Kuzul

Any time you can follow one of the five best starters in the American League (Justin Verlander) with a guy who has averaged more than a strikeout per inning over his career (Max Scherzer), you’ve got the makings of a good rotation.  After that, though, the Tigers need some things to go their way to make it a successful season.

Following a disappointing 2008, Justin Verlander has turned in two consecutive great campaigns.  Traditionally sub-par in April, he has been phenomenal the rest of the time in both 2009 and 2010—posting 37 wins, 488 strikeouts in 464 innings, a 3.41 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a BAA of .237.  Simply put, Verlander is worthy of a third-round pick or an auction value commensurate with the best pitchers in the AL.

After Verlander, Max Scherzer takes the hill.  He has as much talent as anyone, and has 424 strikeouts in 422 career innings.  Last season, his first in the AL, Mad Max had an atrocious first half (6-6, 4.61 ERA and 1.37 WHIP) and a fantastic second half (2.47 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, though with a mediocre 6-5 record).  He certainly put it all together last season, and I think he’ll build on that this year.  Don’t let him slip too far—strikeouts like that don’t come around every day.

Like a lot of other teams, then come the question marks.  Brad Penny is their third starter, and could surprise some people…if he could only stay healthy.  He was downright poor the last time he was in the AL—with Boston, in 2009 where he posted a 5.61 ERA and 1.53 WHIP across 24 starts—but has pitched well since then. 

He had a great stretch run for the Giants in 2009 (4 wins, 2.59 ERA, WHIP under 1 and a .205 BAA), and then a good 2010 for the Cardinals, for the time that he was healthy.  If Penny can stay healthy, I think he could benefit tremendously from the Tigers’ spectacular bullpen, so I’d definitely throw a dollar or two his way on auction day.

Rick Porcello is next, and if you take out May 2009 (when he went 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA), he has been downright sub-par across the board.  He doesn’t miss bats (roughly half a strikeout per inning),  gives up a lot of hits (364 in 333 career innings), has a high BAA (.278) and has traditionally fared very poorly against good hitting teams. 

He was, however, the Tigers first-round pick in 2007, has shown promise and capability, and just turned 22 last month!  He’s not worth considering in mixed leagues, but is worth a late round pick in AL only, on potential alone.

The fifth starter is a bit up in the air.  Will they convert Phil Coke into a starter?  Though he does have great facial hair, and was excellent as a reliever last year, he was last a starter in 2008 in the minors and has started one game in the majors (on the last day of the season last year).  But since he could turn into a CJ Wilson-esque success story, and has that great bullpen behind him, he’s definitely worth a flyer in AL-only leagues.

There’s also Andy Oliver, another top prospect who had a taste of the show in 2010.  Unfortunately for him, that taste was a bit sour, as he went 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA and 1.77 WHIP.  He did, however, strike out 18 in 22 innings and had a BABIP of .348.  His ability to strike people out (he averaged nearly a strikeout per inning in the minors as well) and that BABIP that is bound to come down make him worthy of notice in AL-only leagues as well.

As for prospects, the Tigers don’t really have much on the horizon.  Jacob Turner is the only real top starting pitching prospect they have, and he’s only 19 and still in A.  For Dynasty leagues, he’s worth having on your radar.

If you liked this preview, you’ll love our all new 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! Get it here!

THE FANTASY FIX 2011 FANTASY BASEBALL DRAFT KIT IS NOW AVAILABLE – http://bit.ly/2011BBDraftKit

[Original Article Location]

Written by Jesse Mendelson exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com.

Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix, or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice, use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!

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Towards the end of the 2010 season the Detroit Tigers may have found their 2nd Baseman of the future. And with a name you’ll never forget, we introduce you to none other than Will Rhymes.

Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with The Fantasy Fix. I’m sure our readers would love to know a little bit more about yourself.

TFF: Did you play other sports growing up?

Rhymes: Not really, I focused on baseball from a young age.  I only played one year of organized sports other than baseball.  Somehow I made the middle school basketball team in 7th grade.  I was about 4‘10” and I would just run up the court and pass the ball to Emeka Okafor, who turns out is a pretty good basketball player.  I think I scored like ten points the whole year. I did foul out a lot; I was a tenacious defender.

TFF: Wow, Emeka Okafor? Sports stars always seem to gravitate towards each other even at a young age.

TFF: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?

Rhymes: That is a hard one for me.  I grew up a huge baseball fan, and I had a lot of guys I really liked and respected.  Honestly, I’ve always been a fan of the game first and of players second.  I liked Kenny Lofton a lot because he came up with the Astros and had a great career.  I also liked Roberto Alomar. He was just a really solid all-around player.  

TFF: So since you are from Houston, did you want to play for the Astros?

Rhymes: In college I just wanted to get drafted and get a chance.  Obviously playing for the Astros would have been great.  I went to a lot of games growing up, and playing in your hometown has to be amazing.  On the other hand it might be a pain because everyone you know would be asking for tickets all the time.

TFF: What did you major in at William & Mary? If baseball doesn’t work out long term, what would you want to do?

Rhymes: I majored in Biology.  I was thinking about medical school, if I had washed out of pro ball after a couple years I think that is what I would have done.  Now I have absolutely no idea what I would do.  I’ve considered myself a baseball player first all of my life… its hard to imagine not putting a uniform on everyday.

TFF: What was it like getting your first paycheck and seeing that many zeroes?

Rhymes: Awesome.

TFF: Damn straight. By the way can I borrow five bucks?
Rhymes: No.

TFF: What’s it like playing for one of the best coaches of all time, Jim Leyland?

Rhymes: It is great. He demands a lot and he expects the game to be played a certain way.  That being said, he is a good teacher, and really works well with young players. He gave me an opportunity to play in the big leagues and I am forever in his debt for that.

TFF: Is it hard being a relatively smaller player of your size (5’9″ 155 lbs)? What was the learning curve like once you made it to the Bigs?

Rhymes: The path to the big leagues is certainly harder if you are small, there are going to be a lot of obstacles.  But I don’t think being small makes it any harder to play the game.  People always talk about upside and potential.  The big leagues is about performance, not potential, so if you get there you are on a somewhat level playing field.  

There is a learning curve.  The competition is much better in the MLB than the minors. The pitchers have better stuff and there is a lot of depth.  The last couple guys in the bullpen are throwing 95 these days so you just have to learn to grind out every at bat. Consistency is what separates players, you have to win the mental games and be prepared and confident every day.

TFF: There’s an interesting story behind your first major league home run? First called a triple and then changed to a HR. So let’s hear it from your side.

Rhymes: I was facing Zack Greinke who had got me out the previous ten at bats or so, and I got a hold of one pretty good.  I thought it was gone off the bat but Comerica is big and the ball doesn’t travel a lot of the time so I knew it would be close.  Mitch Maier jumped up and tried to rob it, obstructing everyone’s view.  Turns out the ball hit off a railing just over the fence.  I am now a fan of the instant replay system, they overturned the call on the field and I got to jog home after short break on third.

It was awesome, the guys gave me the silent treatment in the dugout, I’ll never forget it.  Not surprisingly I was the first person to get his first homerun via instant replay.

Thanks Bud Selig.

TFF: What’s it like being the new guy in the clubhouse? Did the other players put you through hazing?

Rhymes: It is a little weird at first, you don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.  I knew most of the guys from spring training but I just tried to speak when spoken to.  Our veteran guys like Inge and Damon, really went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and settle in.  

Of course there is a little good natured hazing.  You have to bring drinks for the older guys on the buses and planes.  You have to take cabs to the visiting parks to beat the bus with the veterans.  For the main hazing event all the rookies had to dress up in ridiculous outfits in Chicago, that wasn’t pretty.  Well some of the guys were a little too pretty.

TFF: Part of me wants to know which of the guys were too pretty, but I think its better left alone.

TFF: Which guys on the team have you become the closest with?

Rhymes: We really have a pretty knit group, we are all friendly.  I hang out with a lot of the younger guys; Austin Jackson, Casper Wells, Brennan Boesch, Daniel Schlereth.  Also with Don Kelly and Ryan Raburn.

TFF: Speaking of friends, I hear you are close friends with Jeff Niemann? How do you know each other, how long?

Rhymes: Jeff is one of my best friends, and someone who has really helped me through the years.  We played on the same team from age 13 through high school.  We live in a kind of strange world, it is not quite the real world.  Unless you have played professionally you just don’t understand a lot of the stuff we go through.  So, it is good to have someone who has been through more or less the same things as you from a young age.  Plus he has good stories.    

TFF: Good stories huh? Well then Jeff will have to be our next interview.

TFF: Have you ever played Fantasy Baseball? If so, how did you do?

Rhymes: I haven’t, I’d probably be terrible.  I’d just pick my friends and people I like; probably not the best strategy.  I’ve kind of sworn off fantasy sports after witnessing the fantasy football draft and aftermath last year on the team plane.  These guys take it entirely too seriously, and it is all they talk about.  I’ve never seen baseball players read or do so much research.

TFF: Professional baseball players going nuts over Fantasy Football? Crazy! I suppose now is an appropriate time to promote our Quick Fix program for all you Tiger players/fans out there reading this. Just email us your question about baseball, football, basketball or hockey and we usually get back to you within 24 hours. Will – I think its safe to say we won’t be getting any emails from you.

TFF: You ran the bases a lot in the minors, can fantasy owners expect some swipes in 2011?

Rhymes: I hope so.  When you hit in front of Miguel Cabrera, one of the best hitters in the game, you can’t afford to run into an out.  I think I only had three attempts last year.  If I steal second and Miguel is coming up, they will walk him and that is not in the best interest of the team.  I’m going to run a lot in spring and try to show them that I can run effectively, but if I’m hitting in front of Miggy, I might as well chain myself to first base.  

TFF: What are your goals for this season? How about some stats projections…

Rhymes: My main goal for the season is to help the Tigers win.  If I can do that I really don’t care what my numbers are.  But since this is a fantasy site, I’d look at my numbers from AAA and the big leagues last year.  I think those are fairly representative of what I’ve done my whole career.  I usually hit around .300, steal 20-30 bags and hit a few homeruns.  I guess I’m not much of a fantasy player.  I got a couple teammates who are, Miggy and Victor are going to have huge years.   And if you can get Magglio he might go off as well.

TFF: Well The Fantasy Fix has faith in you to pop onto the fantasy radar, just like your teammates Brandon Boesch and Austin Jackson did last year.

A million thanks to you Will. I personally know you are a straight-up hard working guy and have no doubt that you will succeed in Detroit. And for all you fantasy nuts out there, keep a close eye on Mr. Rhymes this year.

Written by Evan Marx exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com

Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix

or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!

Read Some AL West 2011 Fantasy Baseball Pitching Previews:

Felix Hernandez & The Seattle Mariners

Jered Weaver & The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Trevor Cahill & The Oakland Athletics

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In preparation of the 2011 MLB Fantasy Baseball season, The Fantasy Fix team will preview a team’s pitching rotation each day.  

In his third pitching preview of the American League West, Chris Summers looks at the King, Felix Hernandez and his supporting cast.

Typically, when you write an article, you don’t encourage your readers to turn away, but the Seattle Mariners just look brutal on paper—if you are a Mariner fan, go to tmz.com and check on Charlie Sheen’s latest antics.  

There’s not a lot to like on the Mariners, aside from Felix Hernandez.  

First, they had a putrid offense last year, so putrid that it nearly cost Felix Hernandez the Cy Young because he had so few wins.  

Second, they really don’t have any big name starters, all are relatively unknown quantities.

The big detriment is the lack of runs, the Mariners scored 100 runs LESS than any team in the American league and looking at their projected lineup, I don’t see anything that will lead to a significantly result this season.  

The good news is “King” Felix Hernandez projects as one of the best fantasy starters in baseball.  

Felix lead all of the major leagues in ERA, second in strikeouts, fifth in WHIP, lowest OPS against, but he was nowhere near the top in wins. The culprit: He was DEAD LAST in run support, only receiving 3.75 runs per game on average.  

Think of it this way: Felix had an ERA of 2.27; Phil Hughes, the leader in run support at 9.6 runs per game, finished the season 18-8—just imagine Felix’s record with a couple more runs a game.  

King Felix will turn 25 about a week into the season, so the scary thing is he still has room to grow. He’s reduced his ERA each year he’s been in the league and improved his strikeout numbers each of the last three seasons.  

Simply stated: He’s a stud; he’ll be gone in the first couple of rounds of all fantasy drafts.

The bad news is the rest of the rotation leaves you saying “Um, and he is…?” The only recognizable name is Erik Bedard, so we’ll move onto him.

Well, he hasn’t pitched since July of 2009 and he’s had three shoulder injuries over the last three years, limiting him to 164 total innings, so he should be plenty rested.  

When healthy Berdard can be decent, unfortunately, his last serviceable year was in 2007. There was some optimism that he would be able to return last July, but he was subsequently shut down.

Based on his past history, you can’t count on a full season from him; at best, you are probably getting 15 serviceable starts. Buyer beware.

Jason Vargas quietly had a decent season; on a team that could score more runs, he probably would’ve been middle of the road.

He managed to have a 3.78 ERA, but his fifth worst run support left him with a 9-12 record. He does play at the pitcher friendly Safeco Field, plus he proved to be durable, but his strikeout totals are low, so even with more wins he’s not going to be a world beater.

I feel like a broken record, but Doug Fister suffered from the lack of Seattle run support. His ERA of 4.11 wasn’t terrible, he only issued 32 walks in 28 games, but he only strikes out one batter every other inning.  

There is no established fifth starter. David Pauley, a career minor leaguer looked solid over his last five starts of 2010, posting a 3.41 ERA. But as a career minor-leaguer, you can’t expect much from him this season.

Another possible fifth starter is Luke French, he made 13 starts last year and posted a 5-7 record with a 4.83 ERA; he didn’t strike anyone out and allowed an alarming number of home runs, so it won’t take much to knock him out of the fifth spot.

The most likely outcome is that some combination of Pauly and Fister keeps the fifth spot warm until midseason, when the Mariners will call up top pitching prospect Michael Pineda.

He finished last year in Triple-A, where he had 76 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings. He has a live arm that tops out at about 97 mph, while Seattle has little reason to rush him; they also have ample room in the rotation to let him grow up on the big league roster like Felix Hernandez before him.

He probably won’t start the season on the major league roster, but watch him as a waiver wire pick-up in midseason. 

There really isn’t too much to this Seattle rotation, obviously Felix is a stud and projects to finish in the top three of fantasy starters this year.

Aside from Felix, you aren’t drafting any Seattle starter, but monitor the waiver wires for Pineda and Bedard.

Article’s Original Location at TheFantasyFix.com

Written by Chris Summers exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com

Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!

Read more of Chris’ 2011 Fantasy Baseball Pitching Previews:

Jered Weaver & The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Trevor Cahill & The Oakland Athletics

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When thinking of pitching rotations with a lot of depth, the Phillies, Red Sox and Giants are—rightfully so—the first teams to come to mind. However, one could argue that the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation is underrated and belongs in that discussion.

The biggest distinction between the Dodgers and the other three teams may be the perceived lack of a true ace. We all know that the Phillies have two premier aces in Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, the Sox have Jon Lester, and the Giants have Tim Lincecum, but the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw has not yet achieved that true “ace” perception.

Is it time he should?

There is no doubt that Kershaw is an elite strikeout pitcher. In his first two full seasons, he struck out well over a batter per inning. His ability to miss that many bats (combined with a nice home ballpark for pitchers) has also helped him post an ERA under three in both seasons.  

Kershaw’s strikeout ability has even helped him post WHIP’s of 1.23 and 1.18 despite his habit of issuing walks. Where the walks have hurt his roto numbers is in the wins category. Obviously, walks lead to high pitch counts, and high pitch counts lead to early exits from the mound. As a result, Kershaw averaged only 5.2 innings per start in 2009 (eight wins) and 6.1 innings per start in 2010 (13 wins).  

As you can see, Kershaw won more games while pitching deeper into games last season, indicative of the significant drop in his walk rate. If the young pitcher continues to improve (as he should), he may be considered a no-doubt, top-ten, fantasy pitching ace by the All-Star break.  

Just in case he takes a turn away from becoming a Lester/Lincecum type towards being a Jonathan Sanchez type, I am heading into the season slightly cautious with Kershaw just outside my top-ten pitchers at no. 13.

The second starter in LA is also a guy who is probably underrated. Chad Billingsley was very impressive in 2008—his first full season as a starter—when he won 16 games with an ERA of 3.14 while posting a 9.01 K/9.  

Chad then “disappointed” in 2009 (12 W, 4.03 ERA, 8.21 K/9) and 2008 (12 W, 3.57 ERA, 8.03 K/9). However, he showed some positive signs last year by cutting down on the walks issued and having a FIP of 3.07.  

Maybe Billingsley’s first year was a bit of an overachievement, but you should not let what he was color your evaluation of what he now is.

This a guy that seems pretty sure to win at least 12 games, have an ERA in the mid-threes, keep the WHIP at or under 1.30, and be a very nice strikeout-producer. In my estimation, that type of certainty makes him a definite top-30 and borderline top-25 pitcher. It is likely he will be drafted a little lower than that and could be a very nice value on draft day.

Ted Lilly is another LA pitcher of whom you can know what to expect. From 2004-2006, Lilly struggled with his control, walking over four batters per nine innings in each of those years. However, Lilly seems to have found his command in the National League as he walked only 2.3 batters per nine innings over the last four seasons. Thanks to that, Lilly has become an excellent source of WHIP help for the fantasy baseball player with WHIP’s of 1.14, 1.23, 1.06, and 1.08. Combined with four straight K/9’s over 7.50, all these numbers make Lilly a reliable, top-40 starting pitcher.

The next guy in line for the Dodgers is another who may be underrated. In two and a half seasons (he missed time in 2009 due to an injury), Hiroki Kuroda has had a cumulative 3.60 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He is not a huge contributor in the K’s category, but he should chip in a K/9 somewhere between six and seven. Because he is a little older (36) and because he spent the majority of his career playing in Japan, Kuroda is not a very sexy option who is likely to be undervalued in many drafts. I would recommend treating Kuroda as a top-50 pitcher because he is a safe bet to help and not hurt in every category.

After the four guys who are usable in mixed leagues, Jon Garland is a pretty decent fifth starter who should be a decent NL-only play.  He is a solid innings-eater who consistently produces a four-ish ERA. He does not contribute much in the strikeout department and has the potential to be a bit of a WHIP liability, but Garland is still a reliable contributor for deeper leagues.

[Original Article Location]

Written by Brett Talley exclusively for http://www.thefantasyfix.com

Leave a comment and let us know, or hit us up on  Twitter @TheFantasyFix. Don’t forget to use our Quick Fix for any questions about your fantasy lineups or trades

Read More of Brett’s National League West Previews:

Mat Latos & the San Diego Padres

Daniel Hudson & the Arizona Diamondbacks

Ubaldo Jimenez & the Colorado Rockies

2011 Fantasy Baseball Great Debate: Mark Teixeira vs. Adrian Gonzalez

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In preparation of the 2011 MLB Fantasy Baseball season, The Fantasy Fix team will preview a team’s pitching rotation each day.

In this third National League West preview, Brett Talley examines Mat Latos and the San Diego Padres.

A quick look at the possible rotation of the 2011 San Diego Padres is pretty uninspiring, but thanks to the pitcher’s paradise that is Petco Park (alliteration!) several guys are worth a second look.

The most interesting name may be the newly acquired Aaron Harang.  While it is unlikely that Petco is going to bring back the 2005-2007 version of Harang (ERA in the high threes, 7-8 K/9, sub-1.30 WHIP), it could bring back the 2008-2009 version (ERA in the mid fours, 7.50ish K/9, 1.40 WHIP). 

At the very least, hopefully Petco will bring better than the 2010 version of Harang (5.32 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 6.61 K/9).  It would seem reasonable that the ballpark will bring his ERA back on the right side of five, but the K/9 and WHIP are something not aided by ballpark, and their improvement is solely up to Harang.  It might be worth a flier in an NL-only league to see if Harang has anything left.

Wade LeBlanc is kind of an uninspiring name despite being a former second round pick because he has never really had that “top prospect” status.  Even his numbers from his first season in the big leagues are fairly uninspiring: 8 wins (25 starts), 4.25 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 6.78 K/9. 

However, LeBlanc may have simply worn down in late August.  If you take out his final three starts (plus one late relief appearance) and look at the first 22 starts LeBlanc made, you get a 3.46 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and a 7.40 K/9. 

Assuming LeBlanc can develop in his second year and improve on his strikeout and walk rates, he could be a solid spot starter in mixed leagues (only when pitching at home, of course) and a reliable guy in NL-only leagues.

Clayton Richard is a more exciting name simply because he was a piece the Padres got back in exchange for sending Jake Peavy to Chicago.

 Continue Reading The Preview>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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In The Fantasy Fix’s newest series, 2011 Fantasy Baseball Great Debate, our writers discuss two positional players and try to convince you which player to pick first on draft day. In this article we compare the two second basemen, Dustin Pedroia and Dan Uggla.

Why to go with Uggla:

It’s difficult to find a player at any position who has been more consistent in the power department from year to year than Dan Uggla. In five full seasons, Uggla has averaged nearly 31 HR and 93 RBI. He put up these numbers playing half of his games in front of fans dressed as empty seats and hitting in a lineup with little to no protection. In fact, Uggla was the protection for the Marlins’ star player, Hanley Ramirez.  

In addition to his impressive power numbers, Uggla managed to post career highs in batting average (.287), on-base percentage (.369) and OPS (.877). This was all accomplished while playing in 159 games last season. In fact, he’s only missed a total of 34 games in five full seasons, proving to be quite durable.  

As for Pedroia, he missed 87 games last year and another 36 in his three previous full seasons. His highest power output was in ’08 when he hit 17 HR with 83 RBI.  Furthermore, Pedroia’s averages for the previous four seasons are 13 HR and 61 RBI.  

Pedroia does hold an edge over Uggla in the stolen bases category. Of course, at 5’ 11’ and 207 lbs., Uggla certainly is no threat on the base paths, posting a high of six stolen bases back in ’06. But then again, neither are most power hitters who bat in the middle of the lineup. 

In addition, Pedroia’s career batting average sits at .305 versus Uggla’s .263. However, last season they hit .288 and .287, respectively. Uggla’s increasing walk rate and OBP over the past few seasons suggest that he should be able to maintain a higher batting average.

Also, the move to Turner Field, where Uggla owns a career .354 average and a ridiculous OPS of 1.051 can only benefit him. As will hitting in a lineup with some “real” protection (McCann, Jones, Prado, Heyward and Freeman).

In summary, among all major league second basemen, Uggla was the leader in home runs, was second to only Robinson Cano (by four) in RBI, was sixth in BA, fourth in OBP and second in SLG% as well as OPS. This performance, on top of his impressive career track record, his durability and upside potential with the move to Turner Field, makes him the clear choice over Dustin Pedroia. 

Written exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com by Rosti Satanovsky

Why to go with Pedroia

Click To Continue Reading The Debate

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In preparation of the 2011 MLB Fantasy Baseball season, The Fantasy Fix team will preview a team’s pitching rotation each day. Jesse Mendelson’s third preview of the AL East features David Price and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Now this will be interesting. 

The Rays traded Matt Garza to the Cubs, opening a full-time rotation spot for Jeremy Hellickson, one of the best young prospects in baseball.  And he’s gonna be their fifth starter.  

David Price leads the way, and rightfully so.  A well-deserved second place in last year’s Cy Young voting, he was arguably the AL’s most consistent pitcher from April to September.

Pitching in a tight divisional race for most of the season, he finished 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, .221 BAA and nearly a K per inning.  And as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 Draft and his dominant turn as a closer in the 2008 postseason, you know the guy’s got talent.  

Those of you who had Price on your team last year probably got him cheap—which unfortunately for you won’t happen this year.  I rank him just below the top tier of Halladay/Lee/Sabathia/Lester, et al.

Right up front, I will admit that I am NOT a James Shields fan.  I think he is consistently overvalued from a very good 2008 campaign, but since then, virtually every statistic has gone the wrong way for him.  Wins haven’t changed, he’s lost more games, given up more hits, more earned runs and more homers. 

His ERA has gone up every year, as has his WHIP and BAA.  Plus, he turns 30-years-old later this year.  

Shields does have fairly good strikeout numbers, but I can’t recommend him for ownership—there are spot-starters you can get that will be better than Shields.

Click To Continue Reading The Preview>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Red Sox have one of the most solid rotations in baseball, both in terms of on-field quality and stability.  They have six major league-ready starters and, barring injury, not many of their prospects will see a start. 

Jon Lester is one of my favorite pitchers in baseball.  I’ve loved him since 2008, when I stupidly refused to trade Shawn Marcum for him, and made sure I drafted him in 2009 and 2010.  

I mean, what’s not to like? 

He’s improved every year, he strikes out a ton of hitters (more than a strikeout per inning in both 2009 and 2010), he wins (16, 15 and 19 wins over the past three years, he doesn’t get hurt (33, 32 and 32 starts the past three years) and he keeps his ERA and WHIP manageable and his BAA even better.  

He’s one of the first pitchers I’m taking this year—right in the same class as Halladay, Lee, Sabathia, etc.

John Lackey used to be one of my favorite pitchers in baseball.  I owned him for what felt like 10 straight years, including last year.  

But I can’t help but wonder if his best days are behind him.  

Yes, he pitching for the Red Sox probably means five extra wins per year, but considering he only won 14 last year, those wins are not enough to offset the fact that his ERA, WHIP, BAA and K/IP have all worsened since 2008.  

For a guy with a history of arm troubles and an age on the wrong side of 30 by a couple years, I say buyer beware.

Josh Beckett…

Click here to continue reading.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For a team with 70 or fewer wins in the last two seasons, the Arizona Diamondbacks actually have several useful fantasy players.  

The first of those players to come to mind for most people would be position players.  Guys like Justin Upton, Chris Young (still cannot believe he is useful again), Stephen Drew and Miguel Montero are all useful fantasy hitters.  

Also, the addition of J.J. Putz means 2011 will not be a constant closer guessing game in Arizona as it was in 2010 (at least until Putz gets hurt).  

However, Arizona’s rotation may be somewhat overlooked.  While their staff may not be among the league’s elite, there are certainly fantasy relevant guys in the rotation.

No matter what the depth chart on the D’Backs home page says, Joe Saunders is not the No. 1 starter on this team.  

Although Saunders won 17 games in 2008 and 16 games in 2009, he really was not that good and only accumulated four Wins Above Replacement (WAR) over those two seasons. 

Not exactly sure what that means?  Let me put it this way: Gavin Floyd had a 4.3 WAR last year with only 10 wins and a plus-4.00 ERA.  Saunders clearly benefited from playing on two AL West-winning Angels teams.  

Saunders’s ERA has been over 4.40 in all but one fluke season, and his career K/9 is 5.14.  As you can see, Saunders is no staff ace, but more like a third or fourth starter on a team with a very thin rotation.  He might be useful in deep NL-only leagues, but for where you will have to draft him to get him, you should probably avoid him altogether.

In my opinion, the true “ace” of the staff is Daniel Hudson. 

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As always, the Yankees have a chance to be really good this year.

Except for the minor problem that their No. 2 starter has only one year of starting experience in the majors, their No. 3 starter is probably the single most maddening starter in baseball, their No. 4 starter has seven major league starts to his credit and their No. 5 starter is either a guy who has never pitched in the majors or a guy who couldn’t hold the starting spot when it was handed to him last summer. 

Suffice it to say that if the Yankees win the World Series, it will defeat the adage that pitching wins championships.

CC Sabathia is where it all starts, and thankfully for the Yanks, this guy is awesome.  One of baseball’s most consistent pitchers, he hasn’t won fewer than 17 games since 2006 (and even then he had 3.22 ERA and 1.17 WHIP), strikes out a ton of guys, keeps his WHIP super low and he never gets hurt.  For my money, he’s in the top 3 or starters in baseball. 

I don’t believe in picking pitchers in the first round, but he’s a guy to target very high.

Phil Hughes is the aforementioned No. 2 starter with a year’s worth of full-time starting under his belt.

He’s got filthy stuff and throws as hard as anyone around, but I am definitely concerned about his 2010 trajectory.  

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