Playing With Fire

The Mike Mussina Case

2008-11-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are unaware, Yankees veteran and 270 game winner Mike Mussina has announced his retirement from baseball. Although Mussina played his first ten years with the Orioles, and only his last eight with the Yankees, he will be remember as a Yankee, and will likely go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee...wait, did I just say he will go into the Hall of Fame?

That's right. Many baseball fans, especially Red Sox fans, will make a case against Moose getting in considering he only has one 20 win season (20 wins in 2008), and he falls short of 3,000 strikeouts and 300 wins, which are outstanding milestones for pitchers to reach these days, but some feel necessary. After all, he never won a Cy Young or a World Series (a shock to many being with the Yankees for eight years)!

Now, rather than sit around and make a case against one of the greatest pitchers of the current baseball generation, it's time to celebrate the accomplishments of Moose. There's no better place to start than the beginning.

Moose was the 20th overall pick in the 1990 draft, the same year that Chipper Jones went #1 overall among many other future major leaguers including Tony Clark, Mike Lieberthal, Carl Everett, Todd Van Poppel, Adam Hyzdu, Jeromy Burnitz, Steve Karsay, and Rondell White. At the time, Chipper Jones was only given a $250,000 signing bonus. Fun fact: In 2007, first overall pick David Price was given a $5,600,000 signing bonus (no second round pick received as little of an amount as Chipper!)

Back to Mussina, who's only losing season was in 1991, his rookie year when he went 4-5 with a 2.87 ERA. In 1992, just his second year in baseball, Moose finished 21st overall in MVP voting and 4th in Cy Young voting. The right hander also made the All-Star team in 1992-1994, 1997, and 1999.

In all of Moose's years as a work horse in 536 career starts, only in 2007 did he finish above the league average in ERA. 2007 was also the only season that Moose lost double digit games since 2002. In two consecutive years, 1995 and 1996, Moose finished one win away from the 20 mark. He also had three other years with an astonishing 18 wins.

Mussina received MVP votes in 1992, 1994, and 2008. He received Cy Young votes in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2008, which will likely be his last season in major league baseball.

Although he didn't throw any perfect games or no-hitters, Moose ended up with six one hitters and 23 career shutouts, four of which came in 1992.

As you can see, Mussina's accomplishments never seem to end, and did he ever go out on top! In his only season as a 20 game winner, everything seems to fit into place. With the Yankees heading towards a more youthful pitching staff, and his sons, ages 10 and 16, playing ball still, his time has come.

When it comes down to it though, Moose finished his career with a 270-153 record. By doing simple subtraction, Moose's win differential is over 100 wins, and every other pitcher that has achieved that mark is in the Hall.

Mock Draft Mania Pt. 1

2008-11-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

As you know, during the season this column is regularly used to help get the word out on the hottest, and sometimes coldest players in baseball. To many however, the Arizona Fall League isn't really that interesting (and almost over) therefore, I have decided to dedicate this off season to drafting. To me, it is by far the most crucial part of building a fantasy team, considering that is when you will pick and choose your team.

Many may argue that playing the waiver wire and the ability to make trades are more important, but if you can get the most from your draft, you sometimes won't even need to do those things! In many leagues, it's Day 1 for everyone providing everyone a new shot to win, however in keeper leagues, it can mean many things. Maybe your team is starting to develop into a prospect powerhouse with guys like Evan Longoria and Clayton Kershaw emerging. Or maybe your team has won the championship three years in a row, nothing is gaurenteed.

For those of you who don't know what mock drafts are, you are really missing out. A mock draft is just like any other fantasy baseball draft, except for the fact that after the draft is over, so is that team. It is mainly used as a practice tool to help gain a better understanding of where players are drafted and practice different strategies.

There are many strategies to drafting in fantasy baseball considering the vast types of leagues and categories, however, we will cover those a bit later in the draft guide.

Today, however, I would like to cover the first mock draft that I took place in this year (and it's only November) over at MockDraftCentral.com, one of the best fantasy websites around, with Tim McLeod of RotoRob.com (another great fantasy site) on Saturday, November 8th. One quick note before I start going into detail about our draft, mock drafts were first made available on Friday, November 7th over at MockDraftCentral.com, but the pre-made rankings were a bit skewed and will be updated later this week (you'll understand what I'm talking about in a few minutes).

It is also worth noting that this draft was not formal, and was open to the public, and some of the teams were on auto-select for a majority of the time.

I also had the #5 pick.

Round 1: Albert Pujols- I took Pujols after the first four went Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, and then auto-drafted Alex Rodriguez, and David Wright. Some may hold off on Pujols because of the off season surgery, then again, those are probably the same people that wanted you to hold off on him this past year due to that same injury. Now it will be fixed, and one can only imagine if he's 100% coming into the season.

Round 2: Brandon Phillips- I'm not a huge Phillips fan, but the drop off at second base this year is crazy. Looking back at this pick, I might have gone a different direction, but after Brian Roberts (who went in the 3rd round) there is a big drop off in talent.

Round 3: Manny Ramirez- Some will tell you that he is getting old. Then again, those are probably Red Sox fans. Man-Ram was a stud in LA this year and some felt he should have been an NL MVP contender. If he stays in that lineup, each and every one of those players gain value, in particular Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp.

Round 4: Justin Morneau- I already had Pujols at first at this point in time, but I couldn't resist holding off on possible second round power in the 4th. Especially since Evan Longoria was drafted one slot ahead of myself.

Round 5: Carlos Zambrano- Many of the best starting pitchers were already drafted, but I felt Big Z was the best on the board at this time, especially since it was too early to draft a closer.

Round 6: Chone Figgins- This might be a reach, but his batting average will rebound this year. I had little speed at this time,and Chone can help out with that, as well as his versatility in the field.

Round 7: Joe Nathan- I don't like to take closers too early, but at this point in time we don't exactly know who will be closing where yet next year, so at this time I thought it would be safe to take a guy like Nathan. He is one of the few very stable closers in baseball and will get a lot of opportunities.

Round 8: Ryan Ludwick- Personally this was my best pick in the draft. At this time there were rumors of Ludwick going to Colorado in exchange for Matt Holliday and the idea of having Ludwick in Coors amazes me. Although he won't be there, he was still a great waiver wire guy this year, one of the best in baseball. (This is where the rankings are messed up)

Round 9: Milton Bradley- I didn't realize at the time how much power I had, but that never hurt anyone! Bradley was an MVP contender this year, and although he probably won't repeat his numbers, I couldn't pass him up in the 9th.

Round 10: Ryan Dempster- I'll take 15+ wins any day. Dempster had a career year this year, and didn't slow down until the post season. It will be interesting to see if he stays with the Cubs.

As you can see, some of the last few players I drafted should have been gone a few rounds ago, so from here on out I will just list the players I was able to grab.

11- Matt Kemp
12- Fausto Carmona
13- Willy Taveras
14- Jered Weaver
15- Stephan Drew
16- Matt Garza
17- Mike Aviles
18- Carlos Ruiz
19- Clayton Kershaw
20- Joe Saunders
21- Mike Cameron
22- Gavin Floyd
23- Dioner Navarro

Take a good look at this list, becuase come next week when the rankings are fixed, things are going to look a lot different. If your up for a confidence boost, go sign up for a draft over at MockDraftCentral.com and be sure to scroll down the lists of players to find the gem (hint: David Price, Mike Aviles, Carlos Ruiz, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Floyd, etc.)

Playing With Fire

2008-10-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Preparing for the off season, what an oxymoron, considering we use the off season to prepare for the coming season. At this time of year, you are probably seeing a ton of articles on the World Series and the pitching match-ups and so on, but does it really have anything to do with Fantasy Baseball? Didn't think so. Maybe the playoffs have influenced the ADP (Average Draft Position) of B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria, then again, maybe it won't. After all, most leagues won't have their actual drafts for four to five drafts.

Preparing for the off season however, is different than following the World Series. It's taking a quick breath and preparing yourself for the months ahead that will be without baseball, instead, baseball is all about the numbers and mock drafts among other things.

Make sure you do take that break however, because in the coming months, we will be delivering you one of the biggest draft guides ever assembled, even bigger than last year (if you can believe that!).

So stay with us, and stay current on all of your baseball news, and remember that MLBFrontOffice.com is the place to come for all of your off season preparation, the time that matters the most.

Playing With Fire: B.J. Upton Edition

2008-10-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

As you know, this column is called 'Playing With Fire,' for a reason, and that is to provide you with information on who the hottest players are in baseball. Although we have been without baseball since Monday night when the Red Sox advanced, there is one player in particular that has stood out this postseason, B.J. Upton.

Many baseball fans around the globe are familiar with Upton and his lack of hussle that got him benched three times this year with Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon. Some may know him for being the younger brother of Justin, the first overall pick in 2005, or maybe the fact that B.J. himself was the second overall pick in 2002.

'Bossman Junior' started his professional career in 2003 where he was a fielding disaster (56 errors), yet ranked the #21 best prospect in the country that year. In 2004 however, B.J. shot up the rankings to the #2 best overall prospect in the country according to Baseball America. His major league debut came in 2004 when he became the youngest player in Tampa Bay Devil Rays history just short of 20 years old.

At the time, B.J. was still playing shortstop and did so up until mid 2007 when he strained his left quadricep amist his stellar season. When he returned from his injury however, he soon became the Devil Rays starting center fielder. Since that time, he has manned that position for every game that he has started and will continue to do so in years to come, considering he is much better off defensively out there.

Enough of the background info on the Bossman Jr., it's time to get down to who he currently is. Sure many people don't like him, and many fantasy writers are always critical of his high batting-average-on-balls-in-play, however, Upton emerged as one of the top center fielders in the AL this year.

During the regular season he posted a .273 average with nine home runs, 67 RBIs, to go with a .383 on-base percentage, and a career high 44 stolen bases. After reading that basic stat line, many will criticize his average for being only .273, yet he was 7th in the AL in on-base percentage. Might I add, this year Upton also had a career low in errors with seven.

The one area of concern for Upton is the drop of power between 2007 and 2008. His 24 home runs in 2007 were certainly a suprise to his owners, considering he never hit more than 18 in the minor leagues. His power though, does appear to come in spurts.

In the ALDS against the White Sox, Upton managed to hit three home runs between games 3 and 4, which is more than he has ever hit in a two day span before. Looking back at this season, there were two times that he homered two times within a week, one time on back to back days, and the other couple was stretched across three days.

The big question about Upton though is where he should be drafted next year. It is important to note that he stole 44 bases this year, beacuse that is likely why he will go higher than expected. I expect Upton's average to go up a bit next year, especially if he hustles.

In mock drafts heading into this season, Upton was averaging the 19th pick on MockDraftCentral.com's ADP reports. Many experts will tell you that he was overdrafted though, in other words, drafted too high beacuse they predicted a decline in average due to his batting-average-on-balls-in-play (which was still .344 this year), but his steals rose tremendously. I expect Upton to go in the 3rd or 4th rounds of this years drafts but come April, all of that could change.

Playing With Fire: Chipper Checkup

2008-09-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

Before the season started, I wrote my first Playing With Fire column on the legendary Chipper Jones. Basically, I went through and examined simple stat lines of multiple players that were being drafted in the early rounds of these years mock drafts. Chipper Jones was the hidden gem that we discovered that was averaging a mere 66th overall pick at the time just weeks before the major league season started.

Towards the end of the article I mentioned Mark Teixeira who has since left town for LA, and statistically Chipper's average has gone down since he left. That's not to blame for the future hall-of-famer's (we'll get to that in a minute) mere .365 batting average this year. That is much better than we expected.

Sure I am a huge Chipper fan, so I do have bias in this article, and the last one. You can't argue against it though (that's you Brad Stewart, whom I might mention is still losing to my auto-drafted team in the Pros v. Joes league), he was the most deserving MVP candidate for at least the first two months of the season. Back on May 29th, I attended a Brewers v. Braves game in which Chipper was playing and hitting a studly .418 average.

Now, Chipper is hitting .365, still the best in baseball to Albert Pujols who claims a .353 average as we speak. Pujols was also doubted coming into the 2008 season with his elbow problems and many drafts had him falling out of the first round after surgery was pending. I think all fantasy owners learned one thing there, don't doubt Pujols.

Sure Chipper won't win the MVP this year, because he did miss time, and only has 75 RBIs compared to Ryan Howard's 142. His 22 home runs don't compare to Howard's 47 either. What they do compare to however, are Evan Longoria's numbers.

Longoria was called up this year by the Tampa Bay Rays on April 12th and since then has been starting for the Rays on the hot corner. He was drafted by many in the later rounds, in most leagues, at least after the 14th or so. Many had him penciled in to arrive sometime mid-season, hit .280 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs. They also had the same for Chipper (maybe a little higher average).

This year, Chipper has 437 official at-bats and Longoria has 437 as well. Longoria has hit 27 moon shots to Chipper's 22. The veteran has 75 RBIs, the rookie has 85. Longoria is a lock for the AL Rookie of the Year with numbers like these. To the naked eye, Longoria's numbers appear to be a bit better, but you must keep in mind that Chipper has been in a much weaker lineup this year, especially in the 2nd half. If the switch hitter was in a division winning lineup (we can only hope in 2009) that he could top Longoria's numbers.

When it comes down to it, with the AL ROY hype that will bulid on Longoria next year, it is likely that he will be a higher pick than Chipper. Then again, Chipper's average is .090 points higher than Longo's. Keep this in mind next year when drafting your team.

Playing With Fire

2008-09-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

As some of you may already know, at MajorLeagueReport.com I have been tracking each of David Price’s minor league starts all season long on his road to the majors, which was a feature cleverly titled by yours truly the ‘David ‘Price Check.” After each of his starts, many of which I listened to on the radio or read recaps of, I would do a quick writeup with his stat line and other information that you sometimes could not get from just his stats.

Now that Price is in the majors I am having withdrawls from promoting the Montgomery Biscuits so I figured this would be the perfect time for a little recap.

Before the season started, there was a scramble for owners to draft last years #1 overall pick, even in some leagues for just one season in the later rounds. Some expected him to be up within a month, after all he had already pitched in college which some consider to be equivilant to Single-A ball these days. Some expected him to remain in Double-A and Triple-A for the duration of the year and wait til 2009 to debut for the Rays.

Either way, the 6′ 6” left hander started out the season in Class A Advanced with the Vero Beach Rays where he started six games, winning four of them, and recieving a no decision in the others. Price held his own with a 1.82 ERA and didn’t allow a single home run in 34.2 innings of work.

His stuff was dominating the FSL with a 9+ K/9 rate and that led him to Double-A Montgomery (in other words, ‘It’s time for the Biscuits show!’ as they say in Montgomery). In Montgomery is where a lot more attention caught on and many believed that he would only start around five games before being polished in Triple-A and sent to the majors by August.

Those who thought that were flat out wrong because Price would stay in Montgomery for nine starts. We started following the southpaw in mid-July, the day before he allowed his first career home run on July 18. This may have been the craziest game he pitched in all year, due to a power failure with a lighting bank in the outfield which forced him out of the game early after just five innings of work allowing three solo home runs and striking out three batters.

In his next start he was once again held to a no-decision against the Tennessee Smokies where he lasted six innings striking out six batters, but the game ventured into extra innings. Building up stamina, Price lasted eight innings in his next start striking out seven batters allowing two hits and two runs. Attention was building on Price and so was his success when in his best minor league start he struck out ten batters in seven innings.

All of his Double-A success led to him being promoted to Triple-A Durham on August 10th where he would face his biggest struggles yet. Although you want your top prospects to succeed because you want them to be the best they can and help your team win, it’s always good for prospects to face failure at times. Price had yet to lose a game in the minors, but that would all change with the Bulls.

In four innings of work, Price allowed seven hits and three runs, but struck out six batters. Things were getting tougher, but this would be and still is his only professional loss. Price averaged only 4.67 innings of work in his next three starts striking out eleven batters. The bright side to Price’s Triple-A stint is that he did not allow a single home run in four starts.

On the 28th of August, the former Commodore was named to the Southern League Post-Season All-Star team and then on September 10th, Price was named USA Today’s Minor League Player of the Year.

As you all now, he is now on the Rays active roster and pitched on the 14th against the depressing New York Yankees where he impressed. Tomorrow he will start for the Rays against the Orioles and possibly continue the success that he has achieved all year.

Playing With Fire

2008-09-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

Finally I have returned from my sabbatical and it's time for the return of Playing With Fire! Since I've been gone for almost a month, it's time to catch up.

HOT

Hitters

Ty Wigginton, HOU- Wigginton has not only been the most powerful hitter in the past 7 days (5 home runs) but he has also been the most powerful hitter in the past month. In exactly 100 at bats in the past month, Wigginton has hit 12 home runs while driving in 26 runs and garnering 83 total bases.

Manny Ramirez, LAD- Man Ram has tore up the NL since arriving in Dodger Blue at the trade deadline. In the past 30 days he has hit for a .412 average driving in 25 runs and hitting 9 home runs. Most importantly, Manny is second in all eligible batters in the past 30 days in on-base percentage (.508).

Mike Cameron, MIL- If the Brewers want to be crowned NL Central Champs, Cam Boogie is going to need to keep up his solid production. Cameron has blasted 8 home runs and stolen 8 bases all the while hitting .360 in the past month. Not to forget, the Gold Glove center fielder has slugged .733 in the mean time.

Melvin Mora/Aubrey Huff, BAL- Mora is a name that no one really expected to make the cut for PWF all year, but he has been lethal in the month of August. Huff, on the other hand, has been a dominant sleeper all year, even in August. The two have combined for 16 home runs and 57 RBI's. Although the Orioles are out of the playoffs, these two veterans are still worth watching.

Albert Pujols, STL- Pujols was the most under-valued player coming into this year's drafts with all of the injury hype that was brought about. Just in the past 30 days Pujols has smacked 8 home runs and hit for a .415 average to try to push the Cardinals into the post-season. He also has a league leading on-base percentage of .509 in the past 30 days.

Pitchers

C.C. Sabathia, MIL- Hands down Captain Cheeseburger has been the most dominant player in baseball post-trade deadline. Just in the past 30 days he boasts a 5-0 record with a mere 1.12 record including 3 complete games, 2 of which were shut outs. In 48.1 innings of work, Sabathia has struck out 51 batters.

Roy Halladay, TOR- Halladay has been very good as well in the month of August with a 2.06 ERA in 6 starts earning a 5-1 record. In his 43.2 innings of work, Halladay has thrown a complete game. Although he doesn't compare to CC, Halladay has been nothing short of impressive for the lackluster Jays.

Brett Myers, PHI- If there was an award for Second-half Comeback Player of the Year, Myers would be tough to top. After being sent down to the minor leagues, Myers has been an absolute stud for the Phillies. In August alone, Myers has a 4-1 record with a 1.65 ERA. Not to forget, Myers has garnered 42 strikeouts in just over 43 innings of work. Myers will need to continue his hot streak if the Phillies are going to catch the Mets in the NL East.

Jose Valverde, HOU- Valverde has finally returned to 2007 form in the month of August with a league leading 10 saves. All the while, Valverde has allowed only one run and five hits while striking out 16 batters.

Francisco Rodriguez, LAA- K-Rod has been K-Rod in the month of August once again making the PWF list. Earning 8 saves in the past 30 days as well as 2 wins, K-Rod has continued to be the best of the best. In 10 innings of work, he has struck out 17 batters allowing only five hits.

For daily news, rumors, trades, and transactions check out MajorLeagueReport.com! Feel free to conatact me at KevinOrris@mlbfrontoffice.com. Be sure to keep checking by NHLFullAccess.com to get the best and biggest NHL coverage year round starting later this month!

Special Edition: Brian Barden Interview

2008-08-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, the Olympics begin tomorrow in Bejing and the USA Baseball Team is out to get a gold medal. Fortunately enough, we were able to get in touch with Chad Renning of the Memphis Redbirds and set up an interview with short stop Brian Barden. The following interview is also featured on www.fantasybaseballgenerals.com and www.majorleaguereport.com.

Note: The interview has been slightly edited for grammar purposes.

You didn't draw too much attention coming out of high school, but managed to land a spot at Oregon State. Did you expect to get more attention from colleges or pro teams?

I figured going into my junior year that I was a lock to get a scholarship somewhere because I was getting all these letters in the mail, but what did I know. After hitting over .500 my senior year you would think somebody would offer some sort of scholarship, but nothing. All I would get is a couple of invitations to walk on at lower Division-I schools. To tell you the truth never ever thought about playing pro ball at that time, never talked to any scouts. I had always wanted to attend college.

What do you remember about your draft day experience? Where were you expecting to go? Did you expect the Diamondbacks to take you?

Draft day was a pretty normal day for the exception of having a new employer. I was expected to go 6 - 9 so no surprises there, but throughout the whole scouting process never did I once speak to the Diamondbacks. The scout that drafted me said he had only seen me play once that year, the first game of the season, which I was 2-5 with a home run that went out of HoHoKam park against Arizona State and made a couple good plays.

You played in Lancaster, El Paso and Tucson, three very good places for hitters. Explain why each of the ballparks is hitter-friendly and how you took advantage of each of them.

These are hitter friendly parks because being situated in the desert the ground tends to be harder making the infield faster as well the outfield the same allowing more hits and extra base hits. Lancaster is a good place to hit home runs due to the crazy amount wind that blows out on a nightly basis. As for the other two parks, they have big gaps which for a player like me that doesn't have a lot of pop, I took advantage of that to rack up the doubles and triples.

You were waived by the Diamondbacks last year and picked up 10 days later by the Cardinals. Were you aware of the Diamondbacks' plans and how did you handle that week and a half where you had no team?

No idea that I was going to get waived. figured I'd get through at least one season on the forty man considering that I had been a pretty consistent player in the minors excluding last season. When I first got the news I felt betrayed because I worked so hard to get to that point that I didn't deserve that. But this is how the business works and I was that guy at the bottom of the totem pole. The D-Backs bought me a plane ticket to go see my family that day. Going home to my wife and her family was weird for me because in a way I felt like I had failed and didn't know what everybody's perception was going to be. The ten days I went from having extreme hate for the D-Backs to coming to a realization that this might not be where I ultimately belonged. The tenth day I received a call from the Cardinals which was a big relief. I could have a fresh start to a season that I would just like to forget about.

Some reports have compared you to Chad Tracy, a good line-drive hitter that lacks a lot of power. How would you characterize yourself.

For the most part I am a line drive hitter with the ability to hit the ball out of the park. I just don't have the ability to lift the ball on consistent basis to hit a lot of home runs. My defense is far superior, don't mean to brag but it is and I run better. Overall, I feel like I am more of a complete player than Chad. I like Chad a lot, no hard feelings. Next question.

Who's decision was it for you to move from third base to short stop? How has the transition been so far?

As soon as I got to Memphis last year the manager put me at shortstop and I have been able to stick there the entire year. While in D-Backs organization, I kept telling people I belong in the middle infield. People get labeled to easily in baseball; it is annoying. I feel my defense is more than capable and it is a better fit for my bat. I love being back at shortstop which was where I grew up playing and for somebody with a glove as good as mine, it is a waste to have it stuck at a corner position.

How did you find out that you were selected to Team USA? What was the process for the tryouts?

I received a call from Paul Seiler in mid-June and he told me I was among 60 others being considered for the Olympic team. During that period, I believe scouts were probably at our games keeping tabs on the 60 players in which they probably sat down and came up with the best mesh of 24 guys. I found out through a text message from a friend saying that she had read it on the website.

Have you been outside of the country before? To China?

When I was 13 I traveled to Argentina to play basketball, and when I was 16 I went to the Netherlands for baseball. Never been to China before.

Team USA was unable to come away with a medal in 2004, does that have any impact on your determination to win?

Not so much, my determination to win comes from one: a very competitive personality, two: this is the Olympics a once in a lifetime opportunity to win a gold medal which thousands of athlete wish were in my shoes, and three: I haven't had many chances in my life to win a championship so I am really excited about this opportunity we have.

Are there others on the team that you are excited to play with?

I am excited to play with everybody, this will be the most talent I have ever been around so it is nice to be in that company. Mostly excited to have the coaching staff that we have.

According to Eric Berger (Memphis Redbirds Communications Assistant), Colby Rasmus 'doesn't really have a computer or use email.' Were you or any of the other Redbirds aware of this?

Yes sounds like Colby.

Have you talked much with the Cardinals or your agent about getting called up after the Olympics?

I would love to get a September call up but that is out of my hands and I haven't heard any word about it. We will see!

Playing With Fire: Sleeper Edition

2008-07-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year, almost every website predicts who they feel will be the best late-round picks in each year, in other words sleepers. It's time to look and see how some of the most popular sleepers have panned out:

George Sherrill, BAL- Sherrill has 30 saves on the year in 36 attempts, which is 2nd in baseball. Some expected him to move at the deadline, but he is staying put for now. He was definietly a solid sleeper.
Dan Wheeler, TB- Some expected him to take over for Troy Percival, but Percy has dominated the competition. Wheeler does have the second most holds in baseball with 23. He has been good for the Rays, but only has limited value in a fantasy league.
Brian Fuentes, COL- He did end up taking over the closing duties and has successfully closed 18 of 22 games this year. It was well worth it for those who grabbed him in the last few rounds.
Johnny Cueto, CIN- Cueto started off really strong, but is now 7-10 with a 5.02 ERA. He does have 116 strikeouts, but his ERA certainly doesn't help. Cueto didn't really pan out as expected, but is still only 22 years old.
Edinson Volquez, CIN- Volquez has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year, and had a league leading ERA for most of the season, but has come down to earth lately. One of the few guys on this list in the All-Star Game, Volquez was the top pitching sleeper of the year.
Carlos Silva, SEA- 4-12 with a 5.95 ERA. Do I need to say any more?
Dave Bush, MIL- Bush has a 5-8 record overall, but lately has pitched some great games for the Brewers. He did spend time in Triple-A this year, and was likely dropped by all of his owners. He is a decent value for where he was picked as a spot-starter, but doesn't have much value.
Carlos Gomez, MIN- Although he is battling a month long slump, Gomez has been a huge asset to the Twins this year. For fantasy owners, it is a little bit of a different story. He is a better baseball player rather than fantasy guy, but has been a solid base stealer all year.
Nate McLouth, PIT- McLouth has been hands down the best offensive sleeper of the year. His average was around .300 for a couple of months, but is still at a very tollerable .280 with 22 home runs and 72 RBIs.
Jerry Owens, CHW- Owens has spent most of his season in Triple-A when not injured. He has had no value for owners this year, especially with newly acquired outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.
Chase Headley, SD- Although he hasn't been on the big league club all year, Headley started to pay off for a couple of weeks for the owners that held onto him. Next year I would revisit him, but his .245 average is hard to swallow.
Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD- He certianly hasn't broken out this year, but he has been a solid third baseman to hold down a fantasy team. He is basically replicating last years numbers, but will rack up a few more at bats.
Scott Rolen, TOR- Rolen spent the beginning of the season on the DL, and probably should have stayed there. He is only hitting .254 with a limited ammount of home runs (6). His fantasy value is at an all-time low.
Ty Wigginton, HOU- Wiggy has always been one of those guys thats good in the late round, but like Kouzmanoff, certainly hasn't had a breakout year. He's not much of a sleeper anymore, just a late round utility guy.
Mark Reynolds, ARI- Reynolds power numbers have gone up this year (22 home runs), but his average is a low .249. He has been a suprise to his owners with 7 stolen bases, and can be considered a sleeper success. If he can increase his batting average, he can be a fantasy stud.
Julio Lugo, BOS- Lugo was nothing special this year, was being the fact that his is now on the DL. He did not come through as many hoped.
Khalil Greene, SD- Everything is going wrong for Khalil this year, especially now that he may be headed to the DL.
Ryan Theriot, CHI-The Riot is a good average hitter, but possess Juan Pierre like power and a dose of speed. He has been a help to his owners, especially as a guy to balance out Adam Dunn.
Jeff Kent, LAD- Kent certainly hasn't been anything special this year hitting only .255 and has only given himself more reasons to consider retirement.
Adam LaRoche, PIT- The average is down but the power numbers are on the rise again. He is on the DL and was likely dropped by most of his owners.
Richie Sexson, SEA/NYY- Sexson was dropped by the Mariners because he can't hit a barn this year. No luck here.
Ryan Garko, CLE- Garko hasn't been able to live up to the possible upside that he displayed last year. He is having an off year, only time will tell if he can recover.
Nick Johnson, WAS- Johnson has been on the DL since mid-May and has proven to be one of the most injured players in baseball. Things weren't so hot when he was playing anyways.
Ramon Hernandez, BAL- A .253 batting average is hard to justify, but in two catcher leagues 12 home runs never hurt. He certainly what was expected though as a sleeper.
JR Towles, HOU- Towles was sent down to Triple-A in the beginning of the season due to lack of performance and has since then been called up due to a catcher void in Houston. He has been one of the most disappointing guys thus far on the list.
Chris Snyder, ARI- Striking out in over 1/4 of his at bats doesn't help his stock, but he somehow manages to walk a decent ammont of the time. His .247 average doesn't cut it though.
Geovany Soto, CHI- 'Save the best for last,' has always been a popular slogan and Soto is easily one of the best sleepers. Although he was being picked as high as the 13th round in some drafts pre-season, as a rookie it is still jusifiable to consider him a sleeper. His 17 home runs and .278 average all qualify him for the Rookie of the Year Award.

You can find more of Kevin's work at www.majorleaguereport.com as well as www.fantasybaseballgenerals.com. Contact him at kevinorris@mlbfrontoffice.com

Playing With Fire

2008-07-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

There is a plethora of hitters that are getting hot, especially in the last 7 days, some of which may still be available on the waiver wire in your league!

Hitters

Jerry Hairston Jr., CIN: Hairston came back from a DL stint just a couple of weeks ago and has been raking since then. Hitting .550 in the past week with 5 home runs, and 28 total bases in only 20 at bats.

Miguel Cabrera, DET: Cabrera has capitalized in his 28 at bats this week hitting for a .429 avg with 5 home runs and 28 total bases. Cabrera now has 16 home runs on the season.

J.J. Hardy, MIL: Hardy has returned to top-form in the past two weeks, but more importantly, in the past 7 days J.J. is hitting .464 with 4 home runs, with 7 RBIs and scoring 5 runs. History shows that J.J. is always good for one hot streak a year, but it isn't typical for it to last. Try trading him if you can to get top dollar for his services.

Garrett Atkins, COL: Atkins is hitting .448 in the past 7 days with 3 home runs, while scoring 9 times. Atkins has been playing some first base lately with Todd Helton on the DL, and could gain eligibility there soon depending on your league's rules.

Matt Holliday, COL: Holliday, like Atkins has helped to surge the Colorado lineup with a .400 avg while hitting 4 home runs with 11 RBIs in the past 7 days. He was also just named to start in the outfield for the National League in the upcoming All-Star Game due to Alfonso Soriano being unable to play due to a hand injury.

Pitchers

Justin Duscherer, OAK: Oakland's new found ace on the mound has been spectacular of late, throwing a complete game shutout, and a seven inning gem in the past 7 days. Striking out 8 batters in 16 innings, Duscherer only allowed 2 runs to score between the two starts. Duscherer will be the lone A's representative at the All-Star Game next week in New York.

Mike Pelfrey, NYM: Pelfrey has posted a 0.64 ERA in the past 7 days between two starts. Allowing only 11 base runners in 14 innings of work, Pelfrey allowed just one to score. Try to trade Pelfrey while his value is as high as it will ever be.

Carlos Zambrano, CHC: Fresh off the DL, Zambrano has made 2 starts in the previous 7 days allowing 1 run to score in 14 innings while striking out 10. 'Big Z' is headed to the All-Star Game next week for the NL as well.

Ben Sheets, MIL: Sheets has been a strikeout machine in the past week, fanning 17 batters in 11.2 innings. Sheets will also be headed to the All-Star Game next week representing the NL.

Jamie Moyer Interview

2008-07-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently fortunate enough to contact Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer through e-mail and set up an interview. Jamie has been pitching in the majors since 1986, and since then has founded the Moyer Foundation, which was founded in the year 2000 and has raised millions of dollars to help children in distress. A big thank you to those over at the Moyer Foundation (Dan Lee and crew) for setting up the following interview:

Q. You made your major league debut in 1986 with the Chicago Cubs, have had a lot of heartache during your career and were released from three organizations. How have you survived in the big leagues?

A. When things come easy, I think we tend to think as athletes that this is easy. I was born and raised to work hard. I don’t mind doing things the hard way. Getting into pro ball with the Cubs and learning the right way to do things really taught me to stay with it, work hard and good things will happen. Early on, I wasn’t sure if those good things were going to happen. I learned a lot about myself and a lot about the game. Each and every day you have to go out and prove yourself.

Q. When do you feel 45?

A. On occasion. Not daily, but on occasion I do feel like I’m 45. Some days after I pitch. But, for the most part, I feel pretty good.

Q. How long do you think you can pitch and what are the signs that you would say to yourself that the hitters are catching up to me?

A. Good question. I’m taking it a year at a time at this point. I really pay close attention to how I feel and how my body feels. The other thing is, the hitters will tell me. The will tell me on a consistent basis. I can tell you right now, that I have a couple of outings a year where I am just not good. But, if you look at any starting pitcher during the course of the season when you’re getting 30 or more starts, we’re all in that same boat. It’s just how bad are you? The way I look at it is if you take those 3-5 bad starts away and remove the 3-5 good starts away, the bulk of your season is in the remainder of 25 or so starts. If you pitch well in those games, you have a chance to make a big contribution to your ballclub.

Q. Do we baby pitchers today?

A. I think we do. It’s all about training and it’s all about a mindset. Your body will respond to what it is trained to do. Today, pitchers are trained to throw 95-110 pitches and they move on. Some of it is due to the money that is paid, especially to the young guys that are being drafted. It is a big investment and organizations want to protect that investment.

Q: What strategy do you have when an umpire is not giving you the outside or inside strike?

A: You've still got to pitch. I don't think there's really a strategy to umpires. They have their strike zone and you have your repertoire. You're pitching to the hitter. You're not really pitching to the umpire. I don't want to say the umpire doesn't come into play. They do at times. But if you really watch the game, a lot of pitching is deception. I don't care how hard you throw or how soft you throw. It's a matter of catching the hitter - and this is hard to describe - but it's a matter of catching a hitter deep in his swing where he's not getting the barrel to the zone, or forcing contact in front of the zone beyond where he's had his maximum power. To me that's the cat-and-mouse game that everybody plays.

Q: You've played baseball for a very long time. How have batters changed during that time and what have you done to adjust to them?

A: I don't know if they've really changed. You've got your power hitters. You've got your guys that put the ball in play. You've got the guys that put the ball on the ground and run. I don't think hitters have changed. I think the game has changed. I can't prove some of this, but they say the balls are harder. They say the bats are harder. Obviously, the strike zone has changed with the institution of QuesTec [electronic monitoring]. I just think the game has evolved into more of a corporate game. It's always been a business, but the new ballparks all have sky boxes. They're after the corporate dollar. It's become more of a corporate game. It's become an expensive game for the fans. But I don't think I have an answer to how hitters have changed because they really haven't. The game has changed more so than the hitters. Hitters are hitters. They all hold a bat and they all go up there looking to do damage.

Q. What inspired you and your wife Karen to start The Moyer Foundation in 2000?

A. Throughout my career, I have visited patients in hospitals. One young boy changed my life in 1993. His name is Gregory Chaya. At age 2, Gregory was battling leukemia and was waiting for a bone marrow transplant at Johns Hopkins. At that same time, I was trying to resurrect my baseball career with the Baltimore Orioles. We formed a bond and a friendship that lasts to this day as Gregory is a healthy, cancer survivor. Gregory’s spirit and positive attitude during a time of adversity inspired me and Karen to commit ourselves to help children in distress. Every kid deserves a chance at a good life and the opportunity to smile, and The Moyer Foundation helps make this happen.

Q. What is Camp Erin?

A. Camp Erin is a big initiative of The Moyer Foundation. Camp Erin is a bereavement camp designed for children ages 6-17 who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The camp is free to all children and is a weekend-long experience filled with traditional camp activities. Bereavement experts and trained volunteers facilitate and provide education and emotional support to each child throughout the weekend. The Moyer Foundation teams up with national advocates such as professional athletes and teams, corporate partners, and local hospice and grief counseling organizations in the communities where the camps exist. Currently, we have 18 camps located in 12 states. We have expanded Camp Erin nationally this year to 10 new cities. Our five-year goal is to have Camp Erin available to children in every major league baseball city and additional cities across the country.

Q. How can someone get involved with The Moyer Foundation and Camp Erin?

A. You can visit www.moyerfoundation.org to learn more about The Moyer Foundation and Camp Erin. We are very grateful to those who have joined our team to make a bigger difference in the lives of children in distress.

This interview has been sponsored by www.majorleaguereport.com, www.mlbfrontoffice.com, and www.fantasybaseballgenerals.com.

Playing With Fire: All-Star Update

2008-06-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

Not much has been made of the all-star voting at MLBFO yet, so it's about time for someone to start criticizing the fans. This week, the NL voting results followed by some commentary.

NL Voting (as of June 10th)

First Base: Lance Berkman, HOU: Berkman has a solid lead over Cubs slugger Derrek Lee, so it looks like the fans have him as a lock. Fat Elvis, as they call him, has been dominating NL pitching staffs and is certainly worthy of an all-star selection, and is even a possible MVP candidate.

Second Base: Chase Utley, PHI: Utley is a shoe-in for this spot, with Mark DeRosa trailing by nearly 500,000 votes. Utley is similar to Berkman, in that he has been dominating the NL and is a possible MVP candidate. Dan Uggla is also deserving of this spot, but he's in the wrong place at the wrong time behind Utley.

Third Base: Chipper Jones, ATL: If you have yet to notice, Chipper Jones is hitting over .400 (take that Brad Stewart). As of last Sunday, Chipper would have had to hit .388 in order to sustain a .400 batting average for the entire season, which is possible by the slightest margins (even I admit it). Chipper is the MVP at this point so far for the average he has put up though.

Shortstop: Miguel Tejada, HOU: Hanley Ramirez was leading up until this week, but Tejada managed to take the lead. Tejada has been good this year, but has yet to produce numbers similar to H-Ram. Rafael Furcal would have had a more legitimate case had he not gotten injured.

Outfield: Alfonso Soriano, CHI: Soriano is out for 6 weeks which could mean that he will miss the All-Star game if there are any setbacks. Even with the injury though, it is unlikely for Soriano to lose his 500,000 vote lead over 4th place Carlos Lee. Can anyone say Nate McLouth?

Outfield: Kosuke Fukudome, CHI: Sure he has been good for the Cubs, and especially their fan base this year, but he isn't nearly deserving of an All-Star selection. Outfielders Ryan Braun, Xavier Nady, Ryan Ludwick, etc. could all easily fit here.

Outfield: Ken Griffey Jr., CIN: Just another victim of the popularity contest, Griffey hit his 600th home run this year, but multiple other guys are more deserving of this spot. Aaron Rowand or Pat Burrell should be in this slot.

Catcher: Geovany Soto, CHI: Personally, this is one of the hardest positions to choose from this year. Soto is deserving, but shouldn't be getting the pity vote for being a rookie. Brian McCann, Russell Martin, and Bengie Molina are all deserving of the spot as well.

It's worth noting that pitchers aren't selected by the fans, however Edinson Volquez could very well be the starter at this point.

Playing With Fire

2008-05-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

This week were back to the norm; the hottest and coldest players in baseball in the last week.

Hot Hitters

Chase Utley, PHI: Utley has returned to PWF glory again this year getting a hit in 8 of his last 21 at bats, 4 of which were home runs. The Phillies second basemen has also posted 15 RBIs in the last 7 days.

Shane Victorino, PHI: Another Phillie makes the list due to their sparatic offense in the last week. The flyin' Hawaiian has 9 hits in his last 20 at bats to go with his 5 stolen bases in the last week.

Jose Reyes, NYM: The third candidate also hails from the NL East. Reyes qualifies here because of the unusual power he has displayed; 3 homers in the last week, all the while hitting over .300.

Hot Pitchers

Jesse Litsch, TOR: Litsch is one of the many productive starters in Toronto this year, and has been tearing it up recently. Pitching 16 innings combined in his last two starts, Litsch has not allowed an earned run.

Jose Contreras, NYM: Contreras has pitched 15 innings in the past 7 days only allowing 3 runs on 8 hits. The Cuban defector also has 15 strikeouts in his 15 innings of work.

Cold Hitters

Brandon Wood, LAA: Wood has yet to get a hit in his last 14 at bats.

Troy Glaus, STL: Glaus has 1 hit in 17 at bats this week.

Cold Pitchers

Mark Hendrickson, FLA: The former basketball player has allowed 15 runners to cross the plate in 8.2 innings of work in his two starts this week.

Carlos Silva, SEA: Silva has allowed 12 runs in 6.2 innings this week boosting his ERA to a flat 6 this year.

Playing With Fire: Who's Hot v. Who's Not (Team Edition)

2008-05-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Although MLBFO is primarily a fantasy baseball website, we still like to keep some focus on baseball in general, as a sport. Therefore, I decided to take a look at the standings this week to cover some of the hot and cold teams in baseball. Each of the teams below are sorted by their performance in their last ten games leading up until today, featuring the 7-3 and 3-7 teams.

7-3 teams

Baltimore Orioles: Just two weeks ago, the O's were on a 5 game losing streak, and lost 7 of their last 8. Now they find themselves just four games out of first place, after taking three of four from KC, sweeping the Red Sox in two games, and will attempt to take two of three from the Yankees later today. No one expected Baltimore to be ahead of the Yankees in the standings at any point in the season, much less over .500.

Chicago White Sox: Not only have the White Sox been able to win 7 of their last 10, but they spent most of their last 10 on the West Coast, where they have always failed miserably. After sweeping the Giants over the weekend, they will take on Cleveland once again tonight to complete back to back sweeps. The South Siders hold a 7 game winning streak and a 2.5 game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. This race could go down to the wire.

Atlanta Braves: The Braves have been stepping it up when it really matters lately. Most would argue this is the most important month in the Braves schedule battling a variety of solid teams including the Mets, Phillies, A's, Brewers, and the Diamondbacks. The Braves sit 1.5 games behind the slowing Marlins and are on the verge of a 4 game sweep of the Mets. If you think the Braves are hot now, wait until Soriano, Gonzalez, and Smoltz come back and solidify their bullpen which has been lacking. Interesting fact: xW-L (expected win-loss record based on runs scored and allowed) thinks the Braves should have won four more games than they have so far. This means one run games have been crucial, and lacking in wins.

3-7 teams

New York Yankees: The Yankees have been an all around mess in the last week. The defense is lacking as well as the pitching, as it has been all year. The Yanks find themseleves 7.5 games out of first place in the AL East right now behind the Red Sox. Their last two consecutive wins came 2.5 weeks ago. At this point, there is little hope for the Yanks with their devestating pitching staff, but maybe they can figure things out before the East gets too out of hand.

Oakland Athletics: In the past month, the A's have gone from one of the hottest teams to one of the coldest. Just a few short weeks ago there was hype of their success and whether or not they would be able to keep it up. They haven't won a series in 2 weeks and take on Boston this weekend in an attempt to recover. It's unlikely the wildcard will come from the AL West, and the Angels seem to have the division locked up with more and more guys coming off the DL.

San Francisco Giants: The 3-7 record is decieiving here since two of the wins come from another 3-7 team (the Rockies). The Giants are so cold right now, they were recently swept by the Pirates. Enough said.

Colorado Rockies: The Rockies luck is running low after last years postseason run, mostly due to a terrible pitching staff. Although guys like Matt Holliday are still producing, the Rockies have been off to a terrible start this year. The one bright spot was a recent series v. the Twins in which the Rockies took two of three games. They are already 10.5 games out of first though, so a comback is improbable, but still possible.

San Diego Padres: The Padres are our third 3-7 team in the NL West. Man this division is terrible. So far this year, the Padres can only beat the other cellar dwellers. Peavy is now on the DL, and if he has any other injures, my guess is that he will be shut down for the rest of the year. Already sitting 12 games out of first, its highly unlikely for a comeback, especially if the offense is going to continue its standstill.

Playing With Fire: Midterm Edition

2008-05-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

Although it is hard to believe, one quarter of the baseball season is already over. Because of that, we decided that we would run down some of the best players all season long this year. Consider that the season is still young, and there is still time for these guys to slump, but so far these are the best of the best.

Catcher: Geovany Soto/Brian McCann

These guys have put up similar numbers so far this year, and will be highly touted catchers for years to come. Soto has struck out more, but has a higher average than McCann so far this year, which is mainly the only difference between the two. Hold onto these guys, because as they garner more experience they only get better.

First Base: Lance Berkman

'Berk' runs away with this one. He has really started to bust out in the past few weeks, raising his average just above .390. The 'Astro'nomical (ESPN can't drift away from that phrase) is leading all hitters in home runs with 15 and is one RBI short of the lead. Berkman's value is higher than ever, and he can't possibly continue on with these numbers... or can he? Time will tell, but some people are overly excited about his success right now. This is a situation where if you time it right, this could be a huge trade in your favor.

Second Base: Chase Utley

Utley has been unstoppable in the Phillies lineup this year. Now that Jimmy Rollins is back, it could really boost Utley's value. Not only has he hit for contact this year, but is second in home runs with 14. This could be the third year in a row that a Phillie wins the NL MVP award if Utley can stay healthy. Hold onto him, because he shows no sign of slowing down.

Third Base: Chipper Jones

The only hitter in baseball retaining a .400+ average is a dead give away here. Chipper has really stepped up for the Braves this year from both sides of the plate leading all third basemen in the following categories: batting average, hits, home runs, rbi's, total bases, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Chipper already has a few nagging injuries this year, but nothing serious. As much as I love Chipper, it would be a good idea to trade him while his value is at it's peak.

Short Stop: Hanley Ramirez

This year, many owners were hesitant whether or not H-Ram would be able to produce anything similar to those of last year. Those that gambled have come up huge so far with Hanley's .327 average, 9 home runs, and 13 stolen bases. Ramirez is still really young and has a strong upside, and with more experience he just gets better.

Outfield: Nate McLouth, Matt Holliday, and Josh Hamilton

Outfield is the toughest to pick from, being forced to leave out hot hitters like Ryan Braun, Xavier Nady, Raul Ibanez, etc. McLouth has been a huge asset to his owners this year with his .300+ average and 11 home runs. He isn't trying to steal nearly as many bases as expected though. He's got a strong upside, but it is very unlikely for him to finish the year hitting above .290.

Holliday is just a notch above those left out because he has stolen bases, hit for average, and displayed his power. If he had more opportunities, he would certainly knock in more runs, but his offensive counterparts in Colorado have been slow to start. Holliday's average could climb some more, along with the power.

Hamilton was a big surprise last year, and this year has been even better. Leading the league in RBI's for most of the season, Hamilton has helped the Rangers to exceed expectations so far this season. It is very unlikely that he will continue to lead the league in RBI's, but he will continue to be a quality hitter for a years to come.

Designated Hitter: Milton Bradley

Who would have though Bradley would out-hit David Ortiz or Travis Hafner? The answer is no one. Don't expect things to stay this way.

Starter(s): Brandon Webb

I would choose more than one, but Webb has been by far and away the best. Winning in each of his 9 starts, Webb has been unstoppable. Although he is starting to allow more runs as the season progresses, the Arizona offense has stepped up big time. 20 wins is easily in the realm of possibility, but don't expect more than 25.

Closers: George Sherill/Francisco Rodriguez or Brandon Lyon/Joe Nathan

Sherrill and K-Rod each have over 15 saves, but boast ERA's higher than 3 (which will most likely go down), but Lyon and Nathan each have 12 saves with ERA's under 2. Nathan is the only of the four yet to blow a save still, so the case could easily be made for him. As long as these guys stay healthy, they won't be losing their job's any time soon.

Minor Leagues: Mike Hessman

I had to put this in there because the Toledo Mud Hens first basemen has 18 home runs, which have gone unnoticed by many. Sure he is blocked in Detroit, but Hessman could be brought up and showcased for a trade to a contender. Hessman has been in the majors before with the Atlanta Braves, but posted nothing similar to these numbers in AAA.

Playing With Fire

2008-05-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Before I get started this week, I wanted to point out that before the season started, in my first Playing With Fire column, I talked about how dominant Chipper Jones is, especially when healthy. I'm not one to brag, but last I checked Chipper is the only batter in baseball hitting over .400. Take that Brad Stewart.

Kevin Youkilis has been the best hitter in baseball in the past seven days. Posting a .429 average with five home runs, Youk has been hard to stop. The Red Sox first basemen has also put up 13 RBI's and scored nine runs to go with his four doubles. Youk has never had such high stock before, so if there's a BoSox fan in your league, see if they will bite on him.

Lance Berkman has had 24 at-bats this week, 18 of which he has gotten a hit (.750 batting average). To go with the hits are 32 total bases, 11 runs, and three homers. Berkman certainly will not hit .750 all year, but he has really started to rebound from last year.

Quite a few pitchers have been stepping up their game in the past week including Daniel Cabrera, Jon Garland, and Aaron Cook.

Cabrera has started two games this week, one of which he went the distance. Cabrera has allowed only four runs on nine hits in his two starts.

Garland started two games this week as well throwing for a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings. Funny thing about Garland is that he only struck out three batters.

Cook on the other hand, has also been a tremendous asset to the Rockies rebound. Cook has thrown for 14.2 innings, also striking out only three batters, but has also kept a solid ERA (1.84).

Check back on Thursday May 15 for Playing With Fire to be back in it's entirety.

Playin With Fire: Hot Streaks and Call-ups

2008-05-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

This week, as always, PWF will cover some of the hot and cold players in baseball, but also provide a few details on some of the latest pitching call-ups.

Hitters

Hot

Nate McLouth has continued his hot streak through the entire month of April. Just in the past week, McLouth has blasted four home runs garnering 25 total bases all the while posting a .417 batting average. The center fielder is currently 9th in the NL in batting average (.339), tied for 7th in home runs in the NL (7), tied for 4th in the NL in RBIs (25), 1st in doubles in the NL (13), and 7th in OBP in the NL (1.071). Keep in mind, McLouth is still 26 years old so he holds a tremendous value in keeper leagues.

Matt Kemp has really started to heat up this past week. The Dodger outfielder has driven in 15 runs and stolen 15 bases in the last seven days. Kemp, like McLouth, is still at a young age and has a solid upside for years to come. It is unlikely that Kemp will continue to steal this many bases, but 25 a season is a good possibility.

Ryan Braun, Dan Uggla, and Josh Hamilton have all been heating up this week. Hamilton in particular is leading all of baseball in RBI with 32.

Pitchers

Vincente Padilla has pitched two outstanding starts this week for the Rangers. Pitching 14.2 combined innings, Padilla has allowed only one earned run (a home run) and managed to win two games. The only downside to Padilla's week is that he has only posted eight strikeouts. It is doubtful that Padilla's value could get any higher this year, so if have him trade him soon.

Chien-Ming Wang became the first pitcher in the AL to six wins this year, and has done so by putting up 32 strikeouts. 14 of the 32 have come in Wang's last to starts which have come in the past week. In 13 innings of work this week, he has allowed only one run and four walks. Wang has never been known to be much of a strikeout pitcher, but has been a consistent ace for the Yankees year in and year out in the past few years.

Eric Gagne, Jon Rauch, and Brandon Lyon have all closed out three games this week, preventing a run from scoring each time out. These three have been shaky in weeks past, but hold high trade values right now.

Call-ups

In the past week or so, there have been a tremendous amount of pitching call-ups to major league teams for one reason or another. I wouldn't count on any of these guys to have much value at the time being, but keep an eye on the following:

RHP Lance Cormier, Baltimore: Cormier has put up a 0.96 ERA in the minors this year in nine appearances (18.2 innings). He has yet to make a solid impact in the majors, but has been up and down with the Braves in years past, as both a starter and reliever.

RHP Chad Fox, Chicago (NL): Fox was called up on May 2nd, and managed to get his first Major League loss of 2008 on May 2nd. Fox has no fantasy value.

RHP Adam Russell, Chicago (AL): Russell had a 3+ ERA in relief in AAA for the Charlotte Knights. He is only up for the short term, and has no value.

RHP Jose Veras, New York (AL): Veras has nine saves in 13 appearances this year. Most notably, Veras has struck out 21 batters. Keep an eye on Veras, but don't hop on him yet. He will just hold a middle relief role.

LHP A.J. Murray, Texas: Murray has posted six starts this year, but only received a decision in two of them, both of which were wins. Murray does have a 4.18 ERA, which is certain to go up in the majors. It is unlikely that he will be up long, since Jennings was only placed on the 15-day DL.

RHP Nick Adenhart, Los Angeles (AL): Adenhart has been touted as the top pitching prospect in the Angels system for quite a few years now, but hadn't made a major league start until this week. Adenhart will only be up until Lackey is back from injury, but it doesn't appear that he is major league ready yet. The right-hander made his first start just a few days ago, and only completed two innings after allowing five runs.

Adenhart has a highly touted future ahead of him though, especially with his 0.87 ERA in AAA this year for Salt Lake. He will get another start, but won't be up too long.

One last note, fantasy owners have been highly awaiting for Reds pitcher Homer Bailey to get called up, and stay up in the majors for a few years now. With a new GM in place, it looks as if Bailey will return to the majors soon, and could stay. Keep an eye out for Bailey and try to grab him just in case he posts numbers anywhere close to his numbers in AAA.

Playing With Fire: Around the League

2008-04-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

This week, I'm going to briefly cover a few of the best hitters and pitchers in the past seven days. Lets go to it.

Hitters

Hot

Chase Utley has been the best offensive weapon in the past week, even with the absence of Jimmy Rollins in the Phillies lineup. In the past seven days, Utley has hit seven home runs had has brought his batting average all the way up to .385. Sure Utley isn't going to hit one homer every day, and even though his stock is really high, there is nothing at second base that can amount to his numbers. Make sure you hold onto him.

Casey Blake has also been solid this week. Racking up ten RBI's and hitting .421 in just five games. Blake won't keep up those numbers, so if try to get someone to bite on him.

Jacoby Ellsbury has been flying around the base paths this week for a total of six stolen bases, to compliment two homers and a .370 batting average in the past seven days. Ellsbury is very young and still has a lot of upside. Sure he wont steal a base a game, but he his bat really compliments his speed. Good things are yet to come, especially for keeper league owners.

Hot and Cold

Hanley Ramirez is an interesting guy this week. He has managed to hit four home runs, steal four bases, and hit .290, but nine strikeouts in 31 at bats is ridiculous. That's hard to do, but his contact rate should come up.

Joey Votto is in a similar situation to H-Ram. The Canadian has hit three home runs, but has struck out seven times in 25 at bats. I've never been a big fan, and if you get the chance, try to sell him if he gets hot for a few games.

Pitchers

Hot

Chad Gaudin has pitched 14 innings in his two starts this week, allowing just one earned run. Gaudin started out a little slow, but if he keeps these numbers up it will be a pleasant surprise. It will be very hard for him to sustain his 3.38 ERA this year though; I'd be surprised if he finished below four. See what you can get for him while it lasts.

John Lannan has also been able to put up solid numbers in two starts this week. Though only resulting in one win, he has managed to allow just one run in 13 innings of work. Lannan's K/9 is over 9 right now, which is a very high number for a starter. I don't know if I have to even give trade advice here, I think it's pretty obvious. After all, when is the last time a National's pitcher was successful?

Brad Lidge is starting to pick it up. He has managed two saves in two opportunities, but has pitched in four games. He does have five strikeouts in his four innings of work, a solid number. He has always shown potential to be a solid closer and has done so, but needs to avoid the DL. He should get a lot of opportunities as the season goes on so I would hang onto him.

Brian Fuentes was handed over the closer role today from Manny Corpas. Corpas, who has blown multiple saves costing the Rockies, could be the reason the Rockies end up missing out on the playoffs.

One last note that I must point out, is that CC finally threw a solid game. Sure he got a lot of run support (its happened before), but he might have gained some value. Don't forget though, it was only one start. Let's hope he can continue to post "decent" numbers.

Playing With Fire: CC Edition

2008-04-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

Sa-bath-i-ah; noun, verb
1. The last name of Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia.
"Dad, can we go see C.C. Sabathia pitch today?"
2. To have a Cy Young hangover
"Man, he's pulling a real Sabathia this year.

That's right, I'm petitioning to get it into the dictionary. The only thing hot about C.C. right now is the latest pizza he ordered after his horrific start against the Tigers. It's embarrasing to post his numbers, considering I am one of the many disappointed owners.

Courtesy of fangraphs.com, below are the "Win Probability" graphs formulated by them for each of the games Sabathia has pitched this year.

Game 1:

This game is a rare situation compared to the other three, because CC got an extroardinary ammount of run support in the first few innings. Sabathia ended up pitching 5.1 innings, giving up two home runs, five total earned, but managed seven! strikeouts.

Game 2:

CC got run support early once again, but still managed to lose the game. CC stayed in once again for 5.1 innings, and as you see, the A's were about an 80% favorite to win the game at that time. He managed to allow six hits, four walks, four earned runs, and an impressive two strikeouts.

Game 3:

Going into the game, CC owners still have hope. After all, he won the Cy Young in 2007. He has to do good...eventually. This turned out to be CC's worst game by far this year. In his second start against the A's he allowed 12 hits, nine earned runs (no HR), two walks, and managed four strikeouts all in 3.1 innings of "work." (a term I am using loosly)

Game 4:

I must point out, the night preceeding this game, I had a trade in line to send CC and Brad Hawpe packing for Jose Reyes. I was pumped, hopefully he can accept it before he starts I thought to myself. The other owner responded in an e-mail later that night with the following statement.

"To be honest, the more I look at CC, the less I like him. I just feel like I would be selling Reyes lower than I would like. Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to keep Reyes for the time being and wait for his value to go back up."

Sure you have to expect CC's numbers to go up, but a trade like this would have locked up the league title for me. Had I not had Sabathia this year, I would be 5-6 spots higher in WHIP and ERA, which would have put me in a clear first place lead.

Back to the game. The Tigers started off slow, but at this point had begun a little hot streak. After this game, they would have scored 30 runs in 3 games, a huge ammount. This had to be the game he would rebound! Hes a Cy Young winner!

That clearly didn't happen. CC for once threw a couple of strong innings (getting help from the defense). It was all looking good. At least he wouldn't kill my ERA, and if the Indians offense could step it up a notch, he could get a win (gasp!)

Things went downhill...fast. CC left the game giving his team a 1.4% chance of winning. (Side note: how would it feel to be an Indians hitter at this point? Do you just ask for the day off when CC pitches for now on, knowing that even if you do score it will have little implications on the game?)

CC managed to allow eight hits, two home runs, nine total earned runs, walk five batters, and strike out ONE batter.

Looking back, duh I regret taking Sabathia. And you should too.

But lets not set him down so quickly. I should point out, I didn't make the trade offer originally, the other owner approached me. Maybe there is hope. Maybe there is a fighting chance. Until then, he will remain on my bench, before he can post a somewhat decent start.

Lets face it, if he doesnt rebound, it will just bring more popularity to my new favorite word, "Sabathia."