It is Tout Wars Weekend, and I am in New York City!
Actually, this has been the busiest spring for me yet, having hit the Cactus League and LABR a few weeks back, doing the Grapefruit this past week, my XFL expansion draft, and now Tout is here.
As has become my tradition, I am indeed publishing this year’s wish list for the American League auction, commencing at 3 p.m., EST, tomorrow, broadcast on Sirius/XM.
These are indeed players I covet, how much I anticipate spending, and exactly why I have targeted the player.
J.D. Martinez ($35): I had pegged the new Boston flychaser for $43 at LABR and bagged J.D. for just $31. I don’t expect to slip by again at that rate, but I think this team is the perfect hit for the slugger and that he is maybe even due for a full season of play. Win-win.
Gerrit Cole ($17): Looking for a lesser ace, and I think Cole, who is a bit dismissed with his new Astros team, could actually surprise. I suspect we get a whiff an inning in the American League and maybe even 170 frames from Cole, who benefits by playing for one of the best teams on the planet.
Blake Snell ($14): I love how Tampa develops hurlers, and Snell looked good his last call-up, continuing the work through this spring. And, if I am trying to keep a more hitting oriented team, Snell as an ace has some potential.
Nathan Eovaldi ($2): Bargain basement? Yeah. A different guy than when he came up tossing the ball at 102 mph? Possessor of electric stuff when he came up? Yeah. Just off a year’s worth of surgery and rehab? Yeah. Now older, and wiser, and actually pitching? I think so. Well, I hope so.
Alcides Escobar ($1): If I can get the guy regarded as the least productive hitter in baseball for a buck, and he posts his 162-game mean of .260-5-51 with 21 steals to me for that buck (or even two), I will be beyond happy. In fact, if i can get a team of guys like Esky, I will have a solid chance to win.
Alex Bregman ($25): Hits well and has position flexibility, but Bregman came to the show ready to play at the major league level. I think he is the real deal and a .290-25-90 season is totally in the cards.
Dustin Fowler ($5): Some pop and maybe some serious speed for a fourth, or maybe fifth, outfielder on a team with a lot of potential pop, Fowler could well emerge as a table setter and steals guy.
Matt Barnes ($2): 83 whiffs last year over 69.2 innings with seven wins and a save, Barnes makes a nice third reliever and is a great potential handcuff to Craig Kimbrel. (He might be even better on his own, depending upon the health of Kimbrel.)
Tune into the Tout Wars Hour on the FNTSY network, hosted by me, with Justin Mason and featuring Lord Z every Sunday, 2-4 PM ET/11 AM-1 PM PT, and you can follow me @lawrmichaels.
