Pat Murphy, the Brewers’ manager and the head of the MLB’s Irish-American Anti-Defamation League, Take A Walk After BB (Beaucoup Beverages) is on the phone with his chapter, “Hey, Seamus, I’d like to send this new Giants’ kid, Tyler Fitzgerald, a personal greeting from Colm Meaney and Brendan Gleeson dressed as leprechauns to welcome him to the major leagues. No, nothing too stereotypical. Tell ya about Tyler Fitzgerald? Sure. More Murphy’s Law than four-leaf clover as he’s 26 and just now getting called up. Methinks he’s done plenty to be promoted! In professional ball this year, he has 14 homers, 8 steals and is hitting around .300. Last year, he went 20/29/.287 in Triple-A. Since he’s old for a prospect, why wasn’t he called up before this year? Because of anti-Irish sentiments permeating! They said we already have one Irish Tyler with O’Neill playing for the Sawx. It’s a disgrace, I tell ya. They even tried to ban Shohei at one point because there was rumors it was O’Tani. Anyway, besides the people trying to hold us back, I can’t see any other reason to not be excited for Tyler Fitzgerald. He’s got power and speed. Sure, he strikes out a bit, so it will be feast or famine. Methinks that reminds, uh, me to raise a glass to the great potato.” Anyway, here’s some more players to Buy or Sell this week in fantasy baseball:
SIKE! This post was released on Wednesday for Patreon members. It will be released all year early for Patreons, so if people are getting a jump on you, it’s because they paid the $10. Anyway, the Fantasy Baseball Buy/Sell:
BUY
Travis d’Arnaud – Since there were very few ‘hot’ catchers, this one is a bit of a stretch like you taking yoga because you’re recently divorced. With all due respect to the Take A Walk Society, Sean Murphy is sucking up major dog balls. Braves are struggling to find offense, and one of their catchers is hitting and one is not. Here’s to them making a switch.
Jake Burger – Get ready for a “[Team Name that’s not the Marlins] Order Burger To-Go” headline in the coming days because he’s likely on the move, and should be in a better situation.
Josh Bell – With the chance to get off the Marlins, Bell is ding-ding-donging.
Tyler Locklear – Here’s what I said the other day, “With France cut from the M’s like it’s the Maginot Line in 1940, Locklear will get the 1st base at-bats and sneers from the audience who are Team Billy. Never date your landlord, bro! Good advice. Dot dot dot. If this were 1992. Locklear hit two homers in his last call-up in only 11 games, then was sent down for no reason. Well, maybe because he had a 37.5% K%. He doesn’t seem capable of hitting .220 but could hit for some power, and maybe chuck in a handful of steals.” And that’s me quoting me!
Juan Yepez – His projections say he’ll be a five-homer, zero-steal, .240 hitter, so Spanish for yippee may be Yepez, but let’s keep expectations in check. Though, he is hot. But everyone is in this post. It’s how this post is pieced together. Through hotness. This is your side piece to the roundups.
Nolan Schanuel – I contend (for the featherweight title) that Schanuel is still a poor man’s Ty France and we see where France is now. Not looking for ‘north of Italy.’
Gavin Lux – From Schanuel to Lux, damn we really are on the Chumps-Élysées. Okay, not trying to be a hater in every blurb. I don’t think Lux is breaking out, after many, many years of disappointing, but there was a point when people thought Lux could be good. He might just be a really late-bloomer.
Connor Norby – Here’s what I said this morning, “It’s Norby!
So, here’s what I said last time Connor Norby was called up, “Maybe I’ve watched too many political documentaries but I 100% thought Connor Norby was a Republican strategist. ‘My name is Connor Norby and I’m for tax reform.’ That is not him. Okay, stop me if you’ve heard this before: Orioles’ top prospect was hitting well in the minors–Stop! He had a line of 9/7/.286 in Triple-A in 206 ABs–Stop! His Ks have skyrocketed in Triple-A, and he might just be up until Jorge Mateo returns in 7-10 days…No stop? Hmm, bummer. Don’t drop anyone too crazy for Norby.” And that’s me quoting me! Some of those stats changed since then, but the general sentiment remains. The only real difference is if the trade deadline shakes things up, i.e., Mateo sent somewhere for a middle reliever? Norby sent somewhere for a SP. That sorta thing.” And that’s me quoting me quoting Itch quoting me!
Jeff McNeil – There’s late-bloomers and then there’s bloomers that smell badly for months that get a spray of perfume. That’s McNeil. Again, apologies to the Take A Walk Society.
Xavier Edwards – X marks the spot (for SAGNOF).
Jose Caballero – As I speculated in the preseason, Walls was a threat to Caballero’s playing time but with The Rice Bowl gone, Caballero now should have full-time playing time. If you need steals, there might not be a better guy on waivers.
Jorge Polanco – Being excited for JoPo used to sound like you were institutionalized and wanted to be imprisoned, but now you’re just excited about a schmotato in Seattle.
Max Schuemann – Mentioned by BDon on the last podcast, but the A’s led the month of July in runs, and it wasn’t even close (or wasn’t when we recorded on Monday).
Justyn-Henry Malloy – Kinda wanted to make him the lede, but I’m not sure if he’s Irish. Kidding. I didn’t make him the lede because I’m holding all my JHM goodness for his offseason sleeper post! No, that’s not true either. I do think JHM is underrated, but his strikeout rate is a concern, so don’t want to oversell the Buy. He has shown great power, but he’s also neutrally hitting, like, .205.
Miguel Andujar – Have I mentioned the A’s have been one of the top hitting teams? Wait until the next blurb, I’ll mention it then.
Lawrence Butler – The A’s have been hot, have you heard?
Austin Hays – Traded to the Phils for Seranthony Dominguez. When you have Craig Kimbrel, you can either make the pen better or make it worse to make Kimbrel look better. Think we know which angle the O’s took. “Damn, Kimbrel looks so good now, right?” Hays won’t get everyday at-bats for the Phils, but it does give them a better bat vs. lefties. Hays becomes an NL-Only guy, and I’m kinda only giving you my thoughts because the trade just happened.
Colton Cowser – Trade of Hays actually helps us for fantasy more with the room it makes in the O’s outfield. Cowser should be an everyday guy now, and is rosterable in all but the shallowest of leagues.
Richie Palacios – With The Rice Bowl gone, Rays should turn to the already-hot Dick Palace, which is also the name for the man cave at the Taj Mahal.
Eddie Rosario – At least once a year for one week, Rosario gets hot. If he sees his shadow, he’ll get hot again in six weeks.
Victor Robles – You’d never guess what Robles’s batting average was the last two years combined. Whatever you’re guessing, add sixty points.
Wenceel Perez – He’s 8th on the 7-day Player Rater for guys under 100% rostered. I’m facting you up!
Zack Littell – This is a Streamonator call, like the one it makes to the radio station.
David Peterson – This is also a Streamonator call. “You know I never ask you to play anything, right? You know what I want to hear, right? Yes, Mr. Roboto. How’d you know? It was my robotic voice? Oh.”
Daniel Hudson – My assumption is Hudson will be supplanted by a reliever who is not yet on the Dodgers. Tanner Scott? Maybe. Carlos Estevez? It’s possible. Someone else? Yes, that’s what I’m saying. But imagine Hudson, who has been fantastic all year, keeps the job the rest of the year. He could be a top five closer in the 2nd half, and you’re just letting him sit on waivers.
Tyler Ferguson – Mason Miller was playing Whack-A-Mole without a hammer, and he’s likely out for a few weeks, at least. Lucas Erceg might see saves here too, so only if you’re desperate would grab either.
Luis Garcia – This is Rocky II, I believe. It’s not the Nats’ middle infidel. It’s the Angels’ RP. Also, I could’ve listed Ben Joyce, and would you look at that! I just did! If you need saves, the next week is going to be a good time to stash some guys to possibly get saves, so here goes: Shelby Miller, Zack Kelly, Andrew Nardi, Ryne Stanek, Chad Green, Yimi Garcia and Kopech. That’s not in order. There is no order. It’s a crapshoot based on moves that may or may not happen. Stay alert, stay vigilant, and stay safe, which I think is also the Crime Stoppers’ motto.
SELL
James Wood – Gonna remind you of some fun stuff, and by ‘fun’ I mean painful. Turn away if you can’t handle painful. Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, Jackson Chourio, Nolan Schanuel, and Colt Keith have all been out-hit by Jackson Merrill. They’ve also been out-fantasy’d on the Player Rater by the likes of Luis Rengifo, Zach Neto, Jake Cronenworth, and countless others. I still love James Wood — dang, I still love Wyatt Langford and the other disappointing top rookies mentioned, and now I’m a guy who says dang — but there’s upside like what Wood supposedly gives and actual fantasy value as someone like Tyler Fitzgerald might give. By the by, Fitzgerald’s WAR? Higher than Wyatt and Carter. I wouldn’t trade James Wood for a Waldorf Salad with lime Jell-o, but I would go to our Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer and explore options.
