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.
Fantasy Baseball is in full swing already and I couldn't be happier! Let the debate begin on who should be drafted and where they should go. Everybody has the ultimate sleeper player in January and by April he is being taken in the 5th round. (2009 Chris Davis anyone) Of course we have that can't miss player who just kills us and doesn't he always seem to be a pitcher (Thanks Joakim Soria). But all of those things are in the past. A new year means a new Fantasy Title, for all of us.
I have decided to join Fantasy Baseball Tonight and Fantasy Baseball Search this season and hopefully for many more. I have written for other sites and teamed with Tony Cincotta on Blog Talk Radio and enjoyed every stop. This just seems like the right place for me. I can't wait to get reacquainted with everyone who listens to the radio shows and interact with each of you who read Fantasy Baseball Search.
My articles will have a very narrow focus this year. I will talk draft strategy, player versus player analysis, and sleeper picks (which we all like to crow about). Todd Farino, RC Rizza, and myself will discuss all of these things each week at 10PM EST on Wednesday starting on February 3rd.
I can't wait to get started. Best of luck in all your drafts and leagues.
To get more from Todd Farino and RC Rizza, catch 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.
David Wright is just 26 years old, yet has the weight of the world on his shoulders. With a plethora of injuries plaguing the Mets, Wright not only has to pick up the slack on the field, but also in the clubhouse. The Mets are in turmoil, and Wright is one the few players who can turn things around. Sure, Johan Santana is a great figure, but the Mets need an everyday player to step up and lead the team. With players like Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Delgado on the DL, the Mets have been forced to call up many players from the minors, some of which are just not quite ready for the big show. Wright needs to lead by example on the field and off. He needs to take these youngsters in and show them the way.
So what does all of this have to do with fantasy baseball? The answer, It has EVERYTHING to do with fantasy baseball, and not just in regards to David Wright. So far, Wright has posted an impressive .340 batting average, with 20 stolen bases, however his power numbers are quite pedestrian, with just 5 home runs and 42 RBI. 54 players currently have more RBI that David Wright, including names like Cody Ross and Casey Blake. On top of this, a staggering 161 players have more HR than Wright. What's the deal? Obviously the lack of protection around him has something to do with it. When you combine this with the apparent pitcher friendly Citi Field, you're headed for disaster. Even with a healthy roster, Wright's power numbers would mostly likely be down considerably. From the outside looking in, Wright's power numbers might scare some fantasy owners, but taking a closer look, Wright has merely adjusted his game to adapt to the new ballpark. He's spraying the ball around more and looking for a base hit, taking advantage of the spacious dimension of Citi Field. hence his .340 batting average. Only two other Mets have more HR than Wright, one including Beltran with 8 on the season.
This brings me to my next point. It's not just David Wright who is being affected, the pitching staff is suffering from lack of run support and poor defense. Johan Santana, currently with 9 wins has been a bit shaky of late. On top of poor run support, the Mets defense has been a highlight reel of errors. Misjudging a fly ball, throwing the ball away when there is no chance to get the out, and missing third base, it's like watching a bad little league instructional video on what NOT to do. In Santana's last start, he was clearly rattled after a number of errors and brain farts, as he too joined in on the circus, and blatantly airmailed a ball over the third baseman's head. After the inning, his discontent was clear in the dugout. I believe his words were something to the tune of, "I've had enough of this bleep, let's go!" That sounds about right.
The bottom line is that Wright is still a very valuable fantasy player, but his power numbers are just not there this season. Normally with a player of his caliber, I'd say that he's bound to turn the corner and start mashing. Sadly, I'm afraid I'm on the other side of the fence on this one. Let's face it, Citi Field isn't going to change, and Beltran, Reyes, and Delgado are still huge question marks. Even with a healthy lineup, I'm convinced that Wright's power number would still be down enough for one to take notice. Wright is currently on pace for 11 home runs, while he's hit 63 the past two seasons.
If you're looking for help with stolen bases and batting average, I would recommend keeping Wright on your roster. However, if you're in need of some pop and could use some extra power, you're better off trading Wright. Despite the poor power numbers, his exceptional average and stolen base numbers combined with name recognition will fetch a solid player in return. So don't panic yet, Wright is still an asset to your team, but in the long run if power is what you need, you're going to need to look elsewhere.
I had the privilege of going to the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since there wasn't allot I was going to gain by being there during the day, I went in the evening (I'd rather watch ESPN for the updates). I went both Tuesday and Wednesday nights and I have to say it was one of the greatest professional experiences of my life. First and foremost I'm a fan. I've been watching baseball since 1982 (I was 8 years old), so this was an eye opening experience for both my professional perspective, but also my fan perspective. Both nights I was there for one main reason, to meet up with my friend Cory Schwartz of MLB.com. You all know Cory Schwartz from the MLB.com Fantasy 411 podcast and his numerous appearances on the Fantasy Baseball Gurus Show on Blog Talk Radio. Cory was an amazing host both nights and in my opinion the nicest guy in fantasy baseball and a man with an amazing career and an unlimited future ahead of him. As we hung out at the Bellagio we were able to schmooze and talk with some of the heavyweights in baseball, both real and fantasy. If you kept your ear to the ground you could overhear Joe Maddon discussing his need for more relief pitching, whether or not David Price will be in the starting rotation this coming season, what holes the Cubs need to fill in order to win this season, and other great baseball talk. Just trying to get drinks at the bar was a battle and I went head-to-head with Steve Phillips (Baseball Tonight) and I have to say I lost badly. I just can't compete with Phillips when it comes to the bartender, but I chatted it up with him while waiting. There were so many great people in the lounge like a childhood favorites Eric Davis and Mike Pagliarulo (though at first glance I thought it was Kent Hrbek. Must have been the beer goggles).
As Cory led me through the lounge introducing me to some of the biggest names in fantasy baseball I felt like Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire when they walked through the draft convention. What a feeling it was as Cory introduced me to industry heavyweights like Will Carroll, Kevin Goldstein, Joe Sheehan, Casey Stern, Mike Siano, and so many more. They were are so gracious and you will be seeing more of them in my blogs and podcast as they all offered to do interviews and give their valuable time to our show and site. Besides that and having tremendous fun with Cory, I got a crash course lesson on how the industry worked and how to best position myself to bring my listners and readers better interviews. This kind of information was invaluable to me because I always strive to bring my readers the best expert information from the sources, and that is one area I've been lagging in. So in 2009 you will see many more Q & A interviews with big name fantasy baseball experts.
I'd have to say the highlights of the evening (there were so many of them), start with my amazing and funny conversations with Cory Schwartz and Joe Sheehan. Not only is Joe one of the top experts and writers in the industry, but he is also a very funny guy. He was on his game all night and seriously was a joy to meet and hang out with. Just listening to Joe and Cory talk was like listening to General Patton and General Eisenhower talk war strategy. Flys were all over the walls. Just amazing information on the Winter Meetings, the industry, and their lives. Joe told me that evening that a key to success in the industry is, "don't be afraid to go with your perspective. If you've done the research, got the data, publish it. You have to go with what you feel and know is right. No matter the opposition." That might not be verbatim since I wasn't writing things down, but I think I got it right. Another highlight was getting to meet Sig Mejdal, who is the Senior Quantitative Analyst for the St. Louis Cardinals. Listening to his conversations showed not only his super intelligence, but even better was his amazing sense of humor. What a great man and it was a privilege to meet him. He also was wearing his 2006 World Series ring, and both Cory and I were grateful to get to checkout it out and put in on. Other highlights were meeting Omar Minaya who was so nice with his time to talk with me. I'll tell you this, the man likes Joe Sheehan allot and I know exactly why. Joe is absolutely amazing at what he does and even Omar Minaya uses it. Other highlights included getting to watch Cory tape one of his segments for MLB.com with Mike Siano, meeting and listening to stories from Matthew Leach and Ken Mandel (both MLB.com beat writers), playing craps with Lee Mazilli, and watching some of the top guys in the baseball industry fill up a blackjack table and run it.
The evening was just awesome. I can't say it any better than that. It was an adrenalin filled evening that I will never forget and that I will always be indebted to Cory Schwartz for. The things you can learn at the Winter Meetings are amazing and I recommend that if they come to your town, go check it out Stop by to meet people, and just listen to whatever you can hear. You won't forget it and you will get to meet people that you never thought you would. I took away from the experience a greater respect for the industry and not only how big it truly is, but how everyone is so close and friendly. It has opened my eyes and changed my perspective on what is important in reporting the best fantasy baseball analysis and information. Again, I want to thank Cory Schwartz for everything he did for me that night, and thank my new buds Joe Sheehan, Matthew Leach, Ken Mandel, and Sig Mejdal.
