The Nats hope that Adam Dunn can teach youngsters like Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge the patience not to swing at every pitch or innocent bystander. Dunn will pick his teeth with the Washington Monument and quench his thirst with its reflecting pool. Adam Dunn is not going to lose any fantasy value in Washington with the Nationals. Adam Dunn could play in Petco and hit 40 home runs and strikeout 160 times. Okay, he may hit 40 home runs and only drive in 50 RBIs. I keed. In the top 40 outfielders for 2009 fantasy baseball, I put Adam Dunn’s projections at 80/40/85/.245/5. Those still seem about right. Adam Dunn is predictable and for that, we like him. The average is a drain. But, again, you know that going in. Unlike the Diamondbacks last year, you don’t want to put Dunn on a team with Krispie Young.
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That’s a Fantasy Baseball Look at the signings or trades of Randy Wolf, Bobby Abreu, Aaron Heilman, Rich Hill, Andruw Jones and Ty Wiggington. And, yes, I couldn’t resist the palindrome. I’m real late to the discussion on some of these. Not because I didn’t hear about them, but I just didn’t feel like they warranted immediate attention. So here’s a fantasy baseball breakdown for these offseason signings and trades:
Ty Wiggington – Last year at 2nd base he was nice to have. At 3rd base this year, he’s okay. I’d slot him in between 21 and 25 on the top 20 3rd basemen for 2009 fantasy baseball. I’d prefer to take a flier on someone like Gordon or Sandoval though if you’re that deep into the position. This acquisition hurts Luke Scott’s value, but Luke Scott hurts Luke Scott’s value anyway.
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The Cubs just got a hundred and twelve pounds lighter as Felix Pie heads to the Orioles for some dudes that you don’t need to concern yourself with right now. Either the Cubs got fed up waiting around for Pie or they think he’s nothing more than Corey Patterson, another player the Cubs dumped on the Orioles. Jim Bowden and the Nationals might not be the only team where teams can unload their failed 5-tool projects (aka “The Tool Shed”). Hopefully, Delmon Young doesn’t end up in Washington or Baltimore in the next 2 years. Anyway, let’s look at the 2009 fantasy baseball implications for the Felix Pie trade:
Felix Pie – Pee-ay should have the inside track on the left field job going into and coming out of spring training. Suddenly, Pie is fantasy relevant. What’s to like about him? Well, the weird guy in the overalls at The Home Depot is not the only one who’s toolsy. Pie is a speed and power combo guy. He’s just not quite that powerful or that, um, speedful. Torii Hunter could take Pie in an arm wrestling match. Pie’s on the Bowden Fluffer JV Team with guys like Coco Crisp and Adam Jones. Pie’s upside is Randy Winn.
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Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami sign with the Atlanta Braves after they had already signed Javier Vazquez. Now all the Braves need is a #1 pitcher and they have a great staff. I guess the Braves decided if they weren’t going to sign a big name pitcher, they’d try their best to make Vazquez look better. It was one way to go. Jar-Jar Jurrjens had this to say, “Yousa signing is otay.” George Lucas wasn’t available to translate. Anyway, what do these two signings mean for 2009 fantasy baseball:
Derek Lowe - Lowe leaves the ideal NL West (Dodger, Petco, and AT&T Park plus those inept offenses) for the more offense-minded NL East. He posted four straight sub-4.000 ERAs for the Dodgers and seven straight years near 200 innings. His sinker still works — 60% GB% is about as good as anyone other than Brandon Webb. The move to the NL East will likely move his numbers up a bit but this is much better for his value than a return to the AL.
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Remember Wade Boggs as a Devil Ray? Brett Favre as a Jet? Sylvester Stallone in the latest Rocky movie? Today, Trevor Hoffman signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and John Smoltz signed on with the Red Sox. Maybe Trevor Hoffman just wanted to follow in Salomon Torres’s footsteps and retire a Brewer. Meanwhile, Smoltz returns to Boston after only spending one year with the then Boston Braves. John Smoltz’s favorite contemporary artist, Mitzi Gaynor, once sang, “Everything old is new again.” No truer words have been spoken, except maybe, “Old pitchers break down.” — Anonymous. Anyway, here’s a look at what Hoffman and Smoltz will mean for 2009 fantasy baseball:
Trevor Hoffman - Somewhere in dairy country a little boy is asking his grandpa why he’s so excited. “Cause we’re going to be able to hear a whole lotta Hell’s Bells.” Carrying on the tradition he may have learned firsthand at The Spanish Inquisition, Hoffman did well converting opportunities in 2008. He went 30 for 34 in save chances and put up 3.77/1.04 ratios. Miraculously, he also posted more than a K/IP and only nine walks all season. Frankly, it was a better season than you deserved when you were all ready to drop his remembering-the-eighteen-eighties ass in April. The one big question mark besides his age is the home runs allowed. He gave up eight home runs in 45.1 IP with seven of those coming in Petco. Betcha he’s glad to be out of there! In the end, SAGNOF. If Hoffman’s getting the saves, then Hoffman is the one to own. I’d rank him at the bottom of the Donkey-corn tier of closers.
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Pat Burrell and Milton Bradley, the new members of the Rays and Cubs respectively, are in similar tiers as outfielders for 2009 fantasy baseball, that not-so-coveted thirdish/fourth-kinda outfielder spot. With their signings, it solidifies in everyone’s mind where Milton Bradley will throw a tantrum next year and where Burrell will be seen going from home to 1st in 12.7 seconds. Is that a Clydesdale, Pa?
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Brian Fuentes heads to the Angels, confirming some suspicions I had. The guy at Subway spit into your tuna? No, those weren’t suspicions, that was *spooky voice* paranoia. While so many fantasy baseball ‘perts were appointing Arrendondo the closer of the Angels right after the K-Rod departure, I had my suspicions it was a bit premature. Why couldn’t Scot Shields take over as the closer, I thought? (Yes, when I think I do it in a Yoda-syntax.
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Maybe Arod and Mark Teixeira can double date with Madonna and Sheryl Crow. Latino Blanco Twin powers activate — form of a mild salsa! Form of a Tequiza tequila-flavored beer! Form of a Chardonnay Sangria! The Yanks sign Teixeira, figuring it would be easier than letting him sign with the Nationals and then buying the entire team.
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Rafael Furcal returns to the Braves, which can’t be a good thing for 2009 fantasy baseball owners. I mean, it can, but it probably won’t be. This move will have people slightly too excited about Furcal. Then you throw in his great April in 2008 — hitting .357 with 5 home runs and 8 steals in only 36 games. Again, this could lead to unrealistic expectations. 36 games does not a season make. Don’t think Furcal has a .350+ average in his tuba case. He doesn’t. Last year, Furcal had a BABIP of .380 in April. A number that would’ve came down if he played the rest of the season, leading Furcal to be the .285 hitter he is.
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There’s only two types of years for AJ Burnett. He’s either playing hard because it’s a contract year or he’s hardly playing because he contracted an injury. Unless the Yanks are willing to give him a new contract every year to add to this one (which is definitely possible with the Yank$), our guess is that this will be a lot closer to a Pavano redux than a Mussina repeat. For now, Burnett becomes the Yankees number two pitcher, though Wang might have a thang to say about that.
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