"Miranda Warnings": Fantasy Farewell!

Welcome to "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Thursday, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

The 2008 fantasy baseball regular season comes to an end this weekend. Mets fans say "good-bye" to Shea Stadium (pictured, above) and I say "good-bye" to you (until 2009).

There's plenty to discuss, so let's get right to it.

National League East: As I mentioned in last weeks "Miranda Warnings", "with John Maine (shoulder) out of the rotation, Mets P Oliver Perez needs to take his game to another level for the Mets to make it to/advance in the playoffs". On Wednesday, versus Chicago, Perez (4 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 5 ER, 5 BB, 6 K) did anything but "take his game to another level" and reverted to the same 'ol, inconsistent Perez. Perez can dominate, at times, but is just too inconsistent to recommend heading into 2009. As a side-note, several New York media outlets reported earlier this week that the Mets are on the verge of giving GM Omar Minaya a four-extension. The Mets are coming off a September 2007 collapse, they are in the midst of another September swoon and they reward their GM with a contract extension? If that's not bizarre, then what is?... Atlanta OF Josh Anderson continues to make a case for the 2009 Braves center field job. Anderson went 2-for-4, with two runs scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's win over Philadelphia and is now hitting .270, with nine stolen bases in only 37 games! Unfortunately, Anderson is hitting below .200 versus lefties, which must improve if he wants to see regular playing time in '09... Keep an eye on Florida P Josh Johnson on D-Day 2009. Johnson has been brilliant since returning from Tommy John surgery earlier this season. Johnson (6 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) turned in another strong start Wednesday against Washington, improving to 7-1. To go with the impressive won/loss record, Johnson finishes 2008 with a solid 3.61 ERA... Every Met fan cringes when they hear the name, Scott Kazmir. The Mets gave up on Kaz (for Victor Zambrano!) in 2005 and, as you know, he's now a stud in Tampa. Another name that will soon make Mets fans cringe is Washington OF Lastings Milledge. The Mets gave up on Kaz too soon and did the same with Milledge. In his first full Major League season, Milledge is hitting .299, with seven home runs, 25 RBI's and 10 stolen bases, since the All-Star break! Milledge has 24 stolen bases overall! Be patient with Milledge, give him another year or so, and he will be a fantasy monster!... Philadelphia OF Pat Burrell picked an inopportune time to struggle, during his contract-year and with the Phillies battling for a playoff spot. Although he has 33 homers and 85 RBI's, Burrell is hitting only .179 in September and only .250 overall!

National League Central: Houston 1B Lance Berkman went 1-for-3, with a two-run homer and two runs scored Wednesday versus Cincinnati. Berkman got off to a blazing start in 2008, but has cooled off significantly since the All-Star Break. Prior to Wednesday's game, Berkman was hitting .150 in September!... Milwaukee P Yovani Gallardo (4 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) completed a miraculous comeback from rehab (knee) Thursday versus Pittsburgh. Gallardo tore the ACL in his right knee May 1 versus Chicago and was believed to be done for 2008. Rehab from a torn ACL usually takes six months, minimum! However, Gallardo was determined and focused in his rehab and healed quicker than most thought he would. It's important to note that this rehab was Gallardo's second knee rehab this year. In spring training, Gallardo tore his meniscus and returned to the club for two impressive late April starts. Why is it important to note Gallardo's second knee rehab? Overcoming two significant injuries, both in the same year, proves that Gallardo is resilient. Gallardo's resilience, his tremendous skill-set, and his five (yes, five!) major league caliber pitches all point toward a very, very undervalued ace-in-waiting on D-Day 2009. Although Gallardo threw only 24 innings in 2008, astute fantasy GM's will not forget about Gallardo in 2009. Gallardo has immense potential (i.e. think Tim Lincecum). I'm calling it: Gallardo will win a Cy Young in the not-to-distant future... Speaking of awards, I think Albert Pujols will be adding to his hardware collection. Pujols went 3-for-3, with a homer and four RBI's on Thursday versus Arizona. Pujols' 2008 numbers say "NL MVP" -- .353 BA, 35 HR's and 112 RBI's!... Chicago P Carlos Zambrano (4 2/3 IP, 3 hits, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) struggled again Wednesday versus the Mets. Although he tossed a no-hitter earlier this month, you need to stay away from Big Z now and in 2009. Zambrano's staggering innings pitched total the last several years, a declining strikeout rate, increasing walk totals and a 2008 DL-stint (shoulder) should be major warning signs to all fantasy GM's. Despite the no-hitter, Zambrano's September ERA is 7.00-plus!... What an impressive season for Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit. Doumit went 3-for-4, with three RBI's Saturday versus Houston. Doumit is hitting .322, with 14 homer's and 66 RBI's in 2008. Doumit will have lots of value heading into 2009... Many fantasy GM's rid themselves of Cincinnati P Aaron Harang in July/August, and they blew it! Harang was horrific for the first four months of 2008, but has been one of the best pitchers since. Harang, 6-16, has back-to-back victories and a 2.39 ERA over his last seven starts, dating back to late August!

National League West: Arizona 3B Mark Reynolds set the major league record for most strikeouts in a season, fanning for the 200th time in 2008 against St. Louis on Thursday. Guys who strikeout as much as Reynolds are, usually, not recommended. However, if you can tolerate Reynolds low BA (.240), his other numbers are impressive -- 28 HR's, 96 RBI's and 11 SB's!... LA Dodgers OF Matt Kemp went 3-for-6, with two RBI's versus San Diego on Wednesday. Kemp's numbers say fantasy-stud-in-the-making -- 17 HR's, 75 RBI's, 35 SB's and 91 runs!... San Francisco P Noah Lowry (remember him?) recently experienced discomfort behind his throwing elbow and has been shut down indefinitely... San Diego P Chris Young is healthy once again and proving that he's one of baseball's best starters. Young (7 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K) was nearly unhittable Saturday versus Washington, to improve to 6-6. In his last three starts, Young is 2-1 and has given up only eleven hits and four earned runs in 23 innings, with 19 strikeouts!... Colorado 1B Todd Helton will undergo surgery, later this month, to alleviate disc irritation in his back. Helton should be ready for Spring Training 2009, but his playing time will decrease significantly as his back will prevent him from being available everyday.

American League East: Toronto P Roy Halladay (CG, 6 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) put an exclamation mark on his 2008 season by tossing a gem versus the Yankees on Thursday. Halladay finishes 2008 with a 20-11 record, a 2.78 ERA and a 206/39 K/BB ratio! AL Cy Young?... I haven't written much about Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts this season and now it's time to show him some love. Although he plays for the lowly Orioles, Roberts has put together yet another standout season. With only a handful of games remaining, Roberts is batting .297, with 9 HR's, 57 RBI's, 40 SB's and 107 runs scored. Outstanding production from a fantasy 2B!... Boston P Jon Lester, who has had quite an impressive 2008, defeated Cleveland on Thursday (6 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) to improve to 16-6! Lesters overall numbers (3.21 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP and a 152/66 K/BB ratio) are rock-solid and he'll be highly sought-after in 2009 fantasy auctions and drafts. His numbers are even more impressive when you consider that he's a cancer survivor!... Despite missing a month with a broken wrist, Tampa 3B Evan Longoria still remains the AL Rookie of the Year favorite. Longoria is hitting .275, with 27 HR's, 85 RBI's and 7 SB's and would have David Wright-like numbers, if not for the broken wrist!... You'd run out of adjectives describing the season that NY Yankees P Mike Mussina has put together. Moose heads into his final 2008 start this weekend (versus Boston) looking for his first 20-win season. Mussina went undrafted in most 2008 fantasy leagues and here he is chasing 20 wins! Unbelievable! Look for New York to retain the free agent righty.

American League Central: Cleveland OF Shin-Soo Choo went 2-for-5, with an RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's loss to Boston. Choo has been ablaze lately, with two HR's, eleven RBI's and eight runs scored in his last seven games! Choo has been a prospect for years, but was slowed recovering from Tommy John surgery. Choo enters 2009 as a nice sleeper pick... I've always been a huge fan of Kansas City 3B Alex Gordon. And lately, Gordon is really turning it on. Gordon went 2-for-4, with an RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over Detroit. Gordon has hit safely in nine straight games since returning from the disabled list earlier this month. In September, Gordon is batting .343, with two homers, seven RBI's and eight runs scored!... You don't have to worry about walking the tight-rope with Todd Jones as your fantasy closer anymore. The Detroit closer announced his retirement Wednesday... Every baseball season has its surprises. One of the many 2008 surprises has been Minnesota OF Denard Span. In only 334 AB's, Span is hitting .299, with 6 HR's, 46 RBI's and 17 SB's. Keep your eye on Span, heading into 2009... Chicago OF Carlos Quentin (wrist) resumed baseball activities this week, in hopes of helping the White Sox during the playoffs, assuming they make the playoffs. Let's hope that Chicago and/or Quentin don't rush the rehab process, potentially re-injuring the wrist.

American League West: LA Angels 1B Mark Teixeira went 4-for-5, with a home run on Wednesday versus Seattle. Teixeira, a free agent at seasons'-end, is having a monster September -- .338 BA, 5 HR's and 18 RBI's. Regardless of where "Tex" signs, he'll be one of the first fantasy first basemen taken in 2009... GM's in fantasy keeper leagues looking for future pitching, will want to remember these names: Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. The future is bright again in Oakland as the A's have Anderson and Cahill, both elite pitching prospects, and both among the Top 10 prospects in all of baseball... I have to give props, where props are due. Texas SS Michael Young has been dealing with a fracture in the ring finger on his right hand since late July. On Wednesday, Young went 4-for-4, with two RBI's versus Oakland, raising his average to .284. Texas has nothing to play for and Young is out there playing with a fractured finger, giving it his all. Impressive!... I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Innings-eaters" have a place in real-life baseball starting rotations, but they have NO place in fantasy baseball starting rotations, regardless of how deep the league is. Case and point: Seattle P Carlos Silva (4-15, 6.46 ERA, 1.60 WHIP!). One quick look at Silva's ghastly 2008 numbers and you see my point!

This is the final "Miranda Warnings" for 2008. I want to thank my loyal readers. Without a fan-base, "Miranda Warnings" would not exist. Again, thanks!

"Miranda Warnings" returns on Thursday's in 2009. See you Thursday, March 26.

I wish everyone a joyous, safe holiday season and a Happy New Year!

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