Dilldocks continues to occupy our top spot after claiming the 2nd Quarter prize. 283 homeruns is good enough to lead our game, but just by 1 homerun. AllorNothin is well within striking distance with a total of 282 homeruns. #1Philsfan remains in the thick of things with 278 HR. Our 4th place team is whoopers and Mr. Papa Georgio holds down the 5th spot.Our player break down is as follows…1 player with 29 homeruns1 player with 27 homeruns2 players with 25 homeruns1 player with 24 homeruns3 players with 23 homeruns4 players with 22 homeruns2 players with 21 homeruns2 players with 20 homeruns4 players with 19 homeruns5 players with 18 homeruns5 players with 17 homeruns3 players with 16 homeruns8 players with 15 homeruns4 players with 14 homeruns6 players with 13 homeruns5 players with 12 homeruns4 players with 11 homeruns4 players with 10 homeruns5 players with 9 homeruns3 players with 8 homeruns6 players with 7 homeruns5 players with 6 homeruns3 players with 4 homeruns2 players with 3 homeruns3 players with 2 homeruns3 players have failed to go deepRyan Howard still leads the league with 29 homeruns and Adam Dunn is keeping pace with 27 homeruns. Pat Burrell and Chase Utley sit 4 homeruns off the lead while Dan Uggla is 5 back.We have 11 other players over 20 HR including Hanley Ramirez with 23 HR, Rick Ankiel with 22 HR and Josh Hamilton with 21 HR.There are 25 players between 15 and 19 HR. A few of these guys are Derrek Lee and Corey Hart with 15, Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria with 17 and Albert Pujols with 18.We have 23 players in the 10-14 HR group. Nick Markakis and Garrett Atkins lead with way with 14 homeruns each. David Ortiz sits at 13 and looks to return this week and add to that total. Hunter Pence and Torii Hunter each have 12 HR while Adam LaRoche and Alex Gordon have 11.Thirty players have less than 10 homeruns. Ryan Zimmerman has 8 homeruns and should return this week and add to that number. B.J. Upton sits on 6 and has been moved down in the order. Jimmy Rollins is also stuck on 6 and hopes for a big 2nd half. Delmon Young has now hit 4 HR and that’s practically on fire for him. Andruw Jones continues to be a huge bust with just 2 homeruns.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Week 11 Review of The All American Home Run Derby
Week 11 Review
That Philly 2nd baseman still leagues the league and our pool with 22 homeruns. Gonzalez, Berkman and Uggla are all 3 off the pace and Braun, Hamilton, Burrell and Dunn are 4 back.
We have 13 players between 14 and 17 homeruns. Howard has 17, Pujols 16, Soriano 15 and Jason Bay 14. Pujols and Soriano won’t be moving from those totals for a few weeks.
Twenty- one players fall between 10 and 13 HR. Phillips has 13, Wright and C. Young are at 12, ARod is up to 11 and Corey Hart has increased his total to 10 homeruns.
The 6 to 9 HR group is 32 players strong. Kinsler has turned around a slow start and now has 9 bombs. Rowand has 8 in his new city. Griffey Jr has 7 so far and Hawpe has returned from the DL with a bang and now has 6 HR.
There are 19 underachievers with 5 homeruns or less. Fukudome hit 3 in his last 10 games to raise his total to 5. Bruce ended a 10 game homerun drought with his 4th HR. Blalock wants to return this week and add to his total of 3. A. Jones is the only player with 2 and Andy LaRoche has returned and gotten on the board with 1. Martinez, Fields and Bonds are the last 3 sporting the Goose Egg.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Jr. Finally does it!
Griffey Joins Elite Club
With the emergence of Joey Votto and the Cinderella run of Jay Bruce, it was easy to forget the real story for the Cincinnati Reds coming into the 2008 MLB Season.
When will Ken Griffey Jr make history? How long until he joins a select few of baseball’s greatest hitters? What day will he hit #600?
Griffey seemed to be stuck on #599 for far longer than he had hoped, but on Monday, the wait was over. Junior joined Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as only the 6th player in MLB history to hit 600 HR.
With 10 more homeruns, he’ll pass Sammy Sosa for 5th place on the All Time HR list, but that’s probably about as far as “The Kid” will make it.
He needs 61 more to pass Willie Mays and over 100 to catch Ruth, Aaron and Bonds.
What if Griffey had been able to stay healthy for his entire career? For the young man that dominated the 90’s, it only seemed like a matter of time until he was crowned as the greatest homerun hitter of all time.
In Seattle, Griffey will always be known as a Gold Glove centerfielder with the most beautiful swing that’s ever made contact with a ball.
In Cincinnati, he’ll always be known as the former Gold Glove centerfielder that couldn’t seem to round the bases without reaching for his hamstring.
From 2001-2006, Griffey missed 418 games. Those 418 games may be the difference between being one of 6 players to hit 600 HR and being the best homerun hitter ever.
If you compare his games played to Barry Bonds, Junior comes up 547 games short. Considering that he’s hit a homerun every 4 games over the course of his career, we’re talking about 137 HR lost. That would put his current total at 737 and counting. The 137 HR total is probably actually selling him short based on the fact that the 5 seasons prior to 2001, Griffey hit an average of 49.8 HR per year.
While it’s easy to see how Ken Griffey Jr could have been the best ever, just sit back and enjoy the fact that you have been able to witness a true legend of the game for nearly 2 decades.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Fantasy Baseball All-Over-Rated Team
By fightingchancefantasy.com
Their are two basic ways that a player becomes over valued in fantasy baseball. The first is living off of their old glory. These are the players that became household names after years of great seasons, or superb individual performances under the brightest lights. However, the glory days are behind them, and the numbers no longer live up to the expectations. Think Mike Piazza or Juan Gonzalez towards the end of their careers. Many times you can still find a team in your league that is willing to trade for this type of player. Ryan calls this team the "Mr. 2001 All-Star Team" in his article "The Five People You Meet in Fantasy Baseball."
The second way a player becomes over-valued is if they are a hot prospect coming into the league and the experts and media outlets feed the hype machine. These players are all expectation and no numbers to show for it. Think Sean Boroughs or Hank Blalock.
Below I've assembled a team of players who I feel are over-rated. Keep in mind that just because a name appears on this list, does not simply mean to avoid these players all together. Many of the names below are very productive fantasy players, some of which I'd like to have on my teams, however their value may be greater to someone else then their final numbers will indicate, and you may be able to get the same production from a lesser known commodity.
Catcher - Joe Mauer
The catcher position was a toss up between Joe Mauer and Victor Martinez. I gave the inauspicious nod to Mauer because he's been infuriating us fantasy owners with his potential for more seasons and came into the league with even higher expectations than Martinez did. Mauer has been tabbed as a guy that will revolutionize the position. Although, he has won a batting title in '06 and is batting .330 right now, I would hardly say that he has revolutionized the position. His other numbers are simply unimpressive; he has 2 homeruns, 27 RBI and 0 steals this year. As I said before, I am still holding onto hope that he is young enough to develop more power, but don't expect too much this year. If you own Mauer, but know someone in your league that is fascinated by a catcher that can hit .300 and is willing to overpay, I would suggest making a move.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Brian McCann, Geovany Soto and Russell MartinFirst Base - Mark Teixiera
Placing Mark Teixiera on this list was a tough pill for me to swallow, as he is one of my favorite fantasy players. But if you take away his amazing 2005 campaign, you're left with less than top tier first baseman numbers. For instance taking out the 2005 numbers (.301 BA, 43 HR, 144 RBI) his numbers would average .287 BA, 32 HR, 103 RBI. To put that into perspective, the much lesser appreciated Adrian Gonzalez hit .282 with 30 HR and 100 RBI last year. That being said, many fantasy teams still view him as the monster offensive player he was in 2005. He's also on this list because It's torture to deal with his predictably slow first half.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Adrian Gonzalez, Derrick Lee and Kevin YoukilisSecond Base - Robinson Cano
I'm not sure that I've ever been in a fantasy league that was completely void of Yankee fans, so naturally hometown players can get a little over valued. Robinson Cano is a very good player at a scarce position on a team that has a ton of fans. Many times people will pay a premium for a player like him. Cano has yet to crack 20 HRs or 100 RBI in a season thus far in his short career, he also doesn't steal many bases. His batting average is his biggest strength as evidenced by his .342 average in '06. Look for alternatives like these...
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Ian Kinsler, Dan Uggla and Brian RobertsShortstop - Michael Young
Michael Young is a fantastic hitter who's collected over 200 hits in each of his last five seasons. But unless you need hits or average his fantasy value is very limited. His homeruns dropped even further last year to a career low of 9. He still drives in a decent amount for a shortstop and you can guess he'll have about 10 steals. I just think the other alternatives might come at a cheaper cost.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Rafeal Furcal, Orlando Cabrera and Carlos Guillen (if he's still eligible at short)Thirdbase - Alex Gordon
This sweet swinging lefty has been deemed the next George Brett by some scouts and experts. Of course this comparison was inevitable, as Alex Gordon is a top hitting prospect, who happens to be lefty and play for the Royals. He still may be a future Hall of Famer someday, but for now he continues to struggle to get a handle on major league pitching. Next year, I fully expect him to be a good example of a "Post-Hype Prospect." Their are many fantasy team owners that think he's going to have a great second half and start to put it all together this year, but I'm not so sure.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Garrett Atkins, Mark Reynolds and even the much maligned Adrian BeltreLeft Field - Manny Ramirez
Redsox players are often over-valued in much the same way Yankee players are. Manny, has built a solid reputation as a fantasy performer, but his best years are clearly behind him. Look for the hot streak he is currently on to cool down, as old knees and hamstrings begin to snag his lower body power. Not to mention, getting Manny to play hard in August and September is a bit of a coin toss. Well that's just "Manny Being Manny" right. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he puts up 30 and 100 again this year, but their is a good chance someone in your league would be ready to overpay for that kind of production. Trade him, and get production out of guys like...
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Nate McLouth, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos QuentinCenter Field - Carlos Beltran
Roaming centerfield for our all over-rated team is Carlos Beltran. It's not that Beltran isn't still a good fantasy player, it's just that he's not as good as he once was. As his career progresses and the wear and tear on his legs begins to gain momentum, look for his steals to continue to decline. Add that, to a not-so great batting average, and you got yourself an over-rated center fielder. He's still a consistent 30HR/20SB threat so don't dump him for cheap, but if you have an over-zealous Mets fan in your league, see what he's offering.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Josh Hamilton, BJ Upton and Hunter PenceRight Field - Vladimir Guerrero
3 or 4 years ago, our over-rated outfield would have been the envy of fantasy sports teams everywhere. But creeky knees have zapped much of the value out of this 2004 All-star team. Of the three outfielders it looks like Vladimir Guerrero's age has caught up to him the most. Vlad's still only 32, but watching him try to run is like trying to start up a car with 300,000 miles that's been in a garage for 20 years. I keep looking for a trainer to bring him an oil can to lube up his rusty knees. He was once a guy that stole 40 bases, but was limited to 2 last year and 1 thus far this year. Hopefully for Vlad owner's, you can still trick another team into thinking he is the Vlad of old.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Nick Markakis, Corey Hart and Alex RiosStarting Pitcher - Dontrelle Willis
The D-Train seems to have derailed a couple years back. Couple that, with a move to the much better hitting American League and you have a recipe for disaster. Somehow Dontelle Willis has held a soft spot through the struggles in fantasy owner's hearts. Maybe he carried that team to the fantasy championship in '05 with his surprising 22 wins. Whatever the reason is, if you can still get any value for him, please do. He's started 3 games this year and had a relief appearance in another, during this time he has accumulated 16 walks to only 3 K's. If anyone will give you anything, make the trade, before you are forced to just drop him completely.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Just about anyone, but if you are looking for undervalued starters check out Ervin Santana, Dan Haren and Cliff LeeCloser - Jose Valverde
Jose Valverde led the NL in saves last year with 47, so it's reasonable that his value has sky rocketed. But his track record shows that he has been very inconsistent. The D-Backs thought along those same lines, when they moved him to the Astros this offseason. So far this year he has done a decent job, but he's not at the same level as last year. Look for Valverde to have solid numbers in the end, but if you hang onto him, you will have to deal with the ups and downs.
Capable Undervalued Replacements: Matt Capps, Joakim Soria and George Sherrill
Who did I miss? Who would make your All Over-Rated team? Drop me a comment, or send an email to andy@fightingchancefantasy.com.
fightingchancefantasy.com
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - 6/8
| June 8th, 2008 JunkyardJake.Com |
Pedro Feliz, Philadelphia Phillies, 3B
There is absolutely nothing exciting about Pedro Feliz, he is sort of like your accountant friend that will show up on time every year sometime in March and does a competent job on your taxes. Same kind of thing with Feliz. You can plug him into your fantasy lineup and be somewhat confident that he will get you 20 HRs, 80 RBIs, and a BA somewhere around .260. Not exciting, but a good complementary player to round out your lineup.
Available in 53% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Cody Ross, Florida Marlins, OF
His .217 batting average is a little frightening, but that is because he batted a pathetic .159 in April, with zero HRs. During the month of May, Ross turned it around with 10 HRs and a .280 average. Realistically, we can probably expect his average to settle in around the .260-.275 area, but his real value is in his power potential, and he will also contribute a fair amount of stolen bases. Ross is worth using in NL-Only formats for sure, and he could have mixed league appeal for as long as he is the preferred option in CF over Jacque Jones.
Available in 91% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Alexi Casilla, Minnesota Twins, 2B
Casilla is currently on a nice little tear that has him batting .347. While that probably won't last, as long as he holds down the 2nd base job in Minnesota, he is definitely worth using for his stolen base potential. Over his minor league career, Casilla compiled a healthy 177 SBs in 396 games, so he has serious wheels. Think of him as a Juan Pierre-type .285 slap-hitter without the inflated fantasy (or actual baseball salary) price-tag.
Available in 83% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Mike Gonzalez, Atlanta Braves, RP
The Atlanta Braves bullpen has been a virtual minefield over the first 2 months of the season and as we are patiently awaiting the next diaster, it probably wouldn't hurt to speculate on Mike Gonzalez as a possible source for saves in the 2nd half. Smoltz is obviously out of the picture with season-ending shoulder surgery, the Acosta experiment should be over, and Soriano is still injury-prone and unproven. Gonzalez is due to rejoin the Braves this week, and reportedly has his fastball back in the low 90's. Who knows, he could leverage his former closer experience into a significant role over the next month or so.
Available in 98% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
David Price, Tampa Bay Rays, SP
The obvious disclaimer here is that Price is nowhere close to being considered for a major league callup, but he is one of those rare pitching prospects that is worth keeping track of. Price shows great location with a high 90's fastball that he complements with a nasty slider and developing changeup. If you have some vacant space on your roster after you drop John Smoltz or you are tired of waiting for Boof Bonser to get his ERA under 5.00, then Price is worth picking up and stashing away.
Available in 71% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider:
Manny Parra,Milwaukee Brewers,SP
Available in 66% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Michael Cuddyer,Minnesota Twins,OF
Available in 76% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Fred Lewis,San Francisco,OF
Available in 74% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ryan Doumit,Pittsburgh Pirates,C,OF
Available in 49% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Scott Baker,Minnesota Twins,SP
Available in 76% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Pitching, Prospects, and Pain; Injury Notes and Other News of the Week
Brewers' SP Manny Parra has gotten on a little bit of a roll lately. He was one of the big stories coming out of Spring Training, but immediately fell on his face when the season started. But the young fireballer has gotten his groove back, and has won three of his last four decisions. In fact, Parra has allowed one earned run or less in four of his last five starts. He is worth a look in all formats, and definitely grab the 25-year old in keeper formats.
Zach Greinke has had a couple of shaky outings now, and I believe that he will end up with a record under .500 by the end of the season. In two of his last three starts, Zach has given up six or more runs. His record still looks good, so I would try to sell high on him before it is too late.
Prospect News
Carlos Gonzalez was called up by the A's, and even though he is struggling so far, he is a big time prospect. Gonzalez was one of the main pieces that brought Dan Haren to Arizona, and if he sticks in the majors he is worth adding. In fact, if you are in a keeper league, and somehow he isn’t owned already definitely pick him up. Gonzalez has 25 HR/20 SB capabilities, and is one of the top 15-20 prospects in baseball.
The Rockies' Ian Stewart was in the competition for the 2B job in Spring Training, which he didn’t win, but with the injuries in Colorado he is getting a second chance. Stewart has huge offensive potential. He had 12 homers and 43 RBI in just 46 games at AAA this season, and if he gets this job for the season in Colorado, he could be a huge sleeper for the second half.
Homer Bailey made his first start of the season in the majors on Thursday, and although it wasn't great, it wasn’t horrible either. The Reds committed three errors, and of the five runs he allowed, only two were earned. However, he did walk four batters in 6.1 innings and only struck out one. I am starting to lose faith in Bailey as a top prospect, but you have to keep an eye on him, as he has the talent to be a great pitcher. But, will he ever put it all together? I'm not sure anymore.
John Smoltz will be having season ending, and perhaps career ending, surgery by Dr. James Andrews. It is time to let go of Smoltz in all formats, yearly and keepers. We thought we would get a cheap source of saves from Smoltz when he returned from the DL, but after one outing he called it a season.
Jacoby Ellsbury injured his wrist diving for a ball Thursday night, and although the x-rays came back negative and the MRI came back clean, he is still day-to-day. Keep the young speedster on your bench until you see that he is back in the lineup. Ellsbury has shown to be quite a source of steals for fantasy teams as he leads the majors in steals. In his absence, is Carlos Gomez or Michael Bourn available? They won't fill all the categories, but could replace some of Ellsbury's SBs.
Carlos Pena will miss the next two to three weeks with a broken finger after being hit by a pitch by the Red Sox Justin Masterson. Pena has been a major disappointment after his breakout season in 2007, but he had been at least to start providing some power with his 11 HRs. Eric Hinske will most likely see some at-bats at first.
Jorge Posada finally returned to the Yankee lineup on Thursday night after missing over a month with tendonitis in his rotator cuff. His injury was a crushing blow to not only the Yankees, but to fantasy teams as well. Have you looked at your free agent pool for catchers lately? It isn’t pretty I’m sure. Those who have Posada, happily put him back into your lineup.
After spending a week on the bench the Nationals finally put Ryan Zimmerman on the Disabled List, and it is unsure how long he will be out. Zimmerman has a small tear in his shoulder, and this is the kind of injury that has a way of lingering. It is conceivable that Zimmerman could be out until the All-Star Break, but this kind of injury could hinder his performance all season long. He was a disappointment this season to begin with, but if you own Zimmerman you have to stash him on your injury spot, he is too talented to drop.
Reigning Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy is very close to a return to the mound. Peavy threw 45 pitches from a mound on Wednesday and is due to throw either a minor league game or simulated game on Saturday. Peavy said he will pitch in the majors before the end of the current homestand which ends on June 12th, so be ready to activate the ace when he is ready to pitch. Those who don’t own Peavy, see if you might be able to get him cheap before he returns.
Vernon Wells is well ahead of his schedule of returning from a broken wrist, in fact he entered the game on Saturday as a pinch hitter and went 2-3 with an RBI. It is now safe to get Vernon back in your lineup. However, I offer you this word of caution. Broken wrists have a way of lingering with a player and sapping his power long after he returns from the disabled list. Keep your expectations in check for Vernon and you won't be disappointed.
Rockies’ MVP Matt Holliday is very close to a return, in fact he is already on a rehab assignment. Friday night Holliday was 0-2 in a game for Colorado Springs and he should be activated in time for Tuesday’s game against the Giants. Those of you (and I) who own Holliday, begin your dance of joy as you get to put your first round pick back into your lineup. Perhaps with Holliday’s imminent return, and the return of Brad Hawpe, the Rockies can get back on track on their mission to defend their National League Championship.
Breakout candidate Ryan Doumit returned to the Pirates’ lineup on Friday, and although he didn’t get a hit, it is nice to get another catcher into the game who can actually hit. If you have a garbage catcher and he was dropped, give Doumit a chance. He has the potential to hit 20+ homers from a position that is crying out for offensive production.
Check out fightingchancefantasy.com for more news and notes daily as well as two start pitchers, minor league stats, and other great lists and fun things. If you have any questions, email us at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
No Power Signal at U.S. Cellular Field?
No Power Signal at U.S. Cellular Field?
It's no secret that Jermaine Dye, Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko, Joe Crede and Jim Thome aren't getting it done.
Jermaine Dye has a respectable batting average at .286, but he has just 23 RBI and nearly 3 strikeouts to every walk.
Joe Crede has the most RBI of the quintet with 29, but 22 of those came during his red-hot April.
Jim Thome has at least managed double-digit homeruns with 10, but his .212 average and team-high 56 strikeouts leave something to be desired.
Paul Konerko is hitting .205 with just 6 HR.
Nick Swisher is the most consistent of the group. He's consistently terrible in every category, batting .201 with 4 HR and 14 RBI.
Now what most people don't realize is that the White Sox played 20 games on the road in May, but they return to their hitter friendly confines for 17 games in June. They will host Kansas City, Minnesota, Colorado, Pittsburgh and their cross-town rivals from Wrigley.
They'll not only be in one of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball, but they'll also be facing tougher pitching in batting practice than they will in most of the games.
Kansas City's best hope was Zach Grienke and the Sox tagged him for 8 run in 6 innings in their first home tilt of the month. The next two scheduled starters for KC are Luke Hochevar and Gil Meche. Each pitcher has an ERA close to 5 or worse.
Minnesota will bring a very suspect pitching staff to town. The Twins haven't been able to recover since losing Johan Santana via trade and Francisco Liriano to injury. Livan Hernandez(4.81 ERA) and Boof Bonser(5.97 ERA) will likely get starts.
The Rockies staff isn't going to scare anyone either. Aaron Cook has been solid this year, but the rest of the guys with 2 or more starts range from a 5.37 to an 8.44 ERA.
When the Pirates come to town, they'll start the likes of Zach Duke(4.41 ERA), Paul Maholm(4.97 ERA), Ian Snell(5.94 ERA) and Tom Gorzelanny(7.22 ERA).
The only real test will be from the Cubs, but if they don't happen to face Carlos Zambrano or Ryan Dempster, they'll see Jason Marquis(4.98 ERA) or Ted Lilly(5.54 ERA).
There's no place like home and by the end of June, the Chicago White Sox will have shown everyone exactly why that is true.
Article from www.letsgodeep.com
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - 6/1
| June 1st, 2008 JunkyardJake.Com |
Jason Bergmann, Washington Nationals, SP
Sometimes a trip to minors doesn't help a young player, and then there are cases like Jason Bergmann where the tedious bus trips and bad dining evidently rejuvenates your ability to pitch strikes and avoid 7 run innings. Bergmann was a disaster in April, as he compiled an ugly 11.68 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and opponents batted .364 against him. After returning from his banishment to the minor leagues, he has been a completely different pitcher, with a 1.30 ERA, .90 WHIP and BAA of .190 during his May appearances.
Available in 70% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ian Stewart, Colorado Rockies, 2B,3B
There is reason to believe that Stewart isn't quite as good as his minor league stats would suggest, and that is because he has benefited from the fluffy, friendly environs of Colorado. Specifically in 2007, he hit .357 at home w/ 9 HRs, and only .251 on the road w/ 6 HRs. Still, he has shown enough this year at the AAA level to like him alot, with 12 HRs and 43 RBIs in only 46 games. He is considered a 3rd baseman, but the Rockies say they are going to give him a look at 2nd base. His value would explode if he gets eligibility and regular playing time at 2nd base, so this is a situation worth watching.
Available in 71% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Salomon Torres, Milwaukee Brewers, RP
Apparently, many fantasy owners were so exasperated by the 'insane clown posse' Milwaukee closer situation during the early season, that when psycho manager Ned Yost finally started using Torres on a consistent basis over the past week, nobody really cared anymore. Torres has been the regular closer since Eric Gagne went on the D.L., and in five appearances since May 24th, he has 4 saves, and has yielded just one hit. Who knows what happens when Gagne returns, and maybe Prince Fielder gets a shot at closing games at some point, but Torres could be the guy until he blows it.
Available in 60% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Jack Cust, Oakland A's, DH,OF
He is not going to help you in the batting average category, and although there is nobody that formally keeps track of it, he probably leads the league in strikeouts during batting practice (He strikes out once per approximately 2.5 at-bats during actual games). However, you can’t deny his power potential, and that is obviously where his value lies. After only 1 HR in April, he blasted 7 during May, so he could be ready to deliver on his potential, which is anywhere between 25 and 40 HRs per year, depending on how many hot streaks he can ride.
Available in 61% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Jonathan Sanchez, San Francisco Giants, SP
After an excellent April, where Sanchez struck out 40 in 33 innings, and held opposing batters to a .218 average, the young lefty has regressed slightly. In May (5 starts, 5.20 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, .274 BAA) he was much less impressive, or occasionally appalling if you want to be honestly insulting about it. That said, in the absence of a complete meltdown, it is worth sticking with Sanchez. He has great movement on his two primary pitches, a 90-95 mph fastball and changeup, and he is a legitimate strikeout pitcher who averaged 1.3 K’s per inning during his minor league career.
Available in 43% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider:
Carlos Gonzalez,Oakland A's,OF
Available in 83% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Chase Headley,San Diego Padres,3B,OF
Available in 84% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ben Francisco,Cleveland Indians,OF
Available in 76% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Pedro Martinez,NY Mets,SP
Available in 49% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Andrew Miller,Florida Marlins,SP
Available in 39% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Surprise!!!
Surprise!!!
Every year a few players start out very hot and every year those players eventually cool off. As the month of May comes to a close, we have a few guys that are still hot and showing no signs of slowing down. A couple of them are no strangers to the spotlight and a couple are just beginning to take center stage. Let’s take a look at the 5 guys that are the biggest surprises thus far.
Lance Berkman
Berkman has been around the game for a while now and has made quite a name for himself, but this year he’s looking to set career highs across the board. He’s currently batting .384 with 17 HR, 47 RBI, 57 runs and 10 SB. His batting average is downright ridiculous and he’s already set a career high in stolen bases. If he can maintain his current pace, he’ll set new marks for HR and RBI and shatter his previous run total.
Chase Utley
Some would call Utley a rising star and others could make the case that he’s already a certified superstar. He’s doing everything in his power to make the latter true. Utley is right at his career pace for average, runs and stolen bases, but his power numbers are through the roof. He’s currently batting .310 with 17 HR, 46 RBI, 42 runs and 5 stolen bases. He’s on pace for 49 HR and 133 RBI, which would destroy his previous highs of 32 HR and 105 RBI.
Dan Uggla
The Marlin middle infielder doesn’t have the experience that some of the other guys, but he’s well on his way to stardom. Uggla is carrying a career high .307 average along with 16 HR, 38 RBI and 41 runs. At this rate, Uggla will set new career highs across the board with 51 HR, 120 RBI and 130 runs.
Josh Hamilton
Hamilton burst back onto the scene last year and showed why you never give up on talent. With his troubles in the past, Hamilton is looking to make up for lost time. He’s batting .324 with 13 HR, 58 RBI and 35 runs. He’s already set a career mark for RBI and is currently on pace for a whopping 174 this season. At this rate, he’ll hit 39 HR and cross the plate 105 times.
Joey Votto
It turns out that the only thing holding Votto back was Dusty Baker. Once Votto was given his fair shot, he took it and ran. He’s currently batting .294 with 10 HR, 29 RBI and 28 runs. He only played a handful of games last year so he’s already setting career highs. At the pace that he’s on, he’ll hit 30 HR while scoring 85 times and knocking in 90 RBI. The scary thing is that I think he can top those numbers. Not bad for a rookie that started the year behind Scott Hatteberg.
Take it Deep: www.letsgodeep.com
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - 5/24
| May 24th, 2008 JunkyardJake.Com |
Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds, OF
According to many scouts, Bruce is baseball's #1 prospect, and it's hard to argue with this evaluation when he is currently tearing up the triple-A league with a .369 average to go along with 10 HR's and 8 stolen bases in 45 games. The Reds are fairly deep in the outfield with Adam Dunn, Corey Patterson, Ryan Freel and Ken Griffey Jr., so it may take a trade for Bruce to see regular playing time, but he is worth picking up anyway, just in case the Reds do the right thing and start rebuilding this year.
Available in 46% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Chris Perez, St.Louis Cardinals, RP
In between occasional physical breakdowns, Jason Isringhausen has been one of baseballs most reliable closers. This season however, Isringhausen has been about as predictable as Britney Spears trying to parallel park her Hummer on Whilshire Blvd. Izzy's latest meltdown involved a scuffle with a TV set in Tony LaRussa's office and a trip to the DL with a hand injury. Chris Perez, with a fastball that has been clocked at 97-100 mph, is considered the future closer for the Cardinals, and the future may be coming up soon. Perez was very impressive in the minors, amassing 55 saves over the past three years with 1.3 K's per inning.
Available in 81% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Clayton Kershaw, LA Dodgers, SP
You are probably tired of hearing about Clayton Kershaw, the mythical prospect that the Dodgers keep threatening to bring up from their minor league system. Well, his long-awaited callup is expected to happen this week, and we will finally see how the highly-regarded 2006 1st round left-hander handles major-league hitters. It's a good bet that Kershaw has a very bright future ahead of him, as he is a rare lefty that can throw consistently in the mid-90's and he has a amazing curveball that can pick your pocket, pull a $20 from your wallet, return two five's and a roll of quarters, and then still land over the plate for a called strike three.
Available in 56% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Adam LaRoche, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1B
Many fantasy teams gave up on Laroche during his injury-plagued April, but he is a fairly solid option at 1st base who could easily deliver 25 HR's and 100 RBI. Remember, he has been a notoriously slow-starter his entire career who seemingly doesn't start hitting until the summer months. In 2006, he batted .200 in April, but had an amazing July and August where he batted .357 with 14 HRs. It was the same story in 2007, when he hit an embarrassing .133 in April, then cranked it up during July and August with a .336 average and 10 homers.
Available in 53% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Jose Guillen, KC Royals, OF/DH
Guillen had a dreadful April, hitting .192, but he has wielded a potent bat lately with a .352 average and 18 RBI's during the month of May. At 32, Guillen is not a young lad, but he is the most frequent #4 hitter in the Royals lineup, and it helps that the Royals use him in the DH spot a couple times week, giving him some time-off from fielding wear and tear. He is certainly not the type of player that will carry your team, but you can probably expect around a .285 average, 25 HRs and 95 RBIs, which isn't bad if your current fantasy outfield consists of Andruw Jones, Emil Brown and Austin Kearns.
Available in 44% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider:
Shane Victorino,Philadelphia Phillies,OF
Available in 33% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Akinori Iwamura,Tampa Bay Rays,2B
Available in 52% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Taylor Buchholz,Colorado Rockies,RP
Available in 91% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Tom Gorzelanny, Pittsburgh Pirates,SP
Available in 59% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Billy Butler,KC RoyalsDH/1B
Available in 51% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Pitcher Streaming; When and How To Do It
I've been asked a ton about pitcher streaming and even in my expert league over at http://www.fantasybaseballsearch.com/ EXPERTS are streaming.
I've always maintained that there is nothing wrong with streaming. My only fix on it is you should only do it when you need to and not because you can. PS (Pitcher Streaming) does take away from the competitive nature of the game, and reduces the competition down to whoever can pick up and throw more pitchers.
Here's when you should stream. Its best to stream in H2H formats where you need to win a few categories. If you are losing or tied consider using PS. Make sure that you have no chance to win the categories that PS can hurt and that you have a chance to win the categories PS will help. PS will always help strikeouts, wins, and innings.
Its best to stream in a H2H Roto League where there is only 4 categories for starting pitchers.
My suggestion is if you need to do it, don't worry about wins. Whether or not if the pitcher is good he may not win, so why bother. Get pitchers who can strikeout. Better yet, check the pitchers who are probables that week and look at the teams they are facing. Then goto this link at MLB.com and check out which teams strikeout the most. For example, the Florida Marlins lead the league in strikeouts with 368 and second place goes to the Padres with 363. Look for starters facing teams that strikeout allot and if you are lucky a good strikeout pitcher facing a strikeout team and you are in.
There are no guarantees in PS, but we will all have to do it at some point and if you make the right pick ups it will pay off. If you don't, the damage will be done.
Todd "The True GURU" Farino
http://www.fantasybaseballsearch.com/
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Who's Ready To Breakout?
There were three first basemen taken early in most drafts, all coming off a huge 2007 season. All three have been disappointing and inconsistent to this point in mid May. Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder and Carlos Pena are the three sluggers in this debate and the questions which we'd like to know the answers to are:
1. Which one is most likely to breakout and play to expectations?
2. Which one is most likely to continue struggling and miss expectations?
Ryan Howard: While his 9 HRs are okay, it only projects to 33 for this season. That's a huge droppoff from his 47 and 58 homer tallies of 2007 and his MVP 2006 season. What is far more concerning is MLB record strikeout pace and his horrid .188 batting average. The one positive to look is the fact that he hit 10 homers in both June and July last year after a slow start and a DL stint.
Prince Fielder: While his 2008 line of 5-23-.255 is not terrible, it's far off his monstrous 2007 season of 50-119-.288. Much has been made of his conversion to a vegetarian, but he still physically looks like a power hitter to me. Last season his best month was May, with 13 dingers, but he has only 1 so far this month. In addition, in his 141 at bats so far, he has only 7 doubles.
Carlos Pena: Coming off a career year of 46-121-.281, there were many skeptics who doubted whether Pena could repeat those numbers. Fantasy owners would've been happy for something close to that, but his number to this point are only 8-20-.211, which would put him on pace for 30 homers and 77 RBIs. Not bad, but also below expectations. Last season he had 10 homers in April and May combined, so maybe he's just a slow starter. His power stroke was consistent the rest of the way, with 7 in June, 8 in July, 8 in August, and finishing big in September, belting 13.
Which one of these three will come the closest to meeting expectations?
Which one will be the biggest disappointment?
Let's see your comments for the concerned fantasy owners.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Reds' Killer V's
The Reds 9-0 trouncing of the Cubs on Wednesday was the coming out party for one super prospect, Joey Votto, and the continued domination of another, Edinson Volquez.
Votto crushed 3 homers to bring his season total up to 7, to go along with 18 RBIs and a .302 average. He is showing fantasy owners who drafted him that the pre-season hype is not unwarranted. And while Dusty Baker continues to give Scott Hatteberg occasional starts, (stealing at bats from Votto), it won't be long before he's playing everyday as the Reds will be in a fight to stay in the wild card race.
Volquez has baffled NL hitters all season, and has now improved his record to 5-1, to go along with a Bob Gibson-like ERA of 1.06. He fanned 10 Cubs over 7 innings and probably would have had a chance for a complete game if his pitch count was not at 118 - the total elevated by 6 free passes. Volquez' incredible start is close to making MLB history. He has had 7 consecutive starts allowing only one earned run or less to start the season. Only Mike Norris of the 1980 Oakland A's has more, with 8, at the start of a season.
Both Votto and Volquez are players who should not be sold high, as is commonly done in the fantasy world after extreme statistical performances . Their well touted ablities are on full display now and there may be not be a peak for quite a while. If you can find a way to get them, do so. If you already have either one, ride the wave of the Killer V's.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Giambi
What will happen first? Giambi getting a hit with runners in scoring position, or Giambi being able to field a ground ball cleanly to his right?
Monday, March 3, 2008
Digging Deeper For The Keeper
Digging Deeper for the Keeper
The Fantasy Sports Forum.com
For those of you who play in Dynasty/Keeper Leagues, here is a list of rookies and or minor leaguers who might be worth a bid.
This list mainly applies to deep leagues, but these players should come cheap, and can help lead to a championship down the road.
The qualifications applied here are: any player currently on a team’s 40 man roster and eligible for the Rookie of the Year Award.
Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis
The reason the Cardinals traded Jim Edmonds in the off-season. The only thing Rasmus hasn’t shown in the minors is a high batting average, but all of the other tools are there. Problem is the Cardinals have a bunch of outfielders in camp and Rick Ankiel is the leading option for centerfield as of now.
Cameron Maybin, OF, Florida
Was the centerpiece in the trade of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit. Probably still a year away from the majors, but with the dearth of talent in Florida they may feel the need to rush him to the majors.
Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay
Has all the tools to be a star in the majors. Can hit for power and average. Could win the starting job this season for the Rays. Long term prognosis is outstanding. Definitely worth a flyer, even in non dynasty leagues.
Clay Buchholz, P, Boston
Only pitched 22 innings in 2007, but what a start to his major league career. Pitched a no-hitter against Baltimore, and is considered the highest rated pitcher in the minors. Could be a number one starter.
Joba Chamberlain, P, Yankees
Hard to believe he still qualifies as a rookie. Has everything a pitcher needs; only question is how the Yankees will use him. Best guess is he starts the season in the bullpen, than joins the rotation when there is an injury, or at the all-star break.
Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati
Has outstanding power and will be playing in a band box. Can hit for average and play any outfield position. Many teams have called the Reds asking for his availability but have been told he is untouchable. Should be called up early in 2008.
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati
Should get the starting nod over Scott Hatteberg. Can hit for power and average, and even steal some bases for you. Should solve the Reds problem at 1B for years to come.
Read more: http://www.thefantasysportsforum.com/article.php?ID=207
