Cheap seats will appear weekly in the middle of the baseball season. Questions about baseball – both fantasy and real life – go to the front of the line, but we can talk about all sports, life, music, food, travel, pets, movies – just about anything. Catch me in @scott_pianowski on X/Twitterand there we go.
Looking ahead to our salary cap project in September, am I wrong to pound the table for Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson or am I putting too much faith in an offensive ecosystem?
— Tom in the garden (@schoolgardenguy) May 10, 2024
I know this is primarily a baseball column, but it’s too good a question to ignore and it spreads to any fantasy league. When we get into a Salary Cap Project (also called an Auction Project), the timeless question arises: should you pursue your guys no matter the stream, or just accept what the room gives you? Is it better to be a genius writer (“I know the right answers”) or an agnostic writer (“I assume the room is wrong”)?
One of my long time football leagues is the Salary Cap Project which takes place 2-3 days before the start of the season. At this point in the year, my friends have heard all of my rankings, picks, and compliments and know exactly who I want (for whatever that’s worth), and I generally accept that I’m not going to put my guys in that room. Maybe it’s stubbornness on my part. Agnostic teams can feel a little awkward outside the club.
One thing I know for sure, whether you will “overpay” for anything in a salary cap bill, do it with a star or player you really believe in. Hall, Wilson – they would rank on my drawing board. If you pay a little extra for Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hill (or Mookie or Shohei), then what? It’s much better than overpaying for the last legitimate WR3 type late in the game because you waited too long to get involved and someone else has the same need as you.
I thought prohibiting infielders from changing was supposed to result in more hits and higher batting averages? From these year-over-year statistics, that doesn’t seem to be the case… pic.twitter.com/RmRE4UzzYN
-Paul Popovich (@paulpopo) May 10, 2024
I think it’s probably tied to baseball itself. My friend Joe Sheehan recently discussed the lack of offense in its essential Baseball Newsletter; here is part of what Sheehan wrote on May 5:
Just like the reason pitchers are getting hurt, this drop in offense likely has several factors. With each passing day, though, it’s hard not to think that some combination of baseball construction and storage is making it difficult for batters to put runs on the board. Whatever the reasons, we’re about 20% through the season with some truly miserable offensive numbers, and last week’s increase feels more like a blip than a trend.
If Joe says it’s raining, grab your umbrella.
Is offering Bichette to Swanson too desperate?
– Tear Texas (@double6fries66) May 10, 2024
I do not think. My rule of thumb about trade evaluations: If one side doesn’t jump in and select the “right side,” it’s probably fair. Bichette is obviously younger and likely has his best season ahead of him. Swanson might be a little safer, and I like the Cubs lineup better.
Neither is getting it right now, though. It’s a challenging negotiation and I like challenging negotiations.
When do you cut ties with a struggling veteran player, especially in deeper fantasy baseball leagues?
-Dennis Marasca (@Grenoble28) May 10, 2024
There’s no universal answer to this, it’s one of those “you know it when you see it” things, but I want to remind you of two general concepts. First, while player development is not always linear, player decline often is. Two, be afraid of making a fantasy mistake It is The mistake – you can’t play with fear. If you go through the season without making a regrettable decision, you are probably playing too conservatively.
Don’t cut players just to cut them, but if your instincts lead you to something new, we’re in 2024 enough to trust those instincts.
I’m sitting on Gerrit Cole. The news about him is a return in mid-June. How much would you assess his commercial value today?
-Mike parrillo (@parrillo_mike) May 10, 2024
Pitchers are difficult to judge when they are healthy. The injured and the guys in rehab, we’re all blind in these cases. If I drafted Cole, I’d probably keep him until just before his New York debut, and then see if anyone in my league wanted to pursue the best-case scenario. That will never be me, by the way, but Christmas presents are never more exciting than on Christmas Eve.
If Cole can pitch half the season and return the value of the SP3 slot, that will be considered a win. It’s around SP 25-35 on my current frame.
Spanning the globe
Who are the lead singers or vocalists of your favorite band? Types of vocalist.
-Lucas Davenport (@SanFan22) May 10, 2024
Mount Rushmore is pretty standard, something like Jagger, Mercury, Plant, Nicks. Bono is not far from that list. Others that popped into my head quickly: Chrissie Hynde, David Lee Roth, Roger Daltrey, Paulo Westerberg, Karen O., Jeff BebeDebbie Harry, Steven Tyler, David ByrneDavid St. Thom Yorke is a different kind of frontman, but the perfect man leading Radiohead. Janis. Gwen. Sammy. Eddie. Amen.
Please let this series reach seven. That’s all I care about. Hockey as it should be.
Connor McDavid has been the best player in the league for some time; he probably won’t win the Hart Trophy this year (and I’m fine with Nathan McKinnon winning his first), but he would never be a wrong choice. I saw McDavid play in person for the first time about three months ago and watched him all night. You can only judge players from your own era, but this is the best offensive hockey player I’ve ever seen.
Vancouver is a really fun team. Quinn Hughes is the key to his first Norris Trophy and is the starting defenseman on a team I would pick if Cale Makar wasn’t available. Hughes almost never makes a bad decision, no matter how fast the game goes. How can a family has so much talent?
