Should i trade fantasy baseball

That was Cole's breakout season, as he had a 2. As bad as Cole has been lately, I still have a lot of confidence that he'll continue to be a very, very good pitcher moving forward. Maybe he won't challenge for the No. But maybe you don't share my optimism. You've got him on your team, let's say, and you've watched enough of his starts to know that, despite all his velocity, he just doesn't have it.

I'll grant that premise and still tell you that selling low on Cole is the wrong move. You're selling him at the absolute lowest point his value has been since , at least, at a time when his struggles amid the crackdown on foreign substances have been one of the most talked about topics in baseball. Unless Cole has a 5. Even if you think Cole doesn't have it, trading him coming off his two worst starts of the season is the wrong move. Because before those two starts, he allowed six runs over 21 innings and looked like he was, if not all the way back, at least still pitching well.

He's going to have a start or two where he looks like himself and, if you really want to trade him, that's the time to do it. And you shouldn't do it for anything less than one of the other pitchers in his tier: Scherzer, Darvish, Woodruff, etc. The problem is, if you're trying to trade for him, it's going to be tough to bring yourself to give up that much.

And you shouldn't! Just like this is the wrong time for someone who has Cole to try to trade him, this is the perfect time to try to trade for him. But you have to make sure you're buying low. An Aaron Nola or Lance Lynn would be a good option if you could pull it off. Just hope whoever has him isn't reading this column!

Ultimately, the point is that you want Cole on your team for the second half. Maybe it won't work out; maybe he really doesn't have it, and he isn't going to figure out how to find it. I'm not even sure Witt's arrival hinges on Merrifield's departure given that Merrifield is also an outfielder, but it couldn't hurt.

Jon Gray SP. Just as leaving Coors Field is always a bad thing for hitters, it's a good thing for pitchers, and I'd argue the same is true for Jon Gray even though he has better numbers at home 4.

Given his enormous stature as a prospect and draft pick back in the day, I suspect that he had to sacrifice something in his adaptation to Coors Field that he can regain once he's moved on. Pitches get more movement at lower altitudes. Batted balls don't fall as easily in smaller outfields. There's only upside to him leaving, in other words, and the rewards will be even greater with him pitching as well as he is right now.

Richard Rodriguez RP. Richard Rodriguez is one of those tweener relievers who's better than the average setup man but not quite what a contender would desire in a closer, especially given his decline in strikeout rate this year. Presumably, it's a contender that would trade for him, and presumably, that contender would have a superior choice for the ninth inning already, thus eliminating Rodriguez's contributions to the saves category, which is mainly what you want from a reliever in Fantasy.

He has two more years of team control left, so it's not a given he's gone. But if he is, rookie David Bednar would be the favorite to take his place. Ian Kennedy RP. Being signed just for this year, Ian Kennedy is an even surer bet to go than Rodriguez, and his move out of the closer role would be more of a certainty as well. He got the job just because the Rangers had nobody else to fill it and has handled it surprisingly well, but he doesn't have shutdown stuff, really, and is vulnerable to the long ball.

What makes his case especially unfortunate is that there's no heir apparent in Texas, making a Orioles-style committee of nobodies the likely result of his departure. Newly minted setup man Spencer Patton might have a shot to grab the role, though. Jesus Aguilar 1B. Of Jesus Aguilar's 17 home runs this year, you know how many have come at home? That's not unusual for the sluggers who've passed through Miami since loanDepot Park opened.

Christian Yelich's and J. Realmuto's splits were always dreadful there, too, which was a big reason why we liked Yelich so much for a breakout when he went to Milwaukee.

What if Aguilar joins him there, as has been rumored? Hey, we already have some idea how it would play out. Starling Marte CF. Starling Marte, on the other hand, has ranked among the very best at his position before and certainly could again with the right landing spot. In this perfect world, fantasy baseball leagues will also eliminate wins as a standard category.

Other outside factors such as run support, defense and relief pitching make wins a team effort foolishly rewarded to an individual. Despite a 3.

Seem fair? As for saves, the closers with the most opportunities, as opposed to the best pitchers, will earn the most saves. Frank Francisco has tallied 15 saves with a 5. Rafael Betancourt has only 10 saves with a 2. Pitchers with many wins or saves cannot be trusted to maintain that mark since they lack full control in the process, and high-quality pitchers with low totals should see their luck turn around.

Jordan Zimmermann , Anibal Sanchez and Matt Garza are a few intriguing starting pitching options who could be undervalued due to low win totals. For those looking for a closer, you might be able to obtain Betancourt or Addison Reed at a discounted rate.

Web sites spoil owners by affording them the opportunity to send a trade proposal with the push of a button. If you offer a deal without any note or discussion, chances are the other owner will reject the deal without giving an explanation. Initiating a dialogue establishes a rapport with other members of your league and increases the likelihood of a prolonged negotiation.

Consider sending other league members e-mails to express your desire of a certain players or gauge their interest in one of your players.

You will never know what the other owner is thinking unless you ask. Even if no deal materializes, the discussion can lead to continued trade talk throughout the year. By the way, Johnson is a guy I would target now before he washes away memories of his poor start. Most people have participated in a league with that annoying person who constantly sends terrible trade offers. This guy or girl tried to steal Pujols in April with a package of three average players highlighted by Freddie Freeman.

He or she obviously thinks very little of your fantasy baseball acumen. Initiating a trade discussion with an offer that tilts in your favor is perfectly understandable, but don't get carried away.

Be careful not to offend potential trade partners, as that will end trade talks and dampen any chances of negotiating with that person in the future. I actually received that offer of Freeman and two scrubs for my Pujols, and I did not bother to counter his proposal or further the discussion. You may feel intimidated by the wide gap you must fill in order to overcome a slow start, but there is still time to win.