Tag: Fantasy

MLB Fantasy Baseball Box Score Breakouts: April 16

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

Texas Rangers @ New York Yankees

Andruw Jones went two-for-three. David Murphy went two-for-four. Freddy Garcia gave up two hits in six scoreless innings to improve to 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA.

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Cincinnati Reds

Jonny Gomes went two-for-four with two home runs (five) and three RBI (13). Juan Francisco went two-for-five with a run and an RBI. Ramon Hernandez went three-for-four with a Grand Slam. Ryan Doumit and Garrett Jones each had two hits for the Pirates. Mike Leake gave up two runs on four hits in six innings for the win.

Seattle Mariners @ Kansas City Royals

Alex Gordon went three-for-four with three runs and two RBI (11). Mike Aviles went two-for-four with three RBI (10). Jack Cust and Luis Rodriguez each had two hits for the M’s. Sean O’Sullivan threw five scoreless innings for the win.

Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox

Jed Lowrie went three-for-five with two runs, a homer and two RBI. Mike Cameron went two-for-four.

Baltimore Orioles @ Cleveland Indians

Travis Hafner went three-for-four with two runs. Orlando Cabrera went two-for-four with three runs, a homer and four RBI. Matt LaPorta went two-for-four with two runs. Jake Fox went two-for-four with two runs and a home run. Robert Andino went two-for-three. Josh Tomlin gave up two runs in six innings to improve to 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA.

New York Mets @ Atlanta Braves (Game One)

Alex Gonzalez hit a pair of home runs. Derek Lowe gave up two runs in six innings to improve to 2-2 with a 1.82 ERA.

New York Mets @ Atlanta Braves (Game Two)

Martin Prado went two-for-four with two runs and a stolen base. Chipper Jones went two-for-three with a run and an RBI (12). Eric Hinske went three-for-four with an RBI. Jair Jurrjens gave up two hits in seven scoreless innings to win his season debut.

Minnesota Twins @ Tampa Bay Rays

Matt Joyce went two-for-four with an RBI. John Jaso went two-for-four. Jason Kubel went two-for-three with a home run. Scott Baker gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts in seven innings, but his bullpen let him down.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Chicago White Sox

Maicer Izturis went three-for-five with a run to raise his average to .357. Tyler Chatwood gave up one run on five hits in seven innings for the win.

San Diego Padres @ Houston Astros

Chris Johnson went one-for-three with two runs, a home run and two RBI. Chase Headley went two-for-four with a run and two RBI. Rob Johnson went three-for-four.

San Francisco Giants @ Arizona Diamondbacks

Aaron Rowand went three-for-four with two runs to raise his average to .359. Freddy Sanchez is hitting .308 after going two-for-four with three RBI.

Chicago Cubs @ Colorado Rockies

Darwin Barney went two-for-five with a run and an RBI. Chris Iannetta hit a two-run homer. Casey Coleman gave up one run in 5.2 innings for the win.

Detroit Tigers @ Oakland A’s

David DeJesus went two-for-three with a run. Hideki Matsui went two-for-four with a run and an RBI. Dallas Braden gave up one unearned run in five innings for the win.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Ryan Theriot went three-for-five with a run and RBI. Allen Craig went three-for-four with two runs, a home run, three RBI and a stolen base. David Freese had two RBI. Kyle McClellan gave up one run on six hits in seven innings to improve to 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA.

Also check out:

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MLB Fantasy Baseball Box Score Breakouts – 4/15/11

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

Baltimore Orioles @ Cleveland Indians

Michael Brantley went two for three with two runs to raise his average to .333. Asdrubal Cabrera is up to 14 RBI on the year after going two for four with four RBI.

Travis Hafner went one for two with a home run and two RBI. Matt LaPorta went two for three with a run. Adan Everett went two for four with two runs.

Derrek Lee went two for three with a run. Justin Masterson gave up one run on four hits in seven innings to improve to 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA.

Minnesota Twins @ Tampa Bay Rays

Sam Fuld went three for four with a run to raise  his average to .366. Johnny Damon drove in a pair of runs. Matt Joyce went three for four.

Felipe Lopez went two for four. Wade Davis gave up one run on four hits in seven innings to improve to 1-2 with a 3.26 ERA.

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Cincinnati Reds

Jose Tabata went four for five with a run and his seventh stolen base. Lyle Overbay went two for four with two runs and an RBI. Garrett Jones went two for three with a home run.

Chris Snyder went three for five with two RBI. Charlie Morton threw a complete game allowing just one run on five hits to improve to 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.

Florida Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies

Logan Morrison went two for four with two runs and a homer. Raul Ibanez went two for four with two RBI.

Texas Rangers @ New York Yankees

Matt Harrison gave up one earned run in eight innings to improve to 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA
.

Milwaukee Brewers @ Washington Nationals

Wilson Ramos and Michael Morse each went two for three with a run. Tom Gorzelanny gave up two runs on five hits in six innings, but got a no-decision.

San Diego Padres @ Houston Astros

Chris Denorfia went two for three with two runs and a homer. Ryan Ludwick drove in two runs. Brett Wallace went two for four. Aaron Harang gave up one run on three hits with eight strikeouts to improve to 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA.

Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox

Corey Patterson drove in two runs. Jayson Nix scored two runs. Marco Scutaro drove in a pair of runs.

Seattle Mariners @ Kansas City Royals

Jeff Francoeur went three for four with two runs, a home run, and three RBI. Luke Hochevar gave up one run on one hit in seven innings to improve to 2-1 with a 4.21 ERA.

Chicago Cubs @ Colorado Rockies

Todd Helton went two for four with a run and an RBI. He’s hitting .364. Chris Iannetta had three RBI. Jhoulys Chacin’s shutout was the story.

San Francisco Giants @ Arizona Diamondbacks

Freddy Sanchez went two for five with a run. Miguel Tejada went two for four with an RBI. Willie Bloomquist drove in two runs and swiped his seventh base.

Detroit Tigers @ Oakland A’s

Brennan Boesch went three for five with a run and two RBI. Alex Avila went two for five with a run and an RBI. Daric Barton went two for five. David DeJesus went three for five with three RBI. Kurt Suzuki went three for four with a run.

Cliff Pennington went two for four. Rick Porcello gave up one run in six innings. Brandon McCarthy struck out seven in 6-2/3 scoreless innings. Neither starter factored into the decision.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers

David Freese went three for five with two runs. Yadier Molina went four for four with a run. Kyle Lohse gave up two runs with six strikeouts in 7-1/3 innings for the win. He’s 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA.

Also check out today’s streaming pitcher option.

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MLB Fantasy Baseball Free Agent Pool: 2011 Run Scorers Vol. 1

Off to a slow start in the run category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out.

Dexter Fowler, Colorado Rockies

Fowler is among the league leaders with 12 runs scored. He’s hitting .280 with five RBI and two stolen bases. He continues to struggle against right-handed pitching (.256 batting average), but all of his walks have come against righties bringing his on-base percentage to .348 against them. As long as he is hitting at the top of the Rockies potent lineup, he should continue to score plenty of runs. Dexter is owned in 37 percent of Yahoo! and 49.3 percent of ESPN leagues.

Angel Sanchez, Houston Astros

Sanchez has scored 11 runs on the year. He’s also hitting .353 with a home run, eight RBI and a stolen base. He’s locked into the number two slot in the order behind Michael Bourn and in front of Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee, which is a good spot to accumulate runs. He has some positional flexibility with his 2B/ss eligibility. Angel is owned in 43 percent of Yahoo! and 32.5 percent of ESPN leagues.

Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers

Boesch has scored 10 runs on the year while hitting .282 with a home run, seven RBI and two stolen bases. Brennan is owned in 23 percent of Yahoo! and 26.5 percent of ESPN leagues.

Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs

Byrd is off to a fast start hitting .353 with 10 runs and four RBI. He’s murdering right-handed pitching hitting .400 with a .918 OPS. He’s scored 84 runs last year and is a decent bet to improve his RBI total hitting third in the Cubs’ lineup. Marlon is owned in about 40 percent of fantasy leagues.

Melky Cabrera, Kansas City Royals

Cabrera has gone 14-for-41 (.341) in his past eight games to raise his average to .300. He’s scored all eight of his runs in his past nine games. Melky is hitting .303 against righties and .261 against lefties. The Royals No. 2 hitter is owned in eight percent of Yahoo! and 10.2 percent of ESPN leagues.

Chris Coghlan, Florida Marlins

Coghlan is 13-for-35 (.371) in his past eight games to raise his average to .288. He’s scored all eight of his runs during that stretch. Coghlan has hit one home run and driven in five runs. The Marlins’ leadoff hitter is owned in 10 percent of Yahoo! and 67.6 percent of ESPN leagues.

Coco Crisp, Oakland A’s

Crisp has also scored eight runs on the year while hitting .229 with two RBI and five stolen bases. He’s a lifetime .276 hitter so look for his average to improve. The biggest concern continues to be his health, as he has already experienced back tightness, but play him while you can. Coco is owned in 40 percent of Yahoo! and 50.9 percent of ESPN leagues.

Jeff Francoeur, Kansas City Royals

Francoeur is hitting .294 with eight runs, a homer, eight RBI and a stolen base for the surprising Royals. He’s crushing lefties (.368 average) and holding his own against righties (.265). Jeff is owned in eight percent of Yahoo! and 10 percent of ESPN leagues.

Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies

Need a replacement for Joe Mauer? Ruiz is only owned in 48 percent of Yahoo! and 27.9 percent of ESPN leagues. He’s hitting .351 with eight runs, two HRs and eight RBI.

Josh Willingham, Oakland A’s

Willingham has scored eight runs while hitting .222 with three home runs, seven RBI and a stolen base. Oakland’s cleanup hitter is owned in 20 percent of Yahoo! and 15.9 percent of ESPN leagues.

Wilson Valdez, Philadelphia Phillies

Valdez is holding his own filling in for Chase Utley. He’s hitting .351 with eight runs, five RBI and a stolen base. Wilson is owned in seven percent of Yahoo! and 10.8 percent of ESPN leagues.

Also check out:

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Fantasy Baseball Around the Majors, April 14: Gio Gonzalez, Cliff Lee and More

It was another great day around the league, so let’s take a look at all the stories from yesterday’s games.

 

Gio the Great…

Gio Gonzalez tossed 6.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits with six K, so it had to be a good start, right? Well, that’s not really accurate, as he walked six batters. Yes, the results have been there with a 0.47 ERA (one ER over 19.0 IP), but he’s already walked 12 batters on the year. Consider these numbers:

  • He had a career minor league BB/9 of 4.01.
  • He entered 2011 with a BB/9 of 4.67 in over 333 innings of work in the majors.

Can he continue to work into and out of trouble? Right now he is sporting a strand rate of 100 percent, so clearly we know something is going to give, sooner or later. He also has a BABIP of .212, another number that is going to regress significantly.

Gonzalez entered the year with a lot of hype, and thus far his numbers look like he is backing it up. Considering the underlying metrics, things are going to catch up to him sooner or later. Now is probably the perfect time to cut bait and get a huge payoff for your draft-day gamble, don’t you think?

 

Other Notes

  • It was an amazing four-game series for Troy Tulowitzki in Citi Field, wouldn’t you say? In yesterday’s doubleheader he went 5-for-8 with two HR, two RBI and two R. Over the course of the four days he went 10-for-16 with four HR, eight RBI and five R. Is anyone doubting him as one of the elite now? He already has seven HR on the year and looks to be picking up right where he left off in September of 2010.
  • Jose Reyes went 3-for-9 with one HR, one RBI, one R and one SB in yesterday’s doubleheader. He is now on a 12-game hitting streak, going 20-for-57 with one HR, five RBI, nine R and four SB. He certainly appears primed to cash in on his contract year, wouldn’t you say?
  • The Twins entered the ninth inning with a 2-0 lead, only to see Joe Nathan implode and allow two ER on two H and one BB, striking out none. Lucky for them the game was only tied, and they still had a secondary closer just in case they took the lead. That’s what happened in the top of 10th, as the Twins went up 3-2. Of course, Matt Capps just couldn’t hold it, allowing a two-run home run to Johnny Damon (1-for-5, one HR, two RBI, one R). It’s almost unbelievable, isn’t it?
  • The retirement of Manny Ramirez has brought Sam Fuld into fantasy relevance. He went 2-for-5 with one R and one SB yesterday, putting him at .324 with one HR, four RBI, six R and seven SB. In 696 AB at Triple-A between ’09 and ’10 he had 44 SB. Over his minor-league career (2,281 AB) he hit .285. It certainly appears that he’s playing a bit over his head, so you certainly should enjoy his success while you can.
  • Randy Wolf had a tremendous start, tossing 6.2 shutout innings, allowing just three H and two BB and striking out 10. After a terrible first start (six ER, 10 H, two BB over 4.0 IP), he certainly has turned things around. Then again, his next start comes against Cliff Lee in Philadelphia. Still, he should be a solid option in all formats.
  • The poor start his last time out should be a distant memory, as Cliff Lee returned to dominance. He went the distance, allowing three H and one BB, striking out 12, in a complete-game shutout. That’s already two double-digit strikeout performances on the season. Is anyone complaining?
  • Jordan Zimmermann pitched well, allowing four R (one earned) on five H and no BB, striking out four, over 7.0 IP. He hasn’t offered much in strikeouts (10 K in 18.1 IP), but he is sporting a 2.45 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. In deeper formats, he’s a good play.
  • Phil Hughes was better this time out, but that doesn’t mean he was good. He allowed five ER on seven H and no BB, striking out two, over 4.1 innings. The sad thing is that this was arguably his best start of the year. For someone who we were leaning on for Ks, Hughes has three K in 10.1 innings to open the year. I was wary after the first two starts, but at this point he should be nowhere near starting lineups. His velocity remains down, and it clearly is affecting the results. Keep him on your bench until he proves worthy of being in your starting lineup.
  • With just two hits in his previous six games, Nick Markakis was certainly struggling. He woke up in a big way against Hughes and the Yankees yesterday, going 3-for-5 with one HR, three RBI and two R. He is looking a lot more like the player he was from 2007-2009 than the down 2010.
  • Can Wilson Betemit keep Mike Moustakas down in the minors? Moustakas’ slow start certainly will play a role, but Betemit is currently playing his part as well. After going 1-for-2 with one HR, two RBI and one R yesterday, he has an eight-game hitting streak (12-for-29 with one HR, seven RBI, seven R and two SB). It’s not going to last, but at a shallow position he is a good play while he’s hot (either as an injury replacement or a corner infielder). Be ready to move on, though, as you know the Royals are.
  • Ricky Nolasco got off to about as bad of a start as anyone possibly can, wouldn’t you say? The first four batters all got hits, and all scored. That’s right: Capped off by a Brian McCann three-run home run (2-for-4, one HR, three RBI, one R), Nolasco had allowed four ER without getting an out. Clearly, anyone watching live stats was not too pleased. He settled down, finishing the day with a line of 5.0 IP, five ER, six H, one BB and four K, but the damage was done. He’s always been a frustratingly up-and-down pitcher, so we have to take the good with the bad. His next start comes against the Pirates, and you would expect a bounce-back from him.
  • Dan Uggla went 1-for-4 with one HR, one RBI and one R. Well, at least he hit a long ball, right? On the young season he’s hitting .160 with three HR, three RBI and three R. That’s right—the only way he’s either scored or driven in a run is on solo home runs. Sooner or later he’s bound to get going, so don’t hit the panic button quite yet.
  • Was it a pitching duel between Dustin Moseley (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 1 K) and Bud Norris (6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 K, W), or was it two anemic offenses looking awful? Either way, both pitchers looked good. Norris does have potential as a low-end option of strikeouts, and so far he’s matching that billing with 20 K over 16.0 IP. While he does have a 5.06 ERA, his WHIP is just 1.19. His next start comes against the Mets in Citi Field, and those in deeper formats can consider taking a flier on him.
  • It was a non-save situation for Ryan Franklin, but you still can’t like seeing him give up a home run in his only inning of work. Of course, it did lower his ERA to 9.64, but what does that say? It remains to be seen who the Cardinals go to with the game on the line at this point.
  • Albert Pujols went 1-for-5 with one HR, one RBI and two R, just his second home run of the year. He’s now on a modest four-game hitting streak with one HR, three RBI and six R over that stretch. You knew it was just a matter of time.
  • Matt Kemp went 3-for-5 with one HR, two RBI, two R and one SB. On the year he’s hitting .444 with two HR, eight RBI, 11 R and eight SB. Is there anything to saw but “WOW!” Clearly, he is over his ’10 struggles, though sooner or later he has to hit a slow period…doesn’t he?

Make sure to check out these other great articles from Rotoprofessor:

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM.

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MLB Fantasy Baseball Box Score Breakouts – 4/14/11

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

Colorado Rockies @ New York Mets (Game One)
Dexter Fowler went two for five. Jose Morales went two for three with a run and two RBI. Scott Hairston went two for four with a home run and three RBI. Josh Thole went two for four.

Colorado Rockies @ New York Mets (Game Two)
Dexter Fowler went two for five with two runs and two RBI. Jonathan Herrera went two for five with a three-run homer. Todd Helton went three for five with a run.

Philadelphia Phillies @ Washington Nationals
Carlos Ruiz went two for four with two runs and a homer. Obviously Cliff Lee’s 12 strikeout shutout was the story.

Minnesota Twins @ Tampa Bay Rays
Sam Fuld went two for five with a run and his seventh stolen base. Johnny Damon hit the game-winning two-run homer. Matt Joyce went three for four with two RBI. Jim Thome went two for five with a run. Danny Valencia went three for four with an RBI. Carl Pavano gave up four hits with seven strikeouts in eight scoreless innings, but got a no-decision.

Milwaukee Brewers @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Randy Wolf struck out ten in 6-2/3 scoreless three-hit innings to earn the win. Paul Maholm gave up two runs on four hits with six strikeouts in seven innings, but took the loss.

Florida Marlins @ Atlanta Braves
Chris Coghlan remained hot going two for four with a run. Gaby Sanchez went two for five with two runs and a homer.

Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees
Cesar Izturis went two for four with two runs.

San Diego Padres @ Houston Astros
Matt Downs went two for three. Humberto Quintero went two for three with a run. This one was about pitching though. Bud Norris gave up two hits with seven strikeouts in six scoreless innings for the win. Dustin Moseley took the loss despite allowing just one run in 6-2/3 innings. He’s 0-3, but has an ERA of 1.83.

Seattle Mariners @ Kansas City Royals
Melky Cabrera went two for four to raise his average to .300. Alex Gordon went one for three with a run and two RBI. Wilson Betemit hit a two-run homer. Bruce Chen went the distance before the game was called allowing one unearned run in eight innings. He’s 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA.

Detroit Tigers @ Oakland A’s
Ramon Santiago went two for three with a run and an RBI to raise his average to .294. Conor Jackson is hitting .292 after going two for four. Phil Coke allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings for the win. He’s 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA. Gio Gonzalez gave up two hits with six strikeouts in six scoreless innings. Unfortunately he also walked six batters.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryan Theriot went two for five with an RBI to raise his average to .314. Lance Berkman continues to swing a hot stick. He’s hitting .311 after going two for four with two runs. Yadier Molina went two for four with two RBI. Jamey Carroll went three for five with two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base.

Also check out today’s streaming pitching option.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Working the Wire: Seattle Mariner Starting Pitcher Michael Pineda

The Seattle Mariners boast one of the best young arms in the American League. A flame-throwing pitcher who possesses a knee-buckling slider, an excellent changeup and a blazing fastball that has been clocked in the triple digits. No, I am not referring to reigning AL CY Young winner Felix Hernandez, but rather rookie sensation Michael Pineda. 

With just two starts under his belt this season, it may be premature to anoint Pineda as the Robin to King Felix’s Batman. After all, the 21-year-old Dominican prospect has just one major league win under his belt and has yet to experience the grind of a full major league season. Only time tell if young Pineda has the focus and moxie required to succeed in the pressure-filled major leagues.

Until that time comes, Pineda is certainly worth a waiver wire pick in all fantasy baseball formats. His 11 strikeouts and 2.70 ERA over his first two big league starts provide a small sample size of evidence that he will be an above average strikeout pitcher, and his spot at the bottom of the Mariner rotation ensures that he will pitch in favorable match ups against opponents’ lower tier starters. 

Pineda is available in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues; a number that will certainly change when owners review his excellent performance on Tuesday against the Blue Jays. I recommend picking him up before he becomes a well-known commodity in fantasy circles.

This article was originally published on www.kramericasports.com, the home of free fantasy baseball news, rankings and advice.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice: Players to Sell High and Buy Low

In fantasy baseball, there are two ways fantasy owners can improve their team: waiver wire and executing trades.

Both types of transactions compliment each other because a manager could add a player and they can use this player as bait to pull off a fantastic trade.

An intelligent fantasy owner will know when it is the best time to sell high on a particular player who is playing above their capabilities because eventually these players will lose their value once their production begins to dwindle.

To the contrary, a fantasy owner must trade for star players whose stock is extremely low, and they should jump on the chance of buying this player at dirt cheap before they start to play at their consistent level.

Trades are crucial transactions that can make a difference between a championship team and a mediocre team.

Below are the players every fantasy owner should sell high on and buy low on before it is too late.

 

SELL EM’ HIGH

  • Alfonso Soriano Chicago Cubs OF:  In the past, April has not been a very kind month for Soriano.  However, he is off to a surprisingly hot start with four home runs and ten runs batted in during the early part of a very long season.  It is a positive sign Soriano is hitting the ball great, but keep in mind, it’s a very long season.  Sure Soriano will hit twenty to thirty home runs, but that is all he will do for you. His batting average will hover around .250 all season and he will not drive in over 80 runs for your team.  The last time he did so was back in 2006, when he drove in 96 runs with the Washington Nationals.  I have heard many people exclaiming, “This is the year where Soriano will be healthy.”  Yeah, and pigs can fly, too. 

 

  • Jeremy Guthrie Baltimore Orioles SP: Who is this guy?  It can’t be the same guy who lost 14 games last season and 17 the year before. Trust me, it’s still the same guy.  Trade him before his minuscule ERA of 0.64 skyrockets and his true identity is finally revealed.

 

  • Brian Roberts Baltimore Orioles 2B:  Roberts is currently hitting .214, but he still has a respectable line of three home runs while driving in ten runs.  However, everything is not what it seems when it comes to Brian Roberts.  Shouldn’t we have all learned the mistake of trusting Roberts in the past?  He has his health right now, and you should trade him while he does.

 

  • Lance Berkman St. Louis Cardinals RF: Berkman is on an absolute tear right now with four home runs and eleven runs batted in.  I’m a strong believer in Berkman this season, especially with him playing everyday.  However, his value is too high right now to not try to use him for a trade to see what you can get in return for him. 

 

  • Howie Kendrick Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2B: Would you have believed it if I told you Kendrick has already belted four home runs on the season, when he had only 10 all of last season?  Would you believe it Kendrick has more home runs than Albert Pujols, Carl Crawford, Vernon Wells, Adam Dunn, Vladimir Guerrero, and Carlos Gonzalez combined?  Would you believe it if I told you in his career he has hit just thirty six home runs, but he is on a pace to hit 54 home runs this year?  It’s hard to believe these numbers and I had to check these stats numerous times to make sure I was not dreaming. Kendrick has the potential to breakout every year, but he has the potential to break your heart with his annual injuries.  

 

BUY EM’ LOW

  • The Entire Boston Red Sox Team?: To say the Red Sox are under-performing is an understatement. A team that is filled with so much talent should eventually turn it around, but for fantasy baseball owners, some do not have the luxury to wait around until they do. I’m pretty sure there is an impatient owner with either Carl Crawford, Clay Buchholz, Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez, or Jacoby Ellsbury on their roster, and they are longing to get rid of their frustration from these players because of their early struggles.

 

  • Vladimir Guerrero Baltimore Orioles DH: Many felt Guerrero would benefit from playing in Baltimore everyday as the designated hitter because there was a less of a risk of him encountering an injury. This theory has been refuted thus far as Guerrero’s offense has been non-existent in Baltimore.  Do not expect this trend to continue for Guerrero who had put up monster numbers last season for the Texas Rangers.  As soon as he adjusts to his new environment, he will fit in just nicely. Trade for him before he starts to heats up.

 

  • Hanley Ramirez Florida Marlins SS:  Ramirez has struggled mightily in the early part of the season hitting just .182 with zero home runs and with only two runs batted in.  Things did not get any easier for those who own Ramirez as he missed most of last week because a leg bruise.  Ramirez is too talented to continue to play at this level. Just don’t let the person you are trading with know that, too. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Fantasy Baseball: Jed Lowrie Makes for an Intriguing Watch List Candidate

Chances are, if you’re a committed fantasy manager, you have at least one team where you’re not particularly happy with the standing of your middle infield. 

The depth and injury questions that characterize the upper tiers of both second base and shortstop provide a perplexing issue for fantasy managers.

For those of us who opt out of overpaying for big names, finding consistent production—especially in deeper leagues—can be an problem.

So, when a guy comes along with the potential for high impact and eligibility at both shortstop and second base, it’s good to take notice. Jed Lowrie fits that description, and he’s available in just four percent of Yahoo leagues and 0.9 percent of ESPN leagues.

Much of Lowrie’s fantasy relevancy stems from the stellar end to his 2010 campaign. After struggling with injury for most of his first two seasons in the bigs, Lowrie was finally healthy last season.

He became a regular in the much-maligned Red Sox infield over the final two months of 2010, and he put up some rather gaudy numbers, albeit in a small sample size:

Lowrie 2010: 55 G, 197 PA, 9 HR, 31 R, 24 RBI, 1 SB, .287/.381/.526 slash line, 12.7% BB rate, .240 ISO, .393 wOBA, 143 wRC+.

Lowrie suffered from a wrist injury for a good chunk of his first two seasons in the bigs (2008-09), and as a result, his power was almost non-existent. He struggled to drive the ball, hitting just four HR in 382 PA’s, a 1.1 HR percent.

But last year, Lowrie showed the ability to drive the ball, an indication that he was no longer hindered by his wrist problems. His nine home runs in 197 plate appearances translates to a 4.6 HR percent.

The caveat with Lowrie, however, is the incumbent shortstop, Marco Scutaro, who—at least for now—has the starting gig. After a breakout 2009, Scutaro returned to form with a less-than-stellar not-quite-terrible 2010:

Scutaro 2010: 150 G, 695 PA, 11 HR, 92 R, 56 RBI,5 SB, .275/.333/.388 slash line, 7.6% BB rate, .112 ISO, .319 wOBA, 93 wRC+.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who thought Lowrie deserved more of shot to win the starting job than he got this Spring. Little separates them defensively and it doesn’t take advanced statistical analysis to discern that Scutaro’s ceiling lies much lower than Lowrie’s.

But Red Sox manager Terry Francona is a “Scutaro guy.” In a season which the team had issues just getting players onto the field, Scutty gave them 150 games (second highest on team) and 695 PA (highest on team), despite suffering through a myriad of injuries for most of the season.

So, at least for now, Lowrie is on the fringe. Currently, he’s serving as the teams super-utility infielder, and he’s managed to get himself at least one at bat in seven of the team’s eleven games thus far.

He’s regularly splitting time between first, second, third and short, and he’s made two starts at short and one at third already.

But Lowrie is also 7-16 (.438) to start the season, one of the few hot bats on a Red Sox team that has stumbled to a 2-9 start and a .230 team average.

Scutaro, on the other hand, is 5-29 (.172), one of the five regulars hitting below the Mendoza line.

Even before the season started, there was speculation that Lowrie could seize the starting job from Scutaro. Now, with the team’s slow start, those voices have only grown in magnitude.

It’s become apparent that Lowrie, when playing to his fullest ability, is the better player by a significant margin.

Lowrie offers the Red Sox a number of advantages over Scutaro. His plate discipline is the real deal; Scutaro has a career OBP of .336. He’s a switch hitter capable of hitting anywhere in the order; Scutaro only operates as a number 8-9, or a number 1 hitter.

He’s a line-drive/flyball hitter who could be a doubles machine if given a full seasons worth of at bats, and who appears to have average-moderate power; Scutaro is mostly a singles hitter with below average power.

Perhaps most importantly, a Lowrie-Scutaro flip wouldn’t drastically alter the dynamic of the team. Lowrie could continue to fulfill his “utility” role—in the sense that he can continue to play various positions when the Red Sox shake up the lineup—while starting the majority of his games at short.

Marco Scutaro has spent the majority of his career as a utility man, and he can backup the shortstop and second base position more than adequately.

 

Recommendation:

At this point, Lowrie is worth a speculative add in deep mixed leagues and AL only formats.

In shallower mixed leagues, he should be at the top of your watch list. The Red Sox haven’t given any indication that they intend to make Lowrie the full time starter, but it seems illogical to keep the player with a great deal of upside on the bench, especially when he’s outperforming the starter.

If Lowrie were to suddenly find himself with a starting job, consider him a must-own in all formats.

Lowrie would likely bat anywhere from 6-8 in a starting role, although he could move up to the fifth spot if the Sox sit David Ortiz against a tough lefty.

He’ll likely have on base machines like Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Gonzalez hitting not too far in front of him, so the chance for RBI will be there even if he’s batting lower in the order.

Position eligibility is also something to consider. He’s already qualified at second and short; he could end up with third and even first base eligibility before the season is out.

 

Dan is a Boston Red Sox featured columnist and a baseball fanatic. You can follow him on twitter @dantheman_06.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


What to Make of Lance Berkman’s Power Surge in Arizona

Lance Berkman has shown the rest of baseball that he still has some life left in his bat during the Cardinals last few games in Arizona. Berkman had been struggling heading into Arizona with a .214/.290/.286 line with zero home runs.

Berkman had an incredible three games in Arizona, and coming into today’s off day, he has a line of .293/.356/.634 with four home runs. Berkman had one home run in his 123 plate appearances for the Yankees.

The real question remains whether Berkman went to the well for one last surge, or can Berkman return to numbers he put up in the last decade? 

There is some evidence in favor of comeback season for Lance. Berkman’s first week struggles were influenced by some bad luck. Overall, his season BABIP sits at .258 (the average is currently at .293), and his strikeout numbers (17 percent) and walk numbers (10 percent) were pretty solid before heading to Arizona.

Berkman’s batted ball numbers have been better during the first two weeks of this season. He is back to a lower groundball rate at 43 percent after a career high of 47.6 percent in 2010. Berkman has also been hitting the ball relatively hard with a 25 percent line drive rate.  

Looking at video of Berkman’s at-bats during the series, it is obvious that he found his power stroke to left and left-center field as a left-handed batter. Berkman’s power as a left-handed hitter has always been to that direction.

His most impressive home run was his opposite field grand slam on a 91 mph fastball on the outside corner from Ian Kennedy. Three of his four home runs came on fastballs that were hit to the opposite field, and the other came on a slider that was lined to right field.  

Berkman’s case becomes murky mostly because of where and against whom Berkman had his tremendous three games. Arizona’s Chase Field, like Coors Field or the Great American Ballpark, is known as a hitter’s haven.

Add to the fact that the Diamondbacks have one of the poorer pitching staffs in baseball. They have given up the second most home runs per nine innings, of course Chase Field inflates that number, and they have the third highest WHIP in baseball.

Juan Gutierrez, Sam Demel, Armando Galarraga and Ian Kennedy were the pitchers who served up Berkman’s long balls, Kennedy being the only above-average one of the bunch. 

Berkman has still struggled from the right side of the plate. In a very small sample size, he is currently 0-for-8 with two strikeouts. Berkman looked lost as a right-handed hitter last season, and while he has always been better from the left side, he usually supplied some power as a right-handed hitter.

With this small sample size, it is hard to say where his right-handed swing is, but it I have a hard time believing it is in good shape.

I think we can say after this week’s performance that Berkman won’t have a terrible repeat of 2010, when he battled health issues to start the season.

However, I don’t think we will see a complete return to his mid-2000 form (may be if he played all of is games in Arizona). I still expect a season of 20 home runs with a .270/.380/.475 line, somewhat closer to his 2009 numbers.   

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


MLB Fantasy Baseball Free-Agent Pool: 2011 Speed Demons Vol. 1

Just because you’ve slipped behind in the stolen base category doesn’t mean you can’t catch up. Here are some reasonably available stolen base options.

Willie Bloomquist, Arizona Diamondbacks

Bloomquist has been a popular roster addition in the early part of the season thanks to his six stolen bases in seven attempts. Also because he’s been hitting at the top of Arizona’s order. Bloomquist is batting .368 and has had success against right-handed pitching (.345) as well as left-handed pitching (.444).

He stole 25 bases for the Royals in 2009, so if he continues to get steady at bats he should remain a valuable source for steals. He also has eight runs, a home run, and five RBI. Willie is owned in 67 percent of Yahoo! and 53.5 percent of ESPN leagues, so get him fast.


Sam Fuld, Tampa Bay Rays

Fuld will likely be a little more popular today after going 4-for-6 with three runs against the Red Sox last night. With three stolen bases against the White Sox on April 7, Fuld finds himself near the top of the pile with five stolen bases. He’s hitting .321 on the year with five runs, a home run and three RBI. Fuld is owned in just 7 percent of Yahoo! and 2.8 percent of ESPN leagues, so he’s easily more readily available.  


Orlando Hudson, San Diego Padres

Hudson has three stolen bases in the past two days, giving him four on the year. His modest seven-game hitting streak has pushed his average up to .313. Orlando has scored five runs with two RBI. He’s never been much of a stolen base threat (career high of 10) so at best he gives you a modest gain in the category. O-Dog is owned in just 6 percent of Yahoo! and 2.5 percent of ESPN leagues.


Jason Bartlett, San Diego Padres

Hudson’s double play mate, Bartlett, has three stolen bases. He’s hitting just .148 with two runs and has yet to collect an RBI. He combined for 83 stolen bases from 2007 to 2009 so he can deliver when he gets his batting stroke back. Bartlett is owned in 7 percent of Yahoo! and 2.2 percent of ESPN leagues.


Jason Bourgeois, Houston Astros

Bourgeois has three stolen bases on the year. He’s hitting .333 with a run. He’s one to avoid though, as he only has nine at-bats on the year. He’ll need an injury to become relevant. The same thing applies to Jarrod Dyson, who has three stolen bases without a plate appearance. Both are owned in less than 1 percent of fantasy leagues.


Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers

There is a place for Gomez in the Brewers lineup while Corey Hart is out. Then he’ll have to share with Nyjer Morgan. Until then, you can help you in the stolen bases department (three on the year), but you’ll have to live with his .212 batting average. He’s a career .245 hitter so don’t expect things to get much better. Gomez is owned in 3 percent of Yahoo! and 8.9 percent of ESPN leagues.


Tony Gwynn, Los Angeles Dodgers

Gwynn also has three stolen bases on the year. He’s hitting .333 with four runs and one RBI. Tony stole 17 bases last year in 289 at bats. The question is whether or not he’ll get enough at bats to help your squad. He’s played in eight of the Dodgers’ 10 games so if you need speed, he can help. Gwynn is owned in about 1 percent of fantasy leagues.


Cameron Maybin, San Diego Padres

The Pads like to run. Maybin also has three stolen bases. He’s hitting .258 with four runs, two home runs and four RBI. He has the most upside of anybody on the list. Maybin is owned in about 18 percent of fantasy leagues.


Jack Wilson, Seattle Mariners 

Wilson rounds out the list with three stolen bases of his own. He’s hitting .273 with two runs and one RBI. He’s never reached double-digit stolen bases, so keep that in mind. Wilson is owned in about 1 percent of fantasy leagues.

Also check out:

Yesterday’s Box Score Breakouts

Today’s Streaming Pitcher Option 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


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