Deep in The Rough: The Wachovia Championship

Isn’t golf fun? The EDS Byron Nelson Championship had the excitement of a major with two bust-out candidates going at it in a playoff. The winner? The beneficiary of a huge confidence / fantasy boost? Adam Scott. This guy has been a pro since 2000, and while he has shown incredible talent, he has yet to really bust out. At the age of 27, his best golf is still to come. The Byron Nelson could be just what he needs to have a strong second half of ’08. Ryan Moore, the other end of the playoff, could use this as a confidence boost or it could be a continued sign of wasted talent.

Either way, we must move on to the Wachovia Championship, which was won last year by none other than Tiger Woods. This year, the field is very strong despite the absence of last year’s winner. Allow me to help you sift through the rough and get the most points.

Players to Consider

Adam Scott: Sure, why not? He won last week and has a great track record here. Start with confidence, and you heard it here first, this guy could win a major this year.

Jim Furyk: Jim won this event in 2005 and 2006. He also finished 4th at the Heritage (his last event). While he has not played his best so far, this could be the event where he returns to world-class form.

Stewart Cink: Cink is having a great fantasy year – despite not being able to close. He’ll play well here, and who knows, this might be the week where he finally gets it done.

Anthony Kim: He’s come in the top 20 in his last 2 events, and finished 5th last year. While he’s a bit inconsistent, I’d throw him in the mix.

Kevin Sutherland: Two top 10’s in his last 2 events, plus a 24th and 14th place finish here the last two years. Ride the hot hand!

Players to Avoid

Rory Sabbatini: Rory finished well here last year, but its time to admit that he does not have the same game this year. I picked him last week looking for a bounce back, it didn’t come. It won’t come this week, either.

Zach Johnson: I hate to avoid him, just ‘cause I like him, but he missed the cut last week and came in 84th last year. Not a strong combo.

My Team:

A List:

*Adam Scott
Jim Furyk

B List:

*Stewart Cink
*Kevin Sutherland
Anthony Kim
Paul Casey

C List:

*Trevor Immelman
Luke Donald

I’m starting Adam, but if Jim plays well I might put him in the later rounds. Cink and Sutherland are the most consistent of the four B Listers, and I added Paul Casey as he played well at The Masters and has enormous potential. With the C, I’m sticking with last weeks picks with Immelman and Donald. They are the best two C Listers by far.

Thanks guys, good luck this week!

Weekly Windup's SportsJudge Fantasy League Analysis

Welcome back to another edition of the Weekly Windup. This biweekly wrap up is a report on the happening of the SportsJudge Expert League. This is the first look at how the season has played out so let’s take a look at the standings.

1. Brian Doyle- 85 pts.
2. Liz Rathbun- 80 pts.
3. Larry Bodin- 76 pts.
4. Jeremy Mittler- 71.5 pts.
5. Parker Gold- 69 pts.
6. Matt Cohen- 65.5 pts.
7. Kevin Fenstermacher- 63.5 pts.
8. Joe Romano- 63 pts.
9. Brett Smiley- 62 pts.
10. Marc Edelman- 58.5 pts.
11. John O’Malley- 50.5 pts.
12. Steve Shoup- 35.5 pts.

Keep in mind that we are only able to make 2 pick ups a month and we only change our lineups monthly. Brian has been led by some outstanding pitching with Lincecum, Haren, and Matsuzaka. He also made a smart decision by picking up Ervin Santana to replace Barry Zito in one of his moves for this month. Even with young Andrew Miller dragging his pitching stats down, he is still across the top of the board in all categories that starting pitchers affect. I have heard Brian tell countless stories about how good Miller’s beer pong shot is. I am just waiting to see if he can hit the strike zone with that kind of accuracy. I wouldn’t recommend him on your roster at this point, unless in a deep keeper/dynasty league. Teams are still figuring out what will work with their rosters since we are only able to make a few moves. Let’s look at some of the key moves over the first month of the season.

This is the part of the article where I’ll show you the recent moves in our league and give you my APPROVE / DISAPPROVE verdict. The first move is…

Owner: Kevin Fenstermacher

Add: Edinson Volquez

Drop: Erick Aybar

Verdict: Approve.

Volquez has tremendous potential and has shown how dominant he can be so far this season. I doubt Volquez lasted on your waiver wire for long. He has paid off for anyone who took the initiative to make an early move on him. He is 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA. His walks are a bit high, but I expect him to settle in with more experience at the big league level. He hasn’t let up more than one run in any start yet this season.

Owner: Brett Smiley

Add: Justin Germano

Drop: Jeremy Bonderman

Verdict: Disapprove

Brett did have a solid pick up of Xavier Nady, but I feel he made a big mistake with this move. Bonderman’s control has been horrendous (21 BB, 27.1 IP) so far this year and if you look at his numbers over the past two seasons they aren’t anything to brag about. I’m surprised by his performance so far because he is a very strong first half pitcher and has the tendency to fall apart after the all-star break. Hold on to Bonderman, but do look to deal him around the All-Star break. His numbers will improve, he has very good stuff. I don’t agree with this move because he was dropped for a back end of the rotation pitcher with no breakout potential. Germano barely earned a rotation spot and got hot for a few starts. The only thing Germano has in his favor is Petco Park. Hopefully you were able to stay away from him after his enticing, hot start. If you did pick up Germano I suggest you look elsewhere.

Owner: John O’ Malley

Add: Johnny Cueto

Drop: Josh Fields

Verdict: Approve

This was the big waiver wire move across most leagues so far this fantasy season, especially in Yahoo! leagues (which is what site we are using for this league). Cueto has lived up to the hype so far with 31 Ks in 33.1 IP and a WHIP of 0.87. He also only has just 5 walks this season. If you can, make a move for this kid (especially if you are in a dynasty or keeper league). John is reaping the benefits of one of the top pitching prospects in baseball all while dropping a player who didn’t make his major league roster. Fields is not worth the roster spot, even in deep leagues. The White Sox don’t have room for him on their roster and neither do you.

Owner: Liz Rathbun

Add: Jonathan Sanchez

Drop: Ted Lilly

Verdict: Disapprove

The name Lilly may not sound resilient, but Ted he has been a viable fantasy starter in the past. His problem is that he is very inconsistent and goes through starts where he looks like he has Cy Young caliber stuff and then starts where he looks completely overmatched and can’t find his command. I suggest you ride out the bumps and hope Lilly rebounds; he has in the past after poor stints. If you need a high strikeout pitcher Sanchez is definitely worth a look. I wouldn’t expect too much besides the high strikeout rate as he won’t see many wins with the Giants lineup behind him.

Owner: Steve Shoup

Add: Cliff Lee

Drop: Matt Garza

Verdict: Disapprove

I know what you are thinking. How can you disapprove of 4-0, 0.28 ERA, 0.41 WHIP, 29 Ks, 2 BBs? And yes, I picked up Lee in every league he was available that I am in. The reason I disapprove of this deal is because of dropping Garza. Garza has a great lineup behind him and can be a dominant pitcher. Don’t be surprised to see Garza’s numbers at the end of the season to be significantly better than Lee’s. Lee is a Must Sell. It’s nearly impossibly for his value to get any higher. If Steve is able to deal him at this high value, my opinion of this move might change. Lee is worth a pick up in your league. Just make sure that you aren’t giving up too much for a hot start.

The next report is in two weeks. Congratulations to Brian so far this year, but I expect a run from a certain team in seventh place. As with all SportsJudge articles, please feel free to leave some comments. Keep an eye out for future installments of the SportsJudge Fantasy League Reports.

Down on the Farm: High Single-A Preview

The last couple of weeks we've looked at Major League talent at Double and Triple-A, this week we will look at teams in High Single-A ball. Talent in Single-A is a bit different than in the higher levels, in that the talent isn't as concentrated. This is mainly for two reasons, first there are both Low and High-A ball teams between which talent is split. Second, since Single-A is a bit of a jump away from the Majors its harder to determine who is a legit prospect and who is a career minor league ball player. Here's a look at two teams that still manage to be loaded with talent.

Fredrick Keys (Baltimore Orioles), Carolina League:

The Orioles who are in the midst of a rebuilding process have spent the past couple of years strengthening their minor league system through the draft and this past off season with a few key trades. With these moves the O's have made great strides on improving their system top to bottom, but the pride of the organization has to be the Fredrick Keys. The Keys are stacked with the many of the Orioles top hitting and pitching prospects.

On the mound: The Keys have three of the Orioles best pitching prospects in their rotation led by 2007 5th round pick Jake Arrieta. Arrieta fell to the 5th round due to his price tag but is truly a 1st round talent. The former TCU product signed late and didn't pitch for the organization last year, but made up for lost time with a brilliant performance in the Arizona Fall League in limited work. Arrieta has a long term future as a number 2 or 3 starter in the majors. Barring any injuries or hiccups look for Arrieta to be ready to compete for a rotation spot in 2010. Joining Arrieta in the rotation are fellow righties Pedro Beato and Brandon Erbe, of the two Beato is next in the pecking order and could soon join Arrieta on the fast track to the big leagues. He has the stuff to join Arrieta at the front of the Orioles rotation in a couple years. Look for him to overpower A-ball hitters and get a call up to AA before the year is out. Of the three Erbe dominates in two areas he has the biggest fastball and the most question marks. Erbe has lit up the radar gun since the Orioles drafted him out of high school in 2005, last year unfortunately it was Erbe who got lit up for the Keys going 6-8 with a 6.26 ERA in 119 innings pitched. The 20 year old Erbe is hoping his second time in the Keys rotation will go a bit better, if not he may be moved to a closer role where his fastball can be an effective weapon.

In the line-up: The line-up for the Keys boasts the Orioles past three first round draft picks led by 2007 pick catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters, who fell to the Orioles at the 5th pick due to the contract demands of his agent Scott Boras, was easily the most polished position player in the draft last year. Offensively and Defensively Weiters does it all and should be up in the majors within two years. When he gets there Weiters will likely be the best offensive catcher for a long time. The former Georgia Tech backstop has all the makings of becoming a middle of the order hitting catcher which is a pretty rare find. Wieters doesn't just beat you at the plate but behind it as well, he was the Yellow Jackets closer so he should be able to throw out his fair share of runners as well. Joining Wieters in the line-up are the Keys corner infielders; 3B (2006 pick) Bill Rowell and 1B (2005 pick) Brandon Snyder. Rowell struggled in his first full season in Low-A ball offensively and defensively, hitting .273-9-57 striking out 104 times in just 357 AB's while committing 21 errors. Even with his struggles Rowell has the best power in the system and if things get on track for him he could be a 30 home run a year player. Snyder who was drafted as a catcher was moved from behind the plate last year to first base due to injury. So far the move has seemed to pay off as Snyder got back on track last season hitting .283-11-58 in 448 at bats. While Snyder doesn't have the big time power as most first baseman his bat should carry him going forward as he is a very complete hitter and should consistently be a high on-base type of hitter. In addition to the three former first-round picks the Keys have a few other interesting hitting prospects in 1B Chris Vinyard and outfielder Brandon Tripp. While neither have the pedigree of their top prospect teammates, Vinyard and Tripp have displayed big time power in the minors so far and if they continue to keep driving in runs they will find a spot in the Majors sooner or later.

Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics), California League:

The Athletics like the Orioles are in rebuilding mode and spent this off-season trading away their two best players for a stockpile of young prospects. These trades have bolstered the A's system to one of the best in baseball. The Stockton team is representative of that as it is loaded with prospects from trades as well as from their last two draft classes.

On the mound: The Stockton pitching staff is just nasty and this after one prospect Henry Rodriguez who started the year with the Ports was promoted to Double-A after just three starts. All the Ports have left are three other front line starters as well as two quality relievers. The rotation is anchored by 20 year old Trevor Cahill who enters his second full season after being drafted in the 2nd round in 2006. Last year in Low-A Cahill dominated his competition going 11-4 with a 2.73 ERA with 117 K's in just 105 innings pitched. Cahill has the makings of a front of the rotation starter and if he stays on track should be in Oakland by mid-season 2010. Joining Cahill in the Ports rotation is a pair of pitchers whom Oakland acquired through trades this off-season, Brett Anderson and Fautino De Los Santos. De Los Santos, was the centerpiece of the package the A's got back for Nick Swisher, could very well be joining Cahill atop the A's rotation in a few years. The power righty had a breakout year last season going 10-5 with a 2.65 ERA and 153 strikeouts in only 122 innings. There is some chance that he could still be moved to the bullpen given his power arm, regardless the 22 year old De Los Santos should have a bright future in Oakland. Anderson, who was part of the Dan Haren trade from the Diamondbacks, doesn't have the upside of Cahill or the dominating fastball of De Los Santos but still seems like a lock to be a part of the A's rotation in a few years. The 20 year old southpaw is a command and control specialist, he misses bats and won't walk many batters. Though he may never be an ace of a pitching staff he looks like a workhorse in the making, a pitcher who will give you 200 innings each season. The two top relievers on the Ports staff are a pair of 2007 draft picks 3rd rounder Sam Demel and 5th rounder Andrew Carignan. Both are power arms who will have a chance to be 9th inning guys going forward.

In the line-up: To go along with their loaded rotation the Ports have a stacked roster with 5 legitimate hitting prospects. They are led by 2007 first round pick first baseman Sean Doolittle. Doolittle is not a power first baseman though he could have 20+ home run power. He's a classic A's ball player a guy who will always be on base and almost never strikeout. Given his production in college and advanced batting eye Doolittle could be up in Oakland within two years. Another player acquired by the A's in the Haren deal is first baseman Chris Carter. Carter, who was actually with the White Sox last year before being traded to the D-backs, had a great year in Low-A ball hitting .291-25-93 in 467 at bats. Carter has big time power and could be a clean-up hitter going forward, and projects as a player who should hit around 40 home runs a year. While for now Carter is a first baseman he looks to be more of a full-time DH when he gets to the majors. In the outfield the Ports have two players who have a bright future in the organization Jermaine Mitchell and Matt Sulentic. Mitchell is the more advanced of the two and could be the center fielder of the the future for the A's. In his first full season Mitchell hit .288-8-58 to go along with 24 stolen bases. Mitchell is already 23 years old so he needs to have a big year for the Ports but given his speed and ability to take a walk, he should be called up to Double-A before the year is out. Sulentic on the other hand is a bit more raw than Mitchell as he struggled in his first full season in the minors. Sulentic is a line drive hitter with limited power he will never be an all star but can be a productive member of a major league outfield. The fifth and final prospect on the Port's roster is 2007 2nd round pick shortstop Josh Horton. Horton is solid defensively and while he doesn't have much power or speed he is a solid all around hitter. He profiles in the future as a two-hole hitter if all goes well.

Hope everyone has a great week and check back next week as we will begin to look at who is heating up in the minors!

Deep in The Rough: The EDS Byron Nelson Championship

Wow, if you caught the end of last week’s Verizon Heritage, you would know that Boo Weekley won for the second straight year. This is a very rare thing in golf, but the man deserves some serious respect. The Heritage is a very tough event, and Boo Weekley showed that he is capable of winning at the highest level. This is the same guy who got caught going through airport security on his way to a tourney with bullets in his bag, which makes him that much more likable. He’s a big hunter guys, not a psychopath.

That being said, let’s move on to the event of the week, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. Last year, Scott Verplank finished with a 66 to take a one shot victory over Luke Donald. This year, there are a number of candidates consider, so allow me to help you sift through the rough.

Players to Consider

Adam Scott: Scott hasn’t played here since 2006, but he finished in a tie for 3rd. He is due to have a big week somewhere, and this just might be it. He is one of the best players in the world, and it is getting close to time for him to win something.

Rory Sabbatini: Rory has a big mouth, but he also should be a good pick this week. The A-List is a little thin, and Rory also tied for 3rd here last year. This hasn’t been Rory’s best year so far, but with a thinner field, he may be a breakout candidate as well.

Sean O’Hair: Sean laid an egg last week at the Heritage, but he has been playing well and he has done well at this event in the past, finishing 2nd in 2005 and 2 top 25’s his other years playing. Look for a strong bounce back week.

Ian Poulter: Ian started off great at the Masters, but finished in a tie for 25th. He has a strong track record in this event, including a tie for 3rd last year. Pick with confidence this week.

Trevor Immelman: The question is, will winning the Masters boost or slow Immelman’s game in the coming events? Last year, Zach Johnson proved it to be a booster, this year we can bet the same for Immelman.

Players to Avoid

Scott Verplank: Yes, he won here last year, and yes he is a wily vet, but he has had a pretty bad year with only one top 10 and 3 missed cuts. I’d use this week to evaluate his play for the rest of the year.

Nick Watney: Watney was a common pick last year, but he has yet to come in the top 50 at this event throughout his career. Steer clear.

My Picks

A List:

*Adam Scott
Rory Sabbatini


B List:

*Sean O’Hair
*Ian Poulter
Anthony Kim
Chad Campbell

C List:

*Trevor Immelman
Luke Donald

I am starting big Adam, Sean, Ian, and Trevor. Kim played well last week, Campbell has a good track record here, and Donald is probably the best C list player, so if he is in the event, you should have him on your team.

Remember, this format matches the Fantasy Golf format of Yahoo Fantasy sports. If you are looking to give it a try, sign up at fantasysports.yahoo.com. It's a blast.

Thanks all, and good luck this week!

"Miranda Warnings": Mt. Steinbrenner Erupts!

Welcome to Week #4 of "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Wednesday morning, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

American League East: This past weekend, Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner (pictured above, left) stirred up controversy regarding P Joba Chamberlain's (pictured above, right) role saying that only "an idiot" would keep him as a setup guy. After conferring with GM Brian Cashman and Manager Joe Girardi, cooler heads prevailed. Joba remains as setup man to closer Mariano Rivera until the All-Star Break, at the earliest. Steinbrenner's concern stems from the fact that the Yankee starting rotation is "hurting". Young guns Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy are struggling mightily. However, converting Chamberlain from setup man to starter would leave a gaping hole in the 7th and 8th inning, a role that Joba has thrived in since reaching the Major Leagues in late 2007. As long as Joba remains a setup man, he should only be active in the deepest of fantasy baseball leagues. If/when Joba joins the Yankee starting rotation, he must be activated in all fantasy leagues. Chamberlain possesses an arsenal of four pitches which could, potentially, make him a dominant starting pitcher... Cooler heads prevailed regarding Joba Chamberlain's role with the Yankees, but cooler heads did not prevail in Toronto as the Blue Jays suddenly (and unexpectedly) released disgruntled DH Frank Thomas. On Saturday, Thomas was informed that he would no longer be Toronto's primary DH. Obviously, the news did not sit well with the future Hall of Famer. On Sunday, the "big hurt" was granted his unconditional release. Look for Thomas to sign with an AL team within the next few weeks, if not days. Oakland and Seattle are both likely targeting Thomas. Look for the Blue Jays to call up prospect Adam Lind, who will get the majority of AB's at DH. If/when Lind gets called up, he deserves a look on your fantasy roster, if you need a hitter. Lind has stellar minor league credentials and if Toronto gets him regular AB's, I predict a .275 - .285 BA, 10-15 HR's and 65 RBI's in 2008. Not bad for a guy who went undrafted in most fantasy baseball leagues!... Boston LF Manny Ramirez is on a rampage. He's hitting .342, 6 HR's, 20 RBI's and is the Major League leader with a "sick" 1.093 OPS!... Baltimore closer George Sherrill is a perfect sell-high candidate. Sherrill has 6 saves already, but the O's are rebuilding and their recent success won't continue long-term. When the 2008 season ends, the O's will be one of the worst teams in baseball. Meaning, moving forward, Sherill won't have as many save opportunities as he's had recently. Again, sell-high!... The Tampa Bay Rays made a wise move locking up 3B Evan Longoria with a six-year, $17.5 million contract that could be worth up to $44.5 million over nine seasons. Longoria will, in short time, be the "face" of the Rays.

American League Central: Cleveland SP, and 2007 AL Cy Young, C.C. Sabathia (0-3, 13.50 ERA, 2.56 WHIP) was pummeled in his first four starts, but you wouldn't know it by how he dominated Kansas City on Tuesday. The Indians defeated KC 15-1 as C.C. threw 6 innings, allowed 4 hits, 0 runs, walked 2 and had 11 K's!... Detroit SP Justin Verlander, another stud pitcher who was off to rough start in 2008, also bounced back on Tuesday night with a solid effort. Verlander defeated Texas 10-2 (6 IP, 6 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB's, 3 K's)... Kansas City OF David DeJesus returned to the starting lineup Tuesday as the Royals slide hit five games losing to Cleveland, 15-1. Bothered by a left ankle sprain and jammed left big toe, DeJesus has missed significant playing time recently, with Joey Gathright filling in. MLB.com reports that DeJesus has started just six of the Royals' 20 games. DeJesus and Gathright are both decent #5 OF's on a fantasy roster. Gathright provides more value because of his great speed... Who says "nobody's perfect!"? Minnesota closer Joe Nathan has been just that, perfect! Nathan is 6-for-6 in save opportunities!... Thanks to the strong play of OF Carlos Quentin ( 4 HR's, 15 RBI's), the Chicago White Sox optioned OF Jerry Owens to Triple-A Charlotte this past weekend when he was activated from the disabled list. Expect Owens to stay in the minors for the foreseeable future.

American League West: Where does LA Angels OF Vladimir Guerrero rank amongst baseball's greatest? You decide. In the history of Major League Baseball, only 2 players have hit .300+, with 25+ HR's, for 10 straight seasons. The two players are Babe Ruth and Vladimir Guerrero! Vlad is off to a decent start in 2008 (.275 BA, 2 HR's, 12 RBI's). Don't worry though, he'll start heating up before too long... Seattle closer J.J. Putz came off the disabled list Tuesday night and promptly closed the door on the O's for his second save. Speaking of returning from the DL, Erik Bedard will return to the Mariners' rotation on Saturday against Oakland... As I've mentioned in recent "Miranda Warnings", Texas' pitching is dreadful and it's the pitching that has led to their recent five game losing streak. P Vicente Padilla was the latest starter to take a pounding, surrendering 8 hits and 7 ER in only 3 IP in the Rangers 10-2 loss to Detroit. You shouldn't, under any circumstances, have a Texas SP on your fantasy baseball roster... Rotoworld.com reports that Oakland A's RP Santiago Casilla still hasn't allowed a run in 11 innings this season. Casilla might be emerging as the #2 man in Oakland's bullpen, behind closer Huston Street. Casilla has a 14/1 K/BB ratio and can be helpful in AL-only fantasy leagues.

National League East: Mets SP Nelson Figueroa had his first rough outing Tuesday versus the Cubs (5 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, 5 BB's and 2 K's), since joining the rotation. Despite his overall success, do not consider Figueroa a reliable starting pitcher for your fantasy roster, but do keep him on your fantasy radar. Figueroa is in the Mets rotation due to injuries to SP's Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez. If/when the Mets starting rotation gets healthy, Figueroa may have earned himself a spot in the Mets suspect bullpen... Philadelphia SS, and 2007 NL MVP, Jimmy Rollins re-aggravated his injured left ankle and finally landed on the DL on Sunday. Rollins didn't start 10 straight games (making 4 PH appearances during that span) and should've been DL'd upon tweaking his ankle April 8th. Instead, the Phillies took a day-to-day approach with J-Ro and will now be without him until late April/early May... Beware, if you have Washington Nationals closer Chad Cordero on your fantasy roster. According to MLB.com, Cordero will have his right shoulder examined by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday afternoon. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. In the meantime, Jon Rauch continues to serve as Nats closer... The "rebuilding" Marlins lead the NL East with a 12-8 record!... Keep an eye on Atlanta SP Tim Hudson. His fastball decreased 4-5 mph in an ugly start last week versus Florida (3 IP, 6 hits, 4 ER). He did bounce back with a decent effort Monday versus Washington (6.2 IP, 10 hits, 1 ER). Hudson defeated the Nats 7-3. Congrats to Atlanta SP John Smoltz, who recorded his 3000th career strikeout against Washington. 3000 K's is quite impressive, but even more impressive when you consider that Smoltz has had four (yes, four) elbow surgeries in his career! Wow!

National League Central: In an apparent effort to have closer Eric Gagne's arm fall off, Brewers Manager Ned Yost used Gagne on Tuesday for the fifth time in six days! Gagne blew the save, but the Brewers rallied to defeat the Cards, 9-8, in extra innings. In an era where pitchers are babied (limited innings, strict pitch counts, etc.), I am clueless as to why Yost is using Gagne so much. Hopefully, this doesn't come back to haunt the Brewers later in the season. Although Milwaukee says that SP Ben Sheets (strained triceps) is expected to miss only one start (and avoid the DL), I say he ends up on the DL sooner, rather than later... In extra innings versus Milwaukee, the Cards were running out of players and put 1B Albert Pujols at 2B!... Surprising Pittsburgh OF Nate McLouth (.365 BA) went hitless Tuesday night (0-for-2) against the Marlins, ending his 19-game hitting streak. It's the longest hitting streak in the Majors this season... MLB.com reports that Alfonso Soriano (calf strain) plans to return May 1st... ESPN's Peter Gammons reports that if the Houston Astros' fall out of the playoff picture, SP Roy Oswalt might be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to a contender... Cincinnatti 1B Joey Votto hit his 4th HR Monday, went 3-for-4 Tuesday, and has taken over the full-time gig at 1B over platoon partner Scott Hatteberg.

National League West: Despite hitting a HR over the weekend versus his old team, Atlanta, LA Dodger OF Andruw Jones has been absolutely dreadful in 2008. In 64 AB's, Jones is hitting .156! Ouch! I don't recommend buying-low on Jones because his hitting funk dates back to early 2007!... Colorado closer Manny Corpas (3 ER, 3rd BS) was lit up by the Phillies Tuesday night. His ERA now stands at 6.55!... San Francisco OF Fred Lewis (.338 BA) continues to impress. Lewis can do a little bit of everything and is worth considering as a #5 fantasy OF... After defeating the Giants Monday, Arizona SP Micah Owings is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA!... San Diego SP Jake Peavy is human (ND, 6 IP, 7 hits, 4 ER versus Houston Tuesday).

See you next week!

The Buzz Around the Bullpen: Where have you gone C.C. Sabathia?

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. In the world of sports, we are at that time of the year that it is hard to focus on what truly is your number one priority. With the NFL talking heads using the words “upside” and “game-speed” like they are the only words left in the English language, it is hard not to think how your hometown NFL team is going to disappoint you on draft day. Then, when you finally find the channel that carries hockey, you can’t stop watching “Sid The Kid” deliver Gretzky like assists to superstar Evgeni Malkin. While the rest of your league is putting fantasy baseball on the “back burner”, lets get your team making some moves.

Big Hits

Randy Wolf (SP, San Diego Padres): Although Wolf awarded four free passes in his last start, Wolf has proven to be a serviceable starting pitcher. Wolf often gets pushed aside on draft day because of his history of injuries. While he has not pitched a full season since 2003 with the Phillies, Wolf’s numbers have been decent the past three years. His ERA and WHIP have been high in the past but now pitching in San Diego, Wolf has found himself in a pitcher’s paradise. So far this year, Wolf has only recorded one victory but his numbers have been dominating. He is averaging about a K/IP and his 1.42 ERA and .89 WHIP are quite impressive. Wolf is only owned in about 50you’re your leagues. He would be a great addition to your starting rotation.

Ryan Ludwick (OF, St. Louis Cardinals): Consider these numbers, .390, 4 HR, 11 RBIs, 9 runs, 1 SB. Now consider the fact that this guy has only 41ABs. The Cards have been the surprise of the season thus far. Until recently, Skip Schumaker was getting the majority of the ABs in right field for the Cards. However, it is hard to keep a hot bat out of the lineup. There is no saying how long this will last but if you look to last year’s stats, Ludwick did have 14 HRs in only 303 ABs. If you project that over a year, you’re now looking at 25-30 HRs. I’m not saying he is the key to your fantasy championship but keep an eye on him. Also, for you Soriano owners, don’t be afraid to ride a hot bat while he recovers from his calf injury.

Joey Votto (1B, Cincinnati Reds): When I look at Joey Votto, two things jump out at me that are quite appealing. First, he will be playing half of his games this year in a lauching pad. Second, he is stuck in a platoon situation with Scott Hatteberg. This is a good thing. Hatteberg is very average and in a ballpark like Great American, the Reds need more power production out of their first baseman. Votto has that type of power potential that the Reds are looking for. He has been hot his last five games and he is finally hitting like some owners thought he would at the start of the season. Votto is available in about 50% of your leagues. Not to mention, he is hitting .351 and in 84 ABs last year, he boasted a .321 average. If you have any doubts about his power, just remember that the Great American Ballpark made mediocre catcher David Ross look like Hank Aaron in ’06 and ’07.


Greg Smith (SP, Oakland Athletics): Just when you thought you’d seen the last of the A’s young pitching arsenal go down to injury, Smith has stepped up and has made an impact in his first two major league starts. Some owners were hesitant to take a flier on him after his first start because of some control issues. Let’s not forget it was his first major league start and he probably had some adrenaline pumping. I believe his last start was more of an indication of his command of his pitches. In two starts, Smith has one victory with an ERA around 2.00 and his WHIP is slightly above 1.00. He has also shown the ability to accumulate some strikeouts with 9 Ks in only 13 IP. This guy came over in the Dan Haren trade so you have to believe the A’s saw something they liked in him. The best part about Smith is that he is only owned in about 20% of your leagues. If nothing else, give him a couple starts if you lost Bedard or another one of your studs to a minor injury. A couple more quality starts and this guy will have all the “buzz” of the next big thing in Oakland. That’s when you make another owner buy high because he wants to tell everyone at work he has Smith on his team.

Honorable Mention

If you are just looking to fill some needs, take a look at a couple of these guys.

Eric Hinske (CI/OF, Tampa Bay Rays) (.342, 4 HRs, 7 RBIs, 8 runs)
Braden Looper (SP, St. Louis Cardinals) (3-0, 2.70 ERA, 11 Ks, 1.20 WHIP)
Rafael Betancourt (RP, Cleveland Indians) (1-0, 4.50 ERA, 8 Ks, 1.71 WHIP)
Xavier Nady (OF, Pittsburgh Pirates) (.345, 4 HRs, 14 RBIs, 10 runs, 1 SB)

Gavin Floyd (SP, Chicago White Sox) (2-0, 1.40 ERA, 10 Ks, .89 WHIP)
Mark DeRosa (UT, Chicago Cubs) (.306, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, 8 runs)
Jeff Niemann (SP, Tampa Bay Rays) (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 5 Ks, 1.17 WHIP)

Big Misses

C.C. Sabathia (SP, Cleveland Indians): I’m not sure if “bad” can even describe C.C. Sabathia’s start to the 2008 season. Although I have never been a huge fan of C.C, last year he proved me wrong and was absolutely automatic. However, I think the workload that C.C. received last year is exactly what has him struggling this year. C.C. worked over 240 innings last season. Besides the 2002 season where Sabathia worked 210 innings, C.C. has averaged around 190 innings over the past seven years. Although he is an athletic 6’9, 290, C.C. is clearly not the picture of health. Coming into a contract year, I was discouraged when C.C. showed up at camp heavier than he ever has been. Whether it’s the contract issues “weighing” on him or his inability get over his belly and make pitches, C.C. needs to make some adjustments fast. For you Sabathia owners, lets just hope he is doing his best 2007 Carlos Zambrano impersonation and recover in the next month or two. C.C. really provides a tough situation for his owners because the market on C.C. will never be lower. I would definitely try and sell him on his numbers last year and his potential to rebound. Don’t be afraid to use the Zambrano example as precedent that he will recover. I’m personally selling him to someone that is willing to take a chance. I’d take a pitcher that will put up consistent numbers and maybe a young outfielder that has potential for big numbers. He is still C.C. Sabathia and someone will still value him way too high despite his numbers this year. As a side note, if anyone does have C.C.’s “Buffets in the USA” tour shirt from this winter, I’d love to have my own.

Jose Guillen (OF, Kansas City Royals): No one had Jose Guillen as the key to their fantasy team, but Guillen has disappointed thus far for owners looking to him as a 3rd or 4th outfielder. Guillen has a tendency to be a free swinger and he has struck out 13 times in just 65 ABs. It is only a matter of time before you start hearing that he was a product of the steroid era. Even if Guillen is able to rebound, why wait when you can find a guy that is able to produce similar numbers on a more consistent basis. Take a look at a guy like Milton Bradley who has been extremely consistent this year hitting .353 in 51 ABs. The power numbers are not there for Bradley but as we all know, it is only a matter of time before it heats up in Texas. All you have to hope for is that Milton doesn’t tear his ACL arguing the price of a hot dog with one of the vendors.

Don’t Stop Believing

Take a look at these guys in your league and don’t be afraid to take a chance on one of them. Their value will never be lower and you might be able to take them off someone’s hands well below market value.

Adam LaRoche (1B, Pittsburgh Pirates): LaRoche has once again started the season off like he has forgotten how to hit a baseball. This guy has a ton of potential and after recovering from a very slow start last year, he finished hitting .272 with 21 HRs and 88 RBIs. He did most of his hitting from the month of June on. If you have somewhere to stash him while he continues to struggle, he is definitely worth the risk down the stretch. You will never be able to buy him cheaper.

Rich Hill (SP, Chicago Cubs): Hill has too much talent to be pitching like he has thus far. He is obviously struggling mechanically and after a couple of bullpen sessions, look for Hill to rebound. Hill was very solid last year and the Cubs offense will even steal him a couple wins during this season. He averaged almost a K/IP over 195 IPs last year. This is exactly the type of guy you have to be willing to take a chance on. He should get a much needed confidence booster when he returns to the rotation this week against the Pirates.

As with all SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post some comments. Until next time, make sure you listen for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

Down on the Farm: Double-A Preview

Last week we took a look at a few Triple-A ball clubs and what impact players that would be on their way to the big leagues in the near future. This week we are going to continue are minor league preview by looking at a couple Double-A clubs that are loaded with major league talent.

Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays), Southern League:

The future is definitely bright in Tampa Bay as they have without a doubt the strongest minor league system in baseball. It is loaded top to bottom but with the strength of both the Durham Bulls and the Biscuits the Rays should be getting immediate help for their ball club over the next two years.

On the mound: If the Bulls strength is in their line-up the Biscuits balance them out by having a dominate pitching staff. The staff is led by two of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, in southpaw Jake McGee and right hander Wade Davis. Both were picked by the Rays out of high school in the 2004 draft and have dominated the minors every stop of the way. McGee last year went 8-6 with a 3.15 ERA but those numbers don't tell the whole story as he went on to record 175 K's to only 52 walks in just 140 innings pitched. Davis didn't have too bad of a season either as he went 10-3 with a 2.50 ERA, while striking out 169 in 158 innings of work. Both pitchers have the ability to be number one or two starters in the big leagues and should both advance to Triple-A at some point this season. McGee and Davis aren't the only major league quality arms on the Biscuits roster. Wade Townsend, who looks to move to the bullpen to harness his incredible potential, has the ability to be a quality MLB pitcher he just needs to regain his confidence that made him a first round pick in 2004 and 2005. Eduardo Morlan could be the closer of the future for the Rays, and was part of the Delmon Young trade with the Twins in the off-season. The 22 year old power pitcher had a breakout season last year, going 5-3 with a 3.10 ERA to go along with 18 saves and 99 strikeouts. James Houser is a 23 year old lefty that could fit into the back of a rotation or be a long man out of a bullpen either way he will be a solid addition to a Major League pitching staff.

In the line-up: The Biscuits don't have the hitters to match their talented pitching staff but they do have one special player in their line-up in catcher John Jaso. Jaso has hit at every stop in the minors and has good power for a catcher. Last season for the Biscuits, Jaso hit .316-12-71, he also walked 59 times to only 49 SO's in just 380 at bats. Jaso will repeat Double-A most likely so he can work with the Rays top pitching prospects that he will likely be catching in Tampa in a year or two. He will probably be in a Durham Bulls uniform before the year is out and is also a top candidate to be a September call-up for the Rays. Outside of Jaso there isn't much Major league talent in the line-up though OF Sergio Pedroza and 1B Chris Nowak will both likely be bench players in the big leagues someday.

Carolina Mudcats (Florida Marlins), Southern League:

The Mudcats are stacked there is no way around it, they have the best hitting and pitching in the Marlins system and they have alot of it. A good portion of the Mudcats roster should be in Florida with in the next two years.

On the mound: The Mudcats may have the deepest rotation in the minors, all five of their starters seem destined for a Major League rotation. The staff is full of 4 former first round picks led by 2005 pick Chris Volstad and 2006 pick Brett Sinkbiel. Volstad continues to improve every year and combined between two levels last year to go 12-11 with a 4.16 ERA and a 118 K's, he will look to be in the Marlins rotation by next season. Sinkbiel missed some time last season with an injury but still advances a level to Double-A. While he didn't dominate last year going only 6-4 with a 3.42 ERA and 49 strikeouts, Sinkbiel has a bright future ahead of him, if he stays healthy he could be a number 3 pitcher for years to come. Joining Volstad and Sinkbiel are 2005 first rounders Ryan Tucker and the only southpaw in the group Aaron Thompson. Tucker is a power pitcher with a great fastball that should be a big strikeout guy once he improves his other pitches. Thompson lacks the power of Tucker or the high potential of Volstad or Sinkbiel but he might be the closest to being in the majors. While he might not dominate you Thompson has four solid pitches that and has shown solid control for a 21 year old. Rick Vandenhurk, who actually ended last year in the majors and started of the season there rounds out the Mudcats rotation. While he's battling injuries now he should be back in Florida for next season. Also on the pitching staff are relievers Jacob Marceaux and Jesus Delgado who both have pro potential. While neither figure to be closers or set-up men, if they continue developing both should be solid additions to a bull-pen.

In the line-up: The Mudcats line-up also boasts four of the Marlins top hitting prospects to go along with all of that top pitching. Cameron Maybin who headlined the players the Marlins received in the Miguel Cabrera deal. The Marlins ignored the pressure to rush Maybin to the majors instead sending him to the Mudcats, it will pay off in the short term for the Mudcats but will benefit the Marlins in the long run. Maybin is one of the most talented and exciting players in all the minors and should be an all-star center-fielder for the Marlins for years to come. There is no need to rush him as the Marlins look to rebuild, he has the ability to be a 30/30 player and needs a bit more time to refine his skills. Look for Maybin to get a second half call up if he continues to dominate the minors. Joining Maybin in the line-up is second baseman Chris Coghlan, who doesn't have the five-tool talent of Maybin but still should be joining him in the Marlins line-up come next season. Last year Coghlan hit .287-12-82 while adding 24 stolen bases. Look at Coghlan as a poor man's Brian Roberts, as he continues to develop each year. The Mudcats line-up also features 1B Gaby Sanchez and catcher Brett Hayes who both could be starting for the Marlins in the near future. Hayes is a top defensive catcher but doesn't have a great bat, but still should be in competition for a starting role come next season. Sanchez lacks the prototypical first baseman power but is a high contact hitter and a good defender that will be given a shot at the first base job next year if Mike Jacobs doesn't improve.

Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers), Texas League:

With sound trades and smart drafting the Rangers rebuilding process is heading in the right direction. The RoughRiders are a prime example of the Rangers depth of talent; they feature not only the Rangers top two prospects but also a host of others who will be on the roster in the next couple of years.

On the mound: For all the talent on the RoughRiders not too much of it lies in the pitching staff. Only two of their pitchers right now look like guys who will be pitching for the Rangers Matt Harrison and Warner Madrigal. Of these left handed starter Matt Harrison has the higher upside, acquired as part of the trade for Mark Teixeira, he has the ability to be a legitimate number three starter. Harrison isn't going to be an all-star but he should be a valuable member of the Rangers rotation. He is joined on the staff with future closing candidate Warner Madrigal. Madrigal who was signed as an outfielder was switched two years ago to the mound by the Angels and has been on the fast track to the majors ever since. The Rangers signed him as a minor league free agent after the Angels didn't protect him and will continue the process of converting him into a closer. In another year or two if Madrigal keeps improving in the minors he will be finishing games for the Rangers.

In the line-up: The real talent for the RoughRiders is their impressive line-up, led by the Rangers top two prospects SS Elvis Andrus and 3B Chris Davis. With Andrus and Davis the Rangers have the left side of the infield set for the next decade, as both look to be the real deal. Andrus was another piece of the Teixeira trade and is among the top shortstop prospects in baseball. While some look at him as an "all-glove" ball player it should be noted that Andrus will be playing in Double-A at only 19 years of age. He's always been extremely young for his level and while he struggles at the plate he has good speed and continues to make improvements. He could be a 40-50 stolen base player down the road if he continues to work on his timing and jumps. His glove will continue to be his biggest strength but Andrus looks like a special ball player. Unlike Andrus, Davis's bat and not his glove is what keeps him advancing through the Rangers system. Last year was a breakout year for Davis as he hit .297-36-118 between two levels last year. Davis could be a 40 home run hitter in the big leagues as he has continued to improve at every stop in the minors. Look for the Rangers to give him a starting role in 2009. Joining Andrus and Davis are a pair of top catching prospects Taylor Teagarden and Max Ramirez. Most teams wouldn't have two top catching prospects at the same level but the Rangers are stacked with catchers and didn't have much of a choice. Teagarden is one of the better catching prospects he has power, can hit for average and is considered to be very good defensively. Ramirez on the other hand is more of the offensive catcher and is still working on his defensive skills. Either way both Ramirez and Teagarden should force the issue and one will likely be traded at some point before next season.

"Miranda Warnings": Thanks Jackie and Branch!

Welcome to Week #3 of "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Wednesday morning, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

Before getting to this weeks Major League Baseball coverage, I want to take a brief moment to acknowledge Brooklyn Dodger immortals Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey (pictured above). On Tuesday, Major League Baseball celebrated the 61st anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier. Pre-game ceremonies were held throughout Major League Baseball ballparks across the country. Most teams (players, managers and coaches) wore Robinson's #42 out of respect for Robinson and to keep his memory alive.

In 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey and 1B Jackie Robinson agreed the time had come for an African-American to play Major League Baseball. The rest, as "they" say, is history. Robinson and Rickey not only paved the way for the legendary African-American ballplayers (Bob Gibson, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson and Barry Bonds, to name a few) that followed and not only opened the door for cultural diversity on the baseball field, but they also proved that blacks and whites could exist in the same workplace and, in doing so, they changed the landscape of America. In short, Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson's actions transcended baseball! "Thank you" to both of them!

Quick baseball trivia: Major League Baseball has retired Jackie Robinson's #42, never to be worn again. However, one active Major League Baseball player still wears #42. Name the only active Major League Baseball player who still wears #42. The answer to this question is at the end of this weeks "Miranda Warnings".

Ok, let's get to it!

American League East: Yankee SS Derek Jeter returned to action Monday night against Tampa after missing six games with a strained left quadriceps muscle. Jeter went 2-for-5. If you benched Jeter on your fantasy roster while he was injured, it's now safe to activate him. Another injured Yankee, C Jorge Posada, received good news. An MRI revealed that his right shoulder injury is nothing serious. Posada is listed as day-to-day. P Joba Chamberlain is out indefinitely while he spends time with his ailing father... After Tuesday's game versus Cleveland, Boston DH David "Big Papi" Ortiz is 6-for-53 with a .113 BA (none of those numbers are typos!). Talk about a great opportunity for a fantasy baseball GM to buy-low! Perhaps you can snag Big Papi away from an owner in your fantasy league who's lost faith in Ortiz! Here's the deal: if Ortiz is fully recovered from off-season knee surgery, he'll bounce back (in a big way) in the next several weeks. If the knee is still bothering him, it could be messing up his mechanics at the plate. I say, wait another week (or two) to see if he snaps out of this wretched funk that he's in... Toronto OF Vernon Wells (off-season shoulder surgery) is rebounding nicely from an injury-plagued 2007. In 14 games, Wells is hitting .345 with 3 HR's and 14 RBI's!... After a sluggish start to 2008, Baltimore Orioles OF Adam Jones (the main ingredient in the blockbuster off-season Eric Bedard trade) is beginning to show some signs of life. He went 3-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base against Toronto on Monday night... The Rays had to dig into their serious surplus of minor league pitching recently due to P Matt Garza's injury (radial nerve irritation in his right arm). Prospect P Jeff Niemann filled in for Garza this past Sunday. Niemann struck out five and walked one in six solid innings, leading Tampa Bay to a 6-2 win over Baltimore. Garza (on the 15-day DL) is expected back within two weeks.

American League Central: The Tiger's free-fall continues, as they remain in last place at 4-10. Not only is the losing mounting in Detroit, but so are the injuries. Add these guys to Detroit's walking-wounded: 1B Carlos Guillen (hamstring), P Nate Robertson (shoulder) and P Dontrelle Willis (knee). I'm gonna stick to what I said about Detroit in last weeks "Miranda Warnings": "Detroit doesn't recover from its horrid 0-7 start, they are beset by injuries and miss the playoffs, finishing 81-81, in third place in the Central Division, 14 games behind Central Division winner Cleveland". Time will tell if my Detroit prediction comes true!... Finally, P Joe Borowski is out as closer in Cleveland! A strained triceps has landed him on the DL, which opens the door for setup man Rafael Betancourt to handle ninth inning duties. Betancourt has been an elite setup man for several years and now gets the chance to strut his stuff as Cleveland closer. If you play in a shallow fantasy baseball league, Betancourt is still available. Get him! Cleveland C Victor Martinez (hamstring) seems fully healed. He's been seeing regular action lately.... What in the name of Zack Greinke has gotten into Kansas City's Zack Greinke? Listen to these numbers: He's 3-0, 24 IP, 17 hits, only 5 BB's, a sick 0.75 ERA and an equally sick 0.92 WHIP (none of those numbers are typos!). Wow! For future reference, here's another number that you need to know: Greinke has only 9 k's, which means that he doesn't blow hitters away. Greinke is definitely a solid starting pitcher. Not to take anything away from him but, with such few strike outs, hitters will eventually start to hit him. I still think he'll end up with solid final numbers in 2008. 13-15 wins is very realistic for Zack... Minnesota OF Carlos Gomez (the key ingredient in the blockbuster off-season Johan Santana trade) already has 7 SB's! Unfortunately, he's a one-category guy. He'll, most likely, only contribute SB's (and perhaps some runs too) to your fantasy team... The White Sox are off to an 8-5 start. Leading the charge for the White Sox offense has been 3B Joe Crede (16 RBI's), but don't forget about C A.J. Pierzynski, who leads Major League Baseball with a .421 BA!

American League West: According to rotoworld.com's Aaron Gleeman, speculation has been swirling that P Erik Bedard's hip injury may be serious. The Mariners placed him on the disabled list Tuesday with inflammation. Aaron also says that although P J.J. Putz (ribs) is eligible to come off the DL Thursday, manager John McLaren said there's no timetable for his return... LA Angels 2B Howie Kendrick pulled up lame legging out a double on Sunday versus Seattle and is out indefinitely. After taking several days off to rest his ailing left ankle last week, closer Francisco Rodriguez pronounced himself healthy and promptly picked up a save versus Texas on Monday night... Texas OF Josh Hamilton, who pounded the baseball throughout spring training, continues to do the same in the regular-season. He's hitting .278 with 3 HR's and 13 RBI's. 2B Ian Kinsler, who launched 9 HR's in April 2007, has zero HR's this April... Despite the fact that they're "rebuilding", Oakland is tied with LA for first place at 9-6.

National League East: Mets GM Omar Minaya delivered grim news on Tuesday regarding starting pitcher Pedro Martinez (strained hamstring). Minaya told the NY Post that Martinez is out until at least late May and, more likely, early June. With P Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez (strained foot tendon) out indefinitely, there's even more pressure for P's Nelson Figueroa and Mike Pelfrey to fortify the back-end of the Mets starting rotation. The Mets signed ex-Brewer P Claudio Vargas to a minor league contract. Vargas is not expected to be promoted anytime soon... OF Pat Burrell has been carrying the Phillies so far. He's hitting .348 with 5 HR's and 15 RBI's. OF Shane Victorino went down with a calf injury over the weekend. He was placed on the 15-day DL. Part-time OF Jayson Werth will play more while Victorino heals... Braves OF Jeff Francoeur went bonkers this past Saturday versus Washington. "Frenchy" went 3-for-5 with 2 HR's and 7 RBI's! He's a very underrated OF, whose best years lie ahead... Although I feel that Florida P Andrew Miller will be an elite pitcher someday, he's been lit up (0-2, 11.37 ERA) in his three starts this season. If he doesn't turn it around soon, he'll find himself back in the minors... Very few Nats are hitting. Coupled with below-average pitching, the Nats are 4-10, after a 3-0 start. The only Nats worth having on your fantasy team are 1B Nick Johnson, 3B Ryan Zimmerman, OF's Lastings Milledge and Austin Kearns and, perhaps, solid setup man Jon Rauch.

National League Central: Cubs LF Alfonso Soriano is out indefinitely after injuring his calf versus the Reds Tuesday night. Expect OF Matt Murton to be recalled from the minors. Murton is very underrated. He does a little of everything and is worth adding to a fantasy team (in deep leagues), if you need OF help... Brewers OF Gabe Kapler (filling in until suspended OF Mike Cameron returns) has been in a "zone", hitting .423, with 4 HR's and 11 RBI's! P Yovanni Gallardo's rehab assignment is almost complete and he is expected to rejoin the Brewer's rotation this week... So far, so good with Cardinal 1B Albert Pujols' troublesome elbow. He's hitting .377, with 3 HR's and 8 RBI's... Houston closer Jose Valverde (1 save, 11.37 ERA, 2.53 WHIP) has been absolutely horrific. Brought in to protect a 3-0 lead versus Philadelphia Tuesday, Valverde promptly surrendered two homers and the game-winning double, resulting in a 4-3 Houston loss!... Pirate OF Jason Bay is back after a very disappointing 2007! He's hitting only .255, but already has 3 HR's, 5 RBI's and 1 SB.

National League West: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki, the 2007 NL ROY runner-up, is suffering through the worst slump of his career. He's batting just .159, with zero HR's and zero RBI's through 47 AB's! Tulowitzki, like David Ortiz above, is an excellent buy-low candidate, if you could pry him away from another GM in your fantasy league... Speaking of buy-low candidates, get your hands on Dodger OF Matt Kemp. He should eventually beat out OF Juan Pierre for playing time in the LA outfield and have a solid 2008... Much to the shock of just about anyone who follows Major League Baseball, the Giants have managed to score a few runs "here and there" and have mustered a 6-9 record... Diamondbacks' P Micah Owings, who was a 2007 hitting sensation, is becoming a pitching sensation too. Owings is 3-0, with a 2.29 ERA. P's Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Owings and a healthy Randy Johnson could, potentially, form a devastating 1 through 4 in the D-back's starting rotation... Are you aware of what San Diego Padres pitcher Randy Wolf has done thus far? How about a 1-0 record, 19 IP's, 10 hits, 18 K's, a 1.42 ERA and 0.89 WHIP! Whew!

Trivia answer: Yankee pitcher Mariano Rivera is the only active Major League Baseball player who wears #42.

Deep in The Rough: Trevor!

Who is Trevor Immelman? I’ll tell you who he is – a Masters champion. While he was not one of the favorites to win, he certainly played a fantastic four rounds of golf and earned himself a green jacket in his first major win. This Masters may go down as another one that Tiger let slip away, but there is no way that anyone can discredit Immelman and his brilliant play. If you have been following golf for the past few years, you will know that Immelman winning is no fluke, and even Gary Player says the he is one of the best ball strikers he has ever seen.

Aside from Immelman, we also have to note the great play of Stewart Cink and Brandt Snedeker. These guys could not get it done in the end, but they held tough and played under the greatest pressure a golfer can face. Look for these two to have great years the rest of the way.

While the Masters was great, it is time to move on to this week’s tournament, which is the Verizon Heritage, at Harbour Town. Last year, Boo Weekley won with a final round 68 for a one stroke win over Ernie Els. This year, the field is once again deep, so allow me to help you sift through the rough and make the picks that will help you dominate your pool.

Players to Consider

Stewart Cink: Cink has won this event twice since 2000 and has played very well in his other appearances. He is playing great golf and should be in contention come Sunday. While he has had a tough time closing of late, this may be the week where he gets it done.

Aaron Baddeley: Perhaps Badds is in a bit of a major funk since his poor performance on Sunday at Oakmont in the US Open, so do not look at his missed cut last week as an indication of his current track. He had been in the top 15 the previous three events before the Masters, and he has won this tourny before.

Zach Johnson: Zach finished strong at the Masters, but did not repeat. He won it last year and then came in 6th at the Heritage. He could be a very strong bounce-back pick this week.

Sean O’Hair: Sean finished in 14th at the Masters and 7th at the Heritage last year. This guy is due to win a big event this year, and perhaps this is his week to bust out.

Justin Leonard: Justin had a red hot start this year, but has slipped a little bit. I would consider him this week solely because he had a strong finish here last year, and was not playing nearly as well.

Fred Funk: Fred is probably the best C lister available, and he came in the top 15 last year. While he might be over 50 years old, the man can still play. Start him and be confident.

Players to Avoid

Ryuji Imada: Imada has been a popular B list pick this year, but he has been terribly inconsistent. He is always a popular pick, but he has a poor track record at this event. Stay away.

My Team

A List

*Zach Johnson
Aaron Baddeley

B List

*Stewart Cink
*Sean O’Hair
Justin Leonard
Jonathan Byrd

C List

*Fred Funk
Chez Reavie

* - First round starter


I am starting ZJ because I think he could very easily win this week, same goes with Cink and O’Hair. Funk is solid, and I like Reavie because of his breakout potential and Byrd because he has played well here in the past.

Thanks all, and good luck this week!

Weekly Windup's SportsJudge Fantasy League Analysis

A month ago, twelve members of the SportsJudge staff got together to have the “expert” draft (having problems with the link to the draft, but expect it soon). I use the term expert lightly because in actuality, the twelve of us are all at various skill levels ranging from novice to expert. But these levels of expertise combined create such a broad knowledge of fantasy sports, which can only provide the best insight as to how your own fantasy draft might go. Mock Drafts and Expert Leagues do not incorporate the risks that people will take in your draft, like considering prospects and other potential picks that are “out of the norm.” In mock drafts participants avoid drafting the players they are targeting to see where others are taking them. They also do not cover the rest of the season after the draft. That is why SportsJudge is playing out this league for the entire season, and bringing in a mix of players from all fantasy skill levels in order to provide you with the best draft and baseball coverage throughout the year. Here is short recap of the SportsJudge Draft.

Everyone brings a different style to their draft. Some pick the hometown boys, (which works out better when you’re from Boston than Pittsburgh), some put in the thorough research that they feel will lead them to the top, and some grab that magazine at the last minute to check out the mock draft as they run through their own. My personal strategy has always been one of research. I do not look into things as much as some other fantasy players do, but I do put in plenty of time. I think I have more notes on fantasy baseball than I do for any of my college courses.

There are some high points and low points to each draft. There are the picks that make the rest of the draft room pound their fists in disappointment and the picks that cause laughter from the opposition, (Jack Wilson in the second round is my personal favorite). Let’s take a look at my top 5 picks of the draft:

5- SP KC Brian Bannister (Round 24 Pick 6- Matt Cohen) – Bannister had a very solid first season with the Kansas City Royals posting a 3.87 ERA, and you have to love a guy who uses Sabermetrics to pitch. He still has some control issues to work on, but he is a great add late in the draft or off of the waiver wire – (3-0, 0.86 ERA so far this year). The Royals have an improved lineup this year and Bannister should be even more comfortable at the major league level. Matt made a smart decision to go for this right hander late in the draft.

4- C HOU J. R. Towles (Round 19 Pick 10- Jeremy Mittler) – The young rookie has the opportunity to put up some big numbers in what should be a very strong lineup. He hit .375 in 40 AB’s last year. With the two-catcher format, this was a great pick considering his potential and the weak position he would fill. He should be a top 10 fantasy catcher by year’s end. Jeremy made a very smart risk/reward pick with Towles. Very low risk and very high reward for this young fantasy stud.

3- OF ARI Justin Upton (Round 14 Pick 5- Parker Gold) – Chalk one up for the win column for Parker Gold. The usual saying is “Diamond in the Rough,” but since Parker made this draft pick I am going to refer to it as the uncovering of a goldmine. The former #1 overall pick is just 20 years old but already has 140 major league at bats and has a full time starting job in the “BabyBacks’” outfield. I also had him targeted for about the same round (and have been reaping the benefits in all my other leagues). Upton already has 5 home runs and I feel that this is the start of one the best young careers in the majors.

2- SP MIL Ben Sheets (Round 12 Pick 7- Kevin Fenstermacher) – I didn’t want to include any of my own players on this list, (actually I wanted it to be my top 5 picks, but I didn’t think that would go over well with the rest of the SJ Staff), but I have to give myself some credit for Sheets. The ace is an injury risk, but when healthy, he is one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors. His ADP (Average Draft Position) is around the 11^th round. Sheets has a career 3.78 ERA and has the capability of striking out close to a batter per inning. Look for him to stay healthy and help lead the Brew Crew to the NL Central Title.

1- 1B CHC Derek Lee (Round 6 Pick 10- Marc Edelman) – I feel like I have more knocks than props on most of Marc Edelman’s picks, but the star of the site made himself a terrific pick with Lee in this round. Lee is expected to be completely healthy from his wrist injury and should return to his Triple Crown form of a few seasons ago. Don’t overlook the veteran in your drafts, and, if possible, make a deal for him before his stock rises.

Honorable Mentions: Daisuke Matsuzaka (Round 8 Pick 12); Cole Hamels (Round 4 Pick 4); Yunel Escobar (Round 20 Pick 11); Yovani Gallardo (Round 10 Pick 7)

Up next are my 5 “What Were You Thinking?” picks. Some of these picks were reaches and were drafted way too early. The other picks are on this list because they are overvalued by the general public. Here are the bottom 5:

5- Everywhere But Relief Pitcher? Chone Figgins (Round 4 Pick 6- Matt Cohen) – Figgins is a one-dimensional player. He gets you stolen bases. He should get you a decent amount of runs as well, but he is not a fourth-round pick. Wait on a speedster and draft someone like Michael Bourn, (see the Round Table: Sleepers section), or Willy Taveras. The only benefit to Figgins is his multiple position eligibility. The problem is that he is drafted way too high for what he will actually give you. Stay away from him and grab another speedster later in the draft. Matt should have held off and went elsewhere with this pick.

4- OF BOS Jacoby Ellsbury (Round 9 Pick 4- Liz Rathbun) – I think I know what happened here. Liz played the hometown card with this stretch. Ellsbury went entirely too early. I think Liz may have been more distracted by his charm and good looks, (thankfully something I don’t deal with during my draft), and made a mistake with this pick. I think Ellsbury will have a solid year and be a good leadoff hitter, but he could have been drafted many rounds later. There are a ton of outfield prospects to choose from and to reach for Ellsbury this early doesn’t make much sense. There is also a problem with an overcrowded outfield with Crisp taking at bats away until he is traded.

3- 2B BOS Dustin Pedroia (Round 9 Pick 8- Parker Gold) – I don’t think Dustin is going to turn out to be a “Gold” nugget (get it?) for Parker. Pedroia is a good player that will do well for the Red Sox. That doesn’t always translate over into good fantasy numbers. Do not expect much outside of the occasional RBI and run from Pedroia. His ADP is around the 16^th / 17^th round. He doesn’t provide much value at all in most fantasy categories and I expect his average to drop from his surprise rookie season. I feel that this was probably the worst pick of the draft, but Pedroia isn’t an important enough player to warrant the number 1 spot.

2- OF LAD Andruw Jones (Round 7 Pick 9- John O’Malley) – Andruw’s ADP is the late 9^th to early 10^th round. I feel like even that is a bad pick for him. Having picked him two rounds earlier makes me think that John might have thrown a few Budweisers back in drafting the portly center fielder. He is an average killer and just signed an undeserved contract which means the likely scenario will be more Dodger Dogs and fewer Home Runs. I feel like you should stay away from Jones at all costs. There isn’t much left in the tank even though he is just 31 years old. Expect about what you got last year, maybe even less since it is a crowded outfield in LA.

1- OF DET Magglio Ordonez (Round 3 Pick 3- Marc Edelman) – I want to congratulate Marc for owning the top spot for best and worst pick of the SportsJudge Draft. I feel that this is the player that will bring about the most controversy for being on this list. Magglio’s numbers last year were insane, but it isn’t going to translate over into this season. Expect him to decline across the board and his batting average number from last year be more like what his OBP will be this year. Magglio is in a powerful lineup, (as shown by Kansas City and others repeatedly shutting them down) and will still produce, but there were better options at this spot in the draft (Vlad Guerrero). This is a common trend for Magglio as he is a late 2^nd or 3^rd round pick. I feel like there is going to be disappointment all across the fantasy world with Magglio this season, so stay away from him at this point in the draft.

Dishonorable Mentions: Clay Buchholz (Round 9 Pick 11); Josh Fields (Round 13 Pick 9): Francisco Liriano (Round 8 Pick 4); Troy Percival (Round 12 Pick 5)

For the remainder of the season I will be reporting on the league happenings (pick-ups, standings) and providing you with some insight on what you should do in your own fantasy league. As with all SportsJudge articles, please feel free to leave some comments. Keep an eye out for future installments of the SportsJudge Fantasy League Reports.

The Buzz Around the Bullpen: The Ceremonial First Pitch

Welcome to the first edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. Before I begin, I’d like to formally introduce myself. My name is Scott Simon and I have been playing fantasy baseball for about the past 10 years. I am also a huge football and hockey fan but for the entirety of my life, I have had a real passion for the game of baseball. After finishing my college baseball career several years ago, I have become even more enamored with fantasy baseball. As a Pittsburgh native, I have been left with the unfortunate responsibility of being a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. I am beginning to think that fantasy baseball also serves as an outlet to have a “rooting” interest in a player that is not on a team that has lost for 15 consecutive seasons. Regardless, as a Pirate fan, each year I continue to believe that this is “the year” that we will win 81 games. That should tell you everything you need to know about my “fanhood”.

Let’s get to what actually matters. Each article I hope to provide you with a couple of players to keep an eye on and a couple of guys you might want to steer clear from. I’d also like to focus on guys that might be struggling at the moment, but have something promising about them making them worthy of an acquisition. However, lets first focus on a couple of important things to consider when playing fantasy baseball.

Do not spend too much on relief pitching. This is absolutely one of my biggest “pet peeves” in fantasy baseball. Although this advice would probably have been a little more valuable before your draft day, relief pitching and especially closers are not entities that you need to splurge for. I’m not saying that closers are not valuable but last year David Weathers and Kevin Gregg each recorded over 30 saves. Weathers was slated as the opening day closer so he was most likely drafted; however, the Florida Marlins opened the season with Lee Gardner as their closer. If you are asking yourself who Lee Gardner is right now, you are in the vast majority. This happens every year and look for these guys instead of trading for a big name guy like Nathan or Putz.

Bad teams don’t always mean bad fantasy players. Until the 2007 debacle, this could simply have been known as the “Jason Bay Rule”. Before last year, Bay was a .300, 35 HR, 100 R.B.I., 10-20 SB guy for three years. Yet he was constantly overlooked and would fall on draft day. The average fantasy owner does not want a Pirate or a Royal on their team and those who are willing to take on these players will definitely reap the benefits. Remember, just because a team does not win a lot of games does not mean their players do not have any fantasy value. We’ll talk a little bit more about a couple of these guys later on.

Taking a gamble on potential can pay off. This is something that I am known for throughout my fantasy leagues. I would much rather take a young guy with star potential than to take a guy with his best years behind him. I remember in 2006, the Boston Red Sox were going to start their season out with Keith Foulke as their closer. It was late in the draft and I was confronted with taking either Jack Wilson from the Pirates or a young stud named Jonathan Papelbon. Needless to say, I was able to go away from my “homer” instincts and I scored huge. You don’t play fantasy baseball to come in 3rd place. You should take a gamble every once in a while. These are the types of guys that could help put you over the top and get you battling for the league championship.

There are so many other tips or strategies out there but I wanted to share a few of the principles I build my teams around. Now let’s get you started on building your team.

Big Hits

I am guessing these guys are gone from just about all of your leagues, but if they are not, jump on them immediately and you will be surprised they were there waiting for you.

Johnny Cueto (SP, Cincinnati Reds): I’m not sure if there is a greater buzz around baseball than that of Cueto. This guy has absolutely electric stuff and he does not know how to throw anything without movement. He is reminding people around baseball of a young Pedro Martinez. In 13.1 innings pitched this year, he has 18 K’s while carrying an E.R.A of just 2.02. Most impressive however is the fact that a guy with such a power arm has not walked a batter yet. If he is available grab him immediately.

Edinson Volquez (SP, Cincinnati Reds): While Volquez started the year with all the hype, Cueto has stolen most of the thunder. However Volquez has shown great stuff early as well. In his first start, he pitched 5.1 IP and struck out 8 batters. Similar to Cueto, he has a power arm and should give you great strikeout numbers. Neither of these guys should be ignored because of having to play in the launching pad in Cincinnati. Also, both of these guys possess a repertoire of pitches that have kept hitters off balance which has allowed them to get away with mistakes that are typical of a young pitcher.

Nate McLouth (CF, Pittsburgh Pirates): McLouth is finally getting his first crack at a starting job in Pittsburgh. Last year in just 329 AB’s, McLouth hit 13 HRs and stole 22 bases. Now translate that into a full season and you are looking at about 20 HRs with over 30 stolen bases. Not too bad for a guy that was not even drafted in a lot of leagues. The one knock on McLouth has been his batting average. But McLouth just like any hitter will benefit from getting consistent at bats everyday. McLouth is one of those guys that is on a bad team who will fall under the radar. Look to pick him up and replace one of your old slow OF’s.

Under the Radar

These are guys that are probably available in your league and you might want to watch them and snag them up if you are in need at that particular position.

Brian Bannister and Zach Greinke (SPs, Kansas City Royals): These guys have combined to go 4-0 and have virtually taken the bats out of their opponents hands. Although neither of these guys will threaten to lead the league in strikeouts, they know how to do one thing. Pitch. Bannister struck out A-Rod three times in his last start. It was how he struck him out that was most impressive. Bannister spots his fastball and even without overpowering stuff, is able to keep hitters guessing. Either of these guys would be a nice acquisition to fill out the back end of your rotation.

Ryan Dempster (SP, Chicago Cubs): Most owners wouldn’t have known Dempster was starting again if it wasn’t Kerry Wood that was taking his job. Dempster has served as the Cubs closer the past three years and has recorded years of 33, 24 and 28 saves. His move back to the rotation gives the Cubbies some much needed depth in really a pretty weak rotation behind Zambrano. He has been outstanding his first two starts. Although it was in 2001 (his last year healthy as a starter) he recorded a 15-win season. He added over 170 Ks as well that year. I know it seems like forever ago but between injuries and his move to the bullpen, this is really his first opportunity to prove himself as a starter again.

Wandy Rodriquez (SP, Houston Astros): Wandy struggled a little bit in his first start but he came back this week with a strong start. This is probably a guy you could definitely find on your waiver wire. This year he has 12Ks in 12.1 and his WHIP is an impressive .97. His numbers last year were very average, however they were much better at home. This is surprising considering the short porch in left in Houston. However, Wandy is a young guy with middle of the rotation potential and often times, young pitchers will pitch much better at home. I would look for him to put out numbers this year that are comparable to his home stats of last season. Keep your eye on him.

Zach Duke (SP, Pittsburgh Pirates): It might be entirely too early to say but by his first two starts, it certainly looks like Zach Duke is back…at least a little bit. After the Jim Tracy regime destroyed this once rising star, pitching coach Jeff Andrews is in Pittsburgh and it seems like Duke is getting back to his ways of throwing strikes and staying within himself. Andrews served as Duke’s pitching coach in the minor leagues and Duke flourished into a young pitching prospect. Before going down to injury, Duke’s rookie campaign had him in the running for Rookie of the Year honors. In 2005 he was 8-2 with a 1.81. ERA and 58 Ks in 84 innings pitched. He was supposed to anchor the staff in 2006 but pitching coach Jim Colburn had other ideas. For the next two years, Colburn toyed with Duke’s delivery and Duke struggled mightily. Last year he gave up 161 hits in 107 innings pitched and had an ERA of over 5.50. He could be a diamond in the rough and could potentially return to his old ways.

Honorable Mention

Here is a list of a couple of players that could possibly fill some needs for you.

Micah Owings (SP, Arizona Diamondbacks) (2-0, 2.63 ERA, 13Ks, WHIP .88)
Jeff Keppinger (SS/3B, Cincinnati Reds) (.382, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 7 runs, 1 SB)
Dana Eveland (SP, Oakland Athletics) (1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7Ks, WHIP 1.00)
Mike Pelfrey (SP, New York Mets) (1-0, 3.60 ERA, 3Ks, WHIP 1.40)
Luke Scott (OF, Baltimore Orioles) (.500, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 runs)
Corey Patterson (OF, Cincinnati Reds) (.323, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 8 runs, 1 SB)
Joe Saunders (SP, L.A. Angels of Anaheim) (1-0, 0.56 ERA, 9Ks, WHIP .69)
Edwin Jackson (SP, Tampa Bay Rays) (2-0, 0.64 ERA, 10Ks, WHIP .93)


Sell’em if you Got’em

David Ortiz (DH, Boston Red Sox): I know this sounds ridiculous but the casual fantasy owner is willing to pay top dollar for a guy like David Ortiz. He is a big name guy and this prediction could come back to bite me, but I feel this year will prove that David Ortiz no longer is a big time player. I’m not saying that Ortiz is not still a valuable fantasy commodity but look for a serious decrease in his numbers this year. I noticed it first in the first two games of the season against Oakland. Big Papi just does not have the impressive plate coverage that he once had. It seemed like yesterday that Papi was turning on 90+mph cutters from Mariano Rivera. Whether it’s still his knee or just a decrease in bat speed, Papi can no longer drive the pitch on the inner half. His lower half is doing nothing for him and as a result, he is collapsing on his front side and just using all hands. I look for a serious decrease in his power numbers this year. Those homeruns to the short porch in right are now going to be warning track outs. I hope he proves me wrong but I’m selling now before the secret is out.

Andruw Jones (OF, Los Angeles Dodgers): Just a couple years removed from an unbelievable season, Andruw just does not look like he has it any more. He came into spring training looking like Eddie Guardado and he just doesn’t seem to have the passion to play anymore. He signed a 36 million dollar deal in the offseason and Jones might be ready to just put it on cruise control and collect his money. Jones will be 31 in a couple of weeks but you have to remember he is an old 31. This is the same guy that was playing in the World Series when he was 19 years old. It’s a shame to see so much talent go to waste but it looks like Andruw’s best days are clearly behind him. I just hope he doesn’t eat his way out of baseball before his contract is up. I fear the next time we might see Andruw Jones putting on a show will be in Coney Island at the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Jason Bay (OF, Pittsburgh Pirates): Last year was blamed on his bad knee, but Bay has picked up right where he left off last year. Unlike Jones, I believe Bay still has a ton left in the tank. However, he has fallen victim, just like many others, to the black hole they call Pittsburgh Pirates baseball. He voiced his displeasure with management this off-season when they remained status quo from a team that was horrible last season. Losing can wear you down and there really are no signs of things improving in Pittsburgh. I think J-Bay needs a change of scenery and that may come this year at the deadline. But for right now, he continues to struggle and I don’t know if he’ll ever recapture his numbers he had in Pittsburgh just a couple of years ago. If you have him, try and find someone who thinks it was just his knee last year and give him up for a young OF and another piece that might help you.

As with all SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post some comments. Until next time, make sure you listen for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.