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Fantasy
Baseball Report 9/18
- 10/7
Izzy
gone for the year
St. Louis closer, Jason
Isringhausen will have season-ending
surgery Manager Tony La Russa will go with
probably Braden Looper, formerly a closer
for the Marlins and Mets, but rookie Adam
Wainwright might get a look.
Rookie German fighting way into line up
Kansas City Royal second basemen, Esteban
Germán is playing All-Star
baseball in a fantasy-dead town. He is batting
.338 with 3 home runs and has stolen 7 bases
with 234 at bats. You throw in 4 triples
and 15 doubles along with his second base,
third base and outfield qualifying and you
have a great bench player to keep your positions
maxed for the year.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 9/04
- 9/17
Stanton
saves #7
San Francisco reliever, Mike
Stanton notched his 7th save of the
season. Stanton is filling in for the injured
Armando Benítez,
but looks to steal the job away the way
he is pitching. Stanton makes a good pick-up
and you have a very good chance of having
a permanent closer.
Guardado out for the season
Cincinnati Reds closer, Eddie
Guardado is out for the season with
an elbow injury. The Reds have been using
a committee, but Bill
Bray has the best shot to be the
closer.
Cubs
rookie K's 11
Chicago Cubs rookie left-hander, Rich
Hill pitched 7.1 strong innings of
baseball and struck out 11, but took the
no decision in the Cubs 7 - 2 win over Pittsburgh.
The 26-year-old rookie is 4 - 6 with a 5.23
ERA, but has pitched 3 straight strong games,
giving up just 1 earned run in each. He
could be that pick up that helps your team
down the stretch...but he does play for
the Cubs.
Papelbon
down with injury
Red Sox ace closer, Jonathan
Papelbon will miss at least a week
with transient subluxation event in his
right shoulder. He seems to be fatigue,
but could be more serious. Mike
Timlin will take over as the closer.
Rookie
2B Theriot stealing points
Chicago rookie second basemen,
Ryan Theriot has stolen 7 bases with
his first 62 at bats. In addition, he is
batting .323 with 1 home run. He makes a
nice pick up in roto leagues to help your
stolen base category.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 8/22
- 8/28
Closers
dropping like flies
Tom Gordon is the latest closer heading
to the DL. Arthur
Rhodes will take over for him. Huston
Street has gone to the DL and Justin
Duchscherer takes over, and finally
Eddie Guardado has gone down and a committee
of Scott Schoeneweis
and Todd Coffey
should be closing. On another closer note,
Tampa Bay closer Brian Meadows seems to
be out and Scott McClung
has taken over. McClung was being groomed
for this role and it seems to be his now.
Taveras
on a hot streak
Houston Astro outfielder,
Willy Taveras is batting .327 with
11 stolen bases over the last month. He
added 16 runs to those totals. Taveras isn't
flashy, but can help you in stolen bases,
especially when he is hitting well.
Another
Florida pitcher looking sharp
Florida Marlins rookie,
Anibal Sánchez is one of many
young Marlin pitchers giving fantasy owners
plenty to choose from. Sanchez gave up just
1 run in 7 innings in the Marlins 3-1 win
over the Nationals. The 22 year-old rookie
is 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA and 34 strikeouts
in 65.1 innings.
Brewers
Hart attempts to fill hole left by Lee
Milwaukee Brewer rookie,
Corey Hart may not be the next Carlos
Lee, but since Lee was traded to Texas he
has stepped up as a every day starter batting
.288 with 4 home runs and 4 stolen bases
with 104 at bats. Those are 20-20 numbers.
He is batting in the lead off spot most
of the time.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 8/15
- 8/21
Matnya
the latest in the Indian closer mix
Rookie Tom Mastnya
picked up his first career save Saturday
night in the Indians 5 -3 win over the Devil
Rays. He is the latest young pitcher in
the revolving door of closers in Cleveland.
"He'll get another opportunity,"
Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "Mastnya
did a great job. The way he pitched tonight
said a lot about his mental toughness. It
was great to see for him and for us."
Wedge seems intent of keeping Betancourt
as a set-up pitcher.
Cabrera
benefits from Yankee line up
New York Yankees have an All-Star line up,
except one player, rookie
Melky Cabrera. But being an average
player in an All-Star line up can make you
a pretty good fantasy baseball player. Cabrera
has gone 35 for 101 in the last month with
3 home runs and 5 stolen bases. You toss
in 22 runs and that is a pretty good fantasy
player.
Rookie
Hamels continues to pitch strong
He has won 3 of his last 4 and is on his
way to winning his 4th in 5. Rookie
Cole Hamels, had a ruff start in
the big leagues, but has settled down and
is showing signs of domination. Overall
this year he is 6-6 with a 4.28 ERA, but
more importantly he is striking out more
than 1 batter per inning.
Lidge
nailed with loss
Right after former Astro closer, Brad
Lidge, was delegated to part the
dreaded closer-by-committee status, he gets
nailed in 9th during a tie game for his
4th loss of the season. On the other hand,
it was Wheeler who gave up the game winning
hit, although the run was charged to Lidge.
Dan Wheeler
is still a candidate for the closer's job
and is a good pick up if you get points
for holds.
McClung
picks up win
Tampa Bay Devil Rays relief pitcher, Seth
McClung , picked up the win by pitching
a scoreless ninth inning. McClung is still
a candidate to take over the closer's role
in Tampa Bay. Current closer Brian Meadows
hasn't pitched well lately and has lost
each of his last 2 outings. McClung brings
added value to some leagues because of his
SP/RP qualification. If you have a spot
open, he is worth a gamble, otherwise keep
an eye on the situation.
Tigers'
Monroe on fire
Detroit Tiger outfielder, Craig
Monroe, has 39 hits in his last 102
at bats with 6 home runs. Overall he is
batting .281 with 19 home runs and 72 RBI's.
He is a nice plug in player until something
better comes along.
Rookie
Hendrick hitting well
Los Angeles Angels first/second basemen,
Howie Kendrick ,
is batting .321 and has stolen 4 bases with
134 at bats since his call up. He is fighting
for starting time at 1B, but can play 2B.
He is one to keep an eye on for now. He
is competing with another good prospect
Robb Quinlan.
He is batting .326 with 6 home runs with
his 175 at bats. Take your pick at this
point.
Houston
to go by committee
Astro closer, Brad
Lidge, has struggled since the 2005
playoffs and now will be used as part of
a closer by committee.Chad
Quals, Dan Wheeler
and Trevor Miller
have all been mentioned in the mix. Expect
Wheeler and Lidge to get most chances and
Miller to come in in special lefty situations.
Cutting Lidge and picking up Wheeler is
not the best way to go, but for Lidge owners
there is no good plan unless you can keep
Lidge and pick up Wheeler as well. As bad
as Lidge has been this year, he has only
blown 2 saves since the All Star break.
For non-Lidge owners Wheelers makes a nice
pick up.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 8/08
- 8/14
Veteran
Castillo stealing his way into fantasy line-ups
Minnesota Twins second basemen, Luis
Castillo, has stolen 8 bases in a
hot streak where he has gone 37 for 116
with 3 triples. The Twins are hot and as
long as they are, players like Castillo
make good spot-pick ups while we wait for
better prospects. He can give you a big
lift in stolen bases in Roto leagues.
The
other Izturis shows fantasy value
Los Angeles Angels infielder, Maicer
Izturis, is finding his way into
the Angels everyday line up by hitting over
.330 in his last 100 at bats. He also stole
4 bases in that time. He gives managers
a good fantasy reserve because he qualifies
as both a 3B and a SS and is currently starting
at 3B.
Twins'
Bartlett comes back strong
Minnesota Twins young shortstop, Jason
Bartlett was one of the biggest surprises
in the 2005 spring training season, but
then he bombed in the regular season and
was thus optioned to AAA. Bartlett has come
back and swung a flaming bat for the twins
going 37 for his last 95. He doesn't have
a lot of power with just 1 home run in that
time, but he could fill a hole at shortstop
for the remainder of the year and can help
your batting average in Roto leagues.
Veteran
Bradley swings a hot bat
Oakland A's outfielder, Milton
Bradley, is batting .340 with 5 home
runs in the last month. He added 3 stolen
bases, 20 RBI's and 15 runs. When Bradley
is healthy he is a solid fantasy player
and when he is hot, he puts up All-Star
statistics. He makes a good pick up while
he is hot and then can be dumped for a better
prospect.
Billingsley
sharp again for Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Chad
Billingsley pitched another good
outing for the Dodgers going 6 innings &
striking out 7 while giving up just 1 run.
The rookie 22-year old pitcher's overall
record is 3-3 with a 3.67 ERA. He is not
in the rotation full-time right now, but
might work his way in.
Rookie
Drew starting in Arizona
Former first-round draft pick, Stephen
Drew has taking over the starting
shortstop spot for the Diamondbacks. He
is off to a good start batting .333 with
2 home runs in his first 81 at bats.
Carmona
dumped as Indian closer
Cleveland Indian reliever Fausto
Carmona has lost his closer's role.
Cleveland. Carmona was an excellent set
up man posting a 3.65 ERA, but at 22 he
could fade as a closer so keep an eye on
other Indian relief pitchers like
Jason Davis is the new name being
tossed around, but no decision has been
made. Veteran Rafael
Betancourt is still in the mix and
does have experience with a few career saves.
Veteran
Dellucci catches fire
Milwaukee closer, Dave
Dellucci is swing a hot bat for the
Philadelphia Phillies. His is batting .335
with 9 home runs with just 161 at bats.
He is an old name in fantasy circles and
never pans out in the long term, but he
can make a nice temporary fill if you have
a need for a bat.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 7/21
- 7/27
Brewer
closer spot still in question
Milwaukee closer, Derrick
Turnbow has been pulled from the
closer's roll, but it may only be temporary.
One-time stud closer Danny
Kolb seems to be the best choice
to take over, but it is still up in the
air if there is a job to be taken over.
Not to mention Kolb's 5.68 ERA.
Carmona
takes over as Indian closer
Atlanta Braves acquired Bob Wickman as there
closer, ending the revolving door there
and Fausto Carmona
has taking over the closer role in Cleveland.
Carmona was an excellent set up man posting
a 3.65 ERA, but at 22 he could fade as a
closer so keep an eye on other Indian relief
pitchers like Guillermo
Mota or Rafael
Betancourt. Mota has experience,
but has struggle all year with a 6.21 ERA
while Betancourt has been a little better
with his 4.40 ERA.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 7/16
- 7/22
Betemit
continues to hit, but not start
Atlanta Braves infielder, Wilson
Betemit is batting .500 with 2 home
runs since the All Star break. He has yet
to find a starting position in Atlanta,
but if he continues to hit, he will. The
fact that he can play 2B, SS and 3B in most
leagues makes him an intriguing pick up
at this point of the season.
Padres
Gonzales catches fire
San Diego Padre first basemen, Adrian
Gonzales hit his 5th home run since
the All star break. The 24-year-old is batting
.281 with 18 home runs, 48 RBI's and 49
Runs in 2006.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 7/10
- 7/16
All
Star Break
The American League wins again. The final
score, 3-2 on a 2-out, 2-run triple by Michael
Young.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 7/03
- 7/09
Reds
Acquire Eddie
The Cincinnati Reds have traded for closer,
Eddie Guardado.
Todd Coffey will be moved back to his set-up
role.
All-Star
Turnbow's job in question
It is not time to panic yet, but Milwaukee
closer, Derrick Turnbow,
has blown six saves this season and his
ERA is a shaky 4.44. Brian
Shouse collected his 2nd save of
the season on Tuesday at a time when Turnbow
should have come in. There is now word on
a closer switch, nor do we believe there
will be any switch at this time, but if
you are looking for a closer and you have
a player to cut, you may want to gamble
and pick up Shouse.
Another
young Tiger sizzles
Suddenly Detroit has become a fantasy pitching
have. Starting pitcher, Zach
Minor, joins the group with a 5-1
mark posting a 2.68 ERA. The only draw back
of the 24-year-old rookie is he only has
23 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched, okay
but not strong.
Bedard
wins fourth straight
Baltimore Oriole starting pitcher, Erik
Bedard, has won his fourth straight
game taking his overall record to 9-6 with
a 4.44 ERA. If you are in need of pitching
he might give you a few good starts or be
a solid 4th of 5th pitcher with a bit of
potential.
Baltimore
rookie starts in right
Baltimore Oriole rookie, Nick
Markakis, is currently starting
in right field and is doing a pretty good
job and is hot going 13 of 22 in the last
5 games. Overall he is batting .276 with
2 home runs. 2 triples and 1 stolen base.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 6/26
- 7/02
Weaver
sent up, Weaver sent down
LA Angels have recalled, Jered
Weaver, and has sent down his older
brother Jeff Weaver. The younger Weaver
was a stud before being sent down going
4-0 with a 1.37 ERA. Get him now if you
cut him!
Dempster
notches save
A day after the Chicago Cubs threatened
to demote their closer, Ryan
Dempster, picks up a save. Cubs don't
have many options. Keep him.
Lidge
down as closer?
Houston Astro closer, Brad
Lidge, has been up and down all year
and recently gave up a grand slam against
the White Sox in the Sunday night loss.
On Wednesday he was put in the 7th inning.
There is no word that he lost his job, but
a closer does not generally come in the
7th inning when you are losing. He did at
least pitch well. Unfortunately, the rest
of the bullpen has failed Houston as well.
Dan Wheeler is a candidate, but not a good
one. The committee approach may be used
or a trade, but watch for them to continue
to pray for Lidge to return to dominance.
Cubs
Dempster job in jeopardy
The Chicago Cubs have been a huge failure
in fantasy land this season and now there
closer, Ryan Dempster,
may be paying the price for the teams failure.
Early on Dempster looked great in the closers'
role, but as the Cubs continued to lose,
Dempster was put in during non-save situations.
Every fantasy player knows that is bad news.
Closers do not do as well in these situations.
Now Dempster has lost his confidence and
Baker has lost his confidence in him. Do
not be surprised to see someone else getting
some save opportunities...when the Cubs
actually win. Dempster is not out yet, but
the writing is on the wall. If you are trying
to figure out who to pick up Baker has suggested
the dreaded committee approach. Bob
Howry, although not closer material,
may get the most chances. Don't cut Dempster
at this time.
Young
Granderson heats up
Detroit starting center fielder, Curtis
Granderson, is 9 for his last 23
raising his season average to .293. He has
hit 11 HR's, 4 Triples, 18 doubles and 5
stolen bases this season. He is still available
in some leagues and makes a nice pick up,
especially leading off for the big-scoring
Detroit Tigers.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 6/19
- 6/25
Red
Sox rookie looks strong after 3
He has just pitched his 3rd Major League
Baseball game, but Boston Red Sox rookie
starting pitcher, Jon
Lester, has 2 wins and no losses
in his 3 starts. More importantly, the lefty
has struck out 19 in 16.1 innings, including
10 K's in 6 innings in his last win over
the . He is a reach right now, but like
many other young starting pitchers this
year, you can at least ride him while his
new and pitching well and if he pans out,
you really win, if not you had a nice ride.
Blanton
continues up & down season
Oakland A's starting pitcher, Joe
Blanton, has been like a Yo Yo all
season up down, pick him up, drop him. He
is finally up...for now. Blanton won his
3rd out of 4 games pitching a strong 8 against
the Dodgers. This is after 8 innings of
shut-out ball against Seattle, a bad performance
at Cleveland and a complete game shut-out
against the Royals. Over all his is 7-6
with a 4.79 ERA and a low 44 strikeouts
in 88 innings. He is worth a shot if you
need pitching and at 25, can improve quickly
and be a legitimate fantasy starting pitcher
in the second half of the 2006 season.
Is
it almost Pettitte time?
If you are looking for some starting pitching,
you may want to take a chance on trading
for Andy Pettitte.
He is having a below average season thus
far at 6-7 with a 5.44 ERA, but he did the
almost the same thing in 2005 when he was
6-7 although his ERA was 3.09. HE then went
11-2 with a 1.69 ERA in the second half.
You add his buddy Roger Clemens joining
the team and it is sure to give him a better
second half and possibly a great one.
Veteran
Nixon back on fantasy radar
Boston Red Sox outfielder, Trot
Nixon, is healthy and hitting again.
Not eye-popping statistics, but a very solid
.319, 6 home runs, 36 RBI's and 40 runs.
He is available in most leagues and makes
a good plug until a good prospect comes
around.
No
closer apparent in Tampa
With Tyler Walker
injured and not a true closer, the Devil
Rays have set starter Seth
McClung to Triple-A to learn some
closing techniques. Until then Shawn
Camp was expected to get some save
chances, but came in in the 5th inning,
so it looks like committee for now. If you
need a closer, you may want to roll the
dice on McClung. The Devil Ray closer spot
is valuable and he has the SP/RP status.
Many bad starters have become good closers,
in fact most, that's why the are in the
bullpen.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 6/12
- 6/18
Kubel
hits another
The red hot Minnesota Twin rookie, Jason
Kubel, hit his 6th home run of the
season. After a brief stint in the minors,
Kubel has returned to be the big hitter
he was predicted to be. He is batting .282
with 6 home runs with just 86 at bats. He
is still available in some leagues.
Rookie
Weaver optioned
LAA Angels rookie sensation, Jered
Weaver, has been sent packing to
Triple-A to make room for Bartolo Colon.
It is a tough decision for Weaver owners,
but you probably should cut him unless there
are no quality free agents to pick up and
just keep a close eye on the situation.
He is sure to be back before seasons end
and should become unavailable in most leagues
once you cut him. If you can hide him away
on your bench, go ahead and do so. Weaver
was a dominating 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA and
22 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. Tough loss
for fantasy ballers.
On
the ropes, Jones gets save
Detroit Tigers closer, Todd
Jones, pitched a perfect inning to
pick up his 18th save. Jones is on the ropes
and would have been knocked out if he blew
this save. It is actually amazing that he
is still closing with Fernando
Rodney, 4-2, 7 saves 2.51 ERA,
backing him up. Jones has been rocked
all year and has an ERA of 7.00. Jones owners
need to have Rodney if possible and free
agent scouts should try to snatch Rodney
in a cheap trade or grab him off the wires
if still possible.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 6/5
- 6/11
Rookie
Ross slams 3rd
Florida Marlin rookie outfielder, Cody
Ross, hit his 3rd home run of the
season. The 25-year-old lefty is batting
.303 with 13 RBI's in his first 20 at bats.
He has a long way to go and is not starting,
but make his way into Hermida's or Ambercombrie's
starting spot.
Kemp
knocks 2 more out
Los Angeles Dodger rookie outfielder, Matt
Kemp, hit 2 more home runs in Colorado
on Sunday. The 24-year-old rookie now has
6 home runs while batting .366 with just
41 at bats. He also has stolen 3 bases.
The way he is playing he may grab the starting
role full-time in the outfield and could
be a dangerous fantasy player.
Rookie
Hamels activated
Philadelphia Philles starting pitcher, Cole
Hamels, has been activated from the
15-day disables list. The 23-year-old lefty
was 1-0 with a 2.65 ERA & 14 K's in
17 innings before the injury. He makes a
nice prospect, although he is a couple years
away from true value.
Thames
goes yard again
Marcus Thames,
the Detroit Tiger starting DH, hit his 9th
home run of the season. He is batting .317
with 10 home runs with just 103 at bats.
He is still on the unrealistic 50 home run
pace. It might be time to take a chance.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 5/29
- 6/4
Julio
picks up first D'Back save
Newly acquired relief pitcher, Jorge
Julio, picked up his first save of
the season for the Arizona Diamondbacks
in their 2-1 win over the Braves. He did
give up a home run. José
Valverde has not lost his job yet,
but you will probably see a battle and one
more blown save could end it for Valverde.
Valverde owners should have both players
and free agent seekers should take a shot
at Julio. The Diamondbacks closer slot is
valuable.
Clemens
Signs 1-year deal
The Houston Astros have signed starting
pitcher Roger Clemens.
Clemens went 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA and struck
out 185 in 211.1 innings in 2005. If you
drafted him and were patient, congratulations.
If you have been reading and picked him
up over the last month as a free agent or
a cheap trade, good job. Your gamble has
paid off, now lets see of Roger rewards
his owners.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 5/22
- 5/28
Reitsma
blows save then Ray picks up save
Atlanta reliever Kenny
Ray picked up his second save
of the season after Chris Reitsma blew the
save in the Braves 12-11 win over the Cubs.
It is just a matter of time before officially
Reitsma loses his job.
Youkilis
establishing himself in Red Sox line up
Kevin Youkilis,
the Boston Red Sox starting first basemen
who also qualifies as a third basemen is
batting .324 with 5 home runs and 36 runs.
He has the starting job at first base and
is now an every day player. His stats aren't
flashy, but hitting in the Boston line up
has them adding up fast.
Thames
starts at DH for Tigers
Marcus Thames,
the Detroit Tiger starting DH, has 8 home
runs and is batting .310 with just 71 at
bats. That is a 50 home run pace, which
is not realistic, but shows his potential.
At 29, Thames is no spring chicken and has
been up & down in the Bigs for 5 years,
but you never know.
Weeks
catches fire
Milwaukee Brewer starting second basemen
Rickie Weeks
has caught fire by going 9 for his last
19 after a slow start. He is batting .311
with 5 home runs, 41 runs and 10 stolen
bases.
Granderson
heats up
Detroit Tigers starting outfielder Curtis
Granderson has 12 hits in his last
31 at bats to raise his average to .279
with 8 home runs, 26 RBI's and 27 runs.
The 25 year-old leads off for a very good
offense and can get better. He has 20-20
potential. He is taken in most leagues,
but could be a good gamble for a cheap trade.
Braves
Ray gets first save
Atlanta reliever Kenny
Ray picked up his first save
of the season. Bobby Cox said it didn't
mean he was the closer and that Chris Reitsma
just need a day off. Well...Ray may be the
new closer very soon. He will probably get
a shot here and there and if he is successful
he will get the job. He is a great pick
up if you get points for holds, but even
if not, you may need to snag him before
others do.
Angels
bring up rookie first basemen
The Angels called up first basemen Kendry
Morales. The power-hitting rookie
has been called up by the Angels and hit
a home run in his debut. He had 5 home runs
42 games with Triple-A Salt Lake City this
season before the call up
Dessens
Royals new closer
Kansas City reliever
Elmer Dessens
has been named the new Royals closer. Ambiorix
Burgos has bombed after a good start
and has given way to the veteran Dessens.
There are not many save chances here, but
Dessens is a SP/RP, which is very useful
in some leagues. He got nailed in a non-save
situation last night which makes this a
shaky pick-up, but worth a gamble in some
situations. In addition, Mike
MacDougal is on his way to recovery
and might be back for the entire second
half closing.
Guardado
picks up save
Seattle Mariners reliever
Eddie Guardado
got a shot to close a game and was successful
in the Mariners 8-6 win over Baltimore.
J.J. Putz was
available which means Coach Hargrove is
either giving Eddie another chance or he
was just resting Putz. We will monitor the
situation.
Rockies
pitcher looking sharp
Words that usually don't touch paper: Colorado
starting pitcher worth picking up. Aaron
Cook may finally be a legitimate
starting pitcher in the land of hitters.
Cook is 5-3 with an 3.28 ERA and 27 strikeouts
in 60 innings and Colorado is winning. He
makes a nice pick up in deep leagues and
others should keep on eye on him.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 5/15
- 5/21
Clemens
begins workouts
Pro Fantasy Baseball sources report hat
Roger Clemens
has begun his workouts for his return in
June. There is no guarantee, but it is now
90% that he will play this season. Once
again, if he is an available free agent
in your leagues the time is now to take
a gamble and pick him up.
Dodgers
rookie Ethier explodes
LA Dodgers rookie outfielder, Andre
Ethier, went 5-5 with his 2nd home
run of the season. He is batting .317 with
2 HR's and 1 stolen base. He is sharing
time with Jose Cruz and may see less time
when Jason Repko returns, but could steal
the starting job if he continues to play
like this.
Lidge
picks up save
Houston Astro closer, Brad
Lidge, picked up the save in the
Astros 5-3 win against Texas. This eases
the worries of Lidge owners after hearing
news that he would lose his closing job
for at least a few games. You should probably
still have reliever Dan
Wheeler just in case, especially
if you get points for holds, but it will
be hard for Lidge to lose his job for good.
Liriano
expected to get his crack
Young pitching sensation Francisco
Liriano will get a crack at the Minnesota
Twins starting rotation. Liriano is 1-0
with a 3.22 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 22.1
innings as a middle-reliever. The 23 year-old
lefty has been compared to teammate Johan
Santana. You may want to take your shot
with him if he is still available.
Pirates
rookie McClouth hits number 2
Pittsburgh outfielder, Nate
McLouth hit his 2nd home run of the
season and will be starting many games for
the Pirates. McLouth is hitting well as
of late and makes a nice long shot prospect
in deep leagues. The 24 year-old has some
pop to go with speed and is batting .239
with 2 home runs and 3 stolen bases overall.
Francoeur
knocks 2 more out
Atlanta Braves starting outfielder, Jeff
Francoeur knocked out 2 more home
runs and drove in 3. The hot prospect is
finally paying dividends for patient fantasy
owners. He is a RBI machine and now has
36 while batting .269 with his 10 home runs.
Coffey
notches his first save
As reported weeks ago by Pro Fantasy Baseball,
Cincinnati Reds closer David Weathers has
been struggling while young Todd
Coffey has dominated. Now Coffey
picked up his first save of the season as
is reported to have been named the new closer.
Hopefully you already have him, if not he
is available in some quiet leagues and you
need to check and get him.
Lidge
loses closing job...temporarily
In a shocker, that wasn't so shocking, Houston
Astro closer, Brad
Lidge, has lost his closing job for
at least a few games. Lidge has been rocked
this season and hasn't been the same since
the last season's playoffs. Dan
Wheeler and Chad
Qualls are expected to get some saves.
This should not be permanent, but you never
know. Lidge owners should grab one of them,
Wheeler being the best bet.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 5/08
- 5/14
Weathers
blows second straight save
Cincinnati Reds closer, David
Weathers, blew his second straight
save against the Nationals on Thursday night.
Weathers has has a surprising season to
this point, but the bottom line is he is
not a true closer. Overall his is 1-1 with
9 out of 12 saves and an ERA of 3.86. He
won't lose his job yet, but keep an eye
on this situation. There is not much else
in the Reds bullpen. Todd
Coffey has looked good, but there
hasn't even been a rumor about him closing.
Sullivan
becoming Rockies sparkplug
Fantasy players love Colorado for good reasons
but there has been little to cheer about
in 2006, but there is a small glimmer. Cory
Sullivan made a splash in 2005 batting
.290 with 4 home runs, 4 triples and 12
stolen bases with 378 at bats. In 2006 he
is quietly batting .305 with 1 home run,
6 triples and 12 doubles. He is leading
off, Todd Helton has returned and Matt Holiday
is due, all of which could mean a lot of
runs for Sullivan.
Braves
to bring up RP
Chris Reitsma
got blasted again. In a non-save situation
Reitsma gave up 4 earned runs in the Braves
11-3 loss to the Marlins. He is 0 - 1 with
6 saves, 2 blown saves and an ERA of 7.42
ERA in 2006. At the same time the Braves
are calling up right-hander Chad Paronto
from Triple-A Richmond. Paronto was 1-1
with a 1.02 ERA and four saves in 17 games
with Richmond. Makes a nice gamble, but
there is no word on Cox's plan. The bottom
line is Reitsma is a better set-up pitcher
than a closer. The Braves closer is no longer
the one of the highly coveted closer spots,
but it can only get better. Oscar
Villarreal may still have the best
shot at taking the closer spot. He is 4-0
with a 1.88 ERA.
Rookie
2B Lopez quietly adding up the stats
Seattle Mariners rookie starting second
basemen, Jose Lopez,
is quietly batting .287 with 4 home runs,
3 triples, 7 doubles and 24 RBI's. With
136 at bats that works out to about 17 home
runs 13 Triples, 30 doubles and 95 RBI's.
Those are very solid numbers at second base.
Veteran
Ordonez back to old self
The one-time fantasy stud is looking to
reclaim that title with a hot start to the
2006 season. Magglio
Ordonez, the Detroit Tiger starting
outfielder, hit his 10th home run of the
season against the Orioles. In addition,
he is batting .309 with 24 RBI's.
Putz
takes over...100%
Not a surprise, but the Seattle Mariners
manager, Mike Hargrove, has now stated that
JJ Putz and only JJ Putz will close. That
is a smart move for Hargrove, a closer needs
confidence and security and now Putz has
it. If you picked him up, good job, you
should have a very good closer.
Kinsler
almost set to return
Rookie Texas Ranger second basemen, Ian
Kinsler should be back into the Texas
lineup within a week. The 23-year-old took
over for Alfonso Soriano and started hot
by batting .476 with a home run with his
21 at bats. He also qualifies for shortstop
in many leagues. He is probably on some
other team's DL, if not you should make
a move for him and if he is try swinging
a cheap trade for him.
Koronka
wins again
Texas is not the land for fantasy pitchers
but John Koronka
is trying to change it. The 25-year-old
won his 4th game against the Twins. He is
4-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 25 K's in 44.1 innings.
He could make a solid play if you need a
few starts and he may even pan out to be
a solid 15 game winner if you get lucky.
Just be aware of young pitchers, you cannot
depend on them.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 5/01
- 5/7
Hermida
to return next week
One of the top prospects in baseball is
to return to the line up next week. Florida
Marlins outfielder Jeremy
Hermida will be activated from the
disabled list during the series against
the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is expected to
play in a couple of rehab games in the minors
before returning. In his 20 at bats he batted
.250 with no home runs. In 2005 he batted
.293 with 4 home runs after being called
up at the end of the season and had 43 at
bats. Good managers have him on the DL,
if not he is worth a gamble in free agency.
Walker
currently closing for Devil Rays
Tyler Walker
is the latest closer for Tampa Bay. The
revolving door since spring training has
seen Orvella, Miceli, Camp & Walker
get save opportunities. Sounds a bit like
the dreaded committee word, but Walker is
pushing his way to be the full-time closer.
He will get you some saves, but beware,
he comes with plenty of earned runs and
blown saves.
Rookie
catcher off to hot start
Finding catchers in fantasy baseball is
rare, but one new fantasy hopeful is the
Los Angeles Angels rookie Mike
Naploi. The 24-year-old smashed his
1st career home run and has 3 hits in his
first 11 at bats. He is playing for the
slumping Benji Molina, but there is no guarantee
how much playing time he will get. He is
worth keeping an eye on, especially if he
keeps hitting.
Francoeur
hitting again
One of the top prospects in fantasy baseball,
Jeff Francoeur,
smashed his 6th home run of the season.
The Atlanta Brave starting outfielder has
raised his average .231 by going 3 for 6
with the home run a triple and 4 RBI's.
He has 13 hits in his last 38 at bats with
3 home runs. That is a .342 average. He
batted .300 with 14 home runs with just
257 at bats as a rookie in 2005.
Veteran
Patterson may be back
One time fantasy All-Star hopeful Corey
Patterson is back on many fantasy
teams and even starting for some. The Baltimore
Oriole is batting .277 with 3 home runs
and 7 stolen bases in 2006. This is the
same Patterson who batted .266 with 24 home
runs and 32 stolen bases in 2004 for the
Chicago Cubs. The former #1 draft pick is
still only 27 and has seemed to find a new
home in Baltimore. He is still available
in many leagues and might give you a 20-20
hitter if you get lucky.
Guardado
loses job
We have been telling you for weeks and it
is finally official, Seattle Mariners closer
Eddie Guardado
is no longer the closer. Manager Mike Hargrove
said he may come back, but he won't if the
job is being done. The job will likely go
to J.J. Putz
rather than early favorite Rafael
Soriano. Putz is a little more polished
at this point and somewhat proved he could
do the job in 2004. Don't count Soriano
completely out. You should get both if possible
until is shakes out. Soriano is a great
set-up pitcher anyway, and will now get
more holds.
Rookie Uggla
brings another 2B prospect to the table
There has been a nice batch of second base
prospects popping up this season, although
none have quite broken out yet and Florida
Marlins rookie, Dan
Uggla , is another one. He is batting
.284 with 4 home runs and 3 stolen bases
with 98 at bats. That projects to 20-25
home runs 15-18 stolen bases. We're not
predicting that, we are just putting it
on the table. Uggla joins a growing list
of fantasy second base hopefuls that include
Brandon Phillips, Jose Lopez, Ian Kinsler
and Josh Barfield. One of these makes a
great prospect for mid-season trade or need
value.
Duke finally
shows his talent to fantasy owners
Zack
Duke is the hope of many fantasy
owners who drafted him as a sleeper. The
Pittsburgh Pirate second year pitching prospect
finally gave them hope with a complete game
shutout in Chicago. Duke only struck out
two, but pitched like an All-Star giving
up just 5 hits and walking one. For the
season he is 2-2 with a 3.46 ERA and 20
strikeouts in 39 innings. He is a very good
pitcher already, but he still won't get
you a lot of wins. He will probably land
around 14-10 at best, even though he will
pitch better than that.
Guardado
does it again
The up and down season of Seattle Mariners
closer Eddie Guardado
continues. He blew his third save of the
season. Hargrove has to make the move soon
and you need to have J.J.
Putz and/or Rafael
Soriano. Putz would probably be a
slight favorite, even though Soriano has
more of a future.
Fantasy
Baseball Report 4/25
- 4/31
Camp likely
new Devil Ray's closer
Shawn Camp
is the likely new Tampa Bay Devil Ray closer,
although a bit of the committee approach
may be used. Dan Miceli, who never had closer
stuff, has failed to take the spot that
was handed to him in spring training. Rookie
Chad Orvella may still be in the mix if
Camp fails.
Clemens rumored
to be coming back
There is now official news, but Pro Fantasy
Baseball sources say that Roger
Clemens will play this season and
we may find out when and where soon. Clemens
is likely to wait until June to start pitching,
but there is an 80% he will pitch the entire
second half of the season. It will likely
be with the Houston Astros. He is an available
free agent in more than half the leagues.
The time may be now to take a gamble and
pick him up, especially if you have someone
you can cut.
Rookie 2B
Phillips red hot
Cincinnati Reds starting second basemen,
Brandon Phillips,
is batting .355 with 3 home runs and 3 stolen
bases. The 24 year-old came over from Cleveland
after going up and down with them and won
the starting job in Cincinnati. He plays
in a hitters park and in a good line up
which are 2 good reasons to consider picking
him up.
Guardado
finally settles down
Seattle Mariners closer, Eddie
Guardado, has posted back-to-back
saves after a miserable start to the season
and now is 0-2 with 4 saves and a 8.31 ERA.
With great set up pitchers like, Rafael
Soriano and J.J. Putz it was hard to believe
he kept his job, but manager Mike Hargrove
stuck to his guns, (Or management told him
to because of Guardado's closer's salary).
Either way keep a close eye on Eddie, this
is a good team to have the back up closer
for.
Broussard
on fire
Cleveland Indians part-time first basemen,
Ben Broussard,
has hit 4 home runs in the last 5 games
and is batting .413 with 5 home runs overall.
Broussard shows up on the fantasy radar
every year, but usually falls off quickly.
The first drawback is he doesn't face lefties
and the second is that he is not a young
prospect with big potential. With that said,
you never know when a player will suddenly
blossom, but Broussard at least makes a
nice "rent-a-player" that you
can plug in while he is hot.
Rookie Verlander
has another good outing
Detroit starting pitcher
Justin Verlander
beat the Minnesota Twins 18-1 by going 7
innings and given up just the 1 run and
striking out 4. The 23 year-old rookie is
3-2 with a 3.52 ERA overall for the hot
Tigers.
Otsuka takes
over as Ranger's closer
Akinori Otsuka
is the new Texas Ranger closer, taking over
for Francisco Codero. Codero is just one
of many veteran closers who have been unsuccessful,
but is the first to lose his job. The word
is this may be temporary, but it is very
likely that if Otsuka is successful he will
remain the closer.
Updated
closer rankings
Francisco Rodriguez has knocked Mariano
Rivera from the #1 Spot.
There has been a lot of movement
in the top 15 with new entries such as Jonathan
Papelbon and Chris Ray. Click
for complete report.
Maroth off
to amazing start
Mike Maroth
is not a fantasy newbe, but at age 28 there
is still a ray of hope for the Detroit Tiger
starting pitcher to become a fantasy starter.
After posting a career record of 40-58,
Maroth is 3-0 and most impressively, has
an ERA of 0.48. Yes 4 & 8. He is worth
a gamble if you need pitching and have a
spot, but managers are have been all over
him and he may not be available. If you
missed him take comfort from his lifetime
record and his average strikeout ratio of
8 in 18 innings.
Guardado
blows another save
Seattle Mariners closer, Eddie
Guardado, blew a another save on
Monday. His ERA is actually went down to
10.58 after given up the tying run...after
set-up man, Rafael
Soriano, held he held the Sox in
the 8th inning. The White Sox tied the game
with two outs in the ninth when Brian Anderson
hit a solo shot. You better have Soriano.
J.J. Putz is also a possibility to take
the closer's role.
Rodriguez
pitches solid again
Houston Astros starting pitcher, Wandy
Rodríguez, pitched 5 innings
giving up 3 runs to get his third win of
the season against the Florida Marlins.
He is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA.
When will
Soriano close?
We know Eddie Guardado has been a great
closer in the past. We know that it is early
in the season and he can still turn it around
and nail 40 saves, but if you own Eddie
the time to worry is now. He is 0-2 with
an ERA of 11.12. He gave up a three-run
home run in a non save situation in his
last outing. Meanwhile Seattle reliever,
Rafael Soriano,
continues to be brilliant pitching 11 innings,
striking out 12 and giving up just 1 run.
If you own Guardado, you'd be wise to own
Soriano too and if you need a closer, you
may want to pick up Soriano and wait this
out for a few weeks.
Padre rookie
Barfield making mark
The son of former major league baseball
player, Jesse Barfield, Josh
Barfield, is batting .309 with 2
home runs, 2 triples and has swiped 6 bases.
The San Diego starting second basemen is
currently among the best at his position
and is still available in many leagues.
He is especially valuable in Roto leagues
if you need stolen bases yet has some pop
to get you some home runs.
Fantasy Baseball Report 4/17
- 4/24
Mets rookie
Bannister looking good
New York Mets starting pitcher, Brian
Bannister, is 2-0 with an ERA of
2.50 and 9 strikeouts in 18 innings. The
25 year-old rookie has pitched three quality
starts not to mention that New York is a
good place for pitchers.
Veteran Nevin
knocks his 4th out
Former fantasy all-star, Phil
Nevin, is beginning to show his old
form again. The Texas Ranger starting first
basemen had a great spring training and
has continued playing well by hitting his
4th home run and batting .264 with 14 RBI's.
He is still available in most leagues and
makes a nice veteran pick-up to fill a hole.
Be aware of his injury problems.
Chacin tops
Yankees for third win
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher, Gustavo
Chacín, won his third game
of the season topping the New York Yankees
10-5. He did give up 5 runs in his 6 innings
of pitching and his ERA is 5.60, but the
26 year-old is pitching pretty well nevertheless.
He was 13-9 with a 3.72 ERA as a rookie.
Swisher
pounds fifth & sixth
The name is not new for fantasy prospects,
but once again Oakland A's starting outfielder/first
basemen, Nick Swisher,
hit his 5th & sixth home run of season
against the Tigers. He is batting .335 as
well with 13 RBI's.
Davies tosses
a complete game
Atlanta Braves' starting pitcher, Kyle
Davies, tossed a complete game giving
up just one run and striking out 6 in the
7-1 win against the Mets. He was blasted
in his debut, but rebounded with a solid
performance against the Giants giving up
3 runs. Overall Davies is 1-1 with a 4.82
ERA. Davies' looked strong in spring training
and was 7-6 with a 4.93 ERA with 62 strikeouts
in 88 innings in his rookie season.
Astros'
young lefty Rodríguez pitching strong
Houston Astros' starting pitcher, Wandy
Rodríguez, has started the
season with 3 good starts. He is 2-0 with
a 2.84 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 19 innings.
The 27 year-old went 10-10 with a 5.53 ERA
in 2005.
Guardado
blasted again
Seattle Mariners' closer, Eddie
Guardado, blew a save and lost the
game against the Red Sox on Monday. His
ERA has ballooned to 11.57. Set-up man,
Rafael Soriano,
has been brilliant on the other hand, posting
an ERA of 1.12. It is early and Guardado
is usually great, but Soriano is the future
for the Mariners and the only question is
when does the future begin.
Fantasy Baseball Report 4/10
- 4/16
Veteran
Wilson sparking Astro's offense
Houston's starting outfielder, Preston
Wilson, has been a welcome addition
to the Astro's line up in 2006. He is batting
.302 with 3 home runs thus far. Wilson makes
a nice plug for a couple weeks if your outfield
has a hole, just don't expect him to be
there all year, he is known for injuries
and slumps.
Dodgers'
Repko solidifies his starting role
Los Angeles starting center fielder, Jason
Repko, won the starting job in spring
training and has solidified that position
with a good start to the 2006 season. Repko
hit his first home run of the season against
the Pirates on Monday and then added a triple.
He is batting .400 and has stolen a base.
In 2005, with 276 at bats, he swatted 8
home runs and stole 5 bases while batting
.221. The 25 year-old has 20-20 potential
if he can hit for average.
Freel exiting
fantasy owners...again
Cincinnati Reds utilility-man, Ryan
Freel, is once again exciting fantasy
owners with a hot start that includes a
.545 batting average and 5 stolen bases
with his 11 at bats. The bottom line is
he is not even starting every day at this
point. He does qualify for centerfield,
third base and second base and he steals
a lot of bases. This makes him a tempting
player to own. If he keeps hitting he will
start somewhere, likely second base, possibly
third base and last, other than injuries
would be right field.
Fantasy Baseball Report 4/02
- 4/09
Rockies'
Smith smashes 2
Colorado starting second basemen, Jason
Smith, knocked 2 home runs out of
the park on Sundays 10-4 win over Jake Peavy
and the Padres. He is batting .527 with
3 home runs. It is very early, but a 2B/SS
who plays in Colorado is always a worthwhile
risk, but on the other hand Smith is 29
and has been up and down in the majors.
A long shot that could pay big.
Braves Langerhans
surprising in outfield
With Andruw Jones and 2005 rookie sensation
Jeff Francoeur in the Atlanta outfield,
starting outfielder, Ryan
Langerhans, hasn't had much attention.
He has surprised all by smashing 2 home
runs and batting .438 to start the season.
Makes a nice pick-up in some cases, but
at least keep an eye on him.
Kinsler
off to good start
While Alfonso Soriano has his troubles in
Washington, his replacement, Ian
Kinsler, is off to a very good start
batting .429 with 1 home run. The Texas
Rangers starting second basemen, who also
qualifies for shortstop, is still available
in many leagues.
Shelton
proven to be a wise investment
The Detroit Tigers starting first basemen,
Chris Shelton ,
is an early favorite for the fantasy future
stud award. Batting .700 with 5 home runs
and 2 triples will do that. Of course it
is way too early, but the 2005 Pro Fantasy
Baseball Prospect and 2006 sleeper, batted
.299 with 18 home runs with just 388 at
bats in 2005 and has proven to be a wise
investment thus far in 2006 for fantasy
managers. One word of advice; Don't be afraid
to trade him if the price is right. Buy
low and sell high.
Baez to
close for the Dodgers
LA Dodgers relief pitcher, Danny
Baez , will close for the Dodgers.
Eric Gange will have surgery. There is no
word on Gagne's return, but it won't be
for awhile. NOTE: Gagne out 6-8 weeks.
Papelbon
picks up 1st save
Boston Red Sox's relief pitcher, Jonathan
Papelbon, notched his first career
save in the 2-1 win over Texas. Keith Foulke
looked shaky in his debut and was awful
in 2005. Manager Terry Francona had no trouble
skipping over him for the young pitcher.
Papelbon pitched well as a rookie going
3-1 with an ERA of 2.65 and posted 34 strikeouts
in 34 innings. Francona has not made it
official yet, but the writing is on the
wall for Foulke. Don't cut him yet, but
if it is not too late, pick up Papelbon.
Soriano benched
for a game
The Washington Nationals' disgruntled outfielder,
Alfonso Soriano, was benched by manager
Frank Robinson. "Lack of Hustle"
was the reason cited by Robinson. This is
scary news for Soriano owners, although
it is doubtful that he will remain benched.
Soriano wants to be traded and Washington
isn't listening and this could cause headaches
for Soriano owners.
2006
Fantasy Baseball Spring Training Report
More pitchers
put on DL
In addition to starting pitcher Mark Prior
and Ben Sheets being put on the 15-day DL,
closer's Mike MacDougal, Todd Jones and
Armando Benitez have also been sent to the
15-day DL MacDougal is expected to miss
up to 6 weeks, Ambiorix Burgos the 22 year-old,
pitched well as a rookie and better in spring
training. He has a chance to keep the job
if he does well. Fernando Rodney will close
for the Tigers, he pitched well down the
stretch win he filled in for Troy Percival.
Todd Worrell will take over for the often-injured
Benitez. The veteran makes a solid pick
up while Benitez heals up. All 3 have the
potential to keep the jobs all year.
Devil Rays'
closer to be optioned
The Devil Rays optioned Chad Orvella to
Triple-A. He was the teams hopeful replacement
for Danny Baez and could possibly return
to the role later in the season. For now
it looks as the Dan Miceli will be the team's
probable closer to start the season. The
veteran Miceli hasn't done much, 35 saves
and a 4.51 ERA in his career, and is a risk
to be a fantasy closer, but all closers
are worth a gamble.
Phillies'
pitcher Floyd wins 4th
Philadelphia starting pitcher, Gavin Floyd
is now 4-0 with an 2.08 ERA and 15 strikeouts
in 22 innings. The 23 year-old has spent
most of his time in the minors, but in his
brief MLB experience he has gone 1-2 with
a 10.34 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 26 innings.
Floyd is fighting for a roster spot, let
alone a starting spot in the rotation. Just
keep an eye on him at this point.
Clemens or
not Clemens?
Good question. We know he is a top ten pitching
stud if he plays this season, so the question
is do you draft him? Yes is the very short
answer. He is worth a gamble. You would
logically think that if Clemens were going
to retire, he would have already. He has
talked about pitching less, which should
be okay for fantasy owners because he will
use less innings. He is still a gamble and
if he plays he won't likely win 20, but
14-4, or in that range just might happen.
Schmidt pitching
strong again
The one time fantasy stud pitcher, Jason
Schmidt is having a great spring training.
The San Francisco Giant veteran is 4 -0
with an ERA of 1.50. His strikeouts have
gone down with just 14 in 24 innings, but
it is still a great sign for fantasy owners.
Feel more confident to take a mid-late round
gamble on him in the draft. If by chance
you can steal him in a trade for something
cheap, do so.
Fantasy coaches
happy with Zimmerman
The rookie third basemen in Washington is
playing exactly how Senator's fans and fantasy
coaches hoped he would play in spring training.
He has 7 home runs and is batting .329 with
17 RBI's. The hot prospect is gone in most
leagues and if he is not, he probably should
be. He is worth a gamble.
Mench goes
deep again
Texas Rangers outfielder, Kevin Mench, continues
to play red hot spring ball. He hit his
7 home run of spring training while batting
.458 with 18 RBI's. Hope is fading. but
Mench still has a year or so to be a fantasy
star. He is coming into his prime and will
wither be a solid player like last year's
25 home runs and a .264 average or is a
long shot to become a .300 - 30 home run
hitter.
Angels' Kotchman
looking like the real deal
LAA Angels starting first basemen, Casey
Kotchman, is batting .410 with 3 home runs
and 14 RBI's. The 23 year-old lefty has
been penciled in at the starting first base
slot for the Angels in front of Darrin Erstad.
In 2005 he bated .278 with 7 home runs with
126 at bats.
Howard continues
to hit well
Ryan Howard cracked his 10th home run and
his league leading 19th RBI, continuing
to dominate in spring training. In addition,
the Philadelphia first basemen is batting
.386. His only worry has been his strikeouts,
but he has improved a bit striking out 13
times in 57 his at bats which would be about
150 strikeouts in a full season. Not good,
but an improvement. He is looking like a
dangerous fantasy hitter at this point.
Arizona prospect
Jackson looking good
The Diamondbacks new starting first basemen,
Conor Jackson, is batting .412 with 2 home
runs. Jackson is not being drafted in a
lot of leagues. He makes a good late round
gamble in larger leagues.
Duke off
to bad start
The Pirates starting pitcher, Zach Duke,
one of the bright hopes of fantasy owners
has not started off well in spring training.
He is 0-2 in his five starts with a 5.82
ERA and 14 strikeouts in 17 innings. It
is spring training, but you get the feeling
he may not win a ton of games pitching for
Pittsburgh.
Florida's
rookie shortstop looking good
The Marlins shortstop, Hanley Ramirez, is
fighting for the starting spot and even
though he is only 22, the Marlins are going
with the youth movement and he will probably
win the starting spot. He is batting .400
with 3 home runs, 3 triples and 3 stolen
bases.
Cardinals
rookie 1B Duncan searching for time
Chris Duncan is not going to be playing
1B for the St. Louis Cardinals anytime soon,
but keep on eye on him as he may challenge
for Larry Bigbie's outfield spot if Bigbie
fails. Duncan is batting .295 with 4 home
runs in spring. The 6-5 lefty could also
pan out if Rolen goes down and Pujols gets
moved to third.
Carpenter
looks dominate again
If the phrase Chris Carpenter, fantasy pitching
stud, hasn't sunk in yet, it will this year.
If 36 wins and 10 losses and a Cy Young
Award wasn't enough over the last 2 years
then Carpenter looking sharp in spring at
2 - 0 with no earned runs and 13 strikeouts
in 16 innings will not do it either.
The other
Santana is showing signs of greatness
The LAA Angels starting pitcher, Ervin Santana,
is making a name for himself in spring training.
He is 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA and 14 strikeouts
in 14 innings. At age 23 he is no Johan
Santana, but he has the tools to become
a dominate pitcher soon. As a rookie he
went 12-8 with a 4.65 ERA and 99 strikeouts
in 134 innings. He should win at least 15
games this year.
When Bonds
plays, he dominates
Steroids or no steroids, Bonds is a fantasy
stud when he plays. Thus far in spring training
Barry Bonds has popped 3 home runs and is
batting an .771 with his 11 at bats. Yes,
just 11 at bats, but when Bonds plays, he
dominates.
Detroit center
fielder Granderson doing it all
The Detroit Tigers,Curtis Granderson, finished
the 2005 season playing well for the Tigers
hitting .272 with 8 home runs and 1 stolen
base with his season ending 162 at bats.
He has continued to play well doing a little
bit of everything hitting .371 with 4 home
runs and 5 stolen bases. He is only 25 and
is expected to start. He has 25 HR - 15
SB potential.
Young set
back to the minors
Highly touted prospect, Delmon Young, has
been optioned to Triple-A. The Devil Rays
him to get more daily at-bats in preparation
for the season. Don't expect him to be down
too long, but his fantasy stardom may be
awhile away still. If you have extra room,
keep him, but in many leagues he will need
to be cut and you will have to wait until
he is available again.
Rockies'
Stewart smashes another one
Colorado back up third basemen, Ian Stewart,
hit his 5th home run of the spring training.
He is hitting .591 with 12 RBI's and 31
total bases in 22 at-bats this spring. Garret
Atkins is the starter, but if keeps hitting,
Stewart will play somewhere.
Prior to
have shoulder examined
Same story, different year. The injury talk
begins for Mark Prior. He will have his
right shoulder examined after complaining
of soreness before a bullpen session on
Tuesday. This should drop his draft value,
exposing his already known risk of injury.
Don't panic if you already have him, but
you should have known what you were getting
into.
Betemit fights
for Furcal's old spot
The Atlanta Braves 26 year-old back up short
stop, Wilson Betemit is batting .464 in
spring training. He batted .305 with 246
at bats in 2005. Unfortunately, with the
signing of Edgar Renteria at shortstop and
Chipper Jones at third, he will be hard
pressed to find starting time. He will have
to wait till an injury at this point. Keep
on eye on him anyway.
Encarnacion's
bat continues to flame
Cincinnati Reds' likely starting 3B, Edwin
Encarnacion, is batting .481 with 5 home
runs in spring training. He only batted
.232 in 2005 with 211 at bats, but did belt
9 home runs. At only 23 he is a rising prospect.
Howard slugs
his seventh
Picking up where we an he left off last
year, Philadelphia first basemen, Ryan Howard,
hit his 7th home run of spring training
and is batting .441. With Jim Thome being
shipped off to the White Sox to give Howard
the starting role, the Phillies expect this
to continue in the regular season. He finished
2005 batting .288 with 22 home runs with
just 312 at bats. The only draw back to
the 24 year-old slugger is his strikeouts,
100 in 2005.
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