2011 Fantasy Baseball: CLE

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Your Fantasy Baseball League Probably Sucks...

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...IF these players are still available on waivers.

1B Brett Wallace of the Houston Astros is hitting .382 (34/89) with a .967 OPS and a ridiculously high BABIP of .471 deserves to be owned in more than 27.4% of ESPN leagues and 27% of Yahoo! leagues. He recently strung together six games in which he had two or more hits in a game and has done it 10 times in 24 starts. Any player sporting this much wood going into May should be on someone's roster in your league.
C Alex Avila of the Detroit Tigers leads all catchers in the majors in Total Bases (48) and RBI (21) and has produced an unexpected 5x5 line of .309/12/5/21/1. Any catcher producing numbers like these deserves to be owned in 100% of all non-NL only leagues. So explain to me why he's 74% owned in ESPN leagues and just 66% in Yahoo! leagues.
SP Josh Tomlin of the Cleveland Indians is 4-0 with a 2.45 ER and a 0.91 WHIP. He has gone 5-for-5 in pitching a Quality Start and easily could be 5-0. He hasn't shown the ability to be a strikeout pitcher (just 18 K in 33 IP) but he's giving three-category scoring. He deserves better than 60.4% ESPN and just 44% Yahoo! ownership.
RP Sergio Santos of the Chicago White Sox has done a solid job (3-for-3 in save opps) as the team's most recent closer and looks to be settling in nicely into the role. All full-time closers deserve to be owned more than 56.3% in ESPN leagues and 47% of Yahoo! leagues. If Matt Thornton (25.4% E; 41% Y!) and Chris Sale (11.9% E; 31% Y!) are still owned in a league that doesn't count Holds, that league probably sucks.
OF Peter Bourjos of the Los Angeles Angels and OF Jason Bourgeois of the Houston Astros have combined for 11 stolen bases and a .313 batting average. They are a combined 26% owned in both ESPN and Yahoo! leagues. How about this, combine them into a nice platoon and see what they do as a 4th/5th outfielder combo in deeper mixed leagues.
Manny Ramirez is still owned in 10.7% of ESPN leagues and 6% of Yahoo! leagues. If he's still rostered in your league then this means you have an owner that has bailed on managing their team already. It's May 3rd. These people have no business playing fantasy baseball and have poisoned the rest of your league with inactivity.

This post is written periodically to help point out one of the things fantasy baseball owners complain about most: inactivity. Inactivity on any level within a league can kill the competitive balance for the entire league. Even if three-quarters of a league's members are very active, the inactivity of the other one-quarter will cause frustration to owners trying to make trades.

I truly think a large portion of fantasy baseball participants are addicted to the thrill of the live draft but are bored or even overwhelmed with how much effort it takes to manage one, let alone many, successful teams for six months compared to the relative-ease of managing a fantasy football team.

Is it getting harder each season to find quality owners and quality leagues? The answer for me is yes. I had to shut down three of my keeper leagues this offseason because I got tired of competing against 2/3rds of the teams and pulling teeth with the other 1/3 to keep them active. What types of issues are you already experiencing in your leagues this season that makes you wonder why some people bother to join in the first place?

Waiver Saviors: April's Fantasy Baseball All-Stars

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My Waiver Saviors articles have always been about finding players available in a high percentage of leagues (I use ESPN and Yahoo! data because those are the two sites I personally prefer to play leagues in) and are having a statistical impact at the time the article is written.

This version of Waiver Saviors will look at a lineup of All-Star performances by players either not drafted or drafted near the end of most drafts this offseason. ESPN only tracks ADP (Average Draft Position) up to 260 picks and it looks like Yahoo! is in the same neighborhood. I believe a standard 5x5 10-team league uses 26 roster spots by default.

Here are your Fantasy Baseball Wavier Saviors All-Stars through the month of April:

Catcher Russell Martin of the New York Yankees has shown he's fully recovered from his injury and reversed the downward trend his career was taking with the Dodgers. His 5x5 line of .293/13/6/19/2 makes him the #1-ranked catcher in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues. He was virtually undrafted on ESPN (260) and while he did a little better on Yahoo! (213.5). Joe Mauer owners need to step away from the edge.
First baseman Ike Davis of the New York Mets is showing owners he's worth all of the hype he received last season. His 5x5 line of .337/16/5/20 has him ranked 7th on ESPN and 8th on Yahoo! among such fantasy heavyweights as Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard. All this from an ESPN ADP of 210.2 on ESPN and 229.2 on Yahoo!
Second baseman Darwin Barney of the Chicago Cubs has secured the majority of the playing time with his 5x5 line of .326/15/1/14/1, after being virtually undrafted in all formats. Jeff Baker is still in the mix for playing time, so keep an eye on things if Barney falters and Baker takes advantage of additional at-bats.
Third baseman Placido Polanco of the Philadelphia Phillies is healthy again and thriving as a fantasy baseball hitting machine. His 41 hits in just 26 games led to a 5x5 line of .398/18/2/19/3 from a player with an ADP of 203.3 on ESPN and 229.5 on Yahoo!
Shortstop Jed Lowrie of the Boston Red Sox is proving he deserves to be in the mix for at-bats, having already made an appearance at all four infield positions, by producing a "legendary" 5x5 line of .368/13/3/12/0 in April.
Outfielder Lance Berkman of the St. Louis Cardinals was considered by most to be on the downside of his career but has proved everyone wrong by opening the season with a 5x5 line of .393/23/8/22/0. Could he return to the player that has averaged 33 home runs and 110 RBI per 162 games played over his 13 year career? Current fantasy owners sure hope so.
Outfielder Jeff Francoeur of the Kansas City Royals has regained some of his 2005-2007 lightning that made him a fantasy-relevant player breaking in with the Braves. Both he and the Royals were the butt of many offseason-signing jokes but who's laughing at his 5x5 line of .314/16/5/20/3 now?
Outfielder Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs is tied for the major league lead in home runs with 10. Let that soak in for a moment as you look at the entire 5x5 line of .258/15/10/20/0 he was able to put up in April. His average and the fact that he's not stealing bases are both negatives but, for a player with an ADP of 207.8 on ESPN and 206.6 on Yahoo!, the risk versus reward factor is proving to be low at this point. Plus if he totally tanks it from this point on, very few owners will feel bad about dropping him to waivers.

This All-Star team deserves a place for two additional stars:

Outfielder Alex Gordon of the Kansas City Royals has gone from highly touted rookie to fantasy baseball bust to roto-relevant in just five seasons in the big leagues. His early 5x5 line of .339/20/2/19/2 has ranked inside the top-20 on ESPN (17th) and Yahoo! (19th), thanks to a recent 19-game hitting streak.
Outfielder Sam Fuld of the Tampa Bay Rays became a "legend" too when called upon to fill in for the retirement-bound Manny Ramirez. A recent 0-17 streak brought his 5x5 line down to .289/17/1/8/10, but quick reacting fantasy owners grabbing him off waivers aren't complaining...yet. It will be interesting to see what his numbers look like after the month of May is over.

No All-Star team would be complete without some pitchers, so here are a few that have dominated out of virtually nowhere:

Starting pitcher Kyle Lohse of the St. Louis Cardinals went from undrafted to a must-own with a 4-1, 1.64 ERA, 0.73 WHIP start to the season.
Starting pitcher James Shields of the Tampa Bay Rays has provided owners that drafted him in ESPN (203.9) and Yahoo! (225.2) leagues plenty to smile about by going 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP and 39 strikeouts in 46.1 innings pitched.
Rookie starting pitcher Michael Pineda of the Seattle Mariners has started of his career with five straight quality starts and a 4-1 record, 2.01 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 30 strikeouts in just 31.1 innings. His ADP of 225.1 on ESPN and 237.4 on Yahoo! prove there were some very savvy owners grabbing him in the last few rounds of drafts.
Starting pitcher Justin Masterson of the Cleveland Indians went 5-0 in April with five quality starts, a 2.18 ERA and 1.12 WHIP and seems ready to live up to the hype Red Sox fans witnessed back in 2008.
Relief pitcher Brandon League of the Seattle Mariners has stepped in brilliantly for the injured David Aardsma as closer, going 7-for-7 in saves with a 2.45 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Could a closer controversy be brewing? It will be interesting to watch what develops as Aardsma is due back soon.
Relief Pitcher Kyle Farnsworth of the Tampa Bay Rays has been given the first chance to be the team's closer and has done a good job, saving his first five chances before blowing a save on the last day of April. With young arms Joel Peralta and Jake McGee and an injured J.P. Howell due back soon, you wonder how much longer Farnsworth will get the call to close games.

So there are your April 2010 Waiver Saviors All-Stars. What players were you able to grab off waivers in your leagues who've made the most difference to your success in April? Are you daily or weekly change leagues? Which do you prefer?

Fantasy Baseball News and Notes from April 19th, 2011

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Here are some fantasy baseball tidbits I picked up from games played on April 19th, 2011:

DH Adam Dunn, CHW has two hits in his last 27 at-bats and may be dropped down in the batting order.
RP J.P. Howell, TB, coming back from left shoulder surgery, is set to pitch in extended spring training after throwing a 35-pitch batting practice session. The reliever is not expected to rejoin the team until mid-May.
C Matt Wieters, BAL is 5-for-5 with eight RBI this season with runners in scoring position.
OF Nick Markakis, BAL has only one hit in his last 20 at-bats.
OF Ryan Braun, MIL is 9 for 19 in his last five games, and has reached safely in all 17 games this season.
Toronto activated RP Frank Francisco (right shoulder) off the 15-day DL and optioned SP Jesse Litsch to Triple-A Las Vegas. Francisco will be in the mix for saves with Jon Rauch depending on the situation.
3B David Wright, NYM is hitless in his last 16 at-bats with seven strikeouts.
OF Michael Bourn, HOU is 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts this year and has swiped 16 straight dating to last season.
SP Josh Johnson, FLA is now 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA, a 0.59 WHIP and a 9.00 K/9 ratio this season. He's allowed four hits or less in each of his four starts and batters are hitting .112 against him.
OF Logan Morrison, FLA left the game in the fifth inning with a strained arch in his left foot and hopes to be back in the lineup within a couple of days.
CL J.J. Putz, ARI is 4-for-4 in save chances this season with an 11.57 K/9 ratio over 7 IP.
3B/OF Alex Gordon, KC went 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .361, with two stolen bases.
OF Grady Sizemore, CLE is 5-for-9 with two doubles, two RBI and a home run in two games since returning from knee surgery. Indians manager Manny Acta plans to let him play three or four games every five days or so. Plan accordingly.
OF Andre Ethier, LAD went 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 16 games. He's hitting .362 on the season.

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.

2011 Starting Pitcher Sleepers

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(In my continued effort to bring additional voices and perspectives to COSFBA, this article is being brought to you by guest writer KJ Hanna. KJ was one of the first people I connected with on Twitter and actually lives in the same part of Brooklyn, NY where I grew up. He's had his fantasy baseball work featured on both FantasyBaseball101.com and BigTroph.com. I hope you find as much value in his contribution to this site as I do.)

Ahh, the dreaded word ALL fantasy experts and drafters love and hate…SLEEPER. Another word equally as poisonous… BOUNCEBACK. The great thing about the fantastic sport of baseball is there will always be players who fall into one or both of these categories. Luckily for you, the owner, we have already crunched the numbers and taken out most of the guess work.

You’ve all heard this already but, starting pitching is deep this year and you shouldn’t reach early for a SP early. That is, unless your league’s scoring settings heavily rewards SPs or you’re in a keeper/dynasty league. That being said, it’s in my opinion that you make your move in the middle to late rounds for pitchers and these are a few you should target.

The objective to identifying a sleeper starting pitcher is to determine which players have the upside to outperform their current draft position and provide your fantasy team with an advantage over the rest of your league at a low cost/draft pick.

AL SP Sleepers

Jeremy Hellickson – Tampa Bay Rays
Hellickson, the Rays stud prospect du jour got a huge boost once Matt Garza was traded to the Cubs in the offseason. He now has the chance to build upon his impressive numbers when called up in 2010, 3.47 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 33 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 1/3 innings.

Notably revered to be more of a control pitcher, Hellickson is deceiving in his assortment of pitches and has the potential to become an ace, however, expect peaks and valleys, especially as he gets more acquainted with the AL East mashers.

Beyond the occasional long ball and a few rookie hiccups, the only negative I can see with “Hell Boy” is that the Rays may shut him down early, limiting his innings. In that case, all formats should feel confident in grabing him in mid-late rds and sell high come July (except in Keeper/Dynasty leagues).

Max Scherzer – Detroit Tigers
I know, most of you are thinking, "Scherzer, a sleeper?". That’s right readers! After an awful start to 2010 (7.29 ERA in April and half of May) and a minor league demotion, Scherzer came back to the majors with a blazing fastball and an appetite for strikeouts.

In Scherzer’s return to the majors, he posted a 2.46 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 158 strikeouts and FINALLY showed his potential and quieted the “bust” whispers. Scherzer has the talent to become an elite fantasy starter and should be on everyone’s radar in all league formats in mid rounds on draft day. Draft with confidence.

Edwin Jackson – Chicago White Sox
EJax is an enigma. Is he an Ace or a tease? After moving to the AL, Jackson put together some fantastic strikeout and walk numbers which was a great sign of things to hopefully come. Jackson’s K/9 with the Dbacks was 6.98, with the White Sox 9.24! Not only did his K/BB improve but his fastball launched from 94 MPH to 95.3 MPH AND he lowered his overall ERA by almost 2 runs!

Jax is going late enough to take a risk/reward approach with him. His skills are pointing the way to a very productive season with plenty of run support from a stacked White Sox lineup. Grab him in the late rounds and reap the benefits in all league formats.

DEEP SLEEPER: Carlos Carrasco – Cleveland Indians
Carrasco is Spanish for “Peppered Strikezone” because that is what CC-lite does; unfortunately sometimes it results in the long ball, which can become a deterring factor in his fantasy value. One of the prospect players in the Cliff Lee deal, Carrasco, 23, could be in for a quality first full professional season.

He possesses solid upside after his 2-2 3.83 ERA, 38 K/14 BB ratio in 44.2 inngs in 2010. This kid is young and needs to find some maturity on the mound (as shown by his Spring Training numbers) but fantasy owners should consider him a quality matchup fantasy option in late rounds of deeper mixed leagues and AL-only formats.

NL SP Sleepers

Javier Vazquez – Florida Marlins
Vazquez is an established veteran pitcher who has had some very good and not so good (’04 & ’10 ironically both w/the Yankees) years. Yes, he’s 34 and yes his velocity fell predominantly last season, however, he has regained some of that lost speed this spring.

What makes Vazy a sleeper in 2011? 1. His move back to the NL East and into a pitchers ballpark. 2. He’s only 2 seasons removed from a 15 win, 2.87 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 238 K year with the Braves. 3. His current drafting position is between 175-194 in most drafts.

Fantasy owners should look to snag this vet in late rounds for Roto and H2H leagues and mid-late rounds for NL only leagues for a low-risk, high-reward investment in 2011.

Jhoulys Chacin – Colorado Rockies
One of my top targets for sleepers in 2011, this 22-yr old looked incredible in 2010 logging a 3.28 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings and giving up ONLY 10 home runs last season.

Chacin should miss tons of bats and cause groundballs aplenty with his low-90's fastball and filthy off speed pitches. Chacin is poised to steal the #2 spot away from Jorge de la Rosa this season and could become a legitimate real life and fantasy ace in 2011 and beyond.

Owners, grab Chacin if he falls to you in mid-late rds in all fantasy formats, especially in keeper, dynasty and NL Only leagues as he is a special breed and will bring you weekly gold.

Jordan Zimmermann - Washington Nationals
Since coming back from Tommy John surgery last season, Zimm hasn’t logged in many innings to turn heads, however, with his mid-90’s fastball and jelly leg slider, he is poised to finally show the MLB and his owners why he should be considered a valuable starting pitcher.

Though I expect strong results when on the hill, he has not pitched more than 100 innings in a season since 2008 and I don’t expect the Nats to give him more than 150-160. Zimmerman MUST be considered an injury risk by all owners and is truly the definition of a risk/reward pick, however his potential for late roundd drafting returns is exponential.

Currently going anywhere from 180-192, Zimm should be scooped up and considered a viable mid-level fantasy starter in Mixed, Roto and H2H leagues with a larger upside in NL Only and Keeper leagues.

DEEP SLEEPER: Homer Bailey – Cincinnati Reds
Can 2011 finally be the year of the Homer? Bailey, that is. I’m a believer and you should be too.

Last season, Bailey logged 109 innings, posted his highest strikeout rate to date and improved his control to drop his ’09 totals in BBs and Runs allowed. Not to mention that after his demotion to the minors in May, he came back strong posting 3.55 ERA, 9.10 K/9 and 2.93 BB/9 in 58 1/3 innings from Aug 15 on.

The addition of a splitter to his arsenal has helped his fastball’s effectiveness and keeps batters off balance more than in years past. This ultimately will help his K/9 and BB/9 numbers.

Is he a staff ace, nope, but as a No. 3/4 starter he has lower-tier fantasy starter written all over him. Upside is he gives you depth in your rotation; the downside is it may take him a month or so to get it rolling.

Bailey is being drafted between 260-330 in most drafts, so there isn’t urgency from owners at this time. NL Only owners draft him late rounds, Mixed, Roto and H2H leagues draft in very late rounds especially if you have a deep bench.

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?

Finding Keepers: Cleveland Indians: 10/18/2010

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The Cleveland Indians should have two very solid keeper candidates but unfortunately that's not the case going into the 2011 season. OF Shin-Soo Choo finished the season as the 10th-best outfielder and 24th-ranked player overall according to ESPN's Player Rater with his .300/81/22/90/22 line yet his 2011 season is in jeopardy due to his two-year commitment to the South Korean military needing to be filled. Keep an eye on this situation over the winter to see how it all players out. Hopefully there's a clear direction before your league's keepers need to be locked in.

C Carlos Santana's much anticipated debut happened on June 11th and he proceeded to put up very good numbers (.260/23/6/22/3) in 46 games before having his season ended in a home plate collision that left him with a seriously injured knee. Reports are that he will be ready for the start of next season but knee injuries and catching don't mix well. Any catcher with the ability to hit 20+ home runs and steal some bases is definitely worth a keeper tag, especially in deep mixed leagues and 2-catcher formats.

I don't see anyone else on the Indians roster that I'd be willing to use a keeper selection on for the 2011 season. Do you agree/disagree with my assessment of their roster? If so, open up the discussion by leaving me a comment. Also, help spread the word about COSFBA by using the "Share" option on this post. Much appreciated!

Line of the Day: 09/17/2010

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OF Shin-Soo Choo, CLE was 4-for-5 with three home runs (13 total bases), seven RBI and three runs scored in an 11-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. Choo now has 19 HR and 18 SB on the season to go along with his 79 RBI, 70 runs and .291 batting average. These numbers are only slightly down from last season but Choo is proving to be a steady, reliable fantasy baseball outfielder worth owning.

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

Like what you see here on COSFBA? Think a friend or family member might enjoy it too? Please use one of the "share" options below to help spread the word about COSFBA. Much appreciated.

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!

Ups and Downs: 06/13/2010

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This edition of Ups and Downs will look at players being added and dropped the most (according to ESPN leagues) and the possible reasons why.

OF Michael Stanton, FLA (+67.2%) deserves being added in all formats, especially after starting off 7/19 (.368 BA) with four RBI and two stolen bases in his first five games. Everyone is waiting for the power to come, but it's nice to see that he can do more than just hit the long ball.
SP Brett Cecil, TOR (+34.9%) is now 7-2 with a 3.22 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. He's won his last five starts (the last two being against TB and NYY) and each was also a quality start. Only 65% owned in ESPN leagues, he could be a nice addition to your staff.
C Carlos Santana, CLE (+29.1%) is another rookie that just got the call and didn't disappoint, homering in his second big league game. Immediately inserted into the number three slot in the Indians batting order, look for him to be given every opportunity to succeed.
SS Starlin Castro, CHC (-23.7%) is hitting only .229 in June and has just two RBI in his last 18 games.
SP Johnny Cueto, CIN (-21.1%) was a hot add not too long ago. In his last three starts, he's given up 17 ER and 25 hits in just 17 IP. UGH!
2B Orlando Hudson, MIN (-21.0%) seems to simply be a casualty of roster space. Prior to going on the DL, he was hitting .305 with 39 R, 3 HR, 16 RBI and 4 SB in 49 games. Could be a nice add if you have the roster space and need.

What other players have you finally given up on? Does your league's keeper rules force you to hold onto a player longer than you want for the sake of next season?

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?

Be sure to follow me on Twitter, too.

A Steady Stream: 05/11/2010

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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. My goal is to revisit the streamers to see how accurate my assessment of the risk was (or not).

Here are my Stream-Worthy Starting Pitchers for games to be played on Wednesday, 05/12/2010 and the level of RISK associated with streaming:

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)?

Waiver Saviors: 05/03/2010

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Waiver Saviors will look at players available in a majority of leagues (ESPN & Y!) that are currently having a statistical impact and could be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) that is currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch without destroying your current roster to do so.

HITTERS (last 7 days)

OF Austin Jackson, DET (15/30, .500 BA, 8 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB) NEEDS TO BE OWNED! If he's still available on waivers in your league, then your league probably sucks. Any guy leading the league in hits going into the month of May deserves to be rostered. If you're scared away by the strikeouts (34 K in 109 AB), then why is Justin Upton still 100% owned (36 K in 98 AB)? (32% E; 57% Y!)
3B David Freese, STL (12/26, .462 BA, 4 R, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB) is thriving in the middle of the Cardinals lineup. He's heating up and could provide some very nice production if you are thin at the 3B, CI or INF positions. (7% E; 21% Y!)
C Rod Barajas, NYM (6/14, .429 AB, 6 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB) can help you in deep two-catcher while he's hot. He's got long-ball potential but could hurt your batting average (.239 career). (7% E; 24% Y!)
1B/2B/3B Ty Wigginton, BAL (6/18, .333 BA, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB) continues to get the job done and with three positions of eligibility, he's the perfect guy to have on your roster. Brian Roberts' return is still unknown and Wiggy will continue to get plenty of playing time. (41% E; 60% Y!)
OF Austin Kearns, CLE (11/25, .440 AB, 4 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB) is starting, is hitting and should be owned while he's hot. Cleveland's offense is struggling and hopefully Kearns continues to earn the playing time. (0.1% E; 9% Y!)
3B/SS Jhonny Peralta, CLE (9/23, .391 BA, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB) has two positions of eligibility and four multi-hit games over his last five outings. Sounds like a guy that could help out a struggling team. (6% E; 27% Y!)
2B/3B Adam Rosales, OAK (10/21, .476 BA, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB) will continue to see regular at-bats while Mark Ellis is sidelined and he's making the most of the opportunity. Also has 1B eligibility on Y! (0.1% E; 3% Y!)

PITCHERS (last 15 days)

SP Jon Garland, SD (3 QS, 3 W, 20 IP, 12 H, 0.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 6.30 K/9) is thriving in the Padres rotation and is a guy to consider if you are looking for some pitching depth. He's never been a strikeout pitcher but recently racked up ten in six innings against the Marlins. (2% E; 15% Y!)
SP/RP C.J. Wilson, TEX (3 QS, 2 W, 19.2 IP, 14 H, 1.37 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 5.03 K/9) has successfully transitioned from reliever to starter in 2010 and could provide some nice depth to a struggling pitching staff. Also doesn't hurt that he recently gave COSFBA some love on Twitter. (25% E; 55% Y!)
SP Wade LeBlanc, SD (2 QS, 2 W, 17.1 IP, 18 H, 1 ER, 0.52 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.31 K/9, 4.00 K/BB) is another Padres pitcher that should be owned at this point. His next start will be at home versus Colorado. His ownership should increase if he pitches well again. (0.4% E; 16% Y!)
SP Jaime Garcia, STL (2 QS, 1 W, 13 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 1.38 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 4.85 K/9) pitches at Philadelphia in his next start. This is make or break for his Waiver Saviors life. (12% E; 49% Y!)
RP Matt Lindstrom, HOU (6 IP, 5 SV, 9.00 K/9) is the closer on a bad team. Regardless, he will get whatever saves there are to be gotten in Houston and is a must-own, at this point. (60% E; 62% Y!)
RP Luke Gregerson, SD (9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 HLD, .071 OBA, 0.22 WHIP, 9.00 K/9) is racking up the Holds in San Diego and should be owned in all deep leagues with lots of RP spots to fill. (0.4% E; 10% Y!)
RP Alfredo Simon, BAL (3 IP, 2 SV, 15.00 K/9) is currently the closer in Baltimore and all closers should be owned if your league uses saves. His 2.00 WHIP could be cause for concern but his sample size is only three innings. It helps that Mike Gonzalez is on the DL and Jim Johnson was optioned to AAA. (0% E; 15% Y!)

Picking players off waivers can be the difference between winning or losing a league, as long as the timing is right. Which players on your roster are you ready to trade or dump going into the month of May?

A Steady Stream: 04/25/2010

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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!

Ultimate Lineup: 04/19/2010

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Ultimate Lineup will be a weekly column looking at the players currently ranked highest at their respective positions over the last week of action. I'll be using ESPN's Player Rater and Yahoo!'s current rankings to determine my starters and reserves based on position eligibility.

CATCHER

Starter - Ivan Rodriguez, WAS (28% E; 37% Y!) - 10/21 (.476 BA), 7 R, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB
Reserve - Bengie Molina, SF (91% E; 86% Y!) - 9/17 (.529 BA), 6 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Nick Hundley, SD (0.3% E; 2% Y!) - 5/16 (.313 BA), 4 R, 1 R, 6 RBI, 0 SB

FIRST BASE

Starter - Ty Wigginton, BAL (3% E; 8% Y!) - 8/23 (.348 BA), 6 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Carlos Pena, TB (100% E; 93% Y!) - 7/24 (.292 BA), 6 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1 SB
Reserve - Michael Cuddyer, MIN (100% E; 88% Y!) - 9/24 (.375 BA), 4 R, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB

SECOND BASE

Starter - Chase Utley, PHI (100% E; 99% Y!) - 7/21 (.333 BA), 8 R, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Ty Wigginton, BAL (3% E; 8% Y!) - 8/23 (.348 BA), 6 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Dan Uggla, FLA (100% E; 95% Y!) - 13/28 (.464 BA), 7 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB

THIRD BASE

Starter - Ty Wigginton, BAL (3% E; 8% Y!) - 8/23 (.348 BA), 6 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Casey McGehee, MIL (90% E; 71% Y!) - 10/22 (.455 BA), 5 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Alberto Callaspo, KC (4% E; 25% Y!) - 9/27 (.333 BA), 4 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB

SHORTSTOP

Starter - Derek Jeter, NYY (100% E; 98% Y!) - 11/22 (.500 BA), 5 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Yuniesky Betancourt, KC (2% E; 4% Y!) - 11/24 (.458 BA), 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB
Reserve - Ryan Theriot, CHC (88% E; 57% Y!) - 8/28 (.286 BA), 4 R, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 4 SB

OUTFIELD

Starter - Shin-Soo Choo, CLE (100% E; 96% Y!) - 11/19 (.579 BA), 5 R, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 1 SB
Starter - Matt Kemp, LAD (100% E; 99% Y!) - 8/24 (.333 BA), 8 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB
Starter - Jose Guillen, KC (60% E; 59% Y!) - 12/26 (.462 BA), 7 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB
Reserve - Ryan Braun, MIL (100% E; 99% Y!) - 11/26 (.423 BA), 5 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB
Reserve - Andre Either, LAD (100% E; 95% Y!) - 11/26 (.423 BA), 4 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB

STARTING PITCHER

Starter - Adam Wainwright, STL (100% E; 98% Y!) - 17 IP, 1 CG, 2 QS, 2-0, 1.06 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 5.33 K/BB, 8.47 K/9
Starter - Ricky Romero, TOR (65% E; 72% Y!) - 16 IP, 2 QS, 1-1, 1.69 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, 4.50 K/BB, 10.13 K/9
Starter - Matt Garza, TB (100% E; 94% Y!) - 16 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 0.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 2.00 K/BB, 5.63 K/9
Reserve - Andy Pettitte, NYY (77% E; 59% Y!) - 14 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 1.29 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 1.67 K/BB, 6.43 K/9
Reserve - Mike Pelfrey, NYM (7% E; 24% Y!) - 8 IP, 1 QS, 1-0, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 6.00 K/BB, 6.75 K/9
Reserve - Ubaldo Jimenez, COL (100% E; 98% Y!) - 9 IP, 1 CG, 1 QS, 0 H, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 1.17 K/BB, 7.00 K/9

RELIEF PITCHER

Starter - Fernando Rodney, LAA (24% E; 48% Y!) - 3 IP, 0-0, 3 SV, 6.00 K/9
Reserve - Jonathan Broxton, LAD (100% E; 98% Y!) - 4 IP, 1-0, 1 SV, 13.50 K/9
Reserve - Rafael Soriano, TB (100% E; 92% Y!) - 4 IP, 0-0, 3 SV, 9.00 K/9
Reserve - Mariano Rivera, NYY (100% E; 98% Y!) - 2 IP, 0-0, 3 SV, 13.50 K/9

Most of these players are owned in the majority of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues, but there definitely are waiver wire opportunities out there (Rodriguez, Guillen, Wigginton, Romero, Pettitte) to help improve your team(s). Smart, successful owners are always looking at the stats for the "last 7", "last 15" and the "last month" to see who's hot (and not) and where they can improve their team(s) off waivers.

Good luck assembling next week's Ultimate Lineup.

Injury Bug Bites Hard This Spring

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Many teams are fighting the injuries this Spring (none harder than the Mets) and all have fantasy baseball impact. Here's a look at some of the more significant injuries and the replacement players that may benefit in the short-term.

CL Joe Nathan, MIN (elbow) - Nathan is done for the year. No surprise here. There was speculation that SP Francisco Liriano would step into the closer role until he came out and said he didn't want it. The surprise is that in a matter of days, manager Ron Gardenhire went from a "closer-by-committee" approach including RHP Matt Guerrier, RHP Jon Rauch and LHP Jose Mijares to "officially" naming Jon Rauch the closer. Rauch needs to be 100% owned.
1B Lance Berkman, HOU (knee) - Not a good sign when the player says he's not sure he'll be ready to come off the DL when eligible. Hopefully he only misses a couple of weeks, but be prepared for this injury to linger if he rushes back. Rotowire.com says, "The plan calls for 3B Pedro Feliz to stay at third against righties with UTL Geoff Blum playing first base. When the Astros face a lefty, rookie 3B Chris Johnson will start at third with Feliz shifting over to first."
OF Carlos Beltran, NYM (knee) - Beltran could be out until June. Hopefully you were aware of this fact when you drafted him and planned your outfield accordingly. OF Angel Pagan and OF Gary Matthews Jr. are expected to pick up the slack until Beltran returns. Neither is a viable fantasy option unless one of them gets off to a hot start.
SS Jose Reyes, NYM (thyroid) - Reyes had already slipped down many fantasy draft boards after his horrendous 2009 season and the discovery of a thyroid condition this Spring isn't helping his value. Not officially on the DL yet, it's hard to figure out what to do with him on your roster. A wait-and-see approach will provide you with nothing but waiver fodder. I hope you planned ahead or just avoided Reyes all together for 2010. MI Alex Cora is expected to fill in during the Reyes absence.
SP Cliff Lee, SEA (abdomen) - A timetable hasn't been determined for his return and a trip to the DL hasn't been ruled out. Toss in a "pending" five-game suspension and it could be a while before Lee returns. Not wait Mariners fans and Lee owners were hoping for in 2010.
2B Ian Kinsler, TEX (ankle) - Kinsler hasn't participated in drills recently and there is no timetable set for his return. Assume a few weeks unless positive news starts coming out of Texas.
CL Brad Lidge, PHI (elbow) - Reports are that he'll be out until "at least" mid-April. RHP Ryan Madson has been named the interim closer and could claim the job long-term if Lidge comes back and falters like he did in 2010. Sleeper closer candidate - RHP Danys Baez averaged 32 saves over 2003 - 2005.
SP Joe Blanton, PHI (oblique) - He's expected to miss 3-to-6 weeks. RHP Kyle Kendrick is the beneficiary of Blanton's injury but has limited fantasy value other than a spot start for a possible favorable match-up.
OF Coco Crisp, OAK (finger, hamstring) - Crisp was dinged up before fracturing his pinkie. OF Travis Buck makes the team but it's unclear who benefits from Crisp's injury.
1B Russell Branyan, CLE (back) - Branyan was nothing more than a late round flier at best but his injury ensures OF Matt LaPorta gets a chance to shine and could be a very valuable late roound/waiver wire pick up.
3B Alex Gordon, KC (thumb) - Gordon is a favorite "bounce back" candidate for 2010 and shouldn't miss much time. Stash him on the DL and pick up anyone that won't hurt your team in his absence (as if someone could do worse than him).
SP Scott Kazmir, LAA (back, hamstring) - Scott should only miss one start as he looks to regain strength. He's owned in 100% of ESPN leagues because everyone keeps hoping he reaches his potential. Grab him if he was dropped and stash him.
SP Gil Meche, KC (shoulder) - Meche shouldn't be out long and is the perfect guy to spot start with favorable match-ups, at best.
SP Erik Bedard, SEA (shoulder) - Bedard could have been had cheap in the late rounds or even better, off waivers after drafts. He won't be ready to go until June, at best, but could be a valuable starter down the stretch, if healthy. Stash him on the DL and be patient.
CL Houston Street, COL (shoulder) - The Rockies recently shut him down and that can't be good. Estimates originally had him returning by May. Pay close attention to his rehab process if you own him. In the mean time, LHP Franklin Morales and ex-closer RHP Manny Corpas should be owned by someone in your league.
2B Freddy Sanchez, SF (shoulder) - He's expected to miss 3-to-4 weeks but has little to no fantasy value except for his batting average in a deep mixed league with a middle infielder roster spot. 2B/3B/SS Juan Uribe benefits from Sanchez's injury but also has limited fantasy value in deep mixed leagues.
1B/OF Daniel Murphy, NYM (knee) - Murphy was shaping up to be a nice late round pick until being sidelined 2-to-6 weeks with a knee injury. 1B Mike Jacobs and 1B/3B/OF Fernando Tatis are expected to platoon in his absence.