Like all of the baseball world, fantasy or otherwise, this competition has been heavily impacted by injuries but like Rule #76 states, “No excuses, play like a champion”. As you will recall, for the riches we were trying to find batters that would be top 100 players and pitchers that would be top 40 pitchers taken after pick 150. While for the wretches we were trying to find batters who would finish outside the top 100 and pitchers who would be outside the top 40 in the first 100 picks. Rosser is off to a strong lead up 4-2 but it’s far from a safe lead. Remember that the loser of this gets waxed so we have a lot on the line. Here is the original article:
…and now here is the updated standings for riches and wretches.
Riches
Tyler Mahle: He is currently the 45th ranked pitcher. Mahle has been a little inconsistent but even still he has been above average in just about every metric. This has led to him having a career best 3.69 ERA which is backed by a 3.56 xERA and a 3.33 FIP. So even with this already being far and away the best year of his career his durability will allow him to eat enough innings to firmly entrench himself as a top 40 pitcher. -CB
Gio Urshela: I thought Gio could accumulate his way into the top 100, but he hasn’t played quite enough or well enough for that to happen so far and is ranked 203. He isn’t far off his 2019 and 2020 pace in most categories, with the largest disparity being in his strikeout rate (10% increase). If he can capitalize on the lack of spider tack, level that out and channel a little more power in the 2nd half he still has a path, but one more injury and he’s a for sure goner. -MR
David Fletcher: Fletcher got off to a poor start which is why he is ranked 150 at the moment. Fletcher is slowly but surely working his way into the top 100 by putting bats on balls. Literally no one swings and misses less than him and almost no one this the ball softer than he does. All he has to do is keep on plugging away and he will make me look as smart as I feel. -CB
John Means: Means has been on fire this year, putting together a 2.28 ERA, .83 WHIP, and 25% K-Rate season over 12 starts. He was a top 15 pitcher when he went down with a shoulder, and if he can manage to be back before the end of the month, he can stay in the top 40 (currently pitcher 35) to close the season. -MR
Kole Calhoun: Calhoun missed most of the first month but when he came back he was immediately in mid-season form. I was on top of the world and there was nothing that could possible bring me down. Until Calhoun got hurt again. That injury has as of this writing forced him to miss over two months. He is currently 751 overall and falling. Unfortunately it is no longer possible for him to be a top 100 player.
Nick Senzel: My prodigal son had a moment or two, then he got benched, then he got injured, and he is now completely out of contention for the top 100. I just want him to be half of his prospect report. Is that too much to ask?
Wretches
Eloy Jimenez: Eloy went down for essentially the count like a week after our original article was posted with a torn tit, and while it sucks to lose that caliber talent, I did predict he wouldn’t be able to stay healthy, so this is a win. It sucks, but the best ability is availability, so hopefully you considered that when you drafted. -MR
Luis Robert: Robert started the season playing terribly and I was very happy because I predicted that. Then of course Robert turned it on and looked like an all star. This made me very sad. Then Robert got injured to such an extent that he is going to miss like 4 months. On the one hand I did predict that he wasn’t going to be a top 100 player and he is currently 476 so that’s nice but on the other we don’t get to see one of the most fun players in the sport for basically an entire season. So I win this one but it’s a hollow victory. -CB
Keston Hiura: If there’s any proof we aren’t complete idiots here at DraftID, it’s our preseason evaluations of Keston Hiura. Dude has been sent down twice since being drafted in the top 9 rounds, is currently ranked in the 800’s, and is a complete bust for the 2021 season. He is scoring more positive points than negative points in his most recent MLB stint, but the breakout star we saw in 2019 is no more. This is as pure a win as they get. -MR
Javier Baez: Baez is ranked 147th as of this writing. Baez has 17 bombs and 46 RBIs in just 68 games! He also leads the league with 101 strikeouts and is batting just .227. This is basically exactly what I thought Baez was going to be. He has more power than I expected but a 37% k rate makes that not matter in a points league. Baez is talented enough that he could easily push his way into the top 100 but his approach is busted and I don’t think he will fix it this year.
Zach Plesac: If you need further proof I can pick a bust, just look at my drafted teams this year. Plesac is currently the 324 player and not even close to the top 40 pitchers. He was underperforming when he played, with a 4.14 ERA and mediocre 16% K-rate, then he got hurt in the most Zach Plesac way possible: aggressively undressing. He is starting his rehab assignment soon and should be back with the MLB club around the All-Star break, but he has an uphill battle to crack the top 40 pitchers. It’s a quality pencil-in.
Jesus Luzardo: I said in the preseason that Luzardo wasn’t going to pitch enough and that even if he did he wasn’t good enough. Turns out I was more right than I could have ever imagined. Luzardo is currently in AAA because he has been horrible. Before he got demoted he sported a 6.87 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. Luzardo is still really young so I’m not completely giving up on him for the future but he is currently 747 overall so I am very much giving up on him for this season.
Summary:
Rosser has the lead currently, but doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room thanks to Means’ shoulder and Senzel’s everything. Fletcher and Mahle are going to have to try to lead Curtis to the promised land of not having to curse Kelly Clarkson, but his work is cut out for him.
Rosser: 4 points
Curtis: 3 points
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