Posted on by Michael Halpern

New York Yankees Top 5 Fantasy Baseball Prospects

First, it was the “Big Three” (Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy). Then, it was the “Killer B’s” (Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos, Andrew Brackman). And now … the fans don’t nickname Yankees prospects anymore. But this current group might finally be the one to form the next Yankees core. Luis Severino and Greg Bird both impressed last season, as the first wave of this Yankees youth movement. Both also exhausted their rookie eligibility. Severino will begin the season in the Yankees starting rotation, while Bird is likely to start the season in AAA, waiting his turn behind Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Severino and Bird are just the tip of the iceberg, though. Here are the top 5 New York Yankees prospects for 2016:

1) Gary Sanchez C – “I’d like to unleash the Kracken,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters earlier this offseason, referring to Sanchez. Sanchez absolutely destroyed the Arizona Fall League in 2015, putting up a .982 OPS, and crushing 7 homers in only 22 games. This was coming off a season where he hit 18 homers in 93 games, splitting time between AA (58 games) and AAA (35 games). His defense continued to improve as well, to the point nobody doubts he can stick at catcher anymore. This is a bat-first, power hitting catcher. It doesn’t get much juicier than that.

ETA: 2016
Prime Projection: 67/22/83/.280/4

2) Aaron Judge OF – The 6’7’’, 275-pound Judge is more Judge Dredd, than Judge Judy. There is no question about his raw power. Splitting time between AA (63 games) and AAA (61 games) in 2015, Judge launched 20 homers and stole 7 bases. Strikeouts are a real concern, though, as he struck out 144 times in 124 games. His numbers also tanked when he reached AAA, triple-slashing a measly .224/.308/.373. But the home run upside is too much to ignore, and even if he always struggles to make contact, the power is not going anywhere.

ETA: 2016-17
Prime Projection: 75/26/90/.260/7

3) Jorge Mateo SS – Mateo stole 82 bases in two levels of A-ball last season. He hit only 2 homers, but his 6’0’’, 188-pound frame leaves room for more in the future. With the 25-year-old Didi Gregorius firmly entrenched at SS, and 25-year-old Starlin Castro at 2B, Mateo does not have a clear path to playing time with the Yankees. Although, the Yankees did reportedly offer Mateo in a trade for Craig Kimbrel at the trade deadline last season, so he might be on a different team by the time he is major league ready anyway. Mateo has the upside to be a 5-category stud, but he has yet to play above A-ball, and his power has not shown up yet.

ETA: 2017-18
Prime Projection: 87/9/50/.275/42

4) James Kaprielian RHP – The Yankees drafted Kaprielian with the 16th overall pick in 2015. He is a fast moving, high floor college pitcher. Kaprielian throws a traditional four-pitch mix, sitting in the low to mid 90’s with his fastball. He projects as a mid-rotation starter, with good, but not elite strikeout numbers. Yankee Stadium and the AL East will not do him any favors either. If this write-up makes him seem safe and boring, that is because he is.

ETA: 2016-17
Prime Projection: 3.66/1.27/175 in 195 IP

5) Rob Refsnyder 2B – Refsnyder was prospect blocked last season by Stephen Drew and his .201 batting average. After Drew signed with the Washington Nationals this offseason to prospect block Trea Turner, it seemed like Refsnyder would finally get a real shot to win the second base job. But not so fast, the Yankees went out and traded for Castro. So it is back to AAA for Refsnyder. Refsnyder has an elite K/BB ratio, with average power and speed. All it would take is one injury to Castro, Didi, or Headley, to open up a spot on the major league roster for Refsnyder next season. He is also a prime candidate to be traded to a team with an opening at second base.

ETA: 2016
Prime Projection: 75/15/67/.285/12

Honorable Mentions: Wilkerman Garcia SS, Domingo Acevedo RHP, Ian Clarkin LHP, Brady Lail RHP, Tyler Wade SS

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

Posted on by Michael Halpern

Derek Fisher, 2016 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Sleeper

Let the Houston Astros’ Derek Fisher be a lesson to us all. Search Engine Optimization is a real concern when naming your baby. If you want any of your child’s accomplishments to be found on the internet (if you can’t find it on Google, did it ever really happen?), your child better not share his/her name with a more popular person. Google’s Derek Fisher is a 5-time NBA champion, and current head coach of the New York Knicks. Conversely, the 3rd Google hit is a headline that reads, “Matt Barnes drove 95 miles to ‘beat the s—t’ out of Derek Fisher.” SEO giveth, and taketh away. Either way, Fisher’s uncontested reign atop Google’s rankings might be coming to an end, because 2016 will be the year the Astros’ Derek Fisher starts to climb his way up the ranks, and cements his status as a future fantasy star. Which makes now your last chance to buy at a good value.

Fisher was drafted by the Astros with the 37th overall pick in 2014. He only slid that far because he was coming off a down senior season, and was demanding a large signing bonus. While he hit only 17 homers in 155 career college games playing OF for the Virginia Cavaliers, the Cavs are known to have an extreme pitchers’ park. The 6’3’’, 207-pound Fisher had all the physical tools to eventually tap into his plus raw power, to go along with his already plus speed, and hitting ability. And that is exactly what happened for Fisher in 2015.

As a 21-year-old outfielder splitting time in Single-A (39 games) and High-A (84 games), Fisher triple-slashed .275/.364/.483, with 22 homers and 31 steals. He reinforced this breakout against tougher competition in the Arizona Fall League, triple-slashing .254/.397/.424, with 2 homers and 3 steals in 17 games. As his OBP numbers reveal, Fisher has a strong command of the strike zone, drawing a walk in 11.6% of his plate appearances last season. He is going to start 2016 in AA and should see AAA by the end of the season, with a 2017 ETA for the majors.

But it is not all rainbows, there are some risks here as well. The power breakout came with an increase in strikeouts, as he struck out 132 times in 123 games. Both the California League (where he did most of his damage last year) and the Arizona Fall League are notorious hitters’ leagues. While the Astros’ home ballpark, Minute Maid Park, favors hitters, there is a decent chance Fisher is traded this season to bolster an already strong Astros team. Underscoring this, it was reported that Fisher was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this offseason in the Ken Giles deal, before word spread that it was Mark Appel who would be on the move, not Fisher.

These are minor concerns in the inherently uncertain world of baseball prospects. If Fisher can come anywhere close to repeating his 20/30 season in AA/AAA this year, the buy window will be slammed shut. In his prime, Fisher projects to hit about .270, with 20-25 homers and 15-20 steals. He holds even more value in OBP/BB leagues.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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NFL Playoff Picks: Divisional Round, Day 2

Day 2 of the NFL Divisional Round kicks off this Sunday, matching up the 1 vs. 6 seeds from each conference. I am looking to bounce back after going 1-3 in the Wild Card Round.

Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers
Spread: Car -1.5

Carolina: I have never seen a team that went 15-1 in the regular season, and a quarterback who accounted for 45 combined passing and rushing touchdowns, get such little respect. Carolina outscored their opponents by 192 points. That is 12 points per game. They are the Golden State Warriors of the NFL.

Seattle: Seattle successfully transitioned from a run first attack, to a passing attack this year. Or, in other words, the transition from it being Marshawn Lynch’s team, to Russell Wilson’s team, is complete. It will once again be their defense, though, that will be the key to their success.

The Pick: Take Carolina and gladly give the 1.5 points. Blair Walsh let Seattle off the hook last week, but they will not be so lucky again.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos
Spread: Den -7

Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh was all set to make a Super Bowl run before they started dropping like flies. First it was Le’Veon Bell. Then it was DeAngelo Williams. Now Antonio Brown has been ruled out for Sunday, and Big Ben’s effectiveness is in serious question with a shoulder injury. This is not your father’s Steel Curtain Steelers D, so the injuries on offense might be too much to overcome.

Denver: Denver has quarterback questions of their own, having just handed the reins back over to Peyton Manning in the 2nd half of the final game of their season. They will likely continue to rely on their run game to carry the offense. But it is their #1 ranked defense that has really been the backbone of this team all season, and will have to stymie Pittsburgh’s passing attack in order to advance.

The Pick: Take Pitt plus the 7 points. I think Denver will win this game, but do not have the offensive firepower to cover the spread.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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NFL Playoff Picks: Divisional Round

The NFL Divisional Round kicks off this Saturday, matching up the 2 vs. 5 seeds from each conference. I am looking to bounce back after going 1-3 in the Wild Card Round.

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
Spread: NE – 5

The public is favoring Kansas City right now, with 60% of the bets coming in on them. Always be skeptical of a public underdog. People are looking at a Kansas City team that has won 11 straight, a New England team that is banged up, and are running for the points. Vegas is more than happy to back Bill Belichick at home with two weeks to prepare. Making the spread 5 almost seems like they are goading bettors into taking Kansas City.

The Pick: Take Kansas City plus the points. I’m a sucker.

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals
Spread: Ari -7

Another game with the public backing the underdog, with 56% of the bets coming in on Green Bay. Didn’t take much to get people back on that Packers bandwagon, huh. Vegas will be backing Arizona, who just beat this Green Bay team by 30 points a few weeks ago. Aaron Rodgers told reporters earlier this week, “the pressure’s all going to be on them.”

The Pick: Take Green Bay plus the points. They were my sole victory from last week (sort of), and I am going to keep riding them.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

Posted on by Michael Halpern

Matt Wieters, 2016 Fantasy Sleeper

Owning the Baltimore Orioles’ Matt Wieters in fantasy baseball last season, was like waiting for your perpetually late friend to finally show up for dinner. 15 minutes after they are already supposed to be there, you get a text saying they will be there in “5 min.” 45 minutes later, they finally show up. Just take a look at Wieters’ Rotoworld updates prior to finally making his 2015 debut:

December 21, 2014 – “Agent Scott Boras has said that his client, Matt Wieters (elbow), will be ready to play on Opening Day … as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.”

February 28, 2015 – “Everything is trending toward the 28-year-old being ready for Opening Day.”

March 20, 2015 – “Wieters is dealing with some tendinitis in his surgically-repaired right elbow. The Orioles aren’t viewing it as a setback and are still hopeful of him being ready for Opening Day.”

March 21, 2015 – “The Orioles are tentatively targeting a return on April 11, citing this as a precautionary measure rather than a setback in his recovery.”

April 8, 2015 – “The Orioles are going to continue to play it safe with their star catcher, who probably won’t be ready until sometime in early May.”

May 1, 2015 – “A return in late May or early June for Matt Wieters (elbow) ‘seems reasonable.’”

May 10, 2015 – “Wieters continues to rehab in extended spring training and is on track to rejoin the Orioles at some point in June.”

June 5, 2015 – “Wieters will make his season debut on Friday after making his way back from Tommy John surgery.”

You see what I mean? Even after he made his debut, Wieters still dealt with lingering arm soreness all season, and needed to be heavily rested. He never allowed himself to properly heal from his torn UCL, and his playing time and production took a hit as a result. He played in only 75 games, triple-slashing .267/.319/.422, and hitting 8 homers.

The silver lining in all of this, is that his injury-ravaged 2015 makes him an ideal fantasy sleeper for 2016. With a full offseason of rest, and almost two years removed from the surgery, Wieters figures to be fully healthy this upcoming year. His 2015 numbers actually look pretty good considering the circumstances, and were not far off from his career averages. Wieters was also enjoying a strong start to the 2014 season before tearing his UCL, hitting .308/.339/.500, with 5 homers in 104 at-bats. In the three years prior to the injury, he hit 22, 23, and 22 homers, respectively.

All signs point to the 29-year-old Wieters having a bounce back season in 2016. On top of that, he still has the kind of raw talent and ability (he was ranked the #1 overall prospect in all of baseball in 2009), that a late career breakout is not out of the question. For 2016, I will give Wieters the projection of 62/21/75/.270/0, and should easily finish as a top 10 fantasy catcher.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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Aziz Ansari, Master of None

Aziz Ansari is notorious for his jovial, high energy, balls to the wall comedy style. Best known for his role as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation, Aziz often plays the character of everyone’s best friend. The not a care in the world, ceaselessly optimistic guy. It is that same personality that shines through during his stand-up comedy specials. But if you listened close enough, you would have noticed a gritty undertone that was just waiting to bust out. And Master of None is its coming out party.

If Aziz was a pop singer, Master of None would be his stripped down, acoustic album. Saying all of the things he wanted to say before, but couldn’t. Filmed and directed in a style similar to Louie, it tackles the topics of dating, sex, marriage, career, family, and racial stereotypes. Master of None is not the gut-busting comedy we are used to seeing from Aziz. The jokes strike on a much deeper, personal level. The comedic situations stem from the day-to-day challenges that life throws our way. It is the voice of a generation that is fighting to make its mark and find its place in this world.

The role of Aziz’s father is played by his real father. And he steals every scene he is in. Eric Wareheim plays the role that Aziz usually gets cast in, as the funny best friend. You can’t help but to be won over by his quirky, cuddly, understated comedy style. And Danielle Brooks absolutely kills it in the one episode she appears in, playing the role of Aziz’s agent. I only wish she had a larger role. There are even cameos made by Claire Danes and Busta Rhymes.

Aziz has already proven hilarious in roles where the audience can just turn off their brains and laugh for a little while. With Master of None, he has now taken his comedy game to the next level. Do not let the title of the show fool you, Aziz Ansari is most certainly on his way to becoming a Master of Comedy.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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Jimmy Nelson, 2016 Fantasy Sleeper

Jimmy Nelson was labeled a fantasy “breakout” candidate last year. He did not breakout. Now he gets downgraded to the less dignified “sleeper” label. I’m cutthroat like that. He must pay for his mediocrity! Which is exactly how he pitched last year. Nelson finished the 2015 season for the Milwaukee Brewers with a 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 148 K’s in 177.1 IP. At certain points during the year, he looked like a top 15 fantasy starter. At others, he looked unrosterable. It was that inconsistency which makes him an intriguing fantasy sleeper for 2016, because nobody wants someone who is consistently mediocre. You hear that kids! Be awesome, or be awful. People will think you are full of potential!

Nelson does have real potential though. He throws a 93-94 MPH fastball, a nasty slider, and a knuckle curveball that he added to his arsenal prior to last season. The knuckle curve graded out as an average pitch in his first year of using it. With continued refinement, it can become a deadly weapon combined with his big fastball and plus slider.

Nelson has also been a pillar of health throughout his entire professional career. He pitched 146 innings in 2011, 127.1 innings in 2012, 152.1 innings in 2013, 180.1 innings in 2014, and 177.1 innings in 2015. His 6’6’’, 243-pound build is tailor made to be an innings eating, workhorse starter. The strikeout potential is there too. Nelson struck out 549 batters in 563.1 IP in his minor league career. In 2014, he struck out 114 batters in 111 IP while pitching in the PCL, a league that is death on pitchers. In his first 256.2 IP in the majors, he struck out a respectable 213 batters.

Nelson will still have to pitch in the launching pad that is Miller Park, which does cap his upside a bit. For 2016, I will give Nelson the projection of 3.51/1.25/178 in 192 IP. The 26-year-old holds even more value in dynasty/keeper leagues.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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NFL Playoff Picks: NFC Wild Card Round

The NFC Wild Card Round will be played this Sunday, January 10, 2016. The two clear favorites in the NFC, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals, have first-round byes, and will be awaiting the teams that survive this round

Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings
Spread: Sea – 5

Seattle: Seattle has the 4th best point differential in the league, outscoring their opponents by 146 combined points. They have the 2nd ranked defense in the NFL, and have allowed the least amount of points, surrendering only 17.3 points per game. QB Russell Wilson had a breakout season as a passer this year, throwing for 4,024 yards and 34 touchdowns. Everyone just assumed this breakout would eventually happen, so nobody is really talking about it, but it is a major step forward for Wilson. Even with RB Marshawn Lynch banged up all season, Seattle rushed for the 3rd most yards in the NFL. They have won eight of their last ten games. If you have not figured it out yet, Seattle is still very, very good.

Minnesota: Minnesota has the 9th best point differential in the league, outscoring their opponents by 63 combined points. They have the 13th ranked defense and 29th ranked offense in the NFL. QB Teddy Bridgewater failed to improve on his impressive rookie season this year, throwing for only 14 touchdowns in 16 games. On the bright side, RB Adrian Peterson picked up right where he left off after missing almost all of last season. He rushed for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading Minnesota’s 4th ranked rushing attack. Minnesota comes into the playoffs on a three-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents (CHI, NYG, GB) by 60 points in those games alone.

The Pick: Seattle dominated Minnesota, 38-7, when these two teams met just one month ago. With Minnesota at home for this game, I would expect them to put up a much better fight this time around. But it will still likely not be enough to topple their superior opponent. Take Seattle giving the five points, but don’t think it is going to be easy.

Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins
Spread: Wash – 1

I would be lying if I told you I have any idea how this game is going to play out. Green Bay has been underwhelming this entire season, and has lost their last two games. Washington is on a four-game win streak, and is playing at home. Kirk Cousins had a better QB rating, 101.6, than Aaron Rodgers did this year, 92.7. And yet, I still cannot find it in me to trust Washington.

The Pick: Pass. If I was forced to pick, I would put my money on Rodgers and live with the results.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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NFL Playoff Picks: AFC Wild Card Round

The NFL Playoffs kickoff this Saturday, starting with the AFC Wild Card Round. The AFC is wide open this year, and one of these teams can easily find themselves representing the AFC in Super Bowl 50.

Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans
Spread: KC – 3.5

Houston: Completely throw out KC’s 27-20 victory over Houston in Week 1. Both teams are playing at a completely different level than they were earlier in the season. Led by last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, and prolific television commercial actor, JJ Watt, Houston comes into Saturday’s game with the 3rd ranked defense in the league. QB Brian Hoyer also enjoyed a quiet breakout season, putting up a 91.4 QB Rating in 11 games. And the best WR that nobody is talking about, DeAndre Hopkins, just torched the league to the tune of 111/1,521/11. Houston has won six of their last eight games, and are fired up to avenge their Week 1 loss.

Kansas City: KC is on a 10-game win streak of their own, and have been the talk of the NFL for weeks now. They are not invincible though. They struggled to beat the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders at home the last two weeks, winning by a measly ten combined points. Alex Smith is also not the strong-armed, gun slinging QB you want to bet on in a road playoff game against the 3rd best pass defense in the league. Do not be surprised if KC finds it very hard to come by points this Saturday. KC does have a strong defense, ranked 7th in the league, but they are not the type of dominating unit that can carry the team on their own.

The Pick: If you are looking for the “nobody believed in us” team, Houston is it. Admit it, you still don’t believe in them (Update: And for good reason, as they just got blown out 30-0 on Saturday). I do though. Take Houston at home plus the 3.5 points.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Spread: Pitt -3

Andy Dalton got injured at the wrong time. Big Ben’s injury came at the right time. I could write a longer analysis, but sometimes it really is that simple.

The Pick: Pitt -3

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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Bill Burr, F is for Family

Bill Burr is firmly entrenched as one of the best stand-up comedians in the world. He is a mastermind at finding comedy in how men think, and why we act like we do. While being funny is surely his number one goal, what makes him great are that his insights cut on a much deeper level. Some try to pigeonhole Burr as the typical Neanderthal man, but it is that exact stereotype that Burr loves to play on, and ultimately rejects using “hilarious wisdom.”

Five minutes into watching the first episode of Burr’s Netflix show, F is for Family, it becomes clear his signature humor will easily slice through the animated comedy format. Truth be told, I am not a huge fan of many animated comedies. The situations can become too unrealistic and lose ties to any kind of reality. When I mention this criticism to friends, I am told that is the exact reason why they love animated comedies. To each their own. Either way, F is for Family does not fall into these traps.

The show is set around a lower middle class family living in the 1970’s. The humor is anything but outdated though. Much of the show’s humor is filtered through the lens of modern day society and technology. It pokes fun at a bygone era, while managing to hold on to just enough nostalgia to give the show its heart. Focusing on themes like work, family, and keeping up with the Joneses, F is for Family relates to a wide audience.

Season 1 gave viewers just a small window into the thoughts rattling around in Burr’s head. He has not even begun to flex his considerable comedic muscles. If Burr is not enough star power for you, Vince Vaughn is a producer, and Justin Long is the voice of the oldest son. The pieces are in place to make something really special here. I look forward to seeing if Burr and F is for Family can further capitalize on their considerable potential in Season 2.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com