2011 Fantasy Baseball: PIT

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Ups and Downs: April 9th, 2011

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This edition of Ups and Downs looks at a few players being added and dropped the most over the last seven days (according to ESPN leagues) and the possible reasons why.

SP Kyle Drabek, TOR (+63.9%) is settling in as the Blue Jays #2 starter quite nicely. He's struck out 12 in 13 innings and allowed just seven hits and two earned but has walked seven.
RP Jordan Walden, LAA (+58.2%) is now the Angels' closer and looks like he could be there for a while. He's 1-for-1 in save opportunities with a total of 7 K's in just 4.1 innings. Only 62.4% owned in ESPN leagues.
2B Freddy Sanchez, SF (+47.4%) was just 7% owned before opening the season with a .333 (9/27) BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI and 5 Runs. He definitely deserves to be owned while he's healthy and hitting.
OF Jose Tabata, PIT (+42.8%) was being touted as a "sleeper" coming into 2011 and has opened the season with an 8-game hitting streak, hitting .344 with 1 HR, 2 RBI, 9 Runs and 3 SB. You're opportunity to get him off waivers has probably passed.
SP Edwin Jackson, CHW (+41.1%) is 2-0 with 20 K's in just 14 innings pitched. It's no surprise he's being added in so many leagues. It's VERY SURPRISING he's still available in 39.5% of leagues.
SP John Lackey, BOS (-32.3%) has allowed 17 H and 15 ER in just 8.2 IP. Ouch!
OF Manny Ramirez, TB (-29.8%) should be dropped in 100% of all leagues. I'll give managers a little time but if he continues to be rostered in your league much longer than you're league probably sucks.
OF Ryan Raburn, DET (-26.4%) was another preseason "sleeper" that seems to be stuck in a platoon with Brennan Boesch. What a shame.
RP Jake McGee, TB (-26.1%) was in the mix to become the Rays' closer this Spring but those dreams seemed to have faded. Not many save opportunities for a 1-6 team.
RP Fernando Rodney, LAA (-25%) has a 7.71 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP. It's clear to see why Walden is now the closer.

Have you already given up on your "sleepers" or late-round picks? Were you one of those teams in my drafts that was so focused on drafting next year's keepers that you passed on quality players that would help you win THIS YEAR? Feel free to share your early season struggles and/or successes in the comments section of this article.

Waiver Saviors: April 6th, 2011

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Waiver Saviors will be a semi-regular feature on COSFBA looking for players available in a majority of leagues (ESPN and/or Yahoo!) who are currently having a statistical impact and could/should be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch without destroying your current roster in the process.

Here are some players who've gotten off to a fast start and may be worth owning if your roster has already been bitten by the injury bug or some late round fliers/sleepers aren't panning out:

3B/OF Alex Gordon, KC (10.3% ESPN; 39% Yahoo! owned) is hitting .375 (9/24) with 1 HR (5 XBH), 3 RBI and 6 Runs. He's currently only OF eligible in ESPN leagues.
OF Josh Willingham, OAK (6.8% E; 16% Y!) is hitting .333 (5/15) with 2 HR, 5 RBI and 5 Runs. He's currently Oakland's top-rated hitter.
3B/OF Willie Bloomquist, ARI (5.3% E; 12% Y!) is hitting .333 (6/18) with 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 Runs and 4 SB. He's been filling in at SS for the injured Stephen Drew and could gain eligibility at that position, depending on your league's rules. Could he be this year's Omar Infante?
OF Logan Morrison, FLA (26.8% E; 33% Y!) is hitting .286 (4/14) with 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 Runs and 5 BB (.474 OBP). He also is one of the most active and accessible MLB'ers on Twitter.
C Russell Martin, NYY (33.8% E; 51% Y!) is hitting .353 (6/17) with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 Runs, 2 SB and has started at catcher in all five of the Yankees's games, so far. He looks healthy and rejuvenated.
SS Orlando Cabrera, CLE (8.4% E; 9% Y!) is hitting .375 (6/16) with 1 HR, 5 RBI and 4 Runs. He's the Indians' starting second baseman and should gain eligibility at that position soon.
2B/3B/SS Maicer Izturis, LAA (7.1% E; 14% Y!) is hitting .318 (7/22) with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 Run and 2 SB. His position eligibility could be his biggest asset right now for a team that has multiple holes.
RP Jordan Walden, LAA (33.3% E; 56% Y!) was recently named the Angels' closer and should be owned in all formats that use Saves. In 3.1 innings, he's posting 16.2 K/9 and 6.00 K/BB ratios with 1 Save and 2 Holds.
RP Joel Hanrahan, PIT (72% E; 82% Y!) is Pittsburgh's closer and should be owned in 100% of leagues. He's already racked up 3 Saves with a 13.50 K/9.

It's very early to look at what starting pitchers can help your team but you should be keeping an eye on the box scores to see what low-ownership pitchers are performing well. And remember, IT IS VERY EARLY in the season. Don't blow up your roster chasing after "hot" players. You should be dropping guys who were late-round fliers or "sleepers", not proven veterans simply off to a slow start. It blows my mind that John Lackey and Ryan Raburn are currently two of the most-dropped players.

A Steady Stream: Probables For 04/05/2011

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A Steady Stream will be a semi-regular column that looks at probable pitchers starting games tomorrow and owned in approximately less than 50% of all ESPN and/or Yahoo! leagues that could be "stream-worthy" if they are available in your league.

Here are my Stream-Worthy Starting Pitchers for games to be played on Tuesday, 04/05/2011 and the level of RISK associated with streaming:

Anibal Sanchez, FLA (65.6% ESPN; 46% Yahoo! owned) @ home vs WAS (Jason Marquis) - In the first three games of the season, the Washington Nationals, as a team, are batting .209 with 1 HR and 8 Runs Scored. RISK: LOW
Derek Lowe, ATL (58.1% E; 59% Y!) @ MIL (Yovani Gallardo) - Reports have Lowe using his slider more and increasing his K/9 from a career rate of 5.9 to a rate of 8.6 over his last five starts of 2010. He opened 2011 with 6 K's in 5.2 IP (9.5 K/9) and faces a Brewers team that strikes out a lot but also hit home runs (7 in 4 games). RISK: MODERATE
Gavin Floyd, CHW (24.4% E; 50% Y!) @ KC (Luke Hochevar) - The White Sox are scoring runs in bunches (8 runs per game) and Floyd should be the beneficiary of this lineup facing Hochevar. RISK: LOW
Mike Leake, CIN (1.1% E; 4% Y!) @ home vs HOU (J.A. Happ) - As a team, the Reds are batting .350 in their first three games. Leake should be able to control an Astros offense (and I use that term lightly) that has a 28/3 K/BB ratio. RISK: LOW
Jo-Jo Reyes, TOR (0.1% E; 1% Y!) @ home vs OAK (Dallas Braden) - Toronto is back to hitting home runs and scoring runs while Oakland is pitching well but struggling offensively. Is Reyes worth owning? This start will speak volumes about his fantasy value. RISK: MODERATE

Other possible streamers I'm simply avoiding:

Michael Pineda, SEA (16.9% E; 31% Y!) @ Alexi Ogando, TEX (3.8% E; 8% Y!) - This could turn into a slugfest with two rookie pitchers going. I've got my eye on these two pitchers for future streaming opportunities. RISK: HIGH x 2
James McDonald, PIT (4.2% E; 11% Y!) @ Kyle McClellan, STL (5.7% E; 30% Y!) - Again, too soon in the season to commit to either of these guys but worth monitoring. RISK: MODERATE x 2
Chris Young, NYM (1.2% E; 17% Y!) @ PHI (Cole Hamels) - The Phillies, even without Chase Utley, can be a scary offensive team, especially at home. RISK: HIGH

Is it too early to already be looking at streaming a pitcher or two? Was that part of your draft strategy (LIMA Plan)? What are your personal feelings on streaming pitchers and the practice that may take place in your league? Are there policies in place to deter such behavior (IP limits, transaction limits, etc)? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

2011 Draft Results: Middle Infielders Targeted

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Second base and shortstop continue to be shallow positions in fantasy baseball, with the upper tiers separating themselves from the middle and (God forbid) lower tiers pretty drastically. Only 16 positionally eligible players (9 2B; 7 SS) rank in the top 100, according to MockDraftCentral.com. So if you miss out on some of the upper-to-middle tier players, you could find yourself in a whole mess of trouble filling those roster slots all season long with whatever player is available on waivers and providing some level of fantasy value in return.

All five leagues I participated in this offseason utilized an extra roster spot for either middle infielders (MI) or infielder (IF), forcing team owners to go even deeper into this pool of players and hoping the ones they picked do more good than damage to their teams.

First, here are the results of my SLOW, online auction at the 2B, SS and MI positions over at CouchManagers.com:

Troy Tulowitzki ($39)
Neil Walker ($5)
Freddy Sanchez ($1)

I was aggressively involved in the bidding for both Hanley Ramirez and Tulowitzki until Ramirez went over the $40 mark and Tulo's other suitors seemed reluctant to take him into the $40 stratosphere. Honestly, if I was willing to go to $41 on a player it wouldn't have been Tulo. I was ready to jump back in on HanRam or change my focus towards Pujols and take it all the way up to $50. With Tulo on my roster to start the season, I'm a very happy camper.

Neil Walker was a definite target of mine and I was happily surprised he flew under the radar for just $5. But more on him in a bit. Freddy Sanchez was simply filler at the MI position that will hopefully hit near his .298 career average and give me 7-10 home runs.

Let's take a look at the players I was able to draft in each of my online snake draft leagues (draft pick in parenthesis):

Dustin Pedroia (25), Elvis Andrus (72), Neil Walker (144), Yunel Escobar (192) and Miguel Tejada (289)
Brandon Phillips (51), Stephen Drew (107) and Omar Infante (247)
Derek Jeter (64), Aaron Hill (105) and Ty Wigginton (301)
Elvis Andrus (78) and Neil Walker (162)

The Second Basemen: Dustin Pedroia was the guy I wanted in every league but was only able to pull off owning him in one. I'm very anxious to see the kind of numbers he can put up in that revamped, powerful Red Sox lineup. Brandon Phillips was a pick that I didn't want to make but his ADP on MockDraftCentral.com is currently 36.82 and getting his projected .270/90/20/80/20 at a +14 draft difference was too hard to pass up. Aaron Hill should give me 20 HR/70 RBI but with what batting average? Greater or less than .250? Neil Walker was my backup plan to missing out on Pedroia and that worked out for me in three of five leagues. A full season in the bigs could produce a .280/80/15/90/10.

The Shortstops: Somehow I wound up drafting Elvis Andrus twice without even trying. He was on my radar for runs and stolen bases and was too hard to pass up. I'm hoping his average stays near .280, though. Andrus was not my primary target as shortstop, though. I really wanted Jose Reyes in as many leagues as possible because I was banking on a return to fantasy dominance in this, the ever so important "contract year". Derek Jeter was another target of mine, despite the lack of confidence the fantasy baseball community seems to have in his abilities. We're talking about a player in a "down year" (in 2010) batting .270 and scoring 111 runs and just one season removed from batting .334 (in 2009). He may not be an MVP candidate but there's nothing stopping him from being a top 5 shortstop. Stephen Drew was a panic pick for me because there was a run on shortstops and I got caught up in the action. I'm already regretting it because he's yet to make an appearance this season due to injury and I'm stuck scrounging through waivers for a body to plug in.

The Backups: Omar Infante (2B/3B/OF) and Ty Wigginton (1B/2B/3B) were both targeted for their position eligibilities. If your league has a max games limit, having players on your roster that can fill in a game here and there for your stars will maximize your scoring opportunities. Yunel Escobar played better in 2010 after his trade to the Blue Jays and could be in line for a nice bounce-back season. Miguel Tejada (3B/SS) could benefit offensively from playing on a team that is expected to win a lot of games and, at pick 289, there's very little risk. I don't expect to keep both Escobar and Tejada on the same roster for very long. I'll keep whichever starts off hottest.

Going into a draft with a plan is great, especially for the more shallow roster positions like the middle infielders, but things can change very quickly and knowing when to hold steady, reach for a player or hit the panic button can make a huge difference to overall look of your roster.

What strategies did you use when it came to drafting players that qualified at the middle infielder positions? What unique settings does your league have in place that made some players more favorable than others? Do you change strategies based on a classic rotisserie league versus a head-to-head scoring league? Please feel free to comment on my players or share your personal experiences when looking back on your draft(s) outcomes.

Finding Keepers: Pittsburgh Pirates

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One of the more enjoyable aspects of fantasy baseball is that even the bad teams can have very valuable assets to own. Such is the case when looking at a team like the Pittsburgh Pirates. They haven't had a winning season since 1992 but do have some players worthy of a "keeper" selection and several others that will have fantasy value throughout the season.

The Pirates best player and a no-brainer keeper selection is OF Andrew McCutchen. He finished 2010 as the 39th-ranked player on ESPN's Player Rater and the 15th-ranked outfielder. His 162 game career averages of .286/104/17/68/34 makes him a must-own player in all fantasy baseball formats. Check out his projections and rankings on his RotoChamp.com player page. Impressive!

Depending on the depth of your league, 2B Neil Walker deserves consideration as a keeper. A second baseman that can hit .280+ with 15+ HR, 75+ R, 75+ RBI, 10 SB potential can be a very valuable asset to own come draft day. In no way am I suggesting that Walker is or ever will be an elite option at second base but he should easily finish ranked in the top 10 come season's end.

If you're the type of fantasy owner that loves to keep young players with potential (and risks) then these next two players are probably right up your alley and deserve keeper consideration. OF Jose Tabata and 3B Pedro Alvarez each showed they have major league-ready talent in around 100 games last season. Tabata showed the potential to score 100 runs, steal 30 bases and hit around .300 while Alvarez flashed 25 HR/100 RBI power. Of the two, Tabata is probably the safer bet to succeed in 2011. Alvarez only hit .256 and struck out at rate that would have surpassed 200 K's over 162 games. If I'm the Pirates, I run them out there for 150+ games and see what they can do.

Best of the rest but not keepers:

1B Lyle Overbay was signed to get his 500 at bats, hit 15 home runs and bat .260. It's a shame they didn't have anyone in their system (Steven Pearce?) with enough potential to compete for the job in Spring Training. That would have given fantasy owners something to look forward to and talk about.
1B/OF Garrett Jones probably takes the biggest hit with the Overbay signing. He'll now bring his 20+ HR power into the first base mix and an outfield platoon with newly signed OF Matt Diaz.
RP Joel Hanrahan was officially announced as the Opening Day closer. He had a very high 12.9 K/9 ratio in 2010 to go along with a very nice 3.85 K/BB ratio. If your league uses these alternative scoring columns, his value goes up but would never qualify as a keeper.
SP Ross Ohlendorf went 1-11 in 2010 and won his arbitration case against the Pirates. He shouldn't even be considered on draft day but his case kept the value of advanced statistics (Sabermetrics) in the news.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates may be in for another long season on the field but their roster includes many ownable fantasy baseball assets while their farm system currently offers slim hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Be sure to check out the rest of the articles in my "Finding Keepers" series as you prepare to lock in your keepers and continue preparing for your upcoming drafts. Also, if you're interested in participating in a fantasy baseball draft made up of COSFBA Readers and Followers on Twitter, check out my recent article here to get more information.

Enough Already, Yankees!

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Just to be clear, COSFBA is a fantasy baseball blog dedicated to news about all players from all teams all the time. Except now. At my core I am a Brooklyn-born die-hard New York Yankees fan but even deeper is my love for the entire game of baseball. But what the Yankees have become (the team everyone loves to hate) is bad for everyone. Unfortunately it's not going to get any better any time soon.

I hate everything about the Yankees trying to sign Cliff Lee especially when the numbers being thrown around are 5yrs/$115M and as high as 7yrs/$175M. UGH! That's a lot of money for a guy that runs it out there just 34 times, at best, during the regular season. Didn't the Yankees make it to the playoffs WITHOUT him and roll right past Minnesota? I'd rather see them throw some incentive-laden contracts at guys like Rich Harden, Brad Penny and Brandon Webb or a much more affordable offer at Jorge de la Rosa.

And while I'm talking pitching, thank you for all you've done for the Yankees, Andy Pettitte, but the game of "will I pitch or will I retire" is getting old. If the desire to pitch only comes with another $15M contract, stay home and enjoy the family you so desperately struggle leaving each year.

Next up, Mariano Rivera. Mo will go down in history as the greatest reliever of all-time. No doubt. And I think the Yankees should bring him back for another year, even with a $15-18M price tag. My question is, "Who's next in line?" Joba Chamberlain will never be the closer in New York. They let Kerry Wood walk. They aren't grooming anyone to be a closer. The bullpen is a mess and all that Cliff Lee money would be much better utilized in shoring up innings six, seven and eight while developing a closer-to-be.

Speaking of Joba, is there a trade market for this poor guy? If so, pull the trigger. Let some other team figure out if he's a starter, reliever or closer. Joe Girardi and the New York media have messed with his head long enough.

Another hole the Yankees need to fill is acquiring an actual catcher (anyone named Molina will do) or allowing Jesus Montero the opportunity to grow into one at the major league level. Thank you Jorge Posada for all you've done for the Yankees but may be one of the worst defensive catchers I've ever seen behind the plate. Play out your last season as a DH/C and go away already.

I know many of you are thinking how can there be an article about the New York Yankees and the words Derek Jeter not appear in the first sentence. Well that's because the Jeter contract negotiations are a complete and utter mess and only getting uglier. Jeter deserves the opportunity to finish out his career as a Yankee, but at a price that makes sense to both parties. If the Yankees truly wanted Jeter to be a life-long Yankee wouldn't they have negotiated an extension before his current contract expired? MAYBE Jeter has a few productive years left in him but it may be time for both sides to agree to disagree and move on...as hard as that is to swallow.

Baseball needs more teams like the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers in the World Series to prove to fans (and the Yankees) that you can't keep trying to buy championships and that throwing insane amounts of dollars at individual players isn't the only way to try to win. Oh, and while I'm on my soapbox, Major League Baseball needs not only a salary cap but a salary minimum. You can't have millionaires competing with billionaires and expect a level playing field. The overall health of the game is suffering. Just ask a Pittsburgh Pirates' fan.

Speak out, Yankees' fans. At some point enough has to be enough. Remember, it's your hard-earned dollars that pay those outrageous salaries. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thankful

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This is the time of year where everyone takes a moment to voice all that they are currently thankful for, reflect on the past year and look towards what the future has in store. COSFBA is no different. The following are the Top 10 things COSFBA is very thankful for this holiday season:

10. Players with multi-position eligibility. These are the types of players that make every fantasy baseball roster better. Martin Prado (1B/2B/3B), Jose Bautista (3B/OF), Omar Infante (2B/3B/SS/OF), Ben Zobrist (1B/2B/OF) are just a few valuable players whose positional flexibility kept them in the lineup.
9. Bryce Harper. What's not to love about the future of the Washington Nationals? From the ridiculous amounts of eye black to tearing up the Arizona Fall League, this guy will keep fantasy baseball writers busy for years to come.
8. Perfect games and no hitters. Ubaldo Jimenez. Dallas Braden. Roy Halladay (x2). Edwin Jackson. Matt Garza. Sign me up for more of the same in 2011.
7. The Hot Stove season. Rumors. Signings. Trades. This time of year is why I gave up on fantasy football several years ago. Who needs football when baseball is now truly a 12-month sport. Twitter has been a phenomenal source of great information if you know who to follow.
6. Statistics. I'm a huge fan of advanced baseball statistics but will admit I'm a little late to the game. You won't see me quoting a whole lot about BABIP, FIP, WAR, VORP or wOBA but I'll be sure to make reference to resources I find valuable in my hunt to become more SABR-literate.
5. Awards. Starting with the Derek Jeter Gold Glove fiasco and ending with Josh Hamilton's AL MVP, the 2010 awards gave bloggers plenty to talk about and COSFBA got in on the action, too.
4. Albert Pujols. I'm sorry, but Pujols is fantasy baseball royalty and until he proves to be less than superhuman, he's the number one pick in all fantasy baseball formats.
3. Impact Rookies. Here's hoping 2011 brings another crop of rookies as good as Buster Posey, Jason Heyward, Neftali Feliz, Austin Jackson, Jaime Garcia, Danny Valencia, Gaby Sanchez, Neil Walker and more.
2. Closers on the cheap can change the fantasy baseball landscape of any league. Guys like John Axford, Kevin Gregg and Chris Perez will be the poster boys for next season's "never pay for saves" reasoning.

And the number one reason COSFBA is thankful this holiday season is...
1. Pitchers and catchers report to camps on February 13, 2011. Valentine's Day will come a day early this year and I will be sure to mark the 13th with a heart because "I Love You, baseball season". Just don't break my heart.

What are some of the baseball-related things you were thankful for in 2010 and hopeful for in 2011?

Line of the Day: 08/31/2010

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2B/3B Neil Walker, PIT was 4-for-5 with double, home run, four RBI and three runs in the Pirates' 14-7 win over the Chicago Cubs. In 80 games, Walker has produced a nice .305/.348/.473 line with 8 HR, 48 RBI and 41 runs on 95 hits. Double that out to entire season (16/96/82) and Walker becomes a very ownable option at third base for 2011.

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

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Line of the Day: 07/28/2010

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1B/OF Garrett Jones, PIT was 4-for-4 with a single, double and two home runs (11 total bases), three RBI and two runs. Jones hasn't kept up his 2009 pace for homers but still on pace for 23 with 98 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He's a nice option at first base but not an upper-tier guy. Pittsburgh always seems to be a source of some nice fantasy options and Jones should continue to be part of that mix for 2011.

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Waiver Saviors: 07/25/2010

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Here are some names of note that are widely available in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues in the latest installment of Waiver Saviors:

1B/OF Luke Scott, BAL (17.7% E; 21% Y!) is on another of his typical, streaky tears. Since returning from the DL, he's hitting .458 (11/24) with 4 HR, 8 RBI, 5 runs and a 1.458 OPS in 6 games. For a guy hitting around .300 for the season and projecting 30 HR, you'd expect higher ownership numbers.
OF Jack Cust, OAK (6.5% E; 8% Y!) is on fire in July. Hitting .346 (18/52) with 6 HR, 18 RBI, 14 runs and 14 walks, Cust could be a very nice add in OBP and/or OPS leagues.
3B Pedro Alvarez, PIT (25.6 E; 25% Y!) may finally be living up to his potential. In July, he's raised his average from .152 to .252 by hitting .315 (23/73) with 7 HR, 15 RBI and 13 runs. He could help you at the CI position in deep leagues or be a nice gamble in a keeper league if you are already thinking about next season.
SS Starlin Castro, CHC (43.3% E; 24% Y!) has got his groove back and loving his move into the #2 spot. Over the last 7 days, he's 13/27 (.481) with 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 runs and 2 SB. Castro is a player with huge fantasy baseball upside and worthy of a roster spot in all formats.
SP Vincente Padilla, LAD (34.8% E; 31% Y!) is starting to look like a pitcher that deserved starting opening day. He's allowed two runs or less in each of his last six starts and and sporting a nice 61:15 K:BB in 68.2 IP on the season.
RP Chris Perez, CLE (45.7% E; 37% Y!) is back in the closer role for the Indians, replacing the oft-injured Kerry Wood again. Perez should be owned in any format that uses saves. He has 3 Saves (and 2 Holds) and a 11.32 K/9 ratio over his last 10.1 IP.

Are you already in a rebuilding stage or attempting to identify next season's keepers? At what point do you consider yourself too far out of the running? It better not be once you draft your fantasy football team.

Be sure to follow COSFBA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/COSFBA. Thanks!

Line of the Day: 07/21/2010

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3B Pedro Alvarez, PIT was 3-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs. Alvarez has homered twice in each of his last two games and now has all seven of his homers in July. Speaking of July, he's hitting .339 (21/62) with those seven home runs, 15 RBI and 12 runs this month. Only 9.1 % ESPN and 18% Y! owned, now would be the time to grab him if you are floundering at the 3B or CI positions. He's projecting 23 HR and 65 RBI, most of which would be gained by the owner picking him up today.

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: 07/18/2010

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SP Paul Maholm, PIT pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout against the Astros. Maholm. Really. I KNOW! Maholm walked none and struck out one. If you were part of the 0.7% that own him in ESPN leagues, you probably deserve a start from him that didn't make you wanna kill yourself. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Did You Know? 07/10/2010

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Here are some statistical tidbits worth knowing:

SP Brett Myers, HOU has 18 consecutive outings of six or more innings.
SP Cliff Lee, TEX allowed three home runs in his first nine innings as a Ranger, after allowing a measly five homers in 105 2/3 innings with the Mariners.
2B/3B Neil Walker, PIT ranks fourth among National League rookies with a .289 batting average and has reached safely in 27 of his 34 games.
C/1B Buster Posey, SF has homered five times in his last seven games and hitting .351 in 37 games. How is he only owned in 79 % of ESPN leagues and 62% of Yahoo! leagues?
OF Nick Markakis, BAL, a lefty, is hitting .392 (40/102) versus lefties.
OF Michael Stanton, FLA hit his third in the last five games and pushed his extra-base hit streak to six games. He's struck out 44 times and only walked six times in just 27 games.
SP Ian Kennedy, ARI has allowed 19 home runs in 18 starts but has struck out 100 in 111.1 innings pitched.
OF Adam Jones, BAL hit his 13th home run and is on pace for 26. His career high is 19.
SP Scott Kazmir, LAA is 0-4 in his last four starts and has allowed a whopping 30 earned runs in 19 2/3 innings.
C Chris Snyder, ARI is tied for fourth among all catchers with ten homers.
OF Angel Pagan, NYM has five multi-hit efforts in the last six games, going 12-for-26 with five extra-base hits and four stolen bases. His 19 stolen bases have him tied for fourth in the NL.

Hope you find these statistical gems helpful heading into the All-Star break. Be sure to look me up on Twitter, if you're into that sort of thing.

Waiver Saviors: 06/04/2010

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Here are a few more names of note that are widely available in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues in the latest installment of Waiver Saviors:

3B Neil Walker, PIT (0.5% E; 3% Y!) is the latest Pittsburgh prospect called up to the big club and will be given the chance to keep the 2B job. In the minors, he's shown home run numbers in the the teens. So far he hasn't disappointed with a .312 BA (10/32), 2 R, 1 HR and 4 RBI in 8 games. He'll soon have 2B eligibility and could provide a nice boost in a CI or MI roster slot in deep mixed leagues.
C/1B Buster Posey, SF (60% E; 50% Y!) finally got the call-up and is living up to the preseason hype, so far. In his first five games, he's gone 9/19 (.474 BA) with a run and four RBI. It may take him some time to find his power stroke, but in the meantime, he has the potential to be a top-10 catcher by season's end.
OF Michael Stanton, FLA (10% E; 18% Y!) should be called up to the Marlins any day now. The question is "How much playing time will he get?". His 20 HR in just 176 Double-A at bats this season is what the buzz is all about (oh, and stuff like this).If you have the roster spot to stash him, now may be the time.
SP John Ely, LAD (59% E; 35% Y!) had a rough first outing (5 ER in 6 IP) but has run off six straight quality starts and boasting very nice ratios of a 2.54 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. Toss in his 7.24 K/9 and 4.63 K/BB ratios and you have a very ownable starting pitcher.
RP John Axford, MIL (31% E; 21% Y!) seems to be the Brewers closer and is getting the job done (1 W; 3 SV). Until he loses his grip on getting the ball in the 9th inning, he should be owned in all formats using saves.

Have you been stashing away prospects such as Stanton, Posey, Strasburg and catcher Carlos Santana of Cleveland? How has your roster suffered during the wait? Are you ready to start seeing dividends or fear you may have sacrificed precious roster spots for a chance at stardom?

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A Steady Stream: 05/11/2010

PIT

Edwin Jackson, ARI (45% E; 55% Y! owned) @ home vs LAD (Kuroda)- Jackson has been horrific over his last three starts (13.1 IP, 28 H, 21 ER, 7 BB, 9 K, .500 OBA). Until he shows he's righted the ship, I'm avoiding him. RISK: HIGH
Carl Pavano, MIN (42% E; 45% Y!) @ home vs CHW (Danks) - Why isn't Pavano owned in more leagues? Over his last three starts, he's gone 23 IP, 17 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 18 K but only 1-2 with 3 QS. He's getting hit hard at home this season (5.14 ERA) but has nice career numbers against the White Sox (5 GS, 3-2, 2 CG, 2 SHO, 2.86 ERA, 0.95 WHIP). RISK: LOW
Derek Lowe, ATL (37% E; 53% Y!) @ MIL (Gallardo) - In Lowe's seven starts in 2010, he's managed only 38 IP and 1 QS. Need more reason to avoid Lowe? How about a 23:19 K:BB ratio. Look elsewhere! RISK: DANGER!
Fausto Carmona, CLE (28% E; 31% Y!) @ KC (Davies) - Carmona has been good, so far, this season. He's recorded 5 QS in 6 GS but a troubling 17:18 K:BB ratio. He has poor career numbers against in 11 G versus KC (59 IP, 72 H, 4.73 ERA, 1.59 WHIP). RISK: MODERATE
Carlos Silva, CHC (16% E; 27% Y!) @ home vs FLA (Volstad) - Silva was streaming along quite nicely, as proven here and here, until his last two starts (10 IP, 18 H, 9 ER). He's also battling tightness in his neck. RISK: HIGH
Gio Gonzalez, OAK (9% E; 18% Y!) @ TEX (Holland) - Gonzalez is good and only getting better but his talent is still very raw (35.2 IP, 26 H, 19 BB, 34 K). I don't like this match up in Texas. I'm avoiding him. RISK: HIGH
Clayton Richard, SD (2% E; 21% Y!) @ SF (Cain) - In his last two starts, Richard has gone 11 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 8 BB, 13 K. The 13 K is 11 IP is nice but the 8 BB are troubling. Not sure he pulls out a win, but I like Richard to pitch well. RISK: EVEN
Chris Volstad, FLA (8% E; 8% Y!) @ CHC (Silva) - Volstad is coming off two stellar pitching performances (16 IP, 8 H, .193 OBA, 12:3 K:BB), but both were against the Nationals. I like Volstad because I don't like Silva (see above). RISK: LOW

Other possible streamers I'm simply avoiding:

Jamie Moyer, PHI (5% E; 8% Y!) @ COL (Hammel)
Tim Wakefield, BOS (3% E; 4% Y!) @ home vs TOR (Marcum)
Zach Duke, PIT (2% E; 7% Y!) @ home vs CIN (Bailey)
Kyle Lohse, STL (2% E; 16% Y!) @ home vs HOU (Rodriguez)
Jeremy Bonderman, DET (1% E; 2% Y!) @ home vs NYY (Hughes)

Not a great day to be streaming pitchers, so be careful out there. GOOD LUCK!

What are your personal feelings on streaming pitchers and the practice that may take place in your league? Are there policies in place to deter such behavior (IP limits, transaction limits, etc)?

A Steady Stream: 04/25/2010

PIT

Here are my Stream-Worthy Starting Pitchers for games to be played on Monday, 04/25/2010 and the level of RISK associated with streaming:

Dana Eveland, TOR (3% E; 9% Y!) @ home vs BOS - You may be drawn to his 1.93 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 18.2 IP, but look closer at his 9:7 K:BB and 4.34 K/9 ratios. He's hittable and BOS hits. Add in that he is facing Beckett and I want nothing to do with this matchup. RISK: HIGH
Oliver Perez, NYM (2% E; 2% Y!) @ home vs LAD - Don't be fooled by his 3.71 ERA. Look deeper at his 1.53 WHIP and 14:10 K:BB ratios in 17 IP. Perez isn't streamable until he proves he can get it done consistently. RISK: HIGH
Jeremy Bonderman, DET (2% E; 3% Y!) @ TEX - Bonderman is still trying to find his form but looked good in his last outing @ LAA (6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). His ERA (7.20) and WHIP (1.40) are high but so is his K/9 (8.40). RISK: MODERATE
Matt Harrison, TEX (0.3% E; 1% Y!) @ home vs DET - Harrison started off well until running into BOS in his last start (4 IP, 6 ER). Regardless, he still has some decent numbers (4.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .293 OBA, 5.29 K/9). RISK: MODERATE
Mat Latos, SD (78% E; 11% Y!) @ FLA vs J. Johnson - I added Latos as a streamer simply because he's only 11% owned in Yahoo! leagues. That's a head-scratcher. The Padres are hot and this has the makings of a classic pitchers duel. RISK: LOW
Carlos Silva, CHC (6% E; 21% Y!) @ home vs WAS - No one wants to believe Silva will continue to put up the numbers he has so far (3 QS, 2-0, 19 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 12:2 K:BB, 0.95 ERA, .063 WHIP, .194 OBA), but I'm buying while he's hot. RISK: SLIGHT
David Huff, CLE (0.5% E; 3% Y!) @ OAK - Huff struggled with his control in his last start (6 IP, 6 BB, 1 K) but could benefit from pitching in spacious Oakland. Was his complete game a fluke? RISK: EVEN
Zach Duke, PIT (6% E; 13% Y!) @ MIL - I still can't recommend streaming a Pittsburgh starting pitcher. Do these numbers help (24 IP, 24 H, 10 BB, 8 K)? Duke is very hittable and the Brewers hit! RISK: VERY HIGH

Other possible streamers I'm simply avoiding:

Kyle Davies, KC (0.1% E; 0% Y!) @ home vs SEA Hernandez
John Lannan, WAS (0.4% E; 3% Y!) @ CHC
Kyle Lohse, STL (2% E; 17% Y!) @ home vs ATL Hudson

Streaming on Monday and Thursday makes sense in head-to-head leagues because there are less games and this is a nice opportunity to pick up an extra win or two, when selecting the right match up to invest in. GOOD LUCK!

A Steady Stream: 04/22/2010

PIT

Carl Pavano, MIN (30% E; 38% Y!) @ KC - Pavano was lit up for 11 H and 7 ER in just 3.1 IP in his last start at home against KC, so there is some hesitation to stream him again against the same opponent on the road. He's also not fared well in his career against KC (10 G, 7.84 ERA, 1.61 WHIP). I like his 12:1 K:BB ratio so far in 2010 but KC seems to have this guy's number. RISK: HIGH
Scott Feldman, TEX (29% E; 46% Y!) @ home vs. DET - Feldman started the year off with two quality starts but ran into NYY and was pounded for 4 ER and 7 H in just 2.1 IP. DET sports a top 5 offense and it could turn into a slugfest in Arlington. His career numbers against DET are frightening too (16.1 IP, 16 ER). RISK: VERY HIGH
Ervin Santana, LAA (14% E; 55% Y!) @ home vs. NYY - Santana looked strong in his last start, pitching a CG, 1 ER game at TOR. He has nice career numbers at home (70 GS, 3.77 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) too but this is a Yankee lineup that pounded him for 5 ER in 5.2 IP on 4/13. RISK: MODERATE
Justin Duchscherer, OAK (12% E; 61% Y!) @ home vs. CLE - Cleveland owns the worst-ranked offense in MLB and Duchscherer is riding a scoreless streak of 13 IP. 'Nuff said. RISK: LOW
Jaime Garcia, STL (8% E; 27% Y!) @ SF vs. Lincecum - Matching up against Lincecum comes with a certain level of risk, but Garcia has been phenomenal in his two starts so far in 2010 (13 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 10 K) and I'm buying what Dave Duncan is selling. RISK: EVEN
Kevin Correia, SD (5% E; 73% Y!) @ CIN - Correia needs to go deeper into games to be more widely recognized as a quality starting pitcher (6 IP, 5.2 IP, 5.2 IP) but 3.12 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 8.83 K/9 are all very ownable statistics. RISK: LOW
John Maine, NYM (5% E; 12% Y!) @ home vs. ATL - I want John Maine to be fantasy-relevant again, but so far it's not looking that good (13 IP, 21 H, 15 ER, 10.38 ERA.449 OBA, 2.23 WHIP). Maine is now pitching simply to stay in the Mets' rotation. Good luck. RISK: VERY HIGH
Jeremy Guthrie, BAL (0.7% E; 2% Y!) @ BOS vs. Lester - Guthrie hasn't pitched as badly as his record indicates (0-2, 3 QS) and has put up decent ratios (3.15 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 14:3 K:BB) so far. He's never pitched well against BOS (11 GS, 1-5, 4.74 ERA, 1.68 WHIP) and even worse at Fenway. RISK: DANGER!

Other possible streamers I'm simply avoiding:

Johnny Cueto, CIN (9% E; 45% Y!) @ home vs. SD
Kenshin Kawakami, ATL (1% E; 42% Y!) @ NYM
Ryan Rowland-Smith, SEA (1% E; 35% Y!) @ CHW
Paul Maholm, PIT (0.8% E; 22% Y!) @ HOU vs. Oswalt
Greg Smith, COL (0.4 % E; 2% Y!) @ home vs FLA Nolasco

Would love to hear if you've already resorted to streaming in your Rotisserie league to make up points or in your Head-to-Head league to capture a category victory. Also looking for opinions (for and against) the practice of streaming pitchers.

A Steady Stream: 04/15/2010

PIT

A Steady Stream will be a semi-regular column that looks at probable pitchers starting games tomorrow and owned in approximately less than 50% of all ESPN and/or Yahoo! leagues that could be "stream-worthy" if they are available in your league. My goal is to revisit the streamers to see how accurate (or not) my assessment of the risk was.

Streaming pitchers is a practice that is hated by many fantasy baseball managers and is often used to exploit a hole in your league's settings and configuration. If there is no cap on innings pitched, a "streamer" can attempt to chase Wins at the expense of categories such as ERA and WHIP. Personally, I stream pitchers in every league and every format because on draft day I usually go after several front-of-the-rotation pitchers and then use my late round picks to fill holes I may have with my hitters. Usually only one or two of those players will pan out, so I'll start using those other roster positions to stream pitchers with favorable match ups and obviously available on waivers.

Here are my Stream-Worthy Starting Pitchers for games to be played on Friday, 04/16/2010 and the level of RISK associated with streaming:

Wade Davis, TB (53% E; 15% Y!) @ BOS vs. Josh Beckett - Pitching in the potent AL East is always risky and opening the season against the NY Yankees proved that point (6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, L). Matching up versus Josh Beckett in Boston and the potent Boston lineup could make the start of the 2010 season a forgettable one for Davis. RISK: EXTREMELY HIGH
Derek Lowe. ATL (47% E; 65% Y!) @ home vs. COL - Lowe has won his first two decisions of 2010 but not in pretty fashion (6:10 K:BB, 6 ER, 12 IP). Colorado's lineup has some injuries (Hawpe, CarGo) but their replacements (Spilborghs, Fowler, Seth Smith) can still do damage in a hitters park. RISK: MODERATE
Dallas Braden, OAK (38% E; 47% Y!) @ home vs. BAL - Braden should be a definite own after starting the season with 12 K, 2 BB, 9 H, 4 ER in 13 IP. Baltimore should be an easy mark for this up-and-coming pitcher. RISK: LOW
Shaun Marcum, TOR (35% E; 46% Y!) @ home vs. LAA - Marcum has already flirted with a no-hitter and has posted two strong outings so far, amassing 11 K versus 2 BB and 10 H in 13 IP. The Angels have a lineup that can do a lot of damage on any given day. Another strong outing by Marcum could solidify him as a must-own pitcher in all formats. RISK: SLIGHT
Zack Duke, PIT (5% E; 12% Y!) @ home vs. CIN - Duke has 2 wins already in 2010 and I wouldn't be surprised if those were his only two wins this year. I've been burned way too many times by streaming a Pittsburgh starting pitcher and can't bring myself to recommending anyone but the loyal or foolish to stream him. RISK: DANGER!
Mike Leake, CIN (3% E; 8% Y!) @ PIT - Streaming against Pittsburgh usually has its benefits and Leake didn't fair as poorly as his numbers might suggest in his debut (6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 5 K, just 57 of 107 pitches for strikes). Not a game for the faint of heart. RISK: HIGH
Jeremy Bonderman, DET (2% E; 6% Y!) @ SEA vs. Felix Hernandez - This game has the feeling of a 3-2 outcome and can go either way. Seattle is not scoring runs and Bonderman is still regaining his strength but his first outing was encouraging (5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W). RISK: MODERATE
Carlos Silva, CHC (0.4% E; 1% Y!) @ home vs. HOU - The Astros look hapless so far and are a good team to stream against. Silva had a nice debut at CIN (6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) and could be a steal in virtually all leagues. Just remember that he still is Carlos Silva. RISK: SLIGHT
Todd Wellemeyer, SF (0.2% E; 1% Y!) @ LAD - Sometimes streaming isn't about how well a pitcher is pitching (6.1 IP, 5.68 ERA, .387 OBA, 1.74 WHIP) but about how poorly his opponent (Padilla - 8.2 IP, 14 H, 11 ER, 2.08 WHIP) pitching. The Dodgers lineup is capable of putting up a lot of runs, so tread lightly. RISK: HIGH

I'm looking forward to seeing how these picks pan out and to hear other opinions on the pros and cons of the streaming strategy. What policies have been put in place in your leagues to curtail such practices?

Pittsburgh Pirates: DOs and DON'Ts

PIT

DO expect good things from OF Andrew McCutchen in 2010. His ADP in the 90s puts him in a group with Hunter Pence, Torii Hunter, Jay Bruce, Carlos Quentin and Nate McClouth. Not bad company for a guy with only 433 career ABs.
DON'T expect 21 HRs from 1B/OF Garrett Jones in just 82 games. He'll probably get you that many over a full season with a BA around .260.
DO draft CL Octavio Dotel and SU Joel Hanrahan together if your league counts Holds. Dotel is always an injury risk and Hanrahan has some experience closing games.
DON'T even waste a late-round pick on OF Lastings Milledge, at this point. He'll be there on waivers and if he does anything positive in April, grab him.
DO relax if you punted on a catcher. C Ryan Doumit can be had on the cheap (18th round or later) and, if healthy, can provide 15 HR, 60 RBI, .280 BA and a few steals too.