LABR FAAB Report: Week of May 21

Welcome to this week’s LABR FAAB report.

The American League only and National League only formats are 12-team contests using standard 5×5 scoring rules. There’s an old-school flavor as players purchased in the auction cannot be freely bounced from the active to reserve roster. A player purchased in the auction can be placed on the disabled list if he’s on the MLB DL. However, he can’t be reserved then replaced by a player won with FAAB; he must be released. A auction-purchased player may also moved to reserves if subsequently sent down to the minors.

The 15-team Mixed LABR league allows free movement between active and six-man reserve.

In all three leagues, a player acquired via FAAB must be immediately inserted into the team’s active lineup. Each LABR squad starts with 100 FAAB units, with a minimum bid of $1. Owners can ask for a FAAB rebate upon releasing a player on the DL.

Each week’s report will display the winning bids along with listing all contingency and failed bids so you get a feel for the level of interest in each player. After the tables showing the successful and unsuccessful bids, Lawr Michaels, Brian Walton and yours truly will offer commentary for our respective leagues. I’ll share additional thoughts for each league. The heading for each league doubles as a publicly accessible link so you can check the standings, roster and complete list of transactions.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

UNAWARDED BIDS

Lawr Michaels’ Commentary

In a week full of bids for filler material, I held out any player acquisition at all for my CreativeSports team. I made my moves last week, and am down to $25 for the final 18 weeks of the season, and there certainly will be times I need to plug said relative hole.

And, my objective to pull out of last place has indeed worked, for a day at least. That said, in Tout Wars, where I needed an arm, I grabbed today’s top-priced player, Sam Gaviglio who cost Dave Adler $5, besting three bids (I paid 7% of my budget for the rights to the Jays hurler).

Roto Lady Andrea Lamont then went $4 earning both Joey Rickard and Blaine Hardy, adjusting her roster, where like me she is struggling to pull out of the bottom rungs. Andrea also tried to rebuild her catching core with a pair of one-buck backstops–Omar Narvaez and Sandy Leon–and added Pete Kozma as well for an additional $3, turning over nearly 22% of her roster for 13% of her FAAB total.

Our compatriot in the lower-end of the standings, Ray Flowers kept it low profile with just $3 on Justin Anderson, though four more owners felt Anderson had potential value.

However, the two acquisitions that I thought could make some difference were RotoWire’s Clay Link grabbing Michael Hermosillo–who has some pop and speed–for $2 and Larry Shechter opting for Tony Kemp, and maybe some steals also for $2.

Finally in this year of awful backstops, Roto Lady was not the only active participant searching for cheap stats. Eno Sarris dropped a buck and some hope on Bobby Wilson, while Mike Gianella took the same approach with Drew Butera.

And, as far as Navaraez, Leon, and Butera are concerned, this is not their first LABR AL team stop for 2018. I have a feeling it might not be their last.

Todd’s Take

Compared to the raucous NL and Mixed bidding, the AL league is benign this week.

Currently, both Joe Biagini and Gaviglio have spots in the Jays starting-five with Marcus Stroman and Jaime Garcia on the DL, nursing shoulder injuries. Garcia is due back first, at which time one of Biagini or Gaviglio will return to the bullpen, or perhaps be sent down to stay stretched out. The other will likely follow suit when Stroman returns. Gaviglio has pitched better than Biagini, giving him a leg up on sticking in the rotation until Stroman returns late May/early June (barring a setback).

NATIONAL LEAGUE

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

UNAWARDED BIDS

Brian Walton’s Commentary

As in NL Tout earlier in the day, prices were the highest of the season to date, led by 19-year old Juan Soto. The newest Washington National drew a $56 winning bid from Fantasy Alarm’s Howard Bender. That compares to an equivalent $61 top offer in Tout. With only Bryce Harper standing out, there should be ample playing time in the Nats’ outfield.

Reborn Jordan Lyles has reworked his offerings and appears transformed from a disappointing prospect to an effective starter for San Diego – at least through two outings. The lefty received a very aggressive $25 bid from Dalton Del Don of Yahoo.

Seranthony Dominguez picked up a two-inning save for Philadelphia this weekend, but it is unclear who is even in the committee, let alone the favorite as closer. Dominguez should be a high-strikeout option even if he does not receive the lion’s share of ninth-inning work for manager Gabe Kapler. Greg Ambrosius and Shawn Childs of the NFBC won an $11 tiebreaker to secure Dominguez’ services and those bids suggest they are hopeful for saves.

The fourth and final double-digit acquisition this week is San Diego outfielder Franmil Reyes. Called up last Monday, the 22-year old is batting just .114 over his first week as a professional, but should have at least until Wil Myers returns to stake his claim for ongoing at-bats. For $10, Del Don also acquired Reyes.

Todd’s Take

If you haven’t seen this piece by Craig Edwards on Fangraphs, it helps explain the interest in Jordan Lyles. There’s compelling evidence his change can be here to stay.

I mentioned this in the Tout Wars report, maybe it’s because I have vested interest in Arodys Vizcaino succeeding, but I see the A.J. Minter and Dan Winkler love and hope it’s misguided. Sure, Vizcaino has a couple of blown saves, but he’s not alone. I’m still on the Vizcaino train.

MIXED

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

UNAWARDED BIDS

Todd Zola’s Commentary

Outfielders dominated the Mixed bidding with 19-year old phenom Juan Soto besting 23-year old Austin Meadows. Both are filling in for injured fly-chasers with Soto playing for Adam Eaton, Howie Kendrick and Brian Goodwin while Meadows was summoned for Starling Marte. It’s unclear if either will stick the rest of the season, but bidders in all the Tout Wars and LABR leagues are expecting Soto to not only stick around, but excel. Personally, I’d rather spend less and take my chances on Meadows.

Melky Cabrera, Franmil Reyes, Tyler O’Neill, Robbie Grossman and J.D. Davis (not an outfielder but could play there) all have new homes. The Indians need a spark, though it’s odd a grizzled vet like Melky is being asked to provide one. O’Neill and Davis are power hitters without a clear path to a lot of playing time but both could bash their way into a regular role. That leaves Grossman, the low ceiling, boring pickup. but, you know what? He’s going to play a a lot while Joe Mauer is out, hitting in a good lineup spot for an offense that’s due to explode. There’s a place for that.

Todd’s Take

You know, after prepping the Tout and LABR report, along with several Tweets, I’m not sure if everyone else has lost their marbles or if I need to grow a pair. Sorry, I just can’t go all-in on a 19 year old prospect, regardless how well he’s hit the past few weeks in the minors. Yes, Soto has a great career in store, and I understand taking chances. I also see how well Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. are handling The Show. However, the list of difference-making 19-year old kids is scant. As a fan, I hope i’m wrong. We’ll see.

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