Whitestone’s Waiver Watch: NFBC Main Event (4/21)

Whip It

2025 MLB Counter: 13.5% of games played

Remember the hit song “Whip It”? Well, for those who don’t, it was a classic by Devo released in 1980 with highly meaningful lyrics that gave new meaning to Devo’s Devotees (see below):

Now whip it
Into shape
Shape it up
Get straight
Go forward
Move ahead
Try to detect it
It’s not too late
To whip it
Whip it good

Unbeknownst to most rock song aficionados, though, Devo, it’s a little-known fact that the band wanted to spur interest in the WHIP baseball stat, and even though “Whip It” was their only top 40 hit, they considered their music career a success after rotisserie players began to use the stat in across most fantasy leagues.

We’re Not Trying to Walk You

So if you look at the chart below, you’ll see that in 2025 pitchers just can’t throw the ball over the plate. As we discussed last time, the MLB WHIP (walks & hits per inning pitched) is still only about even despite batting average being lower because hurlers are awarding more free passes (see chart below).

Strikeouts are up just a bit over the full year 2024, but unintentional walks per game have jumped from 3.14 last season to 3.39 so far this year (up 8%). This calculates to a decline in the MLB K:BB ratio from 2.68 to 2.48. That would be significantly worse (from the pitchers’ point of view) than any season from 2017 to the present. Now, who, you may ask, is leading this charge toward a higher WHIP? Well, we have the answer below!

WHIP Stats 2017-2025 YTD

Starting Pitchers with a WHIP Blip?

This is a chart of starting pitchers drafted in the top 400 of the NFBC Main Event with a WHIP of 1.41 or worse. Starting pitchers tend to affect a fantasy team’s WHIP more than relievers, of course, because they pitch more innings (although some of these guys have recorded some short outings, to be sure). So below you can see the top — er, bottom — 22 that fit this criteria (with no IP minimum). Sure, three of them are on the IL (thank goodness?) — Reynaldo López, Blake Snell and Aaron Civale. But there are nevertheless some pretty highly rostered and drafted pitchers on this list regardless. Aaron Nola (ADP 94) stands out as a problem with his 1.66 WHIP, as does Luis Castillo (ADP 104); Chris Sale (41); Dylan Cease (49); Tanner Bibee (103); Roki Sasaki (102); Bailey Ober (93) and Corbin Burnes (39). That’s eight SP drafted in the first 104 players (nine if you include Blake Snell).

Now admittedly, one or two really strong outings can change these stats fast at this point of the season. But that’s the difficulty in a way. Do you continue to start them expecting a turnaround, or do you bench or even cut them? Some will rebound and have great seasons, while others…well…

Most Common FAAB Pickups in the Main Event

Did you know that Quiero in Spanish means “I want?” Well, the most added player this week was Edgar Quero of the Chicago White Sox, who was, well, highly wanted. He attracted 52 winning bids (out of 57 leagues) at an average winning bid amount of $33 as fantasy managers combed the landscape for catching help.

The 10 FAAB acquisitions from Sunday, April 20 are in the chart below and show that the No. 2 most-added player, Atlanta’s Alex Verdugo, was added in just as many leagues as Quero (so he was also definitely wanted!). The fact that Verdugo led off for the Braves all weekend caused Main Event managers to conclude that he just might stick there, which would be a boon to his fantasy value. No. 3 on the list this week was Luke Keaschall, who came up and immediately started hitting — so Main Event managers ignored the slight inconvenience that he is only eligible at the Utility spot. Fourth place went to Mickey Moniak — who like a bad penny just keeps turning up each year. Now he’s in Colorado, and he is hitting well. Sometimes you just have to go with the hot batter, am I right?

NFBC Main Event Most Added Players 4/20: I Want You!

The Wow Bid of the Week: Speedy Simpson

So, who attracted the highest single bids of Week Five FAAB? It turns out that someone was “The Fastest Man in Baseball” Chandler Simpson of the Tampa Bay Rays at a — wow — hefty $571 (runner up $181). Simpson was available in 15 Main Event leagues and the prices ranged from this top bid to two in the $400-499 range; three in the $300-399 range; six in the $200-299 range; and three bargains in the $100-199 range (the lowest successful bid was $140). The average winning bid for Simpson — who is expected to run at every opportunity — was $301.

In addition to Speedy Simpson, there were seven other players attracting average winning bids over $30 that were added in 10 or more leagues (outside of the 10 most added pickups listed above). These players were: Logan Henderson (average winning bid $84; 20 bids); Noelvi Marte ($75; 27); Kumar Rocker ($71; 12); Carson Kelly ($59; 12); Tyler Anderson ($40; 16); Trent Grisham ($35; 28) and Andrew Benintendi ($32; 15).

In addition, there were six notable players available in just a few Main Event leagues that each attracted average bids well over $100: Dylan Crews ($457 in one league); David Bednar ($183 in five leagues); Carlos Correa ($160 in one); Dylan Moore ($153 in three); Alexis Díaz ($151 in two) and Masyn Winn ($146 in two).

FAAB Summary

In the first five FAAB weeks, Main Event managers have recorded 7,740 winning bids (5% more than the first five weeks of last year — and about nine total winning bids per Main Event team) and spent about $242 of their $1,000 allocation. Spending is up about 6% over last year’s total of $229 in the first four weeks. The average Main Event winning bid was $28 in Week 5, which was almost identical to the average winning bid in this week last season. 

The Colosseum

Each week during the season, I’ll review the most common Main Event pickups from three weeks ago and evaluate whether it was a good addition based on the early stats (thumbs up); a bad idea (thumbs down); or simply a push. In 2024, these pickups were rated as 30 thumbs up (38%), 39 down (49%) and 11 pushes (14%) — a little worse than in 2023 (44% up).

Our second set of Colosseum combatants is listed below. This group is from March 30, and the top hitter addition that week — Max Muncy of the Athletics — has not produced with a .179 average and virtually no counting stats. He gets a thumbs down. Leody Taveras was slightly better — still with a poor average but he did chip in 4 steals (which was probably what his fantasy managers were seeking) — that earned him a push. And finally, the best of the bunch was Kyle Stowers, who has hit for a very nice average, produced counting stats and even hit a homer — a definite thumbs up. 

On the pitching side, it was all about potential closers. The first two gladiators — Emilio Pagán and Luke Jackson — have seemingly locked into the job and produced some nice stats in their first three weeks on the job — definitely wins for their fantasy managers and a vigorous thumbs up from the emperor. But Blake Treinen didn’t fare as well — sure, he had one save, but produced poor ratios and now he’s hurt again — a thumbs down for the Dodger. That’s three up, one push, and two down and makes the score 5 up; 3 pushes and 4 down after two weeks.

The Most Added Free Agents from 3 Weeks Ago: Hitters

The Most Added Free Agents from 3 Weeks Ago: Pitchers

Overall Leaderboard: He Wears Pants Alone

It’s important to be comfortable, and Kyle Pantalone just doesn’t always like wearing shirts. As you can see above, he prepared for his Main Event draft in his usual calm way, and this year it seems to have worked to perfection. Excellent work, Kyle! The top 34 Main Event entrants will earn a prize from the overall pool this year in addition to any league prizes awarded, and there are some tough customers chasing Mr. Pantalone. Casey Paton is holed up in second overall, and the Kid Ben Tidd — who led for the first two weeks — is in solid position in third. Kyle Brinkmann has four teams in the top group — sixth, 18th, 27th and 32nd — and another one in 37th — out of 12 Main Event entries. Wow. And outstanding fantasy manager Andrew Geller has only four Main Event entries but two are in the top echelon — ninth and 21st.

Even though it’s still early, making the top 34 is a significant accomplishment — and we’ll follow the chase for the Main Event overall crown all season to see who can come out on top.

NFBC Main Event Overall Standings

2025 Final Table Champions League Standings

I’m showing here the first annual CLQ Championship League Standings — these are the 15 fantasy managers who qualified last season by finishing with the best combined score in an across-the-board competition and therefore were invited to compete in an auction league in March. If you’re unaware, the CLQ requires fantasy managers to enter one specified team in the Online Championship, the Draft Champions, and the Main Event. These top 15 in the 2024 CLQ qualified for this first-ever auction league with significant prize money at stake built from entry fees from all CLQ entrants (201 fantasy managers entered this competition in 2024). It’s the best of the best in a no-holds-barred 15-team league, so we’ll track it to see who can become the initial Champions League Champ (the Champs Champ?) — and right now Brody John (aka Shawn Johnson) is holding down first place with 119.0 points; holding a good lead over Chris Uram (112.5 points). Matt Leahy, Tim Sansome and Michael Brophy all have more than 90 points as well, so they’re definitely in play for the title.

Champions League Qualifier Standings

Finally, I’m showing here the race for the NFBC CLQ — the Champions League Qualifier for next March. The top 14 in the CLQ qualify for the 2026 Champions auction league (the champion of the 2025 Champions Auction league automatically is invited back to defend their title). Right now, here are the 14 leading contenders to make the auction table in 2026 out of the 155 intrepid souls who entered this year. Michael Armstrong is still first in this race, and our Main Event leader Kyle Pantalone is second. David Miller is always good it seems, and he’s in third place towards a qualification for next year’s CLQ Championship. And Matt Poole in fourth place has definitely put his name in the, um, pool. But all 14 of these fantasy managers have done an excellent job and have a leg up to be at the final table in March.

So congratulations to all these fine fantasy players — we’ll follow their progress through the season to see who can take home the big prizes!