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Why this team can compete in 2023

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Baseball is a grind.  Teams can fall into rutes that ultimately end their season.  One bad month and the downhill plunge is quick and brutal for a fanbase.  Unlike other sports, baseball allows you to turn things around almost over night.  A bad season just means that there is no pressure going into the next season.  The Baltimore Orioles are the most recent example of an organization that seemed like they were years away from competing and all of a sudden they are a team that ascended to contention.  They built a great core of young stars and found their niche by building their bullpen.  But who is next?

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks’ decline has not been extremely long.  In 2019 the Dbacks finished 2nd in the NL West winning 85 games.  Arizona then began a subtle decline finishing 2020 ten games under .500 following that disappointment up with a 110 loss season in 2021.  

The Dbacks 2022 had very low expectations in a stacked NL West. They have not been the disaster that was 2021, currently sitting 8 games under .500 but have shown signs of life throughout the year.  With no playoff appearance in sight Arizona has given a glimpse into the future with the call up of top prospects, outfielders Alek Thomas, Corbin Carroll and pitchers Ryne Nelson and Drey Jameson. 

Arizona has four of the top 100 prospects in major league baseball with Carroll, Thomas, shortstop Jordan Lawler and pitcher Blake Walston.  In total Arizona had a farm system ranked in the top five heading into 2022, the emergence of Jake McCarthy and Stone Garrett have improved the depth of the outfield which has allowed them to move potential star Ketel Marte to 2B. 

Christian Walker, had a breakout season in 2022 and will be the staple in the middle of the lineup to work around. Zac Gallen has emerged as the ace of the staff and Joe Mantiply was an all-star in 2022.  Arizona has built a strong core of position players to build the future.  They will need to add a few starters to help Gallen, Madison Bumgarner and Merrill Kelly. With the young offensive core and hopefully the emergence of some young starters, Arizona could be a competitor in 2023.

NFL Division Picks – 2023

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I am a day late on these picks but Thursday’ game confirmed my thoughts on a few spots. Below are the each divisions

NFC West- San Francisco 49ers 

Trey Lance is going to make the difference.  The 49ers and Rams are pretty even if you spread out the overall talent. The biggest difference for Los Angeles is consistency at QB and ofcourse Aaron Donald.  

Lance is a dynamic athlete that is going to challenge opposing defeneses.  Donald will not have a stagnant Jimmy G in the pocket, it will be a bigger challenge for the all-time great.  The Rams will be in the playoffs but it is concerning that your QB had offseason surgery on his throwing arm.  I am going to give the Niners the edge, not by much.  Lance could struggle to start the season but his talent is limitless.

NFC South- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady’s return locked up the division for the Bucs. Even at his senior age Brady can manage an offense loaded with weapons.  The NFC South will have an improved Carolina team with hopefully a healthy Baker Mayfield and a Saints team with a healthy Jamies Winston, but both of those QB’s are unproven in the big moment. 

The Bucs can rely on their run game with Leonard Fournette and rookie Rashaad White.  Give Brady a solid run game and he will be able to pick apart one on ones all over the field.  Tampa also has the best defense in the conference.  

NFC North- Green Bay Packers

The Packers don’t really care who takes the field with Aaron Rodgers.  Put out whomever you want and he will find a way to make them great.  This has been the game plan for the last few years in Green Bay.  Somehow a team that traded away arguably the best receiver in the NFL is a considerable favorite to not only take their division but many see them as a threat to win the NFC. 

There are questions on the offensive line, questions about receivers, questions about Rodgers hair length.  Lots of questions but the only answer needed is Aaron Rodgers is so much better than every other QB in this division.  The defense is legit and they have a two man running attack that will cause teams problems.  Vikings should make it interesting, the Lions are better but in the end Rodgers will lead the Packers to the NFC North title. 

NFC East- Dallas Cowboys

The Eagles made the sexy moves in the offseason, adding WR AJ Brown and CB James Bradberry.  Philly made the statement that they are going to rely on Jalen Hurts to run their revamped offense.  If Hurts can take the next step with his accuracy to go along with his dynamic running ability then the Eagles may have something. 

Philly will be fun on the offensive end but the problems will still be there on defense.  Against quality QB’s they will continue to stuggle.  Dak Prescott is healthy and still has elite level weapons. The x-factor could be the continued use of Tony Pollard in the short pass game, his ability to create will help while the Cowboys figure out their offensive line questions. The Dallas defense has more playmakers that can make a difference. They win the division but it will be down to the last game per usual.

AFC South- Indianapolis Colts

Matt Ryan is super exciting, but adding an MVP QB that seems like he still has the ability to make plays is always a good thing.  Ryan’s biggest attribute will be his leadership.  Compared to Carson Wentz it’s pretty much as solid an upgrade as you can get.

The Jags will be better in 2022 but the only real competition comes from Derrick Henry and the guys that play with him (Titans).  Tennessee lost a big part of their defense when Harold Landry went down with an ACL injury.  Tennessee will have to lean on the run game and hope the defense can hold up.  This is Jonathon Taylor’s division and he will own it. 

AFC West- Los Angeles Chargers

Easily the most competitive division in football. The Broncos added Russell Wilson, the Raiders added Davante Adams, the Chargers and Chiefs have two QB’s competing for the MVP. 

The Chargers will return their entire offense that was tops in the league last season.  Austin Ekeler will be joined by promising rookie Isiah Spiller, while Joshua Palmer is considered a potential breakout candidate.  Oh, they also added a solid TE in former Ram Gerald Everett.  The Chargers also addressed a huge problem from last season, adding Sebastian Joesph-Day and Austin Johnson to slow down opposing run games.  They also added Khalil Mack, he and Joey Bosa will make things fun for Patrick Mahomes.  The Chargers will be a problem on both sides of the football. 

AFC North- Baltimor Ravens

If DeShaun Watson was playing before week 11 the Browns would have a shot at this division. Since he is not this is a two team race between the Ravens and the Bengals.  Cincy has another year of progression for Joe Burrow will make the Bengals offense something fun to watch all season.  They should put up a great fight against the Ravens, but Balitmore has a better coach and better defense.  Lamar Jackson still lacks the weapongs Burrow has but there is enough there for the Ravens to put up plenty of points.  

Don’t sleep on Rashad Bateman and rookie tightend Isiah Likely.  They can both be huge for the Ravens in 2022.  I think Jackson puts up MVP numbers, and the Ravens take the division by one game. 

AFC East- Buffalo Bills

Maybe the Dolphins test the Bills? Ha, no Bills win this division without a challenge if Josh Allen is healthy.  He is too good and the pass rush is ferocious. 

A quick look at the South Region

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Best first round game- Houston vs UAB

Houston had big aspirations heading into the season.  Last year’s final four team was looking for a repeat performance in 2022.  Injuries to Tramon Mark and more importantly Marcus Sasser put a halt to the Cougars momentum.  Houston was still able to win the American Conference regular season and tournament title’s but they were not able to pick up a lot of trademark wins throughout the season.  They will matchup with the UAB Blazers high powered offense led by Jelly Walker.  The Blazers average 79 ppg and will look to run early and often. 

Houston will do all it can to dictate the pace, if they fall behind early they don’t have the firepower to overcome a deficit.  Kelvin Sampsons squad are in for a fight.

Sleeper- Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines pre-season hype may have been overblown but the talent they possess is real.  All-American Hunter Dickinson leads a team that entered the season in the top ten and owns wins over Purdue, at Iowa and at Ohio State.  The Wolverines seem to lose focus on the defensive end, but if they can find a way to lock in they have the offensive stars to make a run.  

They have a great big man, a senior guad and NBA level talent in Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate.  

Final- Tennessee vs. Arizona

The Volunteers got screwed in the seeding. They likely should have earned themselves a 2nd seed after winning the SEC tournament.  Despite that they find themselves in a good spot to make it to the Elite Eight.  Potential Sweet Sixteen matchups are the injured Buckeyes, an overrated mid-major Loyola and an underwhelming Villanova squad.  The Vols can shut you down on the defensive end and have gotten great guard play from Santiago Vescovi, Kennedy Chandleer and Zakai Ziegler. 

If the Vols continue their hot streak they will likely take on the extremely talented Arizona Wildcats.  The Cats are loaded, they are a top five offense with multiple bigs that can control the glass.  Christian Kokolo can dominate a game without the ball by controlling the paint, he allows the guards to play with a controlled chaos that is tough to guard. They also have a stud in Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona has everything but experience.  Sometimes talent is all you need, they have proven that all year.

Winner- Arizona

CBB Play of the Day- Feb. 2

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Missouri State Bears at Southern Illinois Salukis

Missouri State has one of the most prolific offenses in the MVC, averaging 78 ppg.  They got a signature win on the road when they took down league powerhouse Loyola. The Bears have Isaiah Mosely who averages 21 ppg while shooting 51% from the field .  He attributes to a team effective field goal percentage that ranks top 15 in the nation (56%).  They can score in the paint as well as hit the three, both ranking top 25 in the nation in percentages.  

The Salukis are just 2-6 in their last eight games.  The offense has been a problem, they rank 326th in the nation averaging just 63 ppg.  Most of their scoring comes from Marcus Domask who averages 14.7 ppg.  To take down the Bears they will have to slow the pace down and not let the volume shooters of Missouri State get into a rhythm. 

The Bears were able to hang 81 points on Southern Illinois in their first matchup. The slower pace of the Salukis wasn’t able to dictate the game. Missouri State has been great against the spread on the road and should be able to control the boards with Gaige Prim and Donovan Clay.  Missouri State is 13-3-2 ATS over their last 18 road games.  Their offense should feast, if they break 70 points, Southern Illinois does not have enough to keep up.  The Bears should cruise.

Pick: Missouri State -2

Fantasy football players that stunk and you now hate them.

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Fantasy seasons go by fast, before you know it your season is over and you are the but of the joke with your league.  But it’s not your fault.  The blame has to go somewhere, there are a few players that you can forward your excuses to.  Here are five of the players that were the biggest busts in your fantasy season.  Guys like Saquon, CMC and Derrick Henry getting hit with injuries are not included, when they played they were somewhat productivel.  These are the guys that played a majority of the season and just were not productive.

Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders, ADP 24

The Raiders have had a troubled season off the field.  On the field they have been inconsistent at best.  Waller has been just as inconsistent, after being labeled as “the best player in football” by his coach after his 19 targets and 10 catches in week one. Waller has missed a few games due to injury but the production when he plays has not been to the standard that a player with an ADP in the top 25 should be giving.  In total Waller has just two touchdowns and none of them were from outside of the red zone. Even in the red zone waller has just 8 pass completions.  

Waller currently sits as the 14th best TE in fantasy football.  He is hanging out with guys like TY Conklin and Jared Cook, when you drafted him in the first 4 rounds.  He broke 100 yards just twice in 2021 and has seen a lot of his production taken by Derek Carr’s new favorite toy Hunter Renfrow.  Waller’s injury didn’t help his production, but still he seems to be on the tail end of what was a great story.  I would find it hard to grab Waller any later than the 6th round next year.

Mike Davis, RB, Atlanta Falcons, ADP 52

Mike Davis had a great 2020 season for Carolina, filling in for the injured CMC.  Davis had 8 touchdowns and 59 catches for the Panthers and went into the offseason as a hot commodity. The Atlanta Falcons signed Davis and projected him as their lead RB. 

At just 27-years old Davis was still in his prime, now in the presumed “lead”back role he was sure to have a stellar season.  Then there was Corredalle Patterson.  The longtime NFL journeyman decided he would make a permanent transition to the running back position and become not only fantasy relevant but potentially the steal of the waiver wire for 2021.  Patterson not only turned Davis into an afterthought, destined to spend his season on your bench, he made him droppable in pretty much every league. 

The putrid Atlanta offense didn’t help matters but ultimately a guy you looked at as a potential #The 2 RBs on your fantasy team had just 3 total touchdowns and never carried the ball more than 13 times in a game all season.   

Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles, ADP 35

I projected Miles Sanders as a future fantasy football stud. Still just 24 years old he could one day be the player I think he can be. Over his three seasons in the NFL he is averaging 5.0 yards per carry.  He has explosive speed and can catch the ball out of the backfield.  Unfortunately for 2021 fantasy owners, Sanders found himself with a head coach that forgot you can run the ball with someone other than your QB. 

Sanders currently has the same amount of touchdowns as anyone who reads this.  That is zero, in case you got confused.  Not only is he not getting in the endzone, he doesn’t even get a chance.  The Eagles have three other RB’s on the roster that in total have 12 touchdowns including former Bear Jordan Howard, whom I thought retired.  Rookie Kenneth Gainwell has even seen 7 receiving targets in the red zone.  It is almost like he is a forgotten man despite having #1 potential.    

The perfect example of Sanders’ fantasy season was last night, he ran for 150 yards but twice on the goal line Jalen Hurts snagged his touchdowns.  Either a new coach, new team or new system needs to be put in place for the sake of Sanders fantasy relevance.

NBA Draft Winners

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Detroit Pistons- Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State, Luka Garza, C, Iowa, Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan, Balsa Koprivica, C, Florida State

The Pistons have not drafted an all-star since 2012 when they scooped up Georgetown center Andre Drummond.  They had their chance to grab the future and they didn’t over think it when they selected Cade Cunningham with the #1 pick in the 2021 draft.  

Cunningham immediately upgrades their entire roster, he is a 6’8” point forward that can control the game with or without the ball. He turned around a young Oklahoma State team, making them a contender in the stacked Big 12 all season.   He will join a young Pistons core led by Saddiq Bey and the returning 2020 first round pick PG Killian Hayes.  Time will tell whether Cade will primarily play on the ball or without it as Hayes was struck with the injury bug last season before anyone could gauge his skill at the NBA level.

Much like 2020 I feel like the Pistons didn’t just crush their first pick but were able to add multiple players that could make an impact on the roster.  Adding Michigan’s Isaiah Livers not only gets them a perfect fit for their state fan base but gives them a legit two-way player that has NBA size at the 3.  Livers will fit in well off the bench for a Detroit team that will have an open competition for nearly every position.  Oh they also added Luka Garza,  the most dominant player in all of college basketball.  There are a lot of questions surrounding his game transitioning to the NBA, but his skills and late round pick really make him a gamble worth taking at such a low cost.

Koprivica is 7 feet tall and has skills that allowed him to play the up-tempo offense that Florida State played.  An NBA body that is worth the risk.

Golden State Warriors- Jonathan Kuminga, F, GLeague Ignite, Moses Moody, G, Arkansas

The Warriors could intend to move both of these players to grab veteran depth to go along with their trio of stars.  Nevertheless they grabbed the best possible talent available at 7 and 14 and it is not even that close. 

Golden State had Jonathan Kuminga dropped to them at #7, a forward that already has an NBA body at 6’8” and 220 pounds.  Kuminga already has a professional season under his belt, playing in the G League, averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds and nearly 3 assists per game.  He is a two way player that features a 7-foot wingspan that will allow him to guard positions 1-4 and potentially 5’s in today’s small ball era.  The one knock on Kuminga is an inability to stay focused on the defensive end, with the veteran leadership of Draymond Green that problem should be handled.  He is a rim runner that will fit in nicely with the skills of Steph and Klay opening up the inside for him.  

With the 14th pick the Warriors grabbed Moses Moody.  Moody was actually projected in the top ten.  Many thought the Warriors would have to take him at #7.  Shockingly he fell to them and it is a perfect fit for both parties.  Moody also has a professional level body at 6’6” with a long wingspan.  Moody has to improve his 3-pt shooting, but his overall game fits in nicely on the offensive end.  The Warriors will likely be patient with Klay Thompson, likely trying to reduce his workload.  Moody will get many opportunities to be in the limelight. 

Charlotte Hornets- James Bouknight, G UConn, Kai Jones, C, Texas, JT Thor, F, Auburn, Scottie Lewis, G, Florida

Charlotte had a lot of holes to fill around LaMelo Ball. First they needed a big man, they traded for Mason Plumlee.  A perfect fit for the pick and roll offense along with Ball.  Plumlee had a career season in 2021 and he allowed the Hornets to draft and fill in other needs. 

Much like the Warriors the Hornets took advantage of a talented player that seemed to fall into their lap.  UConn guard James Bouknight was projected in the top 6 but was sitting their at #11.  Rather than get tricky, Charlotte grabbed Bouknight and now has a backcourt that will grow over the next five years minimum. 

The Hornets continued to add athletes, taking Texas big man Kai Jones and Auburn’s JT Thor.  Jones could be a diamond in the rough, he is a mobile 6’10” player that shot 38% from behind the arc and he will be able to move with the pace that Ball and company will bring.  JT Thor didn’t dazzle statistically in his freshman season but his raw ability and size make him a project that will reward in the long run if coached up.  He brings a lot of defensive ability. 

Honorable Mention- Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets

Can Cade save the Pistons?

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The draft lottery can change an organization. If you win you have a chance to choose the next great star for your organization that could potentially lead your organization to prominence or can set you back for a decade. The Detroit Pistons have been looking for their next great star for over ten years. The last time they were relevant at all was the 2007-2008 season. Since that season the Pistons have been over .500 just one time and made the playoffs just one time. Much like their team the organization has shot and missed continually on draft night.

If you take a look at the Pistons top ten picks over the last 15 years only Andre Drummond has made an All-Star team. Players like Greg Monroe, Brandon Knight, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Stanley Johnson were all selected in the top ten and none of them were successful in making an impact on the team. None are currently on their roster and other than Caldwell-Pope none of them even find themselves in an NBA rotation. The Pistons attempted to build their team through free agency and trades, acquiring former Clippers star Blake Griffin . The past his prime Griffin helped them make the playoffs for the first time in ten years but his diminishing skill set accompanied by a lack of any guard production…and Andre Drummon stinking forced the Pistons to rethink everything. The Pistons moved on from Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin in order to help them plummet to the bottom of the league. They were looking for a chance to start over and they needed that big time player, a difference maker to build their organization around. The ping pong balls dropped their way on lottery night and the prize was Cade Cunningham.

Cade Cunningham coming to the Motor City will immediately change the landscape of the organization. To build an organization you have to have a centerpiece. The NBA is a league led by stars and the Pistons currently lack any semblance of a star. Their leading scorer in 2021 was Jerami Grant who is better known for his effectiveness off of the bench. He was thrust into a leadership role as the Pistons shredded their roster to get where they are. With the addition of Cunningham and the return of last year’s first round pick Killian Hayes, Grant will be able to return to a role more suited for him as a bench player and secondary scorer.

Cunningham was able to turn Oklahoma State into a contender in the most competitive division in college basketball. His length and athleticism make him a perfect fit for a point-forward in the league. He can control the game with the ball in his hands, but he has also shown the ability to make the players around him better, averaging almost four assists per game in college. Cade can run the pick and roll with great precision, Mason Plumlee or Jerami Grant will thrive working with this young star to be.
He is a floor general, he will help the rest of the young talent Detroit has assembled excel. A full season with a healthy Saddiq Bey, Seko Doumboya, Hamidou Diallo and Killian Hayes should be fun to watch develop over the next five seasons.

The Pistons will have their growing pains as any young team does. They should not overthink this decision. There are two levels of #1 overall picks I rank them from Lebron James to Anthony Bennett, Cade will no doubt be much closer to LeBron than Bennett. He will be the franchise, but it will take time.

St. Louis Cardinals Season Outlook

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The baseball season has snuck up on us.  Seems like just yesterday Cardinal nation was asking for John Mozilieak’s head after watching their former star prospect Randy Arozarena lighting up opposing pitchers on the biggest stage baseball has.  What was once a mutiny has turned into a celebration of brilliance after obtaining Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies for Austin Gomber and some spare giveaways he found in a Memphis promotional closet.  The Cardinals enter the 2021 season as the favorites to win the national league central.  Depsite some injuries that have derailed the plans in the rotation this team should still have high hopes heading into the summer.  

The Infield

The Cardiansl finalized their 26-man roster today.  While the mainstays were not in question a few decisions showed the direction the team is looking to go in this season. Most notably was the addition of 28-year old John Nogowski making his first opening day roster.  Nogowski was a longshot coming into spring but his bat made him impossible to overlook.  His 3:1 BB/K rate seems like an anomaly in today’s game, to compare it to a modern day player is impossible.  In fact you there hasn’t been a player since Barry Bonds to put up that kind of ratio.  

Nogowski will fill a role that is currently being held by Matt Carpenter.  Carpenter’s spring was the complete opposite of his counterpart, getting one hit in 35 at bats.  This is not just a veteran struggling to get going, this has become a recurring theme of the aging Carpenter.  The organization understood that his time was up or else you likely don’t see the move to bring in Nolan Arenado and Nogowski likely doesn’t get a chance to make the team.

Tommy Edman will step right into the role vacated by gold glover Kolten Wong.  He is a strong defender up the middle, but his bat will be his most important attribute.  Edman will get the first shot at the leadoff spot, a part of the order that has been in flux for the last two seasons.  Wong took over the role last year but was not able to be as effective as the Cardinals needed last season.  Edman will be protected by arguably the best corner infield combination in all of baseball, he has to be able to get on base and force pitchers to throw to Arenado and Goldschmidt.  If he does not improve on his .317 OBP the Cardinals will again find themselves looking for answers at the top of the order. 

Paul Dejong is overrated.  That is all I have to say about that.  

The Outfield

Justin Williams will play a prominent role off of the bench as the lone left-handed bat outside of Carpenter on the bench.  Williams brings the pop that is needed in late inning situations and he may see even more playing time with the injury to Harrison Bader.  The outfield still has a few question marks, presumably it will be O’Neil in LF, Carlson in CF and whomever matches up best in right field.  Sending down Lane Thomas made it clear that the Cardinasl will lean on Carlson to man center until Bader recovers.  

The key to the outifled and potentially the entire lineup will be the emergence of Tyler O’Neil.  O’Neil will be given the chance to play everyday and if he succeeds then this lineup will succeed.  The power and speed he brings to the table is hard to match based on raw ability.  Moving on from Dexter Fowler was an indication that the club thinks he is ready to break out.  He will be tested early with teams not letting Arenado or Goldschmidt beat them, they will take their chance with O’Neil and he will make them pay. 

The Arms.

St. Louis has had a lot of rotational depth in their system for a number of years and each one of those years it gets tested.  The Cardinals will start 2021 with Miles Mikolas, Dakota Hudson and Kwang Hyun Kim all on the IL, Hudson will likely miss the entire season.  The Cardinals will roll with Jon Gant and Daniel Ponce de Leon at the end of the rotation.  Both solid major league arms, both having the same problem… they don’t eat up many innings.  Ponce de Leon has averaged only four innings per start in his career and Gant, who was a former starter with the Braves is coming off multiple seasons primarily out of the bullpen. 

St. Louis will have to rely on their bullpen to eat up a lot of innings early in the season.  Most notably we should see a lot of innings from former first round pick Jake Woodford.  He will be called upon in long relief roles in tight games.  Genesis Cabrera, the power lefty picked up from the Rays will also likely see multiple innings of relief for each appearance.  Both Cabrera and Woodford are young arms that haven’t dealt with the longevity of a full major league season.  We will likely see a rotation of arms throughout the year.  Guys like Johan Oviedo, Zach Thompson, Kody Whitley and Mathew Liberatore will all make appearances for the major league team.  The Cardinal will have to rely on their depth of arms to make a run and luckily they have the guys to get them through the season.  If they do need additional help their depth should allow them to make a move for a veteran arm at the trae deadline.  One that could make a difference down the stretch. 

The rotation will rely on Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright to be as  great as they have shown over the last two seasons.  Veteran Carlos Martinez is a wild card in this situation but his potential has shown through before and his usage of the cutter through spring training has made him more efficient and effective.  The key to Martinez will be controlling his pitch count and his emotions.  If he can do both he will be a nice fit behind the veteran and the ace.  

Conclusion

The Chicago Cubs let most of their pitching staff go, the Brewers didn’t do enough to improve their offense, the Reds don’t seem to know what their direction is. The Cardinals will rely on their pitching depth and firepower in the middle of their order.  They compare well in every facet of the game against all of their NL Central counterparts.  If they get anything from Tyler O’Neil and Tommy Edman on offense they should be set.  They could be on the market for a veteran starter at the trade deadline to consider themselves true contenders for an NL Championship but they should be the frontrunners to win their division. 

Central Division Prediction

St. Louis Cardinals

Milwaukee Brewers

Chicago Cubs

Cincinnati Reds

Pittsburgh Pirates

Deep Fantasy Sleepers MLB

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Bobby Dalbec, 1B, Boston Red Sox (ADP 285)

Do you like dingers?   We all like dingers, Bobby Dalbec really likes dingers.  He hits them in bunches.  In 2019 Dalbec smashed 27 homers in 130 games in the Red Sox minor league system.  He immediately jumped up the prospect list for Boston becoming their top power prospect in the system.  His power transitioned very well in his first official shot in the show.  In 23 games last season he hit eight homers with an insane .330 ISO.  

The path has been cleared for the 25 year-old rookie.  Mitch Moreland was moved last season and the team has moved on from the thought of Michael Chavis at first base.  Dalbec will be inserted right into the middle of a lineup that features plenty of protections around him.  His bat is made for Fenway Park’s green monster and he will be a value for anyone looking for power in the late rounds.  He brings a high strikeout rate and a lack of on-base consistency but with an ADP of 285 he is an extreme value for someone that needs depth and huge potential upside. 

Jared Walsh, 1B, Los Angeles Angels (ADP 208)

The Angels found themselves a gem last season.  The 27-year-old Walsh hit 9 homers and knocked in 26 runs in just 30 games during the 2020 campaign.  Walsh is a late bloomer, but the power didn’t come from nowhere.  In 2018 Walsh had a .329 ISO and in 2019 he followed that up with a .361 ISO in triple-A.  The Angels have a surplus of power hitting first baseman and DH candidates but they won’t be able to ignore the production that Walsh brings.  

Albert Pujols has already announced that he intends to retire at the end of the season and the Angels need to look toward the future at the position.  Walsh brings power and a solid defensive ability which will be an asset to the Angels.  At-bats will be inconsistent this season to start but he is worth a shot in the later rounds to stash. He can easily find himself with consistent opportunities hitting in front of Mike Trout and behind David Fletcher. 

Dylan Moore, INF/OF, Seattle Mariners (ADP 156)

Dylan Moore was a huge pick up for me last season.  His ability to play mutliple positions makes him a great fit into any fantasy lineup.  He had a terrific 2020, in 38 games Moore stole 12 bases, hit 8 homers with an OPS of .854.  The Mariners are in a transition year, with top prospects Taylor Trammell, Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic soon to be joining Kyle Lewis in the middle of the order, Seattle will be looking to find out who else will be rounding out their roster for the future.  

Moore has the flexibility to fit into the Seattle lineup everyday and hit at the top of the order due to his speed.  Last season had a bit of luck involved but his tools are great for anyone looking for literally anything.  

Bobby Bradley, 1B, Cleveland Indians, (ADP 819)

Fantasy pros has Bobby Bradley projecting in the 800’s.  Calling him a sleeper is very much an understatement.  Bradley brings real power to the table, hitting 33 homers last year in triple-A and following it up with a terrific spring training.  The 24-year old Bradley has been a top prospect in the Indians system since being drafted in 2014.  When given at bats all he does is produce.  In his minor league career his WRC+ has never gone below 109 and his ISO has never gone below .175.  

The Indians cleared the path for Bradley this offseason and he has shown what he can do in the spring.  A young Indians team can allow him to continually get at-bats in the middle of the lineup.  You may not even need to draft Bradley but keep your eye on him post draft if you need some power. 

Myles Straw, SS/OF, Houston Astros (ADP #322)

Astros manager Dusty Baker announced that Myles Straw is a likely candidate to take over the lead-off role with the departure of George Springer.  Straw gives you two position flexibility at both SS and OF.  Straw has been a top prospect in the Astros system since 2015, he got his first real chance in the majors in 2019 where he showed some of his potential stealing 8 bases, scoring 27 runs with a .378 OBP in 56 games.  

Spring training has been a revelation for what he can bring to the Astros with a slash line of .346/.370/.500.  If he is named starter his ADP of #322 makes him an extreme bargain for anyone looking to get a player that will score runs and steal bases.  

NCAAB Play of the Day: Stanford Cardinal vs California Golden Bears

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The Pac 12 tournament gets started tomorrow in Las Vegas and the first matchup that intrigued me is the same one that we enjoyed on Super Bowl Sunday.  That game saw the Cardinal fall apart down the stretch winning the game but blowing the 10 points spread in the final three minutes.  The Cardinal are losers of four straight, mainly due to their star center Oscar de Silva.  The Cardinal leading scorer should be active for this game and he has been dominant in their first two meetings with the Golden Bears scoring 23 and 24 in those two victories. The Cardinal will also have star freshman Ziaire Williams who missed both games against California this year. Williams will bring more trouble for a California defense that gives up a lot of easy buckets in the paint. 

The California Bears lean on their outside shooting, Matt Bradley and Grant Antevich both shoot over 35% from deep, while Andre Kelly anchors the middle.  The California offense will have their hands full against Stanford who ranks 31st in th antion in defensive efficiency.  The addition of the length that Zaire Williams brings should make it a miserable night for the Golden Bears.  Stanford should be fully healthy for the first time in a while and their depth and defensive efficiency will be way too much for California.  The opening line of – 6 for Stanford seems like it is biased on the recent losses for Stanford rather than the complete talent mismatch.  

Play of the day: Stanford Cardinal – 6