In what has become an annual discussion, this time, the Touts were asked:
What is your favorite under the radar repercussion of the deadline frenzy?
Jeff Zimmerman (Fangraphs, The Process, @jeffwzimmerman): Watching the Royals call up Edward Olivares to just see them demote him three days later.
Ron Shandler (RonShandler.com, @RonShandler): A Sunday FAAB frenzy driven by speculation of the all the trade fallout. Lots of wasted dollars coming up…
Scott White (CBS Fantasy Sports, @CBSScottWhite): It has to be Reid Detmers getting the call to replace Andrew Heaney (now a Yankee). It’s a quick turnaround for what was the Angels’ first-round pick just last year, but the left-hander was thought to be a high-floor pitcher who could move quickly. An unexpected velocity jump has given him a high ceiling as well. At the time of his promotion, Detmers ranked among the minor-league leaders in strikeouts, having compiled a 3.15 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 15.9 K/9. I’ll acknowledge that even the best of the best prospects have had a harder time breaking in the past couple years, but who couldn’t use another high-upside arm?
Larry Schechter (Winning Fantasy Baseball, @LarrySchechter): This isn’t so much under the radar, but I find it amazing that Trevor Story was the pre-season absolutely, positively #1 most likely player to be traded and he was not traded.
Patrick Davitt (BaseballHQ, @patrickdavitt): One of the prospect pitchers the Angels got in the Andrew Heaney trade is a 25-year-old minor-leaguer with fringy stuff but 1.78/0.96 decimals in AA on a good mix of playable pitches. His name is Janson Junk.
Peter Kreutzer (Ask Rotoman, Fantasy Baseball Guide, @kroyte): In a league I play in (AL only) you must keep DL players acquired via waivers in your active lineup until they come off the DL. What does Kyle Schwarber go for? Plus potential actual chances for Edward Oliveras and Daniel Johnson. Maybe.
Ray Flowers (Fantasy Guru, @BaseballGuys): It is time for every league to drop saves and replace it with Solds (Saves+Holds) or something else. More than half the bullpens in baseball are clouded after the deadline – leaving everyone to guess how to move forward. Saves leagues have never been more random, more luck driven if you will, than they are right now, and it will lead to people blowing FAAB budgets this week willy-nilly as they just randomly hope to strike it big. There’s no skill in that. Hell, one of the top-5 guys in saves will see his value crushed (Hendriks/Kimbrel). Perhaps two of the top-5 are now in a timeshare and both will see their value crushed. Another guy we all knew would be dealt, Ian Kennedy, was. He just happened to get traded to one of like three teams in baseball that would keep him at closer. It’s all completely random, and it needs to stop.
Jim Bowden (Fantasy Alarm, @JimBowdenGM): That Luis Garcia is going to get to play every day for the Nationals
Jock Thompson (Baseball HQ, @JOCKatHQ): Olivares has already been mentioned, tip of the question whether KC will start being aggressive with its hitting prospects and bring them up to play. FWIW, Nick Pratto is tearing up AAA, has AB at DH/1B now with Soler gone. And Bobby Witt doesn’t look challenged.
Matt Williams (NBC Sports Edge, @MattWi77iams): Andres Giménez was a popular preseason sleeper that should have an opportunity now that Cesar Hernández has been traded to the White Sox. Cleveland recalled Owen Miller due a residency issue preventing Giménez from traveling with the team to Toronto, but he could be back as early as the following series after batting .274/.335/.492 in Triple-A with a 6-game HR streak.
Phil Hertz (BaseballHQ, @prhz50): The Nationals almost have to give Carter Kieboom a run at third base for the next two months. He won’t be the first failed prospect to suddenly succeed.
Tim McLeod (Prospect361.com, @RunTMcP361 ): I echo your sentiments above, Ray. I’ve been using saves + holds/2 for years in several Leagues and it works great. Keeping on the “bullpen and under-the-radar theme”, how about Mason Thompson closing games for the Nationals by the end of August.
Glenn Colton (Fantasy Alarm, @GlennColton1): For me it is the closers in waiting like Bednar, Bender (not Howard), etc. The most under the radar could be Codi Heuer and his 43+ GB% and almost 15% swk. Oh and he has two pitches with an over 20 swk!
Ryan Bloomfield (BaseballHQ, @RyanBHQ): As Touts maybe we’re not supposed to admit this, but I’ll undoubtedly notice a player on a different team a week from now that I didn’t realize was traded at the deadline. Somebody always falls through the cracks!
Todd Zola (Mastersball, @toddzola): For what it’s worth, I’ll take the other side of the saves/holds discussion (which is better suited for a Tout Table unto itself). Saves is a bad category, but holds is worse. I loathe making something already poor even more so. Back on topic, I’ll double down on Andres Gimenez and crossing my fingers with Edward Olivares. I’m curious to see if Magneuris Sierra and/or Lewis Brinson step up for the Marlins. Ian Happ was losing playing time, but with the going out of business sale, he should be back to playing every day with two months to salvage his disaster of a season. Finally, I really like where Cesar Hernandez landed. He’ll likely hit lower in the White Sox order, but the added potency and better park should keep Hernandez’s production at least at the same level if not more.
Charlie Wiegert (CDM Sports, @GFFantasySports): I’ll go on record that holds just makes it worse. I hate when a guy comes in, gives up 2-3 runs with a couple hits and walks in one inning and gets a hold! The hold rule needs changing before it could be a worthwhile category! On the subject, I’m hoping Luzardo starts for the Marlins right away, and Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz start for the Nationals. Plus Myles Straw will play everyday in Cleveland and could steal 20 bases between now and seasons end!
Jeff Erickson (Rotowire, @Jeff_Erickson): I’m with Larry – I’m dumbfounded by everything the Rockies do and do not do. It’s hard to see how a compensation pick can be worth more than a fully formed prospect. Even though Story is having a down year by his standards, I can’t imagine him being worth less than a compensation pick. As far as an under-the-radar repercussion, how about finding teams with soft schedules the rest of the way? The Braves have a heavy dose of the Nats & Marlins down the stretch, with some O’s and Rockies spliced in for good measure. The Reds get two series still with the Cubs and Marlins, plus 10 games against the Pirates. That has to be exploitable.
Shelly Verougstraete (Dynasty Guru, @ShellyV_643): I’m excited to see what Reid Detmers can do in LA and hoping Luzardo is someone more than just a oft-hurt reliever.
Scott Swanay (FantasyBaseballSherpa, @fantasy_sherpa): In “only” leagues where you lose the ROS stats for players traded out of the league it’s worthwhile to go through your competitors’ rosters and figure out who might now have an unanticipated hole in their lineup. Then assess whether they have enough FAAB remaining to do add a significant player traded into the league, or whether they’ll have to resort to either a trade or the dregs of the free agent pool to address those needs. Also, will any of the traded players add position eligibility with their new teams (e.g. – would the Yankees be willing to try Anthony Rizzo in LF so that they could get both Luke Voit and Giancarlo Stanton into their everyday lineup)? Finally, I’m interested to see which young players either traded (e.g. – Josiah Gray, Keibert Ruiz) or with a clearer opportunity for playing time (e.g. – Edward Olivares) are able to thrive in their new situations.
Mike Podhorzer (Fangraphs, @MikePodhorzer): Edward Olivares…finally? I’ve picked him up so many times and subsequently dropped him in my mixed leagues, there’s now absolutely not excuse to give him the starting job and let him run with it over the rest of the season. He has the potential to contribute in every category, so he’s an add in all league formats.
Doug Dennis (BaseballHQ, @dougdennis41): The rise and fall of Paul Sewald. (He still has a great skill set).
Greg Jewett (Fantasy Alarm, @gjewett9): Putting in a bunch of follow-up bids on players with pathways to playing time who fill statistical needs on my roster(s) and seeing if they can affect the standings over the last two months while everyone continues drafting fantasy football teams on underdog.
Nando DiFino (The Athletic, @nandodifino): The ascendance of Yadiel Hernandez to a probable starting role for Washington. All he does is hit — even in his short MLB stints, he’s hit; he’s at .303 with 4HR and 2 SBs over 61 games as I write this. If you loved Adolis Garcia, you’ll realllllly love Yadiel Hernandez
Brian Walton (CreativeSports2, @B_Walton): Jesus Luzardo to the Marlins, who continue to quietly assemble a promising pitching staff.
Ray Murphy (BaseballHQ, @RayHQ): Lots of talk about the success/failure of Kyle Schwarber at 1B for Boston, but I’m not sure how much time he’s going to get there. If Jarren Duran doesn’t pick it up soon, he’s going to be odd man out when Schwarber arrives, with Schwarber/JD Martinez tag-teaming LF and DH.
Brian Entrekin (Benched with Bubba, @bdentrek): There were so many moves the last few days that will have impacts on this season and next. We may see Mookie Betts gain 2B and Kyle Schwarber gain 1B eligibility. Many young players like Rafael Ortega, Yadier Hernandez and Abraham Toro will see regular playing time. So much great baseball and fantasy baseball goodness. Give me Betts gaining 2B eligibility as one of the bigger repercussions of the trade deadline.
Vlad Sedler (Fantasy Guru, @rotogut): Most excited about Edward Olivares finally getting the opportunity to play every day. He will be their clean-up hitter by August 20.
Bret Sayre (Baseball Prospectus, @BretSayreBP): Waiting for the inevitable Jordan Luplow power explosion in Tampa, where he somehow hits 10 homers in the 125 right at-bats.