After an exhausting week of every team playing everyday, we come to only a handful. Weekly leagues take note that in week 8, 3 teams: Detroit, Seattle and Texas only play 5 games. The week of Memorial Day is also tough for fantasy in New Jersey, because we have to find WIFI friendly hotels at The Jersey Shore. I’m bringing my laptop to Jenkinson’s since I have a reservation for a bar stool for one. Baseball is approaching the time where teams that are out of it are saying, “Sorry, fans, but our good players won’t be here and you will have to watch scrubs.” Houston, KC and Cleveland are the early names that jump out to me as being sellers long before the All-Star Break.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Jamie Moyer
We have reached the quarter pole of the fantasy season. We had our first manager ousting this week in K.C. The two biggest disappointments, team-wise have to be Seattle and Arizona. As we come up to week 7, it is the first week of interleague play, and the first week where all 30 teams play 7 games.
Please, blog, may I have some more?This week is bloated with guys who are most likely owned in your league. Or guys that should be owned. Though maybe not in ESPN abandoned leagues. ESPN owners, raise your hand if you’re not here. Guess they’re not here either.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Matt Lindstrom was named the Astros closer. Over/under on game-winning HRs given up to Pujols: 3. Lindstrom had a 1.65 WHIP and a 5.89 ERA last year. So, no, I don’t think he’s safe. Would I own him? Sure. I also don’t think the Astros will have that many saves so it’s not worth holding onto Brandon Lyon, unless your league’s very deep or you don’t trust yourself to be the first one to the waiver wire to grab Lyon if/or when Lindstrom’s removed from the closer role. Just think, better you wasted a low draft pick on Lyon than $5 million per year over three years. Somewhere, Ed Wade’s toupee shrugs. Anyway, here’s what else is going on in fantasy baseball:
Ian Kinsler – May start the year on the DL. More like a month of May start. Okay, if you’re not paying attention to my hints over the last two days of posts, I’m officially worried about Kinsler. If he’s not good in April and not good in the 2nd half, when’s he going to be good? May through June? I’d pull up on the Kinsler throttle if I were drafting this weekend. If you’re already pot-committed, I would just hold tight and hope for the best. You don’t short sell your 2nd round pick, unless of course you’re getting a 2nd rounder back. Why am I so worried about Kinsler and not, say, Reyes? Reyes is coming two to three rounds later. Reyes can run at full speed; Kinsler can’t run. He hasn’t been able to run since March 12th. Earth to Kinsler owners, that ain’t good.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Four months ago, a torn tendon behind his right knee shut Jose Reyes down for the entire season. That’s the good news. In an attempt to return to a team that has been out of the playoff picture since July, Reyes tore his hamstring this week as he ran the bases. His season is finally, completely, officially over. Sure, it wouldn’t been nice to see him steal 65 bases and for the Mets to win 25 and a half games in the last three days of the season, but maybe trying to get him back for the last weekend of the season wasn’t the best idea. Now his 2010 is going to be of the “Is he finally healthy?” variety rather than the “He’s finally healthy” variety. Obviously more will be known as we get closer to next season. I’m sure February Grey is preparing his status report as we speak. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Ricky Nolasco – 7 IP, 0 ER, 16 Ks. Probably should’ve been the lead today, but I felt like ranting on the Mets. You’ll forgive me. Take out your Benihana Buddhas and pray that next March your leaguemates look at Nolasco’s 5.06 ERA and pass on him. Then flip a shrimp tail into your hat.
Please, blog, may I have some more?I’m sure even Kevin Gregg can’t believe he held the Cubs closer job as long as he did. After witnessing Gregg’s sixth blown save and 12th gopher ball on Monday night, Piniella went into the locker room and flipped a table, screaming at a young, non-mustachioed Willie Randolph… Oh, wait, that was The Bronx is Burning. Piniella says Carlos Marmol will take over the closer duties. Carlos Marmol smiles, Kevin Gregg frowns and Angel Guzman shrugs. John Grabow may also slide into the situational save picture when the Cubs face a lefty heavy ninth. But, for now, Sweet Lou’s giving the ball to Marmol to save games. As of today. We shall see. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Travis Snider – Guess JP Ricciardi can’t swing a deal for Lincecum and the frozen body of Ted Williams, so Snider was called up. Worth a flier in mixed leagues for the potential pop he can provide. In one league, out of boredom, I dropped Ty Wigginton for Snider. Oh, and Snider hit a homer yesterday.
Please, blog, may I have some more?The Aussie, Trent Oeltjen, went 4-for-4 yesterday, after hitting three homers in four games. Wait, I know this one! Sounds like Parrot Bones? If you don’t own the guy when he’s hot, when do you own him? Will he keep this up? Can I shrug? Will I own him on many teams waiting to see how long it lasts? Why not? Can I own him and Venable and Garrett Jones all on the same team, or will the rookie nookie circle of life implode on itself? Who’s to say? Can I talk in nothing, but short questions? Maybe? (Let’s hope Oeltjen didn’t share a bed with this koala. Sorry, Michael Vick, she makes STDs look cute!) Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Kevin Youkilis – The Greek God of Fisticuffs, apparently.
Please, blog, may I have some more?On July 16th, Padres GM, Kevin Towers, said there’s a 50-50 chance that Jake Peavy would pitch again. Turned out there was a 50-50 chance that he was lying. On July 16th, Peavy’s boot came off and his ankle is healthy. Peavy now says he’ll pitch again this year. Oh, okay. Peavy is the Padres ace, i.e., they’re not going to mess with bringing him back to make sure they win 60 games instead of 58.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
A lot of starting pitchers have been traded by the A’s. Some fare great (Haren), some have mixed results (Hudson), some collapse (Mulder). But there has never been an ex-A’s starting pitcher that seems to miss the AL West as much as Chad Gaudin. While he did get crushed @ LAA, his last 3 starts @SEA, home against SEA, and @TEX have netted 21 IP / 2-1 / 2.14 ERA / 0.76 WHIP / 28 Ks. That’s a Peavian 12 K/9 IP with a K/BB ratio of 21:5. We’ve had Gaudin on a couple of deep league teams since we love NL West pitchers and it’s been hard to recommend him because he’s been so damn wild. But after these past three dominating starts (8+ Ks, 2 or less BBs), he’s a must pickup in any league format at this point. Anyway, here’s what else we saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Everth Cabrera – 3-for-8 this weekend, with one steal. If you need steals, don’t wait until after the 3 steal game to grab him. He may not be there.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Oh, they’re not just bad. Nah, I outdid even myself this time. On this drafternoon, I picked a team that is near-perfectly awful. They simultaneously suck and blow. On a scale of one to ten, they’re a negative seven. I did the math! Somehow I managed to get a team where not one hitter projects for more than twelve home runs. If someone in the Royals brass gets wind of my drafting skills, I may get a job! If you think I’m being facetious (which was recently outlawed in Madagascar), shame on you. And shame on this team! I took part in a fantasy baseball draft this past Saturday to pick the worst fantasy baseball team. And I think I done did it. My co-conspirators in this were:
Roto Rob
Tirico Suave
Drunk Jays Fans
Fantasy Baseball Cafe
Fantasy Pros 911
Hire Jim Essian
Sharapova’s Thigh
Fantasy Baseball Geeks
Beyond the Box Score
Come with me as I take out the trash:
Random thoughts about various rounds of the draft:
ROUND 1 – I had my eye on Ronnie Belliard like only Mrs.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
