There is reason to think that better days are ahead for Pablo López and his fantasy baseball coaches. (Photo by David Berding//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
Cheap seats will arrive most Tuesdays during the heart of the MLB season. Baseball and fantasy baseball questions go to the front of the line, but we can talk about all sports, life, music, food, travel, pets, movies, and just about anything. catch me in @scott_pianowski on X/Twitterand here we go.
The Cheap Seats Mail Bag. (Banner by Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
Should I be patient with Pablo López with his struggles this year or should I start considering other options?
– Andy Moore (@ForMooreSports) May 22, 2024
Without a doubt I would be patient with Pablo López. His profile offers all kinds of measurements. His strikeout rate has only decreased modestly, his walk rate has also decreased, his velocity is stable (funny how we worry when guys throw too hard or too soft, but when they hit the middle, it’s easier to deal with) . His strand rate is low, which is usually due to bad luck with sequencing. His xERA is a tidy 3.14, well below his gate number.
Hold Lopez if you have him. If he doesn’t, find his manager and see if he wants to change pitchers, hopefully he’ll mention Lopez first. Make the move on him. (Unsurprisingly, his teammate Fred Zinkie mentioned Lopez as a “strong buy” in his most recent trade column.)
Simple Q: Should Corbin Carrol be on the “can’t cut” list?
Thank you
-Jack (@Jack2211983) May 22, 2024
I’ll text my colleague and friend Dalton Del Don and see what he thinks. It’s not unreasonable to ask. I listed Corbin Carroll as a $40 outfielder in the preseason, but he was demoted to a $15 player in this week’s Outfield Shuffle Up. The affected profile is scary, it could be related to an injury.
I’d love to hear about some Bogaerts replacements!
– Tom Brubeck (@TomBrubeck) May 22, 2024
It was a whirlwind 24 hours for the Xanders: first Xander Schauffele wins his first major on Sunday and then Xander Bogaerts gets injured the next afternoon. Even though Bogaerts’ health has been an issue this year, he is ranked SS27 in the current 5×5 rating after being selected as a Top 100 player in March.
I’m not sure what your league size is, so I’ll offer some solutions for different league forms, with all players qualifying at either second base or shortstop (not sure which hole you’re filling).
If it’s a particularly small league, Abraham Toro looks fun in Oakland. He has settled into the leadoff spot with a nice line of .294/.344/.459. He will probably hit between 15 and 18 home runs by the end of the season and maybe steal between 7 and 10 bags. Likely due to Oakland’s pedestrian context, Toro recently surpassed the 50% template tag on Yahoo.
For the mid-leagues, I will continue to beat the Zach Neto drum. He couldn’t buy a hit for the first 2 or 3 weeks and that counts, I get it. In his last 30 starts, Neto has a line of .288/.331/.523, with six home runs and three steals. He’s still in the bottom third of Anaheim’s lineup, but that will be corrected soon. It’s shocking to see Neto still off the roster in about 80% of Yahoo leagues.
For deeper groups, Detroit’s Colt Keith has a similar version of Neto’s story; Nothing good at first, but lately it’s been interesting. Keith is on an 11-18 streak in his last five games and is starting to get some opportunities to play against left-handed pitching. Keith’s seasonal streak is still ugly and he has yet to hit a home run, but this is a guy who had 25 home runs and a .932 OPS in the minors last year, prompting the Tigers to give Keith a contract long-term proactive before he made his MLB Debut. Good things are probably still going to happen here.
Do you believe in Tyler O’Neill or is it time to get out while there’s value?
– Random Task (@ThickArms) May 22, 2024
I am a believer. Tyler O’Neill just needed good health and a full-time position. No one is untradeable in my world, but if O’Neill’s offer isn’t an obvious yes, I’ll just say no. His batted ball profile is a sea of fun, and Fenway Park is a perfect park for him.
Is Cedric Mullins toast or just slumped? If it’s the latter, will he have a chance to come out ahead with so many studs fighting for at-bats? Should he just dump him for an inexplicably available Cowser?
— CheapSeatChronicles (@CheapSeatChron) May 21, 2024
Cedric Mullins is another player who appeared on the Zinkie Sheet, this time as a salesman. I agree with Fred; There is a lot to worry about. Mullins has an ugly profile in terms of plate discipline, his hitting results are below code and the depth of Baltimore’s organization sets the clock ticking. You have my approval for leaving Mullins for Colton Cowser, but I’m sure several other outfielders available would also fit your needs. Fix this problem right now.
Spanning the world
Favorite Fictional Bartender: Isaac Washington or Sam Malone?
—Dennis Marasca (@Grenoble28) May 22, 2024
I love this question. I have reflected on it myself many times. I have often wondered how much there is to know.
If you were going to talk, if you needed a sympathetic ear, Isaac is probably your man (and when you made a good point, you know the finger guns are coming out). If you wanted a bartender with incredible stories, Sam takes the lead. If you’re craving a special drink, Isaac can make them all. Sam seems more like a beer jockey to me. Did he ever mix anything? (He certainly didn’t mix up his pitching, which is why Mayday eventually became a reliever.)
I also wonder who was the hardest working bartender, Isaac Washington or Ernie Pantusso? Did poor Isaac ever have a day off? The coach accepted that he would be on Cheers every day, “I just go a little slower on Thursdays.” RIP, lovely man of accidental wisdom.
When are you coming to Cal so we can play a round of golf?
-Dukie B (@brucekenerson1) May 22, 2024
Be careful what you invite me, sometimes I show up.
My friend PJ took me to visit Southern California in January and we played three tremendous rounds: Skylinks (nice municipal track; I played dirt but the company was excellent); Rustic Canyon (a fun and unique design, and I’m back to the ’90s); and then Oak Quarry to close (outstanding course; happy to get a 91 on my first visit). Let me know what else is on the bingo card for later visits.
What’s your favorite stadium or stadium food?
— Ed Helinski 🇺🇸🇵🇱 (@MrEd315) May 22, 2024
In most stadiums, give me a hot dog with some mustard and a cold beer and I’m happy. If you’re looking for higher quality food, the options in San Francisco are huge. I can’t really be rational about Fenway Park (since I grew up in New England) and Wrigley Field (there’s so much old soul in that place), but of the newer stadiums, Oracle Park is my favorite (although this might change when they finally get to PNC Park; my favorite stadium that I haven’t visited yet).
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