Now that the Shin-soo Choo thoughts are off my chest, I'll catch up some on other baseball Hot Stove activity and update my running-in-place, if not futile, efforts in other fantasy sports.
RHP Grant Balfour's deal with the Orioles fell through because of something Baltimore didn't like about his physical exam, but other teams looking for a closer supposedly still are interested in him.
OF Carlos Beltran and the Yankees made his 3-year, $45-million contract official. No problems with his physical, but he did fade at the end of last season.That's not a good sign for a 36-year-old.
My recent posts have had a number of references to age. It's a huge factor in assessing player performance. I hope to write more about the topic, and hope to resurrect something I've done in the past, an age chart that will help you tell at a glance which players should be in optimum stages of their career, and which could be in danger zones.
RHP Brad Ziegler re-signed with the Diamondbacks with a contract that guarantees 2 years and $10.5 million.
The Twins signed C Kurt Suzuki for a year at $2.75 million. That makes it easier for them to use C Joe Mauer at first base and DH.
The Athletics avoided arbitration with 1B Daric Barton by signing him to a 1-year contract.
LHP Mark Mulder, whom you've probably seen wearing a business suit on ESPN, is attempting a comeback. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2008. Comebacks after such a long absence rarely, if ever, work out.
Aside from Balfour, the most significant current story is Japanese RHP Masahiro Tanaka. According to Baseball America, his team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles, is expected to decide by Christmas Day whether to post him and enable him to sign with a North American team. Tanaka was 24-0 (not a typo) with a 1.37 ERA in 27 starts this year. If he is posted, that will mean a lot of baseball writers sitting by the tree tweeting from their cell phones.
The Golden Eagles, by the way, also signed 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis to a 1-year contract.
Former Giants OF/1B Brett Pill has signed a 1-year contract to play in Korea next season.
* * *
Football.
In case you haven't been keeping up with your playoff scenarios ... An NFC team with at least 10 wins will not make the playoffs. It's possible that an 11-win team won't get in. At least every division winner will have a winning record. Every AFC division champ will have at least 10 wins, but it's conceivable that an 8-8 team would get the second wild card.
Important key: These are the teams with something to play for, either a playoff berth or better postseason seeding: Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Packers, Panthers, Saints, Seahawks, 49ers, Cardinals, Dolphins, Ravens, Chargers and I think Jets. This information is important to know for your fantasy lineup so that you can be aware of which players might be in action and not resting for the playoffs. The biggest problem is that you might not know for late games which teams have been eliminated or assured of playoff position.
Speaking of playoffs, it's official now that I'll be in the top division of the postseason playoffs for the AMFL, my scoring-only fantasy league. I'm still in third place, and possibly could move up to second by winning this week. A loss also could put me in fourth, but I have a two-game lead over the teams tied for fifth.
I'm ahead in the first week of my two-week consolation consolation playoff for seventh place in my scoring-plus-yardage ESPN league. I have a 65-47 lead with Frank Gore and the Niners' defense playing tonight. My opponent has K Phil Dawson going. In addition to being for seventh place in a 10-team league, this playoff is unsatisfying because my opponent's lineup includes two players who aren't even playing.
Another Important key: You can improve your position just by staying active longer than others who give up on your team. You also owe it to the other team owners to continue making an effort.
* * *
Hockey.Third place with 63 points, 8 1/2 out of second, 12 ahead of the fourth-place team. I have a full lineup going tonight. Even my bench players' teams are playing tonight. It appears that the NHL is taking Christmas Eve off. Henrik Zetterberg and Alexander Steen are injured. Dustin Penner, Brenden Dillon and Jean-Sebastien Giguere are my healthy scratches. The skaters are sitting primarily to keep my ATOI up. It's a very close competition for points in that category. My only defenseman with a negative plus/minus is Keith Yandle, but he also is averaging more than 23 minutes a game and had 13 power play points. Thomas Vanek is minus-2 but he's moving up. Somehow, I can't get my team plus/minus out of its rut. My goalies' season averages all are better than average, but they have been sliding lately. I'm hoping I can figure out an answer to this problem. Trade a defenseman for a goalie?
* * *
Basketball. Wrapped up a 5-3 victory last night. I was hoping for a good shooting night that could pick me up another win in field goal percentage, but that wasn't happening. I'm starting the new week with seven of my 10 lineup spots filled. I'm not going with Joe Johnson, who missed Friday's game because of a personal issue. If I have time -- there is Christmas shopping to do, you know -- I'll check before the Nets' game to see whether he's playing and if the personal matter has been resolved.
The good news is that I'm over .500 (32-31-1) after coming out of the draft, three weeks into the season, already 13 games under .500. I even moved up out of last place to fourth in the my division, but remained seventh overall in the 10-team league because a team from the other division passed me.
This week's opponent is the team directly ahead of me in my division. By winning 6-2, I could move into third place.
Showing posts with label Daric Barton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daric Barton. Show all posts
Monday, December 23, 2013
Monday, March 22, 2010
Santana, Buckner, Tazawa take their lumps
The Yankees won 6-2 in a pitching battle between their left-hander C.C. Sabathia and Tigers RHP Rick Porcello. It was a game Sabathia might have needed; his pitching line of 5 1/3 42228 brought his ERA down to 6.43. Porcello’s ERA went up a tick to 0.75. Three of the runs against him were unearned; his line was 344113. New York 3B Alex Rodriguez hit a home run.
The Twins defeated the Mets 7-3 in another good pitching matchup, which didn’t go the way most people would have expected. Minnesota RHP Kevin Slowey had a line of 331122, giving up a homer to New York C Omir Santos. The Twins battered LHP Johan Santana for a line of 3 1/3 95513. Rookie 3B Danny Valencia, who could take the starting job away from Brendan Harris and Nick Punto, homered against Santana.
Four days after leaving 16 runners on base, the Royals stranded 11. They also scored 24 times in a 24-9 rout of the Diamondbacks. Kansas City built an early 21-0 lead – battering Arizona’s starter, RHP Billy Buckner, for a line of 298813. KC OF Brian Anderson was like one of those old Army ads – “We get more done by 9 a.m. than most people do in a day.” He went 5-for-5, hit for the cycle, drove in seven runs and scored three – and left the game in the fifth inning. The winning pitcher, RHP Brian Bannister, kept his concentration to post a line of 420013. The Royals’ scoring onslaught didn’t stop until the D-backs’ pitching stiffened when RHP Abe Woody pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Pirates defeated the Red Sox 9-7 with OF/2B Delwyn Young hitting his fifth home run this spring, against Boston RHP Josh Beckett. OF John Raynor, a Rule 5 draft pick, also homered against RHP Junichi Tazawa, who apparently will be battered this spring all the way to Triple-A Pawtucket.
The Orioles held the Phillies to one hit, OF John Mayberry’s eighth-inning single against RHP Dennis Sarfate, to win 2-0. Baltimore’s starter, LHP Brian Matusz, was sensational. His line was 500026. He could be a reasonable third or fourth fantasy starting pitcher.
The Cubs treated White Sox LHP John Danks badly, handing him an 8-4 loss. He allowed homers to 1B Derrek Lee and OF Marlon Byrd as part of a line of 565514.
RHP Stephen Strasburg was the Nationals’ winning pitcher in their 13-5 victory over the Cardinals. He gave up solo homers to 3B/1B Allen Craig and SS Tyler Greene in his line of 442208. RHP Kyle McClellan took a step backward in his quest for a starting role. He was the losing pitcher with a line of 453242.
Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols hit his first homer, against Marlins RHP Anibal Sanchez, but St. Louis lost 7-6 in another split-squad game. That was because Florida lit up Cards RHP Chris Carpenter for a line of 4 10 7705. RHP Scott Strickland earned a save for the Marlins, who might need help closing games.
Teams are beginning to get serious about using closers in their regular-season role. The Giants had RHP Brian Wilson pitch the ninth inning in their 7-6 victory over the Indians. He struck out the side to pick up a save. LHP Tony Sipp, who could save some games for Cleveland, pitched the eighth and was the losing pitcher. A passed ball led to an unearned winning run; Sipp’s line was 111011. Giants OF/2B Eugenio Velez went 3-for-3 at bat and 2-for-3 stealing bases.
Because the Astros’ scheduled starter, RHP Bud Norris, had the flu, RHP Josh Banks made an emergency start and posted a line of 320012. He was the winner in a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays. The save went to RHP Roy Corcoran, who could have some regular-season saves.
An Indians split squad pounded the Rangers 12-2. Cleveland had a good start, with 1B/3B Andy Marte hitting a grand slam against RHP Brandon McCarthy. His line was 455534. OF Shin-soo Choo also homered against RHP Luis Mendoza.
Athletics 1B Daric Barton hit a home run and went 2-for-3 to raise his average to .440, but the Rockies won 10-4.
The Padres assaulted Dodgers RHP James McDonald for a line of 1 1/3 66621 in relief to take a 9-4 victory. C Dusty Ryan’s three-run homer contributed to raising McDonald’s ERA to 20.25.
The day’s tie game was the Tigers 4, Braves 4, in 10 innings.
Major league leaders:
HR – Rays 2B Sean Rodriguez and Pirates OF/2B Delwyn Young, 5
RBI – Rays SS Reid Brignac and Young, 14
BA (30-plus at-bats) – Mets OF Fernando Martinez, .500, and Cubs OF Tyler Colvin, .486 (at the other end is Braves OF Nate McLouth, .032, 1-for-31)
SB – Brewers OF Carlos Gomez, 8
R – Rangers OFs Julio Borbon and Nelson Cruz, Brewers OF Lorenzo Cain and Rodriguez, 11
W – Blue Jays LHP Ricky Romero, 3
ERA (10-plus innings pitched) – Marlins RHP Clay Hensley, 0.00
WHIP – Twins RHP Kevin Slowey, 0.82
S – Seven with 2 – including Giants RH Sergio Gomez and Astros LHP Wesley Wright, who might have some chances to save games in the majors this season
SO – Orioles LHP Brian Matusz, 18
A Derek Jeter Rule?:
Is Bud Selig running the NFL now too? That’s the only reason I could think of that would make the football league propose a ridiculous idea like the “Brett Favre Rule” that would change its overtime procedure in the playoffs. Of course, if that rule is enacted, expect Selig to decide that if the Yankees in Derek Jeter’s final year (or the Brewers in any year) lose the seventh game of the World Series, it would be extended to best-of-nine.
Sample Scouting Report:
Shin-soo Choo, OF, Indians
Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 200 B: L Age: 27*
{2010} Choo began last season with a sore elbow that bothered him with South Korea’s entry in the World Baseball Classic. For the rest of the year, he was a pain to American League pitchers. He batted .275 against left-handers, allowing him to avoid being platooned. Choo strikes out a lot, but he also has walked enough to produce on-base percentages of .397 and .394 during the past two seasons. Batting third in Cleveland’s lineup, he should both drive in and score plenty of runs. Born: July 13, 1982, South Korea*. 2009: 583 AB, .300 BA, 20 HR, 86 RBI, 21 SB, 87 R.
Projection
AB: 556 BA: .302 HR: 21 RBI: 92 SB: 17 R: 93 Value: $17
The Twins defeated the Mets 7-3 in another good pitching matchup, which didn’t go the way most people would have expected. Minnesota RHP Kevin Slowey had a line of 331122, giving up a homer to New York C Omir Santos. The Twins battered LHP Johan Santana for a line of 3 1/3 95513. Rookie 3B Danny Valencia, who could take the starting job away from Brendan Harris and Nick Punto, homered against Santana.
Four days after leaving 16 runners on base, the Royals stranded 11. They also scored 24 times in a 24-9 rout of the Diamondbacks. Kansas City built an early 21-0 lead – battering Arizona’s starter, RHP Billy Buckner, for a line of 298813. KC OF Brian Anderson was like one of those old Army ads – “We get more done by 9 a.m. than most people do in a day.” He went 5-for-5, hit for the cycle, drove in seven runs and scored three – and left the game in the fifth inning. The winning pitcher, RHP Brian Bannister, kept his concentration to post a line of 420013. The Royals’ scoring onslaught didn’t stop until the D-backs’ pitching stiffened when RHP Abe Woody pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Pirates defeated the Red Sox 9-7 with OF/2B Delwyn Young hitting his fifth home run this spring, against Boston RHP Josh Beckett. OF John Raynor, a Rule 5 draft pick, also homered against RHP Junichi Tazawa, who apparently will be battered this spring all the way to Triple-A Pawtucket.
The Orioles held the Phillies to one hit, OF John Mayberry’s eighth-inning single against RHP Dennis Sarfate, to win 2-0. Baltimore’s starter, LHP Brian Matusz, was sensational. His line was 500026. He could be a reasonable third or fourth fantasy starting pitcher.
The Cubs treated White Sox LHP John Danks badly, handing him an 8-4 loss. He allowed homers to 1B Derrek Lee and OF Marlon Byrd as part of a line of 565514.
RHP Stephen Strasburg was the Nationals’ winning pitcher in their 13-5 victory over the Cardinals. He gave up solo homers to 3B/1B Allen Craig and SS Tyler Greene in his line of 442208. RHP Kyle McClellan took a step backward in his quest for a starting role. He was the losing pitcher with a line of 453242.
Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols hit his first homer, against Marlins RHP Anibal Sanchez, but St. Louis lost 7-6 in another split-squad game. That was because Florida lit up Cards RHP Chris Carpenter for a line of 4 10 7705. RHP Scott Strickland earned a save for the Marlins, who might need help closing games.
Teams are beginning to get serious about using closers in their regular-season role. The Giants had RHP Brian Wilson pitch the ninth inning in their 7-6 victory over the Indians. He struck out the side to pick up a save. LHP Tony Sipp, who could save some games for Cleveland, pitched the eighth and was the losing pitcher. A passed ball led to an unearned winning run; Sipp’s line was 111011. Giants OF/2B Eugenio Velez went 3-for-3 at bat and 2-for-3 stealing bases.
Because the Astros’ scheduled starter, RHP Bud Norris, had the flu, RHP Josh Banks made an emergency start and posted a line of 320012. He was the winner in a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays. The save went to RHP Roy Corcoran, who could have some regular-season saves.
An Indians split squad pounded the Rangers 12-2. Cleveland had a good start, with 1B/3B Andy Marte hitting a grand slam against RHP Brandon McCarthy. His line was 455534. OF Shin-soo Choo also homered against RHP Luis Mendoza.
Athletics 1B Daric Barton hit a home run and went 2-for-3 to raise his average to .440, but the Rockies won 10-4.
The Padres assaulted Dodgers RHP James McDonald for a line of 1 1/3 66621 in relief to take a 9-4 victory. C Dusty Ryan’s three-run homer contributed to raising McDonald’s ERA to 20.25.
The day’s tie game was the Tigers 4, Braves 4, in 10 innings.
Major league leaders:
HR – Rays 2B Sean Rodriguez and Pirates OF/2B Delwyn Young, 5
RBI – Rays SS Reid Brignac and Young, 14
BA (30-plus at-bats) – Mets OF Fernando Martinez, .500, and Cubs OF Tyler Colvin, .486 (at the other end is Braves OF Nate McLouth, .032, 1-for-31)
SB – Brewers OF Carlos Gomez, 8
R – Rangers OFs Julio Borbon and Nelson Cruz, Brewers OF Lorenzo Cain and Rodriguez, 11
W – Blue Jays LHP Ricky Romero, 3
ERA (10-plus innings pitched) – Marlins RHP Clay Hensley, 0.00
WHIP – Twins RHP Kevin Slowey, 0.82
S – Seven with 2 – including Giants RH Sergio Gomez and Astros LHP Wesley Wright, who might have some chances to save games in the majors this season
SO – Orioles LHP Brian Matusz, 18
A Derek Jeter Rule?:
Is Bud Selig running the NFL now too? That’s the only reason I could think of that would make the football league propose a ridiculous idea like the “Brett Favre Rule” that would change its overtime procedure in the playoffs. Of course, if that rule is enacted, expect Selig to decide that if the Yankees in Derek Jeter’s final year (or the Brewers in any year) lose the seventh game of the World Series, it would be extended to best-of-nine.
Sample Scouting Report:
Shin-soo Choo, OF, Indians
Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 200 B: L Age: 27*
{2010} Choo began last season with a sore elbow that bothered him with South Korea’s entry in the World Baseball Classic. For the rest of the year, he was a pain to American League pitchers. He batted .275 against left-handers, allowing him to avoid being platooned. Choo strikes out a lot, but he also has walked enough to produce on-base percentages of .397 and .394 during the past two seasons. Batting third in Cleveland’s lineup, he should both drive in and score plenty of runs. Born: July 13, 1982, South Korea*. 2009: 583 AB, .300 BA, 20 HR, 86 RBI, 21 SB, 87 R.
Projection
AB: 556 BA: .302 HR: 21 RBI: 92 SB: 17 R: 93 Value: $17
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Strasburg's debut offers some hope for Nats
The much awaited debut of Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg went off pretty much without a hitch for him. In two innings, he gave up just two hits and struck out two batters.
An even better performance was by his starting opponent, Tigers RHP Rick Porcello, himself a highly touted prospect not long ago. His pitching line in Detroit’s 9-4 victory was 320001.
That line was the same as that of Red Sox RHP Tim Wakefield, who wasn’t even a prospect 20 years ago. Boston shut out the Marlins 9-0.
Another up-and-coming pitcher having a good day was Rockies RHP Ubaldo Jimenez. His control wasn’t sharp, but his overall line was 310032 in a 12-0 whitewash of the Dodgers.
When will the Mets get some good news? They lost to the Astros 8-4, with Houston scoring three times in the first inning against LHP Johan Santana.
Phillies RHP Roy Halladay showed some power pitching with a line of 330005. Other notes from that game: 1. OF Jayson Werth hit a home run against Braves RHP Kenshin Kawakami. 2. The winning pitcher in Philadelphia’s 7-4 victory was RHP Danys Baez, who pitched a scoreless inning. He hasn’t been a fantasy factor in years, which just makes him all the more attractive as a sleeper. Keep your eye on him. On the other hand, we think Werth will be overvalued in the wake of his 36 homers during a career season when he turned 30.
More home run news: In the Pirates’ 12-7 victory over the Yankees, DH Nick Johnson hit his first two homers this spring for New York and RF Garrett Jones hit his second for the Bucs. 1B Derrek Lee hit his second, but the Cubs still lost to the Brewers 6-3. Kevin Kouzmanoff hit his first for the Athletics in a cursed 8-8, nine-inning tie. Oakland plans to use Kouzmanoff as its regular third baseman, with 3B Eric Chavez moving to first base. That raises two questions: 1. Can Chavez avoid injury enough to play regularly? and 2. What does that mean for 1B Daric Barton? Our thinking is that Barton could be a productive fantasy player if he’s traded to a team in a hitters’ park.
Sample Scouting Report:
Jayson Werth
Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 225 B: R Age: 30
{2010} Werth had a breakthrough season in 2009, but it’s likely to be his career year. So if fantasy owners value him based on ’09, they almost certainly will be disappointed. For a reason why, look to OF Ryan Ludwick. His breakthrough 2008 season was even better than Werth’s except for the stolen bases; .299, 37 homers, 113 RBI, 104 runs, four steals. And he was nearly eight weeks younger then than Werth was last year. Ludwick’s ’09: .265, 22 HR, 97 RBI, 63 runs, four steals. Still good – and Werth still could be good if he avoids the injuries that have plagued him; last year was the first when he wasn’t on the disabled list – but just not 36 homers, 99 RBI and 20 steals good. You’ll see Werth overrated in most projections, auctions and drafts. Born May 20, 1979. 2009: Phillies, 571 AB, .268 BA, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 20 SB, 98 R.
Projection
AB: 482 BA: .269 HR: 27 RBI: 81 SB: 16 R: 77
An even better performance was by his starting opponent, Tigers RHP Rick Porcello, himself a highly touted prospect not long ago. His pitching line in Detroit’s 9-4 victory was 320001.
That line was the same as that of Red Sox RHP Tim Wakefield, who wasn’t even a prospect 20 years ago. Boston shut out the Marlins 9-0.
Another up-and-coming pitcher having a good day was Rockies RHP Ubaldo Jimenez. His control wasn’t sharp, but his overall line was 310032 in a 12-0 whitewash of the Dodgers.
When will the Mets get some good news? They lost to the Astros 8-4, with Houston scoring three times in the first inning against LHP Johan Santana.
Phillies RHP Roy Halladay showed some power pitching with a line of 330005. Other notes from that game: 1. OF Jayson Werth hit a home run against Braves RHP Kenshin Kawakami. 2. The winning pitcher in Philadelphia’s 7-4 victory was RHP Danys Baez, who pitched a scoreless inning. He hasn’t been a fantasy factor in years, which just makes him all the more attractive as a sleeper. Keep your eye on him. On the other hand, we think Werth will be overvalued in the wake of his 36 homers during a career season when he turned 30.
More home run news: In the Pirates’ 12-7 victory over the Yankees, DH Nick Johnson hit his first two homers this spring for New York and RF Garrett Jones hit his second for the Bucs. 1B Derrek Lee hit his second, but the Cubs still lost to the Brewers 6-3. Kevin Kouzmanoff hit his first for the Athletics in a cursed 8-8, nine-inning tie. Oakland plans to use Kouzmanoff as its regular third baseman, with 3B Eric Chavez moving to first base. That raises two questions: 1. Can Chavez avoid injury enough to play regularly? and 2. What does that mean for 1B Daric Barton? Our thinking is that Barton could be a productive fantasy player if he’s traded to a team in a hitters’ park.
Sample Scouting Report:
Jayson Werth
Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 225 B: R Age: 30
{2010} Werth had a breakthrough season in 2009, but it’s likely to be his career year. So if fantasy owners value him based on ’09, they almost certainly will be disappointed. For a reason why, look to OF Ryan Ludwick. His breakthrough 2008 season was even better than Werth’s except for the stolen bases; .299, 37 homers, 113 RBI, 104 runs, four steals. And he was nearly eight weeks younger then than Werth was last year. Ludwick’s ’09: .265, 22 HR, 97 RBI, 63 runs, four steals. Still good – and Werth still could be good if he avoids the injuries that have plagued him; last year was the first when he wasn’t on the disabled list – but just not 36 homers, 99 RBI and 20 steals good. You’ll see Werth overrated in most projections, auctions and drafts. Born May 20, 1979. 2009: Phillies, 571 AB, .268 BA, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 20 SB, 98 R.
Projection
AB: 482 BA: .269 HR: 27 RBI: 81 SB: 16 R: 77
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