CHICAGO CUBS
Who Will Be Saving Games for the Northsiders?
For the second consecutive year, the Chicago Cubs attempted to use the off-season to give their bullpen a complete makeover. After losing Aroldis Chapman to free agency following their World Championship in 2016, Theo and Jed filled the void by executing a risky trade for an oft-injured, but talented, Wade Davis from the Royals. Following an excellent bounce back 2017, Davis, too, left in free agency leaving the closer seat open for the fourth time in four years. That put the Cubs' brass back at the craps table this winter, this time placing a 2-year/$21 million dollar bet on another oft-injured yet talented arm, Brandon Morrow. While the Cubs also lost former closer Hector Rondon to the Astros, so were forced to spent a considerable amount of resources to shore up an otherwise shallow bullpen from 2017. Steve Cishek, Dario Alvarez, Corey Mazzoni and Randy Rosario rounded out the additions. If you're reading this and wondering who the heck those last three guys are, fret not, they'll likely have little value in fantasy leagues this year.
However, you are probably asking, who should I target for saves out of this group? Thankfully Theo made this exceptionally clear while speaking on a local Chicago radio station on Wednesday this past week saying, "Brandon Morrow is the closer, we think he's just got electric stuff. He's at a point in his career where he's figured it out. It's all about health for him." Epstein went on to say "The best way to keep Morrow healthy is to do what we did with Davis, and that's keep him in a structured closing role. Unless things go haywire during the regular season, I think you're most likely to see him only pitch one inning at a time. We don't see a closer controversy. We don't see bullpen by committee. We think we've got a really good bullpen, and Morrow's the closer."
There you have it, clear as day. In terms of handcuffing Morrow, things become a little less cut and dry. CJ Edwards is probably the most talented arm of the group, but his volatility and struggles while in the closing role in 2017 do murky the waters. Pedro Strop and Steve Cishek are the other two obvious choices, but like Edwards, their track records in the 9th inning aren't exactly sterling. If you had to pick one, we'd lean towards Edwards, if only because of his elite swing-and-miss stuff (14.7% SwStr% and 76% in-zone contact rate).
Does Javier Baez deserve to be a Top-10 Middle Infielder?
Javier Baez is currently being drafted as the #9 shortstop and #10 second baseman in NFBC drafts despite not having a concrete role with the Chicago Cubs. Facing similar circumstances a year ago, Baez managed to play in 145 games and accumulate 508 plate appearances by seeing time at first base, second back, shortstop and third base. Despite the uncertainty, Baez is being drafted before players with established roles like Didi Gregorius, Trevor Story and Paul DeJong. Perhaps that is more of a testament to the shallow nature of the middle infield position this season more so than an implication towards Baez's perceived value, but the fact remains that Baez is currently being drafted within the top 100 overall players, or roughly Round 7 in NFBC 15-teamers.
What's working in Baez's favor, however, is the fact his excellent defense often forces Joe Maddon to get him into the lineup. With Ben Zobrist and Kyle Schwarber often doing more hurt than good, playing Baez can help mitigate some of the downside. Critics will point to Baez's .273 batting average of the last two season and then to his 24% and 28% strikeout rates, respectively, saying this average is unsustainable. While the strikeout rate is less than ideal, his batted ball profile tells a different story. Just like in business, location is everything. The same rings true for the location of Baez's batted balls. With a hard hit rate that sits just a tick above league average, Baez's 38% cent% tells the story of a player that swings and misses a lot, but when he makes contact, he hits it in a location that is difficult to field, even if it's not hit particularly hard. His low 39% pull percentage lowers his risk for easy ground-outs and while his approach at the plate can certainly use some developing, his batting average risk is mitigated a little. Like with most players, availability is a key ingredient when deciding on a player's projections, but given his plus defensive metrics, Baez should see plenty of playing time, even if it's not a concrete role.
KANSAS CITY:
Who's On First?
With Eric Hosmer moving on, the Royals are left picking up the pieces to fill a large hole at first base. Looking at the roster, there's not an obvious replacement waiting in the wings. Instead, the team will most likely rely on a position change from either rookie Hunter Dozier (3rd base), Cheslor Cuthbert (3rd base), or Whit Merrifield (2nd base) to fill the position for the upcoming season. Whit Merrifield will play regardless, as will Cuthbert, most likely, so let's break down the implications of Hunter Dozier winning the job.
Dozier is a former 8th overall draft pick in the 2013 draft, but he's no spring chicken. At 26, Dozier has just 8 major league games under his belt after being perpetually blocked by both Hosmer and Moustakas, at the major league level. He has shown a pretty good hit tool in the minor leagues, with solid power, and his walk rate is advanced for his experience. There's going to be a learning curve, but he certainly has some intrigue in deeper leagues as a late-round flier, but I'd temper expectations in a bad lineup and a heavy pitcher's ballpark.
Does Herrera Have What It Takes?
The Royals removed Kelvin Herrera from the closing role in September of last season. Officially, the team went with a three man committee consisting on Scott Alexander, Mike Minor and Brandon Maurer, although Minor was the primary option for the team down the stretch. Both Alexander and Minor have moved on, so Herrera enters camps with an opportunity to reclaim his role. Herrera finished the season strong with five straight scoreless appearances and while there's no denying he struggled in some high leverage situations in his first year as the team's primary closer, his strikeout-to-walk rates remain around his career levels and his batted ball profile remains favorable with a 47% ground ball rate and a hard hit rate just slightly above league average. He's still the most talented arm in the bullpen, but he's going to need to outpitch Brandon Maurer this spring to begin the year in the role.
SAN DIEGO PADRES
Can Franchy Cordero Compete For the NL ROY?
Franchy Cordero saw his stock sharply rise last year after slashing .326/.369/.603 with 17 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 93 games at Triple-A. Unfortunately, his cup of coffee in the majors wasn't nearly as impressive as he slashed .228/.276/.424 over 99 plate appearances with a 44% strikeout rate and just a 6% walk rate. This offseason, he bounced back with an excellent year in the Dominican Winter Ball league, grabbing both MVP and rookie of the year honors. Cordero has a shot at cracking the opening roster for the Padres, although he'll likely need to beat out Hunter Renfroe, Manny Margot, or Jose Pirela for regular at-bats. It's a story line to watch closely this spring, especially if he can improve upon his approach at the plate. Should he see regular at-bats, his combination of power and speed will give him plenty of intrigue among fantasy circles.
The Future Is Bright in San Diego
Franchy Cordero is just the tip of the iceberg for the San Diego Padres' farm system. For years, the team has been stockpiling high draft picks and within the next couple of years, the team should reap those rewards. The Padres currently have 7 players on the top-100 prospects according to MLB.com, leading the way with Fernando Tatis Jr., who is 8th on the list. The 19 year old earned an invite to spring training, making him the youngest in any major league camp. It's doubtful Tatis will break camp with the Padres, but it is possible he could find his way up for a cup of coffee by September. Tatis flashed elusive power/speed in Single-A and Double-A in 2017, and is certainly going to be a name to watch in dynasty formats.
Game of Chicken - Hosmer Edition
In an off-season full of games of chicken between player agents and baseball ownership/management groups, it was the Padres that blinked first when it came to Eric Hosmer. San Diego reportedly landed Hosmer with an 8-yr/$144 million pact that will keep the first baseman in a Friars uniform through his age-36 season. While he reportedly had multiple 7-year offers, it was the Padres' commitment to the 8th year that finally swayed the former Royal. From a fantasy perspective, Hosmer's outlook is largely the same as it would have been in Kansas City. He'll be playing for a rebuilding team and playing in a very heavy pitcher's ballpark (with a division that recently just become significantly more pitcher friendly thanks for the humidor in Arizona). Long-term, the Padres have substantially more talent in the pipeline than the Royals, but as we know, you can't count your chickens before they hatch. Hosmer's below average hard hit rate (29.5%) paired with his extremely high groundball rate makes it difficult to project him for much more than league average power from his position.
Around The League:
Matt Boyd (DET) - Currently going undrafted in most standard leagues, Tigers' starting pitcher, Matt Boyd, enters 2018 with serious sleeper potential. Boyd saw a 2 MPH velocity gain and increased effectiveness of his curveball late last season, which he attributes to an adjustment he made to his arm slot. The results were real and they were tangible - don't forget he had a no-hit bid foiled in the 9th inning with 2 outs in a September game. Boyd credits his late season success to a change he made a change to his arm slot late last season. As a late round flier, Boyd could be this season's Charlie Morton.
Corey Dickerson (MIN) - Upon acquiring CJ Cron from the Angels on Saturday night, the Rays designated Corey Dickerson for assignment. Dickerson made the all-star team in his first season with the Rays, but he was never the same, productive bat that he was for Colorado in 2015. With a .356 BABIP in 2014 and a .367 BABIP in 2015 paired with pedestrian hard hit rates that didn't change drastically in subsequent years, it appears Dickerson's two season in Colorado were merely outliers of performance as they relate to his actual skills. He'll likely surface with another team and if he gets a starting role, an improved lineup around him and likely better ballpark should help improve his value slightly, but he can't be looked at as a starting outfielder for your fantasy team.
Jake Odorizzi (MIN) - Jake Odorizzi was traded to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night. For the majority of the last decade, we've been hearing about the tremendous talent that Jake Odorizzi possessed. In fact, that scouting report is the primary reason he was such a highly coveted asset that he belonged to three organizations after playing professionally for just 6 seasons. Unfortunately, the strikeout rates (11+ K/9) he flashed in the lower minors never translated in his Triple-A or MLB work, leaving him at the liberty of a heavy flyball profile and mediocre contacts rates. On the positive side, we did see significant improvement to his zone contact rate in 2017 (near 4% improvement) paired with a similarly impressive jump in his swinging strike rate (near 2% improvement). Some of that may be related to his sudden wildness (3% increase in walk rate above nearly any other season of his career), but it could also be related to an approach change. So what is the outlook for 2018? It's tough to view Odorizzi anything other than a streaming option for the upcoming year, especially when taking into account the negative park shift to Minnesota.
CJ Cron (TB) - CJ Cron was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night. With Shohei Otani expected to DH and Albert Pujols expected to play first (while being spelled by Luis Valbeuna), playing time was going to be scarce for Cron. The first baseman should compete for the starting first base job with the Rays and he provides a right handed power bat to complement lefties Brad MIller, Mallex Smith and Kevin Kiermeier.
Eduardo Nunez (BOS) - Nunez signed a one year contract with Boston on Friday, giving the Red Sox a much needed utility player and insurance for Dustin Pedroia at second base. Nunez took a step back in terms of fantasy production in 2017 (at least in terms of ROI) after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 40 bases in 2016. Between the Giants and the Red Sox last year, he hit 12 homeruns and 24 stolen bases, but playing time was spotty and he played in just 114 games. The hit tool is real (high batting average and decent OBP), but Nunez is nothing more than a multi-positional eligibility utility player for your fantasy team unless he falls into a starting role for Boston.
Dexter Fowler (STL) - Dexter Fowler told reporters that he added 15 pounds of muscle during the off-season. Ahhh.....the sweet sounds of spring training have returned where everyone is in the best shape of their lives. Manager Mike Matheny has already said that Dexter Fowler will return to the leadoff role for the Cardinals this year, a spot which saw him take a step back compared to his 2016 season as the Cubs leadoff batter. The added muscle sounds good in theory, but after already posting a career high in home runs in 2017 and a career low in stolen bases with 7, one has to wonder how much the extra bulk will impact him in the speed category.
Adam Eaton (WAS) - One of the more interesting story lines to follow this spring will be how outfielder Adam Eaton progresses in his rehab from ACL reconstructive surgery. Talking to reporters on Friday, manager Dave Martinez said Eaton "remains on track" for Opening Day. He'll likely take it easy this spring, so his availability in games should give a better indication regarding his status than actual performance in those games. If he can return to form, he is a nice profit center of speed in the middle of the draft, hitting in front of what should be a pretty good lineup.
Daniel Murphy (WAS) - Like his teammate Adam Eaton, manager Dave Martinez also indicated to the media that Murphy "remains on track" for opening day. Murphy is being drafted within the first five rounds of most early fantasy drafts, a position that leaves very little wiggle room if Murphy suffers a setback from highly risky microfracture surgery. The list of players who never returned to their previous form after undergoing the surgery is far longer than the players who have. Among them include Carlos Beltran, Grady Sizemore, and Chase Utley. If we learned anything from these players, it's that Murphy will likely return, but the question is more about when and how effective he'll be once he does.
Stephen Vogt (MIL) - Manager Craig Counsell told reporters that Stephen Vogt "has something to prove and that will be part of his camp. It's unlikely the Brewers will carry three catchers into the year and both Manny Pina and Jett Bandy are out of options, so there's going to be an odd man out. The 33 year old left-handed batter has struggled to the tune of .214/.266/.328 against left-handed pitching throughout his career and with below average defense behind the plate, it's tough to make a strong case for him. Manny Pina will most likely be the team's starting catcher this season.
CHICAGO CUBS
Who Will Be Saving Games for the Northsiders?
For the second consecutive year, the Chicago Cubs attempted to use the off-season to give their bullpen a complete makeover. After losing Aroldis Chapman to free agency following their World Championship in 2016, Theo and Jed filled the void by executing a risky trade for an oft-injured, but talented, Wade Davis from the Royals. Following an excellent bounce back 2017, Davis, too, left in free agency leaving the closer seat open for the fourth time in four years. That put the Cubs' brass back at the craps table this winter, this time placing a 2-year/$21 million dollar bet on another oft-injured yet talented arm, Brandon Morrow. While the Cubs also lost former closer Hector Rondon to the Astros, so were forced to spent a considerable amount of resources to shore up an otherwise shallow bullpen from 2017. Steve Cishek, Dario Alvarez, Corey Mazzoni and Randy Rosario rounded out the additions. If you're reading this and wondering who the heck those last three guys are, fret not, they'll likely have little value in fantasy leagues this year.
However, you are probably asking, who should I target for saves out of this group? Thankfully Theo made this exceptionally clear while speaking on a local Chicago radio station on Wednesday this past week saying, "Brandon Morrow is the closer, we think he's just got electric stuff. He's at a point in his career where he's figured it out. It's all about health for him." Epstein went on to say "The best way to keep Morrow healthy is to do what we did with Davis, and that's keep him in a structured closing role. Unless things go haywire during the regular season, I think you're most likely to see him only pitch one inning at a time. We don't see a closer controversy. We don't see bullpen by committee. We think we've got a really good bullpen, and Morrow's the closer."
There you have it, clear as day. In terms of handcuffing Morrow, things become a little less cut and dry. CJ Edwards is probably the most talented arm of the group, but his volatility and struggles while in the closing role in 2017 do murky the waters. Pedro Strop and Steve Cishek are the other two obvious choices, but like Edwards, their track records in the 9th inning aren't exactly sterling. If you had to pick one, we'd lean towards Edwards, if only because of his elite swing-and-miss stuff (14.7% SwStr% and 76% in-zone contact rate).
Does Javier Baez deserve to be a Top-10 Middle Infielder?
Javier Baez is currently being drafted as the #9 shortstop and #10 second baseman in NFBC drafts despite not having a concrete role with the Chicago Cubs. Facing similar circumstances a year ago, Baez managed to play in 145 games and accumulate 508 plate appearances by seeing time at first base, second back, shortstop and third base. Despite the uncertainty, Baez is being drafted before players with established roles like Didi Gregorius, Trevor Story and Paul DeJong. Perhaps that is more of a testament to the shallow nature of the middle infield position this season more so than an implication towards Baez's perceived value, but the fact remains that Baez is currently being drafted within the top 100 overall players, or roughly Round 7 in NFBC 15-teamers.
What's working in Baez's favor, however, is the fact his excellent defense often forces Joe Maddon to get him into the lineup. With Ben Zobrist and Kyle Schwarber often doing more hurt than good, playing Baez can help mitigate some of the downside. Critics will point to Baez's .273 batting average of the last two season and then to his 24% and 28% strikeout rates, respectively, saying this average is unsustainable. While the strikeout rate is less than ideal, his batted ball profile tells a different story. Just like in business, location is everything. The same rings true for the location of Baez's batted balls. With a hard hit rate that sits just a tick above league average, Baez's 38% cent% tells the story of a player that swings and misses a lot, but when he makes contact, he hits it in a location that is difficult to field, even if it's not hit particularly hard. His low 39% pull percentage lowers his risk for easy ground-outs and while his approach at the plate can certainly use some developing, his batting average risk is mitigated a little. Like with most players, availability is a key ingredient when deciding on a player's projections, but given his plus defensive metrics, Baez should see plenty of playing time, even if it's not a concrete role.
KANSAS CITY:
Who's On First?
With Eric Hosmer moving on, the Royals are left picking up the pieces to fill a large hole at first base. Looking at the roster, there's not an obvious replacement waiting in the wings. Instead, the team will most likely rely on a position change from either rookie Hunter Dozier (3rd base), Cheslor Cuthbert (3rd base), or Whit Merrifield (2nd base) to fill the position for the upcoming season. Whit Merrifield will play regardless, as will Cuthbert, most likely, so let's break down the implications of Hunter Dozier winning the job.
Dozier is a former 8th overall draft pick in the 2013 draft, but he's no spring chicken. At 26, Dozier has just 8 major league games under his belt after being perpetually blocked by both Hosmer and Moustakas, at the major league level. He has shown a pretty good hit tool in the minor leagues, with solid power, and his walk rate is advanced for his experience. There's going to be a learning curve, but he certainly has some intrigue in deeper leagues as a late-round flier, but I'd temper expectations in a bad lineup and a heavy pitcher's ballpark.
Does Herrera Have What It Takes?
The Royals removed Kelvin Herrera from the closing role in September of last season. Officially, the team went with a three man committee consisting on Scott Alexander, Mike Minor and Brandon Maurer, although Minor was the primary option for the team down the stretch. Both Alexander and Minor have moved on, so Herrera enters camps with an opportunity to reclaim his role. Herrera finished the season strong with five straight scoreless appearances and while there's no denying he struggled in some high leverage situations in his first year as the team's primary closer, his strikeout-to-walk rates remain around his career levels and his batted ball profile remains favorable with a 47% ground ball rate and a hard hit rate just slightly above league average. He's still the most talented arm in the bullpen, but he's going to need to outpitch Brandon Maurer this spring to begin the year in the role.
SAN DIEGO PADRES
Can Franchy Cordero Compete For the NL ROY?
Franchy Cordero saw his stock sharply rise last year after slashing .326/.369/.603 with 17 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 93 games at Triple-A. Unfortunately, his cup of coffee in the majors wasn't nearly as impressive as he slashed .228/.276/.424 over 99 plate appearances with a 44% strikeout rate and just a 6% walk rate. This offseason, he bounced back with an excellent year in the Dominican Winter Ball league, grabbing both MVP and rookie of the year honors. Cordero has a shot at cracking the opening roster for the Padres, although he'll likely need to beat out Hunter Renfroe, Manny Margot, or Jose Pirela for regular at-bats. It's a story line to watch closely this spring, especially if he can improve upon his approach at the plate. Should he see regular at-bats, his combination of power and speed will give him plenty of intrigue among fantasy circles.
The Future Is Bright in San Diego
Franchy Cordero is just the tip of the iceberg for the San Diego Padres' farm system. For years, the team has been stockpiling high draft picks and within the next couple of years, the team should reap those rewards. The Padres currently have 7 players on the top-100 prospects according to MLB.com, leading the way with Fernando Tatis Jr., who is 8th on the list. The 19 year old earned an invite to spring training, making him the youngest in any major league camp. It's doubtful Tatis will break camp with the Padres, but it is possible he could find his way up for a cup of coffee by September. Tatis flashed elusive power/speed in Single-A and Double-A in 2017, and is certainly going to be a name to watch in dynasty formats.
Around The League:
Matt Boyd (DET) - Currently going undrafted in most standard leagues, Tigers' starting pitcher, Matt Boyd, enters 2018 with serious sleeper potential. Boyd saw a 2 MPH velocity gain and increased effectiveness of his curveball late last season, which he attributes to an adjustment he made to his arm slot. The results were real and they were tangible - don't forget he had a no-hit bid foiled in the 9th inning with 2 outs in a September game. Boyd credits his late season success to a change he made a change to his arm slot late last season. As a late round flier, Boyd could be this season's Charlie Morton.
Corey Dickerson (MIN) - Upon acquiring CJ Cron from the Angels on Saturday night, the Rays designated Corey Dickerson for assignment. Dickerson made the all-star team in his first season with the Rays, but he was never the same, productive bat that he was for Colorado in 2015. With a .356 BABIP in 2014 and a .367 BABIP in 2015 paired with pedestrian hard hit rates that didn't change drastically in subsequent years, it appears Dickerson's two season in Colorado were merely outliers of performance as they relate to his actual skills. He'll likely surface with another team and if he gets a starting role, an improved lineup around him and likely better ballpark should help improve his value slightly, but he can't be looked at as a starting outfielder for your fantasy team.
Jake Odorizzi (MIN) - Jake Odorizzi was traded to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night. For the majority of the last decade, we've been hearing about the tremendous talent that Jake Odorizzi possessed. In fact, that scouting report is the primary reason he was such a highly coveted asset that he belonged to three organizations after playing professionally for just 6 seasons. Unfortunately, the strikeout rates (11+ K/9) he flashed in the lower minors never translated in his Triple-A or MLB work, leaving him at the liberty of a heavy flyball profile and mediocre contacts rates. On the positive side, we did see significant improvement to his zone contact rate in 2017 (near 4% improvement) paired with a similarly impressive jump in his swinging strike rate (near 2% improvement). Some of that may be related to his sudden wildness (3% increase in walk rate above nearly any other season of his career), but it could also be related to an approach change. So what is the outlook for 2018? It's tough to view Odorizzi anything other than a streaming option for the upcoming year, especially when taking into account the negative park shift to Minnesota.
CJ Cron (TB) - CJ Cron was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night. With Shohei Otani expected to DH and Albert Pujols expected to play first (while being spelled by Luis Valbeuna), playing time was going to be scarce for Cron. The first baseman should compete for the starting first base job with the Rays and he provides a right handed power bat to complement lefties Brad MIller, Mallex Smith and Kevin Kiermeier.
Eric Hosmer (SD) - In an off-season full of games of chicken between player agents and baseball ownership/management groups, it was the Padres that blinked first when it came to Eric Hosmer. San Diego reportedly landed Hosmer with an 8-yr/$144 million pact that will keep the first baseman in a Friars uniform through his age-36 season. While he reportedly had multiple 7-year offers, it was the Padres' commitment to the 8th year that finally swayed the former Royal. From a fantasy perspective, Hosmer's outlook is largely the same as it would have been in Kansas City. He'll be playing for a rebuilding team and playing in a very heavy pitcher's ballpark (with a division that recently just become significantly more pitcher friendly thanks for the humidor in Arizona). Long-term, the Padres have substantially more talent in the pipeline than the Royals, but as we know, you can't count your chickens before they hatch. Hosmer's below average hard hit rate (29.5%) paired with his extremely high groundball rate makes it difficult to project him for much more than league average power from his position.
Eduardo Nunez (BOS) - Nunez signed a one year contract with Boston on Friday, giving the Red Sox a much needed utility player and insurance for Dustin Pedroia at second base. Nunez took a step back in terms of fantasy production in 2017 (at least in terms of ROI) after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 40 bases in 2016. Between the Giants and the Red Sox last year, he hit 12 homeruns and 24 stolen bases, but playing time was spotty and he played in just 114 games. The hit tool is real (high batting average and decent OBP), but Nunez is nothing more than a multi-positional eligibility utility player for your fantasy team unless he falls into a starting role for Boston.
Dexter Fowler (STL) - Dexter Fowler told reporters that he added 15 pounds of muscle during the off-season. Ahhh.....the sweet sounds of spring training have returned where everyone is in the best shape of their lives. Manager Mike Matheny has already said that Dexter Fowler will return to the leadoff role for the Cardinals this year, a spot which saw him take a step back compared to his 2016 season as the Cubs leadoff batter. The added muscle sounds good in theory, but after already posting a career high in home runs in 2017 and a career low in stolen bases with 7, one has to wonder how much the extra bulk will impact him in the speed category.
Adam Eaton (WAS) - One of the more interesting story lines to follow this spring will be how outfielder Adam Eaton progresses in his rehab from ACL reconstructive surgery. Talking to reporters on Friday, manager Dave Martinez said Eaton "remains on track" for Opening Day. He'll likely take it easy this spring, so his availability in games should give a better indication regarding his status than actual performance in those games. If he can return to form, he is a nice profit center of speed in the middle of the draft, hitting in front of what should be a pretty good lineup.
Daniel Murphy (WAS) - Like his teammate Adam Eaton, manager Dave Martinez also indicated to the media that Murphy "remains on track" for opening day. Murphy is being drafted within the first five rounds of most early fantasy drafts, a position that leaves very little wiggle room if Murphy suffers a setback from highly risky microfracture surgery. The list of players who never returned to their previous form after undergoing the surgery is far longer than the players who have. Among them include Carlos Beltran, Grady Sizemore, and Chase Utley. If we learned anything from these players, it's that Murphy will likely return, but the question is more about when and how effective he'll be once he does.
Stephen Vogt (MIL) - Manager Craig Counsell told reporters that Stephen Vogt "has something to prove and that will be part of his camp. It's unlikely the Brewers will carry three catchers into the year and both Manny Pina and Jett Bandy are out of options, so there's going to be an odd man out. The 33 year old left-handed batter has struggled to the tune of .214/.266/.328 against left-handed pitching throughout his career and with below average defense behind the plate, it's tough to make a strong case for him. Manny Pina will most likely be the team's starting catcher this season.
