After hours of research, 3624 mock drafts, endless Grey roster autopsies and a restraining order from Dr. Funstonstein, you finally find yourself ready for opening day of the 2013 Fantasy Baseball season. Hey, you’re not the only one with a little Bonifacio in his pants. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2012 (1) | 2011 (14) | 2010 (24) | 2009 (21) | 2008 (10)
2012 Affiliate Records
MLB: [98-64] NL East
AAA: [70-74] International League – Syracuse
AA: [64-78] Eastern League – Harrisburg
A+: [64-75] Carolina League – Potomac
A: [82-55] South Atlantic League – Hagerstown
A(ss): [46-30] New York-Penn League — Auburn
Graduated Prospects
Bryce Harper (OF); Steve Lombardozzi (Util); Tyler Moore (OF)
The Run Down
A little more than a year ago, this Washington Nationals system was regarded as the best in the game. Then a trade with Oakland sent a handful of prospects out west, their top draft pick went down with a broken ankle, and Bryce Harper graduated to the bigs. What's left, now, is a system that's filled to the brim with risky, oft-injured prospects. There is almost nothing here that I would consider safe. Top overall prospect Anthony Rendon is an exciting, high-impact guy, but he's yet to play a full season as a pro. Top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito tossed only two professional innings before being shut down for Tommy John surgery. He won't pitch again 'til 2014. The rest of the top ten seem to be rehabbing from their third labrum operation, or their twelfth precautionary arthroscopic elbow surgery. This is not among baseball's top 20 farm systems at the moment, but thankfully for Washington fans, the Nationals have a young and talented collection of talent at the big league level already.
Once upon a time, I investigated how 2012 “OPS against” views different pitching staffs and what this means for fantasy baseball pitcher values. Specifically,
I looked at the worst teams. Today, I’m going to finish that two part series and cover the best teams. I also include WHIP and BB/9 because I like to trap myself in the closet with statistics while I write a hip hopera. Without further delay, here is the list of OPS by team of the best pitching staffs (the best are ranked first):
For those of us who prefer our fantasy baseball leagues to mirror our fantasy football leagues, there are weekly H2H formats. Sure, H2H is a poorer measure of fantasy skill than rotisserie -- weekly snapshots of baseball statistics are hardly indicative of a team's overall value. But the one-on-one element of H2H provides owners with weekly closure, and adds quite a bit to the competitive nature of the fantasy game. Simply put, H2H is fun. One way to stay ahead in these weekly formats is to maintain a flexible roster and stream two-start pitchers. So every Saturday in-season, we'll be providing a glimpse at the upcoming week's two-start landscape.
Scott White from CBS hosted this NL-Only draft that started at 8 AM PST. For the second time in my life, I was glad I didn't live in Hawaii. The first time was when I received a coconut piggy bank from every relative that ever went to visit Hawaii. They should have a March Madness tournament for number one wackiest export. In the first round, Hawaii vs. China with coconut piggy banks going against backscratchers. They can meet the winner of the match-up between Switzerland and Taiwan with cuckoo clocks taking on baby corn. "I can't believe baby corns advanced to the 2nd round. I didn't think cuckoo clocks could be beat." That's the guy in your office who bets on anything that's organized in a tournament. I drafted the team almost completely on my own since it was so early and Rudy was nursing a huffing hangover. Rudy did scoop in and draft the bench because, well, I had to poop. Anyway, here's our 2013 fantasy baseball NL-Only team:
The MLB season is almost upon us! And what better way to celebrate than by fulfilling your dream of playing with Rudy. At our Halloween party last year, Rudy dressed up as Chucky and went around asking chicks, “My name’s Rudy, wanna playyyyy?” Luckily, there are no more lawsuits pending.
Our friends at DraftKings are accommodating a
RAZZBALL NATION ONLY CONTEST on April 2
nd against our own Rudy Gamble, where for $5, yes as much as a crappy foot of sandwich, you can win a ticket into the $150,000 Walk off Contest on April 12, where the top winner will win $50,000. That’s like – a million crappy sandwiches. I know Rudy doesn’t have that bushy mustache or those daiquiri soaked lips, but he is a fantasy god amongst us mere mortals and will be near impossible to topple.
Maybe I’m getting greedy, but Lance Berkman looks like somebody that could have not just one but two bounce back seasons in his career. The first came in 2011 when he won Comeback Player of the Year. 2012 saw him succumb to injuries, however, and many were left wondering if he would even play again. I think that Big Puma has another big bounce back in him for 2013.
And the Tigerettes sang, "He was talked up as closer, but now he's sent down... Da Bruce Rondon gone, Da Bruce Rondon... Somebody told me he made Leyland frown... Da Bruce Rondon gone, da Bruce Rondon... Yeah, he sucked in spring... Yes, his stats would sting... But now my team's saves are boned... Da Bruce Rondon gone, Da Bruce Rondon..." As Randy Jackson would say, we got ourselves a pitchy competition, dawg! *sips from Pepsi cup, looks at Mariah for approval, fixes silver chain, sucks in gut under sweater that he's wearing with no undershirt which makes it look really itchy, laughs at some Nicki Minaj nonsense, says to Seacrest, "I don't know, we'll have to see what America thinks" and smiles* So, Bruce Rondon was sent down and now the Tigers closer job is Hollywood Week. Auditions are down to Al Al'etc, Santa K, New Mexiclosero, Al Al, Coke Is It, Coke Is So 80's Octavio Dotel Is It, Alquin Cokel, Octaquin BenCokel and Philquin Alburcoke. And that's only four guys! Hang tight, guys and four girl readers, it's a closerousel. Lots of possible outcomes here. All four guys could do well in a committee and Leyland utilizes it the whole year. Two guys do well and we get a portmanteau closer, let's call it a SAGNOFtaur. Three guys could do well, let's call that, The Three StoogeNOF. Another possibility: as we know from the past with Leyland's 'Set it and Forget It' lineup card management, he likes to stick with one thing. So one guy takes the job by mid-April and holds it for the majority of the year. This is the best possibility for all involved. I think that's also what happens. Leyland's got cigarettes to smoke, he doesn't have time to be walking to the mound to change pitchers! So who from Octavio Dotel, Al Alburquerque, Joaquin Benoit and Phil Coke does he go with? As the prude brothel's sign announces, therein lies the rub. Al Al'etc is a monster for Ks, he's my first option because he could provide solid value while the job is being decided. Then, I like Dotel. He reduced his walks last year and kept his Ks. He also has some closer experience. Next up: Joaquin Benoit. He was very successful last year in middle relief, but he can't go on back-to-back days or stay healthy. Finally, Phil Coke. I wouldn't grab him outside of AL-Only leagues. Big strike against him: he's a lefty. In his favor: he closed games in the playoffs last year. It's a shituation of epicloser proportions. Oh, and I wouldn't grab more than one guy. I'd take a gamble on one guy, form a prayer rectangular and hope it works out. Anyway, here's what else I saw yesterday for fantasy baseball: