This article is part of our Rounding Third series.
For the second week in a row, FAAB bidding didn't turn out the way I anticipated it would earlier in the week. A week ago, we thought that Jack Leiter might fetch some big bids and play a big role in the Rangers' rotation. Instead, he got hit pretty hard by the Tigers and was sent back to Triple-A Round Rock. This week, we got excited when the Orioles promoted Heston Kjerstad after he got off to a torrid start at Triple-A Norfolk, with Austin Hays going on the IL. Instead, he's had one start since that promotion, playing Tuesday, even sitting twice against right-handed starting pitchers. Instead of fetching massive triple-digit bids, Kjerstad was not even the top bid-receiver in my leagues, and in some cases was landed unopposed by his new manager. He might end up being a bargain that way, instead of the subject of a FAAB-A-Palooza, but it shows how quickly our perceptions can change.
AL Tout Wars:
I kept my bidding pretty tame this week - not becasue my sixth place juggernaut doesn't need any improving, but more because by virtue of my last-place finish last year (yeah, I had a bad year in multiple formats in 2023) I started off with less FAAB than everyone else, one of the quirks of Tout Wars. I've spent a decent amount so far, and need to pace myself. I lost Jackson Holliday, so I needed to replace him with a warm body. Leonardo Rivas is
For the second week in a row, FAAB bidding didn't turn out the way I anticipated it would earlier in the week. A week ago, we thought that Jack Leiter might fetch some big bids and play a big role in the Rangers' rotation. Instead, he got hit pretty hard by the Tigers and was sent back to Triple-A Round Rock. This week, we got excited when the Orioles promoted Heston Kjerstad after he got off to a torrid start at Triple-A Norfolk, with Austin Hays going on the IL. Instead, he's had one start since that promotion, playing Tuesday, even sitting twice against right-handed starting pitchers. Instead of fetching massive triple-digit bids, Kjerstad was not even the top bid-receiver in my leagues, and in some cases was landed unopposed by his new manager. He might end up being a bargain that way, instead of the subject of a FAAB-A-Palooza, but it shows how quickly our perceptions can change.
AL Tout Wars:
I kept my bidding pretty tame this week - not becasue my sixth place juggernaut doesn't need any improving, but more because by virtue of my last-place finish last year (yeah, I had a bad year in multiple formats in 2023) I started off with less FAAB than everyone else, one of the quirks of Tout Wars. I've spent a decent amount so far, and need to pace myself. I lost Jackson Holliday, so I needed to replace him with a warm body. Leonardo Rivas is said warm body, having gotten the call from the Mariners after J.P. Crawford went on the IL.
NFBC Main Event:
For once Shoe and I landed a couple of "above-the-fold" free agents, landing Bryce Elder and Simeon Woods-Richardson. Elder was our top pitching priority - I think he's made material improvements from last season, and he should have a spot in the Braves' rotation the rest of the season. That's taking a couple of leaps of faith, and we won't even use him this week against the Dodgers, but finding free agent pitchers that we can possibly keep over the course of the season was one of our priorities.
Similarly, Woods-Richardson has replaced the struggling Louie Varland in the Twins rotation, a team that appears to have righted the ship after a listless start. He gets a start against the White Sox this week, and then has a two-step against the Mariners and the Blue Jays. Woods Richardson was once a top-50 prospect but backslid last year in Triple-A. He's still just 23 years old and so far looks as if he's improved his secondary offerings. Hopefully we get two good weeks out of him and then have to make a longer-term decision on him. We had the second place bids on both Jo Adell and Yennier Cano.
Beat Jeff Erickson1:
This is the first of the leagues where I landed Jo Adell. I know it's risky to think that Adell has managed to turn everything around, but here's what I like about him. Adell has cut his K% down from 40% down to 23.6%, while maintaining a relatively high barrel rate, hard hit % and logging an elite sprint speed score. He's played the last six games for the Angels and it appears that they're giving him the extended look that he's infrequently received in the past.
Once again I added Bryce Elder here, and also took a flier on Trevor Megill getting at least a share of the Brewers' saves, something that it doesn't appear that Ryne Stanek will be getting with Seattle after all. It's always a good idea to churn those bottom roster spots in a 12-team league, especially if you feel as if the dropped player has already been litigated.
I also dropped Jack Suwinski here - I know that the Pirates have had an inordinate amount of lefties on their schedule, but again in a 12-team league I didn't feel as if I could remain patient.
Beat Jeff Erickson2:
I commented to a friend on Twitter that I was surprised he got Wilyer Abreu from the Red Sox unopposed last week, without realizing that I could have had him unopposed last week too! Instead, I won a competitive bid on him this week, 57-to-47.
Yogurt:
In a league where I was already stashing Royce Lewis, Luis Robert Jr. and Paul Skenese, I couldn't afford to hang on to Lane Thomas following his MCL injury. Adding another outfielder was a priority for me, too - in this 15-team league I already have Jack Suwinski and the disappointing Chas McCormick rostered - at least Jo Adell gives me one pivot.
I also added Zach Neto to upgrade (in my mind, at least) over Michael Massey. I've been trying to fill this roster spot ever since Opening Day, when Royce Lewis got hurt. I started the season using Ryan McMahon as a Middle Infielder, but with Lewis out I moved McMahon over to CR and have been churning other MI's.
SCARF:
Another league, another spot where I added Bryce Elder. Oddly enough, my drop Albert Suarez did worse in his better home matchup against the A's, and now with Kyle Bradish and probably John Means returning this week, he's out of a role.
LABR Mixed League:
I didn't realize Joey Loperfido was eligible to be picked up in this league, else I would have bid on him. Kudos to Ray Flowers for the hustle to add him. Meanwhile I won a contested bid for Jo Adell, and a barely contested bid for Bryce Elder. This team is off to a mediocre start, despite having the good fortune of beginning with Bobby Witt Jr. over Corbin Carroll in the first round. The pitching generally has been disappointing and hurt, which is a bad way to go in life.
RotoWire Staff Keeper League:
I added a pair of two-start starters this week in Matt Waldron and Bailey Falter, along with an outfielder in Richie Palacios. I'm hoping some of that ex-Cardinal outfielder / Rays Devil Magic pays off for me in the long run.
