Flex Fox Fantasy

Hello everyone, we are back with more content (wow Jerry! How do you keep making such good content?!) I don’t know friends. I had someone ask me the other day if my back hurt from carrying this league’s content, my fiancée seemed to think I could become an influencer because I spend so much time writing articles and doing podcasts for the league, she was disappointed to learn you’re all losers and only like 15-20 people (if that) read or consume my content. Anywho on that depressing note, let’s get onto the power rankings.

Playoff Tier

1. The Mad King
   
   Ryan made some interesting moves this off-season trading away some of his pitching and re-tooling his arms to focus more on youth. The bats remain otherworldly, but the gap between Ryan and the field which used to be a giant “Grand Canyon” sized chasm is now a small river. 

2. Club Europo de Flex
   
   Flex makes his season debut at number two in the rankings. His biggest off-season addition came via the draft, adding Yoshinobu Yamamoto to an already strong pitching staff. Flex’s team will go as far as the pitching takes it, and the loss of Bradish is a big one, but any rotation headlined by Webb, Gilbert, and Yamamoto is bound to be a contender.

3. Bash Brothers
   
   The third spot is a tough call between a few teams, but RKR ultimately lands in this spot. While he has taken heat for moving out Austin Riley and O’Neil Cruz, RKR now has arguably the best pitching staff in the league, armed with 6 high quality arms and a pen good enough to rival the “bullypen era” RKR is primed to have a big year.

4. Director of the FFFBA
   
   Aidan was another contender for the third spot, but his pitching staff is slightly worse than RKRs. While Aidan arguably has slightly better bats he appears poised to trade Mike Trout (insert free Mike Trout plug). Depending on what Aidan gets back he could be moving up or down this list. As of right now he is firmly in the playoff tier.

5. Kaos Reigns Over House Cruz
   
   No one did more this off-season to re-shape their team than I did. I firmly sold off my prospects adding high end talent like Burnes, Riley, Cruz, Valdez, and Romano. The bats are solid, and the pitching is probably better in 2025, but for now 5th place seems about right for a team poised to make the playoffs for the first time in two years. 

6. Squirtle Squad
   
   This ranking is more indicative of the men running this team than anything they did this off-season. Is Cole Ragans legit? The squad has to hope so, given their injuries to their starting pitching staff, remaining competitive is going to be a challenge, but until I see some data this year, I’m not willing to put them lower on this list.

7. Big Beefy Baseball Boys

   
   I don’t know, something about Graeme’s team screams playoffs to me this year. The bats have a few holes (Noda, Ruiz, Walker) but the bats also have many solid contributors. I’m a little concerned about the pitching staff especially with Steele going down, but if Steels and Means can return and be solid, this spot will absolutely be justified.

8. Chauteau du Fey
   
   Look, I may take some heat for this ranking, but until I see whether he’s all in, all out, or re-tooling I must put Chow here. Any team that still holds onto Judge, Ramirez and Nola has to be considered a contender for the playoffs. Frankly the difference between 7th and 11th in this list is miniscule but for now, Chow holds my last playoff spot.

   
   Europa Tier

9. A Measure of Force
   
   Newton probably deserves to occupy a playoff spot given his track record of success. His bats remain his Achilles heel with Davis, Marte, Varsho, and Encarnacion-Strand all representing big question marks. His pitching gets a year older and Glasnow isn’t the beacon of health you'd want in an ace, still there’s ways for this to go right or horribly wrong and I’m not sure yet, which one it’ll be. 

10. 4th Quarter Jimmy Butler
    
    The keeper decisions by Tillo this off-season were head scratching, Henry-Malloy and Barger were weird keepers, but even if we forgive these transgressions why not trade for some bats? Heading into the season, the bats were a concern, and the pitching was studly, but Cole is now hurt and Tillo is left with big holes at most of his positions. Without some trades Tillo’s team firmly on the descent from previous contender status with no championships to show for his era of contention.

11. Tyler’s Bomb Squad

    
    Please get a new team name and at least answer trades on slack. At this point, you could convince me Ash still runs this team under an alternative alias. This team has exciting potential with Kirby, Tatis, Cease, Devers among others. The core is there, will any GM be able to take this team to the playoffs? Will Tyler/Ash be able to do this? We will certainly find out.

12. The Man
    
    I have faith in Kyle to run this team as he seems competent and responsive to offers. The bats here are underrated, and the offseason move for Reynolds was a smart one. If that move was any indication, I trust Kyle to make the moves needed to keep this team competitive. Like most teams in this tier, the pitching is a concern holding back the ceiling of the team. A healthy DeGrom could help with those concerns, but he’s been anything but reliable the past few seasons.

13. The Starboys
    
    Ben is forgiven for ignoring his team as he plans his wedding. Moving Alcantara for Lawler and Arroyo was a smart move, despite Lawler’s new injury. Playoffs don’t seem in the cards for Ben this year, but I’ve been wrong before. If it's going to happen it’ll be off the backs of his bats led by Chisholm, Tucker, and Bogaerts because his pitching leaves a lot to be desired. 

14. Stubby Clapp Clappers
    
    I have as much to say about this team as Daddy Mac does on Slack. The pitching is awesome, Snell, Monty, Strider, and Skubal? Yes please. The bats are a worry and since he doesn’t make trades, won’t get any better. Daddy Mac is playing our league like I used to in Runescape, on ultimate ironman mode, which is pointless and ruins all the fun of the game.

15. Team 69
    
    69ing between Europa and the vase seems like Lim’s destiny this year. I’ll be interested to see what Masyn Winn becomes. If I was Lim I’d probably go full rebuild, but when busy building a family it's hard to carry out two builds at once. 

16. Addicted Gooner
    
    I hope Chris’s addiction is to losing because it’ll be the only thing his team does consistently this year.

    
    Vase Tier

17. The Illuminati
    
    I hate putting Mike here because I don’t really think he belongs with this group. Mike’s pitching is going to be leaps and bounds better than last season, I just worry the bats will be anemic. If I’m wrong Mike will easily find his place in Europa. 

18. The Stadelmonstars
    
    Any team with Vlad and Ohtani (let alone Semien) shouldn’t be here. Unfortunately, those are the only keeper level players on this roster and the rest is basically replacement level.

19. Midland Raccoons
    
    (Insert taking out the trash joke here). At least they have Witt, Yoshida, and … (nope that’s it). Hopefully Marcus Stroman isn’t as toxic to a fantasy clubhouse as he is to a real life one.

20. The Juson Alliance
    
    Please don’t hate me, but outside of Royce Lewis (and even he is perpetually injured) is anyone on this roster exciting? I won’t leave you in suspense, the answer is no.