History Repeats the Old Conceits

And News From Beyond Belief

Different Strokes

When I get a note from my friend Perry it usually means I’ve made a mistake. Yesterday’s note is less definitive, a matter of opinion, but is certainly a different take than I have:

Peter, I am going to differ some on Caleb Durbin. If you look at the Brewers depth chart on Rotowire he is listed behind Turang at 2B, fine; after Ortiz at SS, also fine, BUT ahead of Oliver Dunn at 3B. So, unless:

a) the Brewers sign a free agent third baseman (or more unlikely trade for Arenado), or

b) Durbin falls on his face and/or Tyler Black is the hero of Spring Training

There is a very good chance Durbin is their starting shortstop, which btw some said right after the trade.

Perry could be correct, and I say that even though I discount the Tyler Black challenge, since he’s pretty dodgy with the glove at third base. Which improves Durbin’s chances to start. Still, I’m not convinced that Durbin is going to hit the ball hard enough. He might, he has a chance, but he’s not a sure thing even if the opportunity is all his.

News Break

Luis Urias, signed by the Athletics: The man most likely to be confused with a three-time batting champ during auctions becomes the platoon partner at third base with Gio Urshela. We know what to expect from him, which makes him a better endgame pickup in OBP leagues than in BA leagues. $1

John Means, signed by the Guardians: He had TJ last June and isn’t expected to pitch this season, but the Guardians are paying him a cool mill for an option to pay him more next year. So, no real fantasy relevance now, unless you nominate by mistake.

Justin Turner, signed by the Cubs: And so ends the speculation that Matt Shaw will break camp with the big club. Actually, Shaw still could, but there’s a fair chance that he’ll instead head back to the minors to work on his defense. Look for him to return later in the season. He’s missed time with a sore oblique this camp, which hasn’t helped, though he’s already back in the cage hitting. The good news here is that Shaw’s price might get knocked down a bit in drafts. Turner showed solid evidence of aging decline last year and he’s not getting any younger. $3

Brendan Rodgers, signed by the Astros: It’s a minor league deal, befitting a player who has a career OPS of .824 in Colorado, and a .627 everywhere else. He’s solid enough defensively to give the team more options if Jose Altuve ends up moving to the outfield.

Rowdy Tellez, signed by the Mariners: It’s a minor league deal, but he brings hope for a little pop to a team that needs it. The problem is that Rowdy hasn’t been all that rowdy the last two years. I had him at $4 in the Guide but his ADP has been 738, a definite $0. But let’s see if he makes the team before we knock his price down.

Roki Sasaki, faced batters yesterday: He pitched two innings, allowed two hits, drew a crowd. Just what the Dodgers wanted. They also said that Yamamoto and Sasaki would start the two games they’re playing against the Cubs in Tokyo in mid-March.

THE HISTORICAL EARNINGS CHARTS

These are the earnings the last three years for players who are eligible at each position this year. Which means they have 15 or more games at the position in 2024.

These are useful because they give you a quick look at the recent fortunes of most of the players with significant playing time in recent years at each position. No commentary added, so you can find your own patterns, which might suggest to go a little harder for a guy, or a little softer.

Paid subscribers will be able to browse each of the positions and both pitcher types charts. There’s a taste for free subscribers.

If you bought Rotoman’s Fantasy Baseball Guide A-Z 2025 in any format, you can download a PDF of the charts by clicking here. It’s password protected and the password is the first word in the Danny Jansen profile, with a capitalized first letter.

Your password but he’s not on the chart. Photo: David B. King: Flickr, Blogspot

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