State Farm Weekly Recap: Heads Rise Tall in Period 3

Period 2 of the 2023 RDBL Season is in the books and much like 2022, it is shaping up to be another deep group of contenders fighting down to the wire of six Playoff spots. The story of Period 2 was the strength of the Honolulu Hammerheads as a group as their rotation depth and strength at the top of their offensive continued to make them an intriguing team to follow this season.

Here is the Period 2 State Farm Weekly Recap:

Team of the Week: Honolulu Hammerheads, 359.5 Points

75-278, 278 AB, 14 2B, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 41 R, 2 SB, 27 BB, CS, 2 HP, SF

56 INN, 37 HA, 21 BBI, 71 K, 17 ER, 3 W, L, 2 HB, 4 HD

An 87.5 point Sunday capped off the league's top scoring Period as the Honolulu Hammerheads pushed their way into fifth place entering Period 3. Corner infielders were the main story as Austin Riley and Period 2 Waiver Claim Brian Anderson combined for 56.5 points while the starting rotation carried the load with 26 or more points from Jacob deGrom, Sonny Gray, Pablo Lopez and Kris Bubic. With Seiya Suzuki expected back late in Period 3, the Heads should continue to make noise with the Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez being major bright spots thus far.

Pitcher of the Week: Drew Rasmussen (Fish), 72.0 Points

13 INN, 3 HA, 15 K, 2 W

Rasmussen was highlighted in the latest Lou Brown Blog which covered players entering their 3D/$15 option year in 2024, the first group to do so in RDBL History following a rule change in 2022. He's proving to be an absolute monster thus far, shoving for thirteen shutout innings while allowing just three hits and no walks.

Hitter of the Week: Bryan Reynolds (Hops), 44.0 Points

12-25, 25 AB, 2 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R, 2 SB, BB, 2 SF

There was some surprise that the Hops held onto Reynolds' $38 contract following his 374.5 point output in 2022, but GM Garrett Shelley is looking quite smart by exercising the option for 2023. Reynolds ranks second in hitter scoring following his scorching hot Period 2 and is slashing .405/.415/.919 with five home runs entering play Monday.

Life Insurance Player of the Week: 'Crats Pitching Staff

35.2 INN, 39 HA, 15 BBI, 38 K, 31 ER, 2 W, 3 L, S, 2 HB

The 'Crats had one of those weeks on the mound with four pitchers posting negative points, totaling -65.0. The headliner of that is Corbin Burnes who enters Period 3 with a 9.64 ERA and 1.71 WHIP after receiving a RDBL-Record tying $73 contract.

Period 3 FAAB Report: Mateo Lands Record Bid

The Period 3 FAAB Report was filled with a wave of IL replacements led by Cloverdale Clovers shortstop Oneil Cruz (fractured ankle) which led to a RDBL Record FAAB bid of $29 going to Jorge Mateo. The Clovers also added Myles Straw for $27, the second highest FAAB bid this season.

Here's the full rundown of the Period 3 FAAB report.

Offers For - Jorge Mateo Signed For $29 by Cloverdale Clovers Alamo Short Stacks $4 Lost

Offers For - Myles Straw Signed For $27 by Cloverdale Clovers Dropped Brandon Belt - TOR Maltese Falcons $10 Lost Alamo Short Stacks $6 Lost Spokane Fightin' Fish $5 Lost St. Joseph Jokers $3 Lost Lunatic Fringe $2 Lost Lake Merced Goutfish $1 Lost

Offers For - Bryce Elder Signed For $9 by Spokane Fightin' Fish Dropped None Alamo Short Stacks $9 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Idaho Taters $5 Lost Honolulu Hammerheads $5 Lost Mission Viejo Maulers $3 Lost Lunatic Fringe $2 Lost Meinert Hops $0 Lost

Offers For - Aroldis Chapman Signed For $8 by Cloverdale Clovers Dropped Adam Ottavino - NYM Maltese Falcons $6 Lost

Offers For - Matt Strahm Signed For $5 by Honolulu Hammerheads Dropped IL Claim for Lewis - SEA Mission Viejo Maulers $1 Lost

Offers For - Domingo German Signed For $4 by Mt. Diablo Devils Dropped None Mission Viejo Maulers $3 Lost

Offers For - Kyle Freeland Signed For $4 by Alamo Short Stacks Dropped Jared Shuster - ATL St. Joseph Jokers $3 Lost Mt. Diablo Devils $3 Lost Lunatic Fringe $0 Lost

Offers For - Geraldo Perdomo Signed For $3 by Asti Grape Stompers Cloverdale Clovers $1 Lost

Offers For - LaMonte Wade Signed For $3 by St. Joseph Jokers Dropped None Idaho Taters $3 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Alamo Short Stacks $3 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Lake Merced Goutfish $0 Lost

Offers For - Francisco Mejia Signed For $3 by Alamo Short Stacks Dropped IL Claim for Hall - PHI Lake Merced Goutfish $0 Lost

Offers For - Will Smith Signed For $2 by Mt. Diablo Devils Dropped Scott McGough - ARI Maltese Falcons $1 Lost

Offers For - Mason Thompson Signed For $1 by Idaho Taters

Offers For - Dylan Dodd Signed For $0 by Lunatic Fringe Dropped IL Claim for Brown - OAK

Offers For - Harold Ramirez Signed For $0 by Lake Merced Goutfish Dropped IL Claim for Kepler - MIN Lake Merced Goutfish $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Honolulu Hammerheads $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Elijah Morgan Signed For $0 by Maltese Falcons Dropped IL Claim for Loaisiga - NYY Spokane Fightin' Fish $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Honolulu Hammerheads $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Carlos Estevez Signed For $0 by Spokane Fightin' Fish Dropped IL Claim for Verlander - NYM

Offers For - Trevor Stephan Signed For $0 by Honolulu Hammerheads Dropped John Schreiber - BOS

Offers For - Akil Baddoo Signed For $0 by Asti Grape Stompers Dropped IL Claim for Jimenez - CHW

Offers For - Jason Delay Signed For $0 by Lunatic Fringe Dropped IL Claim for d'Arnaud - ATL Lake Merced Goutfish $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Jose Alvarado Signed For $0 by Lake Merced Goutfish Dropped Lars Nootbaar - STL

Offers For - Hunter Gaddis Signed For $0 by Lunatic Fringe Dropped IL Claim for Bradish - BAL

Offers For - Rodolfo Castro Signed For $0 by Lake Merced Goutfish Dropped IL Claim for Nootbar - STL

Offers For - Stone Garrett Signed For $0 by Lake Merced Goutfish Dropped IL Claim for Donaldson - NYY

Rasmussen, Cortes Lead Group On Track for RDBL History

The RDBL Commissioner's Office added a wrinkle to the Reserve Draft starting in 2022, allowing Reserve Draft picks to secure a new 1D/$5 contract that would allow for a third season of contract at 3D/$15. Under the old system, players selected in the Reserve Draft would fall under the same 1FA/$5 contract as Waiver Claims throughout the season, all being capped at just two full seasons of contract.

The first wave of Big League Reserve Draft picks are set to have those 3R/$15 options available in 2024 led by Spokane Fightin' Fish right-hander Drew Rasmussen and Maltese Falcons left-hander Nestor Cortes who are currently safe bets to be among the first in RDBL History to receive the new contract. Rasmussen followed up a 416.0 point season in 2022 with a 32.0 point debut on Monday while Cortes is fresh off a 522.0 breakout campaign.

In total, 16 players were protected on Keeper Rosters under 2D/$5 deal with three on the Fightin' Fish alone.

The move to allow for a third year of control has pushed interest in big league players up in the Reserve Draft with Michael Conforto, Patrick Sandoval, Tony Gonsolin and Merrill Kelley all selected in the Top Two Rounds of the 2022 Reserve Draft. That was followed up with eight big leaguers selected in the 2nd Round of the 2023 Reserve Draft.

Players Under 2D/$5 Contract, Eligible for 3D/$15 Contracts in 2024

RHP Drew Rasmussen, Spokane Fightin' Fish

LHP Nestor Cortes, Maltese Falcons

RHP Tony Gonsolin, Burlingame Blue Ducks

LHP Patrick Sandoval, Alamo Short Stacks

RHP Miles Mikolas, Cloverdale Clovers

LHP Andrew Heaney, Burlingame Blue Ducks

RHP Merrill Kelly, Mt. Diablo Devils

OF Michael Conforto, Idaho Taters

OF Steven Kwan, Spokane Fightin' Fish

1B Yandy Diaz, Spokane Fightin' Fish

SS Andres Gimenez, Asti Grape Stompers

1B Christian Walker, Lake Merced Goutfish

OF Adolis Garcia, Las Vegas Aristocrats

1B/OF Josh Naylor, Las Vegas Aristocrats

OF Joc Pederson, Lunatic Fringe

OF Jurickson Profar, Honolulu Hammerheads