Kuzul

Here’s the 2012 LestersLegends First-Base Rankings for AL-Only Leagues.

1.  Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers: Cabrera is entering the 2012 season in a better place than he was last year. His personal issues did not affect his play. Adding Prince Fielder makes him even more dangerous. What sets Cabrera apart from Albert Pujols and Adrian Gonzalez is his switch to third base.

2. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The move to the American League does not concern me. He can get a day off at DH from time to time. There is an adjustment when switching leagues, but I think the American League pitchers are going to be the ones that need adjusting in this case.

3. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox were disappointing last year, but that wasn’t on A-Gone. He was right in line with Cabrera and Pujols in most categories. He finished first in the AL in RBI and that was with Carl Crawford having a down year. I expect him to bounce back, which could help Gonzalez win the RBI title.

4. Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers:  Pairs with Cabrera to form one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. Not an ideal ballpark, but Prince has big power.

5. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees: Tex has turned into a Ryan Howard of sorts (minus the strikeouts). You know he’s going to give you ample HRs (37.0 average since joining the Yankees) and RBI (113.7 average since joining the Yankees), but you have to deal with his falling batting average (.292 to .256 to .248). I still think he’s more likely to bounce back in that department than not.

6. Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers: Napoli caught fire in July last year and remained hot through the World Series. He hit .320 with 30 HRs. With first base and catcher eligibility, he’s a valuable option.

7. Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals: He came in with huge expectations and delivered posting a .293-66-19-78-11 line. Playing in KC could limit his run and RBI totals, but the future is bright for this guy.

8. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians: He’s young and has plenty to improve on (.239 average), but he has  big-time power (27 HRs last year) and with 1B-C eligibility, he gets a boost in value.

9. Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox: I’m not sure if this guy ages. He’ll turn 36 this year and you would think his decline would have begun, but he is coming off back-to-back .300-plus, 30-plus HR, 100-plus RBI seasons.

10. Michael Young, Texas Rangers:  The dude doesn’t age or slow down. You’re not going to get home runs from him, but expect a .300-plus average and a solid number of runs and RBI.

11.  Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Trumbo will take a look at third base and DH duties to get him at-bats as he’s a man without a position right now. He answered the call last year with 29 HRs. As long as his foot doesn’t keep him out, he should be productive.

12.  Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays:  He didn’t return to his ridiculous .305-93-35-114-1 line that he posted in 2009, but his 2011 line of .251-56-26-87-1 was a solid enough improvement over 2010 (.237-57-23-72-0). He’s basically a two-category player (HR, RBI), which is fine if you can address the other categories elsewhere.

Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First-Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Starting-Pitcher Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First-Base Options
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Still struggling in the run category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out.

Austin Jackson:  Jackson is hitting .317 over the past 15 days with 17 runs scored, four home runs, 12 RBI and three stolen bases. He plays outfield and is owned in a little over a third of Yahoo! and half of ESPN leagues.

James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers:  “Only the Loney” is hitting .429 over the past 15 days with 14 runs scored, four home runs, and 15 RBI. James plays first base and is owned in about as many leagues as Austin Jackson.

Justin Sellers, Los Angeles Dodgers:  Sellers has hit .283 over the past 15 days with 14 runs and six RBIs. He plays shortstop and is available in just about every fantasy league out there. Will you be a buyer?

Trevor Plouffe, Minnesota Twins:  Plouffe the Magic Dragon is hitting .316 over the past 15 days with 11 runs, two home runs and two RBI. You can plug him in just about anywhere and he is barely owned.

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels:  Fishing for some production? Trout is hitting .357 over the past 15 days with 11 runs, four home runs and seven RBI. Trout plays outfield and you have no shot at him in dynasty leagues, but he is owned in less than 20 percent of fantasy leagues otherwise.

Nyjer Morgan, Milwaukee Brewers:  Morgan is hitting .277 with ten runs, four RBIs and four stolen bases over the past 15 days. He plays outfield and is owned in n less than 20 percent of fantasy leagues.

Lucas Duda, New York Mets:  Duda is hitting .333 over the past 15 days with 11 runs, three home runs and 123 RBI. He is eligible at first base and outfield and is owned in 15 percent of Yahoo! and less than half of ESPN leagues.

Dexter Fowler, Colorado Rockies:  Fowler is hitting .226 with ten runs, two home runs, four RBI and one stolen base over the past 15 days. Dexter plays outfield and is owned in a little over 20 percent of fantasy leagues.

Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners:  Seager is hitting .385 over the past 15 days with 10 runs, two home runs, and five RBIs. Kyle plays third base (2B eligibility in Yahoo) and is owned in a little over ten percent of fantasy leagues.

Also check out:

• Simmering September Stretch Run
• Will Zack Greinke Fade in September Like Last Year?
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Speed Demons Vol. 10
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 RBI Guys Vol. 9
• Can Torii Hunter Stay Hot?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Still struggling in the run category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out.

Orlando Hudson, San Diego Padres:  Hudson is hitting .354 over the past 15 days with 13 runs, seven RBI and two stolen bases. O-Dog plays second base and is owned in 9.0 percent of Yahoo! and 13.6 percent of ESPN leagues.

José Constanza, Atlanta Braves:  Constanza is hitting .370 with 13 runs, two home runs, seven RBI and six stolen bases. Constanza plays outfield and is owned in 28.0 percent of Yahoo! and 67.4 percent of ESPN leagues.

Jason Bay, New York Mets:  Bay is an 0-for-20 funk, but is still hitting .240 over the past 15 days with 11 runs, two home runs, five RBI and a stolen base. Bay plays outfield and is owned in 45 percent of Yahoo! and 52.5 percent of ESPN leagues.

Will Venable, San Diego Padres:  Venable is hitting .341 with 11 runs, one home run, seven RBI and four stolen bases over the past 15 days. Venable plays outfield and is owned in less than 10 percent of fantasy leagues.

Kyle Blanks, San Diego Padres:  Blanks is hitting .365 with 11 runs, four home runs and 12 RBI over the past 15 days. Blanks plays outfield and is owned in less than 10 percent of fantasy leagues.

José Altuve, Houston Astros:  Altuve is hitting .291 over the past 15 days with 11 runs, two RBI and two stolen bases. Altuve plays second base and is owned in fewer than five percent of fantasy leagues.

Also check out:

• The Bruce Is Loose
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Speed Demons Vol. 9
• Is J.J. Hardy Back?
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 RBI Guys Vol. 8
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Strikeout Kings Vol. 8

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Ryan Dempster was a roller coaster ride last year. Check out his ERA by month:

April: 2.75
May: 4.54
June: 3.24
July: 5.03
August: 2.89
September/October: 4.59

This year Dempster started off in the outhouse with a 9.58 ERA in April. He then went 3-1 with a 3.08 ERA in May and 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA in June. I wouldn’t quite call that the penthouse, but he has his numbers at least looking respectable at 5-6 with a 4.99 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.

Since his back-to-back seven run disasters Dempster is 4-3 with a 3.11 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He’s not going to fool anyone for Justin Verlander of Cliff Lee, but at least he’s looking like the pitcher that we’ve come to know over the past couple of seasons. We knew he wasn’t as good as the 17-6, 2.96 season he posted in 2008, but he combined to go 26-21 with a 3.75 ERA and 380 strikeouts in 415.1 innings in 2009 and 2010.

Dempster has turned his season around, but I would be cautious using him on the road. He was blasted for six runs in five innings as recently as June 3. With a 6.86 ERA away from Wrigley I would only use him when the matchup is favorable. For instance, he faces the Nationals on the road on the Fourth of July. With Americana in the air I would roll the dice on that road start. It’s early enough in the week that you can make some adjustments if it doesn’t go your way.

While I don’t think it will be entirely smooth sailing for Dempster the rest of the way, I do feel he will be a solid option for the most part.

Also check out:

Michael Cuddyer:  The Glue Guy
Fantasy Baseball Youth Movement: This Year or Not?
Is Brandon Morrow a Viable Fantasy Option
Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Speed Demons Vol. 6
Can Scott Rolen Keep Rolling?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Brandon Beachy is no joke.

Okay, so the 2-1 record is a little funny considering he has a 3.22 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 57 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. Somewhere, Matt Cain feels his pain. What Beach has been able to do this year has been remarkable.

In his nine starts, Beachy has recorded at least seven strikeouts on six occasions. Six times he has allowed two or fewer runs. Six times he’s allowed four or fewer hits.  He’s only walked more than two batters in one start.

In his first start after returning from the DL he had his work cut out for him against Toronto.

How did he respond? By pitching six innings and allowing one run on four hits with 11 strikeouts. He basically shut down one of the most potent offenses in the league fresh off the disabled list.

That is ridiculous.

It’s not the first time he shut down a potent offense. Twice he’s rendered the Brewers’ bats useless. He also silenced the Dodgers, Giants and Cardinals.

About the only team that has had success against him is Philadelphia. His next start is scheduled to be against Seattle on Tuesday. Tell me that doesn’t make you lick your chops.

Despite his success Beachy is available in about half of all fantasy leagues. Hurry up and grab him before a competitor notices his solid matchup next week.

Also check out:

• Is Edwin Jackson Worth the Risk?
• Stealing a Fantasy Baseball Championship: Five Under the Radar Players
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 RBI Guys Vol. 5
• Can Brian Duensing Get on Track?
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Strikeout Kings Vol. 5

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

A trade in my league prompted me to once again take a look at some relatively available stolen base guys. The trade was Michael Bourn for Carlos Quentin and Andre Ethier. I thought that was way too steep of a price to pay for runs and stolen bases.

I’m not saying the following guys are better than Bourn, but they can be had for a much cheaper bounty. The stats are based on the past 15 days. He has the added benefit of shortstop and second base eligibility. That allows you to use sluggers in your outfield slots.

• Michael Bourn, Houston Astros:  .308 average, 16 hits, seven runs, three RBI, seven stolen bases
• Jordan Schafer, Atlanta Braves:  .245 average, 13 hits, 10 runs, one home run, three RBI, six stolen bases
• Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals:  .392, 20 hits, 11 runs, three RBI, six stolen bases
• Alexi Casilla, Minnesota Twins:  .373, 19 hits, eight runs, six RBI, five stolen bases
• Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies:  .410, 16 hits, five runs, six RBI, five stolen bases

I realize that Bourn is the superior option of this quintet, but he’s not good enough in my mind to justify trading two sluggers away. Not when stolen bases are available on the waiver wire.

Casilla, for instance, has been hitting .320 with 19 runs, 11 RBI, and eight stolen bases since the beginning of May.

I don’t have an issue with shaking up your lineup to improve a particular category, but you’re basically robbing Peter to pay Paul when you give up that much power to add to your speed categories.

Also check out:

• Is A.J. Burnett Due for a Crash?
• Can Nick Markakis Turn His Season Around?
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Run Scorers Vol. 5
• The Stream Team
• Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool – 2011 Speed Demons Vol. 5

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Here’s a look at the unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well yesterday

Toronto at Baltimore

Yunel Escobar went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Juan Rivera went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. J.P. Arencibia went 1-for-5 with a grand slam. He’s up to nine home runs and 30 RBI. J.J. Hardy went 3-for-4 with two runs, a home run and two RBI. Carlos Villanueva gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings to improve to 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA.

Texas at Cleveland

Mitch Moreland went 2-for-5 with two runs. Endy Chavez went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI. Alexi Ogando gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts in eight innings to improve to 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA.

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh

Jose Tabata went 1-for-5 with two RBI. Jeff Karstens gave up one run on four hits in seven innings, but got a no-decision.

Oakland at Boston

Josh Willingham went 3-for-5 with a run. Daric Barton went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Mark Ellis went 1-for-4 with two RBI.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati

Scott Rolen went 2-for-4 with two RBI (20). Bronson Arroyo gave up one run on five hits over six innings to improve to 4-5. Hiroki Kuroda gave up two runs in six innings, but took the loss.

Atlanta at New York Mets

Chipper Jones went 2-for-5 with a home run. Freddie Freeman went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI. Daniel Murphy and Angel Pagan each went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jonathon Niese gave up two runs with seven strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings , but got a no-decision.

Milwaukee at Florida

Mark Kotsay and John Buck each went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Yuniesky Betancourt went 2-for-4 with a run.

Detroit at Chicago White Sox

Juan Pierre went 1-for-2 with three runs and a rare home run. Brent Morel went 3-for-4. Casper Wells went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Brennan Boesch went 2-for-5. Jhonny Peralta went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .324.

Minnesota at Kansas City

Denard Span went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Alex Casilla went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases. Ben Revere and Delmon Young each went 2-for-4 with a run. Drew Butera went 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI. Eric Hosmer went 2-for-4. Carl Pavano gave up two runs in a complete game victory.

Chicago Cubs at St. Louis

Ryan Theriot went 2-for-4 with a run to raise his average to .305. Yadier Molina went 2-for-3 to raise his average to .324.

Washington at Arizona

Ryan Roberts went 2-for-4 with a run. Josh Collmenter gave up three hits with five strikeouts in seven scoreless innings to improve to 4-1 with a 1.25 ERA.

Tampa Bay at Seattle

Jason Vargas threw a four-hit shutout to improve to 4-3 with a 3.96 ERA.  Justin Smoak went 1-for-2 with his 10th home run and 33rd and 34th RBI. Adam Kennedy went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Miguel Olivo went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels

Mark Trumbo went 2-for-3. Peter Bourjos went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.

Houston at San Diego

Chris Denorfia went 2-for-3 with a home run to raise his average to .319. Jason Bartlett went 2-for-3 with a run and his 10th RBI. Clint Barmes went 2-for-4. Chris Johnson went 2-for-4 with a run. Dustin Moseley gave up one run with five strikeouts in seven innings to improve to 2-6 with a 3.00 ERA.

Colorado at San Francisco

Emmanuel Burriss went 3-for-4. Cody Ross went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI.

Also check out:

• Should Justin Masterson Owners Be Nervous?
• Can Tim Stauffer Be Even Better?
• Why Reaching For Saves Doesn’t Make Sense
• Can John Danks Get Back on Track?
• Should You Buy Low on Carlos Santana?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In 10 starts this year John Danks has yet to pick up a win while sporting a bloated 1.45 WHIP—not exactly what everybody expected from him this year. Not after three consecutive double-digit win/sub 4.00 ERA seasons.

Can he get back on track?

Considering he’s not all the way off the track, I say yes. The lack of a single win stings, and while the WHIP is high it’s not a death blow to fantasy teams. Nor is his 4.34 ERA. His strikeouts per nine innings are slightly down at 6.1, but his lifetime mark is just 6.9, so he hasn’t gone in the tank.

Consistency has been an issue. He has given up four or more runs in 40 percent of his starts. Every other start in his past six have been one of those bad starts. With Toronto on the horizon, I’m afraid he’s going to make that four of seven. While I would not start him against the Jays on Sunday, I wouldn’t write him off either.

Danks has been unlucky, and not just because he’s winless despite an ERA slightly north of 4.00. Not just because his team scored two or fewer runs in six of ten starts. Naturally both of those factorscome into play, but he also has a .308 BABIP.  Last year it was .274, in 2009 in was .267 and in 2008 it was .293.

Considering he was one of the steadiest pitchers over the past three years, I would expect his BABIP to come down. His double-digit win streak is in serious jeopardy, but he should have some nice moments ahead.

His combined career record for June and July is 18-10 with a 3.78 ERA. The rest of the months he is 28-41 with a 4.09 ERA.

Use Danks as a streamer when the match-up is right. You should still get some quality starts from him.

Also check out:

Should You Buy Low on Carlos Santana?
Can Alex Rios Turn It Around?
Should You Buy Low on Chris Carpenter?
Can Kyle McClellan Continue to Shine?
Is Ian Kinsler a Good Trade Target?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Kinsler got out of the gate early slugging a home run in his first three games. He hit his fourth by April 10. He hit his fifth on April 22 and has gone 26 games without hitting another one. His power drought isn’t the only concern.

Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ian Kinsler is his injury history. He has played in 43 of 45 games so far, which puts him on pace for 154 games. He’s never played 145 games in a season so the threat of a trip to the D.L. is legitimate.

Now that we discussed the elephant in the room (injuries), there is also a hippo in the room (his average). Kinlser has batted .263 and .253 in the past so his 2011 .228 average through March 20 doesn’t come as a huge shock. While it is still far below his lifetime average of .278, he has at times struggled at the plate.

His BABIP is just .231. Last year it was .313, but in 2009 it was .241. From 2006-08 it was .304, .279 and .334. Clearly his history suggests that a higher BABIP for the remainder of the season is more likely, it wouldn’t be the first time that he turned in a stinker in this sabermetric.

An encouraging sign is his reduced strikeout rate (12.0 percent), which is down from 14.6 percent last year and 13.6 percent in 2009. It’s the lowest rate he has had in the big leagues.

Despite his struggles, Kinsler is still on pace to score 87 runs, hit 18 HRs, knock in 61 runs and swipe 29 bases. If his luck and average can improve, those numbers could all increase.

It will still take a nice haul to land Kinsler, but his asking price may be as low as it gets. He’s hitless in his past 16 at bats and is batting .219 for the month. If you’re looking to add some pop and/or speed to your lineup it’s worth looking into a trade of Kinsler.

Also check out:

• Can Dan Uggla Turn Around His Ugly Season?
• Should You Buy Low on Andrew McCutchen?
• Is It Time to Panic About Brandon League?
• Help Is Coming:  Should You Add Brian Matusz?
• Is Matt Joyce For Real?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Here’s a look at the unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well yesterday.

Cincinnati at Cleveland
Nobody stood out in this Ohio battle.

New York Mets at New York Yankees
Justin Turner went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .364. R.A. Dickey gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts in six innings to pick up the win. Freddy Garcia gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings, but took the loss.

Texas at Philadelphia
Raul Ibanez went 1-for-2 with two runs and a homer. Ben Francisco went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Roy Halladay delivered once again. C.J. Wilson gave up three runs on four hits in seven innings to take the loss, but he struck out 10.

Detroit at Pittsburgh
Garrett Jones went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Neil Walker went 2-for-5 with a home run and five RBI. Ramon Santiago went 2-for-3 with a home run. Jeff Karstens gave up one run on three hits in six innings to improve to 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA.

Houston at Toronto
Chris Johnson went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI (19). Aaron Hill went 3-for-4 with a run. Juan Rivera went 2-for-4 with a run. Jo-Jo Reyes gave up five hits with seven strikeouts in seven scoreless innings, but got a no-decision.

Tampa Bay at Florida
Chris Coghlan went 2-for-4 with a run. Logan Morrison went 2-for-4 with two runs, a homer and two RBI. Matt Joyce continued to rake, going 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI (23) to raise his average to .358. Casey Kotchman went 2-for-3 with an RBI to raise his average to .340.

St. Louis at Kansas City
Eric Hosmer was 2-for-4 to raise his average to .314. Wilson Betemit went 2-for-4 with a run to raise his average to .311. Chris Getz went 2-for-3 with a run. Jeff Francis gave up six hits with six strikeouts in seven-and-two-thirds scoreless innings for the win.

Washington at Baltimore
Roger Bernandina went 2-for-6 with a home run and two RBI. Ian Desmond went 2-for-6 with two runs. Laynce Nix went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Wilson Ramos went 3-for-4 with five runs, a homer and two RBI. Danny Espinosa went 3-for-4 with three runs and five RBI. Jerry Hairston Jr. went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI.

Chicago Cubs at Boston
Jed Lowrie went 2-for-5 with his 19th RBI. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 2-for-3 with three runs and a homer. Jeff Baker went 4-for-5 with two runs. Reed Johnson went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago White Sox
Jamey Carroll went 4-for-5 with two runs. Jay Gibbons went 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Minnesota at Arizona
Ryan Roberts went 1-for-4 with three RBI (21). Xavier Nady went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Kelly Johnson went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Trevor Plouffe went 1-for-3 with two runs, a homer and two RBI. Delmon Young went 2-for-4 with a run.

Atlanta at Los Angeles Angels
Ervin Santana struck out seven in a four-hit shutout. Albero Callasapo went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBI (23) to raise his average to .306. Mark Trumbo went 3-for-4 with a home run (7) and three RBI (21).

Seattle at San Diego
Erik Bedard gave up three hits with nine strikeouts in eight scoreless innings for the win. Miguel Olivo went 2-for-4 with two runs. Brendan Ryan went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Ryan Ludwick went 2-for-4 with his 29th RBI.

Colorado at Milwaukee
Seth Smith went 3-for-6 with an RBI. Ty Wiggington went 3-for-6 with two runs. Chris Iannetta went 2-for-6 with a run and an RBI. Yuniesky Betancourt went 3-for-6 with two runs and a homer. Carlos Gomez went 2-for-5 with a run and two stolen bases (11).

Oakland at San Francisco
Ryan Vogelsong, yesterday’s streaming pitcher option, gave up an unearned run on four hits with five strikeouts, but got a no-decision. He lowered his ERA to 1.93. Trevor Cahill turned in another solid performance as well, but also did not factor into the decision. Mark Ellis went 2-for-4 with a run.

Also check out:

• Can Dan Uggla Turn Around His Ugly Season?
• Should You Buy Low on Andrew McCutchen?
• Is It Time to Panic About Brandon League?
• Help Is Coming:  Should You Add Brian Matusz?
• Is Matt Joyce For Real?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com