My Cousin Vinnie

Vinnie Pasquantino (KCR): 3-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB.

Vinnie P needed this game in a big way and I for one am happy to see it. Last year Pasquantino went down with a shoulder injury that required surgery, and it felt like it would lead to a bit of a slow start to 2024. That slow start has reared its ugly head but it’s also only been what, a week? I love the first week of fantasy baseball, so many overreactions.

He hasn’t made much noise to start the season so a 3-3 game like this with a home run, a double, and 5 RBI feels like a possible start to something we want to see. I almost wrote expect to see and then was reminded that, as much as I love Vinnie P, we haven’t seen him have THAT season. Pasquantino hasn’t been around a long time but I don’t think that should deter fantasy owners from believing in him.

We must believe in the Pasquatch. I want to believe. This is where you add a Fox Mulder Sasquatch monologue.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Wednesday

 

Gavin Sheets (CHW): 3-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, SB.

Sheets had arguably a better game than Vinnie P but I chose to go with Vinnie P. And hey, Gavin Sheets, I’m sure you’re great, and you had a super nice game man, but the White Sox are a sadness factory right now producing only VHS copies of Life is Beautiful. So very, very sad. Sheets did have a great game and he’s a name to keep an eye on for deeper leagues, but the White Sox offense is just, sad.

Edouard Julien (MIN): 3-4, 2 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI.

Can Julien hit for consistent power? That is the question I am asking myself for all of summer 2024. Well, that and how much Willie Nelson is too much Willie Nelson, cause I’ve been on a kick lately and it feels like it’s going to bleed into all of summer. Not mad about it. Julien entered the year as one of the most exciting young bats and so far, not so great, but again, it’s been a week. I have faith here as well, players that can get on base via walk are usually good offensive players. This is Julien and Vinnie P so again, remain calm, and let’s see if these young studs can produce consistently for a bit.

Jurickson Profar (SDP): 3-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Speaking of young studs, Jurickson Profar is my top prospect in all of baseball for the year 2013. Man, I remember vividly when he was the top prospect in baseball. I’m getting old. Oh, hold on that’s my alarm to take my blood pressure medication. I wish I was joking.

Who is Jurickson Profar? Seriously. Cause there was a time when many, including myself, saw him as the next big thing. He hasn’t had a bad MLB career, and it says something that he’s still in the league during the 2024 season when he was the top prospect in 2013, but he truly just never took that step.

Outfield remains bleak so I think Profar could end up being a sneaky deep league play if you are in dire need of an outfielder. But don’t expect too much out of him.

Josh Naylor (CLE): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.

The older of the Naylor brothers, Josh gets the first write-up for batter’s box. Do you know why? Truly no reason. It looks like he scored one more run than Bo.

The Guardians are fun and with Josh Naylor healthy, this offense has actually looked, dare I say, go– I’m not going to say good. It’s looked fine. The team does not function without JRam, however, Josh Naylor is slowly becoming an insanely important piece to the success of the Guardians. I am kicking myself for not taking Josh Naylor everywhere I could this year in drafts; I got greedy with Triston Casas every time he was still available. But, Naylor is someone who can carry your fantasy team, just stay healthy, please.

Bo Naylor (CLE): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB.

The other Naylor brother also had a good game. That’s gotta be fun, playing baseball with your brother, and being a part of the same write-up. Bo and Josh if you’re reading this, which I know you are, I just gotta say, how fun.

Bo Naylor was a huge name for me this offseason and I like what I’ve seen so far from him. Austin Hedges is getting a lot of time behind the dish cause of, reasons (he’s good defensively I know, let me be mad), so Naylor’s ceiling is a bit limited. But I think a 20-20 ceiling is possible with Naylor. It may not happen this year but I think it’s a part of his future.

Jordan Westburg (BAL): 2-3, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI.

Well, well, well, the night Jackson Holliday premiers he is nowhere to be seen on the write-up, and instead, often forgotten, hard-hit machine Jordan Westburg shows up. He is inevitable.

This is another young player I really like and one whose buy window is closing if you do not already have him. He hits the ball hard, he’s good on defense, and so far his plate discipline has shown promise. I do think Coby Mayo is better than Westburg and slots in as the Orioles’ everyday third basemen in the near future, but Westburg is so good that they will find a place for him.

Nick Ahmed (SFG): 3-3, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI.

It’s weird to see Ahmed as a Giant. It feels like they could’ve just kept Brandon Crawford if they were just going to replace him with Ahmed. Who’s next, Chris Owings?

This was a nice game from Ahmed but there isn’t much to get excited about here. He is strictly an NL-only type player who can have hot streaks from time to time.

Adolis García (TEX): 3-3, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB, SB.

The muscleman continues his solid 2024 start with a three-hit, one-walk night. I don’t consider García to be a part of my “what else is there to say category,” but honestly, he may be close to that. These last few years he’s been everything he needs to be and has improved in areas that once plagued him, mainly the strikeouts. These Rangers are fun to watch and Adolis is one of the reasons for this.

Triston Casas (BOS): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Alright, so I mentioned earlier I didn’t get any Josh Naylor in drafts cause I liked the Casas price too much, and I stand by that. Thank you Casas for the home run performance or else I’d be looking like a fool out there.

It hasn’t been the start we were hoping for with Casas but it hasn’t been bad either. I think he’s too talented to keep from exploding this year. I hope you drafted Casas cause I think this year he will go nuclear.

Michael Busch (CHC): 1-2, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB.

A fun one to end it. Michael Busch is starting to heat up for the Cubs and has looked like the piece they needed last year. The two walks today are especially encouraging and if he is not rostered in your league right now, I don’t care what format, snag him. His minor league numbers were insane and he has the potential to become a solid offensive player.