:33.860 --> 00:55:36.019 417 ERA and a 393 FIP at home, and on 1068 00:55:36.039 --> 00:55:37.980 the road, 446 ERA and a 4 FIP on the road. 1069 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:41.320 And then Harrison, I mentioned this before on the podcast, 1070 00:55:41.360 --> 00:55:45.889 but it was really extreme. 340 ERA and a 321 1071 00:55:45.889 --> 00:55:48.630 FIP at Coors, and a 546 ERA and a 753 1072 00:55:48.630 --> 00:55:51.449 FIP on the road, which was kind of wild for 1073 00:55:51.469 --> 00:55:54.269 a Rockies pitcher. But because he has very good stuff, 1074 00:55:54.349 --> 00:55:59.159 just can't really find his own. Like, If I look 1075 00:55:59.219 --> 00:56:05.880 up his, sorry, one second. His walk rate between home 1076 00:56:05.900 --> 00:56:09.780 and away is pretty drastic. Let me just pull it 1077 00:56:09.800 --> 00:56:16.260 up real quick. So at home, he has a walk 1078 00:56:16.300 --> 00:56:23.139 rate of 10.9% on the road, 12.9%. So he's actually like, 1079 00:56:23.800 --> 00:56:25.559 he walks more guys on the road. And I think 1080 00:56:25.579 --> 00:56:28.239 that's because the course of sort of helping him stay 1081 00:56:28.260 -->

00:56:33.010 around the zone. And I also wrote up, if you 1082 00:56:33.050 --> 00:56:35.309 can't have a guy with great stuff, just get a 1083 00:56:35.329 --> 00:56:38.929 guy who gets weak contact on the ground. Because if 1084 00:56:38.949 --> 00:56:44.349 they get weak contact, but it's in the air, the 1085 00:56:44.449 --> 00:56:47.030 atmosphere is going to make that ball travel forever. But 1086 00:56:47.050 --> 00:56:48.510 if it's on the ground, it's just going to stay 1087 00:56:48.550 --> 00:56:51.949 on the ground. It doesn't really change that much. So 1088 00:56:52.070 --> 00:56:55.769 Jake Bird is the guy who fits the second archetype 1089 00:56:55.849 --> 00:57:02.070 that I talked about. So at home he had a 1090 00:57:02.070 --> 00:57:07.329 378 FIP at Coors and a 459 FIP away from 1091 00:57:07.349 --> 00:57:10.809 Coors in his career. And in 2025, which was one 1092 00:57:10.829 --> 00:57:12.829 of his best seasons of his career, he had a 1093 00:57:12.829 --> 00:57:16.730 248 ERA and a 210 FIP at home and then 1094 00:57:16.909 --> 00:57:19.449 underwrote a 740 ERA and a 515 FIP. So another 1095 00:57:19.469 --> 00:57:22.059 guy who's like very good at home at Coors and 1096 00:57:22.119 --> 00:57:23.800 very bad underwrote because he was like one of those 1097 00:57:23.820 --> 00:57:27.800 guys who's like sinker, sweeper, like and usually those kinds 1098 00:57:27.840 --> 00:57:32.099 of guys really keep the ball on the ground. So targeting, 1099 00:57:32.239 --> 00:57:34.670 if you target those two profiles, you can get guys 1100 00:57:34.710 --> 00:57:37.869 who are, who can actually like perform well in Coors. 1101 00:57:37.949 --> 00:57:40.929 So for example, Brandon Bernardino, he's a very similar to 1102 00:57:40.949 --> 00:57:43.909 Jake Bird, but he has a lefty like sinker and 1103 00:57:43.989 --> 00:57:47.260 curveball like low slot, like almost sidearm. I like that 1104 00:57:47.300 --> 00:57:50.000 curveball basically moves like a sweeper, but it's like same thing. 1105 00:57:50.059 --> 00:57:54.440 And he's also performed really well, like much better at 1106 00:57:54.500 --> 00:57:56.699 Coors than away from it. Like I believe it's, you're 1107 00:57:56.820 --> 00:58:00.840 like nearly a run lower at course for Bernardino. And 1108 00:58:00.860 --> 00:58:02.679 then Juan Mejia and Jane Hill are sort of like 1109 00:58:02.780 --> 00:58:06.139 the first archetype of like high stuff, but poor command. 1110 00:58:06.179 --> 00:58:10.590 But their command is sort of like a little bit 1111 00:58:11.449 --> 00:58:15.309 slightly too good because I think they throw the ball 1112 00:58:15.630 --> 00:58:17.590 inside the zone a lot. And because even though the 1113 00:58:17.610 --> 00:58:20.469 strikeout walk rates are better at home, they also give 1114 00:58:20.510 --> 00:58:22.610 a ton more home runs at home. And because their 1115 00:58:23.150 --> 00:58:26.900 numbers aren't that great. But Mejia and Hill are Like 1116 00:58:26.960 --> 00:58:29.159 if they can, I'll lose a bit of command, maybe 1117 00:58:29.420 --> 00:58:33.079 be a bit more wild. They can be better. Yeah. 1118 00:58:33.099 --> 00:58:34.820 I mean, I don't think a Rockies pitcher is ever 1119 00:58:34.860 --> 00:58:39.639 going to be your top closer rank ranked. Um, but 1120 00:58:39.739 --> 00:58:43.199 I think obviously it's an environment with it that, uh, 1121 00:58:43.260 --> 00:58:47.570 is hugely offensive, but I think something that's underrated with 1122 00:58:47.619 --> 00:58:49.849 Rockies pitchers is that you ha you have to pitch 1123 00:58:49.889 --> 00:58:52.070 two different ways when you're pitching on the home at 1124 00:58:52.110 --> 00:58:53.969 home and on the road. Like you have, you know, 1125 00:58:53.989 --> 00:58:56.309 your ball's going to move differently in the two different locations. 1126 00:58:57.179 --> 00:58:59.239 And that can really get in your head, like, cause 1127 00:58:59.260 --> 00:59:01.599 you're trained, you've trained your body to throw a certain 1128 00:59:01.659 --> 00:59:05.539 way to throw a pitch, to get, to maximize your 1129 00:59:05.579 --> 00:59:08.400 ability and your talent and your spin rates and your 1130 00:59:08.420 --> 00:59:09.590 velocity and all that stuff. 1131 00:59:10.159 --> 00:59:12.360 And then you've got to change that. So to go 1132 00:59:12.420 --> 00:59:13.500 back and forth all. 1133 00:59:13.420 --> 00:59:16.889 Season long like that has got to play a huge 1134 00:59:16.949 --> 00:59:20.289 toll on you. We've seen it work. We've seen guys 1135 00:59:20.309 --> 00:59:23.730 have good seasons out of that bullpen. It's just a 1136 00:59:23.769 --> 00:59:26.829 lot harder. You have to have the right mindset. I 1137 00:59:27.250 --> 00:59:29.510 think it definitely is a mental thing. as well as 1138 00:59:29.570 --> 00:59:31.690 a physical thing, to be able to pitch at Coors. 1139 00:59:33.590 --> 00:59:35.230 Because you know you're going to have your blow-ups. You're 1140 00:59:35.250 --> 00:59:37.659 going to have games where the ball's dropping in, and 1141 00:59:39.179 --> 00:59:42.639 you're inducing weak contact, but it's falling in that massive 1142 00:59:42.719 --> 00:59:44.460 outfield because it's so huge there. 1143 00:59:44.480 --> 00:59:49.519 That's why getting ground balls is so important, because if 1144 00:59:49.579 --> 00:59:51.559 it's a ground ball, it doesn't really change between Coors 1145 00:59:51.619 --> 00:59:55.739 and not Coors. The outfield is different, but infield is 1146 00:59:55.760 --> 00:59:57.610 the same, which is Yeah. 1147 00:59:57.650 --> 00:59:59.469 And I think, I think that's something this new regime 1148 00:59:59.510 --> 01:00:02.050 is going to look for specifically when they're targeting pitchers 1149 01:00:02.070 --> 01:00:05.030 for their bullpen and starting pitchers as well as guys 1150 01:00:05.050 --> 01:00:07.400 that can get swing and miss and also get ground

balls. 1151 01:00:07.420 --> 01:00:09.619 Like you want both of those things, right? You don't 1152 01:00:09.659 --> 01:00:11.099 want to be giving up a lot of balls in 1153 01:00:11.139 --> 01:00:13.820 the air, um, in cores because it's just bad news 1154 01:00:13.860 --> 01:00:14.400 all the way around. 1155 01:00:14.980 --> 01:00:17.179 And also I didn't bring this up because this is 1156 01:00:17.219 --> 01:00:20.559 just a guy like on the Rockies, but a perfect 1157 01:00:20.599 --> 01:00:23.690 guy for that Rockies bullpen, a guy who has a 1158 01:00:25.090 --> 01:00:29.320 upper nineties, uh, Power sinker. Gets a ton of ground balls, 1159 01:00:29.380 --> 01:00:31.599 but no command. Brendan Little. 1160 01:00:32.800 --> 01:00:37.639 Oh, man. Brendan Little is a circus. Every time he 1161 01:00:37.820 --> 01:00:40.949 comes out for the Blue Jays, I cringe. I don't 1162 01:00:40.989 --> 01:00:42.690 know how they can use him in leverage at all. 1163 01:00:43.130 --> 01:00:44.969 If he was on Rockies, I'd have him as number 1164 01:00:44.989 --> 01:00:51.070 one closer. Let's go to the AL. AL East. Baltimore Orioles. 1165 01:00:51.610 --> 01:00:52.800 Talk to me about the Orioles. 1166 01:00:54.000 --> 01:00:56.880 This is an interesting one to write up because... I 1167 01:00:56.900 --> 01:00:59.780 think on paper, it's a very obvious hierarchy. Like you 1168 01:00:59.800 --> 01:01:03.340 have Felix Bautista, 49th. You have Ryan Halsey, who's probably 1169 01:01:03.380 --> 01:01:04.840 going to be back in the setup role, even though 1170 01:01:04.880 --> 01:01:07.679 he wasn't that great. And then next line, you know, 1171 01:01:07.699 --> 01:01:10.699 Cano and also Rico Garcia has been great. But the 1172 01:01:10.840 --> 01:01:14.739 problem with this bullpen is that those top two guys 1173 01:01:14.780 --> 01:01:18.199 are both hurt. And I'm not too sure, like how 1174 01:01:18.219 --> 01:01:21.820 they're going to bounce back. Like, especially Felix Bautista, like, 1175 01:01:23.219 --> 01:01:28.409 let me just, like he, He's missing almost the entire 1176 01:01:28.409 --> 01:01:31.409 2026 season. He's on rehab settings right now, but I'll 1177 01:01:31.429 --> 01:01:33.809 get to that in a bit. He's missed the entire 1178 01:01:33.809 --> 01:01:36.730 2026 season so far. He's only pitched half of 2025, 1179 01:01:36.730 --> 01:01:38.570 and he's missed all of 2024. In 2025, his stuff 1180 01:01:38.590 --> 01:01:42.090 took a hit. I believe it's... Sorry. His stuff took 1181 01:01:42.150 --> 01:01:45.090 a bit of a hit. His command also looked a 1182 01:01:45.090 --> 01:01:49.210 lot worse. In 2023, his walk rate was 11%, which 1183 01:01:49.230 --> 01:01:58.539 is Still pretty good because he was striking at like 1184 01:01:58.539 --> 01:02:02.360 46% badass, but in 2025, walking 16%, that's not great. 1185 01:02:03.230 --> 01:02:06.070 And then also like the velocity was a little bit down. 1186 01:02:06.130 --> 01:02:11.230 He was 99 before in 2023, in 2025, like 97, 1187 01:02:11.210 --> 01:02:15.159 I believe. In his rehab outings, he's been closer to 95. 1188 01:02:15.159 --> 01:02:19.940 And that sinker, well, two seam, wasn't really getting as 1189 01:02:19.960 --> 01:02:23.519 much vert as it was. So he's someone who's really 1190 01:02:24.429 --> 01:02:26.550 risky in my opinion. Like, even though I think he's, 1191 01:02:27.010 --> 01:02:29.809 he's only on when he's healthy. It just, I don't 1192 01:02:29.829 --> 01:02:32.369 know if he is healthy and if he's not, then 1193 01:02:32.389 --> 01:02:36.309 it really opens up because Ryan Halsey he's struggled like 1194 01:02:36.469 --> 01:02:38.809 since the start, second half of 2024, when he got 1195 01:02:38.829 --> 01:02:43.929 traded to the Mets. And I know that in 2024, sorry, 2025, 1196 01:02:43.929 --> 01:02:47.480 when he got traded to Mets and I know that he, he, 1197 01:02:47.619 --> 01:02:50.059 a lot of that was attributed, uh, because he was 1198 01:02:50.079 --> 01:02:54.019 tipping his pitches by 2026. He wasn't that great either 1199 01:02:54.039 --> 01:02:56.860 before laying on the IL. So you don't really know 1200 01:02:56.880 --> 01:02:59.579 what you're going to have him. So I think Yenir Cano, 1201 01:03:00.420 --> 01:03:02.409 even though he's sort of like the third guy on 1202 01:03:02.429 --> 01:03:04.710 my list, he's an elite guy for me. And also, 1203 01:03:05.809 --> 01:03:08.289 they recently signed to Extension too, which I really think 1204 01:03:08.309 --> 01:03:11.670 really signifies how much the Orioles value Yenir Cano because 1205 01:03:11.730 --> 01:03:14.760 you don't really extend relievers that often because why would you? 1206 01:03:16.280 --> 01:03:20.320 So I think there's a chance where Yenir Cano gets 1207 01:03:20.739 --> 01:03:24.079 saves next year. a very good chance, especially if Bautista 1208 01:03:24.099 --> 01:03:26.849 struggles and Halsey struggles. And even if they don't struggle, 1209 01:03:26.869 --> 01:03:30.010 like let's say the Orioles struggle, like both Bautista and 1210 01:03:30.030 --> 01:03:33.710 Halsey are free agents after 2027. So those guys could 1211 01:03:33.750 --> 01:03:36.130 get traded mid-season or they could just leave in free agency. 1212 01:03:36.190 --> 01:03:40.449 So even if it is Bautista for the night, let's 1213 01:03:40.469 --> 01:03:43.639 say Bautista is still good next year. Let's say he 1214 01:03:43.679 --> 01:03:45.380 leaves in free agency, you're still looking for a closer. 1215 01:03:45.420 --> 01:03:46.900 It could just be Yannick Kano anyways. 1216 01:03:48.320 --> 01:03:50.780 Another thing you brought up there, which makes me think 1217 01:03:50.820 --> 01:03:54.889 a little bit is You'd be very, very lucky to 1218 01:03:54.969 --> 01:03:57.389 have two closers stay healthy. 1219 01:03:57.130 --> 01:04:01.039 Throughout the entire season. You have to be active. 1220 01:04:00.760 --> 01:04:05.239 Looking on the

wire or acquiring pitchers to be able 1221 01:04:05.260 --> 01:04:08.579 to pitch in your bullpen because roles change so often 1222 01:04:08.619 --> 01:04:11.380 in the major leagues. And you'll have a spurt where 1223 01:04:11.400 --> 01:04:14.659 a guy gets 10 saves in a couple months and 1224 01:04:14.679 --> 01:04:16.780 then he's out of the role because somebody else comes 1225 01:04:16.909 --> 01:04:19.889 in or gets healthy or whatever the case is. So, 1226 01:04:19.909 --> 01:04:23.400 I mean, you can't just sit and wait forever. Um, 1227 01:04:23.500 --> 01:04:25.260 because you're going to fall behind. If you're in a 1228 01:04:25.300 --> 01:04:28.139 Roto league, you're going to fall behind and head to head. 1229 01:04:28.179 --> 01:04:31.070 You need to be getting saved every single week. Um, 1230 01:04:31.639 --> 01:04:33.929 so it's important to be very active when it comes 1231 01:04:33.949 --> 01:04:37.230 to relievers and that's, that's the spot you really want 1232 01:04:37.250 --> 01:04:39.849 to turn on your roster on a weekly or at 1233 01:04:39.869 --> 01:04:43.630 least biweekly weight basis. Um, so you always have a 1234 01:04:43.670 --> 01:04:45.230 guy that's going to be pitching and leverage. If you 1235 01:04:45.250 --> 01:04:48.449 have a guy that's not pitching and leverage on your team, what, 1236 01:04:48.590 --> 01:04:51.329 what good is it? Cause he's, he's not providing those 1237 01:04:51.369 --> 01:04:55.929 two categories holds and saves. And that's, I mean, some 1238 01:04:56.090 --> 01:04:59.130 5x5 or 6x6 leagues, like, you need that. You need 1239 01:04:59.150 --> 01:05:02.599 those guys contributing. So that's a wasted spot. So you 1240 01:05:02.619 --> 01:05:05.260 need to make sure you always have relievers that are 1241 01:05:05.280 --> 01:05:09.599 providing those two stats, along with the strikeouts and the 1242 01:05:09.639 --> 01:05:14.380 ratios as well. All right, let's talk about the AL Central, 1243 01:05:14.420 --> 01:05:16.039 the Chicago White Sox. 1244 01:05:17.219 --> 01:05:19.289 So this one's, like, a little bit similar to Pirates, 1245 01:05:19.329 --> 01:05:23.050 but not really because... Grant Taylor, he's only one of 1246 01:05:23.070 --> 01:05:25.119 the best closers in baseball in my eyes, but he's 1247 01:05:25.139 --> 01:05:28.980 not really the closer because I think the White Sox 1248 01:05:29.099 --> 01:05:31.880 view him as a future starter. And so because of that, 1249 01:05:32.480 --> 01:05:35.840 he may not be the closer next year. I list 1250 01:05:35.860 --> 01:05:39.420 him as a closer in my hierarchy only partially because 1251 01:05:39.440 --> 01:05:42.030 I don't really know if he can stay healthy for 1252 01:05:42.070 --> 01:05:45.789 a full season, but also because if not him, then 1253 01:05:45.869 --> 01:05:48.880 who is it really? I think Jordan Hicks is probably 1254 01:05:48.889 --> 01:05:51.440 your best option. Like he's been pretty good lately ever 1255

01:05:51.480 --> 01:05:53.440 since he, I don't know, like he changed the arm 1256 01:05:53.460 --> 01:05:55.119 ending a little bit, like started using a four seam 1257 01:05:55.139 --> 01:06:00.739 fastball more and he's pitched better since then. Like first 1258 01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:03.860 couple of months, it was a 5.60, 5.18 flip and 1259 01:06:03.880 --> 01:06:08.559 then since then it's like mid-greaser and a flip in 1260 01:06:08.579 --> 01:06:12.000 the twos. So Hicks may be the guy, but I'm 1261 01:06:12.019 --> 01:06:15.510 not too sure. And then Brazaban and Hudson are guys 1262 01:06:15.530 --> 01:06:17.949 who are sort of like filling that hierarchy. Brazavon is 1263 01:06:17.969 --> 01:06:20.230 another guy who's sort of that multi-inning role. He's also 1264 01:06:20.309 --> 01:06:23.530 struggled since joining the White Sox, and he's also an 1265 01:06:23.590 --> 01:06:28.309 older arm. He isn't healthy right now, so who knows 1266 01:06:28.329 --> 01:06:29.929 what happens with him. And Brian Hudson is the guy 1267 01:06:29.949 --> 01:06:35.250 who's one of those lefty specialists. He's been good against righties, 1268 01:06:35.289 --> 01:06:38.949 but I don't really see him sustaining that. But the 1269 01:06:39.289 --> 01:06:42.550 difference for the White Sox is that they have two 1270 01:06:42.590 --> 01:06:46.829 wild cards in Higgins-Smith and Tanner McDougal. Two arms who 1271 01:06:46.869 --> 01:06:50.199 are Uh, we're starters and we're probably going to be 1272 01:06:50.219 --> 01:06:52.980 stars long-term, but they could follow that grant care or 1273 01:06:53.019 --> 01:06:56.500 like more previously, Greg crochet, like where they spend one 1274 01:06:56.519 --> 01:06:58.679 or two years in the bullpen. Uh, Higgins Smith has 1275 01:06:58.880 --> 01:07:01.579 pitched really well in that role. Can McDougal not so much. 1276 01:07:02.480 --> 01:07:05.119 So I think Hagan Smith, I could probably like pitch 1277 01:07:05.139 --> 01:07:07.119 his way until maybe an eighth inning. I like, maybe 1278 01:07:07.619 --> 01:07:10.510 he also just becomes more of a guys who saves, 1279 01:07:10.530 --> 01:07:14.309 like maybe it's a committee between Hicks and Hagan Smith 1280 01:07:14.869 --> 01:07:17.030 next year. I think that's probably the most likely outcome. 1281 01:07:17.670 --> 01:07:22.349 if they don't sign someone. But yeah, so it's a 1282 01:07:22.389 --> 01:07:26.469 very fluid situation, like especially compared to other bullpen, just 1283 01:07:26.489 --> 01:07:29.050 because like one guy who's ran out of closer but 1284 01:07:29.070 --> 01:07:32.760 could move into rotation, two guys who were prospects, starters, 1285 01:07:32.909 --> 01:07:35.539 but are moving to a bullpen could move into rotation 1286 01:07:35.559 --> 01:07:36.079 again later. 1287 01:07:36.219 --> 01:07:36.679 And then. 1288 01:07:38.159 --> 01:07:40.139 We'll see like who they sign. I think like they 1289 01:07:40.440 --> 01:07:42.800 might sign like, but they might just sign someone to 1290 01:07:42.820 --> 01:07:44.699 what they did last year once they signed Dominguez. It's 1291 01:07:44.719 --> 01:07:47.590 like maybe they signed like I suggest maybe like Jose 1292 01:07:47.610 --> 01:07:50.289 Alvarado or Brian Abreu because they're both free agents that 1293 01:07:50.309 --> 01:07:53.730 could help them. 1294 01:07:54.130 --> 01:07:56.380 Yeah, talking about the White Sox makes me think of like, 1295 01:07:57.460 --> 01:08:02.219 you want your prospect pitchers to have big stuff because 1296 01:08:02.280 --> 01:08:05.780 there are multiple avenues for them to provide value, right? So, 1297 01:08:06.400 --> 01:08:09.070 I mean, if you have a Miguel Cime Jr. on 1298 01:08:09.090 --> 01:08:12.190 your roster, he could be a starter. He could be 1299 01:08:12.210 --> 01:08:15.659 a reliever. You know, Mizorowski... was on that same path 1300 01:08:15.739 --> 01:08:17.680 as well. Was he going to be a reliever? Was 1301 01:08:17.699 --> 01:08:19.880 he going to be a starter? Either way with that 1302 01:08:19.939 --> 01:08:22.420 kind of stuff, you're going to provide value because you're 1303 01:08:22.439 --> 01:08:24.500 either going to be a front of the line starter 1304 01:08:25.060 --> 01:08:27.529 with a lot of strikeouts, uh, or you're going to 1305 01:08:27.550 --> 01:08:32.270 be a leverage reliever in some capacity, providing huge value 1306 01:08:32.390 --> 01:08:36.090 with saves and holds. Um, so having a guy like 1307 01:08:36.109 --> 01:08:39.739 Hagan Smith, uh, Miguel CMA junior, uh, there's a number 1308 01:08:39.760 --> 01:08:42.939 of other guys that are kind of on that same path. Um, 1309 01:08:43.770 --> 01:08:47.310 That could provide you that value. That's what you want 1310 01:08:47.350 --> 01:08:49.640 out of your prospect pitchers. Yeah, those guys are going 1311 01:08:49.659 --> 01:08:50.140 to blow out. 1312 01:08:50.279 --> 01:08:50.819 We know that. 1313 01:08:52.199 --> 01:08:56.010 But big stuff is really where it's at, because if 1314 01:08:56.050 --> 01:08:58.590 you lose adam on as a starter maybe the team 1315 01:08:58.789 --> 01:09:01.159 directs him towards the bullpen you have some value. 1316 01:09:01.060 --> 01:09:03.699 Yeah i will say that uh for the hierarchy i 1317 01:09:03.739 --> 01:09:06.039 don't add guys who are like currently working as stars 1318 01:09:06.100 --> 01:09:08.720 are projected to be starters like i'm only going to 1319 01:09:08.800 --> 01:09:11.340 put a guy in the hierarchy if i know they're 1320 01:09:11.359 --> 01:09:14.500 going to be believers at least like for the near 1321 01:09:14.520 --> 01:09:17.560 future which like first maybe like foreseeable future i say 1322 01:09:18.140 --> 01:09:21.560 is more accurate like For example, Luis Paz, I think 1323 01:09:21.600 --> 01:09:23.920 he's probably a very good reliever and he might end 1324 01:09:23.979 --> 01:09:26.479 up being a reliever long-term, but I

didn't put him 1325 01:09:26.520 --> 01:09:28.899 on the hierarchy just because I think they still want 1326 01:09:28.920 --> 01:09:30.420 to try him out as a starter for the Nationals. 1327 01:09:31.649 --> 01:09:33.710 Yeah, the Nationals have a few guys like that, don't they? 1328 01:09:34.890 --> 01:09:37.810 Interesting how they're acquiring arms that are like that, just 1329 01:09:37.850 --> 01:09:42.590 huge stuff. Maybe not as good command though, but interesting strategy. 1330 01:09:44.750 --> 01:09:49.289 Last team, AL West Houston Astros. So, the thing about 1331 01:09:49.310 --> 01:09:50.770 the Astros is that they might not have a very 1332 01:09:50.810 --> 01:09:54.630 good bullpen. Like, Josh Hader, he's been insane since coming 1333 01:09:54.670 --> 01:09:58.640 off the I.O. I believe he has, like, somewhat sub-1 ERA, 1334 01:09:58.680 --> 01:10:01.819 which is crazy. And then, yeah, a lot of guys 1335 01:10:01.840 --> 01:10:06.739 who got a ton of holds, like, Steven Okert, Brian Abreu, 1336 01:10:06.779 --> 01:10:10.380 Brian King, Daniel De Los Santos, guys I listed. But 1337 01:10:10.399 --> 01:10:14.689 the issue is that of the four guys I listed, like, Okert, Abreu, King, 1338 01:10:15.029 --> 01:10:17.270 De Los Santos, only Brian King will be on the 1339 01:10:17.310 --> 01:10:21.380 roster next year. So, It's a very fluid situation. It 1340 01:10:21.420 --> 01:10:25.869 can really open up next year. And another thing to 1341 01:10:25.949 --> 01:10:28.689 add is that I have Josh Hader as the closer. 1342 01:10:28.750 --> 01:10:32.630 He's an elite arm. At this point, it's sort of 1343 01:10:32.649 --> 01:10:34.720 crazy to say, but I think he's a Hall of 1344 01:10:34.760 --> 01:10:38.699 Fame closer, which is kind of... I don't think it's 1345 01:10:38.739 --> 01:10:40.140 that hard of a take, but it's not something that 1346 01:10:40.239 --> 01:10:43.939 people are really talking about. And then I have Brian 1347 01:10:43.960 --> 01:10:46.380 King as sort of the next-in-line guy. I have Bennett 1348 01:10:46.399 --> 01:10:49.010 Souza as sort of the step guy right now. But 1349 01:10:49.470 --> 01:10:53.010 Susan King, they're both lefties. And also they're both lefties 1350 01:10:53.029 --> 01:10:57.069 that are, I struggled this year. So, and the thing 1351 01:10:57.109 --> 01:10:59.569 is that I'll be guys like at the top being lefties, 1352 01:10:59.590 --> 01:11:02.329 like hater, like I guess hater doesn't really count because 1353 01:11:02.369 --> 01:11:05.729 he's the closer, but a team can't really survive while 1354 01:11:05.770 --> 01:11:08.130 having like that many lefties like at the top. Cause 1355 01:11:08.729 --> 01:11:11.689 especially excuse and King, they're better against lefties. Like, so 1356 01:11:11.729 --> 01:11:13.270 what are you going to do against the right-handed hitters? 1357 01:11:14.079 --> 01:11:17.720 So I think there's really spots that can open up for, 1358 01:11:18.579 --> 01:11:21.779 more of those like prospect names. Like I put in 1359 01:11:21.800 --> 01:11:24.399 the wings like Miguel Loyola, but I think by the 1360 01:11:24.439 --> 01:11:26.800 end of next year, maybe even like mid-season next year, 1361 01:11:26.840 --> 01:11:30.220 he could be like the A-fitting guy for the Astros. 1362 01:11:30.239 --> 01:11:32.729 And then Olimpia Sanchez and AJ Bubba are two other 1363 01:11:32.739 --> 01:11:35.970 guys I noted. They have been, as for like Bubba, 1364 01:11:35.989 --> 01:11:38.130 he's been good, but the peripherals hasn't been as good. 1365 01:11:38.149 --> 01:11:41.189 And then Sanchez has been good, but recently in AAA 1366 01:11:41.210 --> 01:11:43.609 hasn't been as good either. But I'm a big fan 1367 01:11:43.630 --> 01:11:45.170 of all three of these guys, like pretty good stuff. 1368 01:11:46.750 --> 01:11:50.170 But Loyola, he's been the best... recently, I believe he 1369 01:11:50.210 --> 01:11:53.220 recently got called up and like he, he had a 1370 01:11:53.479 --> 01:11:55.600 copy earlier in the year, but he's back in big leagues. 1371 01:11:55.619 --> 01:11:57.500 And I think he's going to get excited to look 1372 01:11:57.520 --> 01:12:01.119 at anything by this time next year, we could be 1373 01:12:01.140 --> 01:12:04.539 talking about him and, uh, cater as the eighth and 1374 01:12:04.560 --> 01:12:05.619 ninth guys for the Astros. 1375 01:12:06.550 --> 01:12:09.409 Yeah. And the Astros are a team they're super sneaky 1376 01:12:09.430 --> 01:12:11.970 when it comes to bringing up big time arms out 1377 01:12:12.010 --> 01:12:13.890 of their pen. Like they've been really good at it 1378 01:12:13.909 --> 01:12:16.229 for a lot of years, even in the rotation too, 1379 01:12:16.270 --> 01:12:20.220 but also in their pen. they've got guys. I mean, 1380 01:12:21.439 --> 01:12:23.460 they do a really good job. You mentioned several of 1381 01:12:23.520 --> 01:12:26.279 them that I think can be very valuable in bullpen roles. 1382 01:12:26.399 --> 01:12:28.399 So good shout there. 1383 01:12:28.739 --> 01:12:31.579 Okay, Raj, those are the six teams that we wanted 1384 01:12:31.619 --> 01:12:34.779 to talk about on this episode with the Dynasty Closer hierarchy. 1385 01:12:35.500 --> 01:12:38.600 What are your main takeaways from kind of revamping this 1386 01:12:38.680 --> 01:12:40.859 list and writing the article? 1387 01:12:42.279 --> 01:12:44.729 Honestly, it's just a fun process trying to see, like, 1388 01:12:45.899 --> 01:12:49.069 which leaders I think could take a role. Like when 1389 01:12:49.090 --> 01:12:53.210 someone gets like, let's say like their main closer gets hurt, 1390 01:12:53.310 --> 01:12:57.010 like who takes their place or let's say a team 1391 01:12:57.050 --> 01:13:00.729 is struggling and they trade their closer this off season, 1392 01:13:00.810 --> 01:13:04.229 or maybe next year's deadline, like who gets those days 1393 01:13:04.270 --> 01:13:06.689 in the

second half. That's a, it was pretty interesting 1394 01:13:06.729 --> 01:13:08.369 to try to like look through all those teams, just 1395 01:13:08.409 --> 01:13:13.750 like see like how does it shake up in the future? 1396 01:13:14.380 --> 01:13:16.520 Because I'm not necessarily looking at just this year, like 1397 01:13:16.699 --> 01:13:19.300 I'm mostly looking at 2027 and also like 2028 as well. 1398 01:13:19.319 --> 01:13:22.060 So yeah, it was a pretty fun exercise just like 1399 01:13:22.119 --> 01:13:25.100 seeing like how, and also it helps me see like 1400 01:13:25.220 --> 01:13:29.319 which teams have the best future in their bullpens. Just 1401 01:13:29.359 --> 01:13:32.100 by seeing like, not just the guys on the hierarchy, 1402 01:13:32.119 --> 01:13:35.439 but also like the guys who I have like on 1403 01:13:35.460 --> 01:13:38.699 my sheet, but like I'm wanted to include, but wasn't 1404 01:13:38.739 --> 01:13:39.000 able to. 1405 01:13:40.970 --> 01:13:41.369 Awesome. 1406 01:13:41.909 --> 01:13:43.810 Do you have a couple of names that you can 1407 01:13:44.140 --> 01:13:46.359 recommend to us? Maybe one major league guy, one minor 1408 01:13:46.399 --> 01:13:48.859 league guy that you're kind of intrigued with and you 1409 01:13:48.880 --> 01:13:51.739 think could maybe have a role next year as we 1410 01:13:51.779 --> 01:13:52.850 move forward into 2027. 1411 01:13:52.840 --> 01:13:57.909 Yeah. So my major league guy is going to be 1412 01:13:58.010 --> 01:14:01.470 Trent Harris. He was recently called up by the giants. 1413 01:14:02.210 --> 01:14:07.109 I'm just, I just want to like look up his, uh, 1414 01:14:09.229 --> 01:14:11.920 because this stuff is pretty weird. I'm going to show 1415 01:14:11.939 --> 01:14:19.020 it to you. Show screen. Yeah, so look at the 1416 01:14:19.039 --> 01:14:22.760 movement profile. It's a really weird, just sort of like 1417 01:14:22.819 --> 01:14:26.239 left-hand cutter. It's a shape that you don't really see 1418 01:14:26.279 --> 01:14:29.720 that often. And it goes at 90.6, almost 94 miles 1419 01:14:29.760 --> 01:14:33.479 per hour. And he goes like this very big sweeper, 1420 01:14:33.640 --> 01:14:35.920 which is also a bit rare because he's very over 1421 01:14:35.939 --> 01:14:38.229 the top. Usually, those guys don't Can't really get that 1422 01:14:38.270 --> 01:14:41.050 much movement on the sweeper, but Trent Harrison is getting 1423 01:14:41.090 --> 01:14:44.510 like 17 inches of horizontal break, which is insane. And 1424 01:14:44.529 --> 01:14:47.170 then a very good ball with a turn and drop, 1425 01:14:47.329 --> 01:14:50.329 you know, so a sinker at 94. There's like very 1426 01:14:50.350 --> 01:14:51.649 good stuff across the board, and you can see like 1427 01:14:51.810 --> 01:14:55.890 the stats, just this front page is just red. And 1428 01:14:56.090 --> 01:14:59.010 I think right now he's already, because of injuries, he's 1429 01:14:59.229 --> 01:15:02.270 already like the A-finding guy for the Giants. I think 1430 01:15:02.289 --> 01:15:05.939 he probably moves back just because they're getting Randy Rodriguez 1431 01:15:05.979 --> 01:15:10.319 and Joel Peguero back. uh, next season. And because of that, like, 1432 01:15:10.619 --> 01:15:11.739 I think those two are going to be the top 1433 01:15:11.760 --> 01:15:14.420 two guys next year, but I think just world, let's 1434 01:15:14.439 --> 01:15:16.079 say like one of the struggles, like as soon as 1435 01:15:16.100 --> 01:15:19.279 it's like, let's say one of the struggles, then Trent 1436 01:15:19.300 --> 01:15:22.640 Harris can like overtake that. That was an Irish startup 1437 01:15:22.659 --> 01:15:24.960 guy or just a, or maybe even just like a 1438 01:15:24.960 --> 01:15:26.720 knife in the guy because this stuff is very good. 1439 01:15:27.739 --> 01:15:31.939 And also I just want to, uh, like shout out 1440 01:15:31.979 --> 01:15:35.619 myself because, uh, I know. And like last off season, 1441 01:15:35.689 --> 01:15:41.130 I wrote about him and the, uh, 2028 Giants projected lineup, 1442 01:15:41.149 --> 01:15:42.930 and I put him on there, so I'm kind of 1443 01:15:42.949 --> 01:15:44.729 proud of that. Nice. 1444 01:15:45.569 --> 01:15:47.579 Okay, what about a minor leaguer you think could sneak 1445 01:15:47.600 --> 01:15:48.699 into a bullpen next year? 1446 01:15:48.720 --> 01:15:54.439 I picked a guy from the Nats just because the 1447 01:15:54.479 --> 01:16:00.220 Nats are a very fluid situation. I picked Ben Grable. 1448 01:16:00.840 --> 01:16:09.510 Let me just... Sorry. Ben Grable. He's a guy who 1449 01:16:10.569 --> 01:16:12.840 they got him from the Yankees at the deadline. He 1450 01:16:12.850 --> 01:16:15.539 was at AA one day, acquired him, but now he's 1451 01:16:15.619 --> 01:16:20.560 at AAA. The command has lost it. The command is 1452 01:16:20.819 --> 01:16:23.300 taking a step back since the trade, but still very 1453 01:16:23.340 --> 01:16:29.479 good stuff. Again, that Nashville's bullpen, wide open. A lot 1454 01:16:29.520 --> 01:16:32.659 of guys could realistically find a spot in that bullpen. 1455 01:16:32.819 --> 01:16:37.430 I think Ben Gable could be one of those names. Thanks. 1456 01:16:38.180 --> 01:16:40.939 Yeah, we saw him at the Futures Games. That was 1457 01:16:41.840 --> 01:16:45.659 nice for him and maybe a precursor of things to come. 1458 01:16:45.680 --> 01:16:49.270 All right, Raj, thanks for going over that with us. 1459 01:16:49.329 --> 01:16:51.250 I think it's a tool that we don't pump up 1460 01:16:51.310 --> 01:16:52.470 enough on our website. 1461 01:16:53.130 --> 01:16:54.050 Really valuable. 1462 01:16:55.250 --> 01:16:57.430 Where do you actually find that on the website. 1463 01:16:57.090 --> 01:16:58.529 If people wanted to go look at it? 1464 01:16:59.510 --> 01:17:02.640 So you go under the P-Life rankings on the sidebar 1465 01:17:02.699 --> 01:17:04.819 and then there's a bunch of

menu options at the top. 1466 01:17:05.000 --> 01:17:07.300 You can also find our financial prospects, our dynasty rankings, 1467 01:17:07.420 --> 01:17:10.789 P-Life Plus, like so many tools on there. And then 1468 01:17:10.909 --> 01:17:12.649 one of them is nice equals a hierarchy. And it's 1469 01:17:12.670 --> 01:17:15.689 just like, it's a ton of guys on there, like 1470 01:17:16.449 --> 01:17:19.729 four players per team times three teams. That's 120 names 1471 01:17:19.800 --> 01:17:23.380 in that. And there's like words on each and just like, 1472 01:17:25.300 --> 01:17:27.020 I put them into different tiers as well. And then 1473 01:17:27.039 --> 01:17:30.260 also on my own personal list, I have like 200 names. 1474 01:17:30.279 --> 01:17:32.819 So it's just guys that I think are interesting. Let's 1475 01:17:32.840 --> 01:17:35.420 say like one guy gets hurt, maybe like get loose 1476 01:17:35.439 --> 01:17:37.180 to a different team. Like who's the next guy that 1477 01:17:37.199 --> 01:17:40.500 could come up? Just like, just a ton of names 1478 01:17:40.539 --> 01:17:43.920 I could, uh, I wish I could like go much 1479 01:17:43.960 --> 01:17:47.699 deeper with a lot of these weapons, but yeah. 1480 01:17:48.340 --> 01:17:49.840 Well, maybe we can fix it up so you can 1481 01:17:49.880 --> 01:17:53.180 do that a little bit more. Um, so if you 1482 01:17:53.199 --> 01:17:55.600 don't like his list, uh, you have a name and. 1483 01:17:55.579 --> 01:18:00.939 A face now right here. Uh, Raj Mehta. Um, there 1484 01:18:00.970 --> 01:18:01.189 he is. 1485 01:18:01.210 --> 01:18:03.949 Uh, but no Raj, seriously, you do a great job 1486 01:18:03.970 --> 01:18:07.149 with this. And, uh, We appreciate it very much. And 1487 01:18:07.189 --> 01:18:10.899 it's a very valuable tool for, for dynasty managers. Uh, 1488 01:18:10.939 --> 01:18:12.920 do you want to tell the fine folks where people 1489 01:18:12.939 --> 01:18:14.100 can find you and your work? 1490 01:18:15.060 --> 01:18:17.880 So I'm on blue sky at rush method.ca. So if 1491 01:18:17.920 --> 01:18:22.579 you want to give me some, uh, inflammatory DMS on 1492 01:18:22.619 --> 01:18:26.659 why I have, uh, let's say Andres Munoz as an 1493 01:18:26.680 --> 01:18:31.090 elite closer. Like, I mean, he is, but like, let's 1494 01:18:31.100 --> 01:18:33.550 say you think he's just, let's say you think he's 1495 01:18:33.590 --> 01:18:36.210 met because you're a, access fan or something, then you 1496 01:18:36.250 --> 01:18:40.909 can DM me there and then I will ignore your messages. Actually, no, 1497 01:18:40.930 --> 01:18:43.729 I'll respond. But yeah, you can find me on Bootshead 1498 01:18:43.770 --> 01:18:46.090 at rogermanager.ca. You can also find me on Prospects Live. 1499 01:18:46.289 --> 01:18:50.829 I do a dynasty baseball pickups. Uh, we're almost done 1500 01:18:51.010 --> 01:18:54.229 just this week is our last, uh, week to, uh, 1501 01:18:54.399 --> 01:18:56.909 for recommendations. Next two weeks are going to be us 1502 01:18:56.949 --> 01:18:59.180 reviewing our picks and that's going to be really fun 1503 01:18:59.220 --> 01:19:01.079 to do. Yeah. 1504 01:19:01.180 --> 01:19:04.699 I'm excited to see those, uh, reviews because you guys 1505 01:19:04.760 --> 01:19:08.649 hit on some really good players this year and, uh, Uh, it's, 1506 01:19:08.970 --> 01:19:10.310 it's nice to see the success rate. 1507 01:19:10.340 --> 01:19:12.960 Cause it's, it's more than I would expect. So you 1508 01:19:12.979 --> 01:19:14.479 guys do a great job with those recommendations. 1509 01:19:14.500 --> 01:19:16.399 And also it's kind of funny because we also do 1510 01:19:16.439 --> 01:19:18.319 an all-star break review and it's kind of funny to 1511 01:19:18.380 --> 01:19:22.460 see like the difference between them. Cause I thought like, I, 1512 01:19:22.729 --> 01:19:26.409 Avery Owusu-Aciedo, uh, like he's a guy I recommended on 1513 01:19:26.430 --> 01:19:28.890 the first week and he has struggled for most of 1514 01:19:28.909 --> 01:19:31.609 the year. So for my all-star break review, I think 1515 01:19:31.649 --> 01:19:33.609 I gave him like an F, gave myself like an 1516 01:19:33.729 --> 01:19:36.039 F for that. But since then he's really heated up 1517 01:19:36.119 --> 01:19:38.479 and I thought he's been insane. He's cooled off a 1518 01:19:38.479 --> 01:19:42.159 little bit, but still hitting pretty well. It's interesting to see, 1519 01:19:42.500 --> 01:19:44.220 does that suddenly turn to an A or is it 1520 01:19:44.239 --> 01:19:48.869 like a B? It's very interesting to see just how 1521 01:19:49.569 --> 01:19:50.630 it changes over time. 1522 01:19:51.550 --> 01:19:54.670 Yeah, that's just another article series that provides great value 1523 01:19:54.689 --> 01:19:57.569 for Dynasty owners, so please check that out. I am 1524 01:19:57.609 --> 01:20:01.729 at Greg Kukamp. Please, subscribers, fill out that survey. I 1525 01:20:02.029 --> 01:20:05.329 want to hear your feedback. We're going to put into 1526 01:20:05.449 --> 01:20:07.109 action your suggestions, so. 1527 01:20:07.880 --> 01:20:08.760 We hear you. 1528 01:20:08.800 --> 01:20:12.560 We're listening and we hear you. And then stay tuned 1529 01:20:12.619 --> 01:20:15.060 for our off-season content. There's going to be a lot 1530 01:20:15.079 --> 01:20:18.180 of great stuff all the way through the off-season. Lockout 1531 01:20:18.239 --> 01:20:19.920 or not, we're going to be giving it to you. 1532 01:20:20.020 --> 01:20:24.000 So the minor leagues will not stop if there is 1533 01:20:24.039 --> 01:20:24.579 a lockout. 1534 01:20:25.300 --> 01:20:29.880 So Prospect Live will be there. We will not stop. Exactly. 1535 01:20:30.979 --> 01:20:31.220 All right. 1536 01:20:31.260 --> 01:20:34.779 Thanks again, Raj. If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate 1537 01:20:34.840 --> 01:20:37.300 and review it. We appreciate the support. That's going to 1538 01:20:37.319 --> 01:20:39.819 do it for this week's episode of the Prospects Live 1539 01:20:39.859 --> 01:20:42.649 Dynasty podcast. On behalf of Raj, I'd like to thank 1540 01:20:42.729 --> 01:20:44.869 our subscribers and listeners for their support. 1541 01:20:45.430 --> 01:20:48.279 We appreciate you all. We thank you for your time 1542 01:20:48.439 --> 01:20:49.960 and we hope to see you next time.