That title is very confusing if you have a lisper reading it to you. Why you’re having someone else read it to you, let alone a lisper doesn’t make any sense. You can’t find a better-qualified Task Rabbit? Put down your soy capp-a-latte and find a better intern; you owe it to yourself. Last year, Justin Upton had a problem with his thumb. He hit 8 homers the first 4 months of the season. After he took off his hand guard and his thumb felt better, he hit nine homers in the final two months. Chase Headley doesn’t have Chase Field or Headley Field, for that matter. He also doesn’t have any offense around him. Literally. He’s hitting in front of Nadir Bupkis and behind Tumble Weeds Jr., and now he’s out for a month to six weeks, at least. I mentioned Upton because I’m trying to get through that thick melon on your shoulders how important hands are for hitters. Headley has gone from a high-ranked, 3rd baseman looking to repeat last year to a risky DL stash that isn’t much more than a corner man. In the top 20 3rd baseman for 2013 fantasy baseball and the top 400, I moved Headley way down. I wouldn’t touch him with his thumb, fingeratively. A fractured thumb is non-violent, but for fantasy it’s Headley. Double pun point! On a related note that’s a tangent closer than most of what you’ve read, Gyorko could move to 3rd base and might take an extra month to gain 2nd base eligibility in Yahoo leagues. Anyway, here’s what else I saw in Spring Training for 2013 fantasy baseball:
Tyler Skaggs – Optioned to the minors. Diamondbacks’ GM Kevin Towers said, “I refuse to build up any prospects’ value by letting them succeed in the majors. They need to be traded when they are at their lowest value.” He then mailed an envelope with a stamp depicting an upside-down plane.
Randall Delgado – Is making a push for the 5th spot in the Diamondbacks rotation and to be traded by July 31st. Delgado’s teetering on that seesaw (or is it seesawing on the teeter-totter?) between valuable as an NL-Only pitcher and barely rosterable in mixed leagues. If he can knock a walk off his per nine this year, he could swing things to him being plucked out of the mixed league waiver sandbox. Right now, I’d put him at a 7+ K/9 and a 4+ BB/9. That’s shorthand for a low-4 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 125 Ks over 160 IP. Though, Pat Corbin, aka Mr. Big, could win the 5th starter job in Arizona.
Matt Garza – Working his way back from a lat injury, he played catch from 75 feet. Trevor Bauer pfft’d.
Scott Baker – Woke up with elbow soreness. Must’ve been having a dream about his brother from another mother, Dusty. Candyman: Part 12 starring Dusty Baker! “Your arm is tired? Then let me give you the hook. Muahahahahaha…” Scott Baker wasn’t due back until mid-April, now he’s gonna have an MRI on his elbow. I’m gonna guess that the MRI will see its shadow and Baker will have 6 more weeks of a DL stint.
Stephen Drew – Going to see a concussion specialist. If you don’t think a concussion can knock a player out for a year, can I get a Morneau?!
Pablo Sandoval – Diagnosed with a nerve irritation. Why the noive of that nerve! He should be fine in a few days after some rest and a box of Rocky Road fudge. (The box of Rocky Road fudge was written on his doctor’s note in Pablo’s handwriting.)
Yu Darvish – Was scratched with a stiff neck. I picture Adrian Beltre raking Yu’s neck with a pocket comb.
Phil Hughes – Yesterday, he threw a simulated game. Unfortunately, he gave up 7 runs, but the 1984 Detroit Tigers are a tough Strat-o-Matic matchup. Damn you, Lou Whitaker! Hughes could be ready for the 2nd week of the season; the first time the Yanks need a fifth starter.
Grant Balfour – Doctors said his knee will be fine to make his spring debut on Thursday, just no Bernie’ing. Balfour should be good for Opening Day. SAGNOF!
Juan Francisco – The position battle that no one but me seems to care about heated up yesterday as Francisco went deep a day after Chris Johnson delivered a homer. This is like Ali-Frazier. Or Hannahan-Frazier.
Jhoulys Chacin – Named the Rockies Opening Day starter. Ah, nothing says spring like teams announcing their Opening Day starter and preparing to clean snow off their field.
Scott Diamond – Will make his first start of the season on April 12th. His mom, Selma, would’ve been so proud.
Jayson Werth – Feels better about his wrist, but isn’t sure if or when he’ll regain all his power. FWIWerth, that’s not a great sign, i.e., nothing’s changed when I put him in an unfavorable outfielder tier.
Chris Carpenter – Told the media that it’s unlikely he’ll pitch ever again. Geez, Carpenter, such a martyr.
Chris Perez – Saying his shoulder is 100 percent and will be ready for Opening Day. On The History Channel’s The Bible, there was a donkeycorn with a strong resemblance to Chris Perez. Coincidence?
Daisuke Matsuzaka – Dice-K failed to crack the Indians’ mediocre staff and will be reporting to AAA Columbus or, as the Japanese press call it, Ay Carumba!
Jeff Francis will start the Rockies’ home opener. (RotoInfo.com) (03/18)
poor walt weiss .
@costaricanchata: Poor Rockies…
Cut bait on Pestano in standard Yahoo 5×5? Other rp’s on my team are Perkins, Marmol and Fujikawa. Belt is sitting on the waiver wire, not sure for how much longer
@Edub: Sure, lose him…
I really hope the Rockies buy up the left over barrels of Gustavo Chacin cologne from the Blue jays and hand out bottles of it on opening day. mmmm it really captures the scent of another sub-par season! Side note as some one who lives in Denver, it has not snowed here in months the only thing we need to clear off the field to start the year is Todd Helton’s lifeless body….
@Eric W: HA!
If I was a practical joker on the Rangers, I’d be telling Yu (but not you) to reciprocate that neck comb with a head scratch…
@Steve:
mute this ==> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h0pvYk8Dv0
@Steve: Hehe
Assuming Wright starts the year on the dl, would you take Zimmerman over him? Was going to target Headley for the boost in steals but not now obviously.
@Dave:
I think he adjusted for this. Grey has Zimmerman ranked ahead of Wright now.
@bossmanjunior:
For what it’s worth my next three picks we A Gordon, A Hill and M Sherzer so could very well have the same team!
@Dave: I would
Three stimulating questions to start your day (just the usual fodder):
1) Being reported Bryce Harper will hit third for the Nationals. Does this affect his value or your ranking? Better counting stats with maybe less stolen bases? I’m torn between Harper and Jones.
2) Hypothetical: I have the 9th pick in the draft and McCutchen falls to me. Hooray the towns people exclaim! However (here comes the twist), Fielder is still on the board, ranked 11th. He is last elite 1B left. Meanwhile there is a handsome Giancarlo Stanton sitting there smiling at me, ranked 14th. So do I take the better player and risk losing the last elite 1B, or snatch Fielder and settle for Stanton?
3) After talking with you about my strategy yesterday, I’m in a better place. I like to have a game plan going into my draft when I know my pick. How would you feel about these first 10 picks to start your draft in a 10 team league: 1B Fielder, OF Stanton, OF Jones/Harper, 3B Zimmerman, 1B Goldschmidt*, SP Bumgardner, 2B Hill, SP Scherzer, OF Choo, SP J. Zimmerman
* I’m not going to reach for Goldschmidt, but if he is sitting there in the 5th, I’m going to have a hard time passing him up. We are expanding to two (stutterer) UTL spots, so it would only clog one spot. With no CI/MI and only 3 OF’ers, my only other option would be to take another SP (which I don’t want to do) or my last OF. Cespedes has a similar adp as Goldschmidt. Then instead of targeting an OF’er like Choo, I could target a Rizzo type in that round. In a league where hitting is shallow, I feel like I need to take the best value if it falls to me.
Thanks!
@bossmanjunior: I like the idea of grabbing Fielder there then Stanton. Great start in the power department and you have Fielders avg to offset Stanton’s just in case.
@bossmanjunior: funny you should say this I had this same dilemma yesterday in my draft.
With the 9th pick I wanted Fielder but he went. So I took McCutch first then Bautista, A Gonz, R Zimmerman and then Goldy. Not ideal but in the end I finished with roughly the positions and players I wanted.
Good luck
@The badger:
For what it’s worth I had A Gordon, A Hill, M Sherzer and then J Zimmermann next
We could very well have the same team!
@bossmanjunior: 1. Nope 2. Ha… I’d go McCutchen then Fielder, not sure how my rankings don’t apply here 3. They look solid
10 team league with only 3 OF-ers and no CI/MI :
you’re proposing to take 3 1st basmen , 3 OF-ers , and 3 SP’s in your 1st 10 picks ?
and , it appears , you’re punting SB’s ??
@costaricanchata:
oops .
only 2 1st basemen .
my bad .
20 6 x 6 team league with OBP
AJ Ellis vs. Dourmit, needing a backup C will take avantage of their favorable platoons
TMilone vs DPhelps vs. JVarges
best for wins, era, and WHIP
@djhogness: Doumit… Milone…
If you were able to choose where you draft in a 12-team league, which pick would you choose?
@slojup: I like 3rd or 4th. Still going to get one of the best elite players, not just someone in the elite tier (thinking Cano, Braun or Kemp. Score!!) Plus excellent value in rd 2 & 3. If u fill out ur MI’s early u can scoop some steals later too
@slojup: 12
Forget about all this bad news for a moment and enjoy some Goldy destruction. I think that ball landed in 3 pieces.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25777349&topic_id=10025018&c_id=mlb
@Fungazi: AuShizz!
MLB was smart this year by starting the Rox on the road, so no snow!
@Jim: Until they eventually go home…
My first comment of the season, feels good to be back. I am looking for a little keeper advice – h2h, weekly lineup set, 6×6 (ops + wins), 3OF, no MI or CI. who are my last two keepers? I am keeping Giancarlo in the 1st and Desmond in the 18th. So do I keep Heyward in the 6th, Rizzo in the 20th, or Machado as a last rounder? Thanks to all.
@JRT: It’s good to have you back… Heyward, Rizzo…
Hey Grey. Finished my first draft of the year. 12-team H2H, OBP instead of AVG. Thoughts?
C- Brian McCann (17th)
1B- Prince Fielder (1st)
2B- Brandon Phillips (5th)
SS- Josh Rutledge (11th)
3B- Ryan Zimmerman (3rd)
OF- Justin Upton (2nd)
OF- Shin Soo Choo (6th)
OF- Desmond Jennings (8th)
Util- Hunter Pence (9th)
Util- Josh Reddick- (16th)
Bench- Starling Marte (20th)
SP- Madison Bumgarner (4th)
SP- Jordan Zimmermann (7th)
SP-Jeff Samardzija (10th)
SP- Mike Minor- (15th)
SP- Julio Teheran (18th)
SP- Shelby Miller (21st)
RP- Greg Holland (12th)
RP- Tom Wilhelmsen (13th)
RP- Glen Perkins (14th)
RP- Sergio Santos (19th)
RP- Vinnie Pestano (22nd)
*for the first couple weeks I’d use a catcher in the pool like Avila or Pierzynski.
@Eddy: League looks very shallow, but the team looks solid… Nice…
more like SIMULATED LAME come on now who’s with me???
@neogonzo mourning: I’m with you.
I noticed in your ranks seager is ranked twice as far down as Laurie, yet has basically same projections. Should I worry that seager is my starting 3b? I drafted hitter heavy and that is my only glaring weak spot..would u try to trade cano for aramis and gio Gonzales, using a platoon of seager and everth at 2b, given aramis, numbers are usually comparable to canos and I could use some pitching. Mayb try to squeeze out a closer too
@Andy: I wouldn’t worry, he just doesn’t have much upside… I wouldn’t make that trade…
Grey what do you think of the team I just drafted? Weak spots? Roto standard 12 team. I was drafting in the 11th position…… (round) [overall draft pick]. Thanks!
C- Wilin Rosario (17) [203]
1B- Joey Votto (1) [11]
2B- Rickie Weeks (11) [131]
3B- Evan Longoria (2) [14]
SS- Ian Desmond (5) [59]
2B/SS Neil Walker (15) [179]
1B/3B Pablo Sandoval (6) [62]
OF Matt Holliday (3) [35]
OF Mark Trumbo (7) [83]
OF Hunter Pence (8) [86]
OF Curtis Granderson (14) [158]
OF Michael Cuddyer (21) [251]
UTIL Lance Berkman (20) [230]
SP David Price (4) [38]
SP Johnny Cueto (9) [107]
SP Jake Peavy (10) [110]
SP Jon Lester (12) [134]
SP Phil Hughes (19) [227]
SP Bud Norris (24) [278]
RP Huston Street (13) [155]
RP Jim Johnson (16) [182]
RP Chris Perez (18) [206]
RP Ryan Cook (22) [254]
RP Sean Marshall (23) [275]
RP Tyler Clippard (25) [299]
@Sawx10: You look a bit weak on average when Grandy returns…. And since Grandy is out, not sure what that OF spot will look like… Your pitching looks okay, I don’t like a few of the SPs you have…
Sucks head…err for Headley. Have heard he will only miss April (left thumb) – who knows.
Have Frazier on the Bench to move to 3B.
With that said, how does that impact Gyorko? He was my platoon on Yahoo when he gained 2b eligibilty w/ Boneface.
FWIW, he already has 2b elibibilty on Yahoo…
I assume you mean Gyorko already has 3B eligibility cuz I know from my keeper league that he’s not a 2B yet for standard yahoo leagues.
@Sky: Or perhaps he meant to point out how great ESPN is, where he has 2B eligibility.
@VinWins:
Espn eligible.
Will he cover third for a month? Is he adequate sub there?
Yahoo is so flippant with their positional eligibility. Myers rolling into 2013 with C eligibility still was ridiculous.
Hey Grey!
In no small part to your advice I won my very competitive 14 owner keeper league last year! I thanked you already, but thanks again. Wheeled and dealed in the off season to unload Headley, Halladay, Cruz, Rollins and unfortunately Darvish for prospects and picks but I think I have another championship team (I know it’s a long season but one can dream instead of work, watch the children, etc..). Self indulgent time but your advice matters, what do you think of my roto team? Use my depth to shore anything up now or wait? Anyones thoughts are welcome.
C- Doumit
1- Goldschmidt
2- Hill
SS- Desmond
3- Beltre
OF- Kemp
OF- Craig
OF- Jennings
Utl- Melkey
B- V. Martinez
B- Beltran
B- Rutledge
B- Leonys Martin
B- Prado
P- Wainwright
P- Medlen
P- Chapman
P- Samardzija
P- Niese
P- Kuroda
P- Reed
P- Madsen
P- Fujikawa
A little light on RP but that always comes up on the wire…segue…best show ever!
Thanks! Your work is very much appreciated
@Niceguybilly: Nice Guy will not finish last here… Your team looks solid, your bench is ridiculous… You don’t need five bench bats… Trade Melky for a closer (you could use one) and Beltran for a starter…
Haha! Philatelic Jokes!
@Rags: Hehe
My draft isn’t even finished and yet it’s already time for the Smurfs to give up on 2013 it looks like. LOL.
@papasmurf: You didn’t even make it into March last year before you lost so you’re getting better and going deeper into the preseason…
How does this pitching staff look in a 10-team league where the better teams carry 10 starters?
Bumgarner (K), Zimmermann (K), Moore, Medlen (K), Lester, Bailey, Burnett, Vogelsong, Griffin, Harvey
Bum, Zimm and Medlen were keepers. The other 7 I’m targeting in the draft based on CBS rankings/ADP. I think it’s doable since my hitters are pretty much set and all of these guys (except Griffin, actually) are ranked below their real value. I realize not everyone will go exactly as I predict, but I want to get your opinion on if I’m aiming for the right amount of pitching.
@Jon: It looks solid…
@ Grey: I love the stamp comment. It reminds me of “Brewster’s Millions.” And the “Ay Carumba” line was really clever. Oh, I’ve missed my Razzball. I really have.
@Eric Riptide: Thanks! Ay carumba was Rudy…
Headley getting hurt sucks, he’s a player who I felt was way overloved. I was looking forward to someone taking him too early and only getting the real Headley, a 15/80 guy not the 30/110 monster that he masqueraded as last year.
I have yet to hear one talking head mention that Headley’s ISO almost doubled his career rate. On top of that he increased his ground ball rate while more than doubling his career HR/FB rate.
Here’s to hoping we here good reports on him and he still gets slightly over-drafted.
@MrMojoRisin: Yeah, I don’t think it’s gonna happen now…
wow…trade just accepted in my league:
braun/teheran for F.Freeman/BJ Upton. Did Braun get suspended and only the guy in my league knows about it? We just drafted this weekend – this trade looks crazy because now the other team will have Miggy and Braun. Bad trade or reasonable considering the potential suspension?!?
@snoozer: Bad trade
@snoozer: That trade seems more fair than the Miguel Cabrera for Granderson and Gio Gonzalez that passed in some dill hole redraft league I joined.
If you throw a Twinkie into a UFC ring between Ryu and Sandoval, who comes out with it?
@SeattleMack: Pablo, no contest
@Grey:
Wrong, trick question. The Twinkie never makes it out of the cage.
Damn, you got me…
@SeattleMack: haha! good one
I’ve traded away my 2nd and 3rd pick. As it stands I have Stanton, Heyward, Mccutchen, Cespedes, Craig as my keepers. With my first pick I really want Hankey, Reyes, Wright. Only problem is when it gets to 4th rd the best avail SP look like Dan Haren, Peavy, Harvey… don’t doesn’t look too pretty with 1 of them as my ace… I HAVE to get SP first rd right??
@scott: Those aren’t number ones…
@Grey: yea I know. Being as it is. The best pitchers avail is cole hamels, matt cain, lee, then c.c. all the top notch pitchers are already gone as keepers
@scott: I’m thinkin my OF will have to get traded away for pitching. Also have 3DL spots. Was gonna reach a liitle for beachy and luebke and stash
Is the Top 400 up-to-date for your RP rankings? I’m using your closer report to know who are Donkeycorns, but I’m wondering mainly about non-closers. How would you rank these guys in a 5×5? (Is there really much of a difference?) If you prefer, you could just pick 2 or 3 of your favorites.
Cook, Marshall, Benoit, Robertson, Fujikawa, Frieri, Parnell, Pestano, McGee
(I didn’t include Jansen because he’s already on my target list.)
@Jon: Parnell, Frieri, Robertson, Cook…
In 2002-2003 I lived in Shenzhen, China. While I was there I fractured the scaphoid bone in my right hand playing basketball. I went to the doctor (reluctantly…it was SARS time in China! One avoided Chinese doctoring places). Anyway, they were like, you should go downtown and get an x-ray at the hospital (SARS ground zero) and I was like nah, I’ll pass. So they wrote me a prescription for the pain and I picked up the stuff at the dispensery.
There were two characters on the label one for “medical” and one for “water”. Medical water. Do you remember Absorbine Jr.? Green liquid, came in a little bottle with a spongy applicator. Marketed in the 70’s for mild pain relief. This stuff looked like that kind of. Same little spongy thing and you dabbed it on. So I was like, what’s this gonna do? Within 10 minutes of putting that stuff on my hand I was as high as could be. I swear it was like topical Phenobarbital. Flying. Medical water. I’d seriously walk over my own mother to get my hands on it right now.
Well anyway, I lived with the broken bone in my hand for close to a year until I got back to the states. Tim Hardaway’s hand guy put a screw in my scaphoid and it was like it never happened. But during that year, it was no biggie. It hurt sometimes but I could do most stuff. My point being, fractures really are easier to deal with than ligaments or tendons. The Headley thing could have been a lot worse. The fracture is owwwie, but it doesn’t actually do much to the way your had operates. Upton had soft tissue stuff and that lingers.
I’m thinking Headley becomes a value pick if everybody pushes him way down. He could be back at full steam by May. I’d take a shot at 20/20 from the 3rd base slot in this year’s market. One thing I’ve noticed about you, Albright. You hate injuries. Hate ‘em. Even a whisper of injury and you’re off like…like…struggling for simile…like uncomfortable golf shoes?
@Oaktown Steve: re: players coming off injuries/down years. track record poor.
http://razzball.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=31503
@Oaktown Steve: Yeah, I hate injuries, especially in the preseason… Why bother? Aborsbine Jr. — ha! I will say the obvious, the fracture didn’t slow you down much, but you weren’t playing baseball in China every day…
@Grey: i’m pretty sure you weren’t swinging bats, sliding head first, and throwing bullets while you had a fractured wrist…
Huh?
@Grey:
So maybe I’m trying to talk myself into believing my own line of BS a little. You know what would really help right about now? That’s right…little bit of medical water.
Medical water fixes everything…
Hey Grey, can you comment on my 12 team roto mock? Went high on catcher but felt it was good value there and there were no decent 3B left better than Frazier who I got 2 rounds later.
C Wieters (9)
1B Encarnacion (4)
2B Phillips (6)
3B Frazier (12)
SS Rutledge (11)
OF Stanton (1)
OF J Upton (2)
OF Jones (3)
U Choo (5)
U Suzuki (14)
BN Gyorko (21), Myers (22)
SP Zimmerman (7), Moore (8), Niese (13), Milone (15), Beckett (16), Cahill (17)
RP Rivera (10), Janssen (18)
BN Hughes (18), Madson (19), Luebke (23)
@nightpandas: Looks like a great team, I’d be happy with that 12 team…
Grey, deep deep league question. I have to start Tyler Greene at 2ND for the first two weeks until Rutledge gains eligibility. Does headleys thumb make Forsythe a good option, or better than Greene option.
@mooseknuckles: Better than Greene, yup…
Dear Grey,
I followed your advice for the most part, although an early SP run made me deviate slightly, and came up with this squad in a 14 team league. Where do you think I need to focus in order to improve?
4 Andrew McCutchen, Pit OF
25 Adam Jones, Bal OF
32 Adrian Gonzalez, LAD 1B
53 Chris Sale, CWS SP
60 Paul Goldschmidt, Ari 1B
81 Pablo Sandoval, SF 3B
88 Anthony Rizzo, ChC 1B
109 Joe Nathan, Tex RP
116 Jake Peavy, CWS SP
137 Danny Espinosa, Wsh 2B
144 Rickie Weeks, Mil 2B
165 Matt Harvey, NYM SP
172 Tom Wilhelmsen, Sea RP
193 Josh Rutledge, Col SS
200 Glen Perkins, Min RP
221 Salvador Perez, KC C
228 Bruce Rondon, Det RP
249 Starling Marte, Pit OF
256 Brandon Belt, SF 1B
277 Shaun Marcum, NYM SP
284 Chris Carter, Hou 1B
305 A.J. Griffin, Oak SP
312 Chris Young, Oak OF
333 Cody Ross, Ari OF
Thanks,
DTB
@Dave the Barber: Oh yeah we have 4 OFS/ CI,MI, and Utility as well as 2SP/2RP and 4 P slots
@Dave the Barber: I don’t think you followed my advice for the most part… Your pitching needs a lot of help…
Yeah, I followed your advice for hitters. There was a ridiculous run on SP from rounds 2-5, but I’ll make the necessary moves. Who should I trade for Gio or Stras?
I wouldn’t trade for either right now…
@Grey: How about Kershaw or Verlander? Or are you just saying to sit tight for now?
Sit tight for now…
Poor Mr Headley…. Glad, the A’s didn’t get now….
@T Moore: But Vic Torius did. Good for us!
@T Moore: That’s all we get? One line?
@Grey:
Me puter is going through conniptions on here… The cursor has a mind of its own since returning from the hospital…. Very hard to type when its on a different line every 10 strokes and then refuses to move to where it is instructed to in a timely manner
You and your ‘puter need to have a talk… It can’t be standing in the way of your Razz…
@Grey:
Just ate my last post again…
Puter’s cursor is wandering and sticking every 10 stroke since returning from hospital… Making it really hard to type…
And it is at its worst on here it seems
You and ‘puter need to have a sit down and hash out your problems…
In the middle of a slow draft, H2H points – favors Total Bases over AVG, penalizes strikeouts, 12 team, 12 keepers. In the 3rd round now (15th round, roughly 150-ish overall, if you count the keepers), and I have 2 picks coming up. I’m trying to follow the pitcher pairings suggestions to fill my staff after having kept Cain, Gallardo, and Halladay (wasn’t thrilled about Halladay, but didn’t have a better option). Following the pitcher pairings, the suggestion is/was taking Ryu or Hughes from that tier… but given Hughes’ back, and Ryu’s somewhat shaky start, would the ‘stache recommend going straight down to the Kuroda/Lynn/Beckett/Cahill/Vogelsong tier and grabbing two pitchers from there, or taking the chance on Ryu/Hughes now?
Also, I can probably get away with taking one SP and a hitter (5th OF or Util bat) with these two picks – for hitters, would you suggest Granderson, Hunter, Fowler, Gardner, Middlebrooks, or Espinosa (would also let me play Zobrist in OF if needed, but I have both Kinsler and Pedroia to fill 2B/MI)?
@Homer at the Bat: This is up to date: http://razzball.com/i-drafted-the-best-sp-rotation-how-you-like-dem-apples/ I wouldn’t draft Grandy… Hitters are obvious who I’d draft per my rankings…
@Grey: Also, when use APPLES, it seems to skip straight from third pitcher drafted to 5th… that’s where I get a little confused.
I think you have to refresh the Apples page… It was corrected…
@Grey: Following the Cain/Gallardo path, it’s still skipping from 3rd pitcher (http://razzball.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/pitcher_pairings_9.html) to 5th pitcher (http://razzball.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/pitcher_pairings_8.html). I think I’m following along enough anyway, (and sadly, it’s just Ruy/Hughes left in the Samardjiza tier), so thanks for the help/advice/fantastic website! You’ve helped me move a terrible, bottom feeding team I took over a 4 years ago (Crapolanco was a *good* keeper for me the first year!) into a yearly top-3 team – and one championship in the crapshoot that is H2H playoffs!
Ugh, you should tell Awesomus on his post…
@Grey: Thanks!
I thought I heard Tampa is planning to play Zobrist mostly in the OF this year. Is it correct to assume that Zobrist would be in RF and Myers would be in LF when Myers gets called up?
When he gets called up in June? Yeah, should be…
@Grey:
Zobrist and Kelly Johnson should split time at 2B and the outfield. Maddon said Zobrist will play primarily 2B to begin the year. When Myers is called up, expect Zobrist to play 2B full-time while Myers, Jennings and Joyce man the outfield.
Makes sense…
What are some waiver wire 3b would u recommend to replace headley and his dang thumb… Chisenhall? That’s about all I see really maybe some hind site would help
Yeah, grab Chis…
Morning Grey. I would love your take on the team I drafted last night. Do you see any areas of concern? 12T H2H.
C M. Montero
1B I. Davis
2B Zobrist
SS Starlin
3B Zimmerman
LF Gordon
CF McCutchen
RF Upton
Util Crawford
Util Frazier
BE Lyonis MArtin
BE Hart
BE Segura
SP Zimmerman
SP Samardzia
SP J Parker
SP Bailey
RP Rivera
RP Holland
BE Beckett
BE Burnett
Thanks for everything man.
Looks a tad heavy on speed and light on power… Pitching looks fine…
Stratomatic!
You don’t see that referenced much. Just got into it 4-5- years ago, and I’m addicted. Like it even more than fantasy baseball. I’m building dynasties here!
Ha… When fantasy baseball isn’t fantasy enough….
Grey just learned that I got the 3 pick in my upcoming 12 team h2h Im struggling over who I shoud pick Mccutchen or Cano?
McCutchen
Huge Shelby fan today. Got the 9th pick in a 12-team 6×6 H2H league (OBP) on Sunday. Go with Prince and Cargo or Cutch and AuShizz/Longo? Does Corbin do anything for you assuming he’s the Snakes 5th SP? Thanks!
Either 1st round combo sounds good to me… Prince and CarGo is a tad safer… Corbin does nothing for me…
12 team 5×5 OBP league, shallow rosters (3 OF, no CI/MI, 1 Util), IP limit. Keeping Harper and Rizzo. Given everyone’s keepers and drafting histories, I’m expecting to grab Longo at the end of the first. Given the inning cap, my keepers, and the shallow rosters, what do you think about Strasburg and his K/9 at pick 14? My best offensive options at that spot would be Tulo (who I don’t really want to mess with), Adrian Gonzalez, Heyward, Kinsler.
I wouldn’t draft a starter in the 2nd round…
Im in a H2H categories league. we can keep 2 keepers in place of our 1st and 2nd round picks. or keep nobody and get to draft in first and second round. Every year we will get to keep one more player until year 5 when all players will be returned to the draft pool. Everybody but one person and possibly me is keeping two players . the kept players are Trout, Tulo, Beltre, Hamilton, Pedroia, Reyes, Cain, Kemp, Votto, Verlander, Fielder, Wright, Cabrera, McCutchen, Cano, Stanton, Longo, Strasburg, Braun and Kershaw . my choices of keepers is bautista , harper, kinsler, cliff lee, machado, andrus, profar ,will meyers, adam jones and zobrist. who do you keep if anybody? or should i just take my luck with the draft and hope to get pujols and bautista? i was thinking bautista and harper, or bautista and kinsler.i like harper the most for the future though. thanks for your help.
I’d go Harper and Bautista…
Looking to stash a Panda back-up just in case
Chisenhall
Johnson
francisco
arendano
Arenado…
18 team $50 6×6 roto league is looking for 2 owners. Very competitive and tough league that is a lot of fun.
See this post on the Razz forums for more details: http://razzball.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=31926&sid=3be64fdb037f5bd50e0c6edd3d1d095f
I feel like the Mr. Big reference went over my head there… Is Patrick Corbin a big fat fatty? Or is he just waitin all his life to be the next to be with you?
I undertand you gotta make Mr. Big refs where you can. Opportunities are few/far between.
I think he has the same name as the guy who played Mr. Big on Sex in the City…
@Grey: ah… Forgive my ignorance.
Never mind… Applaud my ignorance!
Grey,
I think you missed my question towards the beginning (6th). I’m sure it’s an awful question, but I would still appreciate your insight on my query. Thanks!
@bossmanjunior:
Thanks Grey.
One follow up. In the second question, I understand McCutchen is the better player. However, if Fielder is the only elite 1B still on the board while McCutchen, Cargo, Stanton, and Bautista are still in the board, wouldn’t it make sense to take Fielder first and then the best OF second versus taking McCutchen first and risk missing out on Fielder, having to settle for a second OF’er or Longoria instead.
I love fantasy baseball… it’s Grrrrrrrey! Now that I’m done rubbing myself with freshly cut grass and pine tar, I’d love to get your take on my team (Flamin’ Hot Zitos)
10 team H2H league: R, H, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OBP, SLG, IP, K, ERA, WHIP, QS, S
C: Salvador Perez
1B: Goldschmidt
2B: Rutledge
SS: Starlin
3B: Longoria (couldn’t resist)
OF: Braun
OF: Pacman Jones
OF: Choo Choo train
U: Ike Davis
U: Victorino
BN: Uggla
SP:Wainwright
SP: Latos
SP: Matt Moore
SP: Niese
SP: Burnett
SP: Miley
SP: Vogelsong
SP: Edwin Jackson
SP: Straily
RP: Papelbon
RP: Rivera
RP: Wilhelmsen
Thanks!
Ha! Team look stacked… You even managed to work some high end closers in there… Geez…
Grey, had just my 2nd ever auction draft last night and I feel really good about my team.
After the same owner bid all 3 of Braun ($43), Trout ($50) and Cabrera ($53) into the stratosphere and landed all 3, I concentrated my efforts on a top-5 player at each infield position, wait and see at catcher, a group of young 5-tool OF with big upside and a few key pitcher acquisitions with upside filler. I got crazy good bargains for my MI, CI, and UT!
C Jesus Montero 3
1B Prince Fielder 31
2B Ian Kinsler 17
3B Evan Longoria 24
SS Starlin Castro 15
2B/SS Chase Utley 3
1B/3B Will Middlebrooks 1
OF Justin Upton 28
OF Andrew McCutchen 33
OF Jason Heyward 20
OF Bryce Harper 17
OF Carl Crawford 3
UTIL Todd Frazier 1
P Cliff Lee 18
P Matt Moore 12
P Aroldis Chapman 18
P Marco Estrada 1
P Jarrod Parker 1
P Brett Anderson 1
P Glen Perkins 2
P Rafael Betancourt 2
P Kenley Jansen 1
BE Jean Segura 1
BE Domonic Brown 1
BE Alexi Ogando 1
My biggest current weakness is my bullpen (at least as far as saves are concerned). I like Ogando, but I think he would be the first pitcher I would cut loose. Janssen, Frieri, Parnell and Rondon are all available. There are also some attractive starters still out there in Beckett and Cahill. Would you hold Ogando and see how he starts or would you recommend jumping on one of those available pitchers?
Thanks!
@Drexel Hill Dragons: I agree with your assessment… Your bullpen does look like the weakest link… I’m not sure, no idea how many teams…
@Grey: 10 teams
any thoughts on where Bourjas bats in the angels line-up?
@Straight Outta LoCash: 8th or 9th
THERE’S A NEW POST FOR FOLLOWUPS.*****
Domonic Brown update!
Granted it’s only 60 AB’s, and Spring AB’s at that, but…for a former top prospect in all of MLB
that it still just 25 years old and has yet to get 200 AB’s in any season, his numbers are certainly eye opening. Throw in the fact that he now looks to be in position to get every day at bats and I’m loving the way the stars are aligning.
.400 BA
60 AB
20 R
5 HR
11 RBI
6/7 BB/SO
His plate discipline is impressive for a young player. Not only this Spring, but in the last 2 regular seasons he has also walked almost as much as he has whiffed. I really feel like the missing piece of the puzzle so far for him has been never being handed consistent every day at bats where he doesn’t have to worry if his name is on the lineup card each night. Here’s hoping he stays a sleeper in my drafts for at least another week.
Grey strategy question – 5×5, 12 team ESPN, H2H, 9 pitchers, 12 start max/wk, 10 IP qualifier.
Which strategy would you do:
1) 9 SP – get K’s and W each week and build a strong offense.
2) 5 SP, 2/3 CL and rest MR – balanced approach
3) 1 top SP/ 2 lower SP (stream 1 SP for a total of 4), 2 CL, 3 MR- balanced with streamer
4) 3/4 mid closers, 5/6 MR – get sv, era and whip, punt w & K’s.
5) Some combination
does anybody know when Luebke gets DL status on Yahoo? Others, like Pineda and Carpenter are already on it. Also, does anybody have any useful info on whether or not Phelps is going to start for NYY? I want to pick up at least one of W.Peralta/Phelps/W.Davis/Worley. Peralta/Worley are the only ones mentioned in top 100, but that may have been without Phelps/Davis being known to be starters. Thanks for any help; UPDATE: Hammels is now out there as well. Could also pick up Burton to handcuff my Perkins. Got 2 spots at least.
Yahoo does these things when they feel like it, no rhyme or reason with when… I’d go with Hammel, Wily or Vance…
In a 12 team, NL only, 6 keepers that you can keep as long as they’re in the NL, would you keep Headley?
My keepers are: Kemp, J Upton, Strasburg, O Taveras, Desmond.
Options for the 6th: Headley, P Alvarez, Motte, A Eaton.
Thanks.
Headley injury,,ugh!
Is this Headley lead team strong enough? 12 team H2H. C-Lucroy, 1-Fielder, 2-Espinosa, 3-Headley, ss-Castro, MI-Rutledge, CI-GJones, OF-Stanton, AJOnes, Choo, Victor,Gardner UTIL -Alvarez. I afraid of Alvarez and G.Jones, along with Espy killing my BA. Should I look for an upgrade? Do you trust Alvarez won’t hit .220?
No, I don’t trust Alvarez to not hit .220, and Jones isn’t a passable CI man either… I’d look to upgrade any spot you can… Maybe Choo for Longo?
Would you do Alvarez straight up for Moustakas?
Nope…