The NL MVP race does not have all the pizazz of the AL race, which has two guys with 30-plus home runs and the chance for a second triple crown in a row.
My contenders to win it would be Allen Craig, who is hitting .333 with 74 RBIs, Paul Goldschmidt at .313 with 21 home runs and 77 RBIs, and Michael Cuddyer, hitting .330 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs.
I'd also give an honorable mention to Jean Segura, who has cooled off a bit of late, but is still hitting .325 with 121 hits and 27 stolen bases. Segura has been killing it in fantasy, so gotta give him a mention.
Without too much conviction on my pick, I'll take Goldschmidt, who is putting up the best numbers on a team that, at the moment, is leading the division.
For other midseason awards, see below:
[Editor's note: This post is by John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122), who also contributes at our NFL site: Eat, Drink and Sleep Football (see John's archives).]
Showing posts with label Arizona Diamondbacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arizona Diamondbacks. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Adam Eaton to miss 6-8 weeks with UCL sprain
Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Adam Eaton will miss the next six to eight weeks with a left elbow UCL sprain, according to the team.
Expected to be the team's leadoff hitter, Eaton was hitting the ball really well this spring with his .390 average over 20 games.
"You know that I will work my butt off to get back in there," he tweeted. "It will be sooner than later."
Eaton is No. 73 on Baseball America's list of top 100 prospects and was No. 1 on Keith Law's list of Top 20 Impact Prospects for 2013.
Expected to be the team's leadoff hitter, Eaton was hitting the ball really well this spring with his .390 average over 20 games.
"You know that I will work my butt off to get back in there," he tweeted. "It will be sooner than later."
Eaton is No. 73 on Baseball America's list of top 100 prospects and was No. 1 on Keith Law's list of Top 20 Impact Prospects for 2013.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Outfielder Rankings
Our top three fantasy outfielders in 2011 are the same top three fantasy outfielders that most other sites have in their top three. However, I've seen all three in the top spot at a relatively even split. In an ideal world, I'd like to get my No. 1 outfielder as the third outfielder off the board.
Here are our top 50 outfielders in fantasy baseball for 2011:
1. Ryan Braun, Brewers: Although Braun hit a career-low 25 home runs in 2010, he has 90-plus runs, 97-plus runs batted in and 14-plus steals every year. Plus, he has hit .300-plus in three out of four seasons.
2. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies: What a breakout season it was for Gonzalez! Despite missing 15 games, he finished with a line of .336-111-34-117-26. As solid as he was across the board, CarGo played much better at Coors Field (.380, 26 homers, 76 RBIs) than on the road (.289, eight homers, 41 RBIs) in 2010.
3. Carl Crawford, Red Sox: Crawford set career highs in runs scored (110), home runs (19) and runs batted in (90) last year in Tampa. In the past five years, Crawford has hit over .300 four times. And with the exception of his 109-game season in 2008, Crawford has stolen 46-plus bases every year since 2003.
4. Matt Holliday, Cardinals: Excluding his .290 batting average in his rookie season (.290), Holliday's full-year batting averages have been .300-plus every year. While he's unlikely to ever steal 28 bases again (as he did in 2008), Holliday will help in all counting numbers to the tune of roughly 95-100 runs, 100-110 runs batted in, 25-30 homers and 10-15 steals.
5. Matt Kemp, Dodgers: Other than a small year-over-year increase in home runs (26 to 28), Kemp's numbers declined across the board in 2010 from 2009. After three straight seasons hitting .290-plus, his average plummeted to .249. In addition, he saw year-over-year declines in runs scored (97 to 82), runs batted in (101 to 89) and stolen bases (34 to 19).
6. Josh Hamilton, Rangers: When projecting Hamilton's fantasy value, the first thing you need to take into consideration is the number of games you expect him to play. Even so, he can be highly productive when he misses plenty of games as he proved last year by being named the A.L. MVP despite missing almost 30 games.
7. Shin-Soo Choo, Indians: In 2010, three players hit .300-plus, hit 20-plus home runs and stole 20-plus bases: Florida's Hanley Ramirez, Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez and Choo. For Choo, he's done so in back-to-back seasons (his only two where he has played 100-plus games).
8. Nelson Cruz, Rangers: Over the past two seasons, Cruz has missed 88 games but he still managed to hit 55 home runs and steal 37 bases during that span. That's a 162-game pace of 37 home runs and 25 steals.
9. Justin Upton, Diamondbacks: Upton, the number one overall draft pick in 2005, is still only 23 years old and undoubtedly has plenty of upside. Over the past two years, Upton have averaged 21.5 home runs and 19 steals despite averaging only 135.5 games. With good health, Upton should easily reach 20-20 with the potential for 30-25.
10. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates: Like Justin Upton, McCutchen was a high first-round pick in 2005 and has plenty of upside. As a 23-year-old, McCutchen finished with a line of .286-94-16-56-33. Since he'll start the season batting third in the Pirates' lineup, McCutchen should see his RBIs increase by a significant amount over last year's 56.
11. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners: Since Ichiro won't help you in home runs and runs batted in, his value is tied to how well he performs in the batting average and steals categories. Over the past four seasons, he's had two seasons with .350-plus batting averages and two seasons with 40-plus steals. Only if he could do both in the same season (which he hasn't since 2001 and likely won't) ...
12. Jayson Werth, Nationals: Werth will play half of his games in Washington instead of Philadelphia, which is a bit of a concern, in 2011. That said, I can see a season of .275-100-25-100-15 (or close to it) for Werth.
13. Jose Bautista, Blue Jays: Although there's virtually no chance that he duplicates his 54-homer performance from 2010, Bautista could hit 35 or so homers with 100 runs batted in. Even better, he also has position eligibility at third base.
14. Jason Heyward, Braves: Heyward, who will turn 22 years old in August, hit .301 after the All-Star break in his rookie season last year. This spring, Heyward has been hitting the ball well (.356 average over 18 games). I see a line of .290-90-25-90-10 for Heyward in 2011.
15. Hunter Pence, Astros: Pence set career highs in runs scored (93), runs batted in (91) and stolen bases (18) in addition to tying his existing career high in home runs (25) in 2010. With a solid average (career .287 hitter), Pence should help in all categories at a very fair price.
16. Alex Rios, White Sox: There were 38 outfielders that hit 20-plus home runs in 2010. There were 15 outfielders that stole 30-plus bases in 2010. There were only two that did both -- Rios and Cincinnati's Drew Stubbs. The worry about Rios is his inconsistency and 15 (of his 21) home runs and 23 (of his 34) stolen bases came before the All-Star break.
17. Andre Ethier, Dodgers: Ethier got off to a hot start (.392 average, 11 homers and 38 runs batted in through 33 games) before fracturing his right pinky finger, which he feels bothered him after he came back too soon from the injury. He still managed to finish the season with a .292 average, 23 home runs and 82 runs batted in despite missing 23 games.
18. Mike Stanton, Marlins: Between Double-A and the Marlins, Stanton hit 43 home runs and 111 runs batted in combined. Stanton has big-time power and could come close to hitting 40 homers in his first full season in the big leagues. (Take our poll on how many home runs Stanton will hit in 2011.)
19. Jay Bruce, Reds: Bruce, who will turn 24 in April, hit .281 -- .338 from August to October -- with 25 home runs last season. As MLB.com's John Schlegel points out, Bruce has hit more home runs (68) than any other player his age and he ranks 41st all-time for most home runs in his first three seasons.
20. Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox: As the Red Sox leadoff hitter, Ellsbury should hit for a good average and rack up a ton of steals and runs. If you're a glass-half-empty kind-of guy, he won't do much to help in the power categories.
21. B.J. Upton, Rays: In the past two seasons, Upton has hit .241 or less. On a positive note, however, Upton has stolen 40-plus bases for three consecutive seasons. In addition, he hit 18 home runs last year while setting a career high in doubles (38). Had a couple of those doubles been homers, he would have been the only 20-40 outfielder last season.
22. Delmon Young, Twins: Young, baseball's top overall draft pick in 2003, hit nearly .300 (.298, to be exact) while setting career highs in home runs (21) and runs batted in (112) last year.
23. Chris Young, Diamondbacks: Young set career highs in runs scored (94), runs batted in (91), stolen bases (28) and batting average (.257) while belting 27 home runs. Provided the composition of your team will help you withstand the negative impact Young will have on your team's batting average, Young will help you all other categories.
24. Shane Victorino, Phillies: From 2006 to 2009, Victorino hit .281 or better every season. Although his batting average slipped to .259 in 2010, it was also the only season since 2006 in which his BABIP was below .300. Expect a bounce-back in average for the Flyin' Hawaiian, who has averaged 92 runs, 14 homers and 33 steals over the past four seasons.
25. Drew Stubbs, Reds: While Stubbs won't help any in batting average, Stubbs was one of only two outfielders to hit 20-plus home runs and steal 30-plus bases in 2010, as noted above.
26. Colby Rasmus, Cardinals
27. Corey Hart, Brewers
28. Curtis Granderson, Yankees
29. Nick Markakis, Orioles
30. Carlos Lee, Astros
31. Torii Hunter, Angels
32. Bobby Abreu, Angels
33. Adam Jones, Orioles
34. Michael Bourn, Astros
35. Ben Zobrist, Rays
36. Juan Pierre, White Sox
37. Carlos Quentin, White Sox
38. Vernon Wells, Angels
39. Brett Gardner, Yankees
40. Nick Swisher, Yankees
41. Aubrey Huff, Giants
42. Grady Sizemore, Indians
43. Jason Bay, Mets
44. Rajai Davis, Blue Jays
45. Michael Cuddyer, Twins
46. Carlos Beltran, Mets
47. Chris Coghlan, Marlins
48. Denard Span, Twins
49. Manny Ramirez, Rays
50. Tyler Colvin, Cubs
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
See our fantasy rankings for infielders: C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B
Here are our top 50 outfielders in fantasy baseball for 2011:
1. Ryan Braun, Brewers: Although Braun hit a career-low 25 home runs in 2010, he has 90-plus runs, 97-plus runs batted in and 14-plus steals every year. Plus, he has hit .300-plus in three out of four seasons.
2. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies: What a breakout season it was for Gonzalez! Despite missing 15 games, he finished with a line of .336-111-34-117-26. As solid as he was across the board, CarGo played much better at Coors Field (.380, 26 homers, 76 RBIs) than on the road (.289, eight homers, 41 RBIs) in 2010.
3. Carl Crawford, Red Sox: Crawford set career highs in runs scored (110), home runs (19) and runs batted in (90) last year in Tampa. In the past five years, Crawford has hit over .300 four times. And with the exception of his 109-game season in 2008, Crawford has stolen 46-plus bases every year since 2003.
4. Matt Holliday, Cardinals: Excluding his .290 batting average in his rookie season (.290), Holliday's full-year batting averages have been .300-plus every year. While he's unlikely to ever steal 28 bases again (as he did in 2008), Holliday will help in all counting numbers to the tune of roughly 95-100 runs, 100-110 runs batted in, 25-30 homers and 10-15 steals.
5. Matt Kemp, Dodgers: Other than a small year-over-year increase in home runs (26 to 28), Kemp's numbers declined across the board in 2010 from 2009. After three straight seasons hitting .290-plus, his average plummeted to .249. In addition, he saw year-over-year declines in runs scored (97 to 82), runs batted in (101 to 89) and stolen bases (34 to 19).
6. Josh Hamilton, Rangers: When projecting Hamilton's fantasy value, the first thing you need to take into consideration is the number of games you expect him to play. Even so, he can be highly productive when he misses plenty of games as he proved last year by being named the A.L. MVP despite missing almost 30 games.
7. Shin-Soo Choo, Indians: In 2010, three players hit .300-plus, hit 20-plus home runs and stole 20-plus bases: Florida's Hanley Ramirez, Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez and Choo. For Choo, he's done so in back-to-back seasons (his only two where he has played 100-plus games).
8. Nelson Cruz, Rangers: Over the past two seasons, Cruz has missed 88 games but he still managed to hit 55 home runs and steal 37 bases during that span. That's a 162-game pace of 37 home runs and 25 steals.
9. Justin Upton, Diamondbacks: Upton, the number one overall draft pick in 2005, is still only 23 years old and undoubtedly has plenty of upside. Over the past two years, Upton have averaged 21.5 home runs and 19 steals despite averaging only 135.5 games. With good health, Upton should easily reach 20-20 with the potential for 30-25.
10. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates: Like Justin Upton, McCutchen was a high first-round pick in 2005 and has plenty of upside. As a 23-year-old, McCutchen finished with a line of .286-94-16-56-33. Since he'll start the season batting third in the Pirates' lineup, McCutchen should see his RBIs increase by a significant amount over last year's 56.
11. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners: Since Ichiro won't help you in home runs and runs batted in, his value is tied to how well he performs in the batting average and steals categories. Over the past four seasons, he's had two seasons with .350-plus batting averages and two seasons with 40-plus steals. Only if he could do both in the same season (which he hasn't since 2001 and likely won't) ...
12. Jayson Werth, Nationals: Werth will play half of his games in Washington instead of Philadelphia, which is a bit of a concern, in 2011. That said, I can see a season of .275-100-25-100-15 (or close to it) for Werth.
13. Jose Bautista, Blue Jays: Although there's virtually no chance that he duplicates his 54-homer performance from 2010, Bautista could hit 35 or so homers with 100 runs batted in. Even better, he also has position eligibility at third base.
14. Jason Heyward, Braves: Heyward, who will turn 22 years old in August, hit .301 after the All-Star break in his rookie season last year. This spring, Heyward has been hitting the ball well (.356 average over 18 games). I see a line of .290-90-25-90-10 for Heyward in 2011.
15. Hunter Pence, Astros: Pence set career highs in runs scored (93), runs batted in (91) and stolen bases (18) in addition to tying his existing career high in home runs (25) in 2010. With a solid average (career .287 hitter), Pence should help in all categories at a very fair price.
16. Alex Rios, White Sox: There were 38 outfielders that hit 20-plus home runs in 2010. There were 15 outfielders that stole 30-plus bases in 2010. There were only two that did both -- Rios and Cincinnati's Drew Stubbs. The worry about Rios is his inconsistency and 15 (of his 21) home runs and 23 (of his 34) stolen bases came before the All-Star break.
17. Andre Ethier, Dodgers: Ethier got off to a hot start (.392 average, 11 homers and 38 runs batted in through 33 games) before fracturing his right pinky finger, which he feels bothered him after he came back too soon from the injury. He still managed to finish the season with a .292 average, 23 home runs and 82 runs batted in despite missing 23 games.
18. Mike Stanton, Marlins: Between Double-A and the Marlins, Stanton hit 43 home runs and 111 runs batted in combined. Stanton has big-time power and could come close to hitting 40 homers in his first full season in the big leagues. (Take our poll on how many home runs Stanton will hit in 2011.)
19. Jay Bruce, Reds: Bruce, who will turn 24 in April, hit .281 -- .338 from August to October -- with 25 home runs last season. As MLB.com's John Schlegel points out, Bruce has hit more home runs (68) than any other player his age and he ranks 41st all-time for most home runs in his first three seasons.
20. Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox: As the Red Sox leadoff hitter, Ellsbury should hit for a good average and rack up a ton of steals and runs. If you're a glass-half-empty kind-of guy, he won't do much to help in the power categories.
21. B.J. Upton, Rays: In the past two seasons, Upton has hit .241 or less. On a positive note, however, Upton has stolen 40-plus bases for three consecutive seasons. In addition, he hit 18 home runs last year while setting a career high in doubles (38). Had a couple of those doubles been homers, he would have been the only 20-40 outfielder last season.
22. Delmon Young, Twins: Young, baseball's top overall draft pick in 2003, hit nearly .300 (.298, to be exact) while setting career highs in home runs (21) and runs batted in (112) last year.
23. Chris Young, Diamondbacks: Young set career highs in runs scored (94), runs batted in (91), stolen bases (28) and batting average (.257) while belting 27 home runs. Provided the composition of your team will help you withstand the negative impact Young will have on your team's batting average, Young will help you all other categories.
24. Shane Victorino, Phillies: From 2006 to 2009, Victorino hit .281 or better every season. Although his batting average slipped to .259 in 2010, it was also the only season since 2006 in which his BABIP was below .300. Expect a bounce-back in average for the Flyin' Hawaiian, who has averaged 92 runs, 14 homers and 33 steals over the past four seasons.
25. Drew Stubbs, Reds: While Stubbs won't help any in batting average, Stubbs was one of only two outfielders to hit 20-plus home runs and steal 30-plus bases in 2010, as noted above.
26. Colby Rasmus, Cardinals
27. Corey Hart, Brewers
28. Curtis Granderson, Yankees
29. Nick Markakis, Orioles
30. Carlos Lee, Astros
31. Torii Hunter, Angels
32. Bobby Abreu, Angels
33. Adam Jones, Orioles
34. Michael Bourn, Astros
35. Ben Zobrist, Rays
36. Juan Pierre, White Sox
37. Carlos Quentin, White Sox
38. Vernon Wells, Angels
39. Brett Gardner, Yankees
40. Nick Swisher, Yankees
41. Aubrey Huff, Giants
42. Grady Sizemore, Indians
43. Jason Bay, Mets
44. Rajai Davis, Blue Jays
45. Michael Cuddyer, Twins
46. Carlos Beltran, Mets
47. Chris Coghlan, Marlins
48. Denard Span, Twins
49. Manny Ramirez, Rays
50. Tyler Colvin, Cubs
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
See our fantasy rankings for infielders: C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Catcher Rankings
Year in and year out, catcher has often been a talent-scarce position when it comes to fantasy baseball.
In 2011, that's not necessarily the case.
In my opinion, the top four fantasy catchers are head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, but there are plenty of options as you go deeper into the draft that can help (or, at least, won't hurt) your team.
Here are the top 15 catchers for 2011:
1. Joe Mauer, Twins: Although Mauer is the top option at catcher in fantasy baseball, the power he exhibited two seasons ago (28 home runs) was nearly wiped out by the team's move to Target Field. Mauer, the 2009 American League MVP, hit only nine home runs -- even worse, only one in 239 at bats at home -- in 2010. That said, Mauer has won 60 percent of the A.L. Batting Titles over the past five seasons.
In our opinion, who should be the No. 2 fantasy catcher is less clear-cut, which led us to set up this poll question and this discussion thread so let your voice be heard.
2. Victor Martinez, Tigers: Martinez, who was in Boston last year, led all catchers in runs batted in (79) while hitting over .300 (.302, to be precise) in 2010. Now that V-Mart is with Detroit, he is expected to see lots of, um, action as the team's designated hitter, which should boost his number of plate appearances.
3. Buster Posey, Giants: Posey, last year's NL Rookie of the Year, hit .305 with 18 home runs and 67 runs batted in. Last season, Posey played 30 games at first base, but manager Bruce Bochy says that Posey will get a "complete day off" when he's not catching in 2011.
4. Brian McCann, Braves: During the span of the past three seasons, McCann leads all catchers in runs batted in (258) and is second in home runs (65) to Mike Napoli. That's the good news. The bad news is his batting average has slid in back-to-back seasons (.301 to .281 to .269).
5. Geovany Soto, Cubs: In the past three seasons, Soto has hit .280-plus twice with a sub-.220 season in between. During that span, Soto has averaged only 116 games per season and has hit one home run per 22.5 at bats. If he stays healthy and gets close to 500 at bats (as he did in 2008), a realistic line for Soto is .275-60-20-75.
6. Carlos Santana, Indians: A top ten prospect by Baseball America in 2010, Santana was called up in June and hit .345 with four homers and 15 runs batted in over 18 games that month. After June and before getting hurt, however, Santana hit only .207 with two home runs and seven runs batted in over 28 games. The sky's the limit for Santana, but there may be some bumps along the way for the young catcher.
7. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks: Montero missed roughly half the season in 2010 and hit only .222 (35 for 158) from August to October. In the previous season (2009), however, Montero hit .294 with 16 home runs in 128 games.
8. Matt Wieters, Orioles: In many instances, folks overreact to the hype. While Wieters has generally disappointed since being called up, he's still under 25 years old. There is time for him to develop into an elite fantasy catcher and he might actually be somewhat under the radar heading into 2011.
9. Mike Napoli, Rangers: Over the past three seasons, no catcher has hit more home runs (66) than Napoli, who lands in Texas (via Toronto) this off-season. After a couple of seasons with a respectable batting average (.270-plus), Napoli regressed last year to .238 (his lowest average since his rookie season). Although he hit over .300 versus lefties (.305), he hit only .208 against right-handers.
10. Kurt Suzuki, Athletics: Last season, Suzuki hit a career-low .242 although he ranked fourth amongst catchers in runs batted in (71). This off-season, the A's made a few free-agent acquisitions that should help take some pressure off Suzuki and help him bounce back. The question is how much? If it's to 2009 levels (.274 average with 15 home runs and 88 RBI), he's a huge bargain at where he's being drafted.
11. Jorge Posada, Yankees: The addition of Russell Martin will help Posada, who has played only 282 games over the past three seasons, keep from wearing down in 2011 as he's expected to mostly be the team's designated hitter. I expect his batting average to bounce back closer to his career average (.275) and excluding the 2008 season when he played only 51 games, Posada has hit 18-plus homers every year since 2000.
12. Yadier Molina, Cardinals: It's not too often that you get (nor do you look for) stolen bases from your catcher, but Molina has 17 of them over the past two seasons. Molina's batting average declined to .262 last year, but his cumulative batting average over the past three seasons is .286. Molina is a guy that likely won't hurt your roster while giving you something that you would least expect from this position.
13. Chris Iannetta, Rockies: Iannetta is the anti-Mauer. He's not going to win a batting title anytime soon, but he's close to a lock to provide you with 20-plus homers from the catcher position with the full-time job, which he now has. In 154 games over the past two seasons combined, Iannetta has hit only .216 but he also hit 25 home runs (in 477 at bats). That's one home run per every 19 at bats.
14. J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays: Arencibia is another guy that will likely hurt you in batting average but help you in the power categories. Between Triple-A and a few games with the Jays last year, Arencibia hit a total of 34 home runs in 496 at bats.
15. Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: Ruiz is the Adam LaRoche of the catcher position. In other words, his splits before and after the All-Star break tell a completely different story. Over the past three years, Ruiz has hit only .237 before the break, but he has hit .285 after the break. The contrast wasn't as great in 2010 (.283 and .316 splits, respectively).
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
In 2011, that's not necessarily the case.
In my opinion, the top four fantasy catchers are head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, but there are plenty of options as you go deeper into the draft that can help (or, at least, won't hurt) your team.
Here are the top 15 catchers for 2011:
1. Joe Mauer, Twins: Although Mauer is the top option at catcher in fantasy baseball, the power he exhibited two seasons ago (28 home runs) was nearly wiped out by the team's move to Target Field. Mauer, the 2009 American League MVP, hit only nine home runs -- even worse, only one in 239 at bats at home -- in 2010. That said, Mauer has won 60 percent of the A.L. Batting Titles over the past five seasons.
In our opinion, who should be the No. 2 fantasy catcher is less clear-cut, which led us to set up this poll question and this discussion thread so let your voice be heard.
2. Victor Martinez, Tigers: Martinez, who was in Boston last year, led all catchers in runs batted in (79) while hitting over .300 (.302, to be precise) in 2010. Now that V-Mart is with Detroit, he is expected to see lots of, um, action as the team's designated hitter, which should boost his number of plate appearances.
3. Buster Posey, Giants: Posey, last year's NL Rookie of the Year, hit .305 with 18 home runs and 67 runs batted in. Last season, Posey played 30 games at first base, but manager Bruce Bochy says that Posey will get a "complete day off" when he's not catching in 2011.
4. Brian McCann, Braves: During the span of the past three seasons, McCann leads all catchers in runs batted in (258) and is second in home runs (65) to Mike Napoli. That's the good news. The bad news is his batting average has slid in back-to-back seasons (.301 to .281 to .269).
5. Geovany Soto, Cubs: In the past three seasons, Soto has hit .280-plus twice with a sub-.220 season in between. During that span, Soto has averaged only 116 games per season and has hit one home run per 22.5 at bats. If he stays healthy and gets close to 500 at bats (as he did in 2008), a realistic line for Soto is .275-60-20-75.
6. Carlos Santana, Indians: A top ten prospect by Baseball America in 2010, Santana was called up in June and hit .345 with four homers and 15 runs batted in over 18 games that month. After June and before getting hurt, however, Santana hit only .207 with two home runs and seven runs batted in over 28 games. The sky's the limit for Santana, but there may be some bumps along the way for the young catcher.
7. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks: Montero missed roughly half the season in 2010 and hit only .222 (35 for 158) from August to October. In the previous season (2009), however, Montero hit .294 with 16 home runs in 128 games.
8. Matt Wieters, Orioles: In many instances, folks overreact to the hype. While Wieters has generally disappointed since being called up, he's still under 25 years old. There is time for him to develop into an elite fantasy catcher and he might actually be somewhat under the radar heading into 2011.
9. Mike Napoli, Rangers: Over the past three seasons, no catcher has hit more home runs (66) than Napoli, who lands in Texas (via Toronto) this off-season. After a couple of seasons with a respectable batting average (.270-plus), Napoli regressed last year to .238 (his lowest average since his rookie season). Although he hit over .300 versus lefties (.305), he hit only .208 against right-handers.
10. Kurt Suzuki, Athletics: Last season, Suzuki hit a career-low .242 although he ranked fourth amongst catchers in runs batted in (71). This off-season, the A's made a few free-agent acquisitions that should help take some pressure off Suzuki and help him bounce back. The question is how much? If it's to 2009 levels (.274 average with 15 home runs and 88 RBI), he's a huge bargain at where he's being drafted.
11. Jorge Posada, Yankees: The addition of Russell Martin will help Posada, who has played only 282 games over the past three seasons, keep from wearing down in 2011 as he's expected to mostly be the team's designated hitter. I expect his batting average to bounce back closer to his career average (.275) and excluding the 2008 season when he played only 51 games, Posada has hit 18-plus homers every year since 2000.
12. Yadier Molina, Cardinals: It's not too often that you get (nor do you look for) stolen bases from your catcher, but Molina has 17 of them over the past two seasons. Molina's batting average declined to .262 last year, but his cumulative batting average over the past three seasons is .286. Molina is a guy that likely won't hurt your roster while giving you something that you would least expect from this position.
13. Chris Iannetta, Rockies: Iannetta is the anti-Mauer. He's not going to win a batting title anytime soon, but he's close to a lock to provide you with 20-plus homers from the catcher position with the full-time job, which he now has. In 154 games over the past two seasons combined, Iannetta has hit only .216 but he also hit 25 home runs (in 477 at bats). That's one home run per every 19 at bats.
14. J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays: Arencibia is another guy that will likely hurt you in batting average but help you in the power categories. Between Triple-A and a few games with the Jays last year, Arencibia hit a total of 34 home runs in 496 at bats.
15. Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: Ruiz is the Adam LaRoche of the catcher position. In other words, his splits before and after the All-Star break tell a completely different story. Over the past three years, Ruiz has hit only .237 before the break, but he has hit .285 after the break. The contrast wasn't as great in 2010 (.283 and .316 splits, respectively).
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Miguel Montero to have knee surgery
The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed catcher Miguel Montero, who will require knee surgery, on the 15-day disabled list (DL), per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
Montero has a torn meniscus and additional tests will be performed to verify whether there is any additional damage to the knee.
"I don't think it's fair to throw out too many timetables until we get the final tests on Monday," [manager A.J.] Hinch said.
In four games, Montero was batting .500 (6-for-12) with three runs batted in. While he is out, Chris Snyder will take his place.
Snyder, who is 1-for-6 this season, hit a career-high 16 home runs with 64 runs batted in during the 2008 season.
Montero has a torn meniscus and additional tests will be performed to verify whether there is any additional damage to the knee.
"I don't think it's fair to throw out too many timetables until we get the final tests on Monday," [manager A.J.] Hinch said.
In four games, Montero was batting .500 (6-for-12) with three runs batted in. While he is out, Chris Snyder will take his place.
Snyder, who is 1-for-6 this season, hit a career-high 16 home runs with 64 runs batted in during the 2008 season.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Another strong spring outing for Carmona
Cleveland Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona has now lowered his spring ERA to 0.45 after he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks today.
In the past three seasons, Carmona's numbers have deteriorated each year.
That said, Carmona won 19 games in 2007 and finished the season with an ERA of 3.06.
According to MockDraftCentral.com, Carmona is not in the top 108 starting pitchers off the board as far as average draft position (ADP) is concerned.
Considering his low (or non-existent) ADP, Carmona has certainly become viable as a late-round sleeper with a good chance to bounce back in 2010.
In the past three seasons, Carmona's numbers have deteriorated each year.
That said, Carmona won 19 games in 2007 and finished the season with an ERA of 3.06.
According to MockDraftCentral.com, Carmona is not in the top 108 starting pitchers off the board as far as average draft position (ADP) is concerned.
Considering his low (or non-existent) ADP, Carmona has certainly become viable as a late-round sleeper with a good chance to bounce back in 2010.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
D'Backs, Upton agree to six-year deal
The Arizona Diamondbacks and outfielder Justin Upton have agreed to a six-year contract worth more than $50 million, per FoxSports.com.
The deal is expected to be announced Wednesday and it will keep the 22-year-old in Arizona through the 2015 season.
As Steve Gilbert of MLB.com points out, Upton's contract will be the second-largest contract in franchise history behind the $53.4 million contract they gave to Randy Johnson.
Upton, who was the top overall pick in the 2005 amateur draft, hit .300 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in while stealing 20 bases in 138 games in 2009.
Many expect Arizona third baseman Mark Reynolds to be next. However, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted that the Diamondbacks are "not nearly as far along with Reynolds as they are with Upton" and that they "may need to go year to year."
(Note: Duncan Sanford and I will preview corner infielders on our Fantasy Baseball Weekly podcast tonight.)
In fantasy baseball drafts, Upton will be one of the top five outfielders drafted along with guys like Ryan Braun, Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Matt Holliday. In keeper leagues, he should be one of the top three outfielders drafted along with Braun and Kemp.
The deal is expected to be announced Wednesday and it will keep the 22-year-old in Arizona through the 2015 season.
As Steve Gilbert of MLB.com points out, Upton's contract will be the second-largest contract in franchise history behind the $53.4 million contract they gave to Randy Johnson.
Upton, who was the top overall pick in the 2005 amateur draft, hit .300 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in while stealing 20 bases in 138 games in 2009.
Many expect Arizona third baseman Mark Reynolds to be next. However, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted that the Diamondbacks are "not nearly as far along with Reynolds as they are with Upton" and that they "may need to go year to year."
(Note: Duncan Sanford and I will preview corner infielders on our Fantasy Baseball Weekly podcast tonight.)
In fantasy baseball drafts, Upton will be one of the top five outfielders drafted along with guys like Ryan Braun, Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Matt Holliday. In keeper leagues, he should be one of the top three outfielders drafted along with Braun and Kemp.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Webb throws first bullpen session since surgery
For the first time since surgery in August, Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb threw off the mound on Tuesday.
Webb said, "I felt good this morning. I'm right where I expected to be. Having not been on the mound in a year, I am pleased with how I felt."
"He looked comfortable," [D'Backs manager A.J.] Hinch said. "This is a positive sign as we’re getting close to spring training. I thought he looked good.”
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on the 19th, but Webb will throw another bullpen session before then.
Hinch said last month, "We're not going to arbitrarily hold him back if he's ready. But I want him to know that if he's a few days or a week behind the other pitchers, that's fine, too. I don't want that seen as a failure if that happens. We'll see how the next few weeks go and then make a determination on his schedule."
As the 37th-ranked fantasy starter in Yahoo's pre-season rankings, Webb could be a bargain if he regains (anything close to) the form he had in his last full season.
Webb, who pitched only four innings in 2009, was 22-7 with an ERA of 3.30 in 2008.
Webb said, "I felt good this morning. I'm right where I expected to be. Having not been on the mound in a year, I am pleased with how I felt."
"He looked comfortable," [D'Backs manager A.J.] Hinch said. "This is a positive sign as we’re getting close to spring training. I thought he looked good.”
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on the 19th, but Webb will throw another bullpen session before then.
Hinch said last month, "We're not going to arbitrarily hold him back if he's ready. But I want him to know that if he's a few days or a week behind the other pitchers, that's fine, too. I don't want that seen as a failure if that happens. We'll see how the next few weeks go and then make a determination on his schedule."
As the 37th-ranked fantasy starter in Yahoo's pre-season rankings, Webb could be a bargain if he regains (anything close to) the form he had in his last full season.
Webb, who pitched only four innings in 2009, was 22-7 with an ERA of 3.30 in 2008.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Not quite mid-season awards: N.L. Cy Young
Over the next day or two, I'm going to select my winner (i.e., current leader) and runner-up for the Cy Young and MVP (not to be confused with MP3) in both leagues.
It goes without saying, although I'll say it anyways, this is highly subjective and is merely my (well-thought-out, compelling, coherent) opinion.
That being said, I encourage that you provide feedback (and your selection, if you disagree) in the comments' section.
So, let's begin with the N.L. Cy Young Award.
The N.L. Cy Young Award goes to ... (drum roll, please) ... Matt Cain, San Francisco. With a 9-1 record, Cain is one of three nine-game winners in the N.L. Chad Billingsley (Dodgers) and Jason Marquis (Rockies) are the other two. He's also third in ERA (2.39) behind Johnny Cueto (Reds) and Dan Haren (D'Backs).
In his past five starts, Cain is 5-0 with three complete games. His three complete games lead the N.L. In his past five starts, he has 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings pitched. During that span, Cain has an ERA of 2.02.
With the exception of a five-inning performance in a 4-1 win over the Nationals, Cain has pitched six (or more) innings in every start.
Runner-up: Dan Haren, Diamondbacks - Haren leads the NL in innings pitched (101), strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.38), WHIP (0.82), BAA (.193) and is second in ERA (2.23). He is tied for third in strikeouts (96) with Chad Billingsley. He's pitched six (or more) innings in every start and he has only allowed more than three runs in one start (May 23rd).
While he has a mediocre win-loss record of 6-4, it's not his fault. He allowed only seven runs in 26 innings, which is an ERA of 2.42, in his four losses. His team gave him two runs (total) in those four losses as support. If only he and the D'Backs (29-39) had a better record...
Honorable Mention (not necessarily in order): Tim Lincecum (Giants), Johnny Cueto (Reds), Johan Santana (Mets), Chad Billingsley (Dodgers), Yovani Gallardo (Brewers), Josh Johnson (Marlins), Javier Vazquez (Braves)
It goes without saying, although I'll say it anyways, this is highly subjective and is merely my (well-thought-out, compelling, coherent) opinion.
That being said, I encourage that you provide feedback (and your selection, if you disagree) in the comments' section.
So, let's begin with the N.L. Cy Young Award.
The N.L. Cy Young Award goes to ... (drum roll, please) ... Matt Cain, San Francisco. With a 9-1 record, Cain is one of three nine-game winners in the N.L. Chad Billingsley (Dodgers) and Jason Marquis (Rockies) are the other two. He's also third in ERA (2.39) behind Johnny Cueto (Reds) and Dan Haren (D'Backs).
In his past five starts, Cain is 5-0 with three complete games. His three complete games lead the N.L. In his past five starts, he has 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings pitched. During that span, Cain has an ERA of 2.02.
With the exception of a five-inning performance in a 4-1 win over the Nationals, Cain has pitched six (or more) innings in every start.
Runner-up: Dan Haren, Diamondbacks - Haren leads the NL in innings pitched (101), strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.38), WHIP (0.82), BAA (.193) and is second in ERA (2.23). He is tied for third in strikeouts (96) with Chad Billingsley. He's pitched six (or more) innings in every start and he has only allowed more than three runs in one start (May 23rd).
While he has a mediocre win-loss record of 6-4, it's not his fault. He allowed only seven runs in 26 innings, which is an ERA of 2.42, in his four losses. His team gave him two runs (total) in those four losses as support. If only he and the D'Backs (29-39) had a better record...
Honorable Mention (not necessarily in order): Tim Lincecum (Giants), Johnny Cueto (Reds), Johan Santana (Mets), Chad Billingsley (Dodgers), Yovani Gallardo (Brewers), Josh Johnson (Marlins), Javier Vazquez (Braves)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Wife of Scott Schoeneweis found dead
According to the Associated Press, the wife of Diamondbacks reliever Scott Schoeneweis was found dead in their home by their 14-year-old daughter.
The cause of death for Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis, who was 39 years old, hasn't yet been determined.
May she rest in peace.
The cause of death for Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis, who was 39 years old, hasn't yet been determined.
May she rest in peace.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Bob Melvin out, A.J. Hinch in?
The what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude is no more prevalent than it is in professional sports.
Thursday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Melvin, who was named the N.L. Manager of the Year in 2007. In addition to Melvin, hitting coach Rick Schu was fired and pitching coach Bryan Price resigned.
The Diamondbacks are currently 12-17 and 8 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the N.L. West.
Thursday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Melvin, who was named the N.L. Manager of the Year in 2007. In addition to Melvin, hitting coach Rick Schu was fired and pitching coach Bryan Price resigned.
"Bob has done great things for this organization," General Manager Josh Byrnes said in the statement. "Having worked with him for nearly four years, I have a great deal of respect for his character and skills."Director of Player Development A.J. Hinch is expected to replace Melvin.
The Diamondbacks are currently 12-17 and 8 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the N.L. West.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Stephen Drew lands on 15-day DL
The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed shortstop Stephen Drew on the 15-day disabled list.
After tweaking his hammy against the Giants on the 17th, Drew returned to the lineup on the 22nd. He felt pain on Friday the 24th early in the game and now he will have the opportunity to let it heal.
After tweaking his hammy against the Giants on the 17th, Drew returned to the lineup on the 22nd. He felt pain on Friday the 24th early in the game and now he will have the opportunity to let it heal.
"We figured if it's six or seven days before he'd be able to play again, rather than go short-(handed) for that long, go ahead and put him on the DL and get him healthy," Melvin said.Drew is 1-for-15 since April 15th and he was hitting only .205 on the season.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Setback for Brandon Webb
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb suffered a setback in his rehab.
Webb, who made his first bullpen workout on Tuesday, skipped his bullpen session on Friday due to tightness in his shoulder.
Webb, who made his first bullpen workout on Tuesday, skipped his bullpen session on Friday due to tightness in his shoulder.
“It’s obviously a little confusing because he felt good the last time out,” [D'Backs manager Bog] Melvin said before the Diamondbacks hosted the San Francisco Giants. “All the maintenance stuff leading up to (Friday) would suggest he felt good. Once he played catch there was just some tightness in the same spot and we didn’t want to push it any further than that.”Webb was placed on the 15-day DL on April 13th retroactive to April 7th.
“He’s a guy we’re going to be careful with,” Melvin said. “We’re not going to push him and say `See if you can throw through it and see if it loosens up.’ He’s too important for us to try to push through something through that.”
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Big Unit now four away from 300
San Francisco Giants pitcher Randy Johnson took a no-hitter into the seventh inning to earn his 296th victory of his career.
The no-hitter was broken up by Augie Ojeda's double to lead off the seventh, but Johnson won the game 2-0 over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In his 22-year career, the only team he had never faced was the Diamondbacks. Of course, Johnson won four (of his five) Cy Young awards and a World Series with the D'Backs.
Johnson pitched for the D'Backs for two stints (1999-2004 and 2007-2008).
Once the Big Unit wins his 300th game, he might be the last for a long, long time. The next three among active pitchers are Jamie Moyer (247), Andy Pettitte (216) and John Smoltz (210). Pettitte is the only of the three under 40, but he's clearly seen his best days.
The no-hitter was broken up by Augie Ojeda's double to lead off the seventh, but Johnson won the game 2-0 over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In his 22-year career, the only team he had never faced was the Diamondbacks. Of course, Johnson won four (of his five) Cy Young awards and a World Series with the D'Backs.
Johnson pitched for the D'Backs for two stints (1999-2004 and 2007-2008).
Once the Big Unit wins his 300th game, he might be the last for a long, long time. The next three among active pitchers are Jamie Moyer (247), Andy Pettitte (216) and John Smoltz (210). Pettitte is the only of the three under 40, but he's clearly seen his best days.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Did Schoeneweis about steroid tests ahead of time?
Did Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Scott Schoeneweis, former player union rep who took steroids, know when drug tests would be administered?
According to a report in the New York Times, via Arizona Republic, Schoeneweis was quoted as saying "he knew when tests were going to occur."
However, Schoeneweis says he was misquoted and that he meant that he only knew tests were coming in 2003 - not when specific tests would be administered.
The one thing I know is I no longer know what to believe any more about the whole steroids era. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if he abused his powers as player rep considering he cheated the game by using steroids.
According to a report in the New York Times, via Arizona Republic, Schoeneweis was quoted as saying "he knew when tests were going to occur."
However, Schoeneweis says he was misquoted and that he meant that he only knew tests were coming in 2003 - not when specific tests would be administered.
The one thing I know is I no longer know what to believe any more about the whole steroids era. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if he abused his powers as player rep considering he cheated the game by using steroids.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Brandon Webb placed on DL
Arizona Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb was hoping to make his first start of the season last night.
Instead, he landed on the 15-day disabled list. The good news is there is no structural damage.
In his place, Yusmeiro Petit started last night and is expected to remain in the rotation until Webb returns. The D'Backs lost 11-2, but Petit only surrendered three hits and two walks in five innings pitched.
Manager Bob Melvin says it's better to be safe than sorry with their ace this early in the season.
Instead, he landed on the 15-day disabled list. The good news is there is no structural damage.
“No, there’s no concern,” he said. “The MRIs are all good. If there’s no structural damage, there’s nothing to worry about. All that stuff’s good. We’ve got some fluid in there, I think, that Dr. (Michael) Lee said might not be allowing me to have my full range of motion. That might be part of it. We’re looking to get that down and hopefully it will get better quickly.”The move is retroactive to Tuesday, which means that Webb could make his next start on April 22nd if all goes well.
In his place, Yusmeiro Petit started last night and is expected to remain in the rotation until Webb returns. The D'Backs lost 11-2, but Petit only surrendered three hits and two walks in five innings pitched.
Manager Bob Melvin says it's better to be safe than sorry with their ace this early in the season.
"Early in the season, we can't be too careful with a guy like that," Melvin said.This is only the second DL stint in Webb's career. The other time was in 2003.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Why D'Backs withdrew offer to Webb
Last year, the Arizona Diamondbacks had offered ace pitcher Brandon Webb a three-year deal worth $54 million. And then the D'Backs withdrew their offer to Webb.
At the time the offer was withdrawn, neither Webb nor the team indicated the reason.
However, the Arizona Republic, via Foxsports.com, is reporting that the team withdrew the offer due to the inability to secure insurance. The insurance company "expressed concerns about the right-hander's arm."
Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes wouldn't discuss the report with the Arizona Republic.
At the time the offer was withdrawn, neither Webb nor the team indicated the reason.
However, the Arizona Republic, via Foxsports.com, is reporting that the team withdrew the offer due to the inability to secure insurance. The insurance company "expressed concerns about the right-hander's arm."
Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes wouldn't discuss the report with the Arizona Republic.
"When it comes to details pertaining to negotiations, it's not something I want to talk about on or off the record.""In the short term," Byrnes continued, "we will continue to monitor Brandon's (health) status and I believe he will be back on the mound shortly. We'll keep everyone notified of that, but talking about his contract or any negotiations is not something we want to talk about."
Webb, who will miss his Saturday start due to stiffness in his shoulder, is under contract for this year and the team has an option for 2010.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Curt Schilling is officially retired
As posted on his blog, Curt Schilling is "calling it quits."
Schilling retires with a career record of 216-146, 3116 strikeouts (14th all-time) and an ERA of 3.46. Schilling was a part of three World Championship teams (2001 D'Backs as well as the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox).
Let the Hall of Fame debate begin...
"The game always gave me far more than I ever gave it. All of those things, every single one of those memories is enveloped with fan sights and sounds for me. Without the fans they would still be great memories, but none would be enduring and unforgettable because they infused the energy, rage, passion and ‘feel’ of all of those times. The game was here long before I was, and will be here long after I am gone. The only thing I hope I did was never put in question my love for the game, or my passion to be counted on when it mattered most. I did everything I could to win every time I was handed the ball."Despite being a Yankees fan, what I respected most about Schilling was his passion for the game and his appreciation of its history. Unlike many younger players in baseball (and other sports), they don't have an appreciation for what those before them have done. (But, of course, I still think Schilling is a loud-mouth.)
"I am and always will be more grateful than any of you could ever possibly know."
Schilling retires with a career record of 216-146, 3116 strikeouts (14th all-time) and an ERA of 3.46. Schilling was a part of three World Championship teams (2001 D'Backs as well as the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox).
Let the Hall of Fame debate begin...
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