Friday, January 30, 2009

Maine


John Maine signed with the Mets and will find himself as a 3rd/4th starter in fantasy. He has the potential to give fantasy great stats with his strong K/9 of 7.84. If he can stay healthy he might even be a break out pitcher in 2009. He is approaching the 500IP career mark and usually pitchers seem to find a groove at this stage in their career. I will be trying to find a spot on my fantasy team for Maine in the late rounds. Hopefully, his injury last year will scare off some fantasy owners.

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Garland


Jon Garland is pitching in the NL now with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This guy seems to be a lock for 12-15 wins a season but other than that, he has nothing spectacular to offer fantasy owners. He is a guy that could potentially turn into a stud pitcher for one season like former MLB pitcher Esteban Loaiza. He doesn't have a high K rate and with his ERA hovering around 4.50 you end up with something that isn't worth the pain. If you are in need of a 5th starter or someone to gamble on with your last pick in your draft, he could be your guy. See what he is like in the start and if he rolls keep him on your roster, if he falters cut him.

One positive is he is moving from the tougher AL to the easier NL.

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Friday, January 16, 2009

Yoooouuuuuuuuu!


Kevin Youkilis is now a proud owner of a new contract with the Red Sox. Both sides avoided arbitration by agreeing to a 4-year contract. Please don't get the impression that Youkilis is going to hit .312AVG with 29HRs and drive in 112RBIs every year. I don't see that happening since he didn't show this during his first 4 seasons in the bigs. I do like the lineup around him so he should produce decent numbers but, like I said, I can't seem him repeating 2008.

The one thing he has on his side is he is still relatively young, turning 30 this March.

Fantasy owners should see him as a low risk high return, the type we love as investors, type of guy. You can draft him fairly late in drafts and will get decent numbers but maybe he could explode and have another "career year" type of season.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Braves


The Braves have made a small splash in the market with the addition of Derek Lowe and Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.

Derek Lowe - Don't expect him to put up numbers like his 02 and 03 seasons but do expect him to be a solid 3/4th starter in fantasy. His ability to stay healthy and pitch makes him a nice addition to fill out your roster. Look for him fairly late in drafts.

Kenshin Kawakami - His stats look impressive, like most Japanese pitchers who come over, but don't expect too much from him. He is 33 years old and will only be effective in the majors because hitters haven't seen him. He does not have over powering stuff and will most likely look like Kuroda with the Dodgers. I would not draft him unless it was a last pick.

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Friday, January 9, 2009

Signings keep coming


John Smoltz is now a part of the big boys in Boston. After spending his entire career wearing a Braves uniform he is now going to, or most likely going to, finish his career as a Red Sox and maybe add another World Series ring to his collection. Even though he is going to be on the DL when the 2009 draft happens I would recommend you drafting him and placing him on your DL. Of course you can draft this guy later in drafts. He will always put up the numbers you want from a pitcher. He won't be a closer and depending on his health he could be the 5th starter behind a very strong starting rotation. Conclusion, have him on your 2009 team.

Rocco Baldelli
will find himself wearing a new uniform as well after spending his entire career in Tampa Bay. Albeit a shorter career than Smoltz. Rocco will be a back-up to Ellsbury and Drew but will find plenty of at-bats against lefties and also days off from both players. Rocco has value in AL-Only leagues at the moment but if Rocco can get over his midocondria condition and find a way to hit like his rookie year he could easily take over for either Ellsbury or Drew. Plus, injuries always seem to haunt Drew making more playing time for Baldelli. AL-only guys, have Baldelli on your team. Mixed leaguers should wait.

Brad Penny
finalized his contract with the Red Sox and will be in their rotation. If he can stay healthy this is a guy that can find himself very usefull to fantasy owners. With an offence like the Red Sox scoring plenty of runs expect Penny to produce plenty of wins. Penny is a guy you can grab very late in fantasy drafts and should be picked as an upside pick.

Koji Uehara
is another Japanese player trying to make it big in the major leagues. After a very successful career in Japan Uehara will be making the jump at the young age of 33. This is not a guy you want to really pick for your team. In my honest opinion his numbers are great but at the age of 33 and also pitching in the toughest division in baseball and adding in a terrible offence he probably won't be getting a lot of wins.

Trevor Hoffman
is staying put in the National League and will close out games for the Brewers. This is great news for fantasy owners becauase one, he is staying put in the NL where he knows the competition and two, he is still going to be a closer. As with every draft, this guy should be drafted. He is a mid-tier closer.

Jason Giambi will return to his old stomping grounds in Oakland. The A's have signed him and for fantasy owners nothing new. He should be draft but later in drafts because of his decline and lack of ability to produce a decent AVG. With the likes of Holliday in the lineup expect Giambi to produce his usual numbers, if he stays healthy.

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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Pavano/Marquis


Carl Pavano has found a team and that team is the Cleveland Indians. After 4 years of collecting paycheques while sitting on his ass injured he is trying to start over. As a 33 year old Pavano still has the ability to be a productive pitcher in fantasy leagues. The only problem is if he can stay healthy. During drafts, Pavano should not be picked unless you have a $1 for your last pick or if you have one pick to "waste" at the end of your draft. He has upside and is worth a spot on your radar but don't try to justify him by his years in Florida.

Jason Marquis was acquired in a trade by the Rockies and will be fighting for a spot in the back end of their rotation. This is the type of guy that can be helpful for your team if you can catch him on a hot streak. He is a guy you pick up during favouable match-ups. No need to draft him.

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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

News Worthy


Milton Bradley has signed with the Cubs. I was hoping to see Bradley land on an AL team where he could be a DH but instead he landed in the NL. Milton will be sharing time in the OF with Fukudome and Reed Johnson. As long as Bradley can stay healthy he can produce. Not a bad guy on draft day to gamble on for your 3rd OF.

Pat Burrell is now part of the Rays organization. He doesn't come with a high AVG (in the .250's over the past 3 years) but he does come with power. Burrell seems to be a lock for 25+HRs and 95RBIs. He will serve as the DH and will stand along side Upton, Crawford, Longoria, and Pena in a very potent rays lineup. He will be eligible for an OF spot so having him as your 2/3 OF will help your cause. Look for him to continue his 30/100 numbers.

Willy Taveras is part of the Reds. This guy is only on fantasy radars because of his ability to steal. These are the types of guys I hate drafting because they are only going to help you in steals and if they have a sore leg or hamstring they won't steal, losing all value. Willy should be a late fantasy pick. Do not pick him just because he had 68 steals last year. If you look at his career totals, he usually steals around 30 a year. Don't expect him to swipe another 68 bags this year.

Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals might be a closer. After a few surgeries he is still trying to recover and find a way to pitch in the bigs. As long as he is on the mound and healthy he can dominate. Keep an eye out for him because with his stuff he could be a very dominating closer just like these two starter to closer converts, Wood and Smoltz.

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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Break is Over


The break is over and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I hope 2009 brings everyone in the world what they have always wanted. Now, time for fantasy baseball.

Mark Teixeira - Nothing to report with him. He is a Yankee and can hit anywhere in the world. His value has not changed.

Brian Fuentes - He is now an Angel and will replace K-Rod as their new closer. This is great news because Fuentes will now be a full time closer and 82Ks in 62.2 innings is nice for owners but some owners but be a little worried with his ability to adjust the AL hitters. He isn't in the elite tier of closers but he should be drafted in the mid second tier closers.

Andruw Jones - Remember when this guy was a fantasy stud. Well, those days seem so long ago. He is not going to find himself playing in the Dodger blue anymore and for fantasy owners he is nothing more than a distant memory.

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