After injuring his left knee while sliding yesterday, Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez is scheduled to get an MRI today, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The glass-half-full view is that there appears to be no swelling, which probably rules out the ACL. But Ramirez says he isn't sure if the injury is serious.
"I don't know; I've never had knee problems before, so I don't know what
to expect," Ramirez said. "It doesn't feel too good right now, but the good
thing is it's not swelling at all. It's just sore."
"According to what our doctors said, they felt pretty good yesterday
when they examined him," manager Ron Roenicke said. "I feel pretty good about it. There's
not a lot of swelling in there. Hopefully it's what we think it is, and
he'll just be out a couple days."
Not only did Ramirez hit .300 in back-to-back seasons, but he hit 27 home runs with 92 runs and 105 runs batted in, all of which were four-year highs, in his first season with the Brewers. In addition, he set a career high with nine steals. He had more than two steals in only one other season (five in 2001).
In our consensus fantasy baseball rankings, Ramirez is our ninth-ranked third baseman.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
2013 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 30 First Basemen
Before signing a mega contract with the Angels last offseason, Albert Pujols was "El Hombre" and "machine-like" during his 11 seasons with the Cardinals.
Even though he added some steals to his game more recently, he was a lock for a line of .300/100/30/100. In fact, he only missed 100 runs once (99 in 2007), 100 runs batted in once (99 in 2011) and a .300 batting average only once (.299 in 2011).
With the switch to the American League in 2012, things did not start nearly as well for Pujols. In his first 27 games and 114 plate appearances, Pujols was homer-less. In addition, he had only five runs batted in and nine runs scored during that 27-game span.
Despite his slow start, Pujols ended up with respectable year-end numbers. He drove in 105 runs, but he set career lows of .285 average, 30 home runs and 85 runs scored.
The biggest concern with Pujols as we head into the 2013 season is his recovery from offseason knee surgery. He initially suffered the injury in August, but he has told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times that "if the season started tomorrow, I'd be playing, but there's no reason to push it."
With the team's offseason addition of Josh Hamilton to an already-potent lineup, Pujols will have more opportunities to score runs and drive in runs and I expect a bounce-back season.
More Blues for Gonzalez Owners in 2013?
The 2012 season was one that first baseman Adrian Gonzalez would like to forget.
Traded near the end of the season back to his home-state Dodgers, Gonzalez hit a home run in his first at-bat. Unfortunately, he hit only two more in his other 144 Dodger at-bats last season.
Gonzalez felt as though his swing never felt right last season and attributed that to "trying too hard."
That said, he closed the season with a 15-game hitting streak, the longest by any Dodger in 2012. Looking ahead to 2013, will Gonzalez bounce back?
Based on this report from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, it appears that Gonzalez is in great shape. Provided he doesn't try to do too much in 2013, Gonzalez has the potential to provide fantasy owners a huge discount in 2013.
Feeling lucky?
Dunn: You Know What to Expect
Chicago White Sox first baseman and designated hitter Adam Dunn had a season to forget after signing a free-agency deal with the club in 2011.
An extremely productive power hitter, Dunn had 38-plus homers each year and drove in 100-plus runs in six of the previous seven seasons. Not only was he productive, but there was minimal variability in his power production.
After hitting 46 homers in 2004, Dunn hit exactly 40 home runs for four consecutive years and then 38 homers in back-to-back seasons before joining the White Sox. In addition, he had 100-plus runs batted in six times during that seven-year span. The lone exception was a 92-RBI season.
While he was never going to win a batting title, Dunn's batting average was not as much of a negative in the recent past before getting to Chicago. He hit .260-plus in three of the four previous seasons.
Virtually nothing went right in 2011.
Not only did he hit a career-low .159 (.064 vs. LHP) and strike out a career-worst 35.7 percent of the time, his power production evaporated. For the first time in his career, he had a single-digit HR/FB ratio (9.6 percent). His previous career low of 17.8 percent was set as a rookie in 2002. It has been 20-plus percent in every other year of his career.
Last year, Dunn's HR/FB ratio skyrocketed to a career-high 29.3 percent as he hit 41 home runs and drove in 96 runs. More than 37 percent of his base hits were round-trippers.
While Dunn's power production returned and his batting average jumped 45 points, the bad news is he still hit only .204, the second-lowest of his career.
Drafting Dunn will give you an affordable source of power production, but draft accordingly to compensate for the damage he will do your team's batting average. With an average draft position of 162 (19th among first basemen) from Mock Draft Central, Dunn won't be your starting first basemen unless you're in a deep league or sustain injuries.
But let's say you have someone else like Philadelphia's Ben Revere (ADP: 189) on your bench. Like virtually all base-stealers, Revere stole a large majority of his bases (31 of 40) last year when facing righties. If I owned both Dunn and Revere as possible utility options, I would alternate them based on which player was facing a right-handed starter that night. If they both were, then I'd go with whichever stat I needed more (steals or homers).
The Real Deal or a Fluke Season for Encarnacion?
Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion broke out in a big way in 2012 shattering his previous career highs with 42 home runs and 110 runs batted in over a career-high 151 games. In addition, he scored 93 runs and stole 13 bases, both of which are career bests.
In his previous two seasons combined, Encarnacion hit a total of 38 home runs and drove in 106 runs over 230 games and 813 at-bats. Previous single-season career highs for Encarnacion were 26 home runs (2008), 76 runs batted in (2007) and 75 runs scored (2007).
With all of the team's offseason moves, the Blue Jays will continue to score runs and Encarnacion will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.
From my perspective, however, I will always be skeptical about a breakout season that occurs in a player's eighth season in the big leagues. Not that I expect him to revert to pre-2012 production, the chance that he duplicates his 2012 numbers is extremely low.
For 2013, I see a season of 30 home runs, 80 runs batted in and a .270 average for Encarnacion. Based on his average draft position of 21 (via Mock Draft Central), I'll pass and let someone else in my leagues take the chance that Encarnacion comes closer to his 2012 numbers than I expect.
Here are my 2013 fantasy first basemen rankings:
1. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels
2. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
3. Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers
4. Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
6. Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays
7. Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals
8. Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals
9. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
10. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
11. Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
12. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
13. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
14. Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals
15. Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs
16. Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels
17. Ike Davis, New York Mets
18. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
19. Mike Napoli, Boston Red Sox
20. David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
21. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox
22. Kendrys Morales, Seattle Mariners
23. Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies
24. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals
25. Dustin Ackley, Seattle Mariners
26. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox
27. Nick Swisher, Cleveland Indians
28. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
29. Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
30. Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
For a second opinion, check out Duncan Sanford's first basemen rankings. (Or view our consensus catcher rankings here.)
Other positions: C - 1B - 2B - 3B - SS - OF - SP - RP
To keep track of our updates, follow us on Twitter @EDSBaseball, LIKE us on Facebook and/or add us to your Google+ circle.
Even though he added some steals to his game more recently, he was a lock for a line of .300/100/30/100. In fact, he only missed 100 runs once (99 in 2007), 100 runs batted in once (99 in 2011) and a .300 batting average only once (.299 in 2011).
With the switch to the American League in 2012, things did not start nearly as well for Pujols. In his first 27 games and 114 plate appearances, Pujols was homer-less. In addition, he had only five runs batted in and nine runs scored during that 27-game span.
Despite his slow start, Pujols ended up with respectable year-end numbers. He drove in 105 runs, but he set career lows of .285 average, 30 home runs and 85 runs scored.
The biggest concern with Pujols as we head into the 2013 season is his recovery from offseason knee surgery. He initially suffered the injury in August, but he has told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times that "if the season started tomorrow, I'd be playing, but there's no reason to push it."
With the team's offseason addition of Josh Hamilton to an already-potent lineup, Pujols will have more opportunities to score runs and drive in runs and I expect a bounce-back season.
More Blues for Gonzalez Owners in 2013?
The 2012 season was one that first baseman Adrian Gonzalez would like to forget.
Traded near the end of the season back to his home-state Dodgers, Gonzalez hit a home run in his first at-bat. Unfortunately, he hit only two more in his other 144 Dodger at-bats last season.
Gonzalez felt as though his swing never felt right last season and attributed that to "trying too hard."
That said, he closed the season with a 15-game hitting streak, the longest by any Dodger in 2012. Looking ahead to 2013, will Gonzalez bounce back?
Based on this report from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, it appears that Gonzalez is in great shape. Provided he doesn't try to do too much in 2013, Gonzalez has the potential to provide fantasy owners a huge discount in 2013.
Feeling lucky?
Dunn: You Know What to Expect
Chicago White Sox first baseman and designated hitter Adam Dunn had a season to forget after signing a free-agency deal with the club in 2011.
An extremely productive power hitter, Dunn had 38-plus homers each year and drove in 100-plus runs in six of the previous seven seasons. Not only was he productive, but there was minimal variability in his power production.
After hitting 46 homers in 2004, Dunn hit exactly 40 home runs for four consecutive years and then 38 homers in back-to-back seasons before joining the White Sox. In addition, he had 100-plus runs batted in six times during that seven-year span. The lone exception was a 92-RBI season.
While he was never going to win a batting title, Dunn's batting average was not as much of a negative in the recent past before getting to Chicago. He hit .260-plus in three of the four previous seasons.
Virtually nothing went right in 2011.
Not only did he hit a career-low .159 (.064 vs. LHP) and strike out a career-worst 35.7 percent of the time, his power production evaporated. For the first time in his career, he had a single-digit HR/FB ratio (9.6 percent). His previous career low of 17.8 percent was set as a rookie in 2002. It has been 20-plus percent in every other year of his career.
Last year, Dunn's HR/FB ratio skyrocketed to a career-high 29.3 percent as he hit 41 home runs and drove in 96 runs. More than 37 percent of his base hits were round-trippers.
While Dunn's power production returned and his batting average jumped 45 points, the bad news is he still hit only .204, the second-lowest of his career.
Drafting Dunn will give you an affordable source of power production, but draft accordingly to compensate for the damage he will do your team's batting average. With an average draft position of 162 (19th among first basemen) from Mock Draft Central, Dunn won't be your starting first basemen unless you're in a deep league or sustain injuries.
But let's say you have someone else like Philadelphia's Ben Revere (ADP: 189) on your bench. Like virtually all base-stealers, Revere stole a large majority of his bases (31 of 40) last year when facing righties. If I owned both Dunn and Revere as possible utility options, I would alternate them based on which player was facing a right-handed starter that night. If they both were, then I'd go with whichever stat I needed more (steals or homers).
The Real Deal or a Fluke Season for Encarnacion?
Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion broke out in a big way in 2012 shattering his previous career highs with 42 home runs and 110 runs batted in over a career-high 151 games. In addition, he scored 93 runs and stole 13 bases, both of which are career bests.
In his previous two seasons combined, Encarnacion hit a total of 38 home runs and drove in 106 runs over 230 games and 813 at-bats. Previous single-season career highs for Encarnacion were 26 home runs (2008), 76 runs batted in (2007) and 75 runs scored (2007).
With all of the team's offseason moves, the Blue Jays will continue to score runs and Encarnacion will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.
From my perspective, however, I will always be skeptical about a breakout season that occurs in a player's eighth season in the big leagues. Not that I expect him to revert to pre-2012 production, the chance that he duplicates his 2012 numbers is extremely low.
For 2013, I see a season of 30 home runs, 80 runs batted in and a .270 average for Encarnacion. Based on his average draft position of 21 (via Mock Draft Central), I'll pass and let someone else in my leagues take the chance that Encarnacion comes closer to his 2012 numbers than I expect.
Here are my 2013 fantasy first basemen rankings:
1. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels
2. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
3. Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers
4. Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
6. Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays
7. Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals
8. Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals
9. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
10. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
11. Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
12. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
13. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
14. Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals
15. Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs
16. Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels
17. Ike Davis, New York Mets
18. Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
19. Mike Napoli, Boston Red Sox
20. David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
21. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox
22. Kendrys Morales, Seattle Mariners
23. Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies
24. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals
25. Dustin Ackley, Seattle Mariners
26. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox
27. Nick Swisher, Cleveland Indians
28. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
29. Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
30. Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
For a second opinion, check out Duncan Sanford's first basemen rankings. (Or view our consensus catcher rankings here.)
Other positions: C - 1B - 2B - 3B - SS - OF - SP - RP
To keep track of our updates, follow us on Twitter @EDSBaseball, LIKE us on Facebook and/or add us to your Google+ circle.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Join One of Our Opening Day FanDuel Leagues
More than a month away from the start of the regular season, everyone is optimistic when it comes to both real and fake baseball.
One of the great things about daily fantasy sports, however, is that you are never stuck with under-performing and/or injured players.
Imagine if you drafted Curtis Granderson, who will miss 10 weeks, only a few days ago.
In a traditional (full-season) league, you're stuck with him even if it cost you a third- or fourth-round pick. (Not a great value considering the new information: his injury.) In a daily fantasy league, you're not. It's easy to alter your roster.
Don't get me wrong. I love managing my team for the full season (and beyond) as I participate almost exclusively in dynasty and/or keeper leagues. But the season is long. Playing in daily leagues adds some extra fun and excitement throughout the course of the year.
Long story short: I have set up three daily leagues that start (and end) on Opening Day (April 1st). I encourage you to give it a try (by joining one of our leagues, of course):
If you're not interested in one of these three leagues (or you'd like to check out their NBA or college basketball daily leagues), click here.
Good luck!
One of the great things about daily fantasy sports, however, is that you are never stuck with under-performing and/or injured players.
Imagine if you drafted Curtis Granderson, who will miss 10 weeks, only a few days ago.
In a traditional (full-season) league, you're stuck with him even if it cost you a third- or fourth-round pick. (Not a great value considering the new information: his injury.) In a daily fantasy league, you're not. It's easy to alter your roster.
Don't get me wrong. I love managing my team for the full season (and beyond) as I participate almost exclusively in dynasty and/or keeper leagues. But the season is long. Playing in daily leagues adds some extra fun and excitement throughout the course of the year.
Long story short: I have set up three daily leagues that start (and end) on Opening Day (April 1st). I encourage you to give it a try (by joining one of our leagues, of course):
- Five-team league - Payout to winner only: $22.50
- 12-team league - Payout to top three finishers: $27 / $16 / $11
- 20-team league - Payout to top three finishers: $45 / $28 / $17
If you're not interested in one of these three leagues (or you'd like to check out their NBA or college basketball daily leagues), click here.
Good luck!
2013 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Rankings
One of my most tried-and-true draft strategies is to wait as long as possible before drafting my fantasy catcher.
Without question, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey will be the first backstop drafted this year. In fact, he's a border-line first-round pick using average draft position (ADP) data from Mock Draft Central as he's currently the 13th overall pick, on average, in their mock drafts.
While I would not take Posey with the 13th (or earlier) pick, I would consider using an early-round pick in the unlikely scenario that he slips to Round 3.
Since he's also used at first base, Posey played a league-high 148 games and finished second in at-bats (530) behind Minnesota's Joe Mauer (545) among the catcher-eligible players. Only six catchers finished the year with 500-plus at-bats and only 14 of them had 400-plus at-bats.
Not only did he get the opportunities (plate appearances), he made the most of the them.
Posey, the reigning N.L. Most Valuable Player, led the majors with a .336 average as he won his first batting title. Although three catchers had more homers than Posey (24), he was only four off the leader: Colorado's Wilin Rosario (28). In addition, Posey led all catchers in runs batted in (103) with 15 more than Arizona's Miguel Montero, who finished second.
Unfortunately for Posey and his fantasy owners, he plays in a pitcher's park and the vast majority of his home runs came on the road last year. While that trend should continue, he actually hit for a higher average at home (.343) than he did on the road (.330) last year.
Barring injury, Posey is the surest of sure things behind the plate. He may not finish with a line of .336/24/103 again, but .310/20/80 is a more-than-reasonable projection with upside of a much better year.
Salvador Perez: Nice value at ADP of 134
If you speak Spanish, you know that "salvador" translates to savior.
While Kansas City's Salvador Perez will not literally be your team's "savior," he's a really good option at catcher and available relatively late. With an ADP of 134 (via Mock Draft Central), he's the 11th catcher off the board.
After returning from knee surgery, the 22-year-old hit .301 with 11 homers in 76 games in 2012. Provided he stays healthy for a full season, Perez has the potential to hit .300 with around 20 home runs and 75 runs batted in this year.
Even though he walked in only 4.7 percent of his at-bats in the second half, only two catchers with at least 100 at-bats had a better (lower) strikeout rate than Perez (9.7 percent). Using data from FanGraphs, only Cincinnati catcher Ryan Hanigan (8.5 percent) and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina (9.6 percent) had better rates.
Perhaps my projections are a bit too optimistic. That said, only three catchers hit .300 with 15 home runs last year: Posey, Yadier Molina and Carlos Ruiz.
Some More Catcher Notes:
This offseason, it was discovered that Red Sox free-agent addition Mike Napoli has avascular necrosis, a degenerative hip condition. While the player and club initially agreed to a three-year deal, they ultimately settled on a one-year deal loaded with incentives. The hip injury is less of a concern for folks in re-draft leagues than for those in keeper or dynasty leagues.
No catcher has more homers than Napoli over the past three seasons (80) and he has five consecutive seasons with 20-plus home runs. In other words, there is a good chance that Napoli will lead all catchers in home runs this season.
Colorado's Wilin Rosario plays half of his games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field and he took advantage last year as a rookie. While he hit .297 at home (versus .242 on the road), 18 of his position-high 28 homers and 44 of his 71 runs batted in came at home.
After playing only 82 games, the fewest since his rookie season, in 2011, Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer played a career-high 147 games last year and had his fourth season with 600-plus plate appearances. While he's unlikely to ever hit the 28 homers he hit in 2009 again, a .310/80/10/80 line is a very reasonable expectation for Mauer.
Baltimore Orioles backstop Matt Wieters set some career highs in 2012 with 144 games, 593 plate appearances, 23 home runs and 83 runs batted in although he hit below .250 for the second time in the past three seasons. Wieters finished strong with a .296 average, six homers and 18 RBIs in September and October.
The stars aligned perfectly last year for Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Molina set career highs in all of the 5x5 categories: .315 average, 65 runs, 22 home runs, 76 runs batted in and 12 stolen bases. While I expect a solid line (~ .305/60/15/65/8) for Molina, I don't expect a repeat of those numbers and won't pay for them, which means he likely won't be on any of my teams in 2013. Based on his current ADP of 37 overall, I'd much rather wait for someone like Perez almost 100 spots later.
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz set career highs in homers (16), RBI (68) and average (.325). Despite being a much stronger second-half hitter historically, Ruiz got off to a strong start last year: .350 average, 13 HRs and 46 RBI before the All-Star break. For fantasy owners hoping for another strong start, Ruiz unfortunately will serve a 25-game suspension to begin the season for the use of adderall.
Here are my 2013 fantasy catcher rankings:
1. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
2. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
3. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
4. Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
5. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
6. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers
7. Wilin Rosario, Colorado Rockies
8. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
9. Mike Napoli, Boston Red Sox
10. Miguel Montero, Arizona Diamondbacks
11. Jesus Montero, Seattle Mariners
12. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
13. Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Bucks
14. A.J. Pierzynski, Texas Rangers
15. Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers
16. Ryan Doumit, Minnesota Twins
17. Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies
18. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Boston Red Sox
19. J.P. Arencibia, Toronto Blue Jays
20. Tyler Flowers, Chicago White Sox
For a second opinion, check out Duncan Sanford's catcher rankings. (Or view our consensus catcher rankings here.)
Other positions: 1B - 2B - 3B - SS - OF - SP - RP
To keep track of our updates:
Without question, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey will be the first backstop drafted this year. In fact, he's a border-line first-round pick using average draft position (ADP) data from Mock Draft Central as he's currently the 13th overall pick, on average, in their mock drafts.
While I would not take Posey with the 13th (or earlier) pick, I would consider using an early-round pick in the unlikely scenario that he slips to Round 3.
Since he's also used at first base, Posey played a league-high 148 games and finished second in at-bats (530) behind Minnesota's Joe Mauer (545) among the catcher-eligible players. Only six catchers finished the year with 500-plus at-bats and only 14 of them had 400-plus at-bats.
Not only did he get the opportunities (plate appearances), he made the most of the them.
Posey, the reigning N.L. Most Valuable Player, led the majors with a .336 average as he won his first batting title. Although three catchers had more homers than Posey (24), he was only four off the leader: Colorado's Wilin Rosario (28). In addition, Posey led all catchers in runs batted in (103) with 15 more than Arizona's Miguel Montero, who finished second.
Unfortunately for Posey and his fantasy owners, he plays in a pitcher's park and the vast majority of his home runs came on the road last year. While that trend should continue, he actually hit for a higher average at home (.343) than he did on the road (.330) last year.
Barring injury, Posey is the surest of sure things behind the plate. He may not finish with a line of .336/24/103 again, but .310/20/80 is a more-than-reasonable projection with upside of a much better year.
Salvador Perez: Nice value at ADP of 134
If you speak Spanish, you know that "salvador" translates to savior.
While Kansas City's Salvador Perez will not literally be your team's "savior," he's a really good option at catcher and available relatively late. With an ADP of 134 (via Mock Draft Central), he's the 11th catcher off the board.
After returning from knee surgery, the 22-year-old hit .301 with 11 homers in 76 games in 2012. Provided he stays healthy for a full season, Perez has the potential to hit .300 with around 20 home runs and 75 runs batted in this year.
Even though he walked in only 4.7 percent of his at-bats in the second half, only two catchers with at least 100 at-bats had a better (lower) strikeout rate than Perez (9.7 percent). Using data from FanGraphs, only Cincinnati catcher Ryan Hanigan (8.5 percent) and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina (9.6 percent) had better rates.
Perhaps my projections are a bit too optimistic. That said, only three catchers hit .300 with 15 home runs last year: Posey, Yadier Molina and Carlos Ruiz.
Some More Catcher Notes:
This offseason, it was discovered that Red Sox free-agent addition Mike Napoli has avascular necrosis, a degenerative hip condition. While the player and club initially agreed to a three-year deal, they ultimately settled on a one-year deal loaded with incentives. The hip injury is less of a concern for folks in re-draft leagues than for those in keeper or dynasty leagues.
No catcher has more homers than Napoli over the past three seasons (80) and he has five consecutive seasons with 20-plus home runs. In other words, there is a good chance that Napoli will lead all catchers in home runs this season.
Colorado's Wilin Rosario plays half of his games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field and he took advantage last year as a rookie. While he hit .297 at home (versus .242 on the road), 18 of his position-high 28 homers and 44 of his 71 runs batted in came at home.
After playing only 82 games, the fewest since his rookie season, in 2011, Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer played a career-high 147 games last year and had his fourth season with 600-plus plate appearances. While he's unlikely to ever hit the 28 homers he hit in 2009 again, a .310/80/10/80 line is a very reasonable expectation for Mauer.
Baltimore Orioles backstop Matt Wieters set some career highs in 2012 with 144 games, 593 plate appearances, 23 home runs and 83 runs batted in although he hit below .250 for the second time in the past three seasons. Wieters finished strong with a .296 average, six homers and 18 RBIs in September and October.
The stars aligned perfectly last year for Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Molina set career highs in all of the 5x5 categories: .315 average, 65 runs, 22 home runs, 76 runs batted in and 12 stolen bases. While I expect a solid line (~ .305/60/15/65/8) for Molina, I don't expect a repeat of those numbers and won't pay for them, which means he likely won't be on any of my teams in 2013. Based on his current ADP of 37 overall, I'd much rather wait for someone like Perez almost 100 spots later.
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz set career highs in homers (16), RBI (68) and average (.325). Despite being a much stronger second-half hitter historically, Ruiz got off to a strong start last year: .350 average, 13 HRs and 46 RBI before the All-Star break. For fantasy owners hoping for another strong start, Ruiz unfortunately will serve a 25-game suspension to begin the season for the use of adderall.
Here are my 2013 fantasy catcher rankings:
1. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
2. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
3. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
4. Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
5. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
6. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers
7. Wilin Rosario, Colorado Rockies
8. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
9. Mike Napoli, Boston Red Sox
10. Miguel Montero, Arizona Diamondbacks
11. Jesus Montero, Seattle Mariners
12. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
13. Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Bucks
14. A.J. Pierzynski, Texas Rangers
15. Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers
16. Ryan Doumit, Minnesota Twins
17. Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies
18. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Boston Red Sox
19. J.P. Arencibia, Toronto Blue Jays
20. Tyler Flowers, Chicago White Sox
For a second opinion, check out Duncan Sanford's catcher rankings. (Or view our consensus catcher rankings here.)
Other positions: 1B - 2B - 3B - SS - OF - SP - RP
To keep track of our updates:
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Curtis Granderson (forearm) out for 10 weeks
If you have had any fantasy baseball drafts before Sunday, hopefully you did not use an early-round pick on Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson.
To alter a phrase from John Sterling, "the Grandy Man can't" (at least, for the month of April).
In his first at-bat of spring training, Granderson was hit by a fastball from J.A. Happ in the right forearm, which was fractured. Unfortunately for the Yankees and his fantasy owners, the injury will keep Granderson out for the next 10 weeks.
“Well, it’s not what you want,” Manager Joe Girardi said. “We have plenty of time to figure out what we’re going to do. I mean, Grandy’s not a bat that you’d say is easy to replace, but we’re going to find a way.”
The only good thing is we are more than a month away from the start of the regular season. As Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, “If Curtis is going to miss two months, you’d rather have one of the two not count.”
Granderson finished tied for second in baseball with 43 home runs and 11th in runs batted in (106) last year.
In my updated fantasy baseball outfielder rankings, I've dropped Granderson from No. 13 to No. 24.
To alter a phrase from John Sterling, "the Grandy Man can't" (at least, for the month of April).
In his first at-bat of spring training, Granderson was hit by a fastball from J.A. Happ in the right forearm, which was fractured. Unfortunately for the Yankees and his fantasy owners, the injury will keep Granderson out for the next 10 weeks.
“Well, it’s not what you want,” Manager Joe Girardi said. “We have plenty of time to figure out what we’re going to do. I mean, Grandy’s not a bat that you’d say is easy to replace, but we’re going to find a way.”
The only good thing is we are more than a month away from the start of the regular season. As Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, “If Curtis is going to miss two months, you’d rather have one of the two not count.”
Granderson finished tied for second in baseball with 43 home runs and 11th in runs batted in (106) last year.
In my updated fantasy baseball outfielder rankings, I've dropped Granderson from No. 13 to No. 24.
Andrew McCutchen, Pirates to steal more bases in 2013?
Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is one of baseball's elite players and sure to be an early first-round pick in fantasy baseball drafts this year.
Over the past three seasons, however, his base-stealing production has continued to decline: 33 steals (2010), 23 (2011) and 20 (2012).
That said, that trend could very well be reversed in 2013 as McCutchen and the Pirates make a more concerted effort to swipe more bases. And McCutchen is studying some successful base-stealers that don't have his natural gifts to help make that happen.
"I know that with my speed I should be able to get to the next base without a problem," McCutchen said, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I like to watch the guys who need a little more than just speed to get to the base. You can really see their mechanics and their form."
"His attitude toward us is, 'I want you to go,'" [teammate Alex] Presley said (of manager Clint Hurdle). "'I want you to be aggressive. If you get thrown out, you get thrown out.'"
Although McCutchen stole a career-low 20 bases last year, he set career highs across the board in other categories: .327 batting average, 31 home runs, 107 runs and 96 runs batted in.
Along with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and Angels rookie Mike Trout, McCutchen was one of three 30-20 players last season.
Going into the 2013 season, McCutchen is currently the fifth-ranked player on my overall big board.
Over the past three seasons, however, his base-stealing production has continued to decline: 33 steals (2010), 23 (2011) and 20 (2012).
That said, that trend could very well be reversed in 2013 as McCutchen and the Pirates make a more concerted effort to swipe more bases. And McCutchen is studying some successful base-stealers that don't have his natural gifts to help make that happen.
"I know that with my speed I should be able to get to the next base without a problem," McCutchen said, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I like to watch the guys who need a little more than just speed to get to the base. You can really see their mechanics and their form."
"His attitude toward us is, 'I want you to go,'" [teammate Alex] Presley said (of manager Clint Hurdle). "'I want you to be aggressive. If you get thrown out, you get thrown out.'"
Although McCutchen stole a career-low 20 bases last year, he set career highs across the board in other categories: .327 batting average, 31 home runs, 107 runs and 96 runs batted in.
Along with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and Angels rookie Mike Trout, McCutchen was one of three 30-20 players last season.
Going into the 2013 season, McCutchen is currently the fifth-ranked player on my overall big board.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Five MLB Team Prop Bets from John Trifone
Now that spring training games are under way, the March 31st regular-season opener between the Rangers and Astros will be here before we know it.
With clean slates, 30 MLB teams (and their fan bases) have that new-year optimism. Not all of them should, however.
Based on team win prop bets from Sportsbook.com, John Trifone came up with five that he likes (or doesn't like, depending on your perspective). Here they are:
[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). Throughout the MLB season, John will be handicapping some games and you'll be able to follow his picks throughout the season this year.]
With clean slates, 30 MLB teams (and their fan bases) have that new-year optimism. Not all of them should, however.
Based on team win prop bets from Sportsbook.com, John Trifone came up with five that he likes (or doesn't like, depending on your perspective). Here they are:
Baltimore Orioles - under 78.5 winsThoughts on John's picks? Other teams?
They were a great story last year and I hate to bet against Buck Showalter, but the AL East is just too tough, and Baltimore way over achieved in close games last year.
Chicago White Sox - over 80.5
The White Sox have a strong offense in a division that is fairly mediocre outside of Detroit. Chris Sale emerged as a star that can anchor the rotation. I like this team to be better than .500.
Houston Astros - under 59.5
There's not a lot of good news for the Astros so I'll start with the bad. A team that won 55 games last year in the NL is moving to the AL West with the Rangers, Angels, A's, and Mariners. I can't see them winning five more games in a tougher league and one of the most competitive divisions in baseball.
Los Angeles Dodgers - over 91.5
The Dodgers did not finish strong after all of their big acquisitions last year. However, starting fresh, I believe they're going to be a force to be reckoned with. They are one of the most balanced teams in baseball and are a legitimate threat to win it all.
Philadelphia Phillies - over 83.5
A few years ago the Phillies were dubbed to be perennial favorites behind an incredible pitching staff. After an injury-plagued season last year, look for Philly to bounce back. They have three aces on the staff, and with lower expectations and a lot less pressure this year, I think they'll thrive.
[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). Throughout the MLB season, John will be handicapping some games and you'll be able to follow his picks throughout the season this year.]
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Felix Hernandez, Mariners finalize 7-year, $175M deal
The Seattle Mariners and staff ace Felix Hernandez had agreed to a seven-year deal worth $175 million last week, but some concerns about the long-term risks of King Felix's elbow held the deal up.
With some protective language added, the deal was finalized today.
"I would send along my congratulations to [Hernandez's agents] Scott Pucino and Wil Polidor. They were very professional in working this agreement with us. I think it's a great thing for the Seattle Mariners and it's a great thing for Felix Hernandez. We're looking forward to this guy being here for a long time, obviously," said GM Jack Zduriencik, per Greg Johns of MLB.com.
Although Hernandez had two years remaining on his existing contract, this deal will replace those two years and he is now under contract through the 2019 season.
Now the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history, Hernandez is my fourth-ranked fantasy starter in my 2013 fantasy baseball rankings.
A workhorse and a model of consistency, Hernandez has struck out 217-plus batters in four consecutive seasons. Despite posting a cumulative ERA of 2.92 over the past three seasons, however, Hernandez is only five games above .500 during that span (40-35) and lack of run support is only real concern from a fantasy perspective.
With some protective language added, the deal was finalized today.
"I would send along my congratulations to [Hernandez's agents] Scott Pucino and Wil Polidor. They were very professional in working this agreement with us. I think it's a great thing for the Seattle Mariners and it's a great thing for Felix Hernandez. We're looking forward to this guy being here for a long time, obviously," said GM Jack Zduriencik, per Greg Johns of MLB.com.
Although Hernandez had two years remaining on his existing contract, this deal will replace those two years and he is now under contract through the 2019 season.
Now the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history, Hernandez is my fourth-ranked fantasy starter in my 2013 fantasy baseball rankings.
A workhorse and a model of consistency, Hernandez has struck out 217-plus batters in four consecutive seasons. Despite posting a cumulative ERA of 2.92 over the past three seasons, however, Hernandez is only five games above .500 during that span (40-35) and lack of run support is only real concern from a fantasy perspective.
| Year | Age | W | L | CG | SHO | IP | SO | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 2.67 | 0 | 0 | 84.1 | 77 | 0.996 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 8.2 | 3.35 |
| 2006 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 4.52 | 2 | 1 | 191.0 | 176 | 1.335 | 9.2 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 8.3 | 2.93 |
| 2007 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3.92 | 1 | 1 | 190.1 | 165 | 1.377 | 9.9 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 7.8 | 3.11 |
| 2008 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 3.45 | 2 | 0 | 200.2 | 175 | 1.385 | 8.9 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 7.8 | 2.19 |
| 2009 | 23 | 19 | 5 | 2.49 | 2 | 1 | 238.2 | 217 | 1.135 | 7.5 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 8.2 | 3.06 |
| 2010 | 24 | 13 | 12 | 2.27 | 6 | 1 | 249.2 | 232 | 1.057 | 7.0 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 8.4 | 3.31 |
| 2011 | 25 | 14 | 14 | 3.47 | 5 | 0 | 233.2 | 222 | 1.220 | 8.4 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 8.6 | 3.31 |
| 2012 | 26 | 13 | 9 | 3.06 | 5 | 5 | 232.0 | 223 | 1.142 | 8.1 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 8.7 | 3.98 |
| 8 Yrs | 98 | 76 | 3.22 | 23 | 9 | 1620.1 | 1487 | 1.212 | 8.2 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 8.3 | 3.10 | |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Padres, Chase Headley avoid arbitration
The San Diego Padres and third baseman Chase Headley agreed to a one-year deal worth $8.575 to avoid arbitration, according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Headley, who earned $3.475 million last year, was seeking $10.3 million while the club was offering $7.075 million.
“He had a great year and he deserves to be rewarded. This is a defendable number. It’s a good raise, but he earned it. We’re happy it is done,” Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said.
According to the report, the two sides were not working on a long-term extension as part of this deal and Headley is currently scheduled to become a free agent after the 2014 season.
Headley led the NL in runs batted in (115) as he belted a career-high 31 homers last season. His previous career high was 12 home runs. In addition, he tied his previous career high of 17 steals.
He was especially good after the All-Star break (75 games, 289 at bats): .308 average, 23 home runs and 73 runs batted in.
In my early 2013 fantasy baseball rankings, Headley is my seventh-ranked third baseman.
Headley, who earned $3.475 million last year, was seeking $10.3 million while the club was offering $7.075 million.
“He had a great year and he deserves to be rewarded. This is a defendable number. It’s a good raise, but he earned it. We’re happy it is done,” Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said.
According to the report, the two sides were not working on a long-term extension as part of this deal and Headley is currently scheduled to become a free agent after the 2014 season.
Headley led the NL in runs batted in (115) as he belted a career-high 31 homers last season. His previous career high was 12 home runs. In addition, he tied his previous career high of 17 steals.
He was especially good after the All-Star break (75 games, 289 at bats): .308 average, 23 home runs and 73 runs batted in.
In my early 2013 fantasy baseball rankings, Headley is my seventh-ranked third baseman.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Mariano Rivera will be back in 2013
Although he missed the majority of the 2012 season with a torn ACL, closer Mariano Rivera has told the Yankees that he wants to come back in 2013, according to George A. King III of the New York Post.
“Rivera contacted us and wants to play,” [Yankees general manager Brian] Cashman told The Post.
Excluding his rookie season (1995) when he all 10 of his career starts, Rivera has had a sub-3.00 ERA every year except 2007 (3.15). From 2003 to 2011, that 2007 season was actually his only season where he did not finish with a sub-2.00 ERA.
More impressively, Rivera has a career 0.70 ERA over 141 innings in the postseason.
The only thing standing in the way of the all-time saves leader (608) closing games in the Bronx in 2013 is a one-year deal as Rivera is currently a free agent.
“Rivera contacted us and wants to play,” [Yankees general manager Brian] Cashman told The Post.
Excluding his rookie season (1995) when he all 10 of his career starts, Rivera has had a sub-3.00 ERA every year except 2007 (3.15). From 2003 to 2011, that 2007 season was actually his only season where he did not finish with a sub-2.00 ERA.
More impressively, Rivera has a career 0.70 ERA over 141 innings in the postseason.
The only thing standing in the way of the all-time saves leader (608) closing games in the Bronx in 2013 is a one-year deal as Rivera is currently a free agent.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Trifone: A.L. Mid-season Award Winners
Yesterday, we named the National League mid-season award winners -- MVP and Cy Young. (If you missed it, click here.)
Today, it's the A.L.'s turn.
Mid-season American League Most Valuable Player
Joey Bats is tied for the MLB lead in home runs with 27 and Adam Dunn is a virtual lock for comeback player of the year, with his 25 home run and 61 RBIs year so far.
One guy who is looking more and more like the rookie of the year AND MVP is Mike Trout, who in his first season is leading the league with a .341 average. Bryce Harper has gotten a lot of hype, and is certainly having a great year, but Trout has been even better.
None of these guys have had a first half like Josh Hamilton.
Hamilton had a few week period that may have been the most incredible stretch in baseball history, including a four-homer game, which was the highlight of the first half of the 2012 season. Early on, it looked as though Hamilton would challenge for the triple crown, although at this point, his average has dipped a bit. He is hitting .308, is tied for the league lead with 27 home runs and leads the league in RBIs with 75, and is one of only two players with OPS above 1.000.
Mike Trout would actually be my number two, who has 26 stolen bases to go along with his league-leading average, and his emergence is a huge reason why the Angels have gotten back into it.
Still, even his numbers pale in comparison to Hamilton's, who is the pretty clear choice for mid-season AL MVP.
Mid-season American League Cy Young Winner
The mid-season AL Cy Young winner is the toughest award to give out, and the one that is the most debatable. There are several good candidates, and it's a good thing there is a second half of the season to be played before we have to actually hand out the award.
By my judgement, coming in at number three for the award is Justin Verlander. Typically, he's the guy you'd see at the top of the list. Verlander is having a good, but not great year by his standards. His 2.58 ERA is good enough for fourth in the league, he is tied for the league lead in strikeouts with 128, leads the league in complete games with five, and has a 9-5 record. It's tough being Justin Verlander. He puts up those great numbers, and somehow, we expect a little more.
My number two choice for the mid-season award is Jered Weaver, who is 8-1 with a 1.96 ERA, which leads the league. Weaver has a sub 1.00 WHIP and is holding opponents to an average of under .200. Weaver, like Verlander, has become a fixture among the top pitchers in the game, and seems to be a perennial contender to win the Cy Young.
That leaves only White Sox second year starter Chris Sale as my choice for the mid-season AL Cy Young award winner. Sale is second in the league with an ERA of 2.27 and has 98 K's in 102.2 innings. He also has a sub 1.00 WHIP and has opponents hitting under .200 for the year against him. The White Sox are leading the AL Central, a division that everyone had yielded to the Tigers at the beginning of the year, and clearly, Sale and his 10-2 record are a big reason why.
I feel this race is the most subject to change, and by the end of the season, I'm not sure we won't see Verlander come back and win his second consecutive Cy Young. However, midway through, Sale has the best numbers and currently deserves the award.
[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).]
Today, it's the A.L.'s turn.
Mid-season American League Most Valuable Player
Joey Bats is tied for the MLB lead in home runs with 27 and Adam Dunn is a virtual lock for comeback player of the year, with his 25 home run and 61 RBIs year so far.
One guy who is looking more and more like the rookie of the year AND MVP is Mike Trout, who in his first season is leading the league with a .341 average. Bryce Harper has gotten a lot of hype, and is certainly having a great year, but Trout has been even better.
None of these guys have had a first half like Josh Hamilton.
Hamilton had a few week period that may have been the most incredible stretch in baseball history, including a four-homer game, which was the highlight of the first half of the 2012 season. Early on, it looked as though Hamilton would challenge for the triple crown, although at this point, his average has dipped a bit. He is hitting .308, is tied for the league lead with 27 home runs and leads the league in RBIs with 75, and is one of only two players with OPS above 1.000.
Mike Trout would actually be my number two, who has 26 stolen bases to go along with his league-leading average, and his emergence is a huge reason why the Angels have gotten back into it.
Still, even his numbers pale in comparison to Hamilton's, who is the pretty clear choice for mid-season AL MVP.
Mid-season American League Cy Young Winner
The mid-season AL Cy Young winner is the toughest award to give out, and the one that is the most debatable. There are several good candidates, and it's a good thing there is a second half of the season to be played before we have to actually hand out the award.
By my judgement, coming in at number three for the award is Justin Verlander. Typically, he's the guy you'd see at the top of the list. Verlander is having a good, but not great year by his standards. His 2.58 ERA is good enough for fourth in the league, he is tied for the league lead in strikeouts with 128, leads the league in complete games with five, and has a 9-5 record. It's tough being Justin Verlander. He puts up those great numbers, and somehow, we expect a little more.
My number two choice for the mid-season award is Jered Weaver, who is 8-1 with a 1.96 ERA, which leads the league. Weaver has a sub 1.00 WHIP and is holding opponents to an average of under .200. Weaver, like Verlander, has become a fixture among the top pitchers in the game, and seems to be a perennial contender to win the Cy Young.
That leaves only White Sox second year starter Chris Sale as my choice for the mid-season AL Cy Young award winner. Sale is second in the league with an ERA of 2.27 and has 98 K's in 102.2 innings. He also has a sub 1.00 WHIP and has opponents hitting under .200 for the year against him. The White Sox are leading the AL Central, a division that everyone had yielded to the Tigers at the beginning of the year, and clearly, Sale and his 10-2 record are a big reason why.
I feel this race is the most subject to change, and by the end of the season, I'm not sure we won't see Verlander come back and win his second consecutive Cy Young. However, midway through, Sale has the best numbers and currently deserves the award.
[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).]
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Trifone: N.L. Mid-season Award Winners
With the mid-summer classic tonight, it's a good time to hand out mid-season MVP and Cy Young award winners. There are usually a handful of great options, leaving room for debate, and this year is no exception.
Mid-season National League Most Valuable Player
For NL MVP, I believe it to be a four-horse race. Although guys like David Wright and Melky Cabrera are having excellent years, they fall a bit short when comparing them with the top contenders.
Losing Albert Pujols is clearly going to hurt a team, but Carlos Beltran has stepped up in a big way, hitting over .300 and yielding great power numbers, for the Cardinals. He currently leads the NL in RBI's with 65 and is second in home runs with 20.
There was a lot of talk at the beginning of the year over what type of year Ryan Braun would have after his failed drug test was overturned due to a technicality in the offseason. Braun has responded with a league-leading 24 home runs. He also ranks second in RBIs with 61 and is hitting over .300, with 15 stolen bases to boot.
Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez ranks sixth in the league in home runs and RBIs and leads the league in runs. He is also currently hitting an impressive .330, and with 11 stolen bases. I believe Cargo is the most likely to finish the year strong, playing in a hitter's ballpark in Colorado.
At this point, I feel any of these three are great candidates.
As good as those three have been, however, Andrew McCutchen has been even better. McCutchen is leading the majors with a remarkable .362 average at the midway point. He is hitting for power with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs, but also is a threat to run, with 14 stolen bases. If he keeps this up for the rest of the year, McCutchen could finish the season hitting .350 with 30 hrs, 100 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. Tough to argue with those numbers. I'm not sure if he can keep it up, but to date he is the NL MVP.
[Matt Kemp was the clear front runner before his injury, and certainly deserves recognition for how he was playing, but because of the number of games he has missed, I chose not to throw him in the mix, even though his early pace had him way ahead of the pack.]
Mid-season National League Cy Young Winner
The mid-season NL Cy Young race was looking interesting for a while. For a few weeks, I thought for sure it would be Cole Hamels, who had a great ERA and won seven consecutive starts after losing his first to start the year. Then Gio Gonzalez kept winning, Brian Beachy looked great, and Matt Cain threw a perfect game. Stephen Strasburg is becoming the phenom we all knew he would be.
And then there's R.A. Dickey. What Dickey has done this year has been nothing short of incredible.
The guy threw consecutive one-hitters, has an ERA of 2.40, a WHIP of just 0.93, is second in the league in strikeouts with 123, has his opponents hitting .203 for the season, and by the way is 12-1. Dickey has never been a great pitcher, but at 37, he seems to have found whatever he was lacking earlier in his career. The knuckleballer is hands down the mid-season NL Cy Young award winner.
I'd say that Strasburg could challenge him for the award by year's end if not for his innings count. My number two right now would Matt Cain, who at 9-3 with a 2.62 ERA and 118 K's is having a great season in his own right. I think Cain could make it interesting by the end of the year, but at the break, Dickey is the clear choice for the mid-season Cy Young.
Tomorrow we will post my A.L. (mid-season) award winners.
[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).]
Mid-season National League Most Valuable Player
For NL MVP, I believe it to be a four-horse race. Although guys like David Wright and Melky Cabrera are having excellent years, they fall a bit short when comparing them with the top contenders.
Losing Albert Pujols is clearly going to hurt a team, but Carlos Beltran has stepped up in a big way, hitting over .300 and yielding great power numbers, for the Cardinals. He currently leads the NL in RBI's with 65 and is second in home runs with 20.
There was a lot of talk at the beginning of the year over what type of year Ryan Braun would have after his failed drug test was overturned due to a technicality in the offseason. Braun has responded with a league-leading 24 home runs. He also ranks second in RBIs with 61 and is hitting over .300, with 15 stolen bases to boot.
Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez ranks sixth in the league in home runs and RBIs and leads the league in runs. He is also currently hitting an impressive .330, and with 11 stolen bases. I believe Cargo is the most likely to finish the year strong, playing in a hitter's ballpark in Colorado.
At this point, I feel any of these three are great candidates.
As good as those three have been, however, Andrew McCutchen has been even better. McCutchen is leading the majors with a remarkable .362 average at the midway point. He is hitting for power with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs, but also is a threat to run, with 14 stolen bases. If he keeps this up for the rest of the year, McCutchen could finish the season hitting .350 with 30 hrs, 100 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. Tough to argue with those numbers. I'm not sure if he can keep it up, but to date he is the NL MVP.
[Matt Kemp was the clear front runner before his injury, and certainly deserves recognition for how he was playing, but because of the number of games he has missed, I chose not to throw him in the mix, even though his early pace had him way ahead of the pack.]
Mid-season National League Cy Young Winner
The mid-season NL Cy Young race was looking interesting for a while. For a few weeks, I thought for sure it would be Cole Hamels, who had a great ERA and won seven consecutive starts after losing his first to start the year. Then Gio Gonzalez kept winning, Brian Beachy looked great, and Matt Cain threw a perfect game. Stephen Strasburg is becoming the phenom we all knew he would be.
And then there's R.A. Dickey. What Dickey has done this year has been nothing short of incredible.
The guy threw consecutive one-hitters, has an ERA of 2.40, a WHIP of just 0.93, is second in the league in strikeouts with 123, has his opponents hitting .203 for the season, and by the way is 12-1. Dickey has never been a great pitcher, but at 37, he seems to have found whatever he was lacking earlier in his career. The knuckleballer is hands down the mid-season NL Cy Young award winner.
I'd say that Strasburg could challenge him for the award by year's end if not for his innings count. My number two right now would Matt Cain, who at 9-3 with a 2.62 ERA and 118 K's is having a great season in his own right. I think Cain could make it interesting by the end of the year, but at the break, Dickey is the clear choice for the mid-season Cy Young.
Tomorrow we will post my A.L. (mid-season) award winners.
[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).]
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Jacoby Ellsbury placed on 15-day DL
As expected, the Boston Red Sox placed center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury on the 15-day disabled list due to his subluxed shoulder.
"Jacoby injured his right shoulder during yesterday’s game," per a team statement (via Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe). "An MRI was performed and showed findings consistent with a subluxed shoulder. We are in the process of gathering further information and determining the treatment plan. Jacoby will be placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to today’s game."
The team is expected to call up Jason Repko from Pawtucket to take Ellsbury's roster spot.
Through seven games, Ellsbury was hitting .192 with no home runs and no stolen bases. He has four runs scored and three runs batted in.
"Jacoby injured his right shoulder during yesterday’s game," per a team statement (via Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe). "An MRI was performed and showed findings consistent with a subluxed shoulder. We are in the process of gathering further information and determining the treatment plan. Jacoby will be placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to today’s game."
The team is expected to call up Jason Repko from Pawtucket to take Ellsbury's roster spot.
Through seven games, Ellsbury was hitting .192 with no home runs and no stolen bases. He has four runs scored and three runs batted in.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Andrew Bailey out through the All-Star Break
Per Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey will have surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb.
The injury will keep Bailey on the disabled list until after the All-Star break, according to manager Bobby Valentine.
As far as which reliever will take over ninth-inning duties, the top candidates are Mark Melancon and Alfredo Aceves.
Melancon and Aceves are currently owned in 39 and 21 percent, respectively, of Yahoo! leagues.
Get our updated 2012 reliever rankings here.
The injury will keep Bailey on the disabled list until after the All-Star break, according to manager Bobby Valentine.
As far as which reliever will take over ninth-inning duties, the top candidates are Mark Melancon and Alfredo Aceves.
Melancon and Aceves are currently owned in 39 and 21 percent, respectively, of Yahoo! leagues.
Get our updated 2012 reliever rankings here.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Desmond Jennings hits three HRs Sunday
Tampa Bay outfielder Desmond Jennings hit three homers including a grand slam and drove in six runs in an 8-5 victory over the Orioles today.
"I felt good from the first at-bat, I felt like I was seeing the ball good and I was swinging at good pitches today," Jennings said. "I felt like I was swinging the bat good. I was swinging at pitches in the zone. Hitting them on the barrel and getting to pitches inside, that's a good sign for me."
Before today's game, Jennings had no home runs and only one run batted in this spring.
Jennings is now hitting .348 and has three home runs, four stolen bases and seven runs batted in this spring.
The Rays open up the regular season against the Yankees on Friday, April 6th.
In our fantasy rankings, Jennings is our 13th-ranked outfielder.
"I felt good from the first at-bat, I felt like I was seeing the ball good and I was swinging at good pitches today," Jennings said. "I felt like I was swinging the bat good. I was swinging at pitches in the zone. Hitting them on the barrel and getting to pitches inside, that's a good sign for me."
Before today's game, Jennings had no home runs and only one run batted in this spring.
Jennings is now hitting .348 and has three home runs, four stolen bases and seven runs batted in this spring.
The Rays open up the regular season against the Yankees on Friday, April 6th.
In our fantasy rankings, Jennings is our 13th-ranked outfielder.
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