MLB, NFL, SITTL, and everything else on my mind in sports

WEEK 7 GMAC VS. RTR

2008-02-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

It was a snow covered field on a cold February morning this past Sunday for our team's most anticipated rematch of the season. GMAC looking to come up big against the best team in the league in RTR. The game started very slowly as the first quarter was scoreless. Both teams had trouble in the out set of the game getting anything going in the snow. We stood strong against RTR in the first quarter being the first team to hold them scoreless through one quarter.

A tough deep ball to their tallest receiver game them the 6-0 lead in the second quarter. The first score of the game was a hard earned one, and the failure to convert the extra point gave us a chance to believe that we could stop this team and pull out an upset. Our offensive line struggled through the first half a lot. It got to the point where Doug Convissar had to come into the back field to block. He did a good job but it was still difficult to get anything going. Our team was forced to punt at the end of the half where an effective spot pass made it 12-0 as time expired in the first half.

The third quarter we got the ball back and had a quick strike down the field to make it 12-6 as Eric Convissar caught Nick Beltrani's pass on the biggest corner on the team; a slip but the RTR defender an Eric was gone into the end zone. For the rest of the quarter it was a struggle for both teams as we tried to tie the game, they tried to pull away. Neither side was successful at doing this.

The fourth quarter was the most thrilling quarter of the season. After a punt by RTR, we had the ball we some good field position, and a chance to tie the game late. On a 3rd and 5 in RTR territory, a pass interference call put GMAC in the red zone with less than 5 minutes left. The play was to Rob Adams to bring us closer to the end zone and to victory, however, a slip on the snowy turf cost ed us a turnover that gave them the ball back deep in their territory. Our defense did their job getting the ball back with just over 2 minutes. But like the previous drive, the snowy conditions and a slip gave us yet another interception given up. RTR would then score a meaningless touch down inside to minutes to win 18-6.

A lot came out of the game for GMAC. We believe that we can compete with the best team in the league, and we are certainly the second best team in the league. We held an undefeated team that averages over 30 points a game to 18 (in reality just 12 with the meaningless touchdown), as well as scored on a team that has given up now just 2 touch downs on the season. Next week we take on Inches-a-Weigh again, a team we beat 15-6 in the third week for our first win of the year.

Week 6 Rematch with Belfiore

2008-02-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

Week 6 brought our 5th game of the year. Coming off the bye week with a 2-2 record having won 2 games after an 0-2 start. It also brought our second straight game with Belfiore Meats. In our week 4 matchup, we won 34-12 giving up a last second touchdown. Three touchdowns deep to Eric Convissar, along with his brother Doug, and defensive captain Rob Adams, having one touchdown a piece. The one concern our team had coming into this game was looking past them towards our rematch with RTR Swashbucklers.

Well our team made it clear early that we weren't looking past them as our team leader Nick Beltrani hit Will Piccarello deep on the first drive of the game for a quick 7-0 lead. We set the pace early for a game that was sure to get out of hand. Nick once again had a huge game throwing 5 touchdowns, including a 75 yard touchdown to Rob, marking his longest TD reception of the season; that put the game away. Umberto Cordero got his first touchdown of the year, and the offense was clicking on all cylinders. Will with two, Rob with two, and Umberto with one marking the 5 touchdowns that Nick threw during the game.

The defense was stout after giving up 12 points to the lowest scoring team in the league in our previous meeting. Belfiore only had a couple of plays in Appleseed territory, and threw four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown by Will. Applseed steamrolled Belfiore 40-0, marking the first shut out of the season, and making a huge statement going into the rematch with RTR. Next week at 8:30 on the Greenbelt turf, we will look to avenge the week 1 28-0 loss to the best team in the division.

Supernatural to the Mets

2008-01-30T08:46:00.000-08:00

Johan Santana was traded yesterday to the New York Mets for Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra. None of these names strike me as impact players that will help the Twins within the coming years. I feel that Santana was robbed from the Twins. Let's not forget it was a month and a half ago that players like Jose Reyes, Phil Hughes, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jon Lester were mentioned as possible players from the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox that were suppose to be traded for the best lefty of the century. Which is why I look at this trade and I feel like as much as the Twins wanted to sit and get the best possible offer, I feel like they sat and watched the major players leave the table, and were forced into making a trade that is almost one sided. It doesn't seem like the Twins want to win anything within the next ten years. Letting Torii Hunter go was the beginning of the exodus. Now, Santana was traded for virtually a crap shoot. They still have a good core of players with Mauer, Morneau, and Cuddyer. However their team isn't nearly as intimidating as it once was. It is a shame the Fransisco Liriano can no longer learn from the best lefty around. Coming off of Tommy John surgery you would think he could use all the advice he can get. Bottom line is the team that is going into a new stadium in Minnesota will have plenty of time to enjoy the new surroundings when they go to the games, because the product they are going to see has become nothing short of futile.

As for the Mets, congratulations, you now have the best pitcher in our era. Just don't go blowing a September lead like you did last year. The Mets have moved up to being the team to beat once again in the National League. That doesn't mean they have automatically won the National League, or even their division. The Phillies have improved their bullpen with the Brad Lidge signing. This may move Brett Myers back to the rotation to compliment Cole Hamels, and of course, lets not forget they have the best offense in the National League. The best 1st baseman, 2nd baseman, and shortstop in Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins (yes, and MVP award does make him better than Jose Reyes Mets fans). With all that the Phillies shouldn't be too intimidated about the Mets acquiring Johan Santana. Its too early to make predictions and analyze teams, but its shaping up to be a great race in the NL East once again in 2008.

Week 3 Appleseed vs. Inches-a-Weigh

2008-01-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

This past week it was a match up of 2 win less teams looking to get on the right track. Our team set the pace early with a quick scoring drive on a little in route that ended up with us in the end zone. Our team quickly made it 7-0 and set the tempo for a long game for Inches-A-Weigh. Later on in the first half we got another great scoring drive on yet another big play that made it 13-0. The opposing team's offense had a tough time getting anything going as a botched snap in the end zone resulted in a safety that made it 15-0.

During the second half our team came out a little slow and struggled moving the ball down the field. A botched snap on a punt resulted in great field position for our opponent. Are defense remained stout and held them on four straight downs. However, a costly holding penalty gave them first and goal inside the one. On the next play the quarterback scrambled in and made it 15-6. Our defense bounced back and held them on their next drive, and our offense put together a time consuming drive that ended the game.

It was a great game for our team on both sides of the ball. We gave up just 3 completions, and a touchdown that wouldn't have been scored if not for a penalty. Our offense scored for the first time in the three games we've played so far this year. I feel like we are starting to get the hang of this league, and we may be a better competitor than what we were just 2 weeks ago. We need to continue in this direction to give ourselves' any chance against the better teams in our division. This week, Super bowl Sunday, Appleseed Realty takes on Belfiore Meats, 8:30 a.m., on the Greenbelt Turf. Our team is looking to get back to .500 with a win going into the bye.

Week 2 in Touch Tackle

2008-01-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday we faced 5 Star Carting. This team was coming off a 48-0 win in the previous week. We needed to be at the top of our game, and unfortunately for the second straight week we weren't. Our team got out to an early lead after 3 straight botched snaps by the opponent that ended in a safety. Our team didn't capitalize on the possession, and on the next drive they scored a touchdown that put them out 8-2. At the end of the half, our quarterback Nick Beltrani, had a pass deflect off one of our receivers and was intercepted. The turnover resulted in a touchdown in the final minute that put them ahead 14-2. In the second half our offense was moving the ball, and our defense was looking a lot better than what we were in the final 2 minutes of the first half. Unfortunately our team struggled in the red zone for the second straight week. A couple of bad snaps that killed our drives, and our momentum. A promising start turned into an ugly finish for our team. We were a lot better on special teams this week, and the defense played well outside of the 2 minutes in the second quarter. Our offense seems to be getting into shape as well, we just need to keep from getting bad snaps in the red zone that end our drives. Our team is still in search for our first win as we take on Inches-a-Weigh at 8:30 January 27th, at Green Belt park.

This is our first time around but I feel like we are pretty close to making things right and getting on the roll we need to be on to bring the team where it should be. There is a long way to go in our season and we still feel we have a shot, now all we have to do it take care of business.

SUPER BOWL XLII NEW YORK GIANTS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

2008-01-22T09:30:00.001-08:00

The super bowl is set. It was one of the most exciting games of the year. On December 29, the Patriots went to the Meadow lands to take on the Giants in one of the most intense games of the year. The Giants played them extremely well, and at one point lead the game 28-16. However the Patriots came out with 22 unanswered points to take a 38-28 lead. The Giants would score a touchdown in the final 2 minutes to get the score to 38-35, and failed to get the on-side kick. This lead the Patriots to the first undefeated season since the 1972 Dolphins. Although the Giants lost, I feel that they gained a lot of confidence going into the post season considering just how hard they fought the best team in the NFL. The Giants scored more points than any other opponent that faced the Patriots during the season.

As January rolled on, the Giants became road warriors. Underdogs in every game during the playoffs the Giants took on the challenges that stood in their way. Jeff Garcia, who had defeated the Giants in the last 2 playoff meetings looked sluggish in the second half of the game and the Bucs lost 24-14. In Dallas, the drive that ended the first half by the Giants turned the momentum in their favor, and a time that was number 1 in the NFL in 3rd quarter points, was held to just 3 points the entire half and lost 21-17. And on Sunday, at the cathedral known as Lam beau field, the Giants missed 2 field goals in the 4th quarter, both of which would have won them the game, played into overtime and intercepted one of the best quarterbacks we have ever seen. This lead them to a third field goal try that won them the game after their kicker had been in the dog house for missing 2 big kicks, he ended up in the penthouse by games end. So the Giants go to Super bowl 42 and continue to face the stacked odds against them. Do they have what it takes?

The Patriots continue to learn from their all knowing head coach. After a 16-0 season, they faced the Jaguars who were supposed to be the only team that was hot enough to beat them in the playoffs. The Jags played them tough to a 14-14 score at half time. The Patriots then came out in the second half and out scored the Jags 14-3 in the 3rd quarter and cruised to the finish a 31-20 victory over the Jags to host the AFC Championship. The AFC title game was against a banged up Chargers team that played with a lot of heart. After a week of practice, and working hard to be a better defense in the red zone, the Chargers made it into the red zone 4 times, only to be held to 4 field goals. Brady's sloppy play was picked up by this amazing red zone defense. The fourth quarter touchdown that gave the Patriots a 21-12 lead wasn't nearly as impressive as the final drive that took the last 9:13 off the clock. Once again the Patriots have shown that they can beat a team in anyway necessary. Now the last task they have for a perfect season is winning the super bowl. Are we going to witness history?

This Super Bowl has a team with a mission against a team that wasn't suppose to be here. The heavy under dog Giants have the odds stacked against them once again, as the rematch the undefeated Patriots. The Giants showed that they can compete with the best of them going through some of the toughest teams in the NFC, as well as putting up a hell of a fight against the Patriots in a losing effort. Meanwhile, the Patriots showed that no matter what a team wants to throw at them, they will continue to have an answer, and continue to win games. Now, they are just one win away from being the best team in NFL history. This should be a great game.

The Shocking Conference Championship Matchups

2008-01-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

With the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs over, we now have the conference championship games set.

AFC Championship: San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots; Sunday, January 20, 3:00

To the surprise of many, the AFC Championship is a rematch of the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots, and not a rematch of week 9 between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. In week 2, the Patriots defeated the Chargers 38-14, just one week removed from the Spygate situation. With some pretty big injuries hanging over the Chargers (Tomlinson, Gates, and Rivers) the Chargers may not have a prayer against the Patriots. It just seems that the machine know as the Patriots are on a mission to win the Super Bowl, not only for themselves, but for Belichick as well. The Chargers, like the Giants in the NFC have been written off for weeks by many people around the league. They have continued to answer the call all the way to the AFC title game. I just think that it will not be enough to stop a team that has an agenda. The Chargers may keep it interesting until the second half, but like the Jaguars game, the Patriots will pull away again.

Patriots 34, Chargers 21

NFC Championship: New York Giants at Green Bay Packers; Sunday, January 20, 6:30

The NFC Championship is also a rematch of week 2. Also, like the AFC, the NFC has a shocker in its championship game as well. After the stunner in Big D, the Giants have once again proven to road warriors as they continue to shock everyone around the league. The Giants have won 9 straight road games (an NFL Record), and go into the toughest place to play in the playoffs now, Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers in 2006 won their last four games to get to 8-8, and have carried it over into 2007 with a 13-3 record. Both of these teams come into this game extremely hot with a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. I feel this is going to be an extremely tight game unlike the 35-13 game they had in week 2. Although that game was closer than the score would tell you. The Giants have been underdogs since week 1 when no one had them going anywhere. Green Bay has surprised the NFL, and Farve has them back on top again. This game will come down to the fourth quarter, where home field advantage will come into play and the Packers pull it out.

Packers 24, Giants 20

Those are my predictions, I will have a little closer break down of these match ups in the coming days.

2008 SITTL Underway

2008-01-15T10:29:00.001-08:00

This past Sunday, January 13, started the Lt. Chuck Margiotta Staten Island Touch Tackle Winter League. I am a a team mate of Appleseed Realty GMAC Real estate. This past Sunday, our team lost 30-0 to RTR Financial. Although the score looks bad, don't let it deceive you. Our defense played pretty well, allowing just one touchdown. Where our team struggled was on special teams. Allowing two kickoff returns for touchdowns, and one punt return for a total of 22 points after a couple 2-point conversions. Our offense was just getting adjusted to this new league. We were able to move the ball down the field, however, a couple of key drops on the drive, and well as a bad snap on two occasions stalled our offense. RTR Financial played well and deserved to win the game.

I feel our team will bounce back in week 2 and give our team our first win. Our weeks 2 matchup is against 5 Star Carting at Father Cappodano.

New Pattens in Fantasy this Season, and a Look At a Couple More Young Stars on the Horizon

2007-05-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

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.

The Rocket has landed: The Return of Roger Clemens

2007-05-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

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.

Carlos Zambrano: Trade Him or Keep Him??

2007-04-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

Carlos Zambrano. Is he the Cy Young candidate that everyone was looking for, or is he a guy that people are going to have anxiety attacks over every time he takes the hill? The answer is simple; he gets better as the season goes on. Last season, his April numbers looked like this: 6 starts, 33 innings, a 0-2 record, 5.35 ERA, and a 1.72 WHIP. From May to July he was 12-1, and is 117 innings he gave up just 35 runs. In May and June his ERA was under 2.00, and his WHIP was just over 1.00.

Those numbers alone should inform you that his best months are on their way. After tomorrow the calendar turns to May. A pitcher like this has been one of the biggest first month disappointments that anyone has ever seen. He is in a contract year, and was a projected Cy Young candidate at the start of the year. He was also one of the top 5 starters that were drafted around fantasy leagues. Hopefully, no manager who drafted him has traded him already. I have him on my team, and I know first-hand what it was like during this first month. However, what fantasy owners probably didn’t know is that his worst career numbers are against the teams he faced in the first month. Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati were the teams he faced in April, and they have forced some of his highest career ERA total with a minimum of 5 starts. His final start against St. Louis this past week is what we should expect from Zambrano in the coming months. He has had good career numbers against St. Louis with an ERA under 3.00.

He was one of the best pitchers throughout the middle of the season last year. In fact he was in a lot of Cy Young talks throughout the middle of the year. He is back in that picture again this season, as well as in negotiation for a new contract. You can rest assure that in the coming months as the weather heats up, so will Carlos. His numbers were staggering last year through the next three months, and only if the bullpen was a little better last year his win total would’ve been a lot higher.

The bottom line is the anxiety attacks should be over as far as Carlos Zambrano is concerned. Hopefully you didn’t panic and make a move to trade him thinking he wasn’t going to product this season. Keep him in your lineups against any competitor because this summer should be fun with Carlos on your roster. There is a lot on the line for Zambrano this season, he knows that, and what you should know is that he will produce in the coming months. He might be a good trade asset later this season as his stock goes higher during his best career months. Don’t panic, we are only a month through and this top pitcher still has a lot to show you.

Late Round Picks Putting Up First Round Numbers?

2007-04-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hitting has been at a premium for some of the best hitters to start this season. A lot of postponements have turned the season’s first month into a month that has been dominated by pitching. Only now at the end of April are we starting to see the league’s better hitters get going. This will hurt their fantasy production over the course of the year, however, as we move into May, be prepared to see more runs scored as the weather starts to get warmer.

Looking at some of the best hitters in fantasy right now, only a few first and second round picks have made the list of the top 30. The number one fantasy player through 3 weeks has obviously been Alex Rodriguez who has been pummeling the ball to all fields. Not too far behind him is Jose Reyes, who has more triples than doubles through three weeks. After that, there is a significant distance in fantasy points from the hitter in third, Carlos Beltran. This isn’t where I am trying to make my point.

Through three weeks, you are getting more out of Luis Gonzalez than you are from Matt Holliday; Edgar Renteria more than Miguel Tejada; and Eric Byrnes more than Carl Crawford. Guess where Chase Utley ranks amongst second basemen so far this season? He is 5th best behind guys like Kyle Johnson, Marcus Giles, and Ian Kinsler. These three guys were more than likely drafted after the 15th round, whereas Utley was drafted in the first round.
Another example of this recent inflation of points from late round draft picks is at first base. The list was endless with the number of guys that fill up first base. However, to everyone’s surprise the number one first basemen through three weeks is Justin Morneau. On fantasy lists he was probably 5th or 6th best when it came time to ranking these first basemen. Adrian Gonzalez who is an extremely young talent at first base is in front of Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, and Derek Lee in fantasy points so far.

Teams who drafted the second tier talent at each position seem to be getting more production out of their players than those who went after the top tier players. What this should tell you is that we may be in for a year like we had last. This is good for fantasy because it give everyone a chance to stay competitive. We all know that the guys drafted in the first and second rounds will be at the top by season’s end, but I feel that the gap is closing between the second tier talent and the first tier talent. Continue to watch the talent pool, because this year it may not be a bad idea to have a Ryan Church or David DeJesus. In fact, you may get more production out of them then a Jeff Francoeur or Nick Swisher.

On a different note, it would appear that the Phillies are doing the best they can and are turning around this early season funk they are in. Ryan Howard finally got his first homerun on Sunday; maybe he will begin to heat up. Unfortunately, for the people who draft Alfonso Soriano, you may not see him hit his first homerun for you until May. What a big let- down off a 40-40 year, possibly the worst we have ever seen.

The Philadelphia Phillies: Slow Starters, or Overrated?

2007-04-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

The Philadelphia Phillies have turned out starting slow again. With multiple picks in the first two or three rounds it would seem that we drafted them backwards. In almost all drafts the order went Howard, Utley, and Rollins as the top three Phillies drafted. Here at the end of week 2 it would appear that the production between the three of them doesn’t reflect their draft picks. Rollins has been the most productive, with Utley at second and Howard at third. Let’s break this team down.

A lot of fans and people around baseball felt the Phillies were going to be a force in the National League. This team was expected to beat the Mets in their division. However, the only thing that everyone forgot to look at when saying that the Phillies are a team on the rise is their bullpen. A bullpen that features very little as far as relief is concerned. I feel like their closer can still get the job done, but will need a couple of days rest between appearances in order to be effective. Guys like Ryan Madsen, Geoff Geary, Antonio Alfonseca, Matt Smith, Jon Lieber, and Francisco Rosario will continue to struggle, and they do not solve the puzzle on how to get to the ninth inning and Tom Gordon in the long run.

After the bullpen comes the rotation. Brett Myers has great potential to be a leader at top the rotation. Just a few seasons ago, he was the fourth or fifth starter, and now is the number one guy. With being the man at the top of the rotation you have great responsibility, which Myers has yet to grasp this season. He had a great year with ERA and was very durable, pitching in almost 200 innings last year. This season he is off to a 0-2 starts with an ERA of 9.39. Not what you want from your number one. These numbers have to come down if the Phillies want to be competitive this year. Adam Eaton is coming off of injury this year and has gotten off to a 1-1 record with an ERA of 6.94. He is their number four guy in the rotation. Eaton is an interesting pickup in the offseason. I feel like he is struggling to be a part of the rotation, and it will take him a few more months to get him to the top of his potential, however I wouldn’t know how good that would be. He hasn’t been very good in his recent seasons and you shouldn’t expect that much from a guy who is coming off of injury this past season. Cole Hamels is the future of the Phillies rotation. He has arguably been the best guy in the rotation so far this season with a 1-0 record and a 3.32 ERA. With 18 strike outs in 19 innings pitched so far this year it would seem that he is going to be the anchor of the rotation. There is nothing bad yet to concern yourself with when it comes to Hamels. He will be the anchor of the rotation for seasons to come. Jamie Moyer is the senior citizen of their rotation; however, he just isn’t pitching like it. His numbers’ are better than Eaton and Myers, and are currently second best in the rotation. He is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA. I expect his ERA to go up a little bit and the record to be around 500 all year. His numbers have always been solid so there is no reason to worry about his production. As far as Freddy Garcia is concerned, the “X-Factor” in the rotation of the Phillies, we have yet to see him pitch. He will be good, just not dominate. Nobody should be really intimidated by what he is capable of. At this stage in his career the numbers he has put up over the past few seasons will more than likely be repeated this season too. Their good numbers, but he isn’t a guy that will single handedly be the deciding factor in winning the NL East.

Finally, let’s look at the Phillies offense. What’s there to say, outside Jimmy Rollins being one of the top hitters in baseball, their offense hasn’t lived up to the expectations. Victorino has been struggling at the plate, and on the bases. He is fast; he just needs to learn what to do what his speed. Utley and Howard have been nothing short of being cold. Utley had a good game on Saturday, and hopefully it means that he will start to turn it on. Howard on the other hand has been ice cold. Fantasy owners are impatiently waiting for his bat to finally catch fire. He has yet to hit a home run in five games that they have played in Citizen’s Bank Ballpark this year. The reigning MVP is also struggling with his batting average; it’s at .237. He has done nothing for both the Phillies and fantasy owners. He is a major reason why both the Phillies and fantasy teams around the country are struggling. Question marks will rise again in June and July when talking about Pat Burrell. I can see him being traded by the trade deadline this year. He has simply worn out his welcome with the team and will be better suited for a new one. If he doesn’t improve offensively, or doesn’t get traded, he will more than likely be demoted. As far as everyone else is concerned, there is no power production from Helms, Rowand, or Barajas which plays a major role is the lack of production for the guys at the top. This lineup was built to be circular and they are so far from it.

These reasons alone should give you an idea that the Phillies are a team that has a lot of question marks. They have given up 8 unearned runs, which are most in the Majors, and they have a team ERA that is close to 6. It looks like it’s going be a long April once again for a team that is supposed to win their division. I can see them being in contention at the end; however, they will more than likely fall short of a wildcard berth.

Don't Worry It's Still Early

2007-04-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Week one is now over. It’s been a week of ups and downs, and a lot of bad weather. It’s also been a bad week for the first round picks. Only a handful of the top 10 to 12 players taken in drafts have really showed up leaving the other half of the owners in leagues concerned. In the league I am in, of the top 30 hitters, only 4 first round picks made the top 30. Pitching is also interesting to look at as guys like Jason Frasor have outscored some of the top starters in the league as well. My answer to you is not to panic, there is a reason why they are all first round picks, and believe me they will all turn around in week 2. Guys like Jose Reyes, A-Rod, Miguel Cabrera, Johan Santana, and Vladimir Guerrerro all seem to be doing their part as first round picks. However, the teams who took Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Alfonso Soriano, David Ortiz, Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran and Travis Hafner all seem to be wondering what is going on. Albert Pujols is the best hitter in baseball and all of fantasy, he will turn it up. Travis Hafner only played three games this week and never got a real chance to get rolling. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley will get started together, when the Phillies get hot you know these two are in the thick of it. Beltran and Soriano are five tool players and are struggling a little early, don’t get worried these are 40-40 threats every year. All in all it is always tough to go by what happens in the first week. We would all like to get off to a good start in our leagues, however, we all can’t. Rest assure, it is only week 1 and there is no reason to get worried, all of these first round picks deserve to be there. They are the anchors of fantasy team around the country and they will produce.

Who are the guys you should be looking at? Guys like Casey Kotchman, Akinori Iwamura, and Chris B. Young, are all guys that are currently top 30 hitters. One of these might be this year’s Chris Shelton so it might be a good idea to grab one of these players and ride out this hot streak. A spotlight should also be put on the efforts of Salomon Torres this week. Four saves for the Pirates who have got off to a surprising start in a division that anyone can win.
Curtis Granderson is also not a typical top 30 outfielder in fantasy, but he hit two homeruns this week, including a grand slam. Nick Markakis has also had a breakout week in fantasy, and I wouldn’t expect a sophomore slump. Ian Kinsler also fits the category that Markakis is in.

Looking Ahead: The Rangers play the D-rays this week, so I would expect the slow starts of Teixeira and Young to end right there. Rays’ starting pitching is good, but the bullpen has struggled and there doesn’t seem to be an answer coming soon.
There is also an exciting series between the Diamondbacks and the Reds starting on Monday. Two young teams with something to prove will be great to watch. The Yankees always seem to have the Twins’ number in April, and I would think that this run of starters not getting out of the fifth inning will end on Monday. These two are division contenders which will be interesting to watch as well. Speaking of division contenders, the Phillies and the Mets square off for the first time this year. (If you haven’t started Pat Burrell yet, now would be a good time to put him in. He has dominated the Mets.) As far as international baseball is concerned, Ichiro Suzuki will face Daisuke Matsuzaka for the first time in the Major’s here in America. That’s a wrap up of week one. Don’t feel down if you lost, there’s still a load of baseball left to be played. That’s if the weather doesn’t hurt us again. Good luck everyone!

Who's In, Who's Out in 2007

2007-04-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

The season is now hours away. By now the fantasy teams have been drafted, your lineups for the opening week are in place, and your pitching staff is set with its probable matchups for the week. With the season’s opener being the rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series between the Mets and the Cardinals, I felt that it was time to give you my picks for division winners, and wild card teams.

AL East-

New York Yankees- Going for their 10th consecutive division championship in 2007, the Yankees may have the best 1, 2, 3, in their rotation in baseball. Their lineup is continuous and it is very hard to find a weak spot. Their rotation has question marks at the start of the year. However, don’t go by that in April. The Yankees are still the best team in their division. The Red Sox will be better than last year and don’t expect an August fall off. The rest of the division is getting better but they have a lot of catching up to do. The Yankee bullpen appears to have gotten better which is a great thing for Rivera. Yankees will be one if the best in baseball this year and will win their 10th straight division title.

AL Central-

Detroit Tigers- The defending American League Champions will be defending their crown in October. This will be a four team race for the majority of the season this year. The Indians, White Sox, Twins, and Tigers, will go back and forth throughout the year. In the end it will come down to pitching. The Tigers led baseball last year in ERA as an American League team. Their offense now has a standout bat in Gary Sheffield. Their lineup was good enough last year with a lot of balanced power with a handful of 20+ homerun guys. Sheffield will bring more depth to the lineup. Their bullpen is comparable to the Twins who are projected to have the best bullpen. In the end Detroit will end out on top.

AL West-

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- the Angels coming out of the spring appear to have the best team. They have some great young guys in their rotation, they have a very good bullpen, and their closer is the best in the game. Their lineup is aging, but that still won’t stop them from putting up numbers in the coming season. This division is interesting because I feel that everyone has gotten better and anyone can win the division. But when in doubt u have to take the team that has the best pitching. The Angels are that team. The A’s could challenge them, but will need consistency from Harden and Blanton. However, after that the A’s don’t have enough fire power in their offense to keep pace with the Angels. Angels are the most balanced team in the division and will be in October as AL West Champions.

AL Wildcard-

Boston Red Sox- They may finish behind the Yankees again this year, but they won’t finish out of the playoffs again. The rotation of the Red Sox is very good, and has gotten a lot better with Matsuzaka. Their bullpen has Papelbon back at closer. It worked out fine for them last year and should do the same this year. By the way, they also have Manny and Papi. This is the most formidable 1, 2 punch in baseball. They rebuilt around them and are geared up to take down the Yankees. I think they will fall short but still become the AL wildcard winner.

NL East-

New York Mets- Don’t worry about their rotation problems here in April, it won’t matter by the end of May. The Mets have a lineup that can be compared to AL lineups. They have the two best young hitters in the game in Wright and Reyes, and their bullpen will still be consistent. Their rotation has a lot to prove, but even on days where they struggle, their offense can bail them out and get the win. Either way I still feel they are the best team in their division. It won’t be as easy as it was last year when they won the division in June, but they can still win it.

NL Central-

St. Louis Cardinals- The defending champions will be back in October this year. Five out of the six of these teams in this division can win it. However, don’t sell the Cardinals rotation that fast. The young guys in Wainwright and Reyes can hold their ground in the rotation. They will get Mulder back later in the year also. Isringhausen is a solid closer in the back of the bullpen, and they also have Albert Pujols. Bottom line is you cannot expect the Cubs to make a 40 win jump from last year, the Brewers and Astros will hang tough for a while but their inexperience will eventually cost them. You can make arguments for everyone, but when in doubt u have to go with the team that has been there before.

NL West-

San Diego Padres- Like the AL Central, this division will be a dog fight all year. All 5 of the teams can make a case for winning this division. The division winner will likely has 88-93 wins because they will be beating up on each other all season. I like the Padres rotation more than the Dodgers, and their lineup has guys that should have bounce back years. Their rotation is a mix of veterans and youngsters that will show their ability in 2007. The Dodgers are a good team but I feel like they have a lot of questions about health, age, and experience that will prevent them from taking this division. The Giants are too old, and in the near future will get younger, the Rockies are missing an ace, and the Diamondbacks are too young. I feel the Padres can pull this division out in a race that can go down to the last day.

NL Wildcard-

Milwaukee Brewers- It’s time this team gets the opportunity that it deserves. I feel that the Brewers will have a chance due to the ongoing battles for the east and west divisions. While those teams beat each other down it will give a central team a central team a chance to take control of the wildcard. The Brewers are that team. Their rotation doesn’t stand out but there is a lot of consistency throughout. The bullpen is sold, especially if Turnbow can have a bounce back year, and their lineup is at the age where they can have a breakout year. This is a sleeper pick of mine to win the wildcard, and can shock you with some big wins in 2007.

Those are my projections to make it to the playoffs in 2007. It’s going to be a great year to watch the young pitchers and hitters develop over the course of the year. You will be hearing from me on a more frequent basis now that the season has started. Good Luck in fantasy and let’s enjoy the year!

Looking Beyond The Top Tier Pitchers

2007-03-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

Drafting pitchers can sometimes be a problem in fantasy. The top tier pitchers in fantasy are usually drafted within the first three rounds leaving you a laundry list of guys that are far behind the 6 or 7 top tier pitchers. A few seasons ago, I would be talking about guys like Rich Harden, Zack Greinke, and Dontrelle Willis. Last season, it was Justin Verlander, Cole Hamels, and Josh Johnson for a good part of the season that were guys that were waiver wire pickups that helped change your pitching staff into one of the better one’s in the league. Now who do you look to this season? Well here’s a list of a few of guys that you might be interested in that have a chance to change your pitching staff during draft day.

Erik Bedard- 15 wins last season with an ERA of 3.76 in the American League East. He’s now 27 years old and is entering his third year with Leo Mazzone as his pitching coach. Baltimore’s staff is young and has the potential to do some very good things in the coming season. I expect his win total to climb by a couple and his strikeout total to rise with it.

Daniel Cabrera- So this guy’s has been on a list like this for each of the past few seasons, I know. However, it would seem that he has his act together. We all know the potential he has, however, the problem has always been control. In 20 innings this spring he has only walked 3 batters, and has struck out 16. He, like Bedard, is also an up and coming product of Mazzone. Perhaps this year he shows his real potential and has that break out year. It would seem that his spring numbers appear that way.

Ervin Santana- Santana has been a guy in the back of the Angel’s rotation for his first two years. Now in year three he has been moved up to 3 in the rotation. It would seem that this year will be the year that he shows that he can be one of the better pitchers in the league. He raised his win total by 4 last year from 12 to 16 in 2006, and lowered his ERA from 4.66 to 4.29. This year looks like he breaks out n tries to be the team’s number one starter. I expect his win total to be around 18, and his era to be just under 4. Expect a big year from Santana.

Chuck James- He had great season for the Braves last year. He went 11-4 with a 3.78 ERA. He had a respectable 91 strikeouts in 119 innings last season to go along with his other numbers. Like Santana, he is now a number 3 starter for the Braves. This team’s pedigree in the last decade has always been pitching. He is capable of getting guys out without over powering them. (Sounds familiar right? Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine) Obviously I am not comparing him to either one of these two but he will do very well this season. He is pitching to a 1.80 ERA this spring. Look for him in the middle to later part of the draft.

Anibal Sanchez- The young Marlin’s starter went 10-3 last year, winning 5 of those games in the final month of the season. He also threw a no hitter during that stretch of games. His 2.83 ERA was just another great ERA that the surprising Marlin’s staff had last season. Now that Josh Johnson will be missing some time due to injury, Sanchez will have to step it up for the first part of the year. The Marlin’s had a good team, and will be competitive in 2007. Sanchez is a very good middle round draft pick if you can get him.

Adam Wainwright- Converted closer for the Cardinals now in the opening day rotation. This spring he is 2-2 with a 1.25 ERA. He hit the scene last year and did very well out of the bullpen for the Cardinals. It would seem that he can do just as good in the rotation. He has some great stuff, including a very good curveball. Like all the other players that made this list he is a middle round draft pick with a potential to do some great things for the defending champs.

Matt Cain- This guy is only 22 years old. He led all rookies with 13 wins last year, and had a very good strikeout total, 179 in 190 innings last season. Barry Zito coming over from Oakland may help him avoid the pressure of having to become the ace of the Giants staff. I expect him to win 15 or more games this year and his ERA being under 4, with his strikeout ratio to be slightly higher than last season. Cain, like everyone else on this list has potential to become a great pitcher. At his age, he may be able to become a top pitcher in the entire National League. He can make a great keeper in leagues that have that rule. Look for him in the upper-middle part of the draft.

That’s a looks at some middle round pitching that can really help your staff in 2007. These guys are very young and have a lot of potential. The only way they can answer that is with their performance on the field. They are all middle round draft picks with the potential to pitch like guys taken in the first 5 to 8 rounds. Last year it was Verlander and Hamels on this list, and they are now drafted in the first 10 rounds. I expect these guys to be in the same position that Hamels and Verlander were in last year.

Infield vs Outfield: Where is the best talent?

2007-03-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

When planning a draft strategy there are many different things that you need to look at. In recent articles I have talked about why it is necessary to draft the top pitchers before drafting hitters. However, what do you do if you are drafting right in the middle and aren’t really interested in drafting pitchers? I would suggest to you to go after the best infield you can possibly have.
Looking at the top 50 draft picks (based on average draft position), I counted 23 out of the top 50 draft picks come out of the infield. The outfielders only take 15 out of the top 50. What this should obviously tell you is that it is important to draft some of the top infielders and have an average outfield than the other way around.
I have been doing some practice drafts on various websites before my biggest draft of the season on Saturday. Experimenting different strategies I came to the conclusion that the infield is where I decided to focus the most attention on. As strong as first and third base are this season, and as, many prospects that there are at short and second, it is a good idea to draft the premiere guys at this position.
Here is a look at two teams that I drafted during this time. Each features a basic 3 man outfield and a four man infield. Team 1: Chase Utley, Mark Teixeira, Garret Atkins, Freddy Sanchez, Hideki Matsui, Juan Pierre, and Jeff Francoeur. Team 2: Derek Lee, Robinson Cano, Scott Rolen, Jose Reyes, Carl Crawford, Carlos Lee, and Ichiro Suzuki.
Breaking down the first team is easy. Chase Utley is by far the best second baseman of all the players at the position in the league. Garret Atkins was a top 3 fantasy third baseman statistically speaking in 2006. Mark Teixeira struggled during the first half and was one of the best players in the second half of the season in 2006. Besides we know he is a top 5 first basemen this season anyway. Freddy Sanchez won the batting title in the National League in 2006. The outfield of Matsui, Pierre and Francoeur can be looked at as mediocre or above average at best. The strength at infield is unmatched in the league that this team is in. This is hard to argue with a top 5 guy at every position in the infield with the exception of shortstop. The outfield obviously isn’t great; however it is good enough to compete with other outfields in the league.
The second team features an average infield, and an outfield that is very good. Carl Crawford, Carlos Lee, and Ichiro Suzuki are guys that combined together are gone by the fourth or fifth round. Crawford and Lee have been drafted in the first two rounds in every league this year. Jose Reyes is the only guy that sticks out in the infield because he is a top 5 overall fantasy pick this season. Robinson Cano as you know is ranked as my second best second basemen, and has potential to do great things. Scott Rolen and Derek Lee are the other two guys that round out the infield. Lee went down with an injury last season that made him miss most of the season. This put a lot of question marks as to whether or not he will be the same guy he was two years ago which was a triple crown contender for a while in the National league. Scott Rolen has fallen from being an elite player at his position. His numbers are still above average and he will produce for your team, just not on the level he did five years ago.

The bottom line is that you have a better chance at succeeding in a league with an infield that features some of the best guys at their positions and an outfield that will be competitive. With the right pick on draft day (Team one was the 8th pick, team two was the third), there is no reason to believe that you can’t grab these guys and show that your infield is one of the best in your league. If your strategy on draft day is to go after the top hitters in the game and get average pitching, then you should look to the infield before the outfield.

Fantasy Baseball 2007: The Fantasy team that isn’t drafted.

2007-03-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today was my first money league draft of the 2007 season. I ended up with the fourth pick and a team that features a lot of power and a lot of starting pitching. However there is plenty of talent out there that was not drafted. Considering this was a draft that featured 11 teams you would think that someone would pick up these players. The following list is a list that features guys that have a draft percentage that is over 65% that were not drafted this afternoon. These players aren’t number one guys; however they have the potential to be sleepers or good roster fillers.

Catchers: Ramon Hernandez, Johnny Estrada, Bengie Molina, Gerald Laird, David Ross, Mike Napoli

First Base: Conor Jackson, Dan Johnson, Kevin Youkilis, Shea Hillenbrand, Mike Jacobs

Second Base: Marcus Giles, Placido Polanco, Mark DeRosa, Ronnie Belliard, Jose Lopez.

Short Stop: Khalil Greene, Jason Bartlett, Omar Vizquel, Jack Wilson, J.J. Hardy.

Third Base: Alex Gordon, Pedro Feliz, Andy Marte, Brandon Inge, Mike Lowell.

Outfielders: Jose Guillen, Milton Bradley, Randy Winn, Chris Duncan, David DeJesus, Geoff Jenkins, Jeremy Hermida, Andre Either, Matt Kemp, Juan Encarnacion, Luis Gonzalez.

Starting Pitchers: Mark Buehrle, Livan Hernandez, Noah Lowry, Scott Olsen, Ricky Nolasco, Oliver Perez, Jamie Moyer, Jeff Suppan, Gustavo Chacin, Chad Billingsley.

Relief Pitchers: Ryan Dempster, Bob Wickman, Todd Jones, Chad Qualls, Mike Gonzalez, Scott Proctor, Justin Duchscherer, Matt Capps, Duaner Sanchez, Jesse Crain, Dennys Reyes.

As I mentioned, these guys are not particularly what you have in mind when you looking at the number one player at each position. However, these guys tend to bring depth and quality to your roster, and could help you on draft day. These players tend to be taken in the middle and late round of drafts as they should. There is a lot of young talent on each of these lists. On draft day, especially in keeper leagues and leagues that feature a lot of depth, you might want to consider some of these guys to help fill your roster and/or bench positions. There is a lot of quality out there if you are willing to look for it. The majority of people don’t pay attention to these guys and they are usually good role players on a fantasy roster and can help you win your league in 2007.

Where are all the secondbasemen?

2007-03-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

Let's face it, second base has been one of the worst positions in fantasy for a very long time. In past seasons, you needed to have a guy like Alfonso Soriano or Bret Boone to feel like you had a guy that can help your team at this position. This season seems to be the same thing. Here are my top 10 at this position, with a few other notable candidates to fill the roster spot in the coming season.

1. Chase Utley. Obviously this guy has to top my list. Back to back seasons of 100+ RBI totals. This guy is still very young and will get better with age. He put on 20 pounds in the off season so expect him to reach a new career high in home runs in the coming season. In 2006 he put up 32 home runs, 102 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, a .309 batting average and scored 131 runs. You can expect his 2007 totals to be around the same or even better. He is far ahead of everyone else that has second base eligibility in 2007.

2. Robinson Cano. You can argue that Dan Uggla can be at this position, however, they don't say that this guy is going to contend for a batting title some day for nothing. Missing time last season, he still managed 15 home runs, 78 RBIs, 5 stolen bases, a .342 batting average (3rd in the American league), and 62 runs scored. He also put up 41 doubles last season. Cano is an all around hitter that can hit the ball to all fields. However, his power numbers aren't quite where they should be yet. He's a solid hitter at the position and you wouldn't mind having him on your team.

3. Dan Uggla. Uggla was nothing but a waiver wire pick up in the 2006 season, but when you picked him up you kept him for the rest of the season. He hit 27 home runs, which was 2nd to Utley, drove in 90, stole 6, hit .281, and scored 105 runs. He looks like he can become a very forceful bat in the youthful marlins lineup. Batting him in front of Cabrera he should see plenty of pitches this season. I expect his numbers to go up slightly in the 2007 season, but he isn't where Utley is yet as far as draft position. Like Cano, you shouldn't have a problem drafting him and hoping he produces because he will.

4. Josh Bartfield. What do you make of a guy that had 13 home runs, 58 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, a .280 batting average, and 72 runs scored? Well he is now a Cleveland Indian. With Hafner n Martinez in the lineup batting behind him, you can expect his runs scored to go up without question. On top of that, now that his out of San Diego, where you can hit the ball a mile in some parts of the park and it wouldn't be a home run, Jacob's field is more hitter friendly. As far as fantasy goes, having a guy that steals 20 bases can have a lot more value than we think. Don't be surprised if he goes 20-20 this season, and scores around 90-100 runs. Any guy like that is worth having on you roster. That is why he's 4 on this list.

5. Brian Roberts. 2005 was a career year for Roberts. He hit 18 home runs, drove in 73, and scored 92 runs. In 2006 his numbers went down. He only hit 10 home runs, drove in 55, and scored on 85 runs. However, his stolen base total went from 27 to 36. That is what Roberts brings to your team. He isn't a power hitting second basemen, however, he is always one of the top stolen base guys in the league. This season, I expect his power numbers to rise, and his runs scored total to rise, especially since the O's got Aubrey Huff. there's a lot of good hitters in the O's lineup and Roberts has to be a catalyst this season to get them going. If he does that you will see all of his offensive numbers go up in 2007.

6. Brandon Phillips. Two seasons ago, this guy wasn't even a starter in Cleveland. In 2006 he became a full time second basemen in Cincinnati and he was more productive than expected. He hit 17 home runs, had 75 RBIs, stole 25 bases, batted .276, and scored 65 runs. Putting on a little weight in the off season, it looks like Phillips wants to be one of the bigger bats in the Reds' lineup in 2007. Cincinnati's stadium is a hitter friendly park, so I expect his power numbers to go up. However, if his power numbers are going up, his stolen base total might not be as high this season. This brings his value down. He is definitely a top 10 second basemen, and who knows he might hit you 20-25 home runs and drive in 85-90 runs. He will put up good numbers and be a solid bat all year round.

7. Tadahito Iguchi. He is one of the more consistent guys at this position than any other guy who plays it. In 2006, he had 18 homers, 67 RBIs, a .286 batting average and 97 runs scored. His stolen base total wasn't bad, he stole 11. He is a slightly above average baseball player. Won't hit many home runs, or drive in that many guys, or steal that many bases. However, he will stay consistent which is never a bad thing. You know what your getting when you draft this guy. He doesn't stand out or have any real potential to amaze people but he will get the hit when you need it or the RBI when you need it which is always a good thing. More than likely his numbers will stay right around the same this year as they did last year.

8. Jeff Kent. Don't think I wasn't going to put this guy in the top 10. Some may argue that he is still a top 5 hitter at his position. In 2006, he hit 14 home runs, drove in 68, batted .292, and scored 61 runs. The reason why I have him at 8 is because we don't know that how many good years that Kent has left at his age. The Dodgers have a good lineup with a lot of good hitters both young and old, so Kent will see his fair share of chances to produce at the plate. He has been one of the more consistent hitters at 2nd for a very long time, but I think that his numbers are slowly going down, or they will stay right around where they are in Kent's final years of his career. Still always a good pick but don't expect his production to be the same as what they were in year's past.

9. Jose Lopez. He is an up and coming hitter at his position. The Mariner's second baseman has a lot of potential to be a good hitter in that lineup. He hit 10 home runs, had 79 RBIs, and hit .281 in 2006. He also scored 78 runs in '06. In 2007, he will be entering his fourth year in the league. He now has a full time position on the team and will have the ability to put up even better numbers this year than he did last season. It is possible that he can be one of the break out players of the 2007 season. He can be one of the sleepers in the draft. He numbers won't go up too much this season, but I feel like they will go up and can continue to rise in future seasons.

10. Marcus Giles. Like Kent, he was a top five second baseman only 3 seasons ago. He batting average has dropped ever year since 2003, and his home run total has fallen as well. In 2006, Giles hit 11 home runs, had 60 RBIs, stole 10 bases, scored 87 runs, and had a .261 batting average. Despite not being the same hitter he once was,he is now getting a fresh start in San Diego. His power numbers will probably be the same as '06, but I think he will have better production in all the other major categories. He is also playing with his brother in 2007, which will also help him considering Brian has also been a goes hitter.

That rounds out my top 10 a the second base position. However if you can't grab any of these guys there are also some other notable players at the position you might want to consider. Guys like Ian Kinsler, Ray Durham, Orlando Hudson, Mark De Rosa, and Craig Biggio are players that are always good as a back up plan if you can't grab any of the other 10. Second base is a weak position this year. This position will come around some year with all the young talent at the position. That's a look at second base for the 2007 season.

Draft Strategy: What do you look for early? Hitters or Pitchers?

2007-02-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

Today I was preparing myself for my first draft of this 2007 season and I had a specific strategy in mind. I felt that it was absolutely necessary to take pitching as early as you can. Naturally in the first round or two the majority of the picks are the top hitters in the game today. But what about those people who are taking Johan Santana, Chris Carpenter, Roy Oswalt, and all the other top notch starters in the first or second round? Those managers are the ones who know that there is a lot of depth in a lot of positions this season. It is safe to say that there are six top notch pitchers: Santana, Carpenter, Halladay, Oswalt, Webb, and Zambrano. In whatever order you would like to put them in, those are your top starting pitchers in the league. The same can be said about the closer’s position, there are really only seven top closers in the game; Rivera, Nathan, Rodriguez, Ryan, Jenks, Hoffman, and Wagner.
Other than these thirteen pitchers, the other pitchers around the leagues are all in the same bucket. We all didn’t see Justin Verlander as a legitimate threat until mid season. The same can be said about the entire rotation that the Florida Marlins had by July, as well as a guy like Cole Hamels for the Phillies. The bottom line is there are plenty of starters that come around through the year, but for the past few seasons the six guys I mentioned always seem to be at the top of the list in all the major categories at season’s end. Santana is head and shoulders above every other pitcher around, but the other five are always close together at season’s end as far as the stats are concerned. It would be wise to get your hands on one of these guys because you never know who will show up and who won’t throughout the year. It’s nice to know that you have one of these guys, because they will always help your pitching staff and give you a chance to be leading the pitching categories throughout the year.
As far as the closers are concerned, the seven closers I mentioned are the anchors to your relief pitching. These seven closers, with the exception of Rivera (but we all know he’s a leader on this list), had 36 or more saves, and only blew 5 or less saves. As far as the other 23 teams’ closers are concerned, their jobs are either bullpen by committee, or guys that can be replaced with one bad week or two. However, we all know that these seven closers top the list when you’re looking at fantasy closers to draft. That’s why you would want to have one of these guys, because you know that they are more than likely to keep their jobs all year round. The others at this position may or may not be a gamble, but their numbers aren’t going to look like these guys’ at season’s end. You can say, Huston Street, but he blew 11 saves, Jason Isringhausen was pretty good too, but he blew 10 saves. As for Mike Gonzalez, he went 24 for 24, a great start to a young career but we will have to see if he keeps it up. There are a few guys like Gonzalez around the league, but they got their jobs mid-season and this year we will have to see if they can handle the grind of a 162 game season. Maybe next year they will make the top of the list.
Like I was saying, it is a great strategy to have one or two of these pitchers to help anchor your staff. This season, there is a lot of depth in positions that didn’t have depth like this before. Shortstop has a lot of depth this season. Second base is also a competitive position, outside of Chase Utley obviously. First base has some of the top hitters in the game as well as some of the top young hitters in the game. The outfield has endless talent that you can draft from first round to last. With all of that hitting around this league there isn’t enough talent like that at the pitcher’s position to match it. That’s why I feel that it is a good idea to draft some top notch pitching early this year. You don’t need to look that far to find hitting to match up with you opponents. However, you need to look a lot harder to find pitching to match up with the teams that have the elite pitching. Especially if they have two start weeks. So if you ask me who would I take early, pitchers or hitters? I would tell you to try and get your hands on the top pitchers in the game. After last year you should know that there is plenty of hitting to go around. However, there is not enough pitching to match up to it.

Fantasy Baseball 2007: Key pitcher injuries to pay attention to in 2007

2007-02-19T17:41:00.001-08:00

Starting pitching in fantasy baseball is everywhere. There isn’t a time where you can’t find a starter to pick up that has a two start week or a good match up from the waiver wire. However, on draft day, there are some injured pitchers that you may want to get familiar with, because they may not be as effective as they were in previous season.
Two headliners that top the list are two “aces” known as Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior. These two former studs can amaze you with their numbers, as well as break you with all the injuries they find themselves in. While at any time they can return to form the chances of them coming back to what they used to be are very slim.
Prior is expected to compete at spring training for a spot in the rotation, where just a few seasons ago they felt he was the anchor of the rotation. You would anticipate that he would have a leg up on them because he is still young and has a tremendous upside. However, fantasy mangers shouldn’t put any value on him as an early round pick, if he is still around in the later part of the draft he would be a risk worth making. Do not use an early pick on him there are plenty of others out there.
As for Kerry Wood, his injury list is too long to go through, every week it seems like it is something else. His recent jacuzzi incident makes me wonder if he will ever keep himself from being snake bitten every year. His job is no longer as a starter but as a possible closer for the Cubs in 2007. Consider him a very high injury risk and a last resort if you’re feeling desperate. We all know that every year both of these guys are taken, however take them late if you have too. Who knows maybe you can catch lightning in a bottle, just don’t put a lot of stock into them.
Although Wood and Prior are a risk, there are also pitchers that are coming off injuries that are a little more reliable and have higher value on draft day. Randy Johnson I feel tops that list. Yes he ended terribly in New York and wasn’t the same player that pitched in Arizona the first time around. He’s also 43 years old and is coming off back surgery. However, now that he’s back home in Arizona, and back in the National league, I feel like he will be closer to his dominate form that he ever was in a Yankee Uniform. In a league that doesn’t have a lot of great offensive teams, as well as being in a division that doesn’t appear that strong, I think that he will have more dominate starts than he did a year ago. He will miss part of April, however I feel like he will be well rested when it comes time for him to return to the field. He’s a great number 3 or 4 starter on your team and don’t be disappointed if you have to draft him, I feel like he will have a very good season back at home in 2007.
Another interesting arm to take a chance on is that of Jose Contreras. He is still a top 50 pitcher. Despite his struggles in the second half of the year he still started 9-0. His strike out total was a respectable 134. He likes pitching in Chicago, and he continues to do well there. His hamstring will probably bother him in early April due to the cold weather, but I think he will continue to put up respectable numbers in 2007; after all he is a top 50 pitcher. Expect that if you can grab him in the 6th or 7th as a number 3 or 4 starter that you have added great depth to your pitching staff.
Other guys to take notice to: John Patterson who got hurt early in the year, expect him to bounce back and quietly put together a good year for the Washington Nationals. Another guy to look out for in 2007 is Bartolo Colon. This former ace gunslinger has quietly been forgotten about. A former top tier pitcher now 33 years old will more than likely go late in drafts, but whoever gets him will have tremendous depth if he stays healthy.
Finally there are the guys that will return late in the year that will possibly be shots in the arms for some rotations around the league. Topping that list is Pedro Martinez, his injuries bring questions like if he will ever dominate again, but the rotation of the Mets will be so young and full of questions in 2007 that he will have to come back and be effective. Draft him and leave him on your injured list because he will matter late in the year. Another one of these guys is Matt Clement. In a division where there forever is an arms race between the Red Sox and Yankees Clement comes back in July and can help a playoff push that the Red Sox are always in. Another guy out until July is Mark Mulder. He will help the defending champs late in the year, and considering he will be looking for a contract again at the end of the season expect him to pitch with everything he has in order to receive a good pay day. Finally another guy that keeper leagues might be interested in is Francisco Liriano. Out all of 2007, but keeper leagues should expect him to go in their drafts this year. Hopefully he can be as effective as he was pre-injury.
That’s a look at some of the key pitchers in 2007 that are recovering from injuries as well as the impact they will have during the 2007 season.