about it for you. What he could potentially do in that Astros
lineup, I think we're going to see a bounce back power wise
and Counting staffs.
They'll be there.
Should hit for average to. I think he's pretty safe
for like you said earlier,
outside the top 100 ATP.
He's one of the safer picks. You can get that late in
the draft for sure.
Which one I have him at number five. If we would talk about
the top guys, Paul Goldschmidt coming off an MVP season, An
aging gracefully in his 30s. He's been number for first,
baseman Pete, Alonso,
maybe the best pure power hitter in the game and that
Mets lineup is super deep as a lot of I'm saying that a lot.
There's a lot of laughs I want to invest in. I know you're
a Mets
fan. I got to get some Mets
away from you this year, when we're drafting against each
other, Peter Lanza, my number three guy
and then I think it's a great debate and I don't we have
different answers on this. I have Vladimir Guerrero a to
Freddie Freeman at one. I know a lot of people will have that
the other way around the both, go with early picks,
they're both going to be on the
short list. Then BP favorites. Maybe your are always gets
a little bit of Buzz because he hasn't won it yet. So if Grill
was in the hunt, maybe
people would want to give him an MVP, where
Freeman's already wanted but men,
give me all the Freddie Freeman. Vladimir Guerrero you
want because you're not going to want to be sitting that out
this year. Yeah I think
it's an interesting debate because when you talk about sealing
Ladd jr. Has the ceiling.
But Freddie Freeman has the safer floor.
So either way I could see both perspectives with
That with me, I have Vlad Guerrero
jr. Number one, at first base, just because of that potential
ceiling there, but
going back to number five, for me. I have Matt Olson
and I think I'm vid of the disappointment, and here's
his first season with the breeze replacing Freddie Freeman
bear, but I mean, his quality of contact is Elite.
Even last year, Max exit, velocity 98th percentile,
average exit, velocity, 97 percentile
hard-hit percentage 96.
Fair percentage 93. He's going to hit for power. We know that
the Braves lineup is very good, very deeply. There's been a lot
of teams we've said that about. But the weird thing about man
Olson is this bouncing strikeout rate that he's had
it's been all
over the place in 2020. The pandemic shortened season he
had a strikeout rate of 31.4% 2021 went down to sixteen point
eight percent last year 24.3%. So it's kind of all over
the place in the batting average, wherever it settles. I think
it's dependent upon where
that strikeout rate Falls, but
I think another year in the National League, familiarizing
himself with these pitchers in the National League East.
I think could do him. Some favors there. I'm still really big on
Matt Olson even though he's my number five, just add age, 29,
season 2. So this is a lot of baseball left in metals into.
So I'm more of a veteran here. Paul Goldschmidt at number
four, coming off an MVP season
feels like people are sleeping on that. Actually, it's coming
off that VP but
he's aging gracefully. I quality contact metrics are
still fantastic. Hit 35 homers last year, even stole seven
bases. We thought we thought of him as kind of being done from
a speed perspective but he still,
you know, fills up the box score which you want to see there and
I like that Cardinals lineup. I think there's every reason to
think he can be maybe not nvp cow over again but still very
good but I'm going with the youth that number three peat
Alonzo.
I do. I think we've seen his ceiling yet from a fantasy
perspective.
I know he had that rookie home run record, but made it back to
40 home runs last season drove in 130 one runs. It's hard to
do much better than that, but I can see with the power that
Pete Alonso has.
He has a 50 Homer season and he has another one
at some point. It's coming down the pike. And
what I like about Pete Alonso is that he's not just a power
here. You look at the way he's improved with the strikeout
rate. Hit 271 last
It's not crazy that he could hit two. Eighty five to ninety
one of these years. Hit 50 homers. And again, you know,
it's hard to bank on 130 RBIs, but he could do that again, but
the lineup that it's very, very good. So I've peed Alonzo
number three,
Freddie Freeman. At number two,
the only question for me is, how much power
Freeman can hit for?
That's the only reason I put in behind Vlad who
I think he could be a 40 Homer, hitter annually
and a lineup. I really love there.
With the Blue Jays like we mentioned a bit earlier
vlad's quality contact is Elite as well.
I think the sky's the limit for glad whereas Freeman as
reliable as it gets it first base. But I think there's
a healthy debate there. Like you said, it's interesting. So you
look at nfpc ADP in the top 30, get the guys in the top 30 at
this position or Goldschmidt
27. Alonso a 20 Freeman at 13 and vlad's at 11.
I think you make the argument that Olsen's Olsen along.
Is the best value of that group because he could easily win
this tier. He's had a 53 home run season before, as you said,
he hits for average people lose that.
It's easy to get caught up in the power with him. He's in
the Home Run Derby every year. He hits his tape measure home runs
but he's not, he's not like some,
your 220 swing and Miss guy. I mean, he's a really smart hitter,
he has powered all fields, that the
Mets have put a tremendous line of, obviously have spent more
money than anybody this year and they put a great team on
the field
you could If somebody said to me, they want the draft Pete.
Alonso over Freeman or Guerrero, I wouldn't say you're
wrong. I'm not, I didn't rank them that way,
but if you want to again, if you're like in a salary cap
League where you have a little bit more control over the shape
of your roster and you get a Lawns. Oh, a couple of bucks
cheaper than these other. Two guys, I'm fine with that.
I think he's the
best value of the for
as far as Freeman and Guerrero.
And maybe this is a weakness of me is a fantasy player. It with
early pick. Sometimes I'm a little bit more floor, driven,
and I just think, when have I ever regretted a Freddie
Freeman? Pick Vladimir Guerrero has one.
Fold, the park is terrific. Its defenses are coming in. He's on
the escalator. We haven't seen his best season yet,
but I'm your girl could win a home run title. He could win
a batting title, he could be an MVP, it's in a park with looks
like it's going to be Disneyland. These are all great
things and as you say, Freeman is more of a well-rounded
player. He's not going to hit 45 home runs, I get it
but I don't know. I'm a little bit more for driven sometimes
with these things. So that's why I have Freeman first, but
if you and I were co-managing a team and our pick was on
the clock and you want to pound the table for
Guerrero. I think I'd be persuaded by that.
Yeah, I think they're both. They're both safe.
I think early and they're likely to be off the board
probably within the first 15 pics of any mix League draft,
this spring. So
I think it's interesting you bring up tears because I think
Vlad and Freeman are in the first year
Alonzo, gold spent all Center in that second. Tier
third tier for me Abreu, pass quintino low
and then you go a bit
lower, no pun intended.
Intended with Crone, Hoskins Mount Castle Walker. Those kind
of guys, or to me at that point, maybe you're thinking
more, like Corner infielder, that's where you start to think
when you get that late in the draft, but I think you can tear
these guys out and make your plan based off that.