Fantasy Baseball Today - MLB Free Agent Predictions! Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger & More (Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 Podcast)

Starting point is 00:00:02 Where will Shohei Otani and the other big name free agents sign this offseason? Let's make some predictions on fantasy baseball today in five. Welcome into FBT and 5 on Saturday, November 18th. I am Frank Stanfield, joined by Scott White. Let's have some fun. Predict the landing spots for the top five free agents this off season. And Scott, no surprise. Number one, maybe the best free agent in baseball history.

Starting point is 00:00:29 Shohei Otani will wind up where. as much as I want to say the Atlanta Braves because there has there has been some buzz out there and can you imagine that lineup with the Kunya and Otani at the top no I mean that's that's obvious

Starting point is 00:00:45 that obviously would be a home or taken I don't want to go there I'm going to say the Dodgers just because I feel like they've been plotting this move for a couple years remember they kind of sat out free agency last off season and we're just planning to introduce some younger players and I

Starting point is 00:01:02 even back then it was speculated this is so they could make a big play for Otani and what is now the current off season. And because they're the Dodgers, I mean, if they want to back up the truck for them, they can back up the truck for them. So I think it's just, it ultimately is a matter of how badly they want them. And I think they want it pretty badly. So I'm going to say Otoni did the Dodgers. Well, that makes two of us, Scott, because I am also going with the Dodgers. This has been the favorite for so long to wind up with Cho Hay Otani. I do think there will be some other teams in the mix, the Texas Rangers we've heard about. I think the Cubs want to make a splash after bringing in Craig Counsel, but in the end, it will be the Dodgers. And can you

Starting point is 00:01:41 imagine a top three that features Muki Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Otani? I mean, my gosh, what that is going to mean for fantasy for years to come will be amazing. The number two free agent is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is a 25-year-old phenom starting pitcher who's coming over from Japan, expected to land $200 plus million in a contract. Scott, where do you think Yamamoto winds up? So I kind of want to say Dodgers and hedge my bet here in case they don't get Otani. But I'm not going to do that. That's the coward's way.

Starting point is 00:02:17 I'm going to say Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the giants, the giants who have a need for pitching and just, you know, they got to do something because the fan base is. getting restless and I think a big splash like this, a West Coast team where it sounds like Yamamoto would prefer to be. I think the Giants will be very much in the mix and ultimately come through and sign him. And you know what, Scott? We are two for two because I am also going with the Giants here, the report of him preferring to be on the West Coast. I think the Dodgers will be in the mix as well. The Giants have missed out the past couple of years on big names. They were close on Aaron Judge. They were close on Carlos Correa. Maybe thankfully,

Starting point is 00:03:01 that didn't work out for them. But they, I think, need to bring in a big name. They kind of need, like, a face of the organization, whatever it might be. And I think maybe Yamamoto can be exactly that. I'm also choosing the Giants. Number three, we have our first position player here on the list, and that is Cody Bellinger. I'm going to guess we part ways here, Frank,

Starting point is 00:03:21 because you're going to be afraid of sounding like a homer. I will be a homer on your behalf and say Cody Bellinger goes to the Yankees. because they need offense pretty badly. I think just it's kind of the Yankees M.O whenever there is a player coming off a big season that may be the rest of the league is, the majority of the league is skeptical about. The Yankees will go ahead and be the ones who step up and give him the big contract he's looking for. But it also, just from an analytical standpoint, like if there is any place Bellinger could go and still continue to produce like he did with the Cubs, despite some of the other.

Starting point is 00:04:00 suspect exit velocities, him being a left-handed hitter. It's the Yankees, Yankee Stadium short porch and right. So I think it would be a good fit for him there too. All right. Well, according to Scott, following in the footsteps of his father, Clay Bellinger, Cody winds up with the Yankees. I think he's going back to the Chicago Cubs. I think the Cubs are going to be in the mix for a bunch of different free agents this

Starting point is 00:04:20 all season. I think they want to make some moves. They brought in the big manager and Craig Counsel. And I think that maybe they miss out on Otani. They pivot. They bring back Cody Bellinger. And I actually think that would be great for his fantasy value, seeing as how he just had one of his best seasons with the Chicago Cubs.

Starting point is 00:04:37 Number four, we are back to pitching Scott, Aaron Nola. Where does he wind up? All right. This one I'm going to say is the Braves. Aaron Nola goes to the Braves. They're definitely in the market for starting pitching. That's a huge need for the team. And I think they would prefer to get like a workhorse type,

Starting point is 00:04:54 as opposed to somebody who maybe has a bit more of injury history. even if you can count on for a lower ERA. I'm thinking somebody like Sunny Gray. I think the Braves would prefer Aaron Nola, and there are reasons to believe he might like to go there. He has a relationship with their pitching coach, Rick Kranitz. The two got along well in Philadelphia. And in fact, Cranet's last year with the Phillies was Nola's best year, 2018.

Starting point is 00:05:22 Also, he's a Southern boy. He's got the accent and everything. So I think it makes sense on many levels. Aaron Nola to the Braves. I think that makes a ton of sense. I think the Braves wind up with somebody, whether it's Nola, Sunny Gray, Jordan Montgomery, maybe it's the trade market. But I'm actually going to go with the St. Louis Cardinals,

Starting point is 00:05:39 who have already come out and said they want to sign not one, not two, but three starting pitchers this off season. So we know they're in the market. Aranola is arguably the top one out there. And I think the Cardinals can use a workhorse like that up top. And I think Aranola winds up in St. Louis. Number five, last but not least, Blake Snell, your NL.

Starting point is 00:05:59 Sy Young Award winner goes to Cardinals. That's my Cardinals Blake's Nell to the Cardinals because there was a lot of chatter during the season that maybe the Cardinals

Starting point is 00:06:08 need to change their approach. They've relied so much over the years on more pitch to contact guys and maybe they need a power arm at the top of the rotation of a real big

Starting point is 00:06:22 bat misser and Blake Snow is certainly that. So it would seem to fit with that narrative. And as you pointed out, they're very much in the market for starting pitching as well. All right. Well, the Phillies lost out on Aranola. How do they replace him?

Starting point is 00:06:35 They bring in Blake Snell. So that's what I think is going to happen. He winds up in Philadelphia. Obviously, they still need a top of the rotation guy to go along with Zach Wheeler. That's a team that wants to compete. They're obviously going for World Series year in and year out. They have an amazing team, very high payroll. I do think Blake Snell could potentially fill in for Aranola if he leaves the Phillies.

Starting point is 00:06:57 For more extensive fantasy baseball coverage, listen to the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, the Odyssey app, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Thanks for listening to Fantasy Baseball Today and Five, and we'll be back again next week. Bye-bye.

Fantasy Baseball Today - MLB Free Agent Predictions! Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger & More (Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 Podcast)

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