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The Closer Report: April 26, 2010

2010-04-26T22:35:00.001-07:00

CLOSER FACTS:
Jonathan Broxton still has only one save in one attempt for the LA Dodgers.
Jonathan Papelbon has pitched 5 out of the last 7 days. He accrued a win and three saves in that span.
Jose Valverde fists pumps with his right hand.
As of April 26, five closers still have a 0.00 ERA. Mariano Rivera, Andrew Bailey, Jonathan Broxton, Brian Wilson, and Leo Nunez.
Mike Gonzalez is expected back closing for the Orioles around mid-May.

SAVES:

Jose Valverde (6) - The always eccentric Valverde disposed of the of Rangers on ten pitches and gave his required fist pump when the game was over. It was a perfect save with no strikeouts, but two groundballs and a lineout.

Ryan Franklin (7) - Wow. Another save with hits, no strikeouts, and even better NO RUNS. Mr. Lucky continues his run of pitching to contact, but keeping the ERA down.

Brain Fuentes (3) - Just dominated the Cleveland Indian batters, but then again who hasn't? He was lucky enough to go through a bunch of lefties. He opened the inning with a called strike three, but Hafner reached on an error. He came back and struck out another lefty Branyan and then walk Kearns. He finished the game by striking out the side, but needed 27 pitches to close the game. Expect to see someone else close tomorrow, possibly Rodney.

Bruce Chen (1) - Chen came in and got the 3-1 save for the Royals over the Mariners. He was giving the overworked Soria a day off, so no worries if you own Soria. It was also a lefty/lefty matchup and he faced one batter.

Jonathan Papelbon - (6) - Paps looked much sharper tonight with Jason Varitek behind the plate. He struck out Travis Snider with a perfectly placed high fastball. He then he got Lewis on a groundball and Hill on a popup. He looked outstanding and in command. Could his problem be Victor Martinez?

Chad Qualls (5) - Got his fifth save of the season, but not without giving up a couple of hits and a RBI to Carlos Ian Stewart. He did end up striking out the side, but you can't ignore his 9.00 ERA and 2.11 WHIP. A funny fact, his ERA coming into the game was 9.00 and he gave up a run in an inning, which is a 9.00 ERA, so no movement.

APPEARANCES:

Carlos Marmol (1-0) Marmol still can't get saves, but he got his first win of the season. He pitched the tenth inning against the Nationals and gave up a lone hit with no strikeouts.

Octavio Dotel - Don't tell me he's getting hammered again. Just part of another Brewer/Pirate massacre. He gave up four runs on three hits and a walk. The big blast was a Alcides Escobar 2-run home run. Not a good night for any Pirate pitcher.

Neftali Feliz - Second game in a row that the young Texas closer has got rocked. He gave up two runs on three hits. Basically he threw two poorly placed fastballs that were hammered from home runs. His ERA has ballooned to 4.66 and his WHIP has jumped to 1.24. He also took the loss and his record stands at 1-1.

Heath Bell - Got some work in a 10-1 loss and looked great. He struck out the side on 15 pitches.

Kevin Gregg - Came into the ninth inning of a wild 13-12 game and looked outstanding against the three Red Sox hitters he faces. He got two soft groundballs and a strikeout. Though I admit the called strike three on JD Drew was a ball.

Listen to Todd "The True Guru" Farino breakdown all the closer activity three times a week on Blog Talk Radio. Every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 11pm PST. www.blogtalkradio.com/the-closer-report or download the podcast on ITunes!

The Closer Report: April 23, 2010

2010-04-24T00:07:00.000-07:00

CLOSER NEWS:
N/A
SAVES:
Brian Wilson (3) Wilson finally recorded a save. It was his first save since April 6, and he went out there with a vengeance. Besides a simple single, Wilson struck out the side for his third save of the season. His ERA remains at 0.00.

Jonathan Papelbon (4) - Paps had another tough outing. He did get the save, but in the process looked wild walking two batters and giving up a hit. To put a positive spin on the save, he did intentionally walk Wiggington and he struck out Lugo to end the game. That is how expereinced closers do it.

Francisco Rodriguez (2) - Recorded his second save in as many days. He is still lacking his trademark sharpness that we haven't sen in awhile. He needed 22 pitches to close he game and gave up a hit and a walk, while striking out two. His WHIP rose to 1.27, but his ERA lowered to an impressive 1.04.

Kevin Gregg (5) - Gregg was needed for 1.1 innings, but got a clean save. He looked great giving up a hit and striking out two.

Matt Lindstrom (5) - Another 12 pitch save for Lindstrom. No hits and a strikeout. Lindstrom has clearly found his closer niche.

Briean Fuentes (2) - Fuentes was back in the closer role and frankly it was a shocker. When I saw Fernando Rodney coming into the eighth inning I was thinking someone got screwed. I did assume that since the Yankee lineup is loaded with lefties and switch hitters that maybe Scioscia went with his lefty. Thames did pitch hit for Johnson and Fuentes turned Teixeira around. Will see what he does next.

Chad Qualls (3) - Qualls had a hefty three run lead to work with and he didn't even need it. Why? He only needed one out. It was 7-3 going into the ninth and after Heilman gave up a run, Qualls entered the game with two outs and a runner on second. He dispatched of Polanco on five pitches.

BLOWN SAVES:
Neftali Feliz (1-0 BS1) - Feliz got rocked tonight and badly. Well, maybe not that badly, but he gave up three hits, including a wacky shallow double to Johnny Damon. He couldn't close the deal on Magglio Ordonez who with two outs got the big hit to tie the game at 4-4 and blow the game for Feliz. He did manage to get the win, so it wasn't all bad.
APPEARANCES:
Carlos Marmol - Pitched 1.1 innings for some odd reason in a blowout. Still, he struck out three out of the four batters he retured.
Jim Johnson - Gave up a hit in 1/3 of an inning against the Red Sox.
Rafeal Soriano - Got some work in against the Blue Jays. Struck out two in an inning of work. His WHIP has gone down to 1.14 and his ERA is loking much better at 2.57.

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Candy - April 12th

2010-04-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

April 12, 2010 JunkyardJake.Com

Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds, SP

Hey, wait a minute, did we just waste the last few weeks anticipating the future exploits of Aroldis 'The Cuban Missile' Chapman? Was this not the left-hander who could tame wild beasts, alter the weather and defeat third world illiteracy with the magnificence of his 100 mph fast ball? Then, abruptly, just after most of us all learned how to spell his first name, it was like Janet Reno sent her SWAT team to apprehend the 22 year old Cuban defector in the middle of the night, loaded him on a bus and sent him down to Triple-A Louisville. Not to fret, because the Reds have probably made much worse decisions than choosing former Arizona State wunderkind Mike Leake to fill their number five rotation spot. Leake is a two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, who really hit his stride in 2009, when he finished with a sparkling 1.71 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 142 innings. Although he doesn't make headlines with his 90 MPH fastball, it's his advanced control, plus changeup and the way he persuades hitters to constantly hit harmless groundballs which makes him an interesting prospect. Leake was especially stingy with walks over at Arizona State, granting just 1.68 free passes per 9 innings over his three-year amateur career. Certainly, if he can generate even half the success that he enjoyed at the collegiate level, he will make a worthwhile fantasy acquisition in the early weeks of the season.
Available in 50% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Ian Desmond , Washington Nationals, SS
The polls are in, and while Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, both Congressional Chaplains, the Obama family dog, Senator Blabby Blowhard from the great state of South Morontopia and even the guy who dry cleans John Roberts judicial black robe have all fallen into the teens on their approval ratings, the Washington Nationals have somehow escaped the wrath of the electorate, at least temporarily. So what's the justification for this blind optimism? Well, it can't be Washington's pitching staff as their best pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, was sent down to double-A before the season where he will work on destroying the confidence of minor league hitters for the next couple months. One possible reason for the early season enthusiasm is the arrival of rookie shortstop Ian Desmond. Drafted at the age of eighteen back in 2004, Desmond has always shown a penchant for stealing bases, but really didn't show much else for his first few years. In 2008, he started showing a bit of power hitting 12 HRs at the AA level, and then earned a promotion in 2009 to triple AAA, where he hit .354 over 55 games. He won the starting SS spot for the Nationals with a great spring, so it's his job to lose and he makes a solid fantasy pickup in the early going.
Available in 55% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Austin Jackson , Detroit Tigers, OF
Heralded as one of the top prospects in the NY Yankees farm system for the past couple years, Austin Jackson was essentially exchanged for Curtis Granderson in a trade between the Yankees and Tigers this offseason. Actually, to be fair, the trade was more confusing than that, as it also involved sending Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson to the Arizona Diamondbacks, some pork belly futures contracts, and an attempted return of Staten Island to the Lenape Indians. (They respectfully declined, and who could blame them). Time will tell if this trade works out, but amazingly enough, this might be the most frugal roster move the Yankees have made since they traded for Roger Maris in 1959. (Granderson is scheduled to make only $5.5 million this year, or about 10 million less than the typical retail price the Yankees typically pay for shiny new players.) As for Austin Jackson, he doesn't have Granderson's 30 HR power, but he is a smooth defensive player who could very well hit .280 with 10-15 HRs and 20 plus stolen bases. He's off to a good start this season and the Detroit Tigers seem committed to him for the immediate future so Jackson makes a good pickup to round out your fantasy outfield in mixed leagues.
Available in 47% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals, 1B/3B/OF
It's hard to get too excited about the rookie whose primary job on the St. Louis Cardinals is possibly backing up Albert Pujols at firstbase. That's kindof like expecting Carrot Top to fill in for Conan O'Brien, or winning the thankless and lonely job as the George Clooney stand-in who specializes in only scenes that call for the actor to get hit in the face with a barstool. So why is Allen Craig an interesting waiver prospect? Well, for one thing, he is probably funnier than Carrot Top, just by default. More importantly though, his minor league numbers suggest a player who might be ready to start launching the ball over the walls at Busch Stadium if given the chance anytime soon. Over the past three seasons as he progressed through the Cardinals minor league affiliates, Craig has demonstrated consistent power, blasting 24 HRs in 2007, 22 in 2008 and then 26 homeruns in 2009. All three seasons, his average exceeded .300, including his .322 BA at AAA Memphis last year. Although Craig is not known for his defensive skills, he does play 3rd base in addition to 1st base, and should also see time at the corner outfield spots.
Available in 98% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Other Players To Consider:
Dallas Braden,Oakland A's,SP
Available in 42% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Drew Stubbs,Cincinnati Reds,OF
Available in 44% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Gaby Sanchez,Florida Marlins,1B
Available in 77% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Carlos Gomez,Milwaukee Brewers,OF
Available in 62% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Jaime Garcia,St.Louis Cardinals,SP
Available in 69% of all CBSSportsline leagues.

Pitch & Ditch

2010-04-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

Pitch & Ditch 4/11/10

2010-04-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

Just a quick email tonight, I will review the week during the Sunday night game.

Pitch & Ditch 4/11/10

No Brainer : (Your staff ace or Top Pitcher)

Verlander
Burnett
Shields
J. Santana
Halladay
Lincecum

Pitch: (Good pitchers or good match ups)

Buehrle
Buchholz
Saunders
Braden
Oswalt
Jackson
Wolf
Feldman
Haeger
G. Smith
Garland

Ditch: (Bad Pitchers or bad match ups or I would like to scout the pitcher more.)

Westbrook
Millwood
Blackburn
Meche
Snell
Leake

If you feel Lucky: (A Gamble)

A. Sanchez
Marcum

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Pitch & Ditch 4/10/10

2010-04-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, Saturday starts will be the 1st time this season that we will see pitchers
there 2nd time around and we all hope our Big ace will turn things around. On Sunday night i will go over my 'If you feel lucky' picks and see how i did. Most of these pitchers are on the wavier wire or on your bench. Also on Sunday i will go over 2 start pitchers that you may want to pick up if you are in a weekly league.

***** YOU WILL BE SEEING MY PITCH & DITCH BLOG ON THE PT's PODCAST SECTION OF THE WEB********

Pitch & Ditch 4/10/10

No Brainer : (Your staff ace or Top Pitcher)

Sabathia (8.44 ERA and playing a Hot Tampa team looks like a slow start for CC this year.)
King Felix( Going to Texas will be through but I do feel SEA bats will wake up.)
Beckett (9.64 ERA and playing KC should be able to cut that ERA in half.)
Greinke ( Bad Match he will have to do it all to get the Win.)
Gallardo ( He just got paid $$$$$)
Carpenter
J. Johnson
Haren ( Always a fast starter but trade him after the All Star break.)

Pitch: (Good pitchers or good match ups)

Baker ( I thought he was overrated this preseason.)
Weaver ( Angels offense doesn't look go yet but Weaver is becoming an Ace.)
Harang( Will give you the K's but just can't win games.)
Sheets(3.60 ERA in his 1st start I want to see more but you have to start him.)
Moyer
Kawakami

Ditch: (Bad Pitchers or bad match ups or I would like to scout the pitcher more.)

Garcia (He still pitches?)
Harrison
D. Hernandez
Eveland
Bonderman
Talbot
O. Perez
Paulino ( Was one of my deep deep sleepers K's will be there but nothing else.)
Padilla ( Was one of my 'if you feel lucky' his 1st start this time I am not rolling the dice.)
McCutchen
Hammel
Gorzelanny

IF you Feel Lucky: (A Gamble)

W.Daive (The Rays look like the real deal this year and NYY bats are still sleeping. We all know what Lenny Melnick would say "A Rookie is a rookie" But I am picking him up and taking a chance.)

Lotos ( He has the stuff to be a future ace but doesn't have the head. Yes he has a through match up and at Coors but he could put things together at anytime and have a great game.0

Wellemyer ( Looked good in spring and won the 5th spot in the rotation plus he have the hottest hitter in baseball in Edgar Renteria)

Pitch & Ditch 4/9/10

2010-04-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

A lot of Ditching day but Still some gems out there.

Pitch & Ditch: 4/9/10

No Brainer : (Your staff ace or Top Pitcher)

Vazquez (Not pitching against a NL line anymore, let see how he does.)

Pitch: (Good pitchers or good match ups)

Danks
Liriano ( Everyone sleeper this all off season. Now it time to show what you got.)
De La Rosa ( Set to have a great game.)
J. Sanchez ( K machine)
Hudson (Pitching for contact so don't look for the strikeouts)
Happ (I Don't think he will be the as good as last year but this game he will)
Porcello (Low K's but gets the job done everyone else)
Wakefield
Bailey (This has to be his year or he will be out of CIN.)
Volstad ( I Picked him up in one of my leagues. Looked good this spring)
Kuroda

Ditch: (Bad Pitchers or bad match ups or I would like to scout the pitcher more.)

Huff
Morrow
Davies
Gonzalez
Palmer
Vargas
Silva ( Believe it or not, No Silva love from me.)
L. Hernandez ( If you need innings he is your man but hurting everywhere else)
Pelfrey
Norris (Can be a great source for K's but not today)
Lohse
Bush
R. Lopez
Morton
Richard ( I do like him just a really bad match up)

If you feel Lucky: (A gamble)

Price (Bad Match up but has upside)
Lewis (Tim McLeod has been pumping this guy all off season.)

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Pitch & Ditch 4/8/10

2010-04-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, OK 1st Thursday of the season a light schedule and getting into more of everyone soft ace's and 3rd and 4th starters on peoples teams. We are early in the season so no stats to work with , so most of my decisions I am making are gut feelings and pass years stats.
I feel where I am going to make it or break it with Pitch or Ditch this year will be with my "If you feel lucky " pitchers. In daily leagues with daily pick ups you know to pitch your ace's and not to pick up guys like Fister or Stammen but if you can take a gamble and work your wavier wire you can fine some cheap stats and maybe a gem if you are real lucky. I will try to get this article out the night before to give everyone time to pick up any of the pitchers you should Pitch the next day.
If you have any questions about about a pitcher or a match up post a comment and i will try to help. Good luck and have fun.

Pitch and Ditch 4/8/10

No Brainer : (Your staff ace or Top Pitcher)

Floyd
B. Anderson
T. Hanson ( Another of The True Guru Studs)
Billingsley

Pitch: (Good pitchers or good match ups)

Niemann
Slowey ( I think I am still looking at 2008 stat. He has great control but does he have it back?)
Pineiro ( No Dave Duncan and back in in the AL. Should be able to have a few good starts before batters figure him out)
Kendrick ( I believe he will pitch his way into keeping this rotation spot.)
Arroyo
R. Wells

Ditch: (Bad Pitchers or bad match ups or I would like to scout the pitcher more.)

Fister
Bannister
Willis ( I guy you can't hate but leave him on the wavier wire for someone else to grab.)
Matusz (Too young and Tampa Bay has a great line up.)
Masterson (We only know his name because he pitched for Boston.)
C.J. Wilson ( 1st Time in years as a starter so don't know what he can do yet.)
Penny ( I need to see what Dave Duncan can do with him.)
Maholm
Niese
Stammen

If you feel Lucky: (A gamble)

Romero ( I don't think he will have great stats with TEX line up & ball park but maybe he can sneak out a win with C.J. Wilson starting.)
Robertson ( Back in the NL and like Pineiro should be able to get some good starts before batters figure him out)

Jason Swist
PrimeTime21

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

First Impressions

2010-04-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

I love the first week of the season. It is great when my sleeper tators two knocks the first day so I can let everyone know how smart I was. I really like it when that top 30 player I put on my DTM (Dead To Me) list gets lit up in his first start. VALIDATION! Of course it all means nothing, the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.

With that being said let's look at a few of the opening day hitting stars and see if there is any legitimacy to the early numbers. Here are the Dirty Dozen

Albert Pujois Like you didn't see that coming. Great American Smallpark, Aaron Harang pitching, and no new contract. El Hombre was dialed in.
Garrett Jones Touted as the next, OK only, big thing to come out of the Three Rivers crowd, those of you who played the hunch were rewarded with two dingers. I think that is not a fluke.
Casey Kotchman Four RBIs already, can you say trade bait. Hey, he cost you a buck or a late round flyer pick. Roll with him for a few weeks.
Placido Polanco Love where he is playing, great lineup, guy can always hit but he is on a 972 RBI pace. Hack Wilson be damned. Hack holds the record for most RBIs in a season by the way. Seriously, he will give you great average and I think more pop than some people are giving him credit.
Chone Figgins Man this is why you drafted him. He takes an Ofer at the plate but still gets two runs and two steals and is playing second base which from a fantasy perspective makes total sense. This is the guy to trade for and watch him stuff those two categories and give you some steals
David Wright Dinger on first day, I am still not buyer it. Sell high.
Yunel Escobar Five RBI on opening day from a middle of the road shortstop. This kid is still young and the power stroke will come to fruition this year. Stay with him.
Carlos Gomez OK, this hacks me off. I was touting him heavy a year ago and he flops. A homer, a stolen base, and four hits. This kid is legit and the Brew Crew will play him. Grab him off the waiver wire and crow all season.
Colby Rasmus Two hits and a dinger and he is hitting between Matt Holliday and Ryan Ludwig. Most importantly he is healthy and will play everyday. Expect more of the same from him this season.
Vernon Wells Opening day dinger and probably wasn't drafted in many leagues. Could this be the year, I let you take the risk.
Jason Heyward Are you serious, with the fantasy hype machine at a fever pitch, he goes yard in hs first at bat. If you have him you won't trade him for Matt Kemp now! Let the chest thumping begin.
Yadier Molina I know, hits a granny on opening day and most of us didn't even think he would start the season. This guy just keeps hitting better but see Pujois, it is Cincy and they do play in an American Legion Park.

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Pitch & Ditch 4/7/10

2010-04-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

We have a lot game on the board today but a lot of dead weight. Don't let bad pitchers or even your Deep Sleeps hurt your stats, lets wait and see on a few guys and just get your studs out there and let them do there thing. I did found a couple of gambles that could help you but they are Deep Sleepers that you do have to reach on. Good luck everyone.

Pitch and Ditch 4/7/10

No Brainer : (Your staff ace)

Lackey
Peavy
Garza (Will be Tampa's ace this year)
Kershaw ( He Should of pitched in the opener)
Cain
Wainwright
Nolasco
Hamels

Pitch: (Good pitchers or good match ups)

Harden ( Get what you can from him before he hits the DL)
Pettitte
Scherzer
E. Santana ( Mike Siano from fantasy 411 TV show Pumped him up and I am right with him)
Jurrjens
Dempster
Kennedy ( I am keeping a eye on him has upside)

Ditch: (Bad Pitchers or bad match ups or I would like to scout the pitcher more.)

Tallet
Carmona ( I am not buying him at all)
Pavano
Guthrie
Duchscherer ( Has Upside but I am want to see him stay healthy 1st)
Ohlendorf ( I am Ditching but I do like him but I don't know what I like about him)
Myers
Marquis ( Not pitching in Coors anymore, who would think that would be bad.)
Maine
Cueto (Board line gamble but I just don't like the match up)
Cook
D. Davis

If you feel Luck: (A gamble)

Hochevar ( He is one of my sleepers this year)
Rowland-Smith ( He has wide range of pitches and has a nice match up if you are gambling)
Correia ( If you are looking for K's take a chance, ARI has some free swingers in there line up)

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Spring Training Updates: Pitchers

2010-04-05T23:37:00.000-07:00

By Chris Farino, http://www.profantasybaseball.com/

Gio Gonzalez - A's
Stats: 1-2 - 2.96 ERA - 25 K's - 24.1 IP.
Outlook: The big prospect didn't do much in 2009, but he did post 109 K's with 98.2 IP. He has the makings of a very good fantasy starting pitcher, but is still young and still pitches for the A's.

Francisco Liriano - Twins
Stats: 2-0 - 2.70 - 30 K's - 20 IP.
Outlook: He has been brilliant as a starter and talk still swirls about him closing. Either Liriano may be back to his stud-self and you may want to try and swing a trade for him before the season starts.

Chris Young - Padres
Stats: 2-2 - 3.32 - 21.2 K's - 22 IP.
Outlook: He is a forgotten pitcher by many, but could be a nice veteran fantasy starter. Plays in a pitchers park, gets K's and he looks healthy.

Dana Eveland - Blue Jays
Stats: 0-1 - 1.80 ERA - 21 K's - 25 IP.
Outlook: He struggled in 2009 after a solid rookie 2008 debut. He was one of the players acquired in the Dan Haren trade, so he has talent. He is one to keep an eye on in deep leagues or AL-only for now.

Fausto Carmona - Indians
Stats: 3-0 - 1.38 - 12 K's - 26 IP.
Outlook: He has been a bum since winning 19 in 2007, but he looked sharp in Spring Training and is worth a shot if you need to fill in your last SP slot. FYI: He is not much of a K-pitcher.

Ian Kennedy - Diamondbacks
Stats: 3-1 - 2.88 ERA - 17 K's - 25 IP.
Outlook: The one-time Yankee prospect is looking good for the D'backs and will be in the rotation.

Wade LeBlanc - Padres
Stats: 4-0 - 1.96 ERA - 17 K's - 23 IP.
Outlook: He played well after his call-up in 2009 and has kept it up in Spring Training. Padre pitchers are worth picking up and taken a shot at to improve you ERA and WHIP if he can get into the rotation at some point in 2010.

Mat Latos - Padres
Stats: 3-0 - 1.59 ERA - 14 K's - 17 IP.
Outlook: Unlike LeBlanc, he is in the Padre starting rotation. He played solid as a rookie in 2009 and maintains a solid K/9-ratio and that is enough to make as a low-end fantasy starter.

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Pitch & Ditch 4/6/10

2010-04-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone was able to get Zach Duke in there line up yesterday and got a cheap win but he didn't help you much anywhere else . Out of my Ditch list yesterday only Marcum had a good game but didn't get the win any how, Frasor blew save and took the lost. Plus I wanted to see him pitch before I start thinking about starting him. Out of my No Brainer list Zambrano just had a awful game. He was a board line No Brainer but i was drinking the Kool-aid and decided to throw him in there.

Pitch & Ditch 4/6/10

No Brainer : (Your staff ace)

Burnett
Lester (The True Guru Stud)
Shields

Pitch: (Good pitchers or good match ups)

Zito
W. Rodriguez (Board line No Brainer but don't want to call him a sure thing yet.)
Wolf (Can the Brew Crew and Wolf Pack work together?)
E. Jackson
Saunders

Ditch: (Bad Pitchers or bad match ups or I would like to scout the pitcher more.)

Blackburn
Millwood
Braden
G. Smith
C. Young

If you feel Luck: (A gamble)

Snell ( I am willing to gamble)

Jason Swist
PrimeTime21

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Pitch & Ditch 4/5/10

2010-04-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone, I am going to do a quick Pitch and Ditch blog each day.
I will break the pitchers down into 4 categories ( No brainers, Pitch, Ditch and If you feel lucky) .

4/5/10 Pitch & Ditch

No Brainers :

Halladay
J. Johnson
Lincecum
Carpenter
J.Santana
Zambrano
Jimenez
Gallardo
Haren
F.Hernandez
Verlander
Greinke

Pitch:

Lowe
Oswalt
Baker
Weaver
Feldman
Buehrle

Ditch:

Lannan
Harang (Just Doesn't win)
Garland
Westbrook
Marcum (I am going to wait and see on him)
Sheets ( I am going to wait and see on him)

If you feel Lucky :

Duke (If you want to take a reach start him)
Padilla ( Opening day starter, someone must see something in him)

Good luck everyone with there teams.
Any feedback or ideas are welcome

Jason Swist
PrimeTime21

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Analysis: Rauch named closer in Minnesota

2010-04-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

As expected, Ron Gardenhire named a closer vefore the season started. We've known that Gardenhire was not a fan of the "committee" approach. He has always defined roles and wanted to go into the season with that established.

Rauch looked good once he came to the Twins last year going 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA. Rauch's biggest problem is consistency and his stuff. He will come out in the ninth throwing 91-92 MPH fastball and will mix in a slider and curveball. His weakest pitch is a changeup, which he only throws about 8% of the time and the velocity of 85 MPH isn't that much slower than his fastball.

Ruach will put guys on base and rely on double plays, striekouts and defense to bail him out. He does not have the stuff to get himself out of trouble.

Keep a tight eye on Matt Guerrier. He still figures to get into the mix for saves and if Rauch fails at all, expect Gardenhire to make changes quickly. Even Jose Mijares has a chance to get a save or two.

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Tout Wars Style League - Fantasy Baseball Trade Market

2010-03-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Bay State Scout, (bay_state_scout@comcast.net) of http://www.profantasybaseball.com/

I am participating in a tout wars style auction league run by Fantasy Baseball Trade Market. This league has writers from multiple sites competing in it and I am going to make sure to keep everyone involved as I go through this season.

First thing, for those who don't know the tout wars scoring system here it is.

Standard rotisserie scoring with your basic 5X5 categories runs, RBI, steals, HR, AVG, wins, saves, K's, WHIP, and ERA. we had 260 dollars for the draft and will have a 100 dollar free agent budget to fill out a 28 man roster. starting roster is 2 C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, MI, CI, 5 OF, UTL, and 9 P.

Well, the draft was interesting it took 4 hours to complete and it was obvious early that bidding was a little high. My goal originally was to land at least one of the big boppers Hanley or Pujols but this plan quickly dissolved.

Once my plan had crumbled I changed direction and decided to spend the big bucks on Lincecum $38 and Halladay $37 which should give me a nice edge in the pitching categories. I now needed to try and piece together an offense with duck tape and sticks, which sucked but I was pleased with the results.

My roster:

Bay state scout (PFB)

C. Chris iannetta $3

C. Jorge Posada $4

1B. Billy Butler $20

2B. Scott Sizemore $3

3B. Aramis Ramirez $15

SS. Derek Jeter $21

CI. Carlos Pena $14

MI. Elvis Andrus $10

Of. Jacoby Ellsbury $27

Of. Alex Rios $15

Of. Matt Laporta $6

Of. Chris Coghlan $6

Of. Raul Ibanez $10

UTL. Hedeki Matsui $1

P. Tim Lincecum $38

P. Roy Halladay $37

P. James Shields $6

P. Carlos Zambrano $3

P. Roy Oswalt $2

P. Jeff Nieman $1

P. Ervin Santana $1

P. Matt Capps $1

P. Jose Valverde $8

BN. Conor Jackson $1

BN. Nick Johnson $4

BN. Kelly Johnson $1

BN. CJ Wilson $1

BN. Joel Pinero $1

Overall I am pretty balanced on offense with high average guys Jeter and Ramirez and 20 home run caliber players Butler and Rios nice sprinkle of speed with Andrus and Ellsbury leading the way. My weaknesses are most definitely saves and I would say RBI but I think I should be very competitive with this team as is. If I am able to pull off a couple solid deals I think I could win this thing but only time will tell.

I will update what is going on for me as I represent the PFB in this league. I will do a weekly article to fill everyone in on my free agent moves and possible trades and keep you all informed of my position in the standings.

Bay State Scout

(bay_state_scout@comcast.net)

RotoCommunity's MIC Wars Draft Recap

2010-03-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

I completed my final draft of the season tonight in RotoCommunity's MIC wars league. It is comprised of podcast and radio show hosts, hence "MIC". There were several top experts that I had to battle including Ray Flowers, Mike Kuchera, Johnny Archive, and David Gawron. I've already contended that I'm a great drafter, but running the team in-season is my weakness. I have to say that I've had good drafts, and then there are great drafts. This draft was a great one for me.

I had the #1 overall pick, which meant I'd get Albert Pujols and then have to wait 22 picks before I'd go again. Since I wasn't familiar with the drafting style or knowledge base of several of the managers in the league I used the first two rounds to guage what my strategy would be. I figured out real quick that there were a couple of H2H novices in the group and that allowed quality players to fall to the rest of us all night. I had a great first half of the 30 round draft, but the second half saw me lose several key players I wanted. In the end, I still had the most dominating head-to-head team in the league.

Just note the following:

It's a H2H league draft, not 5x5 roto.
I had a wheel pick.
ADP's noted below are 5x5 Roto ADPs and not H2H.
I bolded the picks that I thought were the best and colored RED the steals.

(1) FB Tonight - Albert Pujols 1B - ADP 1
(24) FB Tonight - Grady Sizemore CF - ADP 29
(25) FB Tonight - Mark Reynolds 3B - ADP 17
(48) FB Tonight - Kendry Morales 1B - ADP 51
(49) FB Tonight - Jonathan Broxton RP - ADP 64
(72) FB Tonight - Aaron Hill 2B - ADP 52
(73) FB Tonight - Yovani Gallardo SP - ADP 87
(96) FB Tonight - Alex Rios CF - ADP 119
(97) FB Tonight - Cliff Lee SP - ADP 57
(120) FB Tonight - Jason Bartlett SS - ADP 105
(121) FB Tonight - Jason Heyward RF - ADP 211
(144) FB Tonight - Huston Street RP - ADP 153
(145) FB Tonight - Rafael Soriano RP - ADP 151
(168) FB Tonight - Jorge De La Rosa SP - ADP 187
(169) FB Tonight - Brian Matusz SP - ADP 290
(192) FB Tonight - Yadier Molina C - ADP 203
(193) FB Tonight - Garrett Jones 1B - ADP 197
(216) FB Tonight - Marco Scutaro SS - ADP 191
(217) FB Tonight - Jason Frasor RP - ADP 284
(240) FB Tonight - Cameron Maybin CF - ADP 244
(241) FB Tonight - John Baker C - ADP 257
(264) FB Tonight - Jon Rauch RP - ADP 294
(265) FB Tonight - Jeff Niemann SP - ADP 215
(288) FB Tonight - David Freese 3B - ADP N/A
(289) FB Tonight - Brett Gardner CF - ADP 300
(312) FB Tonight - Matt Guerrier RP - ADP 302
(313) FB Tonight - Michael Brantley CF - ADP N/A
(336) FB Tonight - Cliff Pennington SS - ADP N/A
(337) FB Tonight - Chris Dickerson LF - ADP N/A
(360) FB Tonight - Fernando Rodney RP- ADP 219

Let me know what you think.

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight. Listen to us LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

2010 Fantasy Baseball Trade Market Premiere League Draft Recap

2010-03-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I had the privilege of drafting in Bob Sikon's 2010 Fantasy
Baseball Trade Market Premiere League. There were many talented minds drafting
as well and it was a challenge the whole way through. I had the fourth overall
pick and I was sandwiched in-between Rob Reed and Bob Sikon, so I spend the
draft in Mexican stare downs with those two.

My strength has always been drafting as far as my leagues go. I prepare a ton
for the draft and I make sure that my strategies are in line with the managers
I'm drafting against. I always commit to my pre-draft rules and I change
strategies on the fly whenever I needed. I think that allows mw to always come
out of the draft with a strong team. Of course, drafting is only about 60% of
your fantasy baseball experience with actually running the team, making pick
ups, and pulling off monster trades that will eventually make a champion.

Here is the draft recap:

Rounds 1-4

I couldn't be happier with my first four picks. I was hoping to get
Ryan Braun (1-4) in the first and he fell to me. Rob Reed claims his
computer froze, but be happy with AROD. After Getting Braun I
didn't pick till late in the second round. There was only two guys I were
interested in at that pick, Grady Sizemore or Mark
Reynolds. For my second pick I decided to go with last year's sixth
overall pick, a healthy Grady Sizemore (2-9) with the hope that
Mark Reynolds would remain six picks later. Getting setup with
two outfielders early is outstanding, but I next needed one of the corners
covered and I got my wish with Mark Reynolds (3-4) in the third
round. I didn't think he'd get past Rob Reed, but I got lucky. I followed up
that pick with my third outfielder B.J. Upton (4-9). I wasn't
happy having to take three outfielders in the first four rounds, but I got four
guys I wanted and I can't complain about that. I did want Jonathan
Broxton here, breaking a rule of mine, but he was gone early in the
round.
2010 Projections: 125 Hrs, 110 SBs, .269 Avg

Rounds 5-8

Round five was my last round before taking pitchers and I secured a strong MI
with drafting Aaron Hill (5-4). He was a top sleeper of my
last year and getting him in the fifth round was a steal in my book. I then
changed my strategy on the fly and took an unprecedented 4 straight pitchers
starting with Adam Wainwright (6-9). I'm not the biggest fan
of Wainwright, but there is no denying his skill and his value in the sixth
round. I wanted Tommy Hanson in the 6th, but passed on him
ONLY to get him in the seventh round. I live my an age old rule, fi you are
trying to decide between two players and the one you didn't choose falls to the
next round, take him. Tommy Hanson (7-4) will be a Cy Young
candidate and have a huge season for the Braves. When my pick came in the late
eighth round I was shocked to still see Cliff Lee sitting out
there. His abdominal strain has people worried, but it's not a serious injury.
SO instead of getting a shortstop or closer, I took my third straight starter in
Cliff Lee (8-9). When healthy, that three man rotation could
be one of the best in fantasy baseball.
2010 Projections: 28 Hrs, 6 SBs, .287 Avg. 54 Wins, 570 Ks, .298 ERA.

Rounds 9-12

I couldn't go any longer without a closer, so in round nine I drafted A's
closer Andrew Bailey (9-4). His arm concerns are not a worry
and he will be ready to start the season and give me a strong K/9 rate. I did
lose one of my favorites in Carlos Gonzalez to get Bailey. I
got back to offense with strong support for batting average with outfielder
Chris Coghlan (10-9). He will leadoff for the Marlins and
should score plenty, have a .300+ batting average, and add in a few home runs
and steals. After Coghlan, I went right back to my bullpen and took a player
that I think will be a top three closer in 2010, Rafael Soriano (11-4).
He is healthy and brings one of the better K/9 rates amongst closers. He is a
poor man's Jonathan Broxton and I got him seven rounds later.
The Rays wear out their bullpen, so Rafael Soriano will see
plenty of action. In round 12 I felt compelled to complete my bullpen and
drafted stud closer Huston Street (12-9). He was one of the
best values on the board and after losing out on shortstops there was nothing
else I wanted. I did plan on grabbing Franklin Morales later in the draft. So
that makes 6/7 picks with pitchers. I've never done that, but my
excellent early offensive picks allowed me to make such picks. I won't be the
guy putting up LOST/REWARD signs for closers all season.
2010 Projections: 12 Hrs, 11 SB, .305 Avg. 124 Saves, 278 Ks.

Rounds 13-16

I got back to my offense roots with big-tie support players in these rounds.
Round 13 I selected my shortstop Marco Scutaro (13-4). He
wasn't my first choice for shortstop, but he should have a strong season hitting
in Fenway and provides average, runs, and stolen bases to my teams. Round 14 I
selected one of my breakout players and my CI James Loney (14-9). At
27, I'm expecting a big season from Loney. Round 15 I invested in my first
catcher, Miguel Montero (15-4). It's the earliest I've taken a
catcher, but I wanted at least one strong catcher that wouldn't be an average
killer. In round 16 I took one of my favorite sleeper picks in Garrett
Jones (16-9). He isn't a typical sleeper, but a guy his upside
shouldn't be going this late. He qualifies at 1B/OF and brings power, some
speed, and average to the table. Overall I really made up on average in these
rounds.
2010 Projections: 80 Hrs, 35 SBs, .294 Avg.

Rounds 17-20

I used these rounds primarly to bolster my pitching staff, but I opened round
17 with a key pick in outfielder Chris Young (17-4) from the
Diamondbacks. He had a solid second half last season and I have to hop he
continues on that pace for 2010. I followed that up with another starting
pitcher in Jeff Niemann (18-9), who has looked outstanding this
spring and will be the 4th starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. The next
two picks were spent on my bullpen with Matt Guerrier (19-4)
and Franklin Morales (20-9). Guerrier will likely be the
closer for the Twins this year and Morales is my backup for Huston
Street. Franklin Morales is expected to close until
Street comes back in late April.
2010 Projections: 19 Hrs, 15 SBs, .255 Avg. 14 Wins, 250 Ks 25 Saves.

Rounds 21-24

This group of picks were all offense. In round 21 I grabbed one of my
biggest sleepers in 2010, Cameron Maybin (21-4). He will start
for the Marlins and has 20/20 potential if he can stay healthy. In round 22 I
when for a middle infielder and one I like allot, Clint Barmes (22-9).
He will start at second base in the Rockies potent offense and the savvy veteran
should produce well in my MI slot. My next pick was another outstanding sleeper
pick in Austin Jackson (23-4). Jackson is taking over the
leadoff spot and centerfield for Curtis Granderson for the Detroit Tigers and I
expect big things from this rookie. In round 24, I grabbed my second and final
catcher John Baker (24-9) a.k.a. Seven-Mary-Three. Baker is a above average
offensive catcher hitting in the Marlins strong lineup.
2010 Projections: 42 Hrs, 57 SBs, 275 Avg.

Remaining Picks:
25-4 - Cliff Pennington - Solid hitting sophomore shortstop for the Oakland
A's. I expect decent production from him with 10-15 SBs and 7-9 home runs.
26-9 - Gaby Sanchez - He's been on fire this spring and with nothing to prove
in the minors, Sanchez should has the starting slot all sewn up. Sanchez can
produce high average and some pop.
27-4 - Erik Bedard - When he's healthy, he is a great pitcher. I'll stash
him on the DL and pick up another starter, but Bedard could be a great pick if
he can remain healthy. It's a BIG IF.

To get more from Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and Rhett Oldham. Listen to our
weekly podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/fantasy-baseball-tonight . Listen to us
LIVE every Wednesday at 10pm EST for 90 minutes of pure fantasy baseball talk.

Draft Day Distractions

2010-03-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

With less than a week to go before draft day in the Gateway Fantasy League, for the first time in a long time I am having trouble focusing on my last minute details. After playing fantasy baseball for twenty five years, I know how important "tech week" is when preparing for the big day. NOTE: Tech Week is a theater term that refers to the week before the show. Kudos to my wife, Laura and daughter Abigail, for enlightening me with that term. Draft day is still awesome and I cannot wait to see all the league owners but it sure seems like their is alot more going on this year. Let's take a look.

NCAA TOURNAMENT comes around the same time every year but has this tournament been great or what! My bracket is busted, thanks Roc Chalk Jayhawk, but I don't care. The games are great, the Cinderellas continue to grab at the slipper, and the level of competitive basketball seems to be at an all time high. How can I focus on Tiering out my middle relievers when Xavier and Texas A&M are dueling it out in OT!
THE MASTERS I can't concentrate until I know that Tiger Woods can regain the trust of all that endorsement money and the networks woes of making golf relevant without his presense. Poor Tiger, he has only made a gazillion dollars, has a hot wife, and is the best golfer on the planet. I am torn between preparation and writing unhealthy blogs on my "Tiger is god" fan blog.
HEALTH CARE REFORM The poor Democrats have control of the House, Senate, White House, and Press and STILL can't pass health care reform and more importantly, can't even get the message out about the really good points of the bill. Say what you want about Dick Cheney and Karl Rove (and we can) but they would have had this done and spun long ago. Sounds like my catcher quandry on Tier Four.
THE PALM COMMERICAL Hey, the gal in the red dress walking down the street playing with her phone is distracting! I'm just saying.
"EXPERT" PREDICTIONS I have read alot of information but at this point, I have to make a decision. These pundants will be talking me out of Hanley Ramirez at number two if I listen too much longer.
SPRING TRAINING STATS They may be the most misleading stat in fantasy baseball. It happens every year, my linchpin pitcher gets rocks in the Cactus League and panic strikes my draft board. It makes no difference how many years I see, I still get distracted by it.
THIS PARENTING AND MARRIAGE THING Now that my kids are older and my wife more tolerant, they know that tech week is a big week for me but that doesn't stop, plays, basketball practice, laundry, dinner, and the daily grind. One guy in our league always takes this week off so he can have time to himself. I think I may take a day off myself for that reason.
THE PETER, PAUL AND MARY GUY singing about his colon in that commercial. Now that is not distracting but it sure is uncomfortable. I have this vision of Puff the Magic Dragon having a colonoscopy...disturbing!
EARTHQUAKES Between Chile and Haiti, the volcanic eruption in Iceland, and my recent viewing of 2012, I am wondering if we will make it through the 2010 season alive!
FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFTS I am in the middle of a dynasty league slow draft that has 36 rounds. By Round 28 you are trying to not be the guy that drafts anyone cut, deceased, or retired.

More than anything, I am ready for the season to begin. With a little over fourteen days until the first pitch, I want to see if my sleepers blossom, my keepers produce, and my DNDs (Do Not Drafts) are validated.

Best of luck in your 2010 season.

Player Spotlights - Luke Hochevar and Chris Coghlan

2010-03-20T04:11:00.000-07:00

Luke Hochevar and Chris Coghlan March 20, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP Luke Hochevar,Royals, - Luke Hochevar's professional career has indeed gotten off to a tumultuous start, not unlike the chaotic process that brought him into the big leagues in the first place. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2002, Hochevar declined this option to pitch for the University of Tennessee instead. He went on to have a very successful college career, culminating in 2005 with a 15-3 record, an ERA of 2.26, Whip of 1.13 and 154 strikeouts in 139 innings. He was then selected by the Dodgers once again in the 2005 amateur draft, but couldn't reach an agreement. Finally, in 2006, the Royals made him the #1 selection and he began his professional career at the age of 22. Now 26, Hochevar has turned into somewhat of an enigma, with an accumulated 5.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP over three major league seasons. Also surprising is how his K per rate has fallen from over 8 during his minor league seasons, to 5.8 at the major-league level. Hochevar has pretty good stuff, with a fastball that can reach the mid-90's, a hard slider and a good curve. On the basis of upside potential, he's worth a flier in the final rounds of fantasy drafts this year.

OF/2B Chris Coghlan, Marlins, - After getting the call in early May 2009 it took a little while for the 24 year-old Chris Coghlan to make an impression for the Marlins. He had a rough May, batting an anemic .212 in that month. By the All-Star break, he was hitting just .245, with 2 HRs and 4 SBs, and many fantasy teams had given up hope at that point. For those with patience, Coghlan went on to show significant improvement after the break, proceeding to hit .372, with 7 HRs and adding another 4 SBs in the second half of the 2009 season. He earned the NL rookie of the year award for his efforts, and now enters the 2010 season as the starting left-fielder for Florida. Coghlan's minor league history suggests that we probably shouldn't expect much improvement over his 2009 BA and HR numbers, but he does seem to have untapped 20 SB potential that failed to emerge last year. With his ADP still hovering around the 18th round area, Coghlan makes a solid player to add as your 4th or 5th fantasy outfielder in 2010.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Joba the 'What' (Yet Again)?

2010-03-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

By Scout Monkey, http://www.profantasybaseball.com/

New year, same argument. What is Joba Chamberlain? Is he a relief pitcher/future closer or a starter? This debate continues to rage in New York state (my current home) and around baseball.

The arguments for both sides are simple:

He's a reliever - His body of work as a reliever is stellar. He has shown to be one of the best setup men in baseball and should take over when Mo finally retires. His body of work as a starter is average, not bad, but not great. (Not that it matters, but I agree with this argument)

He's a starter - Why take a guy with this much talent and limit him to one inning? Relief pitchers are easier to come by then starters. He may not be the ace of the Yankees, but he doesn't have to be. He's a solid starter and with potential to get much better.

Regardless of how you or I feel, the problem is that this issue is not resolved, not even close. With Phil Hughes and Chad Gaudin still pitching for the Yanks, the question will linger for most of spring training, if not beyond. Your draft is probably coming up soon, and no one knows for sure what we are going to get with Joba - a starting pitcher for one of the best teams in baseball, or a reliever. Depending on your league, one of those could be good while the other a waste.

I say leave this headache for someone else. I'm not against gambling with picks, but this gamble doesn't make sense to me. Unless he is available very late, and you have a deep bench, avoid him. If he becomes a reliever (oh by the way, his first spring start was awful), he will have little value in most leagues. If he becomes a starter (best case scenario for fantasy) he has shown himself to be average. By average I mean, sporadic. He has had great outings (which is the potential that people keep talking about) but he has also had terrible outings. Put the good with the bad, and you get average. Why gamble on a pick to get an average player?

Again, unless he is there very late, avoid him. There are plenty of pitchers with upside that will start this year that should be picked instead of Joba.

Joba the 'What'? How about Joba the 'Not on Your Team'!

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Player Spotlights - James Shields and Garrett Jones

2010-03-16T05:05:00.001-07:00

James Shields and Garrett Jones March 16, 2010

Live Fantasy Baseball Mock Drafts, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, Player Trade Calculator, Fantasy Forums and more ! at FantasyBaseballXtreme.Com

SP James Shields,Rays, - A very consistent fantasy option during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Tampa Bay's James Shields fell victim to an uncharacteristically substandard second half in 2009, ending the year with a disappointing 4.14 ERA, and only 11 wins. While he started the 2009 season looking like the reliable pitcher we had become accustomed to, with 6 wins a 3.42 ERA and a Whip of 1.26 through the All-Star break, his 2nd half ERA 5.16 was an unpleasant surprise for fantasy owners. As a consequence, his fantasy value has taken a significant hit in 2010, with his ADP dropping from the 7th round in 2009 to about the 11th round in most recent 2010 drafts. Shields is never going to overwhelm hitters with his 90 MPH fastball, but it's his skill in combining this pitch with his excellent 80 MPH change-up and impressive control that makes him effective. Slated to be the Rays opening day starter, Shields seems undervalued and is a likely rebound candidate to target in fantasy drafts this year.

OF/1B Garrett Jones, Pirates, - Before his breakout season last year, 28 year old Garrett Jones seemed destined to languish as a career minor leaguer. Originally drafted by the Braves in 1999, Jones was shipped off to the Twins organization a few years later, and didn't begin to show his power potential until 2004 when he hit 30 HRs for Minnesota's AA affiliate that year. Still, up until last year, Jones had compiled just a .258 average during his time in the minors, and doubts remained about his ability to consistently handle major league pitching. After a trade to the Pirates in 2009, Jones received his first opportunity of significant playing time when the team traded Nyjer Morgan to the Nationals. He responded with 10 HRs and a .310 BA during the month of July, and finished the season with 21 HRs and a .293 average in 314 at-bats. It remains to be seen if Jones can follow through in 2010, and his .208 BA against left-handers last year is a concern, but he should represent a decent source of mixed-league power at a 15th round price.

Player Spotlights By Junkyard Jake JunkyardJake.Com

Following Kendry - Brandon Wood

2010-03-12T19:35:00.000-08:00

By Mark King, http://www.profantasybaseball.com/

A talked about prospect who hasn't put it together in the bigs yet. That sentence could be used for a lot of players. Last year, that was what could have been said (and no doubt was) for Kendry Morales, 1B, Angels. He finally lived up to the hype and became a stud in fantasy. Yes, there are better 1B then Morales, but that list got dramatically shorter. And how good was it for you who grabbed him late or off the waiver wire? This year, we have someone on the same team who could do the same thing. Brandon Wood.

Brandon Wood has been the future SS or 3B for the Angels for what feels like many years now. Well, the future is now, barring injury or a terrible spring, he will be the starting 3B this year. Third base, like first base, is a position that demands attention in fantasy sports. These are positions that teams count on for production. So any starting player at these positions, even unknowns, should be watched closely. Wood, however, is not a complete unknown.

Wood's minor league stats shows great talent, with a good AVG (.280+), and above average power (30 HR potential). But in his 224 big league at-bats over the last 3 years he has only managed a .192 AVG, 7 HR, and 19 RBIs - not very exciting. But his playing time was sporadic at best, not the way to get into a groove. Being an everyday player, he has the potential to start to put it together and be the guy the Angels have been looking for. Which is exactly what happened with Morales last year.

Having two guys breakout in a big way, in back to back years, is unlikely, but not impossible. Even if Wood doesn't reach his full potential, he can still have good value as a late round pick (It's worth noting that Woods has already gone deep in spring training). He's not worth overpaying for, but is worth a bench spot in moderately deep leagues. These are the type of guys that can make your fantasy year - a late pick that produces like a high one. Learn from Morales and take a chance on Wood.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

2010 Closer Profile: Joakim Soria, Royals

2010-03-12T19:33:00.000-08:00

By Todd Farino, www.thecloserreport.com

Team: Kansas City Royals
Projections: 37-3-1.98-1.08-81(SV-WIN-ERA-WHIP-K)

Average Draft Position: 99th pick No Change

Recommended Draft Round: 9

Team Saves Projection: 43

Injury Risk/Stability: 8/10

Top 50 Rank: #14

Check out the entire draft kit by clicking here

Soria had a tough year statistically in 2009 due to injury and some bad luck, which is good news for managers who draft him in 2010. Soria's biggest problem was the lingering injury he had last season, yet he still he finished with 30 saves, 2.21 ERA, and a much improved K/9 rate of 1.3. His last two seasons averaged a 1.04 K/9. Expect Soria to continue to dominate with his excellent control, zippy fastball, and nasty breaking ball. He is one of the elite closers in the league and would be rated much higher if he was on a better team.

The True Guru Strategy: Most owners won't notice Soria's improved K/9 rate because he got about the same amount of strikeouts. His numbers will also drop him in the draft a tiny bit. Don't be afraid to take Soria in the ninth round. Only the Royals can hold him back at this point and even they are improving.

Analysis: FBS Expert League Draft Part 3

2010-03-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

Continued from Part 2
View Draft results here

The final ten rounds were used to fill the final holes I had left, which were a third basemen, catcher, and starting pitching. After that I then grabbed as many prospects and breakout players I could get in positions that I needed for my bench. Some people feel this part of the draft isn't worth much, but you can get a ton out of it if you draft it correctly. Forget the Casey Blakes, Willy Bloomquists, or the Mike Lowells. They'll all be there in free agency, but some of these picks could produce outstanding results I listed the final 10 picks with my thoughts on them.

21. Casey McGehee, 2B/3B - He's been a constant late round sleeper for me in all my drafts. He qualifies at 2B and 3B and should have big production this year.

22. Matt LaPorta, OF/1B - LaPorta was a risk pick to fill the corner infielder position, and qualifies in the outfield as well. I expect a great season out of LaPorta and the Cleveland Indians.

23. Ricky Romero, SP - This was a stretch pick, but a solid 5th starter.

24. Pedro Alvarez, 3B - A definite stretch, but I can't pass on the chance that he can provide 25+ home run potential in the 24th round.

25. Brian Matusz, SP - Great young starting pitcher and a fantastic 6th pitcher.

26. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C - Finally got my second catcher in Salty. I'm expecting him to pull away with the Texas job this year and see better stats.

27. Clayton Richard, SP - He's a sleeper of mine and I had to have him.

28. David Murphy, OF - What a steal in the 28th round. He may not have a starting spot, but he will see plenty of playing time.

29. Cliff Pennington, SS - I wanted a backup shortstop on my roster, and getting the young shortstop for the A's was a low risk, high reward pick in the 29th round.

30. Michael Brantley, OF - My last pick was future stud outfielder Michael Brantely. If Brantley breaks camp with the team and he should, he could have 40+ stolen base, 100 run potential.

Conclusion
This was a great draft from round 1 to 30, and all managers came out with strong teams to start the season. The strategies I employed worked very well for me, but I'll need some help from some of my prospects. Kicking catchers and building my middle infield and outfield worked great. I'm looking at around 120 home runs and 115 SBs from my outfield alone. My middle infield is solid with Bartlett, Rollins, and Phillips, but I'm more excited to see how my corner infielders workout in Garrett Jones and Casey MeGehee.

On the pitching front, I can't complain. My starting rotation Tommy Hanson, Jon Lester, Brett Anderson, and Jorge De La Rosa is very strong with Romero, Richard, and Matusz on the bench. As always, my bullpen is dominant with 5 closers ready to run up saves on any team, any week.

In the end, the draft is only about 60% of the battle. In order to win you need to get some good free agents, absorb injuries, and get a little luck from time to time. I feel I put together a good balance of youth and veterans that should serve me well and give me the depth I'll need.

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