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Fantasy Baseball’s Pitching Line of the Week:

Paul Maholm (SP-PIT) 

9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, W

Paul Maholm, beneficiary of the Pirates unusual offensive barrage on Sunday, pitched the team to a 9-0 victory over the Houston Astros. Maholm pitched a complete game shutout, allowing three hits, no walks and struck out one. The win marked Pittsburgh’s first shutout of the 2010 season, who has surrendered 489 runs to opponents thus far, second to only the Arizona Diamondbacks (524).

Prior to Sunday’s winning effort, Maholm was just 5-7 in 18 starts for the Pirates with a 4.37 ERA. The twenty-eight year old Maholm is currently striking out a career low 4.8 batters per nine innings and is walking 3.43 batters per nine, the most since his 2006 season.

Maholm was taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2003 MLB Amateur Draft out of Mississippi State University. He debuted for the Pirates against the Milwaukee Brewers on August 30, 2005, pitched eight shutout innings and earned his first career victory. 

In 2007, Paul Maholm won a career high 10 games, lost a career high 15 games and finished the season with a 5.27 ERA. Maholm’s best season in Pittsburgh came in 2008 when the southpaw finished 9-9 with career bests in ERA (3.71), strikeouts per nine (6.06) and walks surrendered per nine innings (2.75). 

Maholm features a fastball that hits 88-89 MPH (with the wind at his back), a curveball, slider and changeup in his modest repertoire. 

I can’t help to wonder what his career numbers would look like if he were playing for any other team in baseball.

Paul Maholm is currently owned in 17% of Y! leagues. 

The “Double Dipper” is a starting pitcher who will get two starts in the same week. Each Sunday we will preview top three options in each league and highlight streaming options for players owned in less than 50% of Y! leagues.

The No Brainers in the NL:

Chris Carpenter/STL ( vs. PHI, @ CHC): Back to his self after two consecutive losses.

Ubaldo Jimenez/COL (@ FLA, @ PHI): Nice and rested. 

Clayton Kershaw/LAD (vs. SFG, vs. NYM): Only lasted 4.1 innings last outing. Don’t be scared.

Tim Lincecum/SFG (@ LAD, @ ARI): 2-0, 15:3 K:BB in last two trips

The No Brainers in the AL:

Phil Hughes/NYY (vs. LAA, vs. KC): Monitor to be sure they don’t skip him.

Matt Garza/TB (@ BAL, @ CLE): Three of last four starts were QS.

Daisuke Matsusaka/BOS (@ OAK, @ SEA): Two strong match-ups

Warning: Streaming can be lethal. The following are owned in less than 50% of Y! leagues.

Tommy Hunter/TEX (@ DET, vs. LAA): Hunter is 6-0 in eight starts. Ride it.

Kris Medlen/ATL (vs. SD, @ FLA): Solid ratios and two decent match-ups

Madison Bumgarner/SFG (@ LAD, @ ARI): 2-0 in last two, allowing only one ER and logging a 11:3 K:BB ratio.

R.A. Dickey/NYM (@ ARI, @ LAD): Lost last two, but no support.

Daniel Hudson/CHW (@ SEA, @ OAK): Tons of K potential on MLB’s hottest team.

Don’t Touch ‘Em

J.D. Martin, Blake Hawksworth, Jeff Karstens, Luis Atilano

Who will win the pitching duel of the week: Lincecum or Kershaw?

Who will be the best 2-Start Pitcher owned in 50% or less in week 16?

Leave a comment, or reply to us on Twitter @TheFantasyFix

Tags: Fantasy Baseball Advice, Fantasy Baseball Blog, Fantasy Sports Blog, MLB, Two Start Pitchers, Double Dippers, Fonzy Scheme, Paul Maholm, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants, Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies, Chris Carpenter, St. Lois Cardinals, Phil Hughes, New York Yankees, Matt Garza, Tampa Bay Rays, Tommy Hunter, Texas Rangers, R.A. Dickey, New York Mets, Daniel Hudson, Chicago White Sox, Madison Bumgarner, Kris Medlen, Atlanta Braves

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

While “punting” categories can be successful in Head-to-Head leagues, what are the rest of us rotisserie guys supposed to do?  Finding a player who can bring you fortune in one category can help pay the bills at the end of the season.  Stolen bases can be found just about anywhere on the waiver wire, but finding saves can be like winning the out-of-state lottery.  

First up, let’s take a look at some base stealers who could score you some easy points during the second half, followed by some relievers who could find you some cheap saves and have in their possession high strikeout totals.

Easy Steals

Nyjer Morgan – OF, WSH (35% owned) – Despite having an on-base percentage (OBP) of just .313 this season, Morgan is currently second in the NL with 21 swipes.  Now, certainly reaching base is an issue for Morgan and the rest of the Nationals lineup, but when he does reach he’s a lock for a stolen base or two.

Juan Pierre – OF, CWS (41% owned) – After slumping in April and May, in which Pierre had a combined OBP of .304, one thing stayed steady —his stolen base numbers (19).  For the season, Juan leads all of baseball with 32 steals. And with the White Sox playing red-hot right now, Pierre is a steady figure atop the lineup.  Since June 24 th , Pierre is hitting at a .333 clip with an OBP of .415.  Sound like a guy who could steal his way into your heart during the second half?

Andres Torres – OF, SF (20% owned) – This switch-hitting speedster has found a nice home atop the Giants’ lineup during the past month.  He missed a few games with a groin injury, but seems to be healthy again. 

Torres has 17 swipes this season and is hitting over .300 during the month of July so far.  Certainly not a “power” guy, Torres already has 4 homers this month. He may be done in the home run department this month, but his steals and runs scored categories should continue to see production.

Speedsters to Monitor  

Corey Patterson – OF, BAL (11% owned) – Can Felix Pie stay healthy the rest of the year?

Fred Lewis – OF, TOR (5% owned) – A nice AL only option, but is usually omitted from the lineup against left-handed pitching)

Cheap Thrills

Chris Perez – RP, CLE (23% owned) – With fellow Tribe reliever Kerry Wood hitting the DL this weekend, Perez becomes the number one closer on the depth chart.  Now we’re still talking about the Indians here, so save chances may be few and far between, but that’s why this is called cheap thrills.

The strikeout per nine-inning ratio (K/9) for Perez is way down this season (4.7 K/9) compared to his 10.7 K/9 ratio from last season. Either way, your waiver wire is probably scarce with closers, so pick him up if you can.

Mike Gonzalez – RP, BAL (20% owned) – Gonzo hasn’t been able to find much luck this season, pitching in only two innings, acquiring zero saves, and posting a WHIP of 4.50 before hitting disabled list.  On the bright side, he did have three strikeouts in those two innings.  He’s still on rehab assignment, but it appears he could be back sometime within the next week or two. 

Now, along with Perez of the Indians, the Orioles find their closers few save opportunities.  The rehab assignments have been somewhat encouraging if you are looking at Gonzalez on the waiver wire, as he’s posted 10.8 K/9 ratio and has only walked two batters in 11 2/3 innings. 

The other good sign is that his velocity is in the 92-94 MPH range, which has been an issue all season long. 

The Orioles certainly won’t give Gonzo the ninth-inning spot right away when he returns because of Alfredo Simon’s limited success, but you don’t pay a guy $12 million over two years to be a setup man (unless you are the Houston Astros).

Juan Gutierrez – RP, ARI (2% owned) – The Arizona bullpen is a disaster and who can blame interim manager, Kirk Gibson, for keeping the closer role an open audition.  Chad Qualls has been a disaster and the Aaron Heilman experiment lasted for a few days, so who or what’s next? 

Come on down, Mr. Gutierrez. 

In two games prior to the All Star break, he’s pitched two innings, while allowing zero hits and walks, and has struck out one batter.  The K/9 ratio sits right at 7.5 for the season, but Gutierrez has a lively fastball and slide-piece that could see his strikeout numbers increase as we march down the homestretch. 

Another reliever from Arizona who should be on your radar if things continue to be a downward spiral in Arizona is rookie Sam Demel (1% owned).  Demel has pitched 12 innings this season, while striking out 11 and walking just two.

Relievers to Monitor

Brandon League – RP, SEA (2% owned)

Manny Corpas – RP & Franklin Morales – RP, COL (17 % and 3% owned) – Morales is at Triple-A right now working on his mechanics, but has allowed one earned run, walked six, and struck out four batters in six innings.

Written by Reggie Yinger exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Reggie Yinger is a programmer in the IT field and also writes for Baseball Press.com. He previously worked for a Minor League Baseball team and hopes to return to baseball full-time in some fashion. You can follow him on Twitter @sacksjacked .

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Justin Morneau has been placed on the 15-day disabled list “as he continues to recover from a concussion that he suffered on July 7,” according to the Minnesota Twins’ official website.

Morneau was attempting to break up a potential double play at second base, when he was accidentally kneed in the head.

This is Morneau’s second trip to the disabled list with concussion symptoms in his career. In 2005, he was hit in the head by a Ron Villone pitch that subsequently landed him on the DL.

Justin will be eligible to come off the disabled list on July 23. 

Despite fantasy baseball owners only missing their starting first baseman for a week, it comes at a crucial time in the season.

With week 15 shortened due to the All-Star break, head-to-head owners were hoping Morneau’s stellar first half numbers carried over into the shortened week, to cash in on a quick head-to-head victory.

Morneau currently leads the majors in on-base percentage (.437), is second to Miguel Cabrera (.346) with a .345 batting average, has blasted 18 homers, and has driven in 56 runs.

For those managers who don’t have a player to fill the void left by Morneau over the course of the next week, check out these potentially available first basemen in mixed leagues of 10 teams or more..

Begin Slideshow

It’s the All-Star Break and the Awards just can’t wait til season’s end. The Fantasy Fix and some of the top fantasy experts out there have made their choices. Take a look to see the first half MVP, Cy Young, Surprises, Busts and more!

AL MVP
Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers

Cabrera possesses the full package of MVP qualities. He stands at or near the top in nearly all significant offensive categories: first in BA at .346, second in HR with 22, first in RBI with 76, third in R with 64, third in doubles with 26, second in OBP at .423, first in SLG % at .650 and first in OPS at 1.073.

He’s been a picture of consistency from month to month:

April – .344 5 HR 25 RBI
May – .344 9 HR 23 RBI
June – .323 6 HR 20 RBI

An underrated, yet critical element of an MVP candidate is their ability to perform in the clutch. On a team that’s hitting .252 with RISP, Cabrera is hitting .358. According to STATS LLC., he has seven HR and 20 RBI in AB’s in the seventh inning or later “with the batting team ahead by one run , tied, or with the tying run on base, batting or on deck.”

Even with Cabrera’s dynamic offensive resume, the Tigers are still a middle of the pack offensive club, currently eighth in runs scored and ninth in HR.

Where would they be without him? Very far from nine games above .500 and second place in the AL Central. His protection in the lineup comes from Magglio Ordonez, who the entire baseball world thought was washed up in 2009, and Brennan Boesch, a 25-year-old rookie who never had a ML AB entering this season. While all the credit in the world goes to Ordonez and Boesch, there is no question Cabrera’s presence has had a marked impact on their success in 2010.

To review: Massive numbers…check. Clutch ability…check. Direct impact on the performance of teammates…check. Invaluable to the survival of his team…check. M-V-P.

Vladimir Guerrero and Josh Hamilton of the Rangers are both more than worthy of consideration, but they neutralize each other’s exploits. Robinson Cano of the Yankees is also quite deserving, but with the Yanks’ pitching prowess, they’d be winning games regardless.

Written by Adam Ganeles for TheFantasyFix.com . Make sure to check out Adam’s weekly MiLB Farm Report covering A, AA & AAA ball! Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix

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NL MVP
Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

About 14 weeks ago, the first pick of your draft was Albert Pujols, because he had the most value. If you redrafted today and had the first pick, Pujols would still be the player offering you the most value. Albert Pujols is the definition of value to Fantasy Baseball owners by offering consistent production in the statistics which matter most.

So far this year he’s scored 54 runs, hit 22 home runs, and driven in 64 RBIs.  Add a .307 batting average and nine stolen bases to boot—he’s given his owners the cornerstone to a team which resides at the top of their standings.

Written by James Weston for TheFantasyFix.com . Look for James’ weekly insight covering all aspects of Fantasy Baseball. Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix

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AL CY YOUNG
Cliff Lee, SP, Texas Rangers

There certainly is a great crop of AL pitchers to choose from for this award. David Price is having a breakout year, Jered Weaver is looking at better numbers than his stellar 2009 performance, and batters can barely touch Jon Lester.

But one player is on his way to breaking an amazing MLB record: Cliff Lee.

One key statistic puts Lee on top of the rest—strikeout to walk ratio (K/BB). Cliff has only surrendered six walks so far this season. That’s right folks—SIX! His K/BB ratio right now is 15/1.

The highest amount through a full season in history is Bret Saberhagen with 11/1 in 1994. In fact, Roy Halladay, who has only given up 19 walks himself, is only averaging 6.73. Josh Johnson is at 4.39 and “All-the-Craze Jimenez” is averaging a lowly 2.45 K/BB.

Lee is the man for the moment, but no one can look past what David Price has done in the first half. Leading the league in ERA and Wins, Price may be all the rave by year’s end.

Written by Evan Marx for TheFantasyFix.com . Evan is co-owner of The Fantasy Fix and reaches into your brain to pick his topics each week. And yes, he knows exactly what you are thinking right now. Shame on you! Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix

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NL CY YOUNG
Josh Johnson, SP, Florida Marlins
 
While Ubaldo Jimenez was the one getting most of the early season headlines, it was Josh Johnson that went out and consistently dominated the opposition.

To this point, Johnson is 9-3 with a 1.70 ERA and 0.96 WHIP and his peripherals are rock solid.
 
Johnson is ninth in baseball with a 9.07 K/9 and eighth in baseball with a 4.39 K/BB rate (min 90 IP). He has the third best whiff rate among Major League pitchers (26.1 percent), just barely behind Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw. Added on top of all that, he has a good ground ball rate (48 percent) and a line drive rate against that is below league average (18 percent).

Those last two factors have helped keep his BABIP against a low .278. As long as he continues to keep limiting line drives and keeping the ball on the ground, his BABIP should remain low all season.
 
Want one more nugget of advanced statistics? Johnson hasn’t exactly been walking down easy street. The batters he has faced this season have a combined VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) of 49.8, which is the highest combined VORP that any pitcher has faced this season (min 80 IP).
 
Needless to say, Josh Johnson has been beyond impressive over the first half of the 2010 season.
 
Written by Charlie Saponara. Charlie is owner/author of fantasybaseball365.com , featured columnist on bleacherreport.com and a contributor for projectprospect.com

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AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Brennan Boesch, OF, Detroit Tigers

Outfielder Brennan Boesch didn’t make the Detroit Tigers’ opening day roster, but he did get an quick call-up in late April when Carlos Guillen went on the disabled list. And all he’s done since then is hit the daylights out of the ball.
 
The reason so few people know about Boesch, even though his .342 average is among the American League’s highest, is because he hasn’t had enough plate appearances to qualify among the league leaders…until now. He finally reached the minimum on Sunday. 

Boesch is hitting the ball with authority—he has 12 homers, 49RBI, a .397 on-base percentage, and a .990 OPS. To put that in perspective, only five players in the majors have a higher OPS: Miguel Cabrera, Justin Morneau, Josh Hamilton, Joey Votto, and Albert Pujols. That’s some pretty select company.
 
The 25-year-old Boesch got his feet wet playing against mostly right-handed pitchers, but he became an everyday player for the Tigers once manager Jim Leyland started giving him a chance against lefties.

He hasn’t just held his own against lefties, he’s thrived. The lefty-swinging Boesch is hitting an amazing .459 (28-for-61) against southpaws—tops in the majors for players with more than 20 at-bats—with three homers and a 1.307 OPS. At the midpoint of the 2010 season, he’s the clear choice as AL Rookie of the Year.

Written by Steve Gardner. Steve is one of the elite fantasy baseball analysts and the voice behind USA Today’s Fantasy Windup . You can also find Steve on Twitter @SGardnerUSAT .

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AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – The Pitching Perspective
Neftali Feliz, RP, Texas Rangers

Neftali Feliz of the Texas Rangers needs to get serious consideration for the American League Rookie of the Year at the halfway point.

Feliz is the 21-year-old flamethrower and one of the essential pieces sent to the Rangers from the Atlanta Braves in the Mark Teixeira deal in 2007. He saw some live action with the big boys in 2009, but failed to accumulate 50 innings pitched, which allows him to be eligible for 2010 ROY consideration.

After Frank Francisco blew two saves to start the season for the Rangers, Feliz was appointed to the closer position, and hasn’t looked back since. In 36 total appearances in the first half of 2010, Feliz is 1-2 with a 3.82 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and is striking out 10.04 batters per nine innings. Additionally, batters are hitting just .203 against Feliz and he is stranding more than 70 percent of base runners.

He has saved 23 games in 25 chances for the first place Texas Rangers. Neftali’s 23 saves ties him for second best in the AL with Rafael Soriano of the Rays and they sit just two saves behind the league leader, Joakim Soria of the Royals, who has 25.

Feliz will need to calm his “Wild Thing” tendencies and reduce his current 3.11 BB/9 if he is to remain effective at the closer position. However, as the season progresses, Neftali should continue to mature on the hill in the pressure situations and gain greater control of his 96 mph fastball.

Despite the incredible season Brennan Boesch is having offensively, I believe the young closer on the first-place team earns the nod for AL ROY.

Written by Alan Harrison for TheFantasyFix.com . Alan is the founder and co-owner of TheFantasyFix.com. Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix

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NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Gaby Sanchez, 1B, Florida Marlins

Crazy right?  Maybe two months ago it would’ve been, but not now.   

I suppose Stephen Strasburg might have a case, especially if he continues to pitch like he has, but he’ll also be shut down the first week of September.  Are we really prepared to hand the award to a starting pitcher who’s only played half the season? Never mind the fact that he might not lead a single major category among rookies by the time Labor Day rolls around. 

Jason Heyward was everybody’s favorite until a thumb injury sent his season into a tailspin two months ago.  Of course, he still has plenty of time to grab back the lead in the race for this season’s top rookie, but if his thumb injury lingers, his slump could very well last into September.  

Who’s left?  Jaime Garcia?  There’s no doubt he’s impressed and he might give Gaby a run for his money if the Cardinals don’t impose an innings cap—Garcia threw just 52.2 frames in 2009 after undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2008 season—but then again, he’s been pitching over his head all season. 

At least that’s what his fielder independent ERAs tell us (3.30 FIP, 3.76 xFIP).  Even if he finishes the year with an ERA around 3.00, it means he’ll have posted an ERA closer to 4.00 in the second half. Throw in a league-average strikeout rate and you have a solid rookie campaign, not an award-winner (unless voters give him the award based on win totals, in which case, he’s probably a shoo-in).     

That leaves Gaby, who currently ranks first in batting average, second in runs scored, fourth in RBI, and fifth in homers among all rookies heading into the All-Star break. Sabermetrically speaking, Sanchez is first among all rookies in WAR (2.1 Wins Above Replacement), wOBA (.367 Weighted On-Base Average), and wRAA (Sanchez’s 12.1 Runs Above Average is 13th among ALL MLBers). 

He hasn’t just done it with his bat, either.  His glovework’s been just as solid (he ranks third among all rookies—behind Heyward and Austin Jackson—in both UZR and UZR/150).     

Obviously, Sanchez needs to hit at least as well as he did in the first half to keep his name in the conversation.  But based on the adjustments he’s made and how much he’s improved month-to-month, I have little doubt he’ll be able to do so. 

Written By Paul Bourdett of FanHouse . Paul Bourdett’s weekly waiver wire column, “The Pickup Artist” can be found each Thursday at AOL FanHouse . .You can also catch Paul on Twitter: @PaulMBourdett

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NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – The Pitching Perspective
Jaime Garcia, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

99.2 Innings Pitched, 8-4 Record, 2.17 ERA, 80 Ks 

Now I know that this may not be a popular choice for many because he is not an everyday player, but his numbers are too staggering to ignore.  There is not a great rookie pool to choose from in the NL this season, so it made this decision very difficult.  There have been some great first halves from Jason Heyward, Gaby Sanchez, Ike Davis, and Drew Stubbs. 

Yet it is the consistency of Garcia that raises him above the rest.  All four of the position players have slowed down of late after very fast starts to their careers.  This is typical of rookies as the rest of the league begins to put together scouting reports on them.  

Dave Duncan, pitching coach for the Cards, is the X Factor for Jamie because he is widely considered the best pitching coach in the game for his ability to develop young arms.  You can look for similar results from him in the second half of the season as he locks up the NL full season award.

Written by Dan Pollak for TheFantasyFix.com . Check back weekly for Dan’s excellent fantasy baseball analysis and projections. Follow us on Twitter @thefantasyfix

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AL FIRST HALF SURPRISE
Colby Lewis, SP, Texas Rangers

Some say Colby Lewis spent his offseasons at a remote Japanese Zen Buddhist temple and meditated to achieve pitching enlightenment. But whatever he did during his two years in Japan, it’s working.

When he left the MLB after the 2007 season, he had the worst ERA in history among pitchers with 200 major league innings, and had been released by five Major League teams. Fast forward to 2010, where he is in the top 10 in the AL in WHIP and strikeouts, and has been the best starter for the first-place Texas Rangers.

The biggest change for Lewis has been a much higher strikeout rate, due to more reliance on his improved slider. Overall he’s throwing 29 percent sliders, as opposed to 12.6 percent back in 2007 (and just 2.4 percent in 2003). Lewis is throwing more sliders in every count, including 32 percent sliders when he’s behind 2-0 and 40 percent sliders when he’s behind 2-1.

Lewis is even throwing 24 percent first pitch sliders, and has an above-average 63.4 percent first strike percentage.  Lewis has been a bit lucky so far, but should still finish with an ERA under four, a WHIP around 1.20, and close to a K per inning. The addition of Cliff Lee allows Lewis to slot in as a solid No. 2 starter on a World Series contender.

Written by Alex Shear. Follow Alex on Twitter @RotoSleeperz and view his rarely updated blog at http://rotosleeperz.blogspot.com

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NL FIRST HALF SURPRISE
Aubrey Huff, 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants

As of this writing, can you tell me which NL West first basemen has these numbers?
.295-17-54-53-3

Did you guess Adrian Gonzalez? If you did, you would be wrong. Those numbers actually belong to AUBREY HUFF.

In fact, the Giants 1B/OF has actually performed nearly identically to the slugger from San Diego. Honest.

A. Huff: .295-17-54-53-3 with a .929 OPS
Gonzalez:.301-18-56-49-0 with a .927 OPS

Given that you could have taken Huff probably 150 selections after Gonzalez on draft day, and that Huff qualifies at two positions, he has clearly been a bargain of monumental proportions.

Written by Ray Flowers. Ray is the Managing Editor of Fanball.com and the CEO of BaseballGuys.com . Ray also co-hosts the Fanball Fantasy Drive on XM 147/Sirius 211 Radio. Follow Ray on Twitter @BaseballGuys

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AL FIRST HALF BUST
Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles

Drafted on average in the seventh round, Wieters is easily the biggest non-injury bust in the AL this season. You can never count on injuries, so I’m not counting guys like Jacoby Ellsbury, Kendry Morales, Brian Roberts, et al, but the man whose nickname is God and was the subject of a highly flattering Sports Illustrated piece in spring training has fallen to 59 percent ownership in ESPN leagues.

And it makes sense—as we near the All-Star Break, Wieters is the 21st best catcher in baseball according to ESPN’s Player Rater, and has rewarded those who drafted him with a .243 batting average, six homers, 22 runs, and 29 RBIs.

For comparison’s sake, Yankees part-time backstop Francisco Cervelli has more RBI and is hitting 30 points higher; Mariners offensively-challenged Rob Johnson—who is hitting .200 and is owned by zero percent of people playing fantasy baseball—has more runs; Diamondbacks backup Chris Snyder has more homers; and no fewer than 20 full-time catchers have a higher batting average.

There may be hope, however. Wieters is still hugely talented, and has been hitting better of late—over .300 in July with a few runs scored. But for owners who had high hopes of him being, well, exactly what Buster Posey’s been so far, have been sorely disappointed.  Hopefully mixed leaguers have found a replacement. I know I have. Kurt Suzuki, welcome to my team.

Written by Jesse Mendelson. Jesse is Partner and Senior Writer for www.fantasybaseball101.com , has been playing fantasy baseball almost as long as Ron Shandler with a long history of both tremendous successes and spectacular flameouts. You can contact him at fantasy_baseball101@yahoo.com, and be sure to follow Jesse’s writing on www.fantasybaseball101.com and on Twitter @fb101 .

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NL FIRST HALF BUST
Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

Drafted in the middle of the first round, Utley has traditionally been as sure of a bet as anyone in the league. But at the time of the injury (that will keep him out until Labor Day), seven second basemen had more runs, nine had more homers, 12 had more RBIs, 18 had more steals, and 20 had higher batting averages.

For a mid-first rounder, this is just unacceptable. And although you can’t count on injuries, his recent sprained thumb means that his owners can expect virtually no production from him all year. At a prime position, no less. My dad always told me not to slide headfirst…

Written by Jesse Mendelson. See above for his street creds.

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AL MiLB PLAYER TO MAKE BIGGEST POST ASB IMPACT
Michael Pineda, SP, Seattle Mariners
 
It was a bit difficult coming up with an AL prospect who would have the greatest impact in the second half of the season, because most of the talent is already up. Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings, and Jesus Montero are higher-rated prospects but their path to the majors is currently blocked. 

That leaves two pitchers—Dan Hudson from the White Sox and Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners. I chose Pineda before Jake Peavy went down for the year, but I am still sticking with him and here is why.
 
Pineda should be called up very soon after the Lee trade and he is already at 100 innings. I can see him getting another 50-60 innings in a very pitcher-friendly ballpark the rest of the way. Pineda will be a guy who should get strong K’s, ERA, and WHIP, but may not make an impact in the Wins category since he will only be going 5-6 innings per start. Hudson is too much of a fly ball pitcher in a hitter-friendly ballpark to make me want to own him in 2010. 
 
Pineda stands tall at 6’ 5” and is only 21 years old. While the GB percent is in the high 40s and I would like it to be a tad higher, the ballpark and division more than outweigh it.  Pineda has a fastball that hits 95-96 at its peak, and the changeup is his second pitch, along with a slider. The secondary stuff is above average.
 
He has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in the minors and his control is solid with a K/BB at 4.00. He has spent most of his time at AA with a recent call up to AAA that until July 9th was looking even better. Long term, I do have some concerns about the elbow injury from 2009 and his delivery. As much of a Pineda fan as any—I do wonder if he ends up in the pen after a couple years if the elbow strain is too much.
 
That being said, Pineda should provide a mid 3.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 50 K’s, and 4-5 Wins in the second half of 2010.
 
Written by Michael Rathburn. Follow Michael on www.aroundthecooler.com or www.midwestsportsfans.com or on Twitter @Cooler_Guy

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NL MiLB PLAYER TO MAKE BIGGEST POST ASB IMPACT
Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

Domonic Brown was drafted in the 20th round of the 2006 draft. 606 players
were taken ahead of him when the Phillies selected him out of a small
 Georgia high school. In four short years, Brown has made Phillies scout
 Chip Lawrence look like a genius, and has worked his way into becoming the
 best overall prospect in baseball who has yet to break onto the Major
 League scene.

The 22-year-old is currently a man among boys at the highest 
levels of the minor leagues. Starting the season at Double-A Reading,
 Brown hammered Eastern League pitching, batting .318 with 16 doubles, three triples, 
15 HR, 47 RBI, and 12 SB in 65 Games. He was rewarded in June with
a promotion to Triple A at Lehigh Valley, where he has been even better, 
hitting .364 with three doubles, four HR, and 12 RBI.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. was quoted last week as saying he has no plans to 
bring Brown to the big leagues until he can play everyday. However, with 
the Phillies falling further behind the Braves and Mets in the NL East, 
with Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Ben Francisco all hitting below
 .255 and Jayson Werth becoming a real fan favorite in Philly (I joke),
 it’s very reasonable to believe Brown’s time will come sooner than later.

When it does, you need to be ready from a fantasy standpoint by adding
 Brown to your roster now. Like Buster Posey was in the first half of the
 season, Domonic Brown will be the NL’s best rookie debut fantasy play in 
the second half of 2010 and produce immediate results for your team.

Written by Ben Lipson. Follow Ben on www.topprospectalert.com or Twitter @MinorLeagueBlog

_________________________________________________________________________

Here are some more articles to help you win your fantasy baseball league:

MiLB articles
The Fantasy Fix’s AAA Farm Report: June 30, 2010

The Fantasy Fix’s AA Farm Report: Kyle Drabek’s No-Hitter & More!

The Fantasy Fix’s A-Ball Report: Big Numbers but who’s the real deal?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Let the Fantasy Fix take you on a trip through AA’s Eastern, Southern and Texas Leagues—including the no-hit arm of Kyle Drabek and the toiling of money grabber Aaron Crow. Also, a look at Chris Marrero, Adam Dunn’s possible replacement if he gets traded.

BATTERS
Chris Marrero, 1B Washington Nationals AA Line – .289, 11 HR, 43 RBI
The Nationals 2006 first round pick is slowly working his way through the system, playing in 356 games at the AA level over parts of four seasons.

While Marrero is lauded for his incredible power, he hit .359 in June with 27 singles, 10 doubles and three HRs. His recognition of the strike zone is still a work in progress (25:65 BB to K), but he should fall well short of his 115 K in ’09. Marrero was shifted from the OF to 1B as a result of well below average foot speed (despite a strong arm).

If the Nats have plans to move Dunn at the deadline, the 22-year-old could be next in line.

Matt Dominguez, 3B Florida Marlins AA Line–.239, 9 HR, 41 RBI
The 20-year-old Dominguez is still adjusting to Southern League ball. He hit .186 in 31 games at the end of ’09, and is stuck at .239 this season. He has shown a willingness to work counts and draw walks, but it’s not helping his BA. He finished June at .262, his strongest month, but drew a season-low (for a month) six base on balls. He drew 13 BB in 20 April games, but hit just .239.

Dominguez should grow into a doubles machine, compiling 32 in ’09 and 20 thus far in ’10. A right-handed hitter, his .211 BA against LHP is puzzling.

Carlos Triunfel, SS Seattle Mariners AA Line–.280, 5 HR, 30 RBI
Triunfel broke his leg last April, forcing him to miss almost the entire 2009 campaign. Following the injury, his speed and/or willingness to run has vanished. He stole 30 bags in A ball in ’08, and has attempted only eight SB in ’10, being caught in six of them.

Triunfel is a free swinger, walking 11 times (hasn’t drawn a BB in his last ten games) and K’ing only 36. He’s crushed LHP to the tune of a .320 average in 103 AB. He’s displayed some decent pop for a shortstop, slugging .406 with 20 2B and eight HR in 2008 and has five bombs so far this year.

The Mariners have a black hole at SS on the major league level, but Triunfel is only 20 and still working his way back from a serious injury.

Austin Romine, C New York Yankees AA Line–.285, 6 HR, 44 RBI
The other Yankees catcher, Romine, took the Eastern League by storm, batting .354 in April and .305 in May. June was a reality check, as he hit just .227 for the month.

Despite his struggles with the stick, he still drew 16 BB, scored 15 runs and knocked in 12. He’s already drawn more walks in 2010 than he did in any of his first three minor league stops.

Romine is another strong gap hitter, with 24 doubles in ’08, 28 in ’09 and 21 thus far in 2010. He flashed some speed in ’09 with 11 SB in 16 attempts, but has stolen just one base in one attempt this season.

The Yankees love his glove behind the plate, so he should be on the fast track. Posada is a free agent in 2012, and at 38 should be subjected to DH duties in the near future.

James Darnell, 3B San Diego Padres AA Line–.226, 4 HR, 13 RBI
Darnell started 2010 in the Midwest League (A) where he hit .360 with a HR and eight RBI in seven games. Coming off the heels of a .311 batting, 20 HR, 81 RBI season in ’09, he was quickly promoted to AA.

The Texas League has not been as kind to the former SC Gamecock. Darnell is hitting .226 overall, .211 against RHP and .222 with RISP. He also missed significant time with a finger injury. He’s struck out 31 times in 43 games, but his plate discipline is improving. In 12 June games, he drew seven BB against six K.

The line drive hitter has crushed the ball at every level, and there’s no reason to think he won’t make the necessary adjustments here. But at 23, the clock is ticking.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF New York Mets AA Line–.286, 12 HR, 44 RBI
When Nieuwenhuis puts bat on ball, good things usually happen. He has 22 doubles, 12 homers and a .505 SLG%. In 72 at bats with RISP he’s batting .333 with 36 of his 46 RBI. A left-handed hitter, he’s hitting .303 in 66 AB against LHP. Unfortunately, contact is not made enough. He has 70 K in 68 games this season, and had a 6:31 BB to K ratio in the month of May.

Nieuwenhuis stole 17 bases in ’09 and has 12 in 2010. He missed the second half of June with a strained shoulder.

PITCHERS
Kyle Drabek, RH SP Toronto Blue Jays AA Line–8-8, 3.20 ERA, 80 K
The second marquee prospect in the Roy Halladay deal, Drabek threw a no-hitter on July 4, recording 13 outs via ground ball and walking only two. He’s been tough to square up all season.

He’s allowed 86 hits in 107 innings of work, and opposing batters are hitting .219 against him. His GO/AO ratio is 1.53, and 2.36 against LHH. However, the base on ball has cost him. He’s walked 45, many of which have crossed the plate. Despite a BAA of .223 in June, he went winless in 5 starts, in large part the result of his 16 BB in 30 1/3.

The Blue Jays have a strong stable of young arms, but he’s not far off from harnessing his stuff.

Casey Kelly, RH SP Boston Red Sox AA Line–1-3, 5.05 ERA, 55 K
Drafted out of high school as a SS, Kelly is now an esteemed pitching prospect. In his first minor league season on the hill in ’09, accumulating 17 starts between A & AA, he pitched to a 2.08 ERA, yielding only 65 hits in 95 innings.

Just as impressive, he issued only 16 BB. He’s already walked 25 in 2010 in 62 1/3 innings, and he’s getting hit hard. Kelly’s allowed 78 hits in 62 1/3, and opposing hitters are roughing him up the tune of a .307 BAA. On a positive note, he’s still inducing ground balls at a significant rate (1.33).

His stuff is not overpowering, but at 20 years of age he’s extremely polished on the mound.

Jordan Lyles, RH SP Houston Astros AA Line–6-5, 2.60 ERA, 85 K
Lyles’ strikeouts are down from A ball (167 in 144 2/3) as expected, but his K:BB ratio of 85 to 22 is excellent. He uses his two-seam fastball adroitly against LHH, holding them to a .227 BA.

Despite his low ground ball rate and a tendency to pitch up in the zone, he’s allowed only seven HR (one every 13 innings).

As Lyles continues to move up the ranks, he will need to be more proficient with his location and keep balls out of the air. He’s a quick riser, but needs seasoning on his secondary offerings.

Aaron Crow, RH SP Kansas City Royals AA Line–5-6, 6.11 ERA, 63 K
Crow was originally drafted by the Nationals at ninth overall in ’08, but did not sign. He throws hard sinking fastballs in the low to mid 90’s. He’s been a ground ball machine in his first season of pro ball, with a 3.08 GO/AO ratio.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, he’s walked 44 in 91 1/3 innings and struck out just 63. All batters are hitting .292 against him, and left handed batters are hitting .335.

He finished June with an 8.72 ERA in five starts. Crow played independent ball in ’09, but has clearly fallen behind the curve.

Christian Friedrich, LH SP Colorado Rockies AA Line – 1-5, 5.34 ERA, 57 K
As the Rockies first round pick in 2008, Friedrich is having no fun in the Texas League. He’s allowed 72 hits in 64 innings, working to a 0.88 GO/AO ratio and LHH are hitting .342 against him. This after mowing through A ball in ’09 with a 2.41 ERA and 159 K in 119 2/3 innings.

Friedrich possesses a low 90’s fastball, 12-6 curve and hard, cutter-like slider. The changeup is also a new offering for him.

NOTES
Michael Pineda, SP Seattle Mariners – Pineda was promoted to AAA after an 8-1 mark and 2.22 ERA in the Southern League. In three starts since his promotion, he’s 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA, struck out 26 in 19 innings, and his BAA is .164. He’s flown under the radar big time.

Mike Montgomery, SP Kansas City Royals – Montgomery has been shut down since June 15th with elbow soreness. Apparently it’s just a precautionary measure and he should be fine. He’s 5-1 with a 2.01 ERA between two AA stops in 2010, and is a high ceiling left-handed arm.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on AA Ball.
Leave a comment at the top or reply to us on twitter!

Article by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Check back weekly for Adam’s excellent fantasy insight and analysis.

Here are some more articles to help you win your fantasy baseball league:

MiLB articles
The Fantasy Fix’s AAA Farm Report: June 30, 2010
The Fantasy Fix’s A-Ball Report: Big Numbers but who’s the real deal?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Yovani Gallardo of the Milwaukee Brewers has been officially placed on the disabled list retroactive to July 5 with a strained left oblique he suffered in the bottom of the third inning on Sunday. Fantasy baseball owners will greatly miss the 8-4 Gallardo with his 2.58 ERA and 9.83 strikeouts per nine innings.

Jordan Schelling of Brewers.com noted that despite being recently named to the National League All-Star team, Gallardo will not take part due to the injury. He will miss a minimum of two starts, and if all goes well, will be eligible to come off the disabled list July 20.  

In the meantime, if you need to fill the void left by Gallardo, or even Clay Buchholz, who was also recently sent to the disabled list, consider these ten options:

Begin Slideshow

Here’s a quick look at last week’s Fantasy Baseball top performing, least owned players on the waiver wire.

Jim Thome hit four homers. Clint Barmes’ hit streak continues. Max Scherzer dominates yet again. Dexter Fowler is back and on a mission. Can they really keep it up for another week?

Check out who’s a Must or a Bust.

Begin Slideshow

Fantasy Baseball’s Pitching Line of the Week

Felix Hernandez (SP-SEA): 9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, W

Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners pitched a complete game two-hitter in the Bronx this Wednesday in what was his best start of the 2010 season to date.

He fanned every starter on the Yankees roster with the exception of first half MVP candidate Robinson Cano. Additionally, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez each struck out twice against King Felix. 

This outing was Hernandez’s third straight game pitching at least nine innings and third complete game of the season. Roy Halladay is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball who has eaten more innings than the King thus far in 2010.

Felix Hernandez was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2002 out of Valencia, Venezuela. After tearing his way through Minor League Baseball, he debuted for the Mariners on Aug. 4, 2005 at the age of 19.

In 2009, Hernandez’s brightest season, Felix earned 17 wins, 200-plus strikeouts, and a trip to the MLB All-Star Game. Moreover, Felix finished second in the American League Cy Young voting and was rewarded handsomely with a five-year, $78 million contract.

Since his debut, Hernandez has won more than 10 games in three of his four full seasons in the bigs and is on pace to do so again in 2010. A career 8.17 K/9 pitcher, King Felix’s repertoire includes a fastball, changeup, curveball, and slider. These tools have Hernandez on pace to surpass his career high for strikeouts in a season (217 in 2009). 

Notable Achievements

Named No. 1 pitcher prospect by Baseball America (2005)

Hit a grand slam off Johan Santana in his only plate appearance in 2008

Pitched for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic (2009)

Named to the American League All-Star team (2009)

Finished second to Zack Greinke for the American League Cy Young Award (2009)

Felix made history on June 3, 2010 when he struck out four Minnesota Twins in the eighth inning.

Felix Hernandez is currently owned in 98 percent of Y! leagues. 

The “Double Dipper” is a starting pitcher who will get two starts in the same week. Each Sunday we will preview the top three options in each league and highlight streaming options for players owned in less than 50 percent of Y! leagues.

The No-Brainers in the NL

Roy Halladay, PHI (@SD, vs. SF): Until he gives you a reason not to.

Mike Pelfrey, NYM (vs. CIN, vs. ATL): He’s 10-2 and has a save!

Jonathan Sanchez, SFG (@ MIL, @ WAS): Despite being just 6-6, he’s rockin’ decent ratios and a .211 BAA.

The No-Brainers in the AL

CC Sabathia, NYY (@ OAK, @ SEA): 6-0 in last six starts. 

Felix Hernandez, SEA (vs. KC, vs. NYY): See the King’s profile above.

Jered Weaver, LAA (@ CHW, @ OAK): 10.27 K/9, leads MLB in K’s.

Warning: Streaming can be lethal. The following are owned in less than 50 percent of Y! leagues.

John Ely, LAD (vs. FLA, vs. CHC): Only two earned runs in last two.

Justin Masterson, CLE (@ TEX, @ TB): One ER, 5:0 K:BB, and glimpses of the “breakout” we’ve been waiting for last outing vs. Toronto.

Madison Bumgarner, SFG (@ MIL, @ WAS): MadBum gets the nod on the road versus two mediocre offenses despite his 0-2 start.

Erik Bedard, SEA (vs. KC, vs. NYY): First start in a year, but it’s the Royals! His second start depends on if his labrum is intact following Tuesday’s trip.

Vicente Padilla, LAD (vs. FLA, vs. CHC): Just because his looks intimidate you enough to start him twice.

Don’t Touch ‘Em

Aaron Laffey, Jesse Litsch, Jeff Suppan, Kevin Slowey

Week 14 One-Start Stars Owned in 50 Percent or Less

Livan Hernandez, WAS, 42 percent Y! – Wednesday vs. SD (Jon Garland) – ERA under three.

Tommy Hunter, TEX, 24 percent Y! – Thursday vs. BAL (Jeremy Guthrie) – 5-0, 1.98 ERA.

Tim Wakefield, BOS, four percent Y! – Wednesday @ TB (David Price) – Will the success in TB continue?

Who will win the pitching duel of the week: Stephen Strasburg or Matt Cain?

Who will be the best Two-Start Pitcher owned in 50 percent or less in week 14?

Leave a comment, or reply to us on Twitter

Twitter.com/thefantasyfix

Written by Alan Harrison exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com.

If you liked this article, you’ll go bananas over these fantasy baseball articles:

Thumb Wars: Victor Martinez Lands on the DL: Fantasy Pickup Options

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Filling The Void: Dustin Pedroia

Edinson Volquez Eyes July Return

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Saves….some people care about them, some people could care less.  For those that do care, it’s time to take a close look at each team’s closer role.  It’s July and the sample sizes are large enough to see some trends.  So here we go…

What to watch for

Blue Jays –  Either Kevin Gregg beat out Jason Frasor or Frasor lost the job to Gregg. No matter how you slice it, the Blue Jays should have a few save opportunities each week.  Gregg has all the experience of a closer who has lost a job before; will they go back to Frasor if Gregg falters? 

Scott Downs or Shawn Camp could get looks at the end of games, but by the time that happens the Jays would be out of contention this year and could look elsewhere.  But I could be getting ahead of myself. There are a lot of reasons to think Gregg is going to continue to get the job done.  Gregg is 18 for 21 so far this year, his ERA could be a concern, but if you’re looking for saves…he’s got them.

Mariners –  The Mariners’ last save was earned by Brandon League, who converted his second save of the year.  David Aardsma had pitched the previous two days, so there isn’t much to read into the save chance for League. 

But then Aardsma went on to blow the Mariners next save opportunity.  Aardsma has now blown more saves than he did all of 2009.  At 3 percent owned in Y! leagues, League will be presented with more chances this summer and now is the time to take a shot.

Angels –  There is nothing more frustrating than being an Angels fan with the lead in the ninth inning.  Brian Fuentes has made for great baseball drama, but he still closes games out and continues to get the chances for the Angles. 

In waiting is Fernando Rodney (38 percent owned in Y! leagues), who has done well when given the chance.  Rodney recently blew his second save chance, but if the Angles look to move past Fuentes, Rodney will be their guy. 

The move has to be coming soon.  Fuentes is so good at blowing saves, he blew a save without even giving up a hit!  And to top it all off…. the front office could dictate a move since Fuentes owns a contract clause which forces the Angels to pay him $3.25 million next year if he gets 59 appearances (he’s made 25 so far this year).

Red Sox –  Get to know Daniel Bard (23 percent owned), who is leading the Red Sox bullpen in appearances, innings, ERA, Ks, and WHIP.  But the closer is Jonathan Papelbon today and he’ll be the closer tomorrow.  However, if a window of opportunity comes up, Bard is next in line.

White Sox –  The White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks, has been on the bereavement list this week and the team just kept rolling on.  Jenks has only blown one save this year, so his job isn’t in jeopardy.  If he is to slip up, the Sox can turn to Matt Thorton (57 percent owned) or a rejuvenated J.J. Putz (13 percent).

Nothing to see here

Orioles –  There is not much to be said about the situation in Baltimore.  The team doesn’t win often and unfortunately, your team needs to win the game in order to qualify for a save.  Alfredo Simon has saved 10 games so far, but he’s only seen 19 innings of action this year.  And when he’s seen playing time, he hasn’t put up the strikeouts and statistics that are important to us.

Indians –  The Indians sit in the cellar of the AL Central, therefore there just aren’t that many save opportunities to go around.  Kerry Wood is getting the rare save chances today, of which he’s converted eight saves. 

Chris Perez was doing the closing earlier in the year and he managed to get seven. The Indians could go back to Perez, but the team won’t offer up enough save situations to give either pitcher much value. 

Even though they’re riding a hot streak, the team figures to trade veterans this month and make moves with their future in mind.  Therefore we shouldn’t expect the hot streak to continue.

The closer role is on lock down…

Yankees –   Death, Taxes, and Mariano Rivera….the three guarantees in life.

Rays –   Reminds me of taking a kicker from a good team—you know you’ll do good enough.  Rafael Soranio just has to stay healthy to continue closing.  If he did get hurt, someone could be in line for saves and the Rays have a few solid arms.  Look for Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler to back up Soranio if he gets hurt.

Twins –  The Twins haven’t missed a beat since Joe Nathan was put on the shelf this spring.  Jon Rauch has settled in nicely to the closer role and it doesn’t appear that anyone is threatening his role.

Tigers  – H is antics on the field aren’t the classiest, but Jose Valverde’s results are top notch.  So far this year he’s locked up 18 saves and posted a minuscule 0.53 ERA.  Valverde is supported by one of the best bullpens in baseball, but they just lost Joel Zumaya to a fractured elbow and this could impact Valverde’s opportunities.  Still, he’s one of the best at what he does and the Tigers win games.

Royals –   A really effective closer on a bad team can be a good thing.  Joakim Soria has managed to accumulate 108 saves in his four years of service with the Royals.  There aren’t any indicators to think that he won’t keep racking up saves for the rest of the year, with 21 so far.  Look for Soria to top 40 saves this year and flirt with 50 if the Royals can put together some wins.

Rangers –  The Rangers close out their games with one of the hardest throwers in baseball, 22-year-old Neftali Feliz.  Feliz has saved 21 games this year and he didn’t even have the job out of spring training—Frank Francisco won the job out of camp. 

But since taking over, Feliz has been dominant, striking out 38 in just over 35 innings.  Feliz is a must-own and if you’re looking for saves he should be a buy high target given the Rangers hot streak and weak division.

Athletics –  The 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, Andrew Bailey, has saved 16 games so far this year and posted a 1.64 ERA.  He’s blown three chances, but all things considered, it is safe to say that Bailey has faded the sophomore jinx.  Even if he struggles, the Athletics will stand behind Bailey and give him time to work things out.  

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MLB records are broken almost every year. Some big, some small. Some take longer than others. It took 38 years before Roger Maris’s 61 in ’61 was broken, and then only another two years after for the record to fall again.

Some records may just be etched in stone forever since the game is forever changing, like Cy Young’s 511 wins. The bottom-line is that not only do the fans crave for them to be broken but the players do too. 

So we asked our writers: Of current players, who has the best chance of breaking a modern era MLB record before their career is over? Will anyone every beat Rickey Henderson’s 130 swipes or Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak? We sure hope so…

MOST DOUBLES IN A SEASON: EARL WEBB 67

PREDICTION: BILLY BUTLER

The record for doubles in a season was set by Earl Webb in 1933 with 67. Among current major leaguers with five years or less experience, the most likely candidate to surpass that mark is the Royals Billy Butler.

Butler doesn’t discriminate against any one section of the baseball diamond. He hits from foul pole to foul pole, from gap to gap. Taking a look at his spray chart, here’s the breakdown of his 20 doubles (on pace for 49) thus far in 2010: five to LF, five to left center, two to CF, two to right center and six to RF. Butler hit 51 two base hits in 2009, and has 116 in 440 career games.

Kauffman Stadium is a spacious park (330, 375, 410, 375, 330) and very accommodating to an all-field hitter like Butler. He has power, but is more of a pure line drive hitter than a long fly ball guy. His legs are certainly not a strong suit, so he won’t be legging out many triples (three career).

Quite simply, Billy Butler was born to hit doubles, and all the confounding variables seem to be in his favor for a special run. 67 is a reach, but Todd Helton’s 59 (highest total since 1936) is not out of the realm of possibility.

Written by Adam Ganeles for thefantasyfix.com

HIGHEST STRIKEOUT RATIO PER 9: RANDY JOHNSON 13.4

PREDICTION: STEPHEN STRASBURG

In modern baseball, only Randy Johnson, Kerry Wood, and Pedro Martinez have averaged over 10K/9 for their career.  The single season mark is held by Randy Johnson’s 13.4 K/9 effort from 2001. 

In his first four starts, Stephen Strasburg has started off with a 14.6 K/9 rate.  So what if it’s so early into Strasburg’s career to begin speculating about how things will go, there is no reason to believe that he’s going to slow down. 75 of the 95 pitches he threw in his last start were strikes and through every level he’s kept his WHIP under one. 

He throws strikes at an amazing percentage and hitters can not put the ball in play, sounds like a recipe for Ks to me.

Written by James Weston for thefantasyfix.com

MOST HOME RUNS IN A MONTH: SAMMY SOSA 20

PREDICTION: RYAN HOWARD

Slamming Sammy holds the record but of course he played when taking steroids was the norm. The legitimate winner was Rudy York with 18 (1937) and runner-up Babe Ruth with 17 (1927).

Although off to a slower start this year, Ryan Howard is still a home-run machine. Howard only has 15 right now and has historically been a second half player, with not only better power numbers but a batting average 40 points higher. Even though there are plenty of other big sluggers out there, I feel Howard has the best chance for owning this record.

Since his first full season in 2006 he hasn’t hit less than 45 in a year. He’s hit over 10 in a month 11 times and reached a high of 14 in August ’06. Ryan Howard was born to hit souvenirs into the bleachers!

Written by Evan Marx for thefantasyfix.com

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A HIT BY A SWITCH-HITTER (AL only): JOSE OFFERMAN 27

PREDICTION: MARK TEIXEIRA

It’s difficult to find a record in baseball that doesn’t seem ridiculously out of reach. With the difficult task at hand, I have combed through the archives for one that may fall.  Something interesting jumped out at me while I was exploring current and past hitting streaks. 

As usual, after an April to forget Mark Teixeira is currently riding a nine game hitting streak.  Being a switch hitter you would think that a consecutive game hitting streak would be easier because one would be able to take advantage of favorable matchups. Especially in the AL where you get considerably more protection in the lineup because you don’t have to bat the pitcher. Apparently, this is where I was mistaken. 

Jose Offerman (known mostly for his chasing after pitchers with bats & punching umpires), currently holds the AL record for consecutive games with a hit as a switch hitter at 27 while playing with the Kansas City Royals in 1998. 

Nobody in baseball has a better chance to beat this record than Teixeira, who historically is a VERY streaky player. He is already 1/3 of the way there, and hitting in the Yankee lineup he will see plenty of good pitches. 

Mark has some great matchups the next 18 games as well with seven vs. Seattle, three vs. Toronto, three vs. Oakland, three vs. TB, two vs. LAA, & the recorder breaker home against KC where Offerman played when he set the current record. 

Hopefully, the layoff of the All Star Game doesn’t cool off his hot bat.

Written by Dan Pollak for thefantasyfix.com

MOST STRIKEOUTS IN A SEASON BY A BATTER (MARK REYNOLDS 223)

PREDICTION: MARK REYNOLDS

To me, the most likely record to be broken by a young player is strikeouts by a hitter in a single season.  Not a difficult to predict, you say, and you’d be right.  After all, its a record that has been broken four times in the past seven years.  But the tricky part is who will break it in the coming seasons. 

Will it be Mark Reynolds, who seems to have a lock on this record?  Or will it be Justin Upton, who has only seven fewer K’s this year? Or maybe even Ryan Howard, who set the record himself two years ago?  Or perhaps dark horse contenders Rickie Weeks and David Wright?

After much back-and-forth, I’m gonna have to be boring and stick with Reynolds.  The man strikes out so much – and is actually finding a way to do it more and more often – that its going to be virtually impossible for anyone to catch him.  I expect Reynolds to break it twice in the next four years and eventually lose playing time because of it – that strikeout rate is just not sustainable even if he does hit a ton of home runs.

GUEST WRITER

Jesse Mendelson, Partner and Senior Writer for www, fantasybaseball101.com ,has been playing fantasy baseball almost as long as Ron Shandler with a long history of both tremendous successes and spectacular flameouts. Be sure to follow Jesse’s writing on www.fantasybaseball101.com and on Twitter @fb101.

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