All posts under "Preseason Prep" - Page 19

The must haves Tim Lincecum 1310 – Lincecum is our top ranked pitcher and a no-brainer in this contest. At his price he’s probably a must play almost every week. Yovani Gallardo 670 – Gallardo is a top 15 pitcher...

Scott Baker (MIN) – Big news in Minnesota is Baker unexpectedly opening the season on the 15-day disabled list with what is being diagnosed as shoulder stiffness. Baker finished his spring with a 6.85 ERA and a batting practice-like nine...

David Freese/Troy Glaus - Last night's news that Troy Glaus won't be available for much of the first half (if at all this year) certainly bumps David Freese's stock upwards, and you don't have to squint to much to see...

David Freese/Troy Glaus - Last night's news that Troy Glaus won't be available for much of the first half (if at all this year) certainly bumps David Freese's stock upwards, and you don't have to squint to much to see...

Reds deal Jeff Keppinger, Alex Gonzalez’s role even more solidified: Alex Gonzalez’s starting role was never in jeopardy in Cincinnati, but the trade of Jeff Keppinger yesterday but with inexperienced Paul Janish and Adam Rosales behind him, Dusty Baker and...

Daisuke Matsuzaka - Matsuzaka's first spring start looked remarkably like last year's action, as the Red Sox hurler tossed five innings, allowing only two hits and two runs (one earned) with three walks and two K's. Matsuzaka's ERA was expected...

Manny Corpas: Manager Clint Hurdle will name his closer sometime this weekend or early next week. It is between Corpas and Huston Street. Corpas’ 1.29 spring training ERA is misleading as he has only pitched 7 innings and has a...

The Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley is still having problems regarding his strained groin. He will not start Sunday but will partake in a bullpen session today. Hopefully Billingsley’s groin problem won’t linger too much longer or it could impact the start...

The Angels' Torii Hunter left yesterday's game in the first inning after getting hit in the face by the baseball when Jeff Bakers blast rebounded off the center field wall. Baker circled the bases with Hunter on the ground in...

Stephen Strasburg- WAS- Rookie- Strasburg is not a National yet and can’t officially be one until at least June, when he will be eligible for the draft. The most highly touted college pitcher since maybe ever, Strasburg is about as...

Preseason Outlook - March 23, 2009 1. Alex Gordon - (3B - Royals) - Gordon was held out of the lineup for the second straight day with some hamstring issues. The injury doesn't seem too serious and the Royals are...

Eric Chavez: Chavez has been fielding ground balls and should be ready to start hitting in 4 to 5 days. There was a time when Chavez was a consistent, legitimate power source at the hot corner, 2002/2003/2004/2005 home runs of...

Chris Volstad Paul had mentioned keeping an eye on Chris Volstad earlier in the spring and it might be time to start paying closer attention. Volstad is typically a prime candidate we’d warn you about coming into the season as...

David Wright fouled a ball off his left big toe hard enough crack a toenail in last night's 10-6 loss to Venezuela in the WBC. Yesterday's loss of Kevin Youkilis to injury (see below) left the US team without an...

Cole Hamels- PHI- Inj Update- No structural damage was found in Hamels’ elbow. He got an anti-inflammatory injection and should be cleared to throw again tomorrow. Even with that, he is still not a guarantee to be ready on Opening...

Josh Hamilton (OF-TEX) - We all know Hamilton has All-Star type ability and is a borderline first round fantasy pick in 12-team mixed leagues. However, I got to see Hamilton up close and personal in Arizona this week and let’s...

Preseason Outlook - March 16, 2009 1. Chase Utley - Its looking more and more like Opening Day is a reality for Chase Utley. After off-season hip surgery, he played in his first game of the preseason on Sunday and...

Runners Stranded Percentage (RS%) Measures the percentage of batters that reach base but do not score (more specifically, are not credited to a pitcher’s Earned Runs). The average stranded percentage for starters is .71. Pitchers with Stranded Percentages of...

Cameron Maybin: Talent has never been the question with Maybin and he’s flashing it again this spring. A 3-3 performance on Friday raised his spring average to .414 (10-29). Maybin came into camp being handed the everyday CF job and...

Kansas City David Dejesus – The Royals are considering shifting Dejesus from the leadoff role to the number 3 slot in the lineup. That would boost Dejesus’ values, when he seems poised to have one of his best professional seasons....

Joe Mauer- MIN- Inj Update- Mauer’s MRI of his lower back showed inflammation in the sacroiliac joint. He has been prescribed some heavy duty anti-inflammatories (presumedly not including anything with steroids). Still, Mauer is not going to be participating in...

The Red Sox are trying to tie up Jon Lester to a 5-year, $30M contract which would be the the richest contract ever given to a player with his service time status. Jon wouldn't have to even match his 2008...

Preseason Outlook - March 10, 2009 Ryan Franklin (STL) - Not surprisingly, Tony La Russa isn’t quite ready to hand the closer job over to “unproven” rookies Chris Perez and Jason Motte, leaving the door open for Ryan Franklin to...

Third Base The must have Evan Longoria 970 – If Longoria comes anywhere near our projection: .290, 87 RS, 104 RBI’s, 34 HR, and 9 B, then he is a must have. In draft leagues Longoria is a bit of...

Preseason Outlook - March 9, 2009 1. Joe Nathan - Nathan's shoulder soreness kept him from participating in the WBC games this spring, but it certainly seems like its more precautionary than a serious concern. He struck out two in...

Cha Baek: Baek appears to be the No. 3 starter for the Padres this year. He could be the poster child for average skills; 5.9 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and a 41% GB% in 2008. Pitching his home games in Petco...

Alex Rodriguez – An update on the Alex Rodriguez hip situation: It appears this injury is more serious than originally thought. Not only did A-Rod have a cyst in his hip, but he also has a torn labrum. By moving...

Alex Rodriguez- NYY- Injury- ARod may end up not playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic after all. No, the Dominican doesn’t have a policy barring admitted steroid users from playing for them. An MRI this past...

By all appearances the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez have reached agreement on a 2-year, $45M contract .. or thereabouts. While we could hold out hope that an owner would finally stand up to both Ramirez and Boras, we had the...

Juan Cruz (KC) – A depressed market leads the Royals to a nice free agent bargain in Juan Cruz, giving him a two-year $6 million deal. Cruz will set up Joakim Soria and is the proverbial heartbeat away from closing...

MIDDLE INFIELDERS SHORTSTOP SS is a position where you are taking 3-4 players. With the high amount of quality 1B and OF (as we saw last week), I’m probably sticking with just 3. Taking that into account, it appears to...

Jason Jennings: Jennings, who is recovering from surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon, has a chance to earn a spot in the Rangers starting rotation this year. You can throw out last season’s disaster, 0-5 with an 8.56 ERA,...

Kyle Kendrick – Kendrick is the early frontrunner for the last spot in the Philadelphia rotation. They might be better off looking elsewhere. Kendrick has a career K rate of .422, and a terrible K/BB ratio of 1.43. If he...

Boof Bonser- MIN- Inj Update- Bonser’s arthroscopic surgery went very poorly. Actually the surgery went well, it’s the results that were poor. Doctors discovered multiple partial tears of his labrum and rotator cuff. They were repaired, but it puts an...

Dodgers 2B The Dodgers clearly aren’t giving Hudson $3.4 million guaranteed (up to $8 million with PA-related incentives) to be a backup. He’s the starting second baseman. This has a couple implications. First, Blake DeWitt will likely begin the year...

Here's a sweep through some of our handy indicators for the Outfielders. There will be more to analyze in the coming days due to the size of the position. The only position left after this one will be that of...