Welcome everyone to our next installment of the Fantasy JAM pregame show, Pre-JAM here on The Inscriber Digital Magazine. This is one of the first multi-platform columns of its kind, as it mixes the power of the pen and web with the power of the podcast.
Each week my partner, Chad “The Buffalo” Setera and I will write a Pre-JAM column where we will debate 3 topics. After each of us has presented our argument in this column, we will finish the debates on our show FantasyJAM every Thursday night from 7p – 8:30p EST on the Inscriber Digital Radio Network. That way, YOU can be a part of the debate by either calling in live or tweeting the show. That may be the biggest part of the whole thing, your involvement.
The only rules we have is that one of the three topics will be Fantasy Sports related. That’s it.
Without further ado, here is this week’s first Pre-JAM Topic:
1) After all the deals, will the Blue Jays make the playoffs ?
(FISH) The Blue Jays made quite possibly the BIGGEST splash at the trade deadline picking up David Price and Troy Tulowitzki. The question is, was it enough to put the Jays over the top and get them into the Playoffs.
Remembering that this has nothing to do with the future, the answer is sadly no they will not be playing October baseball.
Tulo was a great pick-up for them, but was not what the team needed at all. They were already a thumping line-up with enough power throughout, and in the deal they lost Jose Reyes. While Reyes may not have the power of Tulo, he DOES have a ton of speed which is something Tulo does NOT have. Defensively and injury-wise, it is really a wash. So while yes, the Jays get more pop, they lose speed, so no real advantage there.
Adding Price DOES give the Jays an Ace that they need, but it doesn’t address what may be a bigger issue, the Closers role. 4 guys have already tried to close games out in Toronto, with varying degrees of success. But when guys like Papelbon and K-Rod were available, the Blue Jays had no reason NOT to get at least someone.
Not to mention they have been hovering around 6 games behind the Yankees in the AL East with the Orioles in front of them and they are behind the Angels, Twins and Orioles for a Wild Card spot. That is just too much and too many teams.
No doubt this is a VERY good Blue Jays team, but without a closer and not getting an Ace sooner, it will be a case of too little too late North of the Border.
(BUFFALO) At the time this article is being written… The Toronto Blue Jays are only one-game out of the Wild Card spot in the American League. And the team ahead of them is the Minnesota Twins. So, that being said… We have 56 games to play and let’s not break down the Blue Jays and their “lack-of” moves, meaning getting a closer… let’s break down the teams that could “prevent” them from gaining one game in the standings.
Minnesota (1 Ahead)… Team bats .252 only has 89 HRs and does not put the ball in play enough to generate runs for a team that has a 3.95 ERA.
Baltimore (Tied)… Team bats .254… again low in this standard, but they do hit a lot of bombs with 131 so far this season. The biggest problem with the Orioles is they strikeout a lot in the wrong situations with 839 to this point.
Tampa Bay (2 Behind)… Team bats a horrible .240… Strikes out a lot… AND only three players on the team have over 10 HRs on the season. A very young team with no offense.
Texas (2 Behind)… The most balanced team in this race acquiring Cole Hamels at the deadline, but let’s be honest… Is he a difference maker? And without another serious top pitcher… It is just a matter of time before this unravels.
So to think these two moves don’t put the Blue Jays in the Playoffs is preposterous. Troy Tulowitzki is an upgrade to an already good offense… and David Price alone is going to keep opponents at bay in his projected 10-12 starts allowing that suspect bull pen to get extra rest… not to mention keeping opponents in check while this offense continues to score at will.
Yes… The Blue Jays will be in the Playoffs… at least as a Wild Card team.
2) Which Rookie Running back will have the best season, Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon?
(FISH) Both Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley should have great rookie seasons, and if this was based on pure talent alone, it wouldn’t even be close as Gurley has game-changing talent. But an injury history like his makes it much closer.
All you have to do is look at which team each plays for to see who will have the better season. The Chargers with one of the better gunslingers in the league or the Rams with a QB who needs a good running game to be effective?
How about the fact that the Chargers also have Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown, both who need touches in that backfield, especially Woodhead who proved a great weapon last year.
Before you go spouting about Tre Mason in the Rams backfield, remember at this time last year, Zach Stacey was the man for the Rams, and we see how quickly that ended.
Finally just look at who coaches the Rams and his track record with running backs. Geoff Fisher LOVES to run the ball, and Gurley will be the primary beneficiary. Remember, CJ2K only became that because of Fisher’s offense.
(BUFFALO) In 2015… Injury SCREAMS that Melvin Gordon will have the better season. Now don’t get me wrong, I do think in the long run Todd Gurley will be the better Fantasy option, but the question is… who will have the better season.
We aren’t 100% sure Todd Gurley will be the starting Rb to start the season because of his torn ACL from less than 1 year… which usually takes 16-18 months to fully heal. That means… Tre Mason will begin the season in the backfield and although Gurley will get touches, he won’t be the heavy carrier like needed for fantasy owners.
Melvin Gordon on the other hand will be the starter in an offense that needs his talents. He is better than Ryan Matthews who is now in Philadelphia. And to think Donald Brown or Danny Woodhead will take away from Melvin Gordon would be like saying someone other than Michael Jordan will take the last shot of a game for the Bulls… Just stop that BS.
When breaking these two down it is like breaking down Luck vs. RGIII in year #1… RGIII better first year (Gordon)… But Luck the better career (Gurley).
3) Who is the best fighter right now, Ronda Rousey or Brock Lesnar?
(FISH) Rhonda Rousey dominated another fight Saturday night, winning in under 40 seconds again. There is no question she is supremely talented and a great watch, but is she the BEST fighter out there right now?
I hardly think so. Did she win an NCAA title in wrestling? Did she beat one of the greatest UFC champions of all time to win the belt? Did she win the World Title in the WWE? Does the mere mention of her name make huge men tremble? I think not.
No, as brilliant as Rousey is, she isn’t Brock Lesnar the Beast Incarnate. Lesnar may be the single greatest fighter we have ever seen, He is a machine that cannot be stopped. If he wanted to crush other wrestlers, he could.
In just his third UFC fight he defeated Randy Coture for the heavyweight title. His list of accomplishments is almost too long to read. No doubt Rousey is a teriffic fighter, probably the best female fighter ever, but she isn’t close to the class of Lesnar.
(BUFFALO) In 2004 Ronda Rousey was the youngest judoka to enter the Olympic games in Athens. Also in 2004, Rousey won the Gold Medal at the World Junior Judo Championships.
In 2008… Rousey won Bronze at the Bejing Olympics.
On August 6, 2010… Rousey made her MMA debut with a 23 second victory over Hayden Munoz. And that is where it all began.
Since that time… Rousey has dominated “Strikeforce” and UFC with an impressive 12-0 record. She has dominated every opponent she has faced in these 12 bouts, with only 1 reaching the 2nd round and the last three only lasting 64 seconds total.
Rousey uses different techniques in each bout from her Judo background to grappling, to straight up boxing style in her most recent victory.
She has been named consecutive female athlete of the year at the annual ESPY Awards including winning the 2015 award for best Fighter… beating the likes of undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather.
Simply put is this… In order to be the best… You can’t have a loss. Brock Lesner has lost on numerous occasions and now he is in a scripted environment. Rousey is a generational athlete when it comes to women’s fighting and since no one… wait did I say… NO ONE has beaten her professionally is alone the reason this isn’t even a conversation… Next time Fish should take Mayweather… but then again… She beat him too… ESPY!!!
Well there you have it. Two separate but thought provoking points of view. Do any of these arguments make you feel like raging? Well don’t keep it in, be a part of the show. We invite you to join us EVERY Thursday night on Fantasy JAM on the Inscriber Digital Radio Network, from 7p – 8:30p EST and give us your thoughts by leaving us comments on our Facebook page.
~Andrew “Fish” Fain @thefish1969 ~”The Buffalo” Chad Setera @sportsjamchad