2009 fantasy baseball

Doc

J.P. Ricciardi Takes A Salary Dump

| Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes | 159 Comments

by: +

Our fearless leader has been crippled by some Kryptonic supermarket macaroni salad so I will be your tour guide through the daily baseball comings and goings.

So J.P. Ricciardi waved goodbye to Alex Rios and freed up some money so he can buy some tickets to Moneyball The Movie and to get one of them new-fangled Adam Dunn verification machines for his phone.  Rios hasn’t been great outside of Toronto this year, but The Cell isn’t exactly Petco Central.  He actually has picked it up a bit going 6-14 with 2 home runs in his last 4 games.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

1st Basemen to Target, 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 58 Comments

by: +

I already did the catchers, 2nd basemen, shortstops, 3rd basemen, outfielders and starters to target for 2009 fantasy baseball.  I skipped the 1st basemen on purpose because I don’t think you should be taking a flier on 1st basemen.  You need some anchors for your hitting.  Then someone commented yesterday asking for the 1st basemen to target and the course of Razzball history was changed forever, like when Marty got into that DeLorean.  I haven’t changed my mind that you shouldn’t be taking a flier on a 1st basemen, but sometimes things are out of your control or you need a corner man or a Utility guy.  This is a supplement to the top 20 1st basemen of 2009 fantasy baseball.  If you’re feeling especially industrious, click on the players name to read more about them or to see their 2009 projections.  Anyway, here’s some 1st basemen to target for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Chris Duncan – Colby Rasmus has moved above him on the depth charts, but I think Duncan still gets 300 ABs and nears 20 HRs.  Unless LaRussa doesn’t want anyone coaching his pitching staff.  Dave Duncan, “Muahahahahahahaha…” Pause.  Duncan, “And you know that!”

Mike Jacobs – He’ll probably hit .250 and batting in the Royals order will do him no favors, but he could hit 30 HRs and have one of those lucky BABIP years and end up hitting .275.  Though I wouldn’t team him up with a Dunn, Krispie or Uggla-type.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

The Marshall Gathers SP

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft | 27 Comments

by: +

Who Knew?  Apparently, everyone.  I may have been the only one rooting for Aaron Heilman; Lou definitely was not.  Well, open that window and throw Heilman out.  Sean Marshall has been named the Cubs fifth starter.  As I said somewhere in the comments in the last couple of days, I like whoever comes away with the 5th starter job for the Cubs.  They’re gonna win games.  Know what I mean, Paula Dean?  But what can we actually expect from Sean Marshall?  Well, let’s put it this way since we’re talking about the Cubbies.  I’d prefer to have Sean Marshall on my fantasy team for where he’s going to be drafted compared to Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Harden or Ryan Dempster.  From Marshall, you should expect a low 4 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and decent Ks.  As with any fifth starter, Sean “Puffy” Marshall may get skipped on occasion, but he’ll also face off against lower tier starters potentially helping him with wins.  Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in spring training for fantasy baseball:

Chris Getz – We move over to the South Side and stay with the Chi-Town theme.  Getz will be the starting 2nd baseman gig for The Pale Hose.  He’ll probably bat 9th or 1st depending on the breeze that is circulating through Ozzie’s office.  Unlike Marshall, I don’t get Getz.  If he gets 500 ABs, maybe he reaches 7 HRs and 10 SBs.  If you’re thinking those numbers look a lot like Kelly Johnson, you wouldn’t be too far off.  Only Getz could hurt you in average as well as RBIs and Runs if he bats ninth.  In AL-Only leagues and deep leagues, I could see you looking, but the league would need to be Cousteau deep.  For what it’s worth, ZIPS likes him more giving him about 10/12 and .275 (they only gave him 393 ABs, so I’m projecting their stats up).  I think you’ll be miserable if you own him.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Casey Kotchman, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 48 Comments

by: +

Because Casey Kotchman is most noteworthy (in my eyes) for having the longest known case of mononucleosis, it makes sense he’d be considered a sleeper.  Only, not necessarily, a fantasy baseball sleeper.  More like a Prince Valium one.  After the trade to the Braves last year, Casey Kotchman hit 2/20/.237.  “Write him off as a once interesting prospect that never reached his potential,” says some random crotchety old baseball scout.  I hear ya, random old baseball crotchety scout, but I find something making me keep come back to him.  Sorta like my man-wood for Alex J.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Kendry Morales, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 46 Comments

by: +

Remember the blonde chick from the The Real World:  Hawaii, who, like, totally fell for Colin?  She was the cute girl with the young grandmother body.  You know who I’m talking about?  Cool.  Yeah, she’s not Kendry Morales.  Kendry Morales is the doode that the Angels are putting in as their starting 1st baseman.  Joly Hesus!  A prospect that is going to be playing 1st for an AL team that scores runs like an NL team!  How did you miss that, right?  Pretty easily.  He’s sizz-ucked in his limited time in the majors.  In 127 games in the Majors, he’s sitting on a career line of 12/45/.249 with no speed.  If you were a Benihana chef, you’d cut the tail of those numbers and flip ‘em into your hat.  So what is it that I like about Kendry Morales that makes him a 2009 fantasy sleeper?

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Closer Battles for 2009 Fantasy Baseball

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 55 Comments

by: +

Usually I wait until the 1st of every month to go over who’s closing where and who’s backing them up.  You know, the Donkey-Corn/Brain Freeze/$12 Salad post.  See, you are familiar with my work.  Great, I love how you do whatever you do too.  Being in the heart of fantasy baseball draft season, my diploma from The College of Fantasy Baseball at Charleston says I must do some early closer updates for 2009 fantasy baseball.  I’m not going to mention guys who are completely safe as of right now.  One generalization before I get to these closer schmohawks.  You want anyone getting saves.  Yes, you do.  Trust me.  You may think Lindstrom will return in 2 weeks and be fine getting 25 saves this year.  You may be right.  But if Leo Nunez starts the season as the closer, there’s just as good a chance that he keeps the job all year.  Last year, you swore Chad Cordero would get the job back from Rauch and there was no reason to grab Big Jon.  You swore Huston Street would take back the job from Ziegler.  You also missed out on good closers.  Anyway, here’s some closers to watch for 2009 fantasy baseball:

Matt Lindstrom – Strained rotator cuff.  I would still put him on my bench because he could bounce right back.  Or not…

Leo Nunez – Could easily end up with 35 saves or 5.  There’s the fun!

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Lastings Milledge, 2009 Fantasy Sleeper

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft, 2009 Sleepers | 61 Comments

by: +

If I may jump into the cavern of your noggin for a moment, you’re probably thinking, “Lastings Milledge — isn’t he that failed prospect the Mets gave up on?”  Slow your roll there.  He’s only 23 years old.  Or maybe you’re thinking, “I could’ve sworn I remember seeing Milledge on my league’s waivers last year.”  You’re right; Milledge clogged up outfields last year with non-digestible tools causing many to drop him.  Through the end of July last year, Milledge was at 7 home runs, 13 steals and a .237 average.  re: those numbers, They’re awful!  Don’t go back and look again.  You’ll go blind like the Blind Art Garfunkel on American Idol.  Yet, through all of this, I still think Milledge is a 2009 fantasy sleeper.  Hear’s Y as an illiterate wood right.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Grey

Sox Put MI in MRI

| 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft | 27 Comments

by: +

Then one day Jed was hopin’ he could start; and Lugo and Scrappy Doo started fallin’ apart.  This is an opening for good ol’ Jed.  The kind to keep those taking late MI fliers fed.  Said Yawkey is the place you ought to be.  So he packed up his Wii to play with Papi.  Ortiz, that is.  Jed Lowrie is in, Julio Lugo is out and Nomar Garciaparra is so five minutes ago.  Yo, whaddup, double play pardner?  Not your knee, I assume.  And the Jed Lowrie fantasy sleeper post is back on like Donkey Kong.  Sure, the Sox are saying Julio Lugo may only be out a month, but he was ‘healthy’ last year and he lost playing time.  Do the math!  Anyway, here’s some more things I saw in spring training that pertains to fantasy baseball:

Dustin Pedroia – Man, I’m telling you right now (unless you’re reading this sometime in the future.  Damn you, Future Boy!) if Dustin Pedroia sheets the bed this year, I’m going to milk that carton at least once a week and twice on Moosday.  During the WBC (World Backups Championship?), Pedroia came up lame due to a strained muscle near his rib cage.  For those of us playing fantasy baseball that have never seen a “hitter” “hit,” strained muscles near the rib cage can cause pain when a batter swings.  If Pedroia is fine fine, he bounces back with no ill effects and still hits his 15 to 18 home runs.  Now what if Pedroia is not that fine fine?  Say he only hits 12 to 15 home runs.  Do you see what a waste of an early pick Pedroia could be?  You really want a 2nd round pick that might hit 12 home runs and steals 15?  Who are you, Kelly Johnson?  That’s giving me The Gas Face just thinking about it.

Please, blog, may I have some more?