Kuzul

David Wright will set the tone for third basemen during the 2011 Fantasy Baseball season, but he’ll have some competition for the top spot from Alex Rodriguez, Evan Longoria and Ryan Zimmerman.

The biggest story to watch is Jose Bautista. Can he repeat his Major League leading 54 home runs from 2010?

If he shows that last year wasn’t a fluke, he’ll vault into the ranks of the other “elite” third basemen.

Kevin Youkilis is also an interesting option. He played first base for most of last season, but will move to third base to make room for Adrian Gonzalez. That adds some much-needed depth to the third base position in fantasy baseball.

Though it’s a pretty thin position aside from the top five, there are still some decent options to be had in later rounds.

Here are the top 10 third basemen for the 2011 Fantasy Baseball season.

Begin Slideshow

If you have been following the Washington Nationals’ offseason, you are aware that the team has now entered Phase Two.

If not, here is an explanation of what exactly Phase Two entails by Nats GM Mike Rizzo from Jayson Werth’s introductory press conference: “It kind of exemplifies phase two of the Washington Nationals’ process. Phase one was scouting and player development, building the farm system. Now it’s the time to go to the second phase and really compete for division titles and championships.”

Phase Two started with a bang—a $126 million bang, at that.

Unfortunately, it ended with a dud. As shocking and exciting as the Jayson Werth signing was, the Nationals’ front office has to be disappointed with their failure to find a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, an offseason goal set by Washington’s brain trust.

Again and again the Nationals’ targets landed elsewhere, and the team was forced to settle on a trade for Tom Gorzelanny. While Gorzelanny may not be the ace Washington was looking for, he will provide the Nats with an extra arm in case of an injury, a luxury the Nats have not had since the move to Washington.

The Nats failure to land a front-line starter may have actually been a blessing in disguise. After Cliff Lee, the 2010 crop of free agent pitchers was relatively weak, and overpaying—whether it be in the form of money or prospects—may have stunted the teams development.

As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were the 1927 Yankees, for that matter.

With Strasburg set to return in 2012 and Bryce Harper likely to make his major league debut in the same year, it would be foolish for the Nationals to put all their eggs in one offseason’s basket, especially an offseason preceding a transition year, which the 2011 season will be for the club.

The goal of any offseason should be to improve the team, and the Nationals have done that. Will it manifest itself in an improvement on last year’s 69 wins? I don’t know, but the franchise is in a better place than it was this time last year, that is for sure.

Yes, Washington overpaid for Jayson Werth, but they had to. And the effects of that deal will be felt for offseasons to come.

One, the Nationals obviously have a good relationship with Scott Boras, who represents some of the game’s biggest stars, which may give them the inside lane on his clients in the future.

Two, the Nationals are now officially players in the offseason—exemplified by the rumors that the Nats were close to signing the crown jewel of the offseason, Cliff Lee.

Lastly, the Nats’ front office has now shown that they are willing to spend, which will help keep players like Ryan Zimmerman and Stephen Strasburg—a Boras client—in Washington.

In Part 2—or should I say Phase 2—we’ll look at more of the Nationals offseason moves and their impact on the 2011 Nats.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There are two things that drive the modern day baseball player: winning a championship and signing a lucrative free agent deal. Jayson Werth accomplished the first goal as a member of the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies World Series championship team, and now he has achieved the second goal with a huge free agent deal with the Washington Nationals.

Unfortunately for fantasy owners, Werth is not going to be worth as much now that he has left the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Park and the protection of the Phillies line-up. 

The question is just how far will Werth’s value fall now that he has changed teams. He will no longer have Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hitting in front of him, which will result in him getting walked more. Opposing pitchers will not give him as many pitches to hit now that he and Ryan Zimmerman are the only two legit threats in the line-up. Adam Dunn’s presence would have given Werth more value; instead the team will likely rely on a young and untested player to play first. 

When Werth signed the huge long term deal with the team, many baseball writers and agents were outspoken to the fact that Washington paid too much for the outfielder. While we think Werth is a talented player who has a proven track record, the record was earned under very special circumstances in Philly. 

It is likely that a novice manager will draft Werth simply based on 2010 stats, expecting another 30/30 season with 100 runs scored and an RBI total approaching 100. That manager will most likely be disappointed by the all-star break and will likely either trade Werth at a discount or outright drop him to waivers.  

For the more advanced Roto player, I recommend looking elsewhere when building your outfield in 2011. Werth is a decent talent, however, without the variables he enjoyed in Philly he will not be a top 20 outfielder this season. Wait for the rookie manager to waste his high pick on Werth, and then pick him up off waivers mid-season. He will still have some value down the stretch; it just won’t be close to his value in years past.

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

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Chien-Mang Wang is a National again this year.  To many it may be surprising that he even was a National last year considering he never pitched an inning.  Wang must have made strides rehabbing last year though because he was offered and accepted a $1 million contract (with $5 million in incentives) from the Nationals.  

This deal is a very savvy move by Nationals GM Mike Rizzo because the Nationals have added a pitcher that has good upside for a very low price.  If Wang can reach the pitchers mound he will easily be worth his contract.

When healthy, Wang won 19 games in back-to-back seasons and had an ERA under four. Wang gained this success with control, not speed.  Wang never was a hard thrower and only topped 100 strikeouts in a season once. If he can pitch to hitters and keep his walks very far and in between he could be a consistent starter, something the Nationals desperately need.  

While this acquisition while bolster a pitching rotation that features Livan Hernandez, Jason Marquis, Jordan Zimmerman and a whole mess of others the Nationals will still end up at the bottom of the barrel in the NL East.  Livan Hernandez had a tremendous season last year posting an ERA of 3.66, his last three seasons averaging out to be above a five ERA.

I wouldn’t find it very surprising at all if his ERA went back to his career average of 4.39. Marquis was a 2010 offseason acquisition who couldn’t get an out and is battling for a spot in the rotation.  

Jordan Zimmerman is a young pitcher still struggling in the big leagues who will be competing with Josh Lannan and a host of others.  What the Nationals do have is a young and talented bullpen which had to pitch the most innings of any major league club (545.2), but finished at No. 5 in ERA at 3.35.  However, the Nationals still lack an ace, a solid rotation, and an imposing offensive unit.  

The Nationals offense now finds itself weaker then a season ago with the departure of Adam Dunn and the trade of Josh Willingham to the Athletics for prospects Corey Brown (OF) and Henry Rodriguez (RP).  Jayson Werth was brought in to fill in for Adam Dunn who provided the Nationals with 38 home runs and over 100 RBIs for back-to-back seasons.  

While Werth has had an amazing career in Philadelphia, he played in a hitter’s ballpark with a lineup that included Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, etc.  In the last three years, Werth has hit 13 more home runs and slugging .04 higher at Citizens Bank Park.  

While his power numbers increased at home his average and on-base percentage stayed the same.  With this in mind, Werth will probably be able to provide some pop for the Nationals, just in the park of 25-30 home runs.  While he will be a defensive upgrade from Dunn, he will not be able to fill in the power vacuum left by Adam Dunn.  

The only other notable offensive unit added to the Nationals is Rick Ankiel, who signed a one-year deal for $1.5 million plus incentives which will platoon in the OF.  Jayson Werth and Rick Ankiel are not the men who will be able to rally around Ryan Zimmerman and give the Nationals a winning team.  

Jayson Werth and Rick Ankiel are by no means better then the combination of Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn that the Nationals had last year.  At this point I just start to feel bad for Ryan Zimmerman.  Zimmerman will once again have to carry the Nationals offensively in what is sure to be another losing year.

But the worst thing for the Nationals is that every team in the NL East improved in some way this offseason.  The Braves gained power-hitting second baseman Dan Uggla and utility man Erik Hinske while bolstering its bullpen with George Sherill.  

The Marlins signed Javier Vazquez and shored up its bullpen dilemma via free agency and trade.  

The Mets added very few players this off season, but have added Carrasco to replace Feliciano and are looking to a team that features Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes healthy.  

Finally, the Phillies have added Cliff Lee to its rotation to create one of the best rotations in Major League history.     

The Nationals will be a team to look out for in the future with such stars as Strasburg, Harper and Ramos.  For the 2011 season, though, the Nationals will still finish last in the division due to a horrible rotation, a lack of offense and an improved division.

I predict the Nationals will therefore regress this season, eventually finishing the year at 65-95.         

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2005 MLB Draft has brought in some of the youngest and greatest hitters of todays game. Not only hitters, but pitchers too.

The 2005 Draft has created a pool of young, power hitting, power pitching athletes that are some of the best in todays game.

Here is a look at some of these athletes that clubs took a chance on, and came into the bigs surprising everyone.

Begin Slideshow

With two outs in the 9th inning, the Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins homered to tie Houston at 2-2.

With two outs in the 16th inning, and two men on, Ryan Howard should have been in a position to win the game 5-4.

But Howard had long hit the showers.

Why?

He was tossed from the game several innings earlier by third base umpire Scott Barry, a minor league replacement ump.

Howard’s crime?

Disagreeing with two appealed check swing calls in the same at bat, the latter resulting in Howard striking out (and going 0-7 on the night).

The first check swing, Howard put his hands on his hips, which Barry mocked right back.

“Unprofessional,” is how Phillies color analyst Larry Anderson described it on the radio.

The second check swing, which was a TERRIBLE call if you’ve seen the replay, garnered almost an immediate ejection after Howard’s reaction.

Howard charged Barry and had to be restrained.

The Big Guy was HOT, pointing at the home plate umpire saying, “Don’t you try to stop me.”

This is the same ump that tossed the Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman after throwing his bat to the ground on a swinging strike three (foul tip). The same Ryan Zimmerman that had NEVER been ejected from a game.

The Nats’ Rob Dibble was apoplectic.

“I shouldn’t know these guys’ names,” he fumed, referring to the umpires.

So instead of Howard standing in with a chance to redeem himself for an 0-7 night, Roy Oswalt got pressed into duty. As a left-fielder no less.

This marked the second night in a row that the the Phillies were on the wrong side of an umpire “judgment call.” 

First base umpire Greg Gibson ruled Monday night that Michael Bourne did not run out of the basebath after a bunt attempt, nor did Ryan Howard apply the tag. 

Replays showed both calls were suspect.

Houston would push what proved to be the winning run across the plate with two outs in the inning. A run that would not have had a chance to score had Bourne been ruled out at first.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel would eventually be tossed. According to the Phillies radio broadcast, it wasn’t the first time this particular ump had ejected Manuel.

He then cited MLB regulations saying he wouldn’t talk about the call. (Funny how Jim Joyce was able to)

So, two consecutive games. Two consecutive controversial losses.

Perhaps it’s karmic retrobution for the Phillies extra innings win over the Florida Marlins on August 6, when earlier in the game third base umpire Bob Davidson called Gaby Sanchez’s line drive down the third base “foul.”

Replays showed the ball was clearly inside the third base bag, yet Davidson was defiant afterwards, saying he called the play correctly.

There are two problems here.

First, the drumbeat for instant replay is growing louder.

Purists can claim “human element” all they want. I consider myself a baseball purist, and the game needs replay.

More time is wasted with managers arguing the call instead of just looking at the play and making a determination.

The Little League World Series is using replay, and a close play at first base between Chinese Taipei and Saudi Arabia was reviewed and overturned this past weekend.

It was quick. It was decisive.

It was correct.

The second issue is the attitude problems some of these umpires have. 

Maybe Barry was looking to make a name for himself. He is a replacement, afterall.

Davidson could have asked for help from the home plate umpire on the Bourne play.

He did not.

Nor could the other umps intervene.

Gibson had to ask for help.

He chose not to.

NFL refs huddle when another sees a play differently. They discuss it. And try to get the call right.

And replay is there for the occasions when they get it wrong.

MLB needs to get handle on those that handle the rules.

Because these moments will get replayed-on SportsCenter and other highlight shows.

Over and over and over again.

The game would be better served if those highlights showed its officials getting the call right.

One way or another.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The race for Most Valuable Player in the AL looks to be dominated by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. But what about in the NL?

As you may or may not know (depending on whether you’ve read any of my articles), I’m pretty fond of a stat called “wins above replacement,” or WAR. WAR is is a stat that takes a players offensive and defensive numbers and determines how many wins a player has been solely responsible for over a replacement player. Conceivably, we can use this stat to get an idea of who should at least be in the running for NL MVP.

So, after a quick search at Fangraphs, we see the National League’s leaders in WAR. The Top 20 is littered with All-Stars, from Martin Prado to Carlos Gonzalez, Power Padre Adrian Gonzalez to Bespectacled Backstop Brian McCann, and so on.

The Top Five is what’s particularly interesting though.

Fifth is Matt Holliday, who has so far amassed 4.7 WAR (WAR is a counting stat, not a rate stat, so a higher number is better). Second through fourth place is a virtual tie between Everyone’s Favorite All-Star Snub Joey Votto, center fielder for the Giants and surprise player of the year Andres Torres, and dual-reigning MVP Albert Pujols, in that order. However, they are separated by only .3 Wins (5.5, 5.4, and 5.2, respectively), so it’s likely that we’ll see some change there. However, this leaves one rather large question-who is first?

The answer is none other than slick-fielding Nationals third basemen Ryan Zimmerman, with 6.0 full Wins to his name. 

Some of you may be rather incredulous. You may be thinking “How can someone be the Most Valuable Player in the league if he wasn’t even an All-Star?” Well, first, I would say remember how we pick All-Stars; that should answer that question (for those who may wonder, Zimmerman’s spot on the roster went to Omar Infante, according to MLB.com, in case you were worried that it wasn’t filled wisely). 

In all seriousness, though, why is Zimmerman calculated as the most valuable player in the league?

Well, if you aren’t quite sure, you may first want to check how well Ryan’s done this season. At 25, the third baseman is having his second career year in a row; 24 home runs, 24 doubles, a .302 average, a .388 on-base percentage, and a .549 slugging percentage. His .937 On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) is third right now, behind only Votto and Pujols. OPS+ is a stat that compares a batter’s OPS to league average to determine how much better he’s been, even accounting for home field differences.

By this measure, Ryan Zimmerman’s posted an 150 OPS+ (meaning he’s been 50% above league average), good for third in the NL, tied with Adrian Gonzalez and behind only Joey Votto (169) and Albert Pujols (166). If you want more traditional measures, Ryan’s eighth in home runs and eleventh in average. He’s even managed to get 68 RBIs (tied for eighteenth), despite playing for a Nationals team that ranks fourteenth in runs and thirteenth in RBIs in the NL.

So, how does he rank above Pujols and Votto, and even Gonzalez in WAR? Well, there are two major reasons. One; WAR accounts for position. The more good hitters there are at one position, the easier it is to replace them. You may notice that Pujols, Votto, and Gonzalez are all first basemen, which just demonstrates the depth of quality first basemen. Basically, they provide a lot of offense, but they do so while playing a position that’s expected to provide a lot of offense. 

Second, however, is his defense. Zimmerman is possibly the best player manning the hot corner this season, according to Ultimate Zone Rating. or UZR. UZR is a fairly complicated defensive stat that is determined by breaking down every play that occurs in a year, and grading a player based on how far the away the ball was, how hard it was hit, and so on (if you want more information, I would recommend this Boston Globe video as a good intro). Zimmerman has the best Ultimate Zone Rating for the year at third, with 12.2 runs saved (his nearest competition, Chase Headley, is at 10.9, followed by Kevin Kouzmanoff with 10.6 and Placido Polanco at 10.2).

So, basically, Zimmerman has the most WAR for the year because his been both a strong defensive player at a difficult position and a major offensive threat at a position that is comparatively weak this season.

Is Zimmerman the National League MVP for the year? WAR is by no means the end-all-be-all, but he definitely deserves some of the MVP talk.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The non-waiver trade deadline has passed and the Washington Nationals have continued to accumulate critical pieces to their future championship puzzle.

There was no purge of all veteran players for prospects, but there were deft moves to acquire highly thought of prospects, including Wilson Ramos, and create major league openings for young talent already in their system.

Ramos, 22, was the top catching prospect in the Twins organization and only cost them an overachieving Matt Capps. Ramos helps the Nationals solidify the catching position and could arrive in Washington during September call-ups.

Although the Nationals already have Ivan Rodriguez mentoring their young staff and Derek Norris developing at minor league level, Ramos sheds some light into what Rizzo wants in his backstop. It would make great sense for Ramos to spend the next year or so picking Pudge Rodriguez’s brain about the art of catching.

For all the things said about Pudge, Rizzo should be applauded for recognizing Pudge’s ability to bring along a young staff. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Nationals transition him to a coaching position within the next five years. His great understanding of the game would translate well into a solid managerial career.

The move, or lack thereof, that baffled many was the keeping of Adam Dunn. Dunn was rumored to be in several deals and at one point he seemed fated to go to the White Sox in exchange for the enigmatic Edwin Jackson. Instead Rizzo held on to his slugging first baseman with the hopes to re-sign him to a multi-year deal.

However, if Rizzo loses him during free agency the Nationals could receive to premium compensatory picks that could become future contributors for this developing powerhouse. The ultimate in terms of a win-win proposition one can find outside of a lopsided prospect package deal.

The Nationals also found a way to unload veteran Christian Guzman and continue to augment their pitching depth in the farm system. Guzman was set to be a free agent after this season and was most likely not going to be brought back or garner high quality draft picks via free agency.

Another key point was losing a bit of salary that will most certainly go into the Bryce Harper fund as the Nationals continue to negotiate with the powerful prodigy. With the Ramos trade, it also solidifies the organization’s stance that Harper’s future is as an outfielder and not a catcher.

With September call-ups a month away, it will be interesting to get a glimpse of future major league talent that could be apart of Washington’s ascension through the next levels on their way to being the top team in the NL East and a perennial championship contender. Names like Marrero, Zimmermann, Norris and Espinosa could surface on the big team. While others like Marquis, Walker, Martin, and Atilano try to prove healthy and could create some value as possible trade chips during the upcoming hot stove.

This could make the end of the season appointment television for both fans and scouts.

For hopeful devout fans and eager front-runners ready to reserve their seat on the Nationals freight train that is poised to roll through everyone shortly and for a better part of this decade, possibly the next as well.

Stephen Strasburg’s recovery will coincide with this potential unveiling of something special. His place on this team has been carved out and all the fans are waiting on is for the leashes to be removed so Strasburg can mow down opponents and claim his place baseball’s top pitcher. A title that can only elude his grasp if he suffers major injuries preventing him from reaching his considerable potential.

And the craziest thing is that this is all a prelude to the arrival of Bryce. Harper’s arrival may be a year or more away, but his shadow will loom over division foes like an hourglass counting down to the moment of truth.

The moment Washington is ready. A moment Rizzo has been carefully building to.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The nation has laid witness to the dominance of Stephen Strasburg and now it’s time for the Washington Nationals to claim their spot amongst the upper echelon of baseball.

While it is obvious that this franchise has been in a shambles for years, the Nationals benefited from their ineptitude by getting Strasburg and teenage hitting phenomenon Bryce Harper. These unique talents are once in a generation talents that will become cornerstones of championship quality teams.

Having both Strasburg and Harper, in addition to Ryan Zimmerman and Drew Storen, gives the Nationals four players who each solidify specific needs found on dynastic teams (i.e. the Yankees’ big four of Jeter, Posada, Pettitte and Rivera).

The assets the Nationals have acquired during these years of loss and disappointment situate them to make a serious push in the next few seasons. This push could last for at least a decade.

If you look at similar franchises and project the future salary budget of this team in a major media market it would reasonable to see them with $100 to $140 million payroll. Their current payroll is $61.5 million and roughly half of what it will be once they are ready to become a contender.  

Here is a reasonable blueprint for the Nationals path to a championship:

(At the beginning of this upcoming off-season, the Nationals will have only $24.4 million committed dollars that could grow to $52 million through arbitration.)

1. Lockup the foursome immediately. Give Zimmerman a 10 year, $150 million dollar deal. How about a 12 year, $200 million for Strasburg? Harper would be a steal at 10 years, $170 million. Storen could be a little more economical at 8 years, $48 million.

(The payroll would climb up to $67.4 of guaranteed cash before arbitration. Let’s call it $85 million.)

2. What to do with Adam Dunn. Dunn has been a loyal and productive player without complaining or demanding a trade. He wants to be in Washington and it would make sense to keep unless another team offers up a few choice prospects. It would make sense to sign him unless they…

3. Make room for Prince Fielder. Fielder will be a free agent following next season and that would fit with the arrival of Bryce Harper. A 3-4-5 punch of Harper-Zimmerman-Fielder would be among baseball’s best. The trio would produce the runs that have eluded the Nationals this year and in years past.

(Payroll with Dunn $100 million, with Fielder $103, with another lesser known first baseman $91 million)

4. Sign or trade for a top of the rotation pitcher. Strasburg is going to be a star and will be an ace for several years, but a pennant caliber team needs two guys at the top of their rotation. The pitching free agent market looks bleak and there is only one man to be had. His name is Cliff Lee and he will be available after this season. While it is highly unlikely Lee would sign with a team not ready to contend, it is worth making a pitch to bring him in. A signing like this and bringing in Fielder would make waves in baseball and establish the Nationals as a championship contender.

(Payroll with Lee is $120 million.)

5. Complementary pieces put in place. The Nationals have pieces ready to fill these roles. Ian Desmond is a year or two away from being a solid infielder who could give them power in the bottom half of the lineup, and possibly become an option at the 2-hole.

The rotation, as presently constructed, has three started who could fill out the rest of the rotation: John Lannan, Scott Olsen and a healthy Jordan Zimmerman.Tyler Clippard is a solid seventh inning guy and could help their eighth inning setup man. The other pitchers vying for rotation spots could be used to fill out the bullpen. For instance maybe Detwiler becomes a lefty specialist or he claims a rotation spot. 

6. Players on the horizon. What is left to be said about Bryce Harper? Virtually everyone agrees that Harper will be a unique talent and can be penciled in for several All-Star appearances. However it makes sense for Harper to become the everyday right fielder so that could allow another prospect Derek Norris to handle the catching duties beginning next year. Norris could learn a lot from Pudge and the transition could also extend Rodriguez’s career another season as he shares catching duties with Norris.

Chris Marrero could start the switch from playing first base and be groomed to be Willingham’s left field replacement. His experience at first base could come in handy if they don’t pursue the two options previously suggested for the position. Danny Espinosa will allow Ian Desmond to move over to second base allowing Espinosa to play his natural position where he excels at.

7. Feed the farm. The farm system has begun to yield some pro-level talent and there will be more to come, but it is important to continue acquiring assets and nurture their young talent. This process could see an influx at the trading deadline if the Nationals decide to move some of their veterans for prospects.

Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham and Jason Marquis could bring back a few players who could help the team down the road. This process was hindered greatly by the wrongdoings of the previous regime and it is important Rizzo continues the development if this talent resource.

How about this 2012 Opening Day roster:

Lineup:

Bernadina-CF

Espinosa-SS

Harper-RF

Zimmerman-3B

Fielder or Dunn-1B

Norris-C

Marrero-LF

Desmond-2B

Pitcher

Rotation and bullpen:

Strasburg

Cliff Lee

Scott Olsen

Jordan Zimmerman

John Lannan

Setup: Detwiler and Clippard

Closer: Storen

TOTAL PAYROLL: $125 million

The future is beginning to look like a full ballpark and talent on the field that could be a once-in-a-generation experience that will continue to be appointment television and attendance. A dynasty is coming at all of us quickly.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

No.

No, Stephen Strasburg should not be an All-Star.

Don’t get me wrong, the kid’s been great since getting called up to the big leagues, but there are just far too many reasons why Strasburg shouldn’t take a trip to Anaheim this July.

Here are just a few of them.

Begin Slideshow