Through two months of the fantasy season there has been a ton of disappointment. The majority of the first round picks that were drafted are still struggling, or at least now finally getting back on track. Some of the game’s top pitchers have been nothing short of an embarrassment for your roster. So if all you power hitters aren’t hitting home runs, and all of your good starting pitchers have not been consistent, what is keeping you competitive? The pattern I have been noticing around baseball this year is if you have guys with high batting averages, and a good number of RBI’s and runs scored, your team has been more than competitive, but successful as well.
Normally people draft for power, or another category that they focus the strength of their team on. However, because this season there is a wide spread of talent throughout the league, it is necessary to find the guys that have good batting averages because they have been the guys that have done a lot in fantasy this season. They will continue to produce as the weather continues to get nicer into June and July. In my league, which is a point’s league, the number 2 ranked first basemen right now is Kevin Youkilis, and he is nearly 70 points in front of the number one pick Albert Pujols. Youkilis has 13 more runs, 14 more hits, 7 more doubles, and 2 more RBIs. He is also batting 60 points higher; Youkilis at .354, Pujols at .296.
That is the most noticeable difference; however, Kelly Johnson is ranked number 3 amongst second basemen. Here is a guy that wasn’t on the map at the start of the season but has developed into a very good leadoff hitter for his team, and it would appear that he will be in that spot all season. Pick up on these patterns; it’s not all about power anymore, this season it seems that the higher the batting average, the better the player. We are coming off a steroid era, so we should prepare ourselves for the down fall of the home run total. Keeping a close eye on players’ batting averages can help you make trades that you normally wouldn’t make.
Looking at the minor leaguers around the league, it would appear that Homer Bailey is making a push into the Reds rotation. He is 5-1 with a 1.89 ERA, 52.3 42 Ks, 21 BBs. There is a good chance you will see him on the roster with the Reds if things don’t get better this month. Another prospect too look at is Yovanni Gallardo of the Milwaukee Brewers. Like bailey, he is 5-1, but with a 2.22 ERA. In 48.6 innings this season he has 66Ks, to 16 BBs, a phenomenal ratio for the young right hander. Considering the Brew crew is giving Braun a chance, their young powerful third basemen, there is a chance Gallardo will be up soon as well. Those are a couple of pitchers that could have some impact as soon as this month. Possibly another Tim Lincecum is on the horizon. The new wave seems to be the young pitching that has come up over the last year. These two guys will look to keep the trend going.
There’s a look at some new up and coming pitchers, as well as the new pattern in fantasy this season.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
The Rocket has landed: The Return of Roger Clemens
It's a story all over baseball this afternoon, and for the next few days. In a dramatic fashion this afternoon on a glorious day in the Bronx, Roger Clemens announced his return to the New York Yankees. I was watching the game at the time, and I had no idea what to expect from him, it was a very exciting moment for Yankees’ fans, as well as his future teammates. His return is expected sometime either late May or early June. This is a shot in the arm to a dreadful rotation that is in need of some dire help.
His fantasy impact is also a great thing. With the news of Chris Carpenter’s arthroscopic surgery sidelining him for three months, it is a great idea, and possibly a necessity that you pick this guy up. His three year averages look something like this: 179.1 innings, 28 starts, 13 wins, 168 strikeouts, only 56 walks, 136 hits, and an ERA of 2.41. During those three years he was a pitcher for a struggling Astros offense that never game him any run support. If they did, we all know that win total would have been a lot higher. His dominance can be questioned only because over the last three years he played in the National League. The innings average will obviously go down because of the fact that he is starting two months into the season. However, in 2004, and 2005 he had 214, and 211 inning pitched. His durability has never been a problem as he has been one of the healthiest pitchers over the last decade, and even beyond that. The obvious first ballot hall of famer will have immediate impact when he hits the field either at the end of this month or the start of June. Another advantage he will have is that he is starting his season two months after everyone else, giving him a stamina advantage over everyone else. His work ethic is unlike anyone else in the big leagues, and he will be a lot fresher than other players at the end of the season despite the fact that he is turning 45. He still has his command on all of his pitches, and his arm slot hasn’t diminished as he has gotten older.
Now the down side; there is little you can say about a hall of fame pitcher that can be negative, however this is hard to avoid. His return brings him back into the American League, specifically the AL East. The Red Sox will give him a hard time, as he only has an 8-5 career record against them. The American League is the tougher of the two leagues, and the more offensive. He won’t have the microscopic ERA’s that he had with Houston, however, I can’t see him having an ERA over 4.00. Andy Pettitte’s numbers haven’t fallen that far from where they were with Houston, and he has the same ethic as Clemens does. Clemens is as immediate pick up in every league, and should but stored on your bench until he returns. This is great news for people who have beat up pitching staffs, and he will have an immediate impact on your team.
His fantasy impact is also a great thing. With the news of Chris Carpenter’s arthroscopic surgery sidelining him for three months, it is a great idea, and possibly a necessity that you pick this guy up. His three year averages look something like this: 179.1 innings, 28 starts, 13 wins, 168 strikeouts, only 56 walks, 136 hits, and an ERA of 2.41. During those three years he was a pitcher for a struggling Astros offense that never game him any run support. If they did, we all know that win total would have been a lot higher. His dominance can be questioned only because over the last three years he played in the National League. The innings average will obviously go down because of the fact that he is starting two months into the season. However, in 2004, and 2005 he had 214, and 211 inning pitched. His durability has never been a problem as he has been one of the healthiest pitchers over the last decade, and even beyond that. The obvious first ballot hall of famer will have immediate impact when he hits the field either at the end of this month or the start of June. Another advantage he will have is that he is starting his season two months after everyone else, giving him a stamina advantage over everyone else. His work ethic is unlike anyone else in the big leagues, and he will be a lot fresher than other players at the end of the season despite the fact that he is turning 45. He still has his command on all of his pitches, and his arm slot hasn’t diminished as he has gotten older.
Now the down side; there is little you can say about a hall of fame pitcher that can be negative, however this is hard to avoid. His return brings him back into the American League, specifically the AL East. The Red Sox will give him a hard time, as he only has an 8-5 career record against them. The American League is the tougher of the two leagues, and the more offensive. He won’t have the microscopic ERA’s that he had with Houston, however, I can’t see him having an ERA over 4.00. Andy Pettitte’s numbers haven’t fallen that far from where they were with Houston, and he has the same ethic as Clemens does. Clemens is as immediate pick up in every league, and should but stored on your bench until he returns. This is great news for people who have beat up pitching staffs, and he will have an immediate impact on your team.
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