Comments on: Kazmir Great But Not Machine Washable

By: scott

scott — Sat, 17 May 2008 03:10:36 +0000

@BVV — thanks for the insight. I’m pretty confident I will be able to monitor and recover some or all of these guys if they turn it around. R. Hill I will pick up when it looks like he coming back up. Snell simply does not have a winning track record. No one is in a rush to pick him up at this point. He will be there if I see 2 good starts in a row. Myers is the most disturbing situation but I dropped him because of the alarming and pronounced loss of velocity, the questions regarding his regimen and conditioning and the lack of positive news coming from his manager and pitching coach. It might just be him fighting his way through an adjustment period or it might be that his body and/or stuff doesn’t allow him to pitch through an order three times over 7 innings any more. It’s probably the former but I decided to let that little drama play out while I try to bring down my era and whip with some middle relievers in my starting lineup everyday. If it looks like Myers is turning it around I will pick him up again. I’ll let you know how this strategy plays out over the next few weeks.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:48:34 +0000

@B.J.: That's a great trade for you. Well played.

By: B.J.

B.J. — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:38:46 +0000

traded Michael Young for Zack Greinke. I will use Yunel Escobar at SS. My rotation is now CC, Dice-K, Maine, McGowan, Greinke, Big Unit, Scott Olsen and Snell. Did I make a good deal?

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:19:44 +0000

@Chase: I think he'll be fine, but I don't think you want to trade Aram for him, because there's some risk. @Steve: Izzy's worth DL'ing. If you can't DL him, then I would drop him. I think it's probably Foulke because of his experience but I don't think much of Foulke. @JR: It's worth the gamble to grab Masa, just in case.

By: JR

JR — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:12:57 +0000

Can Kobayashi fend off Borowski?

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:40:15 +0000

Guys – What’s your take on the Izzy situation? Is he worth holding?

Also interested in thoughts on Foulke. I already have Devine…

By: Chase

Chase — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:37:36 +0000

would you try to trade for Arod right now? Even though he is injured. I was thinking I might propose Aramis Ram and Quentin for him. Thoughts?

By: Chase

Chase — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:22:57 +0000

@IowaCubs: cabrera...

By: Baron Von Vulturewins

Baron Von Vulturewins — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:08:47 +0000

@Grey: Thanks. I should add, though, that I suffered through several excruciating months of the suddenly sucking Oliver Perez in '05 on the basis of the young-pitcher-will-right-the-ship theory. And it never got better. Though in hindsight, his herky-jerky, man-falling-off-of-a-unicycle mechanics were an obvious red flag. Also, he's a mental case.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:31:23 +0000

@BSA: Kinsler provides more fantasy value/pop than Kendrick.

By: BSA

BSA — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:23:22 +0000

Hey I read a little about Kendrick returning soon. At 2nd I have Kinsler. Yes, Kinsler is hot but could Kendrick provide a better average and more Pop!

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:54:34 +0000

@mike: Casilla's not worth hanging on to and Weaver's got potential for great things. You gotta make that move.

By: mike

mike — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:37:35 +0000

What do you think of Jared Weaver for the rest of the year? He just got dropped in my league. Id prly drop Santiago Casilla for him.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:10:21 +0000

@IowaCubs: Pence? No. Pence and Hardy? Sure. Pence and Valverde? Yup. Hamilton? Sure. So either a two for one where Z is the best player or a one for one for a guy that is off to a tremendous start.

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:02:41 +0000

Here’s the crux of my problem… I need pitching and one guy in my league has offered Zambrano. Fantasy numbers wise, who is an acceptable offensive player that I could offer. I’m not going to bore you with who is all on my team, I just need a benchmark. Is Pence roughly equal in value to Zambrano?

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:57:15 +0000

@Baron Von Vulturewins: Well said.

By: scott

scott — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:49:46 +0000

ok, thanks Grey.

By: Baron Von Vulturewins

Baron Von Vulturewins — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:44:01 +0000

@scott: I’m not unbiased here, as a Snell owner — recently got in him in a four-player trade — but I can’t believe improvement isn’t coming. Young pitchers with good skills on the upward curve of their career don’t suddenly start sucking for no reason. So either Snell is hurt, or he’ll get better.

Of course, depending on your league, you might be able to drop, monitor, and grab again when he gets hot. But you better be vigilant. I’ve been making a fantasy career in my league of picking up good pitchers that other people drop after a rough patch: Over the last three seasons, it’s netted me, among others, Myers, Bedard, and Hamels for the low, low price of F-R-Double-E.

I also traded Buehrle for Zambrano in May ’06 — when Zambrano’s ERA was over 5.00 and Buehrle was around 2.00. The latter soft-tosser got pinata-ed for the rest of the year, while Zambino returned to career norms — which means I got the sweetest part of his season.

Snell’s no Z, of course. But these are guys you should be looking to add, not dump. It’s only May, folks.*

*Not sure how this applies to H2H, though I imagine in those leagues you’re more sensitive to long rough patches. For which I recommend a cooling skin cream with aloe vera.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:27:35 +0000

@scott: Go Penny then. Folk -- Billy Bragg

By: scott

scott — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:25:49 +0000

At this point I kind of need value more than a pitcher to stash on my bench like Parra. Jackson has risk given his track record but he has looked real good his last few starts…not many walks. If he has truly turned a corner he would be my guy…I’m just not sure about him.
@ Iowa Cubs — I think whoever gets M. Cabrera or D. Lee gets the better of both trades you proposed. As far as fantasy folk music team….Bob Dylan has to be the number one pick.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:24:15 +0000

@IowaCubs: D-Lee @BSA: They're not quite a wash. Parra can turn the corner and be the best. Jackson was a great prospect and maybe he's already turned the corner and can be great (but I don't like TB pitchers). Penny is what he is. So if you need to take a risk, you go Parra, Jackson, Penny. If you need a pitcher that is going to give you good innings and decent peripherals, you go Penny, Parra, Jackson. All depends on the amount of risk you want to invest. @ParkCyde: Similar answer to the Parra/Jackson pitching question. If you are set on offense and want to take a risk, you stay the course with Longoria. If you need something more stable, Young will provide it. EDIT: Cuz.

By: ParkCyde

ParkCyde — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:15:40 +0000

Is Dmitiri worth a pickup? Eva’n Longoria has dropped 230 point on his OPS in May. Drop ‘im and swap ‘im?

By: BSA

BSA — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:08:20 +0000

@Grey: Outfield projects to be Vlad, Pence, Quentin with Votto in at utility since I have Morneau at first.

So are you trying to tell Scott that his choice of pitchers are a wash?

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:07:05 +0000

D-Lee for Zambrano. Who wins?

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:32 +0000

@BSA: Sitting Damon and Kemp? Votto needs room for two. @IowaCubs: Miggy. @scott: Jackson and Parra have most upside. You're liable to get most value from Penny. I would go Parra, Penny and Jackson, if it were my team. But I could easily see it go in the reverse order.

By: scott

scott — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:32:36 +0000

I dropped Snell yesterday, which for those keeping score at home was one day after dropping Myers and two weeks after dropping R. Hill….ugh! I’m getting killed. I have oppty to pick up E. Jackson, J. Litsch, B. Penny or M. Parra to replace Snell. Anyone care to share some wisdom?

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:05:44 +0000

Zambrano for Miggy Cabrera. Who wins that trade?

By: BSA

BSA — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:00:14 +0000

As IowaCubs brings up Folkee, why not throw Colon on the discussion table for dissection of pitchers looking to make a comeback?!

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:55:34 +0000

Does Keith Foulke now become the closer in waiting? Should we be listening to Foulke’s chin music?

Regarding Foulke music, who would you take on your fantasy folk music team as the number one pick? Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Woodie Guthrie or Pete Seeger. Discuss amongst yourselves.

By: BSA

BSA — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:47:51 +0000

Already thinking about next week – I put my team through some overhaul this week like picking up Vlad (trade), Pence(Waiver), Votto(FA), and KGreene (FA) for Volquez (trade), Longoria, Thome, and Renteria.
My choices for starters are Bedard (@NYY), Beckett (@OAK), Hudson (NYM), Cueto (@LA), Harden (BOS), and Shields (@OAK, BAL)for four positions (I’m running out 3 closers)

Since picking up Votto I am thinking of sitting Kemp and Damon.