Small Signings

Bobby Abreu is signed and will play for the Angels. He has value as a 2nd OF'er with his ability to hit 15-20HRs and steal 20 bags. Draft him with the intention of him stealing 20 but don't be surprised if he takes 30 this year with the agressive base tactics that the Angels follow.

Delmon Young is not guarenteed a spot on the Twins roster but this is why I think he will have a productive year. He has the potential and the skill to be in the majors. Look for Young late in drafts, as in last two picks, and you might grab a sleeper.

Adam Dunn is part of the Nationals. This guy is a pure power hitter. If you sign him you will get the great power numbers but you MUST grab a guy who is going to hit .320AVG to offset Dunn's low .240AVG.

Adam Dunn

Now that the Diamondbacks have acquired the services of Adam Dunn from the Reds lets talk about the fantasy impact this has on both teams. Lets begin with the Reds.

With the absence of Griffey and Dunn from the lineup individuals like Bruce, Phillips, and Encarnicion will lose some protection that Dunn offered in the lineup. I don't see a huge hit in numbers for these players because they are all solid hitters at the plate but as of right now I don't think this deal helps them.

Adding Dunn to the Diamondbacks lineup gives them a bat that can change a game with one swing, positively and negatively. Dunn is the prototypical hit or miss kind of hitter. He either hits a HR or finds a seat after putting up a K. Look for Jackson, Young, and Reynolds to see more hittable pitches in the near future because of the protection Dunn offers. This trade seems to offer a third punch after the likes of Webb and Haren.

DL Report

Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox has landed himself on the 15-Day DL with a broken nail on his right middle finger. This injury seems a little odd but does make sense since he applies plenty of pressure while pitching. For fantasy owners, this doesn't mean much unless you are in a deep deep deep league or an AL-only league. Look for Clay to be back right after his DL stint is over.

Jeff Keppinger of the Reds is on the DL, as I mentioned in a previous post, and this has a bigger impact on fantasy owners than Clay. So far this season, Keppinger has held the team together by hitting a solid .324AVG, 3HR, 27RBI's, and 2SB's. The injury, a fractured left kneecap, will sideline him for 4-6 weeks. This guy is droppable if you don't have room on your team or if you DL is filled with someone more important. Also, Paul Janish was called up from AAA-Louisville and well I guess Jay Bruce will have to wait another day before being called up. But the Reds would be stupid if they don't call Bruce up soon. With their current spot in the bottom of the standings and with trade rumours flying over Griffey and Dunn, the Reds should give this highly touted and highly proven stud a chance in the majors.

C. Young (D-backs)

Power but seems to have the Adam Dunn disease, K's like there's no tomorrow.

Owners, grab someone who can offset this guy average wise. HR's and RBI's are always nice to have.

First Day Notes

The first day of full action is finally finished.

Eric Gagne - He blew his first save opportunity (1IP, 3ER, 1BB, 1K, 1HR) but luckily he was on the right end of the stick and came out with a vulture win. Keep an eye on this situation in case this is the start of more blown saves. If you have space, grab Turnbow who might become the new Brewers closer.

Albert Pujols - Does this silence some of his critics? Big Albert hit a HR in his opener, which ended up being deleted due to rain, but shows us the upside he holds especially when he was drafted in the late first round and even into the early second.

Kosuke Fukudome - Had a great day at the plate for his first game in the big leagues (3Hits, 1HR, 3RBI, 1BB). Don't expect him to give huge power numbers but what was a nice sign was his attempt at stealing. He was thrown out but it does show that he will run. Add 15-20SB's this season while hitting 20+HR's. Would you like that on your team?

Erik Bedard - Allowing a HR in the first inning didn't seem like his spring numbers were just that, spring numbers. But after the HR he settled down and finished with 5IP, 3H, 4BB, 5K, 1HR. This was a positive step after a terrible spring.

Chris Young (OF) - Hit a HR in his first game. Taking a quick look at his 2007 stats (32HR in 569AB) shows he has power. But along with the power he has 141K's, 43BB's, and a disgusting .237AVG. Only if he could lower his K's and up his BB's because when he does find the bases he steals, evident by his 27SB's. Young might grow into a mold like Adam Dunn. Not a bad person to have on your fantasy team except for the fact you have to balance the low average with a very high average player like an Ichiro.

Alex Gordon - The highly touted 2007 rookie started his 2008 campaign with a HR and 2RBI's. After starting extremely cold last year fantasy owners hope he can bring the second half of 2007 into this year.