In The News

High Injury Risk--National League

2009-02-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves. You can’t question the guy’s talent, but in the last four years Jones has failed to play more than 134 games in a season, and twice played 110 or less. Jones won the NL batting title last season, so he still is producing at a high level but you can count on him being out at least once during the year. In fact, in 2008 Jones left his owners high and dry when it counted most, as he was limited to pinch hitting in the last two weeks of the year. With his great batting average and slightly above average power, Chipper is a good pick, but his history of injury will cause him to fall in drafts. He will turn 37 early on in the season, so you can only expect that trend to continue.

Rich Harden, Chicago Cubs. His stuff is so electric that he can be the best pitcher in baseball. However, it is absolutely no surprise that he ended up on this list. Harden has only had one season in which he made 30 starts, however, he did enjoy his healthiest season in years in 2008. Harden went from late round sleeper pick to one of the top fantasy point scorers in the game last year. He helps you in all pitching categories (except saves obviously), and really excels at strikeouts. I know he was healthy for almost the entire season in 2008, but there is already word that he won’t pitch in the World Baseball Classic because of shoulder problems, so if that isn’t a giant red flag, I don’t know what is. In fact, I think that will be his new nickname; Rich “Red Flag” Harden.

Jeremy Hermida, Florida Marlins. Four years ago Hermida burst on the fantasy scene when he hit a grand slam in his first at bat. Fast forward to 2009 and we are still waiting for him to realize the potential that had us all drooling back then. Part of the problem is he has never been able to consistently stay on the field. Hermida has the tools to be a solid power hitter who also can hit .280+. In 2008 he played 142 games, 20 more than his previous career high. If he is ever able to play a full season he is a nice third or fourth outfield option, but until you see otherwise, you can’t count on it. At this point, you can’t take him any sooner than perhaps the last two rounds as a nice flier and hope that he can stay on the field.

Jason Schmidt, Los Angeles Dodgers. After six straight winning seasons, Schmidt had all kinds of shoulder problems that limited him to under 30 innings. In his first season with the Dodgers, Schmidt made just six starts and they were horrible. He always was an innings eater with a reasonably good ERA and good strikeout numbers. He might not even be worth a draft pick at this point, probably more of a wait and see during Spring Training or the beginning of the season.

Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers. A guy with 20/30 potential, Weeks has never been able to play more than 129 games in a season, and two of his four years he has failed to play 100. Besides the fact that he spends his life on the DL, Weeks will also kill you in the batting average department, only getting out of the .230s once in his career. Weeks has a rare combination of speed and decent power, and at second base that makes him all the more valuable if you miss out on the big guys. He had knee surgery following the season last year, but it isn’t supposed to hinder him coming into 2009. I’ve gotten seduced by Weeks’ potential before, but I won’t let it happen again. Don’t you be fooled either.

Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals. A year after throwing six innings in all of 2007, Carpenter was only able to throw 15 innings in 2008. Once the most dominant starter in the National League and a Cy Young award winner, Carpenter has been reduced to an afterthought. There has been no indication of what his role with the team will be, although it is assumed he will start IF he is able to pitch to start the year. All reports are that his rehab is going well so far, but Carpenter has had so many setbacks during these two injury filled years, that he really isn’t worth drafting anymore. If he is able to return to the mound I would probably grab him, but I just can’t see selecting him with one of my draft picks, and I am a HUGE Cardinal fan.

Josh Willingham, Washington Nationals. Back injuries have forced some of the best athletes of our generation into early retirement. Not saying that Willingham is one of the best, but it was his back that ailed him last season and that is never a good thing. “The Hammer” is a fourth outfielder type who hits for a sub .275 average with some decent pop. He is a nice guy to fill your roster out with, but he has yet to play a full season. The last two years he has been around the 140s range, so he has played most of the year. But I am ultra nervous about a guy with a back problem, but he did have five homers in September so maybe he can build on that. Unless you are just taking him as a fill in type, I would go another direction from Willingham.

The Five People You Meet In Fantasy Baseball

2009-02-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, the fact was that almost all fantasy players were really into the game. “Fantasy Dorks” we were called by those not gifted enough to play. A guy who talked about fantasy sports was mocked with such taunts as, “he definitely has no girlfriend” and similar barbs. My, my how times have changed! Now everyone has at least one team, and some are so obsessed with fantasy sports they are well overdue for their own support group.

Being one of those aforementioned ‘fantasy dorks’ with way too much time on my hands, I have gone beyond studying the game to studying the players themselves, and, given my affinity for the movie Reservoir Dogs, I will sometimes assign names to other owners in Fantasy Baseball leagues. And much like Joe, who ran the show in Tarantino’s masterpiece, I don’t allow people to pick their names, although mine are based more on your performance, not random colors. You might not always run into all of these people in every league, but I’d be willing to bet you’ll get two or three every time.

Mr. Add & Drop—almost every league has this guy, and some have more than one. Mr. Add & Drop does exactly what his name says, adds and drops players with all the discretion of your proverbial drunken sailor. I’m talking 2 or 3 moves on a daily basis. There was a guy in one league I played in last year that had 70 moves before the season even started! All this type of player is doing is recycling one free agent after another, trying to hit that one prize that he can actually use. And when they actually do score a winner, all you’ll hear is them shout to the rooftops about how they knew all along that he was going to be a diamond in the rough, and how smart they were for picking up that player when they did! Can you say blind squirrel? Give your team members a longer leash before they find themselves on the chopping block. You can identify this fan by his unique appreciation of Dan Snyder’s player management.

Mr. Disappearing Drafter—my least favorite player. This character is the one who comes to the draft, is about as successful as a Alaskan ice cube salesman , then a month into the season find themselves in dead last and you never hear from them again. They don’t ever check back in, they don’t replace people that are injured. Their average daily lineup has more holes in it than the Golden State Warriors’ defense, and their players are completely out of the game as you can’t trade with this person because they don’t play. This player can normally be spotted wearing either Kansas City Royals, Oakland Raiders or Memphis Grizzlies gear.

Mr. 2001 All-Star Team—he’s very excited about where Ken Griffey Jr. might land in free agency, because he’s got a roster spot for him. This is generally a player that doesn’t spend a bunch of their time keeping up on their fantasy baseball. They can’t believe Todd Helton fell to the third round, and didn’t Jim Edmonds hit 40+ homers just last year? You can spot these guys at the draft because they are usually wearing a 80’s hair band concert shirt.

Mr. 2010 All-Star Team—the opposite of Mr. 2001 is Mr. 2010. He’ll have Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce, Matt Wieters, Dexter Fowler, Pablo Sandoval, Evan Longoria, and Clay Buchholz on this team. It is vital for a championship team to have some of these guys sprinkled around their roster, but oh no, Mr. 2010 has them all…..and he’s in 8^th place. Rookies are nice, but usually inconsistent. Loading up on them is not a good strategy. Normally can be seen wearing a throwback LeBron James St. Vincent-St. Mary High School jersey.

Mr. Hometown Hero—This one seems to involve Yankee fans an awful lot of the time. You can tell who this person’s favorite team is by looking at his roster for two seconds. It is loaded with players from one specific team, and the holes are filled by guys who USED to play for that team. You don’t see this a lot with Orioles or Nationals fans. Let’s face it, after Brian Roberts and Ryan Zimmerman there isn’t a lot to get excited about with those clubs. But Mr. Hometown Hero Yankee fan will have Posada, Damon, Cano, Jeter, and of course this year will have the new additions of Sabathia, Burnett, and Teixeira. The good part about this player is that if you happen to be lucky enough to get one of their favorite team’s players, you can usually milk them and get much more than their value back in a trade. Easily identifiable by the NY jersey with the big blue number 2 on the back.

Do you have anymore players that I forgot? As always your comments and questions are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

Baseball News and Notes 1/28/09

2009-01-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

Andy Pettitte rolled the dice with the Yankees and it came up snake eyes. Pettitte turned down a guaranteed one year, ten million dollar contract figuring that he could end up making more money. He does have the chance to make more, but he is going to have to pitch his way to that cash now instead of having it in his bank account. Pettitte signed a one year, $5.5 million contract that has incentives that can make it worth $12 million. Considering he was a .500 pitcher with a 4.50 ERA last year, those incentives better be pretty generous or else Pettitte is going to be missing out on a bunch of money. In the fantasy world, this has a good chance of being Andy's final season so if you are in a keeper league I would stay away from Pettitte. In seasonal leagues he still has some value, last season's disaster could have had something to do with the whole HGH thing to start the year and then elbow trouble to finish it. Throughout his career, Pettitte has been a good pitcher, but he holds no more value than as a flier at the end of drafts.

This may be the only time in his career that Gregg Zaun has been mentioned in a fantasy article, but his signing should have some fantasy relevance, although it doesn't revolve around him. The Baltimore Orioles signed Zaun to a contract, which most likely means that he will hold down the fort to start the season until soon to be rookie Matt Wieters is ready to start tearing up the majors. Look for Wieters to fall into a similar situation that Evan Longoria did last season with the Rays. The O's will most likely hold him down in the minors long enough to delay his free agent eligibility, which is usually three or four weeks. After that, assuming he is doing well, look for the next big thing at catcher to find his way to Baltimore.

The Colorado Rockies announced that their infield to start the season will include Todd Helton at first, and Garrett Atkins going back to third. This is not a big surprise, but sucks big time for second year man Ian Stewart who had a breakthrough campaign in 2008. This likely means that Stewart will come off the bench, or MAYBE get tried in the outfield. More likely though he will get to play when Helton needs a day off, and anyone who drafts Stewart can just sit and hope for that latest Todd Helton injury. Stewart is the only guy who has his value effected by this, as he definitely falls down the rankings with this news. However, keeper league players, if he is still around he would be worth stashing on your bench for when he is able to play regularly.

The Royals have locked up their ace for a while when they gave Zach Greinke a four year extension. I seem to be the only one not completely sold on Greinke, although he did have a career season in 2008. He won 13 games, had an ERA around 3.50, and struck out over 180 guys, a fine season for sure. I still just have a problem with the fact that the guy nearly quit on baseball, and that fact just doesn't go away quickly with me. If he is good again this season I will have to change my tune, and it is possible. While not contending for a division title yet, the Royas are starting to look more like a legitimate baseball team. Greinke could win 15 or more games this year if he pitches like he did last season again.

The fantasy world will bid a fond farewell to two players who announced their retirements this week in Kenny Rogers and Sean Casey. Let's be honest here, there aren't huge tears being shed for the loss of either player at this point, but in the early days of fantasy these guys were relevant players. Casey is best known for being one of the most popular Reds of all time, while Kenny Rogers is best known for that awesome Gambler song.

My Projected First Round

2009-01-20T19:35:00.000-08:00

Most drafts are still a month to six weeks or more away, but let’s take a look at where people might go in that all important first round. Many people sweat, and research, and give themselves ulcers over who they might select in the first round. Most of the time you will get a guy who will carry your team all year long with your first pick, but sometimes due to injury or other factors you get a dud. A bad pick in the first round puts your team in a tough spot right off the bat.

If I was picking the entire first round, the order would be as follows:

1. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins. A no brainer in my opinion, the guy helps you in virtually every category. He is going to hit .280-.300, bang out 25-35 homers, score 120 runs, steal 35-50 bases, and drive in 65-90 runs. Maybe the RBI are a little low, but if you can get all of that from one guy how can you pass that up. Oh yeah, and he plays a premium position at shortstop and he’s only 25 years old.

2. Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals. Last season Pujols fell in many drafts after word of an elbow injury that would threaten his season if the Cardinals fell out of contention, which seemed likely. Well, the Cards hung around for far longer than we expected and Albert just continued to put up the same numbers he always has. You just can’t get any more consistent option than Pujols, you know you will get production from this guy. In his eight year career he has never hit below .314, never hit less than 32 homers, never driven in less than 103 runs, and has scored at least 100 runs in every season but one….and he scored 99 runs. He usually throws in a half dozen stolen bases to go with it. You tell me who in baseball has ever been so good.

3. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees. Another superstud, A-Rod falls slightly below Pujols just because he tends to have completely incredible seasons, but every couple of years throws up one that is well below what you would expect. Of course, even those seasons that he disappoints are still first round pick worthy. Take last season for example, .302/35/103/18. Great year, right? Well, it is pretty far cry from his .314/54/156/24 from 2007. Now obviously you can’t expect that every year, but you would like him to be more consistent. Hell, I’m grasping at straws here, the guy is great at compiling stats…….as long as he doesn’t have to hit in the clutch!!!!!

4. David Wright, 3B, New York Mets. It took me a few years to come around on Wright, but last season I finally changed my mind. The guy is awesome. His average and steals dropped some last year, but his power numbers went up to make up for it. He is always good for 155-160 games a year which is very important, you would hate to lose this high a pick to injury for any stretch of time. Wright will always hit over .300, hit 30 homers and drive in well over 100 runs. He should get back to around 20 steals again in ‘09 and is in the middle of a good lineup. Nothing not to like here.

5. Ryan Braun, LF, Milwaukee Brewers. After his fantastic rookie season there were many questions going into 2008 about Braun. Well, he answered them all emphatically last year. He didn’t hit the .324 that he did in his rookie season, but .285 is still very respectable. Many, including myself, didn’t think that he would run nearly as much as he did in his first year, but Braun stole just one less base in 2008 as compared to 2007. Of course, he played in many more games, but the fact is he was still active on the basepaths. But the guy can flat out rake. He just turned 25 years old and there’s no reason to think that he can’t possibly even get better.

6. Jose Reyes, SS, New York Mets. If you think Jose Reyes is only about stealing bases then you are missing the big picture. Ok, so he isn’t Prince Fielder, but if you can get a shortstop to hit you 15-20 homers AND steal 50-70 bases, oh that is enticing. Don’t miss the fact that he very nearly hit .300 last season, scored over 110 runs, hit 19 triples and even drove in 68 runs while compiling over 200 hits. Shorstop isn’t as shallow as it used to be, but you gotta try and get one of the elite. Reyes is a multi-category star, and you would be wise to pick him early.

7. Grady Sizemore, CF, Cleveland Indians. There are only two concerns that I have about Grady Sizemore. One is that he strikes out a ton and his batting average is not nearly as high as you would like it to be. Second, he plays the outfield with such reckless abandon that injury is always a possibility. The guy has no fear of crashing into walls or making diving catches. What he is, though, is a fantasy stud. He guy has elevated his game over the past couple of years to heights we didn’t imagine. He was 30/30 for the first time last year, and nearly got his steals to the 40 plateau. He has yet to crack 100 RBI, but that is coming. There’s a little more risk here than with the first six guys, but Sizemore is a fantastic pick if you are selecting in this spot.

8. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers. Why does it feel like this guy has been around forever? Cabrera and the Tigers got off to an awful start to 2008, but at least Miggy was able to salvage his season from a fantasy perspective. He had career highs in both homers and RBI, but his average, runs scored, hits, and doubles all declined for the third straight year. Cabrera is a safe, consistent pick, but there are some concerns about him with the dropping statistics. If you could get .292/37/124 from him again in ‘09 I think all fantasy owners would sign on for that right away. Since he is built like Butterbean, his days of stealing a handful of bases is officially over, but he does put up other great numbers every year.

9. Mark Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees. As a Yankee Hater, this was the signing that bothered me because Teixeira is damn good. Not sure how a guy this good is about to be on his fourth team since the start of 2007, but that is where he stands. Tex is a professional hitter who falls down the rankings a bit because he won’t bring you the speed that some of the guys in front of him might give and he has one little problem. The guy gets off to horrible starts to the season. Every year by June everyone who drafted this guy is ready to jump off a bridge because their early pick is dragging the team down. And yet every year when you look at the back of the baseball card the numbers are always strikingly similar.

10. Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies. The power is astounding but the average keeps dropping, and dropping, and dropping, while the strikeouts keep rising, and rising, and rising. If the average falls too much farther you will be looking at another incarnation of Adam Dunn. However, if you are looking for home runs, you will find no better source than Ryan Howard. He hits in a small little ballpark which always helps the power numbers, and that’s not going to change. In three full seasons he has never had less than 47 homers, but in those three years his batting average has gone from .313 down to .251. I have confidence that it will bounce back to at least around .275 in 2009 and Howard should be a great pick in fantasy drafts if you get a late first round selection.

11. Johan Santana, SP, New York Mets. I’m pretty sure that I have never selected a pitcher this high in a draft, but if the board plays out this way on your selection day, I think Santana is the next, best guy in line. He is great at every single pitching statistic. He wins games (now that they Mets’ bullpen is stronger he will win more), he strikes out over 200 guys, his ERA is in the 2.00s range, his WHIP is in the 1.00-1.20 range, and the guy is just plain durable. He has made 33 or 34 starts in every season since becoming a full time starter and there is no reason to think that 2009 will be any different. He is to pitching what Albert Pujols is to hitting. You can pretty much write in his statstics at the beginning of April and you will be very close at the end of the year.

12. Josh Hamilton, CF, Texas Rangers. The feel good story of 2008 looks to build upon his breakout season. His RBI totals faded badly down the stretch, but if you look at his whole season, those are first round numbers. There’s just not anything to dislike here. He hit for a good average, hit 30+ homers, finished with 130 RBI and even stole nine bases. A victim of the home run derby curse, Hamilton should put up another monster year statistically and lead your fantasy team throughout the year.

More thoughts from this mock:

If Chase Utley is able to come back healthy and be ready for Opening Day, he crashes this party like Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. I have seen some reports that Utley may indeed be ready to start the season and not miss the first two months like was originally believed. If he is ready, slide him in the rankings just behind David Wright, and I mean JUST behind him.
That last pick took a long time to finalize, it could go a number of different directions. After the first 11 picks of the draft, the next five to seven picks are all incredibly similar in talent, expectations, and question marks. I could have gone with B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria, Ian Kinsler, Jimmy Rollins, Matt Holliday, or even Alfonso Soriano. Most of the second round should bring surprisingly similar value.
I am not a huge proponent of selecting a pitcher in the first round, but I couldn’t find the next hitter that I liked better than Santana who wasn’t without a good deal of question marks. Santana to me, is the next closest bet of a sure thing.

Of course, your comments/questions are always welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

More Offseason Movement Through Fantasy Glasses

2009-01-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

John Smoltz, Boston Red Sox. To me this is a great signing. Although he is 40, I think it is obvious that Smoltz still has some left in the tank. It might be a bit of a transition going to the American League, but Smoltz has been around so long that he really has faced every person in Major League Baseball. Smoltz always wins a good number of games, and now going to a potent offensive team, it can only help his value. He also knows how to miss bats, and racks up a good number of strikeouts. He has had some injury problems in recent years, but I think he is a solid option in 2009.

Trevor Hoffman, Milwaukee Brewers. Boy, it was weird even typing Brewers next to Hoffman's name. Well, surprisingly Hoffman found a team that was willing to give him the closer's job. Milwaukee won a ton of games last season, but I'm not sure that they can repeat that win total again in '09. They lost Sabathia, they will lose Sheets, and now I'm seeing rumors about potential trades of Prince Fielder. The NL Central is bad enough that Hoffman should get at least 30 saves, but his ERA, WHIP and low strikeout totals mean that there are about 25 better options at closer than Trevor Hoffman.

Jason Giambi, Oakland Athletics. Apparently, Giambi decided to go back to Oakland where you can do steroids and nobody asks any questions. His second stint with the A's should be much different than his first. There will be no .325 average, no MVP awards, and no Miguel Tejada. Giambi will still be able to help your team with homers and somewhat with RBI, but his average should hover around the .250-.260 range and he shouldn't be your primary option at first base.

Carl Pavano, Cleveland Indians. The recipient of one of the worst contracts in the history of baseball, Pavano now gets a shot to prove that he was worth that money. He won't do it in New York of course, but the Indians were willing to allow Pavano the chance to reclaim his career. I do think that Pavano has the chance to be an effective pitcher if he can stay healthy, but will he? It would have to be in the last couple of rounds in the draft, if at all, before I considered taking him. He might be worth a early season flier, but he would be on an extremely short leash. Pavano has had a couple of good seasons in his career, so there is a chance, but it is a big chance.

Rocco Baldelli, Boston Red Sox. It was a good story that Baldelli was able to return to the field last season after years of dealing with a mysterious injury that leaves him chronically fatigued. He was always supposed to be an incredible talent, and when he has been able to play you have seen flashes of that talent. He goes to Boston where he will most likely serve as the 4th outfielder. However, one of those outfielders is J.D. Drew who has the body of an 85 year old, so the opportunities for Baldelli to play may be more than you think. I don't think I would draft him, but if you see an injury/demotion in the Red Sox outfield I would be quick to the waiver wire.

Pat Burrell, Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays felt that they needed to add a veteran bat to their lineup, and they did just that in Burrell. A move to the American League was just what the doctor ordered to prolong Burrell's career. His legs make it almost impossible for him to play defense in 160 games a year, so he should slot in nice to the Rays' DH hole. In the middle of that potent lineup, Burrell should have a good year. Look for him to hit around .270 with 25-30 homers and around 90 RBI. Even though he shouldn't see much of the outfield, he still should be outfield eligible in all leagues.

Takashi Saito, Boston Red Sox. The Dodgers' former closer has signed on with the Red Sox to help bolster their bullpen. His fantasy value? You heard of that guy Papelbon? Yeah, Saito will be a middle reliever. Draft him accordingly.

Brad Penny, Boston Red Sox. Penny was once one of the more dominant pitchers in the National League, but he is another player that hasn't been able to stay healthy. But he is a power arm on a team that will score runs, so he might be able to help you in both wins and strikeouts. He is an end of the draft kind of selection, and if you do select him consider anything you get from him as gravy, you can't count on Penny for any kind of consistent production. That doesn't mean that there is no chance of him being successful however, it just isn't likely.

Visit www.fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles, including position rankings coming soon. You can email comments and questions to fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

A Fantasy Look at Offseason Movement

2009-01-08T19:21:00.000-08:00

In the News is Back! It is now 2009 and it is time to start thinking about your fantasy baseball teams once again. Even if it is three months before your draft. You can never start too soon. This is the start to our weekly article that will be published every Tuesday, but I wanted to get a quick one out about some of the key free agent additions. There will be another just like this with the recent movement ready for you on our regularly scheduled day. Enjoy and let's get ready to PLAY BALL!!!

C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees. The biggest free agent of the offseason by both size and importance, Sabathia (like most free agents) followed the big money to New York. Sabathia finished his second straight strong season 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA. However, this was the tale of two seasons. Starting the season in Cleveland, Sabathia was just 6-8 with a robust 3.83 ERA. After being traded to Milwaukee, C.C. found another gear. I’m not sure if it is due to the fact that the National League is supposed to be easier to pitch in, or if he saw millions and millions of dollars potentially falling off his next contract. Either way, Sabathia was incredible down the stretch, often taking the ball on three days rest on his way to a 11-2 record for the Brewers. Although he was clearly the class of the free agent pitchers, he does come with a few concerns. First, he heads back to the American League where he wasn’t exactly doing well in 2008. Granted he was 19-7 the season before, but he had never been that dominating of a pitcher as he was in Milwaukee. Can he remain that hot. Second, he has pitched a ton of innings the past couple of years, especially when he was pitching on short rest for what seemed to be the last two months of the season. He has thrown at least 180 innings in each of his eight years in the league, topping off at over 250 last season. Will this lead to injury problems? Perhaps not, maybe he is just that durable. But you can’t be shocked if he goes through a dead arm period at some point this year, if not something worse. Third, he has been in Cleveland forever. The pressure in Cleveland is nothing compared to what he is about to endure. If he gets off to a bad start after taking that contract and saying he didn’t want to go to NY, he will be crucified. Is he tough skinned enough to take it? Let’s hope so but many men have not been. He has been a great pitcher and now goes to a team that SHOULD produce plenty of offense to back him up. He should be one of the first five pitchers off the board in fantasy drafts, but I think he will be drafted too soon for my tastes.

A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees. One thing you can say about A.J. Burnett is he knows how to pitch when the money is on the line……his money. If you look at his career you will see a few good seasons. Well, two of those three were when his contract was about to expire. Before 2008 he had never won more than 12 games. Hello contract year, and hello 18 wins. I really have never been a fan of Burnett’s. Instead of A.J. perhaps his initials should be D.L. The guy has made 30 starts (the usual amount if a pitcher stays relatively healthy), only twice and you guessed it, it was during his two contract years. I know he won 18 games last year, but his ERA was over 4.00, so it wasn’t like he was dominant or anything. I just don’t see anything in his career statistics that scream “staff ace” to me, and I would suggest staying away from Burnett unless the next available pitcher is a big step down in talent.

Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees. Ok, I have spent the first part of this article being critical Yankee free agent signees and the Yankee fans reading this have already tossed me aside as having no credibility and being a Yankee Hater. Well, I can’t say they are wrong on the Yankee Hater part, but I believe my above criticism is just. But I will not be saying anything bad about Mark Teixeira. This guy is a professional hitter. He has hit at least 33 homers and driven in over 105 runs in every season he has been in the majors except for his rookie year. He should be an incredible addition to the Yankees as he does it all. He hits for a more than respectable average, he doesn’t strike out nearly as much as most sluggers do (can you say Ryan Howard or Adam Dunn??), he scores nearly 100 runs every year, and he stays mostly healthy. If I had to say one bad thing about Mark Teixeira is that he generally gets off to painfully slow starts which tends to frustrate the crap out of his fantasy owners. So, if you are lucky enough to get this guy on your team (which means you are either a Yankee fan or don’t have one in your league), please don’t get discouraged if he starts out really slow. It has happened before and he always breaks out of it eventually even if it is June. And if you don’t draft him, be the smart one and buy low on him in May when he is hitting .220 with seven homers. The power is coming, the stats don’t lie.

Francisco Rodriguez/J.J. Putz, New York Mets. The Metropolitians decided that they needed to bolster their bullpen, and boy were they right. With the season long injury to Billy Wagner they definitely needed to find themselves an established closer and they signed the best with Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod broke the single season saves record with 62 in 2008 and cashed in after it. Although he was certainly the best closer on the market, he comes with a few concerns. There have been some reports of a loss of velocity with Rodriguez from the high 90s to about 93 mph on average. He also gives up a good number of walks and hits, and he usually makes his saves interesting for his team and his fantasy owners. All in all, K-Rod should be among the top four closers off the draft board this upcoming season. New York wasn’t done upgrading the ‘pen and traded for J.J. Putz. Two years ago he was perhaps the most dominant closer in the game. He was mired by injury and inconsistency in 2008, and was removed from his role in the second half of the season. Putz will be relegated to the 8th inning role for the Mets, but if something were to happen to K-Rod, Putz would be the hottest pickup in fantasy.

Milton Bradley, Chicago Cubs. Bradley has always been a great hitter but he has two problems. One is his temper has gotten him in trouble and suspended on more than one occasion. And two is he seems to be bitten by the injury bug at least once a season. He has never played more than 141 games in his career, and has only played over 100 three times since 2000. When he is on the field though, Bradley can have a big impact on a fantasy team. He does strike out a bit too much, but he does have good power, hits for a pretty decent average, and will even swipe a few bases. Don’t stretch too early on Bradley, but late in your draft he would be a nice addition to your team just expect him to miss some time. But going to a nice small park like Wrigley Field can only help his stats.

Randy Johnson, San Francisco Giants. When Randy Johnson has been able to stay healthy (30 starts in four of the last five seasons) he actually has been fairly effective. He hasn’t had a losing record since 2003, and he still knows how to rack up the strikeouts. His ERA will still be in the high 3s, but since he will be the fourth starter in San Francisco there shouldn’t be a ton of pressure on him. And by looking at the rest of the teams in the NL West, it looks like there will be a ton of opportunities for Johnson to face some weak hitting. He is now an end of the draft sort of selection, but I think he is a great low risk/high reward kind of players.

Kerry Wood, Cleveland Indians. Wood had been the poster boy for the Disabled List for most of the last ten years. However, he was able to stay on the mound for most of the season for the Cubs after being moved to the closer’s role. He wasn’t dominant, but he got the job done most of the time converting 34 out of 40 chances. Wood continued to strike people out though as he rang up 84 batters in just 66 innings. Because of his injury concerns it will drop Wood down to the second tier of closers, but he is a pretty good risk. I think he will have a pretty long leash and it should take a series of meltdowns before he is in jeopardy of losing the job. His ERA won’t be pretty, but if you need strikeouts Wood should be a great choice.

Brian Fuentes, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I guess it was the lack of established closers on the market that made Fuentes such a hot ticket because it couldn’t have been his recent performance. He did save 30 games last season, but the Rockies didn’t even have him as their closer to start the season. If it wasn’t for a meltdown by Manny Corpas to start the season, Fuentes might not have had any saves. He is a former All-Star, but his ERA was near 3.00, which for a closer isn’t really that good. He did have 82 Ks in just 62 innings, but he hasn’t been a great strikeout pitcher over his career. Fuentes now goes from a team that struggles to compete in the National League to one of the best teams in all of baseball in the Angels. He will get a ton of save opportunites in Anaheim and it could give his fantasy value a good bump upward.

Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies. Perhaps one of the better bargains in free agency this season, Ibanez has been doing the same thing for the last seven years. He has hit between 21 and 33 homers and driven in between 89 and 123 runs. Ibanez will always hit for a good average, around .290 to .300. He isn’t the sexy pick and he will never be flashy, but Ibanez is a professional hitter and the Phillies got themselves a nice player. Going from the American League to the National League should help out his stats some, but an even better help will be that matchbox replica of a stadium in Philadelphia. I would look for Ibanez to hit towards the higher end of his recent range of stats and be a good third or fourth outfielder for your team.

You can visit me at fightingchancefantasy.com. Any comments/questions are welcome, contact me at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

In The News 11/20

2008-11-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

Not a ton of baseball news came down this week but let's take a look at some award recaps, free agent and trade rumors, and general player news.

When will Jake Peavy be traded? And to who? It seems that the list of teams that Peavy would prefer to go to: the Cardinals, Braves, Cubs, or Astros will come down to just the Braves after the Cards and Astros didn't show much interest and the price appears too high for the Cubs. However, the Yanks and Angels might get involved if the Braves are unwilling to part with what the Padres are looking for. In the end most of the people in the know seem to think that he will end up in Atlanta which will be a great building block for the Braves to return to respectability. What will that do to Peavy's fantasy value? I don't think it will do too much. It will help in that he goes to a better team although the Braves are hardly murderer's row. The Braves' stadium is not the cavern that Petco Park is, but it isn't the Phillies stadium either. All in all a move to Atlanta keeps Peavy at about the same value. If he were to go to the American League to New York or Anaheim that would really boost his value for him to pitch for a team that can actually score runs. For so long if he gave up two runs you knew he was getting a no decision or a loss from San Diego. His ERA will most definitely go up with a move to the AL but it should be more than balanced out by his win total.

Today marked the official end of Mike Mussina's career. The Yankee pitcher called it quits and went out on top, deciding not to come back after his first 20 win season. As far as fantasy baseball is concerned this isn't groundbreaking news. You can't argue with the success that Mussina had in 2008, but I think you would be hard pressed to find fantasy players (outside of NYC or perhaps Baltimore) that thought that he had a chance in hell of duplicating that next year. For his career Mussina had a 270-153 with a 3.68 ERA. He is the oldest pitcher to have a 20 win season, and he will fade off into the sunset and live his life the way he wants now. Is he a Hall of Famer? He fell 30 wins shy of the benchmark of 300, but every other pitcher that is more than 100 games over .500 is either in the Hall of Fame or will be. Personally I don't think he will make it, but if he does you won't find me ranting and raving about it either.

The National League MVP was announced a couple of days ago and it went to the right guy. Albert Pujols collected his second such prize in his career with a very impressive campaign. Pujols hit a ridiculous .357 with 37 homers and 116 RBI. I know that Ryan Howard had far more homers and runs batted in, but that is far from the only stats that should decide this award. For one thing, Pujols is a Gold Glove first baseman. Second, he struck out only 54 times while walking 104 times. He scored 100 runs and even stole seven bases. Add all that together with the fact that Pujols was playing with an elbow injury that threatened to end his season before it even started and that is an MVP. It hurt Howard that he hit more than 100 points less than Pujols, and struck out nearly 150 more times. He had a batting average in April of .168, in May it was .238, June was .234 and August .213. It was really two good months that got Howard his gaudy numbers.

As a hero to all of us short white guys, Dustin Pedroia was the AL MVP. I still have a hard time believing it even as I type it. It isn't that I don't think he deserves it, but take a look at the guy. He is 5'8" probably 175 pounds. It just shows what some talent and a ton of heart can get you. Not to mention Carlos Quentin broke his wrist, A-Rod had an off year, and Teixeira didn't come over until halfway through the year. This sounds like I don't think he should have gotten it. Pedroia was amazing. He is the first 2B to win the award in nearly 50 years. He hit .326 with 17 homers, 83 RBI, 20 steals, and scored 118 runs. Not only did he lead the AL in hits, but it seemed like he should have led in BIG hits. Everytime the Sox needed it, Pedroia delivered. Hell, the little guy was even batting clean up for a while. Congrats to Pedroia, you are a role model to us all.

Heard today that the Boston Red Sox are ready to make an offer to free agent Mark Teixeira that will make him the highest paid player in the history of the franchise. To give you an idea of what that might be, Manny Ramirez was making $20 million per year when he was on Boston. If the Sox offer that kind of money I would be very surprised to see someone swoop in and beat that offer.

Coco Crisp was traded from the Red Sox to the Kansas City Royals for middle reliever Ramon Ramirez. Ramirez will be a late reliver for the Sox, he will have no fantasy value. It will effect the value of two players. First, Crisp should get an everyday job in Kansas City and should go back to being a viable fantasy player. Crisp did well in 2008 with seven homers, 41 RBI, and 20 steals in 118 games. However, he might have been in 118 games, but he started a significantly lower number of games than that. With an everyday gig in KC, Crisp might be worth being a 4th or 5th outfielder. The second player effected is Jacoby Ellsbury. There will be no worries for the Sox speedy centerfielder of anyone taking his playing time. Ellsbury struggled mightily down the stretch and there was some worry of a platoon in 2009. This will end all of that speculation.

Ryan Dempster signed a four year, $52 million contract to stay with the Cubs. I think this is crazy. 13 million for Dempster? I know he had a great year last year, but before that he was a closer with a near 5.00 ERA and before that was a run of the mill starter. Does anyone else think that Dempster will repeat his 17 win season? Apparently the Cubs do.

Does anyone else think it is suspicious that C.C. Sabathia hasn't taken that crazy offer from the Yankees yet? The Yanks offered Sabathia $140 for six years, but he still remains unsigned. This is leading me to believe that Sabathia doesn't want to play for New York and is waiting for another team to come in with an offer that is close to keep him in the National League. I am reading now that they Giants might get involved. Can they possibly sign another free agent pitcher with the money they are paying Zito?

As always, your comments and questions are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Visit me at www.fightingchancefantasy.com.

Holliday to the A's: A Fantasy Perspective

2008-11-12T21:16:00.000-08:00

Well, the first big trade of the offseason is now official, so let's take a look at how it will effect both teams. Starting with the A's:

Matt Holliday: Oakland gets itself their first real offensive threat since Giambi and Tejada left town. Holliday has put up MVP-type numbers the past two seasons, and he should do well in Oakland. Many question his ability to continue putting up these types of numbers outside of the friendly confines of Coors Field where he has clearly been better, but I think Holliday will be able to hit well in his new surroundings and give the A's some much needed offense. There has also been rampant speculation already that if Oakland is unable to compete that they will turn around and trade Holliday right before the trade deadline and likely get a better package in return for him then when some team will be desperate for Holliday's production. It seems like a no lose situation for Oakland. They get Holliday and win, they try to make the playoffs and advance; they don't win, they turn around and trade him for a better package of players then they gave up. Looks like Billy Beane pulled off another great deal.

Huston Street: Street goes from Oakland to Colorado and as of now will be penciled in as their closer with the loss of Brian Fuentes to free agency. However, Street's star has certainly dimmed over the last year or so as he has encountered arm problems as well as ineffectiveness. Street's ERA was 3.73 which is absolutely awful for a closer, and he saved only 18 games while blowing seven saves. What is that percentage? Just better than two-thirds successful? That is terrible. However, there has also been a ton of speculation that Street won't throw one pitch for the Rockies. I've been hearing that the Rockies are going to look to trade Street to some team (the Mets perhaps) that are looking for a closer and don't want to pay the extraordinary dollars and years that it will take to lock up Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes. Street is still just 25, but if Billy Beane traded a 25 year old closer who makes just over $3 million, that throws up a huge red flag in my mind. That is the kind of guy he usually trades FOR. No matter where Street ends up, it is almost impossible to think he won't be closing games this year, so fantasy owners can just hope it is with a decent team.

Greg Smith: After getting off to a pretty good start, Smith ended up having a pretty bad year statistically, going 7-16 with an ERA over 4.00. Even worse was his strikeout to walk ratio as he struck out 111 and walked 87 which is terrible. He did prove to be a valuable source of innings as he threw 190 as a rookie, but in my opinion just throwing innings isn't valuable. If you are throwing that many innings but you aren't giving your team valuable production, what good is it? Smith might get a look in the Rockies rotation, but they do have some young guys who deserve a shot too, so watch to see what Smith's role might be.

Carlos Gonzalez: If you don't know this guy yet, by the middle of the season you will. Gonzalez was the main piece of the Danny Haren trade and he is a stud in the making. I'm actually kind of surprised Beane traded him, but you've got to give up something to get a superstar like Holliday. Gonzalez didn't show the power that was expected of him, as he only hit four homers in his 85 games in the majors, but he is still young. He did pound out 20+ homers in the minor leagues so the power is there. You would think he would be penciled in as either the centerfielder or he will take over in left for Holliday, but I believe that Gonzalez will be in the starting lineup for the Rockies when they open the season. Keeper league players, get to know this guy's name....he should be great.

Your comments and questions are always welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Click here to visit my site.

Going Back to the Past: My Second Half Predictions

2008-10-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

I hate to look back at this because it's ugly, but if I'm going to make predictions let's take a look at how I did (It's bad!). This was posted on July 19th.

Here are my top 10 predictions for what will happen in the second half of the 2008 Major League season.

Josh Hamilton will finish the year with under 150 RBI. We have seen guys break 80-90 RBI before the break before, but Hack Wilson’s RBI record has never been seriously challenged. Hamilton will slow down plenty in the second half, and finish with 145 RBI, still an MVP season.

How it worked out: Success! Not only did he only finish with 130 RBI, he didn't even end up leading the AL in runs batted in.
Justin Verlander will win 17 games or more. After an atrocious start to the year, Verlander has started to turn it around and he has seven wins at the break, I am predicting a huge second half for the young fireballer, and he will win at least 10 games from here on out.

How it worked out: Bomb! Verlander finished the year with a win, but he actually LOST 17 games instead of winning 17 games. I missed big on him this year, ouch!
Francisco Liriano will be back in the majors before August, but he will not pitch well this year. Liriano has been lights out his last nine starts in the minor leagues, but there is a big difference between AAA and the major leagues. I think he will be fine in 2009 after an offseason of rest, but I say trying to rush his comeback will ruin his 2008 season.

How it worked out: Not good. Liriano did come back in August, but he was 6-1 and only allowed three runs or more twice. Another miss for me.
Kevin Kouzmanoff will hit 28+ homers. Kouz currently sits at 12, but he had a great second half last year, and I predict an even bigger one this season. He was fairly hot before the All-Star Break, and look for him to really breakout even though he plays in one of the biggest parks in the majors.

How it worked out: Ok, so maybe 28 was shooting a little high. He did finish with 23 and had another pretty good second half.
Cliff Lee will top out at 17 wins. I know what you are saying, 17 wins that is a great season. Well, Lee currently sits at 12. I see his stats really coming back to earth in August and September, and I don’t see him winning any more than five games between now and the end of the season.

How it worked out: I bashed Lee all year long, and all he did was most likely go out and win the Cy Young Award, unless there is a total misvote. Lee obviously won well over 20 games and had one of the best seasons for a pitcher ever.
Chipper Jones will not hit .400. Ok, so this one isn’t really going out on a limb since no one has hit .400 in a really long time. Jones currently sits at .376 and I say he finishes below .340. Chipper is having a great year, but he is having troubles with nagging injuries and I believe it will start to effect his hitting.

How it worked out: No big surprise here that Chipper fell short of .400. He did have a good season at .364, but he was bitten by the injury bug again, and only was able to play 128 games.
Johnathan Broxton will close games for the Dodgers from now on. And I don’t mean for the rest of 2008, I mean Takashi Saito’s time as Dodger closer is over. Broxton has been being groomed for this job for three years, and now that he has a good, long opportunity, he will step up and grab this role and hang on to it. Grab Broxton now if he wasn’t already picked up.

How it worked out: I guess this one is still up in the air, but Broxton did finish with 14 saves and blew only four in the second half. I still think he opens the season as the closer next season, but that is still to be determined.
Evan Longoria will hit 30 HRs and drive in over 100 runs. Longoria currently sits at 16 HRs and 53 RBI in the Rays first half of the year. He is a special kind of talent, and I can certainly see him doubling those numbers in the second half, even though the Rays have played more than half of their games. Longoria will be a star in this league for a long time to come.

How it worked out: Longoria missed from August 7th to September 13th after being hit by a pitch. Even with missing nearly five weeks, Longoria still hit 27 HRs and 85 RBI. So, I am going to put this in the win column because he would have reached those totals if healthy.
Joel Zumaya will be closing for the Tigers before the season ends. Manager Jim Leyland said he will limit the amount of work that Todd Jones takes on for the rest of the year, and that means that either Fernando Rodney or Joel Zumaya will get SOME opportunities to close games. When a guy is that big and throws that hard (100 mph+), you’ve got to believe he will be a successful closer, as long as he can stay healthy.

How it worked out: Not so good. Zumaya did get a chance or two, but he blew every chance he got, and then he was injured, and then his season was over.....again. Until he shows any sort of consistency for at least a month, I am officially off the Zumaya bandwagon.
Chris Carpenter will be given a chance to close games for the Cardinals. With Jason Isringhausen completely crapping out, and Ryan Franklin not doing a whole hell of a lot better, Tony LaRussa will resort to some desperate measures and put Carpenter in the bullpen when he returns. Carpenter has had an eventful rehab from his second Tommy John Surgery, and pitching only an inning at a time will get him back to STL faster.

How it worked out: Wrongo! There were many rumors about Carpenter getting a chance to close, but after a start or two he was never able to make it back again. The Cards faded out of contention, and there was no reason to try to bring Carpenter back. So, this is another one in which health problems tripped me up.

So, those predictions didn't go well at all, but at least I had some fun with them. It was another baseball season to remember, between Josh Hamilton (great season and home run derby), the Tampa Bay Rays, another collapse by the Mets, the White Sox having to play two elimination games, the Yanks being out of the playoffs, Evan Longoria bursting on the scene, Pedroia-mania gripping Boston, the return of Brad Lidge, and the emergence of Tim Lincecum, and so many other great memories. Now we will see what memories we will have from the Postseason.

2008 End Of Season Fantasy Awards

2008-09-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

AL FANTASY MVP--Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians. Grady has been teasing us with his ability for the last few years, but he really showed the whole package in 2008. Sizemore's only weak point will be his batting average, and even that is respectable at .271. He was threatening to go 40/40 for a while, but it looks like he will fall short of the homers. Sizemore is currently going to score 100 runs, has 33 homers, 89 RBI, and has stolen 38 bases. A HUGE season on a team that hasn't been able to get out of their own way most of the year.
Honorable Mention: Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins.

NL FANTASY MVP--Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins. This was an impossible choice, but due to his speed, Hanley is the choice. How can you go wrong with a guy who nearly hit .300, has 32 homers, 33 steals, 118 runs, and 66 RBI. He needs to drive in some more runs to be the unanimous first overall choice in fantasy drafts, but you would be hard pressed to find a better option in my opinion.
Honorable Mention: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (what happened to that elbow injury?)

AL CY YOUNG AWARD--Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians. As much as I bashed this guy and urged you all to sell high, Lee never fell off. Who ever thought that a guy that was sent to the minors in 2007, could dominate so completely for a non-playoff team in 2008? Lee was amazing all season long, sitting at 22-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 170 Ks. This was a no brainer, easiest selection of the bunch.
Honorable Mention: Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays

NL CY YOUNG AWARD--Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants. This second year pitcher looks to win 17+ games for a team that has only won 70 games. Lincecum has had an incredible season, as his ERA is under 2.50 and he will lead the MLB in strikeout with over 250. His quirky delivery has some worried about injury, but he has shown no signs of that or of slowing down. He could be the number one pitcher off the board in fantasy drafts next season.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks. With 22 wins it could have easily been him

AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR--Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays. Was this ever a question? From the moment that Longoria stepped foot on the major league field, he was like a 10 year vet. Not only was he hitting, but he got many clutch hits as well. Longoria is hitting .276 with 25 HRs and 82 RBI. He will be an incredible player for years, and was the best rookie in 2008.
Honorable Mention: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox; Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR--Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs. He had one amazing season in the minors, so many questioned if it would carry over to the major leagues. Boy, did it ever. He currently sits at 23 homers and 86 RBI, and was an All-Star in his first season in the majors. Soto may also be the first catcher off the board in the first round next season, as he is a big reason that the Cubs have a chance to break 100 years of history.
Honorable Mention: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

AL SURPRISE OF THE YEAR--Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox. Quentin was a big time prospect in the Diamondback system, and an injury cost him not only the 2007 season, but his spot on the Diamondbacks roster as well. He landed in Chicago, and he still leads the American League in homers even though he hasn't played since September 1st. Nobody expected an MVP season out of this right fielder, and he was easily the surprise of the year.
Honorable Mention: Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles

NL SURPRISE OF THE YEAR--Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis Cardinals. Raise your hand if you saw this guy hitting 35 homers this season. Ok, put your hand down you liar! Ludwick burst on the scene after spending years on other teams and not getting a chance to play regularly. Injuries in St. Louis gave him a chance, and now he had one of the best season's in the National League. Another no brainer pick.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Delgado, New York Mets

AL MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR--Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox. He very well may win the real AL MVP, not bad for a guy who was cut in a lot of fantasy leagues back in May. But Pedroia will lead the AL in hits, be in the top five in batting average and runs, and will have a shot at 20/20 in homers and steals. Not bad for a guy who hit for a similar average, but only eight homers and seven steals.
Honorable Mention: Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers; Kelly Shoppach, Cleveland Indians

NL MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR--Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates. His average might not have finished what we all might have hoped, but McLouth still had an incredible season with 26 homers, 94 RBI, and 21 steals. Not sure that I expect him to have the same type of season in 2009, but you can never take this incredible season away from Nate.
Honorable Mention: Mark Reynolds, Arizona Diamondbacks.

Since closers have such an impact on the fantasy game, I made up my own category.

AL CLOSER OF THE YEAR--Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles of Anaheim. Not much of a surprise here, as K-Rod broke the long standing single season save record and has stretched it out to 60+. He has struck out 75 batters in 66 innings and is a huge part of why the Angels might win 100 games.
Honorable Mention: Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals

NL CLOSER OF THE YEAR--Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies. Heard a stat on TV the other day that said if the there were only eight innings to a game, the New York Mets would have a seven game lead on the Phillies. But since there are nine innings to a game, the Phillies look to have the division title in their hands. Lidge is 40 for 40 on save attempts in 2008, and has had an incredible bounce back season after it seemed his career might be on the downswing.
Honorable Mention: Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs

High Fives: Pickups, Injuries, News Items

2008-09-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

As we approach the final days of the fantasy season, here are some players that might still be available that can help you.

1. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants. I didn't get too excited about this guy when the Giants called him up, but he has hit nearly .340 since coming up with a few homers and 15 RBI. He should be catcher eligible, which could help, especially if you have missed out on some of the young catchers who have popped up this year. He won't carry you in any one category, but at this point of the season, he might be one of the better options available.

2. Johnathan Niese, New York Mets. Niese has only started twice in the majors, but his last one was a gem. Niese threw eight shutout innings and struck out seven against the Braves, so although the first one was ugly, he might be a decent spot starter when his next turn comes up. It is hard to say exactly how the Mets' rotation will shape up down the stretch, but he might be worth a start depending on the matchup.

3. Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland Indians. Choo has quietly been hitting up a storm in Cleveland in the second half, and perhaps he has gone unnoticed in your league. He did in most of mine. After hitting just three homers in various "cups of coffee" in the majors, Choo has 11 this season for the Indians. In the last 18 games, Choo has hit .435 with five homers and 16 RBI. I don't believe that he is a keeper, but he could really help your team down the stretch.

4. Taylor Teagarden, Texas Rangers. Every time he plays, it seems that Teagarden is making an impact. He has three homers in his last six games, including a grand slam. He has driven in eight runs over that span, as well, making a play to get himself regular playing time in 2009. It seems the organization is going away from Jarrod Saltalamacchia, so it seems it will either be Teagarden or Max Ramirez behind the plate for the Rangers next season.

5. Blake DeWitt, Los Angeles Dodgers. In his second stint in the majors, DeWitt is now playing second for the Dodgers in place of injured Jeff Kent. He has been struggling the past couple of days at the plate, but he has been pretty solid all season long. With the 2nd base position being incredibly thin, DeWitt could be a help if you lost Kinsler or have been struggling with this position all year long.

Five pieces of injury news that are relevant in the final weeks of fantasy baseball.

1. B.J. Upton has been out for about a week with a strained quad, and could be back in the lineup on Wednesday. He was rumored to be back in the lineup on Tuesday, but he did not play. He is really hurting his fantasy owners, but it looks like he should be back before the end of the week.

2. Carlos Guillen has had trouble with his back over the last few days, and the prognosis is cloudy. Some reports I have read say he could be back before the end of the week, while some say his season could be over. You have to just keep him on the bench until you see that he plays a game. This kind of situation is the most frustrating to a fantasy owner when it is so unclear what might happen.

3. If all goes well in a side session that he is throwing later in the week, Erik Bedard could be back pitching for the Mariners before the end of the year. This season has been an utter and total disaster for the Mariners and Bedard, and I'm not even sure you want to throw Bedard if he does come back to pitch in the last week.

4. Rick Ankiel has an abdominal injury that will require surgery, the only question is when he will have it. Doesn't seem that he will be playing much, if at all for the rest of the season, so you are probably best off to just leave him out of your lineup for the rest of the season. The Cardinals are fading out of contention, which leaves them no motivation to trot Ankiel out there at less than 100%.

5. Alex Gordon returned to the Royals lineup on Sunday and had three hits in his first two games back. Gordon has had another very disappointing season, and a lot of fantasy owners wondering if he will live up to his enormous potential. He could help your team if he was dropped when he went on the Disabled List.

Five pieces of fantasy news heading down the stretch

1. After waiting all season long, the Rays have finally called up David Price. Price pitched 5.1 innings in his first appearance out of the bullpen, allowing two runs, including a homer to Derek Jeter. It appears he will get the start on September 23rd, and he could definitely help you down the stretch. Keeper leagues, if he is somehow still available, please grab him right away. You won't be sorry.

2. Robinson Cano was sat in a game on Monday for a lack of hustle, and was 0-4 on Tuesday. He has been a large disappointment this season, especially after batting .258 right now after nearly winning a batting title just two seasons ago. Cano will fall down the 2nd base rankings for 2009. If you have him, you have to just play him this season and hope for the best, but he probably won't be that productive this season.

3. Max Scherzer is back in the Diamondback's rotation and he has been making the most of his opportunities. Scherzer has allowed just four runs over 11 innings in two starts and has struck out 20. He will most likely get a few more starts, so grab him if you can, and he is even keeper worthy in leagues where you keep over 10.

4. Carlos Zambrano threw a no hitter for the Cubs against the Astros in a "road' game in Milwaukee. It was shocking considering that he was missing time with an arm injury. Feel free to get him back in your lineup in the last two weeks of the season.

5. Francisco Rodriguez has broken the single season record for saves in a season when he recorded save number 58. K-Rod will be able to reach 60 before the end of the season, and perhaps put the record out of reach for good. He is playing for a contract this season, and expect him to be the highest paid closer in baseball history going into next season.

Visit www.fightingchancefantasy.com for all your fantasy needs. Email fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com with any question and I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

Seven September Snippets

2008-09-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

As the season begins to wind down, the news around fantasy baseball starts to slow down as most of you are either too far out in points, or have been eliminated from your playoffs. So, if you are reading this, chances are you are still hanging around. Here is the latest from around the league:

1. Billy Wagner is officially out for the rest of the season......and out for 2009 too! Wagner has a tear in his flexor tendon in his pitching elbow, and the recovery time for this surgery is a year, meaning that Wagner's time in New York is almost surely over. The Mets will continue to have to piece together that bullpen for the rest of the year, and Luis Ayala has been getting the save chances at the moment.

2. Chris Carpenter will be used as the Cardinals closer whenever he is available. Now, Carpenter won't be throwing two days in a row, or even two out of three. But if Tony LaRussa can use Carpenter a couple of times a week, he will be giving the ball to the former Cy Young winner whenever he can to finish the game.

3. Evan Longoria should be playing before the end of the week. The Rays brought their ROY hopeful off of the DL, but he hasn't gotten a start yet. However, manager Joe Madden hasn't said which day that he would play, but as their division lead shrinks to next to nothing, you can bet that Longoria will be back on the field sooner rather than later.

4. Travis Hafner should be recalled from the minors on Tuesday. Pronk has been a monumental disappointment for his fantasy owners this season between his ineffectiveness and injury woes. However, a lot of the bad feelings that his owners have toward him will go away if Hafner can come back and make any kind of impact down the stretch. Given the amount of time he has been out, I wouldn't hold my breath for that.

5. Brandon Morrow has successful first start. Brandon Morrow has had quite a season. First, he was a lights out setup man. Second, he was a pretty good closer option when J.J. Putz got hurt, many said he was better than Putz. Now, after being sent to the minors to stretch out his arm, Morrow is back with the big club, and his first start was great against the Yankees. Morrow didn't give up a hit until the 8th inning, and it looks like he could be a starter that could help you for the rest of the season.

6. J.D. Drew set to return. Drew was reactivated from the Disabled List on Monday, but wasn't in the lineup against the Rays. Drew was having a pretty good season with 19 homers and 64 RBI before the injury, but I'm not sure that Drew will be playing everyday. If you are a Drew owner, I would keep him on the bench until I saw him start two games in a row.

7. Matt Lindstrom will be the Marlins' closer.....even when Gregg returns. Manager Fredi Gonzalez has announced that Lindstrom is his closer for the rest of the season, even when the regular closer comes back from injury. It isn't a total surprise considering that Gregg has blown nine saves this season. The Marlins are just playing out the string at this point, so not sure how many save opps Lindstrom will get, but he is the man for the rest of the season. If you check out Lindstrom's minor league and major league career numbers, there is nothing that gets you all that excited, but keep an eye on him for next season.

For more great articles visit www.fightingchancefantasy.com. Email me anytime at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com

September Callups and Other News

2008-09-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

Some of the young minor leaguers have already descended on the big leagues. Here are some of the guys you might want to know about.

Travis Snider, Toronto Blue Jays. He is perhaps the best hitting prospect the Jays have, and he was doing pretty good at AA. Snider was hitting just .262, but had 17 homers and drove in 67 runs in just 98 games. Of course, like most young guys, he strikes out a ton (116 times), but that is starting to become the norm nowadays, so I guess it isn’t as much of a concern. He plays the outfield for Toronto, and for you keeper leaguers, he is just 20 years old, and why would the Jays have called him up if they weren’t going to play him?

Max Scherzer, Arizona Diamondbacks. No need for an introduction here. Scherzer put the fantasy world on its ear when he was called up originally, as he was going to be the next great pitching prospect. Not that he did bad by any stretch, but there was just no long term spot in the Arizona rotation for him at the time. He transitioned to the bullpen and did ok for himself before the Diamondbacks decided to get him back to a regular starting role at AAA. He continued to pitch great in the minors with a sub-3.00 ERA and 79 Ks in 53 IP. Scherzer will pitch out of the ‘pen again for Arizona barring injury, so he will only be so valuable for the rest of this season. IF there is an injury in the desert, be quick to the waiver wire.

Blake DeWitt, Los Angeles Dodgers. Another guy who had a good showing for himself in his first time in the majors, DeWitt took over 3rd base for LA after injuries hit Nomar Garciaparra and Andy LaRoche. He started out like a house of fire before cooling down and being sent back to Las Vegas. DeWitt is back with the Dodgers, this time playing second base most likely for the rest of the season after Jeff Kent went down injured. He won’t carry you to a title, but he should get 2B eligibility soon, and will at least keep you afloat.

Brandon Wood, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I for one am finished with Wood, but fantasy owners still are hoping that this guy someday turns back into that glorious season in Single-A three years ago. Wood continues to rake in the minors, as he hit 31 homers this season, and his plate discipline is improving, but he has yet to show anything in the majors. He did have five hits over the weekend, but I am still not sold that he will develop into a good hitter in 2008. Keep him on your radar, especially if you have nothing to play for in a keeper league. He has talent, it is just a matter of time to see if it ever manifests itself for the Angels.

Other news

Jeff Kent's season, and perhaps career, is over after he needs surgery to repair torn cartiledge in his knee. Kent, now 40 years old, can start to rehab right after the procedure, but with just a month to go in the season, don't expect to see him again in 2008, if ever again. Blake DeWitt will play in his place.

Ben Sheets had to leave his start against the New York Mets today with a groin injury. He first said he felt a twinge when he was warming up in the third inning, and was taken out after five for precautionary reasons. Sheets was cruising up to that point, as he had only given up two hits and one walk. As of now, the Brewers are saying that they did this because they have a 5.5 game lead in the wild card with just a month to go, and he should be ready to make his next start.

Carlos Zambrano was scratched from his start on Sunday due to a tired arm. Like Sheets, the Cubs are saying that this was simply a precaution and they saw it as an opportunity to get Big Z a few days rest at the end of the season. Zambrano will most likely pitch either Tuesday 9/2 or Wednesday 9/3.

Cliff Lee became the majors first 20 game winner as he blanked the Chicago White Sox for his fourth complete game and second shutout of the season. What else is there to say really? I was bashing this guy all season long, but I can admit when I am wrong. Lee has been incredible. Going deep into games, getting a decent number of strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.32. That all looks like it will add up to Cy Young.

Orioles OF Adam Jones returned to the lineup today after it appeared his season was over with a broken foot. In the first half of the year it looked like it would be a lost season for Jones, but he came on strong in the second half and became a pretty good hitter. He could help you here in the last four weeks if you have a spot to fill, and is definitely someone to keep your eye on for 2009.

Johnathan Sanchez also made his return for the San Francisco Giants, and pitched well despite taking the loss. Sanchez was a popular addition to many fantasy rosters after he was winning some games and striking out a lot of batters for the lowly Giants. He was struggling pretty badly right before he went on the DL, but that might have been Sanchez trying to pitch through the strained shoulder. He went seven innings, allowed three runs and struck out six in his return to the mound and definitely could be someone that can help you down the stretch if he stays healthy.

Stephen Drew hit for the cycle on Monday, going 5-5 and driving in a run. Drew has quietly started to live up to his expectations, and his stat line is pretty good. For the season, he has hit .289 with 36 doubles, 10 triples, 16 HRs, 56 RBI, and has stolen three bases. For 2009, look for Drew to possibly get close to being a top 5 shortstop.

Go to fightingchancefantasy.com for more information on baseball news as we come down the stretch.

Possible Pickups

2008-08-25T20:25:00.001-07:00

Chris Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds. Dickerson took over left field for the Reds after they traded Adam Dunn to the Diamondbacks, and he has done nothing but produce since he came to the majors. His minor league numbers say he can make an impact. In 2008 through 94 games in AAA, Dickerson was hitting .286 with 11 homers, 53 RBI, and 26 steals. Not bad, huh? He has played 11 games for the Reds and he is hitting .319 with three homers (including the last two games), six RBI, and three steals. He strikes out way too much, but at this point of the season, he might be the best guy available.

Denard Span, Minnesota Twins. He has been playing right field every day for the injured Michael Cuddyer, and lately he has been hitting up a storm. In the last ten games, Span has 15 hits, including one homer and has driven in nine runs. Nothing about his minor league numbers suggest that he will make a huge impact in the major leagues, but he might be someone who you can ride while he is hot.

Ryan Garko, Cleveland Indians. He came into this season with a lot of expectations after he broke out last season and hit 21 homers. Garko had been a pretty colossal disappointment through the first four months of the season, but he has been having a pretty good August. In fact, over the last ten games, Garko has 14 hits, including two homers and 12 RBI. Garko has the talent to be a productive major league hitter, and maybe this recent hot streak will last for the rest of the year. He should be a good guy to add.

Jed Lowrie, Boston Red Sox. Initially called back to the majors after Julio Lugo got injured, but he will remain there even when Lugo is ready to play again. Lowrie has been another great young player brought to the majors by the Sox. In August, Lowrie has raised his average 20 points and driven in 21 runs. He isn't a big homer or steal guy, however, so he will only be able to help you in batting average and RBI.

Frank Francisco, Texas Rangers. Eddie Guardado was just traded today to the Twins for a minor league pitcher I promise you've never heard of. This, once again, opens up the closer's job for the Rangers. C.J. Wilson and Guardado have kept the seat warm, but now according to manager Ron Washington, Frank Francisco, who has no saves this season, will take over the job for Texas. If you need the saves, Francisco is the pickup for you.

Jensen Lewis, Cleveland Indians. Joe Borowski, Masa Kobayashi, Rafael Betancourt, all couldn't get the job done or stay healthy. So far, so good for the new closer in Cleveland, as Lewis has been seven for seven since August 8th, and has only allowed one run and five hits over those games. A far cry from the roller coaster ride that those other guys have provided Indians fans and fantasy players with throughout the season. I wouldn't count on him necessarily having the job in 2009, but for the rest of the season, he looks like a solid closer.

Brett Myers, Philadelphia Phillies. This one might be too late to pick him up, but if not, stop reading and go get him. Myers was fantastic again Monday night. Following up a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts, Myers threw seven more shutout innings and struck out eight. He has basically been unhittable since returning from that short stint in the minors, and if by chance he is still available, make sure he isn't very soon.

Carl Pavano, New York Yankees. Is this guy serious? Pick up Pavano? Well, honestly I wouldn't do it, but at this point of the season, you aren't going to be picking up Cole Hamels. There are a couple of reasons that it MIGHT be a good idea. First, he did look pretty good in his first start. Pavano gave up three runs over five innings and struck out five. That isn't dominant, but you would take that with a win. Second, Pavano is on about 396 days rest. He hasn't pitched in so long he should have plenty of fresh innings in that arm. Third, despite their struggles, the Yankees have a pretty good offense and SHOULD give him some good run support. Finally, this is the last year in the worst contract in history, and if Pavano plans on stealing more money from another team next season, he better show something in these last few starts if he wants another contract. Howver, working against him, Phil Hughes is due back soon, and one would think he would take the rotation spot from Pavano.

For more great articles like this visit www.fightingchancefantasy.com. Email me anytime for advice or questions at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com

Fantasy Baseball News and Notes (8/19/08)

2008-08-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

John Maine has now made two starts since he was activated off of the DL, and he hasn't given up a run yet. Let's not get crazy though, these starts have been far from dominating. He went just five innings in each start, allowing just one hit the first time, and two on Monday. His problem has been his control. In these 10 innings, he has walked eight batters, and struck out just nine. That is a horrible ratio. It appears that Maine is getting somewhat lucky that all of these extra base runners he is allowing haven't come back to bite him. He still a pitcher that I feel you can trust mostly, and he should help you more than hurt you in the last six weeks of the year.

Carl Pavano is one of the options that the Yankees are considering to start the game on Saturday because Dan Giese and Joba Chamberlain are on the DL. The other choice they are thinking about is bringing Phil Hughes back. Obviously, if it is Hughes there are some fantasy implications there. If it is Pavano, please ignore him and don't think about adding him to your team. His joke of a contract is almost over, and even though he is pitching to try to get a job next year, I would be shocked if he was effective.

For those of you who have been nervous about the effectiveness of Edinson Volquez coming down the stretch, it appears those worries can be calmed. After having a run of one good start, one bad start, Volquez has now put together two great ones in a row, as he mowed down the Cardinals Sunday. Volquez improved to 15-5 by pitching seven scoreless innings and whiffing four. Although the Reds have been putrid for most of the season, Volquez has been an amazing surprise, and might be one of the top 10 pitchers drafted next year.

Johan Santana did what he needs to do when he wants to record a win. For the second time this season, Santana didn't give the bullpen the chance to blow the game for him, as he threw a complete game shutout. Johan twirled a three hitter and struck out seven as he continued his great season (except for the win/loss record, of course). Look for Santana to finish the season really strong.

Clayton Kershaw had another solid outing, making that four out of five that he has given up less than two runs. Kershaw allowed one run over six innings, and struck out six, and has come a long way from his struggles when he was called up the first time with the Dodgers. Seasonal leagues, I would think you are going to be able to count on this guy to be effective more times than not, keeper leagues, I really doubt he is still available…..but if he is, what are you waiting for?

Don't look now, but Pedro Martinez has been pitching pretty good lately. Although he genereally doesn’t go deep into games, this is now six starts that he hasn’t allowed more than three runs, and his start on Saturday was his best of the season. Pedro pitched seven innings, allowed just one run, and struck out four. I really don't expect this to continue, plus the way the Mets' bullpen has been pitching, sometimes even when Martinez pitches well, the 'pen has a chance to blow the lead.

It is over in 2008 for Aaron Harang. Stay away, drop him, you just can't start him anymore. He has been AWFUL! This is now six of his last seven starts he has given up five runs or more. He is now 3-13 with a 5.59 ERA. I’m not saying his career is over, he is a pitcher that I liked going into the season, but you have to cut ties with him this year, stick a fork in him, he's done.

Roy Halladay threw his eighth complete game, has thrown 191 innings already, and won his 14th game of the season against the Red Sox. It appears he will hold up for the whole season, and has a shot to win 17 games. He spoiled the Red Sox debut of Paul Byrd. Byrd lasted 7.1 innings, allowed four earned runs and didn't walk or strikeout a batter.

Closer News

Jensen Lewis saved another game for the Indians on Sunday, giving him three since August 8th. If you are a player who plays the rotating save game, Lewis looks to be the guy that is getting the most opportunities for the Tribe right now, and would be the one I would be adding if I needed saves.

Pirates closer Matt Capps is due to be activated from the disabled list on Friday as long as he has no setbacks this week. If you own Capps, definitely get him back activated in time for Friday night’s game.

Tampa closer Troy Percival will not need surgery on his injured right knee, and now expects to be ready when he is eligible to come off the DL on August 30th. This is the third time that Percival has been on the disabled list already this season, and fantasy owners are hoping that it is his last. The Rays have been a good source of saves, but it is impossible to decide who will close in Percival's absense. Sometimes it has been Grant Balfour, while Monday it was Dan Wheeler who got the save.

Finally, the Brewers' Salomon Torres is dealing with some tight groin trouble he has treated for after he pitched on Saturday. There has been no word yet the extent of this issue, and since C.C. Sabathia always throws a complete game, there was no use for a bullpen on Monday to see if they made any adjustments with the injury to Torres.

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ. Also, listen Wednesday night at 10pm to the Fantasy Baseball Gurus show on which I am now a cohost. Visit www.fantasygurusnetwork.com for information on both of these shows.

Injury News

2008-08-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

The Rays have had a tough week, first they lose left fielder Carl Crawford to a season-ending injury to his wrist, and now the "bruised wrist" suffered by rookie sensation Evan Longoria has turned into a fracture. I have read everything from three to eight weeks, so can't say for sure that he will play again this season or not. Crushing blow to Tampa and fantasy teams, if you can afford to stash him I definitely would. If not, you have a really tough decision in front of you, but I think I would let him go.

Ryan Braun missed his second consecutive game with a rib cage injury that he suffered on a swing on Saturday. Manager Ned Yost said that the injury isn't serious enough that Braun should have to go on the Disabled List. Keep him benched until you know for sure that he will be in there.

Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum took a comebacker line drive off the knee tonight, but it appears that the x-rays were negative. I assume that more information will be available over the next day or two, but I wouldn't be surprised if he missed his next start.

The prayers that Mets' fans have been saying should be answered next week when Billy Wagner looks to be activated. Wagner will begin his rehab assignment on Thursday, and should be activated in the middle of next week. Look for him to be IMMEDIATELY put back in the closer's role for the Mets, as their 'pen has been a disaster.

Matt Capps has already started his rehab assignment, and pitched a scoreless inning in AA ball on Tuesday. He could be activated this weekend, or by Monday for sure. He will also be put back in the closer's role right away, as the Pirates don't really have a good replacement.

Carl Pavano (no, stop laughing, he is really going to come back. No, really. Ok, I don't believe it either.) actually made a rehab start, but much like the rest of his career for the Yanks was not good. Pavano gave up five runs in 4.1 innings against AA competition. The worst contract in history, Pavano has made just 19 starts in his $40 million contract, or just over $2 million per start. Given he has only won five games for the Yanks, that's $8 million per win. He could be back in the beginning of September. Stay away!

Phil Hughes needs to make just one more rehab start before he looks to return to the Yankees rotation. He allowed just two runs over five innings in his last start, and could start back again for the Bronx Bombers by August 23rd.

Brad Lidge looks like he won't miss anymore time for the Phillies. Lidge hadn't appeared in a game since Friday, but has declared himself ready to get back in the game right away for Philadelphia. Get him back in your starting lineup immediately.

Justin Upton is nearly finished with his rehab assignment and could be back with the Diamondbacks very soon. He had two hits in his first game, and could be playing for Arizona early next week.

Finally, Joba Chamberlain is supposed to start a throwing program on Friday in his attempt to return to the Yankees rotation. He was actually supposed to start it on Tuesday, but it was already pushed back. In my opinion, his season is over. If it isn't over, I don't believe he will start again.

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ. Also, listen Wednesday night at 10pm to the Fantasy Baseball Gurus show on which I am now a cohost. Visit www.fantasygurusnetwork.com for information on both of these shows.

Fantasy Baseball News and Notes (8/5)

2008-08-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yankees' Golden Boy Joba Chamberlain had to leave his start on Monday with what the team is calling a stiff shoulder. He wasn't pitching his best tonight by any stretch, but after giving up a hit to Marlon Byrd, the trainer and manager Joe Girardi rushed out to the mound, when it was reported you could see Chamberlain point to his shoulder. He was immediately replaced. The way the Yankees have treated him with kid gloves along his entire professional career, I would say his next start is in serious jeopardy, but as of writing this nothing official has been announced.

In other Yankee news, it appears safe to put Robinson Cano back into your lineups. One day after returning in a pinch hitting role, Cano homered in Monday night's game against the Rangers. Get the hot second half hitter back active. Newly acquired Xavier Nady is paying immediate dividends. One day after driving in six runs, Nady is at it again on Monday. He homered in the eighth inning, giving him four dingers since joining the Yanks.

Kerry Wood is about to come off the disabled list after being out since July 11th with a blister. He has really been pushing the rehab and recovery, and is due to rejoin the Cubs anyday. It is time to figure out who you have to let go of to get Wood back active. He has far exceeded expectations this year as the Cubs closer.

After missing seven starts since having a concussion, Brian McCann is back in the Braves' lineup on Monday, and needs to be back in all fantasy lineups immediately. McCann has been the best catcher in fantasy this year, and the sweet swinging catcher should continue to rake for the rest of the year.

In Cleveland, Cliff Lee won his 15th game of the season as he continues to be a guy that I completely missed on this season. Even as he is 15-2 I still am not believing that this guy is for real, perhaps when he wins the AL Cy Young I will give him some credit, but he is not a pitcher that I will be drafting high next season. He will be the first guy on my bust list, you can count on that. But you can't discount his remarkable season, as he allowed just two runs again on Monday over seven innings, and struck out two. Since the beginning of June, he has allowed more than two runs only twice. When Victor Martinez went down, it left many fantasy owners searching for a replacement. It looks like you didn't have to look any farther than Victor's replacement, as Kelly Shoppach is tearing the cover off the ball. The former Red Sox prospect has increased his batting average by 25 points over the last ten days, while hitting four homers and driving in ten runs. If you have any lack of production from your catcher position, don't hesitate to grab this guy. Even when Victor comes back he might be able to get playing time if they can DH Martinez or try the first base experiment again.

Francisco Liriano returned to the Twins rotation on Sunday with great results. Liriano pitched six shutout innings, and although the reports were that his fastball had lost some velocity and his slider didn't have the same dive, he still looked great considering how far he had come. I picked him up in every league I am in where he was still available, but by the time you read this it will probably be too late if you haven't already acted.

He may have had only two homers at the break, but Royals rookie Billy Butler is making up for lost time now. He has hit five homers since the break, and driven in 19 runs over that time. The concern with Butler was he showed good power in the minors, but it hadn't yet translated to the major leagues yet. It is starting to translate big time right now, and if you are in a keeper league, I would try to get him before his value gets any higher. If you are in a seasonal league, I would still want him for the stretch run, even if he doesn't start everyday for you.

A's rookie Carlos Gonzalez looks like he might be hitting "the wall". After a great start to his major league career, Gonzalez is just three for his last 26, and hasn't driven in a run over that time. Gonzalez is a nice speed/power combinations, but you have to have patience with young players. He is talented enough that I would keep him on my team, although I don't think he would be in the starting lineup for my team on a daily basis right now.

Ryan Braun is red hot as he crossed the 30 homer plateau for the second time in as many years of his career. After getting off to a slow start, and fueling speculation that he wasn't as good as last year's numbers said, he has officially silenced all his critics, and should be a first round selection in all fantasy drafts in 2009.

The Reds' Joey Votto is also on a hot streak. In his last five games, he has eight hits and has driven in nine runs. This guy should have big value in keeper leagues, and for the rest of you, he should continue to hit around .280 and drive in another 30-40 runs for the rest of the year. Rookie Jay Bruce homered for the third time in four games, as he looks to regain the trust and interest of fantasy owners. After going on a ridiculous tear to open the season, Bruce inevitably cooled down and many people shied away from him. What did you think he was going to hit .550 for the rest of the year????? Bruce is now at ten homers, and looks like he should be a valuable player for the rest of the season.

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ. Also, listen Wednesday night at 10pm to the Fantasy Baseball Gurus show on which I am now a cohost. Visit www.fantasygurusnetwork.com for information on both of these shows.

Opening Up The Mailbag

2008-07-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Between here at mlbfrontoffice.com, my site at fightingchancefantasy.com, and a few other places that I blog about fantasy sports, I get my fair share of emails which I really enjoy answering. Here is just a sampling of recent notes that I got that I want to share with you, as I have found if one person is having an issue, chances are they aren't the only one. These are edited some because chances are they weren't all in one email, usually I end up sending a few back and forth so I get enough info to make an informed suggestion.

Question: I have both Jon Rauch and Damaso Marte who were just traded and both will no longer be closing. What can I do? I discovered Kobayashi is also available so I could have any two between Rauch's replacement (Hanrahan), Kerry Wood and Kobayashi. What do you think. isringhausen and Gagne are also still there. Mike Gonzalez from Atlanta is there. Matt Capps is also available.

Answer: I think I would go with Wood and Hanrahan. Even though Wood is injured, I would guess the blister shouldn't keep him out for an extended period and he is clearly the best guy available. Hanrahan has great stuff, but in Washington won't get a ton of chances. Mike Gonzalez is a good option too, probably better than Hanrahan. It is tight between Gonzalez and Hanrahan. Atlanta is a place where saves just aren't recorded, as Gonzalez leads the team with four! K-Rod in Anaheim has over 40! Hanrahan hasn't saved one yet, but he was officially named closer. I think I would go with Gonzalez. Stay away from Izzy and Gagne in my opinion. Even if one of them gets a closer's job back, you can't count on them at all. Capps is hurt and still out a while.

Question: A couple of trades went down in my league between people that are completely out of the race, and those fighting for the last playoff spots, what do you think of these deals?

Trade 1:Player out of Picture gave: Oswalt, Harden, Beltre, and Mauer
Player tied for last playoff spot gave: Soto and Cueto

Trade 2:Player out of Picture gave: Hardy, DeJesus, Ryan Dempster
Player tied for last playoff spot gave: Travis Snider

So, basically the two teams that are tied for the last playoff spot got a bunch of impact now guys and gave up very little to get them. I mean, I can see that a team wants to rebuild and the other wants to contend but if you want impact now guys you have to pay for them. I feel that they didn't pay near enough in either trade. What do you think?

Answer: I agree, I would be very mad if that happened in my league too. I mean Soto is doing great, but Harden has been a top five pitcher, Oswalt still has talent even though he hasn't beeen doing well, Mauer I don't like but is a top 5 catcher, and Beltre gives you some pop. Cueto has been really inconsistent, as he's getting bombed again tonight. And in the second one, it isn't like they acquired Babe Ruth by any stretch, but Hardy, Dempster and DeJesus I'm sure all fill holes on that guy's roster. Travis Snider is a nice prospect, but that is ridiculous. Those are both garbage. Are these guys friends who might want to help each other? I'm guessing yes. Good luck to you, especially after that crap that just went down. We have a rule for trades in my keeper league where people all basically know each other. If the commissioner thinks there might be foul play involved, he will veto the trade, if not, no matter how bad it looks, he will put it through. In my opinion, these trades seem like veto material.

Question: I think Huston Street is going to get dealt at the deadline. Do you? And who will be the A's new closer? I'm hearing Devine, I guess he is doing a rehab stint and coming back this week.

Answer: Honestly I would be a little surprised if he was traded. He is still young and doesn't make a lot of money. Even more than that is he hasn't pitched all that great this year and has had some injury trouble in the past, so I'm not sure how much Billy Beane would be able to get in return. If he is traded I would think that Devine would get first shot, but I just read he had a setback in his rehab last week. If not him, Alan Embree got the job last year when Street was hurt, but he has really been awful this year with an ERA over 5.00. The last possibility is Santiago Casilla who looked like a no brainer at an earlier point of the season, but he got injured and has struggled mightily since his return. If Devine is healthy I think it would be him.

Question: This guy dealt both Teixeira and Ryan Howard in separate deals- for Johan and Pat Burrell respectively. So now his only first baseman is James Loney (who he acquired recently for Derek Lowe)…. I just offered him Huff for Harden. Any way I should offer more than that? Or should I offer Huff for Jurrjens?

Answer: I would try to take advantage of his position weakness, but my guess is he went into these trades knowing that he would have this problem. Go for Harden, that would be great even though I don't love him. I'm still not 100% sold on Jurrjens especially with young pitchers sometimes hitting the wall at the end of a long season. Harden is most likely way too high to shoot, but it never hurts to try. Huff is having a great year for him.

Question: (this was after an initial email in which it was discussed that the most needed category was batting average for this team) I have some answers to your questions. it is a yearly league, nobody ever trades with anybody, i've seen offers and people back out or it gets vetoed, no trades have been made at all this year, so it's waiver wire pick ups or free agents. Both catchers you mentioned are taken, so Cory Snyder will hang around for awhile.

You mentioned some players to take a look at, what if I would make these changes.. Kevin Kouzmanoff for Jay Bruce
James Loney for Jhonny Peralta
Josh Johnson for Justin Duchscherer --- hang on to Dempster till Price gets called up
Adam Lind for Raul Ibanez -- Ibanez is playing good ball right now as well, but do you feel Lind will be stronger by the end of the year..

Answer: I think the only move that I would definitely make tonight would be the Loney for Peralta. I know you expected more out of Bruce, but he is still young, and will have some ups and downs, but he is a great hitter. Kouzmanoff does have 14 hits in his last ten games, plus two homers and 13 RBI. That is a tough call. I think I would hold on to Ibanez at this point as well. Johnson and Duchscherer is interesting. I know Duch just burned you big time and he laid a big egg, but he has been great all year long, and although I don't expect it to continue, I don't think you should drop him for a guy who has only made a couple starts just off of Tommy John. You have to have patience sometimes too. So I would do Loney, wouldn't do Ibanez or Duch, and I am really on the fence with Kouz. Last year after the All-Star Break Kooz hit .317 with 11 homers and 37 RBI, as opposed to before when he hit .228 with 7 homers and 37 RBI, so it seems that he is a second half player. I want to say pick up Kooz, but Bruce's talent is very hard to give up.

If you have a question or a problem with your fantasy team, don't hesitate to email me at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I love to hear from my readers and try to solve their fantasy problems. Hope to hear from all of you soon!

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ. Also, listen Wednesday night at 10pm to the Fantasy Baseball Gurus show on which I am now a cohost. Visit www.fantasygurusnetwork.com for information on both of these shows.

Injured Players: Good News, Bad News

2008-07-21T20:36:00.000-07:00

With just a few games in after the All-Star Break there has been a bunch of news on injured players, some good, others not so much. So it's time for everyone's favorite game! Injured Players: Good News, Bad News!

Good News: Troy Tulowitzki returns from the DL tonight (7/21), starts, and singles in his first at-bat. Hopefully Tulowitzki won't find anything in life that frustrates him again, as he cut his hand slamming his bat into the ground. For the season, Tulo is batting a robust .161 with three homers and 16 RBI. Get him back in your lineups immediately, I see a big second half rebound for this guy.

Bad News: Jorge Posada is back on the DL with the same shoulder problem that has plagued him all season long. Posada has been trying to gut this out and play when he can, but this injury is completely taking him out of his defensive game. And since the Yankees are loaded with guys who are DHs anyway, it was hurting his playing time. Posada now goes back on the shelf and has a decision to make. Is it time to just have the surgery he was putting off until the end of the year and be ready for 2009? Or rest for a while and continue to play limited in the hopes of helping the Yanks if they make the playoffs? I am starting to worry that he will choose the surgery.

Good News: David Ortiz is on a rehab assignment and he is using it to play his own personal Home Run Derby. Big Papi played three games for the Pawtucket Red Sox, and he homered in all three games as he is on the way back from a wrist injury. After spending the weekend with the PawSox, Ortiz is heading to AA for three more games, and expects to reunite with his boys from Beantown in time for their weekend series with the hated Yankees.

Bad News: Erik Bedard is out indefinitely and won't pitch again until August at the earliest. If he wasn't already fired, the GM of the Mariners would be taking SO MUCH heat for the trade that brought Bedard to Seattle. He has been a colossal bust, not so much because he pitched bad (6-4. 3.67 ERA), but because he has been unable to stay healthy and has only made fifteen starts. Bedard has been a myriad of injuries this year, and the latest one, tightness in his left shoulder, looks like it will keep him out for an extended stretch. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mariners shut him down until September, or perhaps for the season, they aren't winning anything anyway.

Good News: Alfonso Soriano looks to return to the Cubs this Wednesday. After suffering a broken left hand on June 12th, Soriano has been itching to return to Wrigley. Now after a brief two game rehab assignment it looks as though he will come back on Wednesday, or Thursday at the latest. For the year, Soriano is batting .283 with 15 homers, 43 RBI, and 7 SB in 51 games.

Bad News: Roy Oswalt is back on the DL, this time with a hip injury. It looked as though this one was minor and Oswalt would miss just his one start. That was July 11th, the last time Oswalt started a game. He lasted just one inning, and they said he would be back. Now he is out for the 15 days, and the Astros are saying that he will just miss the 15 days and he will return to the rotation. I am skeptical that all of a sudden he will be back to normal, and you should be too.

Good News: J.J. Putz was activated off the DL on Sunday. Speaking on injury plagued seasons in Seattle, Putz finished his latest stint on the DL in time to come in to throw a shutout inning in relief on Sunday. It has been announced that Brandon Morrow will continue to close games for the near future, as they work Putz back into the groove and he is ready to close again. But get him back active on your roster now, I think within a week he will be pitching the 9th inning, if Seattle ever wins a game.

Bad News: Kerry Wood landed on the DL on Monday. Ok, ok, I know what you are thinking....."there's a shocker, stick a fork in him, he's done." But wait! This time it is just a blister problem he is having and should be back when his two week sentence is over. Now, I agree, if anyone can turn something so minor into a season ending injury it is Kerry Wood, but I am having faith this time, that this is something quick, and then he will be back. Carlos Marmol will close while Wood is injured.

Good News: Chris Carpenter is on the mend, and is on a rehab assignment with the Cardinals AA affiliate. Carpenter had a pretty successful start considering that he is attempting to come back from his second Tommy John surgery. He pitched four innings, allowed no runs, only one hit, but did walk four batters. This won't be a quick couple starts and back to the majors for Carpenter. Expect him to make at least five minor league starts before coming back, but so far, so good.

Bad News: Billy Wagner's shoulder needs a second opinion. First, Wagner was scheduled for an MRI today, then after the plane ride home it felt better and he didn't need the exam. Now he is back headed to the doctor's office on Tuesday for the team doctors to evaluate whether or not his should is in fact injured and needs an MRI. This doesn't sound good to me at all, and expect some sort of news by the middle of the week, and although I don't expect him to miss extended time, a stint on the DL wouldn't surprise me.

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ. Also, listen Wednesday night at 10pm to the Fantasy Baseball Gurus show on which I am now a cohost. Visit www.fantasygurusnetwork.com for information on both of these shows.

Second Half Predictions

2008-07-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

Here are my top 10 predictions for what will happen in the second half of the 2008 Major League season.

Josh Hamilton will finish the year with under 150 RBI. We have seen guys break 80-90 RBI before the break before, but Hack Wilson’s RBI record has never been seriously challenged. Hamilton will slow down plenty in the second half, and finish with 145 RBI, still an MVP season.
Justin Verlander will win 17 games or more. After an atrocious start to the year, Verlander has started to turn it around and he has seven wins at the break, I am predicting a huge second half for the young fireballer, and he will win at least 10 games from here on out.
Francisco Liriano will be back in the majors before August, but he will not pitch well this year. Liriano has been lights out his last nine starts in the minor leagues, but there is a big difference between AAA and the major leagues. I think he will be fine in 2009 after an offseason of rest, but I say trying to rush his comeback will ruin his 2008 season.
Kevin Kouzmanoff will hit 28+ homers. Kouz currently sits at 12, but he had a great second half last year, and I predict an even bigger one this season. He was fairly hot before the All-Star Break, and look for him to really breakout even though he plays in one of the biggest parks in the majors.
Cliff Lee will top out at 17 wins. I know what you are saying, 17 wins that is a great season. Well, Lee currently sits at 12. I see his stats really coming back to earth in August and September, and I don’t see him winning any more than five games between now and the end of the season.
Chipper Jones will not hit .400. Ok, so this one isn’t really going out on a limb since no one has hit .400 in a really long time. Jones currently sits at .376 and I say he finishes below .340. Chipper is having a great year, but he is having troubles with nagging injuries and I believe it will start to effect his hitting.
Johnathan Broxton will close games for the Dodgers from now on. And I don’t mean for the rest of 2008, I mean Takashi Saito’s time as Dodger closer is over. Broxton has been being groomed for this job for three years, and now that he has a good, long opportunity, he will step up and grab this role and hang on to it. Grab Broxton now if he wasn’t already picked up.
Evan Longoria will hit 30 HRs and drive in over 100 runs. Longoria currently sits at 16 HRs and 53 RBI in the Rays first half of the year. He is a special kind of talent, and I can certainly see him doubling those numbers in the second half, even though the Rays have played more than half of their games. Longoria will be a star in this league for a long time to come.
Joel Zumaya will be closing for the Tigers before the season ends. Manager Jim Leyland said he will limit the amount of work that Todd Jones takes on for the rest of the year, and that means that either Fernando Rodney or Joel Zumaya will get SOME opportunities to close games. When a guy is that big and throws that hard (100 mph+), you’ve got to believe he will be a successful closer, as long as he can stay healthy.
Chris Carpenter will be given a chance to close games for the Cardinals. With Jason Isringhausen completely crapping out, and Ryan Franklin not doing a whole hell of a lot better, Tony LaRussa will resort to some desperate measures and put Carpenter in the bullpen when he returns. Carpenter has had an eventful rehab from his second Tommy John Surgery, and pitching only an inning at a time will get him back to STL faster.

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ

2008 All-Star Game Snubs and Jokes

2008-07-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Can we PLEASE take the voting away from the fans, or at least limit the amount of times people in NY, Boston, and Chicago are able to vote? And how about taking the voting off the internet and keeping it to at Major League stadiums so our international players don't get automatic trips to the Mid Summer Classic?

Now whenever you analyze these selections you can't just say Player X should have made the team, you have to take someone off to put someone new on. So below, are the biggest jokes of the All-Star process, as well as the top four snubs for each league.

Biggest Joke, NL-- (tie) Cristian Guzman over Jose Reyes, and David Wright needs to be voted on to the All-Star team. Did I mention that I REALLY HATE the fact that each team has to have a representative? If your team sucks, then no one should be there. This is the All-Star Game, not recess in the second grade. This is the biggest joke of all. Are these teams feelings going to be hurt if they don't get a player in? Why don't we all just put skirts on now and cry in the corner. Guzman is having a decent season, but an All-Star? I think not. Reyes is nearly hitting .300 with nine homers, 40 RBI, and 30+ SBs. I know his attitude leaves much to be desired, but this isn't about attitude, it is about performance. Reyes should be on this team.

How can David Wright, who will be 30/30 again this year possibly have to depend on fan voting to get on the All-Star team. Chipper Jones is obviously having a great year, but Wright isn't too far behind, and he is much more healthy than Chipper. I'm not saying that Wright should be starting, but he should certainly be on this team without needing to be "last one in" voting by the fans. Just a quick aside, I am not by any stretch of the imagination a Mets fan, as I realize the above might make it sound.

Biggest Joke, AL--Dustin Pedroia starting over Ian Kinsler. Pedroia is another guy having a good season, but let's be realistic. If he played in San Diego, he wouldn't be on this team. Kinsler is turning into a legitimate offensive threat with a .338 average, 14 HRs, 53 RBI, and 23 steals. Compare that to Pedroia's numbers quick and you tell me who should be starting and who should be coming in off the bench.

NL Snubs

Brandon Phillips, CIN. (remove Cristian Guzman) Phillips is one of the better offensive threats at 2B in the league, and although he has good competition in the NL with Uggla and Utley, Phillips deserves a spot too. He is hitting near .300 with 14 HRs, 56 RBI, and 18 SBs. A guy who is looking at another 30/30 should be on the team.

Mark Teixeira, ATL (remove Kosuke Fukudome) Tex has been pretty hot for the past month of the season, and he far deserves the spot over Fukudome. Tex is one of the better power hitters in the National League, and should approach 35 homers again in 2008. The only category that Fukudome is outproducing Teixeira in is stolen bases. Put Tex on the team, and stop the international vote.

Carlos Lee, HOU (remove Alfonso Soriano). A .292 average with 20 HRs and 70 RBIs at the break, and he has to be voted in by the fans? Now I'm sure that Soriano will probably give way to someone on the roster, due to his injury, but Lee has been one of the most consistent hitters in the majors over the last five years, and 2008 has been no exception. I keep waiting for Lee's production to fall way off, but it certainly looks like this season won't be the year that it happens.

Jake Peavy, SD (remove Billy Wagner) I know that Peavy missed some time due to injury, but he has been spectacular again this year when he has been pitching. He has allowed more than three earned runs only twice all season long, and he is still striking out a batter an inning. His win-loss total might not be the most impressive, but you pitch for the Padres and see how many games you win. Wagner started out the season hot, but has been down right embarrassing lately. He had a streak in which he blew three saves in a row, blew another one a week later, and on Monday he allowed two runs before recording the save. Peavy's ERA is only slightly above Wagner's in a whole heck of a lot more innings.

What about? Chad Billingsley, Ricky Nolasco, Cole Hamels, Rick Ankiel, Johan Santana, Jonathan Sanchez

AL Snubs

Carl Crawford, TB (remove Jason Varitek) Varitek? Varitek? Boy, if that's not a case of his manager taking his guy. Varitek hasn't been an All-Star in four years. Crawford is the catalyst for that impressive Tampa offense. After a slow start, Crawford is around .290 and is approaching 25 SBs. He will most likely be 20/50 by the end of the year, and definitely deserves to represent the team with the best record in baseball.

Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS (remove Derek Jeter) Oh my God.....gasp....did he really say take off Derek Jeter?!?!?!?!?!?! Ok, for sentimental purposes and since the game is at Yankee Stadium I might leave Jeter, but have you seen his numbers? They are certainly not worth of the starting shortstop in an All-Star Game. For those of you who are lazy, I'll save you the trip. He is hitting .287 with four homers and 37 RBI. Yuck! Ellsbury on the other hand has taken the American League by storm and has transferred the way the Red Sox play, from a team that completely relied on the home run, to a team that now moves runners and steals some bases. They are still a power team, but Ellsbury has definitely made an impact. Ellsbury's average had been dipping as of late, but the 35 steals he has to lead the American League as a rookie is pretty impressive. He would be my choice to go to New York next week.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS (remove Ervin Santana) Ok, I am not a Red Sox fan either, even though I've listed two Sox (i'm actually a Cards fan). But although Ervin Santana got off to a fast start, I believe that Matsuzaka deserves the spot. He has had trouble with command this season (52 BB in 82 IP), but his ERA is a sparkling 2.67 and he is 9-1. He missed some time with a tired arm, but he has been great when out on the mound. Santana hasn't been taking too many losses because the Angels know how to score runs, but he has been getting touched up much more lately, and I see his numbers coming back to Earth in the second half.

Rich Harden, OAK (remove Joakim Soria) Don't get me wrong, I think Soria is a heck of a closer, and has proven it this year, but I think if he was on a team that had another representative, he wouldn't be making this team. Another case of let's not hurt anyone's feelings and give everybody one player. Ok, so Harden is as reliable health wise as the Boy in the Bubble, but this season he has been healthy the majority of the season, and he has been electric. He has only allowed three runs or more twice in 13 starts, and is striking out much more than one batter an inning (92 Ks in 77 IP). He might not always be healthy for the All-Star Games, so let's give him his due while he is available to pitch.

What about? Brian Roberts, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, John Lackey, Josh Beckett.

Visit fightingchancefantasy.com for more great articles like this one. As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours. Don't forget to tune into The Fantasy Baseball Scouting Report Show on Blog Talk Radio every Tuesday night at 10 PM EST, hosted by yours truly and Eric Stashin from rotoprofessor.com. Follow this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Fantasy-Gurus-Networ

Popular Pickups To Avoid

2008-06-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

For the rest of the season now, many of us will be scouring the free agent pool looking for the guy who will solidify our roster after an injury, or after we finally came to grips with that guy we were sure would break out….ain’t goin’ to do it. These are guys that I would stay away from.

Carlos Delgado, 1B, NYM. Delgado had himself a great weekend against the Yankees, but don’t let that hide that he has pretty much stunk the rest of the year. Delgado had three homers and ten RBI in four games against the Yanks, but don’t forget that two of the homers and nine of the RBI were in one game. Delgado is still hitting just over .230 and has only 45 driven in (10 game in two games!). There is some temptation to grab him, but I compare him to Todd Helton, his days as a dominant fantasy hitter are behind him. Don’t fall for the trap of name recognition.

Luis Castillo, 2B, NYM. We are always looking for an option in the middle infield as those positions are traditionally weak. Castillo was another Met who had a good series against the Yankees, and could be someone you are looking at. DON’T DO IT! Castillo is a broken down old man, and isn’t even an everyday player. He steals some bases, but not enough to go with the nonexistent power, and average in the .260s. I know he looked like the Castillo of old, but he is just that, OLD.

Marcus Thames, OF, DET. Thames went through a week where he was hitting homers like it was going out of style. He hit eight homers in eight games, and grabbed the attention of almost all fantasy players. Two things to consider with Thames. One, he is 31 years old. If he was this good, don’t you think someone would have figured it out by now? Second, which kind of goes with the first, he has been a part time player his whole career, all of a sudden he is a monster home run hitter? I don’t see it, unless you are desperate for power, leave him alone.

Jim Edmonds, OF, CHC. Edmonds has hit five homers in the past week, and driven in eight runs. But, the Cubs didn’t sign him to be their everyday centerfielder, and the Padres didn’t cut him to be nice so he could join a contender. Edmonds’ best days are long behind him, and this power surge is nice, but it definitely won’t last.

Joe Blanton, SP, OAK. One of the prize trade targets in the offseason, he was the only guy that Billy Beane didn’t trade. Boy, would he like a mulligan. Not only do the A’s never score many runs, which doesn’t help his win-loss record, but Blanton has been pretty awful himself. His ERA is nearly 5.00, he is striking out less than one batter every other inning, and he has walked nearly as many as he struck out. Don’t wait for him to turn it around, it isn’t coming.

Brett Myers, SP, PHI. I gotta figured he’s been dropped in most leagues by now, and I can’t recommend picking him up. Myers has been AWFUL in his last four starts. Myers has allowed at least four runs in each of those starts, and his last time out he only lasted two innings. There are rumblings that he is going back to the bullpen, but this time it won’t be as the closer, we are talking long relief duty. Unless you see him throwing gas in the pen for a few weeks, leave him alone, this is another one of the name recognition traps.

Jeff Francis, SP, COL. A 17 game winner in 2007, he is closer to losing 17 games in 2008. Francis is 3-7 this year, and his ERA is 5.67, a far cry from last season. Francis hasn’t been helped by the fact that the Rockies have not been the offensive force that they were last year, and their magical run to the World Series last season seems like it was years away. I have more hope that Francis will turn it around than others on this list, but I wouldn’t be picking him up right now either.

Eric Gagne, RP, MIL. Gagne was activated from the Disabled List on Monday, but he will not regain his closer’s duty. Salomon Torres who was a perfect 12-for-12 in save chances while Gagne was hurt will remain closer. Even if Gagne is put back in the closer’s role, I would still stay away. He is so inconsistent, as well as injury prone, and even if the Brewers show confidence in him, don’t make the same mistake, Gagne will disappoint you again and again.

The Five People You Meet In Fantasy Baseball

2008-06-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, the fact was that almost all fantasy players were really into the game. "Fantasy Dorks" we were called by those not gifted enough to play. A guy who talked about fantasy sports was mocked with such taunts as, "he definitely has no girlfriend" and similar barbs. My, my how times have changed! Now everyone has at least one team, and some are so obsessed with fantasy sports they are well overdue for their own support group.

Being one of those aforementioned 'fantasy dorks' with way too much time on my hands, I have gone beyond studying the game to studying the players themselves, and, given my affinity for the movie Reservoir Dogs, I will sometimes assign names to other owners in Fantasy Baseball leagues. And much like Joe, who ran the show in Tarantino's masterpiece, I don't allow people to pick their names, although mine are based more on your performance, not random colors. You might not always run into all of these people in every league, but I'd be willing to bet you'll get two or three every time.

Mr. Add & Drop--almost every league has this guy, and some have more than one. Mr. Add & Drop does exactly what his name says, adds and drops players with all the discretion of your proverbial drunken sailor. I'm talking 2 or 3 moves on a daily basis. You know who I am talking about, this guy probably has about 130 moves or so at this point. All this type of player is doing is recycling one free agent after another, trying to hit that one prize that he can actually use. And when they actually do score a winner, all you'll hear is them shout to the rooftops about how they knew all along that he was going to be a diamond in the rough, and how smart they were for picking up that player when they did! Can you say blind squirrel? Give your team members a longer leash before they find themselves on the chopping block. You can identify this fan by his unique appreciation of Dan Snyder's player management.

Mr. Disappearing Drafter--my least favorite player. This character is the one who comes to the draft, is about as successful as a Alaskan ice cube salesman, then a month into the season find themselves in dead last and you never hear from them again. They don't ever check back in, they don't replace people that are injured. Their average daily lineup has more holes in it than the Golden State Warriors' defense, and their players are completely out of the game as you can't trade with this person because they don't play. This player can normally be spotted wearing either Kansas City Royals, Oakland Raiders or Memphis Grizzlies gear.

Mr. 2001 All-Star Team--he was very excited about the attempted return of Juan Gonzalez, because he's got a roster spot for him. This is generally a player that doesn't spend a bunch of their time keeping up on their fantasy baseball. They can't believe Todd Helton fell to the third round, and didn't Sean Green hit 40+ homers just last year? You can spot these guys at the draft because they are usually wearing a 80's hair band concert shirt.

Mr. 2010 All-Star Team--the opposite of Mr. 2001 is Mr. 2010. He'll have Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, Evan Longoria, Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury and Phil Hughes on this team. It is vital for a championship team to have some of these guys sprinkled around their roster, but oh no, Mr. 2010 has them all…..and he's in 8th place. Rookies are nice, but usually inconsistent. Loading up on them is not a good strategy. Normally can be seen wearing a throwback LeBron James St. Vincent-St. Mary High School jersey.

Mr. Hometown Hero--This one seems to involve Yankee fans an awful lot of the time. You can tell who this person's favorite team is by looking at their roster for two seconds. It is loaded with players from one specific team, and the holes are filled by guys who USED to play for that team. You don't see this a lot with Orioles or Nationals fans. Let's face it, after Brian Roberts and Ryan Zimmerman there isn't a lot to get excited about with those clubs. But Mr. Hometown Hero Yankee fan will have Posada, Giambi, Cano, Jeter, A-Rod, Wang, Rivera, etc. The good part about this player is that if you happen to be lucky enough to get one of their favorite team's players, you can usually milk them and get much more than their value back in a trade. Easily identifiable by the NY jersey with the big blue number 2 on the back.

Honorable Mention:
Mr. Draft Day Commentator--This guy has something to say about everyone's picks. "Too early for him," "Isn't he hurt already?" "That guy sucks," and very rarely "Nice pick." But of course, if you were to question one of his picks, he's got all the stats and reasons why all of his picks were perfect. I always forget to mark down who is the Draft Day Commentator, because during the draft I am praying to God that this guy finishes at the bottom of the league. A little back and forth conversation during the draft is welcome, but hey buddy, shut up!

As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades, etc) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

Team By Team Report: The Most Disappointing Players

2008-06-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

Continuing the series from last week where we went through the most surprising player on each team, this week we will give the most disappointing player on each team, and if they can turn it around.

AL East

New York Yankees, Ian Kennedy. After not making the trade for Johan Santana in the offseason, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that the team was committed to their young arms, including Kennedy. I would think if Cashman had a mulligan he might take the deal. Kennedy was awful (and that is being nice) in his starts at the big league level, as he was 0-3 with a 7.42 ERA in eight starts. In many of them he didn't even last the five innings required to be eligible to win the game. He is still a young guy, so he has time to turn his career around, but I would not take the chance on him in 2008 at all.

Boston Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia. After winning the AL Rookie of the Year and batting .317 in 2007, expectations were high for Pedroia. Through the first two and a half months of this season, he can only be described as a disappointment. His batting average sits at .262 and that is only because he has been hot this past week or so. This is a bit of a stretch for a disappointment, but the Sox have been so good, it was a tough choice.

Tampa Bay Rays, Carlos Pena. Not a tough choice at all here, but many should have seen this one coming. After a career season last year, Pena was due to a huge correction in 2008, and we have seen just that. Even before he got injured, Pena's batting average was atrocious at .227, 55 points below his season average in 2007. He was still hitting for some power, but there was no way he was going to replicate last season's 46 bombs. If you won Pena, I would hope he hits a little hot streak when he returns and then trade him off as soon as possible.

Baltimore Orioles, Jeremy Guthrie. After having a decent ERA and a strong second half, many had some expectations for Guthrie. And although the Orioles haven’t always been giving him a ton of run support, Guthrie’s record is still 3-7. He might go on to win 10 games, but I would certainly stay away from Guthrie.

Toronto Blue Jays, A.J. Burnett. With all the great pitching the Blue Jays have gotten this season, it really hasn’t been from Burnett. His record is at .500, but his ERA is nearly five. He hasn’t taken his yearly trip to the DL yet, so if you have him, work on dealing him quickly.

AL Central

Cleveland Indians, Travis Hafner. Although his stats had been declining, many had high hopes that Pronk would return to his 40+ HR form. However, his stats were falling even farther before he suffered a shoulder injury that has kept him out of action even to now. He just turned 31 so, I’m not sure that a return to his power numbers is in the cards.

Minnesota Twins, Delmon Young. In my opinion, the most disappointing player of the year. A guy that came into the league with 30-30 potential written all over him, Young has struggled to hit with any power in 2008. In fact, he didn’t hit his first homer of the year until early June. He is still hitting for a decent average, and has been stealing some bases, but the total lack of power has made many fantasy owners sick to their stomachs.

Detroit Tigers, Justin Verlander. Another colossal disappointment, Verlander is one of the best young arms in baseball. In his first two seasons, Verlander won 35 games. In his first 14 starts this season, he has just three wins. He has been pitching better of late, but for the most disappointing in Detroit, there was no competition.

Kansas City Royals, Billy Butler. One of the better hitting prospects in baseball, Butler was expected to bring plenty of pop to the punchless Royals’ lineup. Well, it turned out it was Butler who had no punch. In his first 53 games, Butler left the yard just once. He could only muster a .263 average, and that combination earned him a trip back to the minors. When he returns I would take the chance on him, even though he had a horrible first two months of the season.

Chicago White Sox, Nick Swisher. Traded to Chicago in the offseason, the White Sox traded for Swisher to bring some extra lumber to the South Side. You didn’t expect Nick to bring you a batting title, but you certainly didn’t expect him to hit .215 either. Until a recent power streak, he wasn’t even hitting home runs. I believe Swisher will have a pretty decent second half to get his average over .250, but this wasn’t what anyone expected.

AL West

Oakland Athletics, Daric Barton. After his brief callup at the end of ’07, The A’s wanted Barton to take over at first and give them some instant offense. It wasn’t expected that Barton would ever hit 40 homers, but he is well below expectations with only five as of June 16th. He was expected to hit over .300, however, and his average today sits at .227. Not sure what to expect from him in the second half, but if the A’s hope to hang around.

Seattle Mariners, Kenji Johjima. How this guy got a contract extension this season, I will never figure out. Not only do the Mariners have one of the best catching prospects in Jeff Clement, but Johjima has been hitting around .210 all season long. Now the M’s are stuck with this guy for another three seasons. UGH!

Texas Rangers, Kevin Millwood. His record may be over .500, but his ERA is almost 5.00 and he hasn’t been near what the Rangers thought they were getting when they signed him. Stay away from Millwood in all formats.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chone Figgins. I hate to put him on here due to injury, but Figgins has been unable to stay on the field this season. Whenever he finally gets healthy, expect Figgins to go back to his usual hitting and stealing self.

NL East

New York Mets, Carlos Beltran. It seems like Beltran is just another in a line of guys who got a big contract and got comfortable and lazy soon after. His average is about where it has been throughout his career, but his power numbers are way down in 2008 and you have to wonder if it was the offseason knee surgeries, or if this is what to expect from now on.

Atlanta Braves, Mike Hampton. Is this the worst contract in history? Hampton continues to steal money as he hasn’t pitched yet this season, and I’m not sure he will. It was even worse this year, as he pitched pretty well during the spring and got people’s hopes up.

Philadelphia Phillies, Brett Myers. One of the most frustrating players in fantasy, Brett Myers will look like Cy Young in one start, and a little leaguer the next. When do you start him? When do you sit him? You never do know.

Florida Marlins, Jeremy Hermida. After hitting a grand slam in his first at-bat, expectations have been very high for Hermida throughout his career. He still hasn’t started to realize that potential, and he hasn’t been displaying the power he is capable of.

Washington Nationals, Lastings Milledge. When he was traded for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider, it was believed that the Nationals got a steal. However, Milledge has been struggling to reach the lofty production that he has been deemed capable of, and outside of stealing bases, he hasn’t been impressive at anything.

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals, Jason Isringhausen. You knew the end of Izzy’s effectiveness was right around the corner, but it still hits hard when it happens. Isringhausen has always made saves interesting, but he nailed down most. Izzy couldn’t finish the deal seven times this season, including three in a row before landing on the DL. He’ll be back soon, and we shall see if he can rebound.

Chicago Cubs, Ted Lilly. Lilly has started to recover his consistency, but at the start of the year, Lilly forgot how to get people out. He had a career year in 2007, and many expected an even better year in 2008. Lilly is now 7-5 and looks like he could win 15+ games again this season.

Houston Astros, Roy Oswalt. The longstanding ace of the Astros staff, Oswalt’s stats have been going in the wrong direction for three years now. Not only does he currently have a losing record, but his ERA is close to 5.50. I think Oswalt’s days as fantasy relevance might be over.

Pittsburgh Pirates, Ian Snell. The best pitching prospect in Pittsburgh since Oliver Perez, Snell has had a terrible time with consistency and walks. Snell has been continually done in by the big inning, and after getting his ERA under last season, I expected much more from Snell this year.

Cincinnati Reds, Homer Bailey. One of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball, the Reds have thought they had a pitcher that would help them back to relevance. Unfortunately, Bailey has never been able to get anyone out at the major league level, and he is starting to look like one of the bigger busts in recent memory.

Milwaukee Brewers, J.J. Hardy. After a breakout year in 2007, the Brewers were hoping that Hardy was able to repeat his 26 HRs. Unfortunately, he has been unable to do so, reverting back to his career numbers of single digit homers and a batting average under .250.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers, Andruw Jones. Not too much to say here that hasn’t already been said. After a terrible year in 2007, Jones fell even farther from grace at the beginning of this season. In 42 games, Jones is hitting .165 with just two homers and 7 RBI. It is certainly time to cut ties with Andruw, perhaps permanently.

Colorado Rockies, Jeff Francis. After winning 17 games last season, Francis is the most disappointing pitcher in baseball. Not only is his ERA 5.50, but he has just two wins this season. Was he a product of the Rockies’ magical run in 2007? As of right now, it seems like the m

San Diego Padres, Khalil Greene. The Padres shortstop had a breakout year in 2007 as he hit 29 homers and hit well (for him) at .254. 2008 has been a disaster for Greene as he is hitting just .226 and has only hit six long balls. He is just one of the reasons the Padres are near the bottom of the NL standings.

San Francisco Giants, Barry Zito. Perhaps the worst pitching contract in MLB history, Zito has been borderline on embarrassing. He has walked more guys than he has struck out and his record is 2-10. That’s $7.25 million per win, not bad!

Arizona Diamondbacks, Justin Upton. The Diamondbacks have been pretty successful again this season, so this is a bit of a stretch but after his amazing start to the year Upton has been disappointing in the last six weeks. He had five home runs before April 15th and now sits at just eight two months later. He has an incredible future in front of him, and could break out at any time.

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Team By Team Report: The Most Suprising Fantasy Player

2008-06-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

Darrell Rasner, New York Yankees. The Yanks went into the season ready to transition to a rotation of young arms Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Well, Hughes got hurt and Kennedy fell on his face, and the Yankees brought up Rasner to stop the bleeding. Three wins and a two and a half ERA have kept the Yankees around the .500 mark.

Justin Masterson, Boston Red Sox. Injuries to Curt Schilling, Clay Buchholz, and Daisuke Matsusaka left the Red Sox looking for starting pitching. Masterson has not only not lost a decision yet, but he is giving the Sox valuable innings when he goes out there as he has gone at least six innings in every start.

Jesse Litsch, Toronto Blue Jays. After finishing with a sub-.500 record in 2007, not a ton was expected of Litsch. Well, Litsch is now 7.2 with an ERA just over 3.50, and has turned into a reliable part of the Blue Jays stellar rotation.

Eric Hinske, Tampa Bay Rays. Once one of the better hitting prospect for the Blue Jays, Hinske bounced around the majors after never able to repeat his great rookie season. After being relegated to a bench player the past couple of seasons, Hinske is enjoying a renaissance in Tampa, and making the most of his opportunity.

George Sherrill, Baltimore Orioles. When Sherrill was traded to the Orioles as part of the Erik Bedard trade, Manager Dave Tremblay immediately said he wanted Sherrill to take control of the closer’s job. He could have never dreamed that by the beginning of June Sherrill would be second in the majors in saves, and looking like the most valuable part of that deal

Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox. Once a hot hitting prospect for the D-Backs, Quentin was shipped out of town after failing to live up to his hype and falling injured for a season and a half. Now fully healthy and on the South Side of Chicago, Quentin is second in the AL in homers and is looking like he is going to fulfill the immense potential he always had.

Carlos Gomez, Minnesota Twins. The main piece of the Johan Santana trade, we knew Gomez could run. However, Gomez is proving valuable with the bat as well. He is hitting .279 with five home runs to go with his 17 SBs. His career best in the minors was eight home runs, so he might not continue with the little bit of power he is showing.

Zach Greinke, Kansas City Royals. Long considered the best pitching prospect in the organization, Greinke battled inconsistency, injury, and depression. The first two months of the season have been kind to Greinke and he still fits this list even though he has lost his last three decisions. I have been urging people to sell high before this mirage comes to a close.

Armando Galarraga, Detroit Tigers. With the implosion of Dontrelle Willis, Galarraga has brought some stability to the Tigers starting staff. He is now 5-2 with a sub-4.00 ERA and is keeping the Tigers from falling into oblivion in the standings.

Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians. When Lee was sent to AAA last season, it was amazing how a guy who had won 14+ games for the past three seasons had fallen so far. After just winning out the 5^th starter position in Spring training, Lee has been pitching like an ace all season long. On Monday he was the first AL pitcher to 10 wins, but I see a big correction in stats in the second half.

Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners. Ok, so this is a stretch, but it is Ichiro for two reasons. One, no one has been surprisingly good for Seattle. Two, Ichiro is almost 35 years old and you figure his production, especially steals would suffer. But to the contrary, Ichiro already has 26 steals.

Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Santana was another pitcher who had previous major league success and then was sent to AAA in 2007. Like Cliff Lee, Santana has rebounded in a big way this season and he is 8-2 with a 3.00 ERA. A nice addition to a staff that lost Kelvim Escobar before the season started.

Dana Eveland, Oakland Athetics. After trading Danny Haren, the A’s were left looking for starting ptichign. Although he has not been pitching as well of late, Eveland has kept the A’s in a lot of games this season and gave them a lot of quality innings on the mound.

Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers. After returning to the majors in 2007, Hamilton showed flashes of brilliance that his swing promised five years ago. Now in 2008, Hamilton is taking aim at the Triple Crown as he leads the AL in HRs and RBI. We expected a good season, but this is ridiculous.

Ryan Church, New York Mets. When Mets’ GM Omar Minaya traded prospect Lastings Milledge for Church and Brian Schneider he was crucified in New York. Two months into the season Minaya looks like a genious. Church is dealing with some concussion symptoms at the moment, but he was having a career year before his injury.

Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies. Werth has had a very unspectacular career to this point, but he is thriving in 2008. He already has more homers than he did all of last season. He just returned from injury so activate Werth again.

Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves. Jurrjens was the main piece of the trade that sent Edgar Renteria to Detroit and he has been worth that and more to the Braves. With injuries to Mike Hampton, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine, Jurrjens has stabilized the Braves staff with six wins and kept them in a tight division race.

Jorge Cantu, Florida Marlins. Cantu is regaining the stroke that made him a fantasy darling at 2B in 2005. Cantu is on pace for near 30 homers and although he now plays 3B he is worth adding in most formats.

Jason Bergmann, Washington Nationals. The Nats have been a franchise starving from pitching from the inception of this team. I don’t see Bergmann continuing his current production (he went three starts without allowing a run), but he is worth keeping your eye on for his strikeout potential.

Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis Cardinals. Ludwick is having an incredible year, batting over .300 with 14 jacks and 46 ribbies. Ludwick is just one of the reasons for the Cardinals surprise season, but he is one of the bigger ones.

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs. Soto had incredible offensive numbers at AAA last season, but you always wonder if that will translate to the majors. Well, Soto has quickly become one of the top 3 offensive catchers in the majors as he is hitting .278 with 10 homers and 37 RBI. He has the talent to keep these stats going, so don’t expect a huge slump anytime this season.

Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros. Wandy has had a few nice stretches in his past major league career, but I believe this one will be sustained throughout most of the season. Not only does Rodriguez win games, but he also gets a good number of strikeouts to go with it.

Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates. This guy was the talk of the majors in April and hasn’t stopped hitting since. McLouth is still hitting over .300, with 14 bombs and 45 ribeyes. Nothing in his past major league or minor league statistics suggest he will keep this up, so get the most you can for him in a trade before the inevitable slump starts.

Manny Parra, Milwaukee Brewers. Parra was all the buzz during the Spring and then fizzled out big time once the games counted. But after struggling for six weeks, Parra seems to have found his stroke that he enjoyed in Grapefruit League play. Watch for a great June and July for Parra and see if his arm holds up all season long.

Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati Reds. After struggling mightily in his past chances in the majors, the Reds were hoping a change of scenery was what Volquez needed. That may be the understatement of all time. Volquez went from failing prospect to dominating starter. Really, who has been better than him, besides perhaps Webb?

Bengie Molina, San Francisco Giants. Can Molina reach 100 RBI? He is certainly on pace considering he drove in his 41^st run of the year on Monday. Those of you who drafted Molina in the last round or one of the last rounds are being greatly rewarded, I’m sure you knew he was going to do this, right?

Randy Wolf, San Diego Padres. Wolf was a good pitcher for the Phillies, but was injured so much it didn’t look like he would fulfill his potential. He bounced to the Dodgers and now to the Padres and has been pitching very well of late. Expect him to triple his current four wins, and if the Pads are getting back in this race Wolf is going to have to be consistent.

Blake DeWitt, Los Angeles Dodgers. When 2008 started, Blake DeWitt had no dreams of being in Los Angeles. But within a week or so, the injury bug bit Nomar Garciaparra and Andy LaRoche and DeWitt was forced into service. He responded better than anyone could have dreamed. In just 56 games, DeWitt has five homers and 29 RBI to got with a .290 average. Not sure if he will hold the job all season long however.

Colorado Rockies, Aaron Cook. Cook has been a journeyman starter throughout his career, but the first two months of ’08 have been great for him. Cook is just one win away from his career high of nine, and his ERA is the lowest of his career. All of this adds up to a guy that I would be killing to sell high on.

Mark Reynolds, Arizona Diamondbacks. We knew the kid had some power, but he is bombing balls out of the yard by the boatload. He will never win a batting title, but if he could ever sharpen his batting eye, Reynolds has the potential to be a 35+ homer guy, plus he is just 24 years old.

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