As I awake from my winter hibernation where dreams of twins named Thompson abounded, I realize the time is neigh to learn you all about the potential holds fantasy standouts for the upcoming year. Anyone that knows me knows I love relief pitching, come into my apartment you will see embroidered pillows with my favorite relievers over the years stitched in effigy. Now you’re prolly saying, “Smokey, my league doesn’t use holds,” I say blasphemy. Counting stats is the key here, holds are a category but the counting peripheral numbers they will aide is the key to fantasy prosperity. Everybody knows the key guys below that have a lot of value in most leagues, but I am here to tell you about them (again!) plus the guys that will be useful and aren’t the fantasy stalwarts that we are accustomed. Much props to the Don of Holds who is still searching for a job, Arthur Rhodes. I hope his first hold is a masculine one. So enjoy the list of these middle men who help out Holds for 2012 fantasy baseball:
AL
David Robertson – How good was he last year? He finished 11th in the C Young voting and 22nd in the MVP. It’s the highest ranking I could find since 1996 for a non-closing reliever.
Mike Adams – Has become the Cy Spurling of holds. Should reach consigliere status to Art Rhodes.
Glen Perkins – A personal fave of mine because he prolly goes 15/15. For those of you slow on the button, that’s saves and holds.
Jesse Crain – Won’t be caught up in the Reed/Thornton closing sitch. Will plod along as being the most underrated reliever in the AL, and make the All Star game because of it.
Greg Holland – Future closer, but has guys that look the part better for now in front of him. So he is relegated to set-up and has to bide his time like Cobra Commander.
Casey Janssen – Is behind the Latino puppet show known as CoCo and Sergio. Could be a good vulture win candidate again this year, and who doesn’t like something of the aviary variety.
Tony Sipp – Three 6 Mafia must have been fantasy ballers, predicting the future. Cause I would Sipp it faster then Jonny Jolly can make it. On a side note, go buy stock in Vinnie Pestano, if you don’t know now you ya know.
Scott Downs – One season in last 5 with an ERA over 3. Crazy good and will see tons of leads with the celestial bodies.
Joel Peralta – My second 15/15 guy here. Has the guy who used to carry P Diddy’s umbrella ahead of him. Yeah, nuff said.
Joaquin Benoit – Is it just me or whenever you see the name Joaquin you think about a cleft palette? Primary to Valverde, which is hamslapping fantastic.
NL
Sergio Romo – No Tony Romo cracks here… Okay, I lied. He has the same amount of wins in the playoffs as Tony. Uber effective RH who could fill in if Wilson’s Beard has an out of body experience.
Tyler Clippard – The glasses play; I’m sorry, but they do. Back end of The Nats bullpen is scary good, too bad no one else knows it besides me.
Jose Veras – Who? Yeah, exactly. Had a sneaky great year in the Land of Three Rivers last year.
Marc Rzepczynski – Bobby Digital makes the list, for two reasons. One, I like attempting to spell his name and failing then having to cut and paste it. Second, he isn’t anywhere near the closer spot in the Lou and will see lots of hold opps.
Eric O’Flaherty – The other other white meat in Braves pen. Kimbrel and Venters get the pub, but this guy pitches literally everyday.
Edward Mujica – Is tied with Jim Johnson with J’s in their last name. That random factoid is brought to you by the alphabet. Primary set-up guy to Bell, and jumped over what’s his name.
David Hernandez – Literally waiting for a Putz to fail. Oh, the irony is just to easy write about so go out get a Mad Libs and create your own.
Bill Bray – Loogy’s and Dusty, sounds like a trailer park brochure description. Nope, it’s the Nati’s bullpen.
Antonio Bastardo – Pitches like he really has a daddy, though we read it and he seems like he doesn’t… Weird, but true.
Sean Marshall – Looks like there is a new sheriff in Cincinnati. Oh, Pun Fairy, you kill me. Here is a dollar go away. Madson’s elbow is kinda wonky already, so the Marshall could reach that 15/15 status.
Rex Brothers is a target of mine. Love me some Vinny Pestano, too.
@Grizzle, Yea I like Rexy too, his K potential makes me smile, walks make me frown.
Who is Rex Brothers? I like Salas too. If he doesn’t close I think he could get lots of holds and strikes out batters at a nice clip with a low era and whip.
@Tom, Yea Salas and Sanchez are some nice options at the end for the Cards.
Any thoughts on these names? Uehara, Takahashi? Matt Reynolds? Kuo?
@Bourne, Uehara seems to be buried and unhappy in Texas, prolly gets traded by opening day. Reynolds is the secondary LH set up guy in Col, like his potential but will need to out shine Brothers for top LH spot. Kuo I am not a fan of between his mental status and the Mariners willingness to get young, if your looking for a breakout guy from Sea look at Wilhelmsen or Shawn Kelley. Takahashi is similar to Reynolds that he is the secondary LH arm but well behind the other power arms in the Angels bullpen; Downs, Hawkins, even Isringhausen.
Hey everyone,
I am in a 19-team league with slow draft that counts R,RBI,HR,OBP,XBH,NSB and ERA,WHIP,K/BB,K,Sv,Hd,QS
Here is my roster so far:
C – Chris Iannetta (10)
1B – Ike Davis (9) (K)
2B – Danny Espinosa (15) (K)
3B – Evan Longoria (1)
SS – Zack Cozart (21) (K)
IF – Carlos Pena (5)
LF – Yonder Alonso (17) (K)
CF – Drew Stubbs (3)
RF – Andre Ethier (6)
OF – BJ Upton (2)
Util – Nick Markakis (7)
SP – Daniel Hudson (11) (K)
SP – Mike Minor (12)
SP –
RP – Huston Street (8)
RP –
RP –
P –
P –
P –
Obviously I am going to have to get lucky with pitcher fliers to conclude the draft but I have always found that in deep leagues I fill my hitting before I get too wild with pitchers. Pitchers get hurt, called up, middle relievers are valued here so it deepens the pool. Thoughts on my team so far?
@Tom Thumb, Bats look decent, hard to tell overall because of the pitching being devoid of a true #1, filling it will be crucial, good luck.
Weird question, last year i discovered a site where it eliminates a pitchers 3 worst starts of the year, does anyone know of the site, as I forgot to bookmark it?
tyler who ?
wow !
never heard of him .
you tippy my canoe .
@chata, Guess your a Martin Van Buren Fan?
@Smokey,
how come that Fight-Rod guy
doesn’t make your list ?
@chata, Tried to keep it to 10 per league could have made it 20 and people would have stopped reading after 10 anyways.
What are your thoughts on using middle relievers on teams that dont count holds? Most likely a 10 team league standard 5X5. If I should target middle relievers, when should I and what are their value in a non-hold standard 10 man league?
@Joe, I like filling all my preseason P spots not RP or SP spots with RP and filling my entire Bench with Sp. So I would have 5-6 SP 2 elite closers and 3 MR/holds/sneaky saves guys. Target the elite guys Clipppard, Robertson, Romo post rd 18ish.
@Smokey, I never even thought about that. This is my second year doing fantasy baseball but I really appreciate that advice. Thanks for your help. I believe we have 3 spots for each (SP,MR, and RP) so would you keep them balanced while filling bench pitching with SP?
@Joe, Exactly what i would do.
anybody have some goods holds guys that will have SP/RP eligibility?
@Colton, Ogando, Dontrelle, Coke, Duensing
Hey Smokie,
A little off topic but, who would you pick as your third keeper in a standard 10 team yahoo league (3 OF, no CI or MI, keep 3 as your first 3 picks)? Votto and J. Upton are my first 2 keepers.
Zimmerman, Bruce, Lawrie, Andrus or Hamels?
@A Hill O’ Beans, Think I would lean toward Zimmerman
long term keeper question for a head to head points league. What order would you rank the following in terms: Darvish, Heyward, Cespedes, Adam Jones, Alex Gordon, David Wright and Ryan Zimmerman. Looking for overall productivity not just for this year but for the next 5. We are in a weird league that does contracts. I will have a shot at a few of these players for 5 years so I wanted your opinion.
@Moose, Zimm Wright Darvish Gordon Cespedes Heyward Jones
My pick in a slow draft…10 team 5×5 keeper, my roster so far is votto, beltre, cargo, jennings, hamilton and howie kendrick…would you take zimm, lawrie or cole hamels with my team so far?
@Adam, Hamels, I think your set with bats for a pick or 2
I was offered Haren and Mauer and 2 draft picks (probably leading to 2 prospects like bundy, sano, taillon, etc…) for verlander. Do I do this? I already have spectacular pitching with Moore, Greinke, Strasburg, Morrow, Hanson, A Sanchez, Beachy, Garza, and Shelby Miller waiting in the wings. It’s a dynasty league. Thanks
@Paul, Sure.
Kenley Jansen?
@HomerRunfromBehindtheMeatballs, Yea, should be effective as a closer/set-up guy. Was limited on my choices on who to write about.
@Smokey, ya. I’m targeting him in a holds league and hoping holds turn into saves sooner or later. It’s not a 5×5 league, it’s a straight pts league. And saves > holds. I was just checking if he was omitted for some reason. Thanks man. Good read.
Here’s a stat that’ll make you go and verify it yourself:
Matt Belisle had 10 wins last year.
Say what?
Do you really think Perkins will get 15 saves ?
@Rocky, Looking at who is in front of him and his recent success rate or lack there of yea i can see him taking over if Capps inevitably fails.
Maybe I missed something. Did Jonny Venters get hit by a bus? What’s the best set-up guy in baseball gotta do to get on this list?