Bases Loaded Fantasy Baseball Podcast · Fantasy Baseball | Mike Kurland | Age of Radio

Ep. 193: 10 MUST KNOW Takeaways from Opening Day

·34 min·2 clips

Ronaldo Lopez touched absurd velocity, faced Jordan Alvarez, and worked the ninth in a high-leverage spot.

1. Bases Loaded Fantasy Baseball Podcast Ep. 193 centers on 10 Opening Day takeaways from Mike Curlin’s live stream. 2. Mike Curlin hosts solo and answers listener questions while reviewing velocity, lineups, and fantasy implications. 3. The episode asks what Opening Day changed for closer races, lineup spots, and player valuation. 4. Curlin opens with bullpen usage in Chicago, Texas, New York, Oakland, and Atlanta, naming Michael Fulmer, Jose Leclerc, David Robertson, Ronaldo Lopez, Trevor May, and Danny Jimenez. 5. He says Lopez faced Jordan Alvarez and the middle of the Astros order in a ninth-inning spot, which he treats as a major signal. 6. He contrasts that with Leclerc and Jimenez, both of whom showed velocity concerns on Opening Day. 7. Curlin says the league should treat early velocity readings as a baseline rather than a final judgment. 8. He argues that one game is not enough to overreact to relievers, starters, or lineup roles. 9. Dalton Varsho and Brendan Donovan both set career highs in max exit velocity, which Curlin uses to discuss possible power growth. 10. He says Donovan’s home run and two 105-plus mph balls support the idea that he may be closer to a 20-homer profile. 11. Tommy Edman batting ninth against righties is presented as expected, with first-base and outfield depth keeping him lower in the order. 12. Logan Webb is a major point of interest because Curlin saw a faster slider, a different pitch mix, and more aggressive sinker locations against the edges of the zone. 13. Zach Gallen’s cutter velocity fell about two miles per hour, and Curlin treats that as a note to monitor for bounce-back risk. 14. Shane Bieber’s velocity was down across the board, but Curlin says his pitch location and command still kept the outing intact. 15. Jose Siri drew attention after posting the second-hardest ball of the game at 110 mph while still bringing stolen-base speed. 16. Spencer Torkelson is discussed as a power bat because he hit three balls at 100 mph or harder, including quality contact against Shane McClanahan. 17. The episode has a quick, conversational live-stream feel, with Curlin moving between his notes and listener questions. 18. The tone is practical and monitoring-focused, with repeated reminders not to overreact to one game. 19. Fantasy managers tracking closers, lineups, and Statcast trends will get the most value. 20. Shallow-league managers looking for polished storytelling may want to skip it.

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