1
6
0Two weeks ago, Albert Pujols fractured his wrist. He said he was going to be out for 6 weeks but he wasn’t sure until he went back to his home planet Krypton, where he’s known as Al-El. On Krypton, Al-El had a heart-to-heart with a hologram image of Stan Musial. What Stan told Al-El was simple. “Hitting isn’t about arms, wrists or legs. It’s about flying backwards around the globe to before your wrist was hurt by Wilson Betemit and pulling your arm back. Then take two weeks to pretend like you’re injured so no one thinks anything weird is going on.” I’d be slightly concerned that Pujols is rushing himself back and he might not have his power immediately, if this weren’t Pujols. A few years ago, he revealed in the preseason he had a broke elbow tendon or some shizz and went on to win the MVP. He’s superhuman, don’t doubt him. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Jon Lester – He took a no-hitter into the trainer’s room where he found out he had a strained latissimus dorsi. So, he’s a dolphin? Well, if he’s that smart, have him throw with his other flipper. Or have Al-El touch your lat and make it better! Lester will probably be out a couple of weeks. So it’s longer than you want, but shorter than the Big Dig.
Jeff Karstens – 7 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 3 Ks. There’s far more glamorous names out there. Like Portia, that’s a glamorous name. Karstens is more like a 3.75 ERA pitcher than the 2.55 he currently has, but that shouldn’t stop you from throwing him out there in some leagues.
Brett Cecil – 8 IP, 3 ER, 9 baserunners, 6 Ks. After his last start, I said we’d need to see a few good starts from Cecil before adding him. This was one. Few > One.
Shane Victorino – Has a Grade 1 sprain on his thumb. That’s a thumb sucking. He could be out until the All-Star break.
Ryan Madson – Threw a bullpen session and he’s due back right after the All-Star break. On a side note that has nothing to do with this, I was talking to Rudy over IM and asked him to imagine us writing a non-fantasy baseball blog and to come up with a Casey Anthony not guilty title. His title, “Mom Finally Free from Parenting and Jail.”
Ryan Howard – 4-for-5, 4 RBIs and his 18th home run to go along with his 71 RBIs. I took some guff for putting him high in my preseason rankings, if I’m using the word guff correctly. Well, guff, ya’ll! (I’m almost certainly not using it right there.) And for those that say, “Well, you could’ve had Berkman much later.” I say, true, but that was a lottery ticket. You can’t count on those.
Aramis Ramirez – 1-for-4 with his 13th homer. I think he’s hit 10 homers in the last 11 games, but I’m not Aramis’s keeper.
Dan Haren – 9 IP, 0 ER, 2 baserunners, 9 Ks. Shh, don’t tell Haren but it’s technically the second half of the season.
Jhoulys Chacin – 5 IP, 4 ER, 10 baserunners, 5 Ks. Why again did I have to say a correction was coming? I suck. Hopefully he’ll start to turn things around again. Just putting that out into the universe. It’s the secret.
Ian Stewart – 0-for-3. Ah, you haven’t missed a beat, you old Mini-Mini Donkey. The Rockies are saying Stewart’s bench depth. For now, I’m gonna think about the good times we had for like half of a month last year and let someone else pick him up. In the immortal words of Sean Puffy P. Diddy Puff Daddy Combs, “Memories give me the strength I need to proceed…Strength I need to believe…”
Freddie Freeman – 1-for-3 with his 12th home run. Doc spoke about him yesterday, so I won’t go too in-depth. Just wanna say I picked him for Rookie of the Year, not Rudy. It’s just deserts and he’s my biscotti! (I say biscotti because it’s sweet, but there’s probably something better for dessert. Plus, the hard C sound is funny.)
Dustin Ackley – 2-for-3 with the always delectable slam & legs. 3 home runs and 2 steals over 50 at-bats ain’t too shabby. Hopefully he doesn’t get how to avoid sophomore slump tips from Pedro Alvarez or Matt Wieters this offseason.
Matt Holliday – 2-for-4 with 2 homers. Matt sure knows how to extend the Holliday weekend! Huh?! Yeah, I’m not sure what that means either.
Edinson Volquez – 5 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 9 baserunners, 3 Ks. This isn’t exactly a newsflash but he’s unownable in all leagues.
Mariano Rivera – Nursing a sore triceps with saves likely to go to David Robertson. No one seems to think it’s going to be a problem for longer than a day or two. So he’s day-to-two-days.
Curtis Granderson – 3-for-6 with his 24th and 25th home runs. Grandy is dandy, but Chipper is sicker.
Carlos Carrasco – 4 IP, 6 ER. Yeah, not good, but you shouldn’t have started him vs. the Yankees. Sorry, I put the blame on you, Akon.
Asdrubal Cabrera – Day-to-day with an ankle injury. Still haven’t heard of one cankle injury. Cust kayin’.
Mitch Atkins – 6 IP, 1 ER, 8 baserunners, 4 Ks. Nothing to see here, except the herpes on his lip.
Felipe Paulino – 6 IP, 3 ER, 11 baserunners, 9 Ks. See high K pitcher striking out a lot of guys… Having…hard…time…resisting…
Scott Baker – Has a mild strain of his elbow. For a pitcher, that’s like a slight case of being dead. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him miss a few starts.
Matt Capps – And he was lousy again yesterday while Perkins got another save. Maybe when Gardenhire is saying the closer is Capps, he actually means in proximity to him. I’d grab Perkins and Nathan for speculative saves. Capps isn’t long for the 9th.
Clayton Richard – To the 15 day DL with a left shoulder strain. In his place could be, Anthony Bass or Wade LeBlanc, who sound like siblings of Backstreet Boys. Whichever one gets the call will have value in home starts. You know the old saying, “It can’t hurt starting Hodgepadres at home.” Actually, it’s not old or really even a saying.
Corey Hart – Now with homers in back-to-back games. Corey Hart has that never surrender attitude.
Jon Garland – Dodger pitcher, Garland, is out for the year with shoulder surgery. With the Dodgers out of the picture, the Mets look forward to signing him for the 2012 season.
Mike Cameron – Like many Northeasterns nearing retirement, Krispie Young Sr. will be moving to the Sunshine State. Hopefully he looks both ways at intersections so he doesn’t have another head-on collision and put a dent in Mike Stanton or Logan Morrison.
Mike Stanton – Experiencing vision problems as a result of a recent eye infection, turning his normally high K-rate into the Mark Reynolds K-stratosphere. Jack McKeon was just glad to have something in common with one of his players. “Hey, team, prostates and incontinence are a bitch, am I right?”
Great Al-El joke.
I bet Andy Behrens will be using it in his Yahoo column tomorrow.
Grey,
Let’s go back to 18 August, 2010, when you commented on your…
“favorite advice by fantasy ‘perts is when they tell you to get a returning superstar into your lineup. Do people often leave their 1st round picks on the DL when they’re playing? Is this something I need to tell people?” …[dur] Get them all in your lineup.[/dur]”
And that’s me quoting you!
16 team dynasty-mixer: I dropped Gomes (keeping Presley & Blackmon) to clear the deck for Albert lineup wise for today.
No questions cuz, I, pay, attention!
Hey grey,
Please rank them if you dont mind
Snider, wigginton,adam jones
Thanks
Please rank: Valencia, MMD, Gamel. Thank you!
Great post as always but I think Justin Upton deserved some love. Dude is finally putting it together!
you’re my favorite fantasy writer mr albright. i need advice pronto!
i got offered Lester Morse and Lind for Votto (who is in my utility spot with Howard at 1st and mccutchen and Cargo in the OF).
Lind would go in Util, Morse in Of and lester tags up with Verlander in my pen.
Would you do it?
Would you give up Justin Upton for CC and Rowand? 20 teams. Thanks Grey.
Judging by Atkins’ picture, she must’ve been a dime!
Who do you like better the rest of the way?
Getz or Ellis?
Napoli or Olivo?
Melky or Rasmus?
Would you start E. Jackson at home this afternoon v. KC? I like the matchup.
Should I start Romero tonight in Boston? Thanks in advance
12-team H2H 6×6 (OBP, QS)
I need to drop one of these pitchers, who would you drop?
McDonald
Volstad
Nicasio
Duffy
Bailey
Would you drop one of the remaining 4 for Bass/LeBlanc?
No mention of Dan Struggla’s HUGE 2-2, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI night? I think he only had two hits in June. But seriously, does he provide us with anything down the stretch? COULD (I know, that’s a huge “could”) this be the sign of something good? He’s lounging on the FA wire in one of my leagues.
@Grey
Would you rather have Freeman or Hosmer over Billy Butler at this point?
@Grey
One more if you don’t mind. If you’re looking for speed at SS and not much more (non AVG killer would be nice), would you prefer D. Gordon, Bonafacio or stick with A. Escobar?
Thanks and good morning!
@Howie Met Your Mother: Gordon isnt getting all the PT with Furcal back. In fact they sent him down. Bonafacio has 6 sb in 2 weeks. Escobar has 1.
Fransucko Liriano just hit the wire in my 8-teamer for some reason.
How to you rank these guys ROS?
Liriano, Garza, Wandy, Morrow
And would you drop Uggla for any of these fellas?
Grey, do you think Roger Clemmons will consider picking up Jose Baez this morning?
Speaking of Liriano. If you can pick and chose when to pitch a guy, wouldn’t you think twice about starting him tonight, at home against TB?
No mention >:O
http://mlblogskylie.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/smiling20lance1.jpg?w=550&h=362
I’m not going anywhere, mr. Grey
Hey Grey, awesome stuff as always.
In a 10 team keeper league (keep 4), I have Hanley and D wright already. Currently in 9th.
Weighing the following:
My Pence/Philips for Greinke/Heyward/JJ Hardy
What say ye?
Howie Kendrick and Francisco Liriano just landed on the waiver wire in my 10 team H2H 5×5 + OPS and Innings pitched (dumbest category ever, I know).
Should I snag these guys? I have the first waiver. Here are the relevant players on my team:
Pitchers: CC, Bumgarner, Gallardo, Lilly, Marcum, Hudson, and Kennedy.
First: Prince, Dunn
Second: Kelly Johnson
OF: Grandy, Ellsbury, Gardner, Gordon
I feel like I should maybe take a shot on Liriano? What do you think?
Thanks
Looking for opinions on this deal:
My – Anibal/Heyward FOR
His – Greinke/my choice of: Uggla, Kelly Jo, Hardy, Frenchy, Bay, Markakis, Rajai
My current OF is: Kemp, Lind, Krispie, CarGo, Heyward, Bourn and we play 3, but have 2 UTIL positions.
@Wilsonian: I could also deal D. Hudson instead of Anibal.
@wilsonian – Who would Uggla, Kelly or Hardy be replacing in your line up?
it has been a month…so it is time to play rotating catchers! People like Lucroy, Posada, Ramos or AJ?
@MattTruss223: right now, Heyward, who was a bench bat until CarGo met a wall Sunday. Otherwise, they would be a bench bat, sub, or fill in for Bourn.
Hey Grey… How would you rank these outfielders going forward this year… (H2H – H, R, RBI, HR, SB, AVG, OBP, SLG)
Rasmus, Bay, Swisher, Wells, Gardner, Pagan…
@wilsonian – so they wouldn’t be a starting 2B/SS then…hmmm, I’ve been partial to Uggla, hoping he turns it around, although growing more impatient daily. I’d say him or Hardy would make that decent deal. And keep it with Anibal, not D. Hudson
@Wilsonian: I like it for you with Anibal and Kelly Johnson involved.
@MattTruss223: yeah, I kinda like it. Just not sure which bat would make it the best deal. I’m hoping for an Uggla turn around. FYI, I’ve got Espinosa and Andrus at 2B/SS, so they could technically start occasionally (they’re both sucking donkey balls right now).
@Grey: 12 team H2H standard categories with three keepers. Should I accept this trade? Send Wright and Bruce for Tex and Youk.
Dunn follows up a 2-4 game with a much more Dunn-like 0-5 performance. What a huge Donkeybust.
Can Donkeybust be a term for an expected low average, high HR hitter who only delivers the low average but no homers?
@SwaggerJackers: I like that trade for you — you’re selling low on Bruce and Wright, but I like Teix and Youk to give you consistent performance going forward, and Wright’s performance this year was already suffering before he got injured. The only question is whether you can handle the loss of SBs.
It’d be nice if ARam could be at least semi-useful in the first two months of the year. By the time he turns things on, it won’t help if the team is already in the gutter. I guess if you draft him, you better draft a strong backup to use before June.
@Grey: Sandoval or Pagan?
@dingbat: I’ve been getting by without Wright’s steals with Ellsbury and Crisp so I’ll manage. I worry about Youk’s health but with Dunn being a Donkeybust, I need an upgrade at 1B badly.
Hey Grey… How would you rank these 10 pitchers going forward this year… (H2H – W, K, ERA, WHIP, K/9, QS, SV, HLD)
Zimmermann, Bumgarner, Cueto, Liriano, Billingsley, Wandy, Norris, Dempster, Baker, Stauffer
@papasmurf: unless you’re in an h2h league, does it really matter? Isn’t it just the numbers at the end of the year that count? Why is it any different than if a guy has a lousy June and September? Sure if you have the luxury of a roster spot to use you might sit him while he’s cold, but it’s a tough job to chase hot and cold all year and you end up missing production chasing the streaks sometimes. Seems to me like you get your guys and you run them out there every day until you don’t have reason to trust them any more and then you cut ties. Knowing when to dump is a tough call for sure.
@Aaron: Ha
@Racehorse: Cool
@Chinaski: Jones, Wiggy
@Quintero: You did.
@Bré Jus: Thanks!
@Josh L: I’d do it.
@Giant JJ: Nope
@Carns: Ha… Ellis, Napoli
@RonWashington’sStache: Rasmus
@Salty Balty: Sure
@Matt: Yup
@Child Please: Bailey…Nope
@Wilsonian: Sure, he could.
@Howie Met Your Mother: Freeman
@Howie Met Your Mother: What Bourne said.
@MattTruss223: I’d hold.
@BucLover: That’s hilarious!
@BucLover: If I owned him, I’d start him.
@Team Bring It: Looks solid.
@Pums: Sure, don’t see anyone to drop from that group though.
@Wilsonian: Eh
@Shea Sera Sera: Posada
@birdis78: Depends on needs… Gardner, Rasmus, Pagan, Swisher…
@SwaggerJackers: I’d want Tex.
@SwaggerJackers: Eh
@papasmurf: True
@Fletch: Sandoval
@birdis78: First three look about right…
Grey, who do you prefer today:
2B: Utley @FLA (Sanchez) or Ackley @OAK (Moscoso)
Utility: Hardy @TEX (Ogando) or Bernadina vs CHC (Wells)
Thanks
Give Rollins
Get Gallardo
Yae/Nae?
keeper league (OBP) trade question:
I get BJ Upton ($21 next year), give Travis Snider ($6 next year). What do you think?
Braun is still out (ugh) for you daily lineup setters.
Grey, who is best choice for rest of year?
Johnny Damon
Seth Smith
Michael Brantley
Corey Patterson
Ryan Roberts
Daniel Murphy
Lind or Longoria for the rest of the year? I have Pujols who can play 1B or 3B, and Longoria has been frustrating (foot issues aside). Thanks.
I suspect Heath Bell will be traded. Is Adams the shoe-in replacement? What are the odds compared to a guy like Frieri getting a run at it?
@All
Which side of this trade do you like? 14 Team, H2H
A: Votto / D. Hudson / Santos / Gee
B: Halladay / Grienke
Thanks for the input
I just traded Ian Kennedy, Danny Esponosa, and Jordan Walden for Justin Upton with one year left in a keeper league. Did I give up too much?
Morse or Bay?
@Whiskey Diet: Side A…always go with the huge bat.
@DHill Dragons: Utley…Hardy
@stynyr: Depends on need.
@polczek5: Solid if you need speed.
@DHill Dragons: Damn
@ernie: Damon
@cojason: Longoria
@Gavin: Yup
@Whiskey Diet: A
@Salty Balty: Nope
@Wake Up: Morse
@Grey:
Pick 2 to roll with the rest of the season:
Scherzer – Paulino – Niese
ERA, WHIP, Wins, K/9, K/BB, K’s
@Grey Best SAGNOF for the rest of the season: Bernadina, Melky, Revere, Presley?
Colby Lewis or Luebke ROS?
@Grey
5×5 H2H Keeper League:
OF – Ellsbury, Hamilton, C. Young
Util – C. Pena/Morse
Do I trade Kershaw for Crawford and Beachy? Am I nuts for not jumping on this?
Much appreciated.
@Grey:
Rollins is on my bench and fills in for Reyes when he’s not playing or hurt. My team:
5×5, H2H, Keeper (7)
I like having no Bench players and 8 SPs and 3 RPs.
c-Wieters
1b-Butler
2b-Johnson
3b-Zimmerman
ss-Reyes
of-Braun, Holliday, Lind
util-Hamilton, CarGo
bn-Rollins
sp-Kershaw, Billingsley, Liriano, Cueto, D. Hudson, Niese, Stauffer, Carrasco
rp-League, Soria, Melancon
dl-Broxton
@Tony B.: Scherzer, Niese…
@Howard: Bernadina
@Steve Stevenson: Lewis
@stynyr: Sure, trade away Rollins.
Evan Longoria:
1) Won’t ever get back into groove after early season injury
2) Will start mashing any day now, even with the foot
c) Just ain’t that great and shouldn’t have a first round pick.
Thanks dude.
@Grey
Any chance you would start Phil Hughes tonight in Cleveland?
@Lincecuminmypants: I’d take Crawford if you can lose Kershaw.
@L-Boogie: 2
@Phil: In some leagues…
So than H Ram or Longoria ROS?
Thanks dude.
@Grey: 5 x 5 roto, hill vs moose ros? gracias.
@L-Boogie: Hanley
@herschel: Morse
@Grey: actually meant moose (moustakas?). did i confuse my animal nicknames?
drop dillion gee or j. werth in order to keep p. hughes?
@herschel: No, that’s my mistake. Moose…
@lost: Gee
@ Grey
Nice Paulino nod (and entire writeup, of course) You’re always head of the game, you! I’ve rolled him out his past 2 starts, and was pleased with the results. Do you see him having value in an 18 teamer going forward?
Also, Pick 2 spot starts; Hughes @Cle, Morton @Hou, Narveson @Cin.
Thanks in advance Grey!!
The Spaceman
@Grey/Anybody: In my roto league, I’m 11/12 in steals because I’ve basically punted the category for power (3/12 in HR, 2/12 in OPS). Any suggestions on a mid-level trade target to swipe some bags without killing my OPS? I think a SAGNOF like Bonifacio with his .350 SLG would do more harm than good on my team.
I have my eye on Bourgeois for when he returns, but other suggestions are appreciated.
regardless of position would you rather have Snider, Freese or Ackley
@The Spaceman: Thanks! Yeah, can give value there. Hughes Morton…
@stumanji: Bonifacio’s better than Bourgeois. Can try for Gardner, Bourn or one of the elite guys. Can grab D’Arnaud for cheap.
@Dominic: Freese
6×5 (+OPS), ten team:
Pagan for Prado?
@OaktownSteve: I think it matters a lot. In a competitive league, very rarely can you win a title by just playing the same hitters all year without making some significant lineup changes. Additionally, it is much easier to win if you get off to a good start than if you have to make up miles of ground in the 2nd half because the margin of error is greater in the first case.
2 trade questions…
1) Markakis for Rasmus
2)Carl Crawford, Grady Sizemore, and Gallardo for Pujols and Tommy Hanson
which sides do you like best for ROY
Well look at that, Kelly Johnson is starting to heat up again. With 10 hits over his past 8+ games – which include 2 doubles, a triple, and 3 HR’s (including a homer in his first at bat today)!
See, I don’t always break negative news.
@Black Beard: Pagan
@Will: Rasmus… Pujols
@DHill Dragons: Nice!
Grey, our league has a 40 max move limit and i’m at 27 right now.
Would you make a move and trade in Ryan Roberts for Daniel Murphy/Beckham/Aaron Hill/J.Weeks/M.Ellis? Or just keep roberts?
Looks as Lirianos back to sucking the old suckhole!
Grey, I have A. Presley, would you dump him for Snider or D. Jennings (assuming he ever gets called up!)? Thanks!!
Back to negative news, Max Scherzer has been killing the back end of my pitching staff. Here’s a look at his last 8 starts:
5 or more ER in 5 of 8
4 or less K’s in 6 of 8
2 or more BB’s in 5 of 8
6 or less IP in 5 of 8
Put it all together, and you have a recipe for disaster.
With that said, I know he has rebounded before (last season), but is he more valuable at this point than these available waiver arms:
Bumgarner
Nolasco
Bedard
Oswalt (I have a DL spot that I could keep Roy in for the time being)
Norris
Glad to see the dominating power that is Eric Hosmer and JJ Hardy are coming out against me this week. Lost with HR with 18 last week by 1 and looks like I’m going to have to face the same…..bullshiz
Grey : Also took this little number last night at a Hot body contest being held here in Tampa :
@Mr2Bits:
Guess we can;t hyperlink here?
http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/xtreme99/?action=view¤t=OJ-Casey.jpg
@Tggq21: It appears Tampa has his number.
All : Kendrick or Pagan for today’s start
This is my offense in my 8 Team H2H:
C- Santana
1B – Fielder
2B – Kelly Jo
3B – Longoria
SS – Andrus
OF – Kemp
OF – CarGo
OF – Lind
UTIL – Krispie
UTIL – Heyward
BN – Bourn
BN – Espinosa
Is someone like Bourn expendable? I’ve got a ton of steals, but for some reason seem short on pop. I’ve tried dealing him, but no bites. Would dropping him for an available Uggla, Peralta, Hardy, Hosmer, Valencia, Pena be a good move in this lineup, or just hold tight?
If I give someone my login and password can they please get Liriano and Peavy off my team? Like Heath Ledger in Ang Lee’s masterpiece, I just can’t seem to quit them.
@bobbo:
If you would have been screwed by Peavy like me last year, you know that hooker is diseased and would stay far away from him
@bobbo: Maybe we should hold hands and jump off that cliff together…..not really….ok, really, without the hand holding. My fall won’t be as far, though, as I’m fortunate enough to not own Peavy.
Greinke and Freese enough for ARod in roto dynasty?
In 1st place in SBs by about 25, middle of the pack in HR/RBI, 3rd from last in AVG
I give Gardner, get Dunn. Yea or nay?
G. Perkins or Javy Guerra for Vulture King?
Keeper league, which side do you like better:
Hanley/Heyward vs. Reyes/McCutchen
Fat Albert back in the lineup tonight. Ridiculous…
A Casey McGeeheeheeheehee sighting?!? Wow, him and Uggla in back to back games!?! It’s Bizarro world now…
@Wilsonian: speaking of, all things considered, would you rather have McGehee or Snider for the rest of the year?
Grey,
Rate these in order please
D’arnaud, A. Kennedy, Callaspo and Ellis.
and incontinence is a bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Did you ever just want to dump your whole pitching staff? Scherzer, Liriano, Chacin….they’re great for k’s but someone forgot to tell them that it’s not the highest ERA/WHIP that counts in fantasy baseball!
@Wilsonian: or would you rather have McGehee or J.Weeks (if you’d prefer Snider over McGehee).
I have Espinosa at 2nd and Freese at 3rd. I trust Espinosa more than Freese for the rest of the year.
@Grey…..please rank ROS 5×5 roto (my team is very solid in avg and homers, so really no emphasis on either, just better overall production in general); morse, c pena, billy butler, freeman
Hola Grey -
14 team, h2h mixed league, non-keeper, 6×6 (ops):
How do you rank these 5 bats for ROS:
Matt LaPorta
Mike Moustakas
Dominic Brown
Vlad Guerrero
Andres Torres
* position eligibility is not important, just looking to rank based on offensive output.
Gracias,
El Burro
Start Sandoval or Snider at UTIL??
Start Utley or Walker at 2B??
Thanks
12 team head to head 7×7 with ops/ks, losses/qs
Adam Jones/Peavy or BJ Upton/Edwin Jackson?
That’s pretty annoying, Takahashi. I’m suddenly feeling that your coveted SP eligibility is not so coveted anymore.
Should I start Pena or Gardner in my Util spot tonight?…Pena is facing a lefty (Gorzelanny) and sucks against lefties in general (.088 avg this year). On the other hand, Gardner is against a righty but its Masterson and Gardner is only 1-8 against him.
@papasmurf: that doesn’t make any sense to me. Doesn’t matter whether you get off to a good start or not. Home run in September counts the same as one in April.
Sure it’s better if you can play a productive player all season, but in the real world how does that play out? Do you not draft players that get off to slow starts? Maybe, but the fast starters will have slow middles or ends (otherwise they are superstars…and hey, who can’t win with those). At some point, players are going to slump; then what? Chasing hot players just doesn’t always work. If at the end of the year, Aramis Ramirez is going to end up a top 8 third baseman, then if you draft him as such and you hold him all year, then you did appropriately well. How can you do better? Either draft someone who will be a top 7 third baseman or you build some frankenplayer out of constant pick ups. Or you get lucky and pick up a guy who is hot and stays hot all year (but remember he has to finish top 7 to make it worth the move).
Or you eat up a roster space filling holding but not playing your slow starter. Which might work until you consider, how much better is than your slow starter (who does not contribute nothing during the time)? And what about the 8th inning set up guy that you can’t own who becomes a closer? Or the DTD guys you can’t replace? Or the starters you can’t stream? Opportunity cost outweighed by the margin between slow and hot for a short span not generally worth it.
Wells or Pagan?
@agarthered: Hold
@Bernie Brewer: Snider
@DHill Dragons: Oswalt and Bum.
@Mr2Bits: Hehe
@Wilsonian: No, he’s not expendable.
@bobbo: Ha!
@Steve Mc: Sure
@Jake: Yeah
@Whiskey Diet: Guerra
@bobbo: Hanley
@Wilsonian: Ha
@Votto-voom: Ellis, D’Arnaud…
@Howard: Yup
@BobbyI: Pena, Morse…
@El Burro: Moose, Brown…
@Brew Crew: Sandoval, Utley….
@The Burghler: Jones
@Steve: Ha
@JackInTheBox: Gardner
@Fletch: Pagan
@Grey: I was leaning that way..thank you as always.
Grey:
in my 6×6 h2h league, I have Starlin Castro in my UT position. I can trade him straight up for Swish. Who would u rather have ROS, Starlin or Swish? For some reason I’m leaning Swish.
Oh, and Strudel Cabrera is my starting SS.
what 2 would you pick up for the rest of the season? and would you drop Matusz in a keeper league for any of them? thanks! Lilly, B. Meyers, EJax, Pavano, W. Davis, Luebke, Fister, Correia, Buehrle, Zito, Arrieta…
@JackInTheBox: No problem.
@Joel: Starlin..Get something better for Starlin. Or play him and get something better for Asdrubal.
@Corvallegian: Drop Matusz… Luebke, Fister…Though I’d like to keep Davis towards the end of the season.
@Grey: thanks for the advice – Bourn stays. One more for the road…
Speaking of McGehee (who has a few hits this week – which is more than he can say for June), all things considered, which two would you rather have out of McGehee, Snider, or J. Weeks for the rest of the year?
I have Espinosa at 2nd and Freese at 3rd, and for three OF spots I have Hamilton, Heyward, Stanton. Weeks is currently riding the pine, and Snider fills in on off days for OFers – like today with Heyward getting an off day. If it matters to ya, I trust Espinosa more than Freese for the rest of the year.
This is in my 16 Team H2H Keeper.
Felipe Paulino, what about him makes you want to resist? Fangraphs is all over him: http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/pick-up-felipe-paulino/
Does he have any value in my 14-teamer H2H?? Thanks!
Trading Michael Morse and Jordan Zimmermann to get CarGo is a steal, right?
@L-Boogie: hopefully today was an indication that the foot isn’t an issue and he can get back into a groove and be a top 3 third baseman.
Thinking about streaming a spot start tomorrow in my h2h as I’m already getting pounced in era/whip. Which one of Zito vs. SD or Narveson vs. Cin would you choose? Thinking Narv-dog…
@Wilsonian: McGehee, J. Weeks…
@Virinder: Want to resist because he’s been known to completely crap the bed in the past. Sure, he has value in 14 team H2H leagues.
@The Sequential Hermaphrodite: Yup
@Grey: roto league, need sbs and runs….this year only, bernadina or tabata for the second half?
Jesus, Romero – come on. I own you and I’m up against Ellsbury this week.
Yahoo really on Bautista’s nuts. This is what I see when I click on Lester’s name. He should probably get a second opinion.
Lester had a no-hitter going against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, but he left after four innings because of soreness in his back. He had an MRI on Wednesday. the sixth by Jose Bautista.
@Grey: interesting, you’d prefer to not have any bench/spare outfielders? We play 3, but have 2 UTIL slots (I’ve got Hardy and Gaby in those right now). Then my two bench bats would be McGehee/Freese and J. Weeks.
Hughes’ return to the rotation going swimmingly.
Grey: with regard to the Starlin Q in 113 above, who in your mind would be a couple of OFs who’d be fair value for Starlin?
Who to start, who to sit?
Beachy @ Phi
Latos @ LAD
Bills vs. SD
Greinke vs. Cin
Kennedy @ St.L
Colon vs. TB
@herschel: Bernadina
@blaster: Ha
@Wilsonian: I see what you mean. Then go Snider over one of the other ones depending on what you need.
@Steve: Yup
@Joel: Depends what people need. Maybe a #2 OF.
@knighttown: Start them all.
Razzballers! Is Gallardo, C. Pena and Wiggie too much for Kinsler….Pena and Wiggie were waiver pickups and my 2B is a giant suckhole with Wiggie and Uggla. need Runs, HRs and SBs. Without Gallardo my SPs are D. Hudson, Kennedy, Bedard, Beachy, A. Sanchez and B. Norris…think thats enough pitching to get’er done? I’m currently in 4-way battle for first…all opinions on this appreciated…thanks.
@Grey: I’d say I need power the most, I could always drop Freese for McGehee and roll with him, and have Snider and Weeks on the bench. It’s a tough call.
it’s time for someone else’s batters to be the victims on the
defensive high-light reels .
@Grey: in a roto league, would you want either of kelly johnson or chipper for farnsworth?
@mc serch: Looks solid, if there’s decent free agent SP on the wire, which it seems like there would be if you grabbed Pena.
@Wilsonian: Then drop Weeks if you need power, he’s mostly steals right now.
@chata: Hehe
@herschel: Johnson
@mc serch:I dont think its too much,but I wouldnt do it.Gallardo is a legitimate no.1 w/ lots of K’s.And Pena will probably end up w/ more HR’s than Kinsler,but the real problem is the fact that Kinsler is so streaky and is a lock for at least one extended trip to the DL before the end of the season.Maybe Im crazy,but I still believe in Struggla,and think he’ll have a strong 2nd 1/2.
@Oilcan Giuseppe: full disclosure,Ive been burned by Kinsler in the past.
Romero starting to piss me off here.
@Steve: you must really be pissed off now,huh?….
@Steve: Shithead. Why did I start him?
alright i give in,i quess jurrjens is good
@Grey: @Oilcan Giuseppe:
Thanks guys, yeah If I dropped Uggla I would have several SP/RP spots to play with and guys like Fister, Pelfrey (check out his home/away splits) Capuano and Crow are out there for the taking….I guess i have much more confidence in Kinsler having a big 2d half than Uggla and Gallardo is a bit up/down…its also a hedge against Reyes not running when he comes back, Kinsler is running and I could use the SB help at 2B…anyway, i made the offer, will see what happens, thanks!
@Steve: I dont know,but Im glad my opponent did.Ive been getting my brains beat in in pitching categories this wk….this helps me a lot….sorry Steve.
@Oilcan Giuseppe:
Probably wouldn’t seem as bad if my opponent didn’t have Ellsbury.
@Grey: I lied, I probably need speed more. Here’s my lineup as is (for full disclosure):
C- Napoli
1B- Konerko
2B- Espinosa
3B- Freese
SS- Andrus
OF- Hamilton
OF- Stanton
OF- Heyward
UTIL- Hardy
UTIL- Gaby
BN- Snider
BN- J.Weeks
I know you like Freese more than McGehee, but something in me says Freese will give me little more than average for the next two months. I’m in 5th and have a legit shot at winning a deep 16 team league, so I want the team that will make the best run. So in that lineup, would taking a shot on McGehee over Freese be a good gamble? Or at least a decent one?
Grey: would Beltran be fair value for Starlin?
@Grey:
hey Grey .
last week we made a fantasy bet .
i took humber, but i forgot who you picked .
btw …. humber won the last time out .
Also, different league – best pickup for an overall useful utility bat: Kelly Jo, Peralta, Pena, Frenchy, Uggla, Hosmer, Hardy, Freeman? I don’t really care about average all that much.
I’ve got Kelly Jo right now, just wondering if some of the other options are better.
so El Caballo just hit his 4th triple of the season….Rollins has one.
@mc serch: No problem.
@Wilsonian: Yeah, you could use speed. Sure, lose Freese.
@Joel: Yup
@chata: Don’t remember.
@Wilsonian: I’d hold.
@Oilcan Giuseppe: Crazy
@Steve: Good heavens, I was kind of hoping they’d have taken him out after that.
@Steve: Double play and we’ll say no more about it.
@Steve: Thanks.
@Grey: thanks man, as always I appreciate the help.
Annabelle with a shizz outing (despite 6 ks in 4 innings), but he got a bit roughed up for 5 earned in those 4 innings.
Zito or Narveson tomorrow?
John Mayberry Jr doing what he does.
@Steve: Ha
@Wilsonian: No problem.
@Sos: Narveson
Should Anibal be benched for the time being in an 8 Team H2H or should I be looking at different options?
@Wilsonian: Bench him.
@Grey: standard roto league (this season only), thames or ibanez ros?
Grey, 2 questions:
1:ROS , niscaiso or rub by de la rosa.
2: would u trade aramis Ramirez ($30) and one of the two from question 1 (both $10) and receive Daniel Hudson ($1) and Chris Johnson ($10) ?
Greetings Grey.
Keeper league. Got Posey stashed, looking to deal McCann.
Is Shields good return?
@herschel: Ibanez
@dope man: 1. Rubby 2. Yes, if you have a 3rd baseman to fill in or you’re looking to next year.
@BernieLomax: Eh, it’s okay. I’d look for different/better. Say Hamels-ish.
@Steve: It’s old so you’ve might’ve seen it but saw Four Days In November recently and it was really good.
@Grey: I’m too traumatised by what Pestano just did to me.
@Grey: Don’t think I have seen it, but will have to check it out.
It sounds similar to a really good Kennedy doco I saw a few months back (and mentioned here), but don’t think it’s the same one.
@Steve: ’3 Shots That Changed America’ is the one I was thinking of.
@Steve: Ah, I’ll have to look for that one. Just watched The Kennedys mini-series which was oddly interesting in a soap opera-y way.
Dan Struggla with another HR tonight…that’s two games in a row.
Grey,
What do you think Konerko’s value is in the second half?
@Wilsonian: Yup
@Kid ‘n Play: Don’t see why it would change from the 1st half barring an injury.
I guess I should have rolled with Stauffer’s 2 starts this week vs. Bumgarner’s 1 start.
Does the Dodgers whole lineup take every fifth day off because their paychecks are bouncing? What gives?
drop joyce or moreland?
Ricky Romero is a Russian nesting doll and inside is the whole Blue Jays staff! (I know I told this joke last summer but it still seems apt.)
Kind of an actual baseball question here. After today’s ‘outing’, is Pestano’s any chance of getting a look at a late-inning lead?
@Steve: Tomorrow, I mean.
@Terrence Mann: Ha
@lopes: Moreland
@Terrence Mann: It never gets old.
@Steve: Seems doubtful for the near future.
@OaktownSteve: Remember the proverb two birds in the bush are worth less than one in the hand?
Yes, fast starters will slow down, but that doesn’t make their already-made contribution worth any less. Who’s to say that you have to keep playing the fast starters when they slow down? Just punt and go with the hot hands.
Of the three titles I’ve won in the last 8 years in my keeper league, not once have I been able to win without getting off to a fast start. Sure, people expect my team of overachievers to slow down. But guess what, I can just keep plucking overachievers in there the whole year. I’ve been able to win titles with junk rosters, beating passive teams loaded with stars.