First to Third: Divisional Previews - AL West

With the National League previews wrapped up, it's time to direct our attention to the American League and the previews start in the AL West where the Angels stranglehold on the division is loosening up.

Fresh Meat - The Texas Rangers moved five-time All-Star Michael Young to third base to make room for prospect Elvis Andrus. Andrus (pictured) is one of the top hitting prospects in a pitching rich Texas system but has never played higher than AA ball. Andrus isn't going to ever be the hitter than Young is but Andrus is phenomenal defensively. The Rangers see him as a future lead-off hitter because of his speed and his decent on-base percentage but he'll have to prove he can handle the bat at a high level in order to stay in the bigs.

Dearly Deported - The Angels lost the most this off-season, none more important than Mark Teixeira. Although he only spent about half the season with the team, the Angels, specifically Vlad Guerrero, will miss his bat in the middle of the order and the Anaheim infielders will miss his glove.

How They'll Finish:

1. A's - If there's one person that knows how to build a winner it's Billy Beane. He pulled the trigger on the Matt Holliday trade when given the green light by ownership to win now and that's just what the A's will do. Their young pitching is solid and their lineup will score plenty of runs.
   
2. Angels - No team will fall farther than the Angels in 2009 as Baseball Prospectus' infamously accurate PECOTA prediction has the Angels going from 100 wins in 2008 to 84 in 2009. Bobby Abreu is a great addition, but the Angels are on the decline as their hitters get older and John Lackey gets ready to become a free agent at the end of the season.
   
3. Rangers - Texas will make things interesting in the AL West and will be a force once their superb young pitchers are ready for the majors. I think Texas is a year away from the playoffs but have an exciting future.
   
4. Mariners - In a few years, this will be Seattle's division. New GM Jack Zduriencik will have the Mariners in the World Series within five years but for now he has to fix the mess he inherited from his predecessor.
   

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: Breakout or Bust?

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. If you are a diehard baseball fan like me, you are probably feeling like a kid in a candy shop today. While the World Baseball Classic was a nice appetizer, the excitement surrounding the start of the MLB baseball season cannot be duplicated. For me, the start of the baseball season means two things. My fantasy league websites will now become engrained on my computer screen for the next six months and I once again have Peter Gammons and the crew to put me to sleep with Baseball Tonight.

Being that the start of the season is less than a week away, I struggled with what approach I wanted to take with this article. In case you missed it, I’ve already focused on each position and I’ve also discussed some Spring Training standouts. Therefore, I thought today I could focus on a hitter and a pitcher that I expect to breakout in ’09. Also, I’m going to discuss a hitter and a pitcher that might leave their owners disappointed and wishing for more.

For now, let’s get started with two guys that I predict will breakout in ’09 and have their owners feeling like last years Carlos Quentin owners.

Fantasy Breakout Hitter

Chris Davis (1B, Texas Rangers): If you have been following my positional previews, it is not a secret that I am extremely high on Chris Davis this season. For starters, he has dual positional eligibility (1B, 3B) and as I’m sure you’re aware of, this can provide you with great roster flexibility. Secondly, he has had great numbers throughout his entire professional career including last year when he put up a respectable full season stat line in only 295 at-bats (.285, 17 HRs, 55 RBIs, 51 runs and 1 SB). If this still isn’t a enough, Davis will be playing half of his games at the launching pad this is the Ballpark in Arlington. If you haven’t drafted already, you’re going to have to act in the first six rounds to snag Davis. I promise, he’ll be worth the early round pick.
Fantasy Breakout Pitcher

Yovani Gallardo (SP, Milwaukee Brewers): If you take a look at his stats over 24 IPs last season, it is likely that Gallardo was well on his way to a “breakout” season in ’08. Unfortunately, Gallardo injured his knee in the first month of the season and was only able to make one more start in ’08. In case you forgot, this guy was one of the most sought after waiver options when he got his call to the big leagues in ’07. I look for Gallardo to step right into a revamped Brewers rotation and become the ace of the staff. Over his brief major league career, Gallardo possesses a mediocre 3.35 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. However, he has front of the rotation “stuff” and as he matures, his numbers will be much improved. The hype that surrounded him in ’07 is legitimate and in ’09, he will finally have an opportunity to put together a full season of great stats.

It is difficult to predict a hitter and a pitcher that are going to be the “busts” of ’09 because of the many variables. As we’ve seen in the past, you’re superstar hitter or pitcher is only one injury away from making your team a lot less competitive (See Erik Bedard). These are two guys that I think are going to see a significant decline and maybe even some extended time on the DL in ’09.

Fantasy Bust Hitter

Garrett Atkins (1B, 3B, Colorado Rockies): Let me start by saying that I believe Garrett Atkins will still be a serviceable fantasy option in ’09. Right now Atkins is being drafted on average around the 6th round and I feel this is a little too early for someone with his numbers. It’s not that I don’t like his numbers, it’s just how they’ve changed over the last three years that scares me. Over the last three years, Atkins' at-bats have slightly increased and his numbers have dramatically decreased. If you take a look at his numbers, there has been a significant decline in his homerun totals, his RBI totals and his batting average. However, the most telling stat might be the increase in his strikeout numbers each year. Take all of this into account along with the fact that he has lost some serious protection in the lineup with the departure of Matt Holliday. If you’re set on taking a first base/third base player around the sixth round, look no further than the guy mentioned above.

Fantasy Bust Pitcher

Ervin Santana (SP, LAA): While dealing with some significant elbow problems in Spring Training, Ervin Santana has managed to find himself still being drafted around the 7th round in most leagues. There’s no need to debate what this guy can do if he’s healthy, but I for one am not willing to waste a 7th round pick on such a huge “if”. For owners that have drafted him already, you have to hope that he can follow the same path Scott Kazmir did after dealing with similar elbow issues in ’08. But if you actually look inside the numbers, the recent elbow problems become much more worrisome for me. In ’08, Santana took on the biggest workload of his career logging 219 innings pitched. Now he reports to Spring Training with a sprained ligament in his elbow.

I know I’m not a doctor but after having the dreaded Tommy John surgery myself, this sounds like a recipe for disaster for Santana. I truly hope he can get healthy but I’m predicting a season full of strained right forearms and tricep tendonitis. These are common injuries for pitchers with damaged ulnar collateral ligaments. The reason being that their forearm and tricep muscles become overworked and strained because they attempt to take on some of the work to protect the damaged ligament. While you can strengthen the muscles around the ligament, it’s only a matter of time before you are forced to shut it down and go under the knife. Although it pains me to suggest that someone is on their way to a fairly extensive elbow reconstruction, I have your fantasy teams best interest in mind. I would stay away at all costs and “if” he can stay healthy, then more power to the owner that took the chance.

As a parenthetical note, it sounds as though John Lackey and Cole Hamels are suffering from similar injuries. Owners of Lackey and Hamels should be prepared to act fast in case their number one goes down suddenly. In the case of Hamels, there isn't any structural damgage right now and as a Hamels' owner, I hope that doesn't change anytime soon.

As with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

Above the Rim: Central Division Injury Watch

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons are both experiencing fluid rosters due to injuries as they make their playoff pushes; the Cavs are going for the league’s best record while the Pistons are trying to hold onto a playoff spot.

Cavaliers- even though the Cavs won a franchise record 12th straight game on Sunday, when Ben Wallace returns, look for Coach Mike Brown to return to his normal starting lineup with Wallace at power forward and Anderson Varejao coming off the bench. For fantasy owners, this means a few things. First, if you own Wallace, expect similar production from him when he returns around his current averages of 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Don’t expect too much else because Wallace did not magically learn to shoot while he was out.
As for the rest of the Cavs’ bigs, Varejao is going to take the biggest hit from a fantasy perspective. In 16 starts in March, Varejao was 10.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1 steal and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 58.6% from the floor. The most encouraging sign for Cavs’ fans and Varejao owners was his increased chemistry with MVP candidate LeBron James. Varejao received a good deal of his shots on pick-and-rolls and backdoor cuts in which LeBron would thread the needle with a pass that Varejao would finish. Whether Varejao starts or not, he should be on the court with The King as much as possible. With Varejao most likely coming off the bench, his numbers will settle back towards the 7-8 points and 6-7 rebounds he averaged when coming off the bench this season. One thing to be careful of, however, is that when Wallace returns, the Cavs will have Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Varejao, and Joe Smith all healthy and on the roster for the first time this season. This will mean further reduction in playing time for Varejao and Smith. While Varejao can still be productive, do not rely on him as heavily as you may have been this month because he will not maintain his near double-double production for much longer.
As for Smith, he has averaged 7.1 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting over 55% since signing with the Cavs. Sunday’s 12 point, 13 rebound effort fueled a Cavs comeback over the Mavericks and moved the Cavs to 12-1 since picking up Smith. However, like with Varejao, his fantasy production is going to decrease with Wallace’s return signaling less playing time. While he will still be effective and productive, he may settle around closer to 6 points and 4 rebounds and may have played out his fantasy value. For both Varejao and Smith, this decrease is not due to declining performance, just the potential for less playing time and opportunities. Keep an eye on the situation in Cleveland as both may continue to produce at this level although it cannot be expected.

Pistons- Detroit was hurting earlier this month with Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson, and Rasheed Wallace all injured, but Hamilton and Iverson have since returned. This means that those of you playing Walter Herrmann for his 5.3 points (above his 3.7 season average) and 2.2 rebounds in March will need another source of potential scoring off the bench. The first place to look is probably to Herrmann’s Pistons’ teammate Will Bynum. In the month of March, Bynum has been averaging 11.4 points (nearly twice his average of 6.1), 4.1 assists (2.5 on the season) and 2.1 rebounds (1.1 for the season) off the bench. Bynum has also contributed 1.1 steals and is shooting 49% from the floor. Included in this month, Bynum has 3 20-point games and another of 19. Pick up Bynum for the stretch run in your league if you need points, assists, and a little rebounding. The only thing he has not been doing well is shooting from 3-point range where he has yet to hit a shot this month.
With Wallace still out, look to current starter Kwame Brown for inside production. While not all that productive, Brown is averaging a season best 4.9 points in March to go with 5.8 rebounds. In seven starts, Brown has reached double digit points twice and double digit rebounds twice while playing around 25 minutes per game. If he continues to start, expect him to average closer to 7 points and 7 rebounds while occasionally coming close to double-doubles. Wallace is expected to return on Tuesday, but Brown could still get big minutes off the bench and stay productive down the stretch.

Starting Lineup: March 30-April 5

[Editor's Note: The Starting Lineup is a weekly rundown of HDTV sports schedule for the next seven days]

Monday, March 30, 2009
NHL 7:00 PM New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers VERSUS
NHL 10:00 PM Dallas Stars vs Phoenix Coyotes VERSUS

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
NHL 7:30 PM Chicago Blackhawks vs Montreal Canadiens VERSUS TSN RDS

Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Golf 12:00 PM Houston Open Redstone GC- The Tournament Course Time TBD NBC
NHL 7:30 PM Philadelphia Flyers vs Toronto Maple Leafs TSN
NBA 10:00 PM Houston Rockets vs Phoenix Suns ESPN

Thursday, April 2, 2009
Golf 12:00 PM Houston Open Redstone GC- The Tournament Course Time TBD NBC
NHL 7:00 PM Montreal Canadiens vs New York Islanders TSN RDS
NBA 8:00 PM Cleveland Cavaliers vs Washington Wizards TNT
NBA 10:30 PM Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets TNT

Friday, April 3, 2009
Golf 12:00 PM Houston Open Redstone GC- The Tournament Course Time TBD NBC
NBA 8:00 PM Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic ESPN
NBA 10:30 PM Houston Rockets vs LA Lakers ESPN

Saturday, April 4, 2009
Golf 12:00 PM Houston Open Redstone GC- The Tournament Course Time TBD NBC
NBA 3:00 PM Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers ESPN
NHL 7:00 PM Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs RDS

Sunday, April 5, 2009
Golf 12:00 PM Houston Open Redstone GC- The Tournament Course Time TBD NBC
NBA 1:00 PM San Antonio Spurs vs Cleveland Cavaliers ABC
NHL 3:00 PM Atlanta Thrashers vs Washington Capitals NBC
NBA 3:30 PM Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks ABC
NHL 5:00 PM Pittsburgh Penguins vs Florida Panthers NBC
NHL 5:00 PM Minnesota Wild vs Detroit Red Wings NBC
NHL 10:00 PM Colorado Avalanche vs Vancouver Canucks TSN (1080i)

First to Third: NL East Preview

The First to Third MLB divisional preview continue today with the National League East, home of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Can the Phightin' Phils repeat?

Fresh Meat - You can't mention newcomers to this division without bringing up Francisco Rodriguez, the new Met closer, who helps strengthen the back of the Met bullpen, but what about JJ Putz? Putz (pictured) will likely man the 8th inning for the Mets and if he can return to 2007 form (1.38 ERA, 82 strikeouts in 71.2 innings), Met starters can comfortably turn over the game and head to the locker room knowing their win can be preserved.

Dearly Deported - The Marlins typically trade their entire team each off-season, but one impact player to leave the NL East not from the Fish is Pat Burrell, who leaves with a ring, although one can argue he didn't contribute much to it. Burrell went 1-for-14 in the World Series and leaves Philadelphia a career .257 hitter with 1273 strikeouts in 9 seasons, but Pat the Bat did hit 251 home runs in those 9 seasons. The Phillies think they upgraded with the addition of Raul Ibanez, who is a much better fielder than Burrell, but time will tell if Ibanez can replace Burrell's career average of 31 home runs and 103 RBI per season.

How They'll Finish:

1. Phillies - The champs are the favorite in the NL East with the best infield in the majors as three players (Utley, Howard, Rollins) are arguably the best at their position. The outfield leaves a lot to be desired as Ibanez isn't a sure bet in left, but their pitching should be consistent if everyone stays healthy. Watch for Cole Hamels to follow up his stellar postseason with a Cy Young type year.
   
2. Mets - Pitching wins championships and that's why the Mets still finish second in the division. Sure, they helped their bullpen out a lot, but after Johan Santana, can you really count on Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, John Maine, and Livan Hernandez to carry you to the World Series? I don't think so. Perez is inconsistent at best, Pelfrey had one good year and should continue to develop. Maine is a question mark and what does Livan have left in the tank? The Mets hope he has a lot. There's also no way Carlos Delgado duplicates his 2008 season at age 37.
   
3. Marlins - They have a new stadium coming and every six years or so, the Fish win the World Series. I think the Marlins are still a couple pieces short of the postseason in 2009, but don't count the future Miami Marlins out entirely in the NL East race - they'll stay in the race for a while and could win the division in 2010.
   
4. Braves - The Braves are a team in decline and the Derek Lowe signing doesn't do them any favors in the rebuilding process. After a nice long run in the 1990s, the Braves need to strip their team and completely rebuild, an unenviable task for any GM.
   
5. Nationals - The addition of Adam Dunn gives the Nats a player that baseball fans have actually heard of. They chased Mark Teixeira who chose pinstripes instead of the nation's capitol and did so because of the chance to win. It will be a long time before the Nats flirt with .500.
   

"Miranda Warnings": 2009 "Studs and Duds" (Part 1 of 2)

Welcome to the 2009 version of "Miranda Warnings", your weekly guide to what's happening in the world of Major League Baseball, from a fantasy baseball perspective. Every Saturday, throughout baseball's regular season, "Miranda Warnings" will appear on SportsJudge.com. I'm your host Michael Miranda.

It's that time of year again. With Major League Baseball's regular season on the horizon, fantasy baseball magazines litter the magazine stands. The fantasy baseball magazines (and websites) have their player rankings, their sleepers/busts, and their cheat sheets. But, the fantasy baseball magazines and websites don't have "studs and duds"!

Welcome to the first of "Miranda Warnings" two-part series, "studs and duds" . Today, I bring you the 2009 "studs" (i.e. a must-have player). I'll select one "stud" from each Major League team. Next week, I bring you the 2009 "duds"!

A "Miranda Warnings" stud is not necessarily the best player on his Major League team, but he's a player that I would target on Draft Day 2009 because I expect him to exceed expectations. The "studs" profiles below are based on talent, potential, playing-time and extenuating circumstances. Let's get to it!

American League East:

Baltimore Orioles: There's no question that OF Nick Markakis is a stud. The question is, has he hit his ceiling or is there room for further improvement? I'm gonna say the latter. The next step in Markakis' improvement could come as soon as 2009. Markakis' potential/upside: .290-.300 BA, 90-100 runs, 25-30 HR's, 110-120 RBI's!

Boston Red Sox: You may not have known that OF Jason Bay had solid seasons in Pittsburgh, because he played for the lowly Pirates. If Bay can put up nice numbers for the Pirates, he'll have the opportunity to do some serious damage for Boston. Bay is signed through 2009, making '09 his "contract year". Bay is my dark-horse 2009 AL MVP! Don't laugh! Bay is a big-time talent with a great skill-set. He'll have the opportunity to strut his stuff in a great lineup and great hitters ballpark for all of 2009. Bay's potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 90-100 runs, 30-35 HR's, 110-120 RBI's!

NY Yankees: On a Yankees' team full of studs, 1B Mark Teixeira could get lost in the shuffle. Don't you forget about him on D-Day 2009. Teixeira's potential/upside: .295-.310 BA, 100-110 runs, 35-40 HR's, 120-130 RBI's!

Tampa Bay Rays: Most OF Carl Crawford profiles tell you that he's never lived up to expectations, been a fantasy disappointment, blah, blah, blah. I'm telling you to get him on D-Day 2009. He's only 27, and his best years are ahead of him. While most fantasy GM's are pursing Tampa's OF B.J. Upton, 3B Evan Longoria and P David Price, don't you forget about Crawford. Crawford's potential/upside: .290-.300 BA, 100-110 runs, 15-20 HR's, 65-75 RBI's, 50+ SB's!

Toronto Blue Jays: OF Alex Rios has long been touted as a star. He's had solid seasons, but has yet to have monster season. The talent is there. Perhaps he puts it all together in 2009? Rios' potential/upside: .290-.300 BA, 90-100 runs, 25-30 HR's, 90-100 RBI's, 25-30 SB's!

American League Central:

Chicago White Sox: If OF Carlos Quentin has fully recovered from a broken wrist suffered in September, he could win the AL MVP award that eluded him in 2008. Quentin's potential/upside: .280-.295 BA, 90-100 runs, 40-50 HR's, 110-120 RBI's!

Cleveland Indians: SS Jhonny Peralta is an elite shortstop that most people don't know about. As a result, he gets little recognition/respect he deserves. A perfect example would be the fantasy magazine that ranked him 12th, amongst major league shortstops! Peralta has already put together two solid seasons (2007, 2008). Keep in mind that Peralta, 26, has yet to enter his prime years. This could be one of the best D-Day 2009 draft bargains. While Peralta gets overlooked by most fantasy GM's, you need to pounce on a guy who produces elite numbers at a thin position. Peralta's potential/upside: .270-.280 BA, 80-90 runs, 25-30 HR's, 90-100 RBI's!

Detroit Tigers: Hard to believe that 1B Miguel Cabrera is only 25. He's already put together a few monster seasons. There's no reason to think that he can't do the same in 2009. Cabrera's potential/upside: .310-.320 BA, 90-100 runs, 35-40 HR's, 110-120 RBI's!

Kansas City Royals: Like Cleveland SS Jhonny Peralta (see above), SP Zack Greinke gets little, or no, attention. But, his 2008 numbers don't lie (13-10, 3.47 ERA, 183 K's, 1.28 WHIP). Greinke is on a very, very short list of major league pitcers with four major league quality pitches. Greinke has Cy Young ability. On a slightly improved KC team, 2009 might be the year that Greinke puts it all together. Greinke's potential/upside: 15-20 wins, 3-3.50 ERA, 180-200 K's!

Minnesota Twins: All you need to know about OF Carlos Gomez is this... he was the centerpiece of the Johan Santana trade and he's faster than NY Mets SS Jose Reyes! It's not a matter of if, but when, Gomez turns into a star. Gomez remains a raw talent, but when he hones his skills, watch out!. When Gomez puts it all together, we're looking at the next Carl Crawford! Gomez' potential/upside: .275-.285 BA, 80-90 runs, 10-15 HR's, 60-70 RBI's, 50+ SB's!

American League West:

LA Angels: OF Vladimir Guerrero is a former elite OF, completely healthy for the first time in several years, and playing in his contract year. This is a recipe for an MVP-type season! Although he's coming off a down year, don't rule out an MVP-type season from one baseball's greatest hitters. Guerrero's potential/upside: .300-.310 BA, 90-100 runs, 35-40 HR's, 100-110 RBI's, 5-10 SB's!

Oakland A's: Can OF Matt Holliday perform at a high level, while not playing half his games in Colorado? I say no, but he's still a stud! Holliday's potential/upside: .290-.300 BA, 90-100 runs, 25-30 HR's, 100-110 RBI's!

Seattle Mariners: C/DH Jeff Clement is part of Seattle's youth movement and, based on his minor league numbers, is very capable of having a breakout season. Clement's potential/upside: .270-.280 BA, 60-70 runs, 15-20 HR's, 60-70 RBI's!

Texas Rangers: 1B/3B Chris Davis burst onto the scene in 2008. Davis won't come cheap in 2009, but this may be the lowest price-tag on him for many years to come! Note the dual position eligibility! He's got mammoth power and fully capable of putting together a monster season. Davis' potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 80-90 runs, 30-35 HR's, 100-110 RBI's!

National League East:

Atlanta Braves: Switching leagues could be the final ingredient to making Javier Vazquez a very special pitcher. He's been rock-solid/durable for several years, but we could see him reach new heights in 2009. Vazquez has elite talent, but has yet to have an elite season. Like I said, the talent is there. Will 2009 be that special season? Vazquez' potential/upside: 15-20 wins, 3-3.50 ERA, 200+ K's!

Philadelphia Phillies: OF Shane Victorino is one of many catalysts in Philly's lineup. His best years are ahead of him. Victorino's potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 100-110 runs, 15-20 HR's, 75-85 RBI's!

NY Mets: 3B David Wright is an elite talent who, believe it or not, is capable of improvement. Will 2009 be that special season? Wright's potential/upside: .300-.310 BA, 100-110 runs, 35-40 HR's, 110-120 RBI's!

Florida Marlins: P Ricky Nolasco battled arm problems heading into 2008. In 2008, he was healthy, and it showed. Nolasco went from being Florida's #5 starter in May, to one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball by years' end. Nolasco's potential/upside: 15-20 wins, 3-3.50 ERA, 200+ K's!

Washington Nationals: If OF Elijah Dukes can keep his head on straight and stay healthy, he is one of the few players in Major league Baseball with 30-30 potential. Dukes' potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 80-90 runs, 25-30 HR's, 90-100 RBI's, 30+ SB's!

National League Central:

Chicago Cubs: In 2008, C Geovany Soto proved that his minor league numbers were for real! Soto is already one of the better catchers in baseball, and capable of even better numbers. Soto's potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 70-80 runs, 25-30 HR's, 90-100 RBI's!

Cincinnati Reds: 1B Joey Votto is for real. In 2008, he hit over .300 on the road, which tells you just how good he is! Votto's potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 80-90 runs, 25-30 HR's, 90-100 RBI's!

Houston Astros: OF Hunter Pence has huge upside, but must improve his plate discipline. If he can limit his free-swinging ways, he could be a bargain on D-Day 2009. Pence's potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 80-90 runs, 25-30 HR's, 90-100 RBI's, 10-15 SB's!

Milwaukee Brewers: Almost everyone has given up on 2B Rickie Weeks, which could provide a great buying opportunity for you. Fantasy GM's may have written-off Weeks, but don't you do the same. He's still young enough to improve. Weeks has immense potential and you need to remember that come draft day. Weeks' potential/upside: .270-.280 BA, 80-90 runs, 20-25 HR's, 70-80 RBI's, 20-25 SB's!

Pittsburgh Pirates: C Ryan Doumit is one of the very few Pirates with upside. If healthy, Doumit could be a difference-maker in fantasy leagues. Doumit's potential/upside: .280-.290 BA, 70-80 runs, 15-20 HR's, 70-80 RBI's!

St.Louis Cardinals: OF Rick Ankiel has made a successful transiton from pitcher to hitter. If he could just stay healthy, we'd witness his immense potential. Ankiel's potential/upside: .270-.280 BA, 70-80 runs, 30-35 HR's, 90-100 RBI's!

National League West:

Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Chris Young has one thing holding him back from being a superstar... plate discipline/pitch selection. If he can improve in those areas, look out! Young's potential/upside: .270-.280 BA, 90-100 runs, 25-30 HR's, 80-90 RBI's, 30+ SB's!

Colorado Rockies: In 2008, C Chris Iannetta broke through, and his upside might be higher than what we saw last year. Iannetta's potential/upside: .270-.280 BA, 70-80 runs, 20-25 HR's, 80-90 RBI's!

LA Dodgers: OF Andre Ethier has proven that he has what it takes to be an everyday player. Ethier's potential/upside: .300-.310 BA, 80-90 runs, 20-25 HR's, 80-90 RBI's!

San Diego Padres: If P Chris Young can ever stay healthy, watch out! Young's potential/upside: 15-20 wins, 3-3.50 ERA, 200+ K's!

San Francisco Giants: Coming up through the San Francisco organization, P Matt Cain, and not Tim Lincecum, was ranked higher! This tells you just how good Cain can be. My only concern is that Cain has logged over 600 Major League innings, and he's only 24 years old! Yikes! That's a lot of innings for such a young pitcher. Fortunately, until now, Cain has been durable. Cain's potential/upside: 15-20 wins, 3-3.50 ERA, 200+ K's!

Thanks for reading "Miranda Warnings"!

See you next week!

Extra Attacker: Calgary Can't Handle Steve Mason

Typically the Extra Attacker column here on the SportsJudge blog focuses on random NHL musings and topics that aren't swept up by the mainstream media or in our fantasy advice column The Puck Stops Here.

Today, we will focus on...an actual extra attacker.



Last night, the Calgary Flames traveled to Columbus and fans got a look at what might be a first-round playoff preview in just a few short weeks. Columbus dominated the Flames 5-0 (highlights above) and obviously one fan wasn't too excited about this. According to the Blue Jackets "Puck-rakers" blog, a crazed Calgary Flames fan phoned in multiple death threats during the game, specifically targeting Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason:

The phone calls were placed between 7:45 p.m. and 8:11 p.m., roughly the end of the first period and the start of the second. The calls set off a hectic response behind the scenes in Nationwide, with special duty officers placed around all of the arenas entrances.

I'm personally frustrated from a fantasy perspective that Mason continues to dominate the NHL, but this is insane. Reports indicate Mason wasn't even able to celebrate the fact he had just set the franchise record for shutouts with his tenth of the season. He failed to appear on the ice after being named the game's #1 star and officials got him out of the arena as quickly as possible. I also found it really odd they would mention where this guy lived in the article - is provoking more harassment really appropriate in this situation? We'll leave that for another article on another day.

Psycho fans will never disappear, and as Verizon Wireless always reminds us, hockey fans aren't like other fans (Best Baby in the World!), but it's never good when they begin to interact with the players themselves. Of course there's the notorious Ron Artest brawl in the NBA, but who can forget Tie Domi in Philadelphia with his water bottle:



What also scared me about last night's game was the fact Calgary got shutout for the second straight night and appeared emotionless until a series of brawls in the second period resulted in 110 penalty minutes being dished out. It's never easy playing back-to-back nights on the road, especially this late in the season (Colorado spanked Wednesday...same will happen tonight for Tampa Bay), but wasn't this the team that was supposed to challenge the big boys in the Wild West (San Jose and Detroit) after bringing in Olli Jokinen and friends at the trade deadline? Dominating goaltending is a requirement for a Cup run...expect to see San Jose battling the New Jersey Devils in late May.

First to Third: Divisional Previews - NL Central

Tuesday, March 24: National League West (can be found here)
Thursday, March 26: National League Central (can be found here)
Saturday, March 28: National League East
Tuesday, March 31: American League West
Thursday, April 2: American League Central
Saturday, April 4: American League East
Monday, April 6: Opening Day Preview and Playoff Prediction Special

National League Central

The First to Third 2009 MLB season preview continues today with the National League Central. After the Cubs, the division is up in the air and the rest of the teams could finish in pretty much any order.

Fresh Meat: Colby Rasmus (pictured) is one of the top prospects in baseball and will be an impact player for the Cardinals this year. The rookie will see time in leftfield this year and could move to center, his natural position, next season if Rick Ankiel leaves as a free agent. He has all five tools and is an underrated defender.

Dearly Deported: The Milwaukee Brewers were the big losers in the 2008-09 off-season losing their top two starting pitchers, CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets. Without an ace (or two) to anchor their rotation, the Brewers will find themselves in the bottom of the NL Central.

How They'll Finish:

1. Cubs - For the second straight season, the Cubs remain the class of the NL Central and should have no problem coasting to the division title, probably as the first team in MLB to clinch a playoff spot. The addition of Milton Bradley helps their outfield depth and adds a righthanded bat to the middle of the order. Their rotation is one of the best in the division and if the Cubs stay healthy, they should go far in October.
2. Reds - Their lineup leaves a lot to be desired, but their starting pitching is strong and will only get better as Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez continue to develop. The Reds could surprise some people this year if manager Dusty Baker gets his team to manufacture runs since there's no Adam Dunn to hit home runs anymore.
3. Astros - Led by Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, the Astro lineup should score plenty of runs and if Mike Hampton, Brian Moehler, and Russ Ortiz do something, the Astros should have a solid year.
4. Cardinals - The Cardinals are like the opposite of the Reds, they have good hitting but a lot of question marks in the rotation and in the bullpen. Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball, but he's the only sure thing in the infield as the Cardinals still struggle to find a second baseman.
   
5. Brewers - Prince Fielder will provide the pop in the lineup but when your ace is Yovani Gallardo, who has 124 career innings pitched, the Brewers will have a pretty steep fall from their playoff berth in 2008.
   
6. Pirates - Yes, they still play major league baseball, but the Pirates are poised for serious improvement. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the Pirates will probably have to wait until 2010 to finish higher than 5th in the division, but could get out of the cellar this year. Jack Wilson is bound to get dealt by the trade deadline, but the Pirates have a solid young team that keeps getting better with every trade of a veteran.
   

The Puck Stops Here: Filling Holes

For those of you still alive in fantasy hockey, I hope I can help keep you alive. For those of you that may have ducked out in the first round, there’s always baseball and football is only five months away. Remember, the goal in fantasy hockey playoffs is to get the most games played during the week. Always be very aware of any injuries or illnesses. The best source of information will be a local paper. Become acquainted with your players’ local newspaper, they will have the most accurate information first.

For those of you considering streaming, be careful. In a league this week, I watched a guy try to stream, and ended up losing because the players he dropped were good, his opponent jumped all over them and, by the end of the weekend, the players he dropped were then beating up on him. Listen, if you are going to stream, use common sense. Don’t drop 60 point guys who have carried you all season. There is a difference between games played by a borderline fourth liner and a bona fide scoring winger. Don’t make the same mistake. I have seen Phil Kessel, Kimmo Timonen, and Jason Blake dropped in another league. These guys shouldn’t be dropped in the middle of the playoffs. Your garbage may be your opponent’s treasure.

Here are some guys that may be worth picking up, as long as you aren't dropping Alex Ovechkin to do it.

Rod Brind’Amour is about as hot as players come. In his past ten games, RBA has five goals and eight assists. He has also added six PIM and been a very solid plus seven. Carolina is playing very good hockey right now and RBA has profited from their solid play. I know center is deep, but his play has been good enough to land him in the top 50 for the last month and the fifth best player over the last week. A month ago RBA shouldn’t have been owned, today he could be enough to win you a championship. Don’t let your opponent jump all over him.

I mentioned Claude Giroux a few weeks ago and he has continued to be solid but not great. He has been a borderline fantasy player since then, but he has recently put together a three game point streak. You may ask yourself, what is so great about three games? Nothing really, what is so great, though, is that he is hot, getting more ice time and power play time, and the Flyers are tied for the most games left to play in the NHL. This could pay dividends for you, as it will mean Giroux will hit the ice more often than many other players. I wouldn’t drop anyone special, but if you have room on the wing, grab Giroux.

In late January, Steve Ott was really clicking and on fire. He cooled off significantly and dropped a bunch of woeful performances. However, he seems to be scoring a little more again, but, more importantly, his is still racking up PIM. He now has 126 on the year, including 18, in his last five games. He has also added three goals and an assist in that same span. Ott isn’t amazing, but every week he will do something in each category. Dallas might be out of it, but Ott is still fighting. Grab him for PIM help.

If you feel like playing some goaltender roulette, bet on Jonas Hiller. I know he is not the every game starter in Anaheim, but he could be worth a spot start in the right match up. Over his past three games, Hiller has posted a 94% save percentage, a 1.63 GAA and two wins. It isn’t hard to figure out who starting goalies will be as long as you pay attention to the local papers. It is a slight crapshoot, but Hiller could provide a solid night of goaltending.

Speaking of goaltenders, Ryan Miller may finally start this week. I would want to see a game to evaluate him first, but, if signs are good, get him in there...Two star players returned to action this week without making much of a splash. Both Marion Gaborik and Nathan Horton returned to action and were most likely available in your league. Take a look and make sure they aren’t still available...Lastly, you have to see Tuukka Rusk throw a tantrum after a recent loss. As hilarious as it may be, I would be a little nervous having such a head case in goal. He could be the next Steve Mason or bad version of Ron Hextall.

As always feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have. Until next week, The Puck Stops Here.

Sports and the Law: The Marlins New Stadium; More Pork to the Fattest Pig in Town

Our friends at Above the Law have posted the latest article from SportsJudge.com founder Professor Marc Edelman, esq. Once again, Marc has pointed out the sheer lunacy of allowing local governments to spend taxpayer dollars to fund a stadium that will make a privately owned organization more wealthy. Perhaps we can pay for their dry cleaning also.

The Mulligan: Fantasy Golf Picks for the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill

The Goose is back! Retief Goosen found his game last week and it is good timing with the Masters right around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I am starting to get excited about seeing the best of the best fight it out on Augusta for the coveted Green Jacket. Goosen won last week in Tampa and he looked very sharp. This makes him a viable fantasy golf pick this week as well, as the Tour heads to Bay Hill in sunny Orlando, Florida for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. This is a par 70 course that plays 7240 yards so the big hitters should have a good week.

I have some good fantasy golf picks for you this week. I have been waiting for this tournament to pick a guy I really like in Matt Goggin. Matt was my upset special in the Accenture Match Play Championship where he upset Kenny Perry (a 14 seed over a 3). I recommend starting him in fantasy golf this week for the same reason I picked him over Perry. He absolutely kills the ball and this long course fits his game. Don’t let his past performances here at Bay Hill fool you. Despite finishing 64th and being cut in his previous two trips to Bay Hill, Goggin should play well this week. He will stripe the ball out into the fairways and if his putter is on, he will contend for the cup.

My weekly fantasy golf sleeper pick is Chad Campbell. This guy has always been right on the cusp of breaking through and becoming a top-tier player. He has never quite gotten over the hump of mediocrity. He flirts with success, and right when we think he is going to break through, he falls off. Consistency has always been a problem for Campbell with one exception: Bay Hill. The past five years Campbell has finished in the top 25 all 5 times including a win in 2004.

First to Third: Divisional Previews - NL West

With the U.S. out of the World Baseball Classic, it's time to get excited for the start of the 2009 season! Over the next two weeks, First to Third will breakdown every division to get you ready for Opening Day.

Tuesday, March 24: National League West (can be found here)
Thursday, March 26: National League Central (can be found here)
Saturday, March 28: National League East
Tuesday, March 31: American League West
Thursday, April 2: American League Central
Saturday, April 4: American League East
Monday, April 6: Opening Day Preview and Playoff Prediction Special

National League West

Fresh Meat: San Francisco is becoming a town where baseball milestones are surpassed and the Giants are hoping newly acquired pitcher Randy Johnson leads them toward the playoffs. Johnson is a mere five wins away from career win #300 and may be the last pitcher to eclipse the milestone for some time.

Dearly Deported: In the off-season, the Rockies dealt slugger Matt Holliday to Oakland, effectively sending the division's best hitter not named Ramirez out of the National League. The Rockies will miss his bat, but the pitchers in the division are breathing a sign of relief this spring.
How They'll Finish:

1. Dodgers - This race is going to be wide open as no one team will run away with the division title. Despite iffy rotation depth, the Dodger offense should score enough runs to take the NL West crown even if LA has to back into the playoffs. Maybe that Manny guy will have something to do with it...
2. Diamondbacks - Arizona will compete with the Giants for the best starting rotation on paper, but will hold off San Francisco for second place because of a better offense (although not by much) anchored by their outfield of Justin Upton, Chris Young, Conor Jackson. Remember the name Max Scherzer.
   
3. Giants - If a team ever has to rely on Barry Zito for wins, it's in trouble. The rotation is very good aside from the troubled southpaw as long as The Unit stays healthy, but if their cleanup hitter is Bengie Molina again, there is no way the Giant offense will take the team to the playoffs.
4. Rockies - 2007 seems so long ago for the Rockies as they will struggle to be middle of the pack in the weakest division in baseball. Without Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe will have to carry the offense. It would be nice if that Tulowitzki guy returned to form, too.
   
5. Padres - It's going to be a rough year for Ron Burgundy, who will have bad news to read off the teleprompter all year. I can't imagine the Padres will win more than 70 games and maybe 70 will be a stretch. Jake Peavy, the lone bright spot on a terrible team, will either get dealt before the trade deadline in July or this will be his farewell tour as it's time to rebuild.

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: Corey Hart Wears His Sunglasses At Night

Welcome back to another edition of the “Buzz Around the Bullpen”. I hope you enjoyed our fantasy positional analysis which I concluded last week with the Starting Pitchers. By this time, many of you have already drafted your team and are now anxious for the start of the 2009 season. For those of you who are still waiting for draft day, please be sure to check out our positional breakdown.

Regardless of whether you’ve already drafted your team or not, I figured a useful article today would be about some players that are making some noise in Spring Training. While I know Spring Training is not always the best indicator of the upcoming season, I’ve found that trends that begin in Spring Training often do carryover into the regular season. With that being said, today I’m going to focus on a player at each position that is opening some eyes in Spring Training. While they may not merit an immediate waiver move or even a late-round pick, it’s never too early to try and grab this year’s Nate McLouth. Let’s get started and take it right around the horn.

Starting Pitcher

Sean Marshall (SP, Chicago Cubs): Marshall finds himself in a battle with Aaron Heilman for the fifth spot in the Cubs starting rotation. Both have pitched well in the spring but I expect Marshall to get the call to the rotation. He pitches for what should be a great team this season and his WHIP has decreased each year. Additionally, in most leagues he is still listed as a relief pitcher and because of that, you might be able to steal some starts from your reliever position.

Relief Pitcher

Manny Corpas (RP, Colorado Rockies): Much to the dismay of Rockies management, it seems as though Corpas has already pulled away as the favorite to serve as the Rockies closer. I hate to ever criticize a move by a GM but I saw this one coming a mile away. When healthy, Huston Street is an above average closer. The problem is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy for several years now. Even if Street does win the job out of Spring Training, it’s unfortunately only a matter of time before he finds himself on the DL again.

Catcher

Pablo Sandoval (C, San Francisco Giants): If you’re like SportsJudge founder Marc Edelman and have already done your homework, you’ll realize that Yahoo Sports is one of the few fantasy outlets that are still allowing Sandoval to have catcher eligibility. If you’re lucky enough to have Sandoval as your backstop, you are going to be able to steal some great numbers from the catcher position. Sandoval has picked up right where he left off in ’08 with an impressive Spring Training average. The power will continue to come but for right now, Sandoval is definitely a candidate to hit somewhere around 14-16 HRs.

First Base

Kendry Morales (1B, LAA): Morales enters the ’09 season as the Angels’ starting First Baseman. He has been very mediocre in the past but he may flourish as an everyday player. Throughout his minor-league career, he had above average power numbers and it may only be a matter of time before they translate to the big leagues. Right now he’s not worth a waiver move but be sure to keep an eye on him. As a side note, you may have to search for Morales as an outfielder because he has not obtained 1B eligibility just yet.

Second Base

Alexi Casilla (2B, MIN): There are reports that Casilla may still be involved in a platoon situation at 2nd base so do some research before you use a draft pick or a waiver move on him. The battle between he and Brendan Harris could carryover into the season but if Casilla continues to stay hot, he may not leave the Twins coachng staff with much of a decision. Because he is still very much unproven, you may want to wait till the regular season to take any action on Alexi.

Third Base

Andy LaRoche (3B, Pittsburgh Pirates): Just when you thought we might get through an article without some Pittsburgh favoritism, I had to bring up Andy LaRoche. LaRoche enters the ’09 season as the Buccos starting third baseman after finishing last season hitting a dismal .152 with Pittsburgh. The Pirates have some nice third base prospects in Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez but LaRoche himself was a heralded prospect at one time. LaRoche claims he is finally healthy heading into this season and it might finally be the time for LaRoche to break out with a 15-20 homerun season. If he continues to stay hot into April, he might be worth a waiver wire move depending on your needs.

Shortstop

Khalil Greene (SS, STL): As I did the research for this article, one thing became extremely clear to me. Khalil Greene might be one of the most polarizing fantasy players in MLB. On one side, his critics argue that he peaked at Clemson and he’ll never be the prospect he was expected to be. They also argue that his career batting average tells you everything you need to know about him. To the contrary, some believe that Greene was burdened by a tough hitter’s park in San Diego and the change of scenery to an organization like the Cards will be beneficial to Greene. If Spring Training means anything, then put me somewhere in that second group of people. Regardless of where you stand in this debate, I do believe one thing is clear. Greene is not going to make or break your fantasy season but if you did lose out on the top 5-7 shortstops, Greene might be a nice sleeper pick later in your draft.

Outfielder

Corey Hart (OF, MIL): Hart came into last season as a player that was predicted to break out and become a top 10 fantasy outfielder. Instead, Hart’s delivered an ’08 season that left his owners wanting more. While he did increase his RBI output, his homerun numbers decreased and his batting average took a significant hit down to .268. It seems as though he took last season to “heart” because reports out of Spring Training are that he is bigger than ever because of an intense off-season workout program. Additionally, Hart has been dominating pitching this spring and I predict that this will be the year that Hart breaks out. If you haven’t drafted yet this season, don’t be afraid to take Hart. If you have drafted, it might be a good idea to throw some trade offers towards the team that owns Hart. Most owners don’t place too much emphasis on Spring Training success and they still may be questioning him from his disappointing '08 campaign. I wouldn’t wait too much longer because after a couple of April homeruns, you’re not going to be able to pry Hart out of their hands.

As with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.