Catcher's Corner

Eric and Sami talk to Nicklaus Gaut and Phil Goyette, both of Rotoballer, breaking down every trade from the deadline and all the possible ramifications for the end of the fantasy season. It's a lot of info, but it's some damn good info. 

All music in the episode is performed by Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger (music can be found on Spotify). 

Timestamps

(3:45)- Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers

Will Keibert Ruiz or Josiah Gray be an impact player down the stretch?

(14:20) Jon Lester to Cardinals for Lane Thomas

(14:45) Kyle Schwarber traded to Red Sox

Is this the end of 2021 Jarren Duran

(18:00) Kris Bryant to the Giants.

What are the ramifications for the Giants?

(25:00) Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox

Why do people like Nick Madrigal so much?

Who closes for the White Sox? Who closes for the Cubs?

(29:45) Javy Baez and Trevor Williams to the Mets

How does the Mets INF playing time shake out?

(33:40) Anthony Rizzo to Yankees

What happens to Luke Voit?

(37:00) Joey Gallo to Yankees

(42:45) Andrew Heaney to the Yankees

(46:20) Jose Berrios to Blue Jays

Will playing in the AL East hurt Berrios a lot?

Was Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson too much to give up?

(52:30) Adam Frazier to Padres

Should we be interested in Tucupita Marcano?

(55:00) Starling Marte to Athletics for Jesus Luzardo

Can the Marlins fix Jesus Luzardo?

(1:00:36) Braves trade for all the Outfielders

Where will they all play?

Will Alex Jackson start in Miami this year?

(1:07:00) Phillies get Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy

Is Kennedy now the closer on a better team?

Will either Spencer Howard or Kyle Gibson be good for the final two months?

(1:13:00) Cesar Hernandez traded to White Sox

(1:17:15) Myles Straw traded to Indians

Can Straw win you SB?

Astros are calling up Jake Meyers. Do we care about him or Chas McCormick?

1:21:30 Abraham Toro to Mariners

(1:23:45) Eduardo Escobar to Brewers

Is this the end of the line for Luis Urias?

(1:25:00) The Cautionary Tale of Anderson Espinoza

(1:26:30) Richard Rodriguez to Braves

Does he split saves with Will Smith?

(1:28:45) Yimi Garcia to Astros

Does Floro or Bender close?

Could Bryan de la Cruz or Brian Miller be useful in the Marlins OF?

(1:31:00) Kendall Graveman to Astros

(1:32:30) Diego Castillo to Mariners

Is Paul Sewald’s value all gone?

Who closes in Tampa?

(1:36:30) Brad Hand to Toronto

Is Hand actually any good? Will he split with Romano?

(1:37:45) Daniel Hudson to Padres

Is Kyle Finnegan the closer in Washington? Could it be Mason Thompson?

(1:39:00) Joakim Soria to Blue Jays

Who closes in Arizona? Noe Ramirez? Tyler Clippard? JB Bukauskas?

Eric (@SamskiNYC) and Sami (@Believe_Sami) talk to Toby (@batflipcrazy) about his biggest takeaways and lessons from his last few years of NFBC success before diving into discussing recent rookie call-ups and second-half rebound candidates.

All music is this episode is created by Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger (music can be found on Spotify)

Timestamps

4:45 - Vlad Jr. and the value of acknowledging and studying your misses

Eric and Sami bring together a panel of Relief Pitcher Experts - Greg Jewett (@gjewett9), Mike Carter (@mdrc0508), and Nate Marcum (@natemarcum) - to talk about what we can expect from bullpens in the second half. They discuss which players are more likely to be dealt, which players could be moving into high leverage roles, and which players might be your best bets to stash for saves. Dozens of names are mentioned, so this is your best crash course in how you can add saves to your roster for the second half. 

All music in this episode is made by Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger, whose music can be found on Spotify. 

Timestamps

Currently Messy Bullpens

(6:45) New York Yankees

Bullpens Potentially Impacted by the Trade Deadline

(35:00) Chicago Cubs

(56:30) Pittsburgh Pirates

Calling Pitches

Eric (@SamskiNYC) and Sami (@believe_Sami) talk to Vlad Sedler (@Rotogut) about his path to consistent fantasy success and some of the FAAB targets we all like. Then we dive into first-half over and under performers to see what the second half might hold. 

As always, the music in this episode was created by Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger, whose music can be found on Spotify. 

Timestamps

Meet Vlad and talk about the changes in the fantasy landscape

Eric and Sami chat with Max Bay, the creator of Stuff+, about how the metric evaluates pitching, what it might be able to tell us about pitchers adjusting to the new "sticky stuff" rules and how Stuff+ can be a useful tool for fantasy players when it (hopefully) becomes publicly available this summer. 

Eric and Sami chat with Micah Henry about his Micah Notes and what to do about some of the hottest and coldest players in the month of June. Comes for the informative takes and stay for the discussion of Andrew Vaughn as the star of a horror movie and the moment Sami gets a Tornado Alert on his phone.

All music used in the episode is from Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger (find this music on Spotify)

Timestamps

Intro

June Swoons - what to do with these June poor performers?

(12:15) Dylan Cease

(16:25) Domingo German

(20:20) Eduardo Rodriguez

(24:05) Dylan Bundy

(26:55) Eric Hosmer

(30:05) Hunter Dozier

(31:45) Adolis Garcia

(36:30) Nick Solak

Heating Up - what do with these June strong performers?

(41:00) Sean Manaea

(44:00) Erick Fedde

(47:30) Marcus Stroman

(49:30) Bailey Ober

(51:20) Kyle Schwarber

(53:35) Cedric Mullins

(55:10) Ryan Mountcastle

(59:25) Bryan Reynolds

Calling Pitches - Guys we're running to the wire/trade for

(1:02:00) Alec Bohm, Patrick Sandoval, and Andrew Vaughn

Eric and Sami chat with Michael Simione (@SPStreamer) about why people should stream pitchers and how to choose the best one. Then they discuss a few pitchers who might be close to graduating from streaming status before playing Stream It or Leave It with some pitchers for the week of June 14th. 

All music in the show is by Brooklyn hip-hip artist Dan Dillinger (his complete work can be found on Spotify).

Timestamps

7:00 - What is streaming and how can people try to identify the right guy?

10:30 - What does it take for somebody to "graduate" from being a streamer?

13:30 - Jordan Montgomery

18:00 - Ryan Weathers

23:15 - Jameson Taillon

28:40 - Tarik Skubal

33:30 - James Kaprielian

37:30 - Kris Bubic

42:15 - Garrett Richards

47:00 - Stream It or Leave It (games from 6/14 - 6/18)

Eric (@SamskiNYC) and Sami (@Believe_Sami) talk with Arizona Diamondbacks' catcher Stephen Vogt about his path to the majors, the way Statcast has changed gameplanning for catchers, what has led to the rebounds for some of his veteran pitchers, and much more.

All music is by Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger (music can be found on Spotify) 

Eric and Sami chat with Fantrax prospect hound Eric Cross (@EricCross04) about what we can expect from some young starting pitchers for the rest of 2021, and then Eric gives some predictions of when some of the top prospects in baseball may be up in 2021 and if fantasy managers should be stashing them. 

All music is from Brooklyn hip-hop artist Dan Dillinger (music is available on Spotify)

Timestamps

Meet Eric Cross and chat about how he got into writing about prospects

(8:02) Huascar Ynoa breaks his hand. Is there an Atlanta arm to fill his spot?

(13:45) Casey Mize

(20:10) Daniel Lynch (with a sidetrack about Nick Madrigal's first MLB homerun)

(24:36) Logan Gilbert 

(29:45) Triston McKenzie

(34:05) Mitch Keller (plus a discussion of Pittsburgh's poor track record of developing pitching)

(38:15) Trevor Rogers

(42:00) Adbert Alzolay

(46:00) Luis Garcia

(50:30) Shane McClanahan

(55:30) Quick Hit Promotion Expectations

Vidal Brujan, Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh, Jarren Duran, Bobby Witt Jr, Matt Manning, Mackenzie Gore, Alex Manoah

(1:10:00) Calling Pitches: Eric, Sami, and Eric give two less-heralded prospects each that they think can make a 2021 impact. 

Eric and Sami discuss how and when to make trades in fantasy leagues and then dive into the inaugural game of Fix This Pitcher! They end the show by Calling Pitches and giving you a few guys they're currently looking to add off of waiver wires. 

All music in the show is by Brooklyn hip-hip artist Dan Dillinger (his complete work can be found on Spotify).

Timestamps

(1:45) - How and when to trade in your fantasy league

(7:40) - What do catchers look for when trying to help a struggling pitcher?

(11:45) - Introducing Fix That Pitcher!

(12:25) - Zack Greinke

(20:23) - Luis Castillo

(27:47)  - Zach Plesac

(33:30) - Kyle Hendricks

(43:00) - Chris Paddack

(49:00) - Lucas Giolito 

(57:30) - Charlie Morton

(1:00:00) Calling Pitches

Griffin Canning, Tyler Anderson, Shane McClanahan, Cole Irvin, Luis Garcia