Comments on: 2009 Astros Fantasy Baseball Preview

By: Grey

Grey — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:39:12 +0000

@Stephen from TCB: Thanks for the update.

By: Stephen from TCB

Stephen from TCB — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:25:49 +0000

DyingQuail from the Crawfish Boxes here…

I just wanted to update what we said in the preview a little bit since there have been some significant changes made.

First, with I-Rod as our catcher Towles is pretty much destined for a stint at AAA until 2010 or if Quintero proves an unpalatable option as our back-up catcher. Pudge should see a slight up tick in all his rate stats (especially BA and SLG), so should your league include OPS he’d be worth a late gamble, in my estimation.

Wandy went down early in this Spring with a strained rib-cage muscle (intercostal on the left side, if memory serves me correctly). Our pitching coach, Dewy Robinson, claims to have figured out what it was mechanically that lead to the strain, and claims the fix will lead to increased command. If Wandy has better command I’d venture a guess at better WHIP and K numbers, and better peripheral rate stats all around; plus it could mean deeper innings and more starts if he’s healthy. It remains to be seen what the adjustments will do for Wandy, but he’d be a great late round sleeper since he probably will be ignored because of the early injury. Just expect the first week or two of the season to keep him on the bench until you can appraise him.

With Boone out of the picture, it appears that 24, soon to be 25, year old Chris Johnson will get a look at 3B out of the gate and could be worthwhile in deeper NL-only leagues, or a keeper league if you have the bench space. I don’t think he’ll be a great AVG guy because of his K%, but could be a source of power if you play him against RHP because he has a much better platoon split against RHP than LHP. This is weird because he’s a RHB, but he’s definitely someone to keep an eye on should you be in need a 3B a few weeks in and you don’t mind the possible waiver claim.

Sutton and Bogusevic are still guys to keep an eye on when Kaz Matsui goes down and should Bourn/Abercrombie fall flat on their faces heading into late-May, early-June.

By: Grey

Grey — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:15:01 +0000

@Travis: Yup, both are worhless. @TEEJ: Sure!

By: TEEJ

TEEJ — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:14:01 +0000

Hey, Funny stuff with the AARP. Do you mind if I post a link of this to my site?

By: Travis

Travis — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:11:19 +0000

@Grey: So the effect is more that Towles is also worthless in all likelihood?

By: Grey

Grey — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:08:57 +0000

@Travis: Nope.

By: Travis

Travis — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:06:15 +0000

Does Pudge have any value at all this year now that the Astros have signed him?

By: Colin

Colin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:14:49 +0000

My worry is it lingers all year…we saw how he hit with it in September. I appreciate the advice Grey. Thanks.

By: Grey

Grey — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:06:07 +0000

@Colin: I wouldn't do it, because Braun could be out until May and still beat Fielder's numbers, but if you're worried it is your team. I'd hold tight though.

By: Colin

Colin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:00:07 +0000

Obviously when healthy Braun is more valuable, but with the intercostals being an important part of the swing do you think that risk is enough to justify the deal? Would you do it?

By: Grey

Grey — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:48:30 +0000

@Colin: Braun for Fielder? Sure, if you're really concerned.

By: Colin

Colin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:44:48 +0000

Grey just to go off topic. I’m freaking out here. Braun’s injury has me majorly concerned. It’s the same side he injured last year that caused him to hit .200 in SEPT with 1 homer. I don’t want to have to worry about it. I can trade him now before our keepers are due in tomorrow night for Fielder. I can deal with Manny’s hamstring, but Braun’s style of hitting leaves him open to pulling that muscle again and again.

Would you make the deal?

By: Grey

Grey — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:44:12 +0000

@Juice: Yup.

By: Juice

Juice — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:32:17 +0000

@ Grey: Leo Nunez taking the Marlins closing job then?

By: Grey

Grey — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:26:09 +0000

@Juice: No, but she has a sore knee. Street and Lindstrom. Buy yourself one.

By: Juice

Juice — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:55:19 +0000

Grey, points (keeper) league, here is my team I just drafted, please tell me if I should buy a trophy case or throw myself threw one…

C – Iannetta, C – Hernandez, 1B – Votto, 2B – Roberts, 3B – Wright, SS – Drew, MI – Furcal, CI – Longoria, LF – Braun, CF – Sizemore, RF – Kemp, OF – Beltran, U – Encarnacion (who do you like better?)

SP – Billingsley, SP – Shields, SP – Danks, SP – Slowey, SP – Parra, RP – Valverde, RP – F. Francisco, P – Carmona

BN – Beltre, Iwamura, K. Johnson, Kouzmanoff, Headley, Lind, Morales, T. Snider, Dukes, S. Baker, Maholm, K. Gregg, Percival

Minors – McCutchen, Rasmus

By: Juice

Juice — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:49:55 +0000

Grey, so did your Mom get the Soriano’s? My box came with a wrist guard…what did your box have inside? What current closers won’t have their job by end of April?

By: BigFatHippo

BigFatHippo — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:42:58 +0000

@Grey: Yes, I have a pornographic memory. You prolly forgot that.

But now I can take my laptop into the bathroom, where there’s “Razzball, something to do between masturbation sessions”…………*

*Matthew Berry does not endorse this comment.

By: Grey

Grey — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:27:53 +0000

@BigFatHippo: If you bought the laptop for just fantasy baseball, then yeah prolly. But I'm sure you'll work porn into the rotation.

By: BigFatHippo

BigFatHippo — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:15:45 +0000

@Grey: Just bought a laptop so I can keep up with my teams whereeva!!!!!!!! Is it safe to say I've become obsessed with fantasy baseball to a fault?

By: Fman99

Fman99 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:40:56 +0000

I was happy to get Wand-Rod late in my draft as a 6th starter… if nothing else for streaming him in on his home starts when one of my other SPs has a bad matchup.

By: Grey

Grey — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:25:06 +0000

@James: I still like Wandy if healthy, so you might have to discount him a little since he is injury-prone/injured. But if he were to stay healthy, he'd shoot up the rankings, so maybe it's better he's not healthy.

By: James

James — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:19:54 +0000

@Grey – I totally agree on Wandy (he reminds me of Ervin Santana); however, he is already hurt with one of those non-arm injuries that have plagued him in the past. I wonder if there is something they could tweak with his mechanics that could put less pressure on his core, which seems to always be hurting him. On the other hand, you might not want to mess with him because of the great points you mentioned. I don’t know – maybe some yoga?

By: Grey

Grey — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:37:06 +0000

@Nick: Sure, try again, but if you fail drop Slowey for Corpas. Don't drop Lopez, he'll be more worthwhile down the road.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:31:37 +0000

Grey: I tried picking up Wright for A Ramirez from a Cubby fan but it failed as expected. Should I try again by offering him A Ramirez and J Lopez for Wright? He has F Lopez as his BN filler so maybe if I upgrade that with J Lopez he will bite…

The only reason I’m looking at trading J Lopez is because I have A Gonzalez & Utley at 1B,2B so unless they get injured Lopez won’t get much use out of me. Plus my UT is Pena, Ibanez or T Hunter

Last question: Target M Corpas as my 4th closer? (Have Jenks, Hanrahan, Devine). I would have to drop a Slowey or J Lopez for him…

By: Tony Y

Tony Y — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:25:50 +0000

thanks man… the league is actually very competitive, some guys just have different “theories”, one guy went pitching crazy and kept going, he took lince, hamels, webb, and haren!

we have a 32 inning min each week too, so in the past pitching has taken a backseat to hitting, this year we swapped out CG sho’s for QS’s which should make it a little more valuable, but still…. my one buddy made fun of me for taking cano in the 14th! I was like dude you took Kendrick in the 12th or something!? and by the way wandy is on the WW i know you like him LOL

Overall i feel pretty solid, on paper my team looks a little scary against others, but i know my guys upside is better than looking at other teams 2008 stats….

thanks man

By: Grey

Grey — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:07:02 +0000

@Tony Y: Shoppach at 279? Cano at 159? Wang at 231? Jurrjens 303? These are insane. I'm not sure how much competition these other guys in the league are, but I think your team is very solid. Trade away closers if you can get a good deal, sure. EDIT: Typo. Word.

By: Tony Y

Tony Y — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:02:25 +0000

I think i got some GREAT late round value or mid round value shall i say? 26 rounds in a 12 teamer?

By: Tony Y

Tony Y — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:01:17 +0000

Grey and Rudy-

Been reading all spring, love the site, FINALLY just had my 8 years running league draft this morning… what do you think of my team (and if you’re wondering how i took Wright 10th he was a keeper and so was Holliday). Any and all other comments welcome, strengths, weaknesses, Yahoo 12 team H2H league, daily transactions:

1. (10) David Wright
2. (15) Matt Holliday
3. (34) Nick Markakis
4. (39) Matt Kemp
5. (58) Joey Votto
6. (63) Troy Tulowitzki
7. (82) Josh Beckett
8. (87) James Shields
9. (106) Adam Wainwright
10. (111) Jay Bruce
11. (130) Andre Ethier
12. (135) Nelson Cruz
13. (154) Pablo Sandoval
14. (159) Robinson Canó
15. (178) Chad Qualls
16. (183) Brandon Lyon
17. (202) Joel Hanrahan
18. (207) Shin-Soo Choo
19. (226) Chris Carpenter
20. (231) Chien-Ming Wang
21. (250) Colby Rasmus
22. (255) Jeff Francoeur
23. (274) Ryan Spilborghs
24. (279) Kelly Shoppach
25. (298) Mat Gamel
26. (303) Jair Jurrjens

i wanted soria, got sniped, then broxton, got sniped, i did end up with qualls, lyon, and hanarahanahannanan, one guys has Joe Nathan and thats it for closers, he autodrafted, only guy that got locked out due to comp probs, shoot for a deal?

we have 10 hitting cats, 10 pitching cats, not gonna list all of them! thanks!

-TY