Week 3 fantasy baseball FAAB check-in

Week 2 of FAAB around Major League Baseball was wild, with 50% bids or higher being thrown at relievers projected to be a team’s new closer. 40-plus% bids were placed on Brady Singer, while Kiké Hernandez was the most wanted available hitter with bids in the 25% range and above.

This week on the fantasy baseball waiver wire will be no different and it won’t come as any surprise if and when we see similar bids this weekend. With COVID-19 swirling around teams, games are being postponed, decreasing the amount of viable options we have to start each week. My initial thoughts were to have more starters than relievers filling my seven reserve spots in the NFBC this season. That mindset has changed since games have been postponed, fabricating a lack of startable depth on offense. Not being able to start a full roster will decimate your odds of contending before you know it. Roster construction for your reserve players need to have more thought than ever with teams having to PPD games due to COVID-19.

Closers have been a bloody nightmare this season with injuries and blown saves piling up across the league. Roberto Osuna is the most recent example of that, blowing a save against the Angels. After the game Astros’ manager Dusty Baker mentioned Osuna would be headed back to Houston for an MRI due to elbow discomfort. This doesn’t sound promising for Osuna and the Astros. Ryan Pressly would be my best guess as to who gets the first shot at the new gig in Houston.

Once the FAAB results are posted you need to keep tabs on which players are being dropped, not just the players being added.

Sunday night update

The Colorado Rockies placed Wade Davis and Scott Oberg on the IL Sunday. Shortly after that news was announced, the Rockies had a four-run lead late in the game versus the Padres. Manager Bud Black called on Carlos Estévez to get the final out in the eighth inning. Estévez went on to allow a run in the ninth, providing the save opportunity for Jairo Díaz. With Davis and Oberg out for the foreseeable future, the closer role is wide open in Colorado. My guess would be the Rockies give Díaz the first attempt at the job.

The Craig Kimbrel experience continues to be a nightmare. Cubs manager Dave Ross didn’t want to call on Kimbrel in a game that went 11 innings. On back-to-back nights, we have seen Jeremy Jeffress get called on for the high-leverage situations. However, Ross gave the ball to Rowan Wick Saturday evening, resulting in a save. It remains to be seen if and when Ross gives Kimbrel the next opportunity after a couple days off to recalibrate. Wick and Jeffress both deserve bids this evening with Kimbrel’s status in question.

Yoenis Céspedes opted out of the season Sunday, which could lead to more opportunities for Dominic Smith. The former first-round pick is highly touted and has looked good thus far when put in the lineup. The talent and skills are there with playing time being the current blemish. There is a path to more playing time for Smith with Cespedes no longer in the picture.

Nick Goody? Jonathan Hernández? How about Edinson Vólquez? Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward stated earlier this week that the closer role would be by committee. He wasn’t lying. Goody and Hernandez were the two people initially thought could get the job, but Woodward handed Vólquez the ball in the ninth Sunday, albeit in a four-run game. If you’re desperate these guys become speculation bids or dart throws.

Notes:
Hitters and pitchers are broken down into tiers based on their projected budget allocation for Sunday, August 2.
Budget allocation and ownership percentages will be used from the NFBC site.
Players mentioned will have an NFBC ownership around 50% or less.

Schedule

(Keep in mind the amount of games played can change due to COVID-19. MLB has been shuffling the schedule around.)

• Four games

Orioles

• Five games

Nationals, Red Sox, Yankees

• Six games

Angels, Astros, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Padres, Phillies, Rangers, Rays

• Seven games

A’s, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Indians, Mariners, Pirates, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox

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15-team (sub-50% TGFBI ownership)

You will notice a significant amount of San Francisco Giants being mentioned this week. That’s because they start the week off with a four-game series at Coors Field. The Giants are going to provide plenty of production come Monday-Thursday this week, making them a fantastic streaming option. Come next Sunday you will cut bait and move on.