Monday, February 28, 2011

Talking My Book: Favorite Mixed League OF Sleepers

Chat: Chat with AJ Mass - SportsNation - ESPN:

"David (Los Angeles) Love the chats, AJ ! Need to keep one. Pagan, Gardner or Fowler.Thanks !

AJ Mass (11:10 AM) Pagan... wouldn't even give it a second thought."

NYT Works To Improve Fantasy Coverage

Fantasy Focus: Understanding Your League - NYTimes.com#more-40528

Adding Chris Liss of Rotowire to the NYT Blogs coverage is wise.

Click through for the innings cap strategy - if you do not already know.

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Cheap SB

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Padres Outfielder Will Venable - FakeTeams

Buidling on this weekends revelation that the Padres lack the power to compete on a HR basis and will run, I think it is likely to be an extreme running team as Wil Venable is likely to be the 3rd or 4th best power hitter on the team.

The Padres won't be the Vince Coleman led Cardinals of the mid-80s (314 team SBs in 1985) but it will be disproportionately high.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mixed League Auction Pricing Behavior

Here are the cut-off points for the Roto-Arcade Pro-Am auction league ($260).

No bids higher than $40 after the 21st player nominated.
No bids higher than $30 after the 98th player nominated.
No bids higher than $20 after then 154th
No bids higher than $10 after the 194th,

Talking My Book: Wil Venable

I can lead the horse to water....

"Will Venable has the legs for larceny and, as of now, more license.

The Padres’ foremost base stealer has been given a green light and a strategic imperative to ramp up the running game. If the Home Team is to compensate for the loss of slugger Adrian Gonzalez, it may have to do much of it in 90-foot increments.

“One through eight, I want our guys to have the mindset that we’re creating tension for the opposition,” Padres coach Dave Roberts said Friday at the Padres’ spring training complex. “(And) It’s going to start with Will this year on the offensive end..."

Drafted him for a $1 in the Roto-Arcade Pro-Am.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Matt Thortons Everywhere!

Chris Ray, Joey Devine could be in line for saves if all goes well for them - Fantasy Baseball - ESPN:

"If there's one major league division in which the closer situations remain at least somewhat up in the air, it's clearly the American League West."

Last season, Matt Thorton picked-up 8 saves. Take a look around the American league. There are proven closers in middle relief everywhere. Expect to see several Matt Thortons - sources of 7-12 Saves without ever being the full-time closer.

New York Yankees: Rafael Soriano
Boston Red Sox: Bobby Jenks
Toronto Blue Jays: Jon Rauch, Octavio Dotel
Baltimore Orioles: Koji Uehara
Tampa Bay Rays: Maddon has said he is leaning BBC

Cleveland Indians:
Minnesota Twins: Matt Capps
Kansas City Royals:
Chicago White Sox: Chris Sale
Detroit Tigers:

Los Angeles Angels: Scott Downs, Hasinori Takahashi
Oakland A's: Brien Fuentes
Seattle Mariners: David Aardsma
Texas Rangers:

Talking My Book: Mixed League Auction Results

On the pitching side of a mixed league auction, starting pitching is plentiful. With limited dollars, there will always be decent value at the end of the draft. The key is having the patience to hold back money and to have addressed the other categories.

Can't say I succeeeded as a technology snafu saw the bid on Ubaldo Jimenez jump from $11 to $22 in the time it took for my to click Bid $12. Hence I landed the Colorado Rockies ace for $23 and threw my pitching strategy on the trash heap.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Talking My Book: Mixed League Auction Results

Last night's Roto-Arcade Pro-Am draft ran 3.5 hours without break. It was like I was Kramer driving the dealer car whiel the needle was below empty.

That said, I went big on Adrian Gonzalez $40, Evan Longoria $46 and Prince Fielder $38 and basically filled in from there.

Speed was plentiful and went cheap. I added Brett Gardner and Chone Figgins for $12 and $11. $6 for Angel Pagan, $4 for Franklin Gutierriez and a $3 Flyer on Dexter Fowler rounded out my Cheap Speed Strategy.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Talking My Book: Emilio Bonifacio

MLB: Keith Law assesses top prospects who could still use some seasoning - ESPN:

"[Matt Dominguez] can hit a fastball, but once word gets around that he struggles with offspeed stuff, he's going to either have to make a very rapid adjustment (one he hasn't made so far in the minors) or find himself en route to Triple-A."

I am holding a $2 Emilio Bonifacio and hoping Dominguez's struggles at the plate manifest themseleves before I need to submit my keeper list.

The Spring's 1st Fantasy Oh, fuuuuuuu

Twitter / @Derrick Goold: Wainwright going back to S ...:

"Adam Wainwright going back to St. Louis to have his ligament examined in the right elbow. Mozeliak believes it's 'significant injury."

So can the Cardinal's reallocate the money it would take to sign Wainwright and apply to to Albert Pujols?

Mixed Auction H2H Draft

Over at Yahoo!, I am participating in the Roto-Arcade Pro-Am, a mixed league auction head-to-head league tonight. After finishing 2nd two years in a row, I'd like the top spot in my 3rd try

My strategy, as it should always be in mixed league auctions, is Stars & Scrubs. The details are always which Stars and how much for how many. Last season. I spent early on Mark Teixeira ($35), Ryan Howard ($41) and Troy Tulowitzki ($33).

Should I spend big on pitching as the head to head format combined with mixed league would leave the hitting pool somewhat plentiful in the single digit bids range?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Are You Crazy? Jose Tabata

The Roundtable on Fantasy Pros 911 has a regular segment Are You Crazy. This week it was Jose Tabata can be a Top 20 overall fantasy player this year.

The rational was his stolen bases would increase and he would hit 15 homeruns thanks to adding 20 pounds of muscle in the off season.

Totally crazy. If Tabata added that much weight, i would expect his speed to suffer. He was caught 7 times in 26 attempts last season. Holding that total steady, a better likelihood if he added a stone and a half of wieght, would simply make him Ian Desmond without the SS eligibility.

New Co-Host of ESPN Baseball Today

Twitter / Home:

"@keithlaw: Starting on March 15th, I'll be co-hosting the ESPN Baseball Today podcast with @KarabellESPN Tuesday through Thursday every week."

This is great news. Just don't remark that a statue of Bud Selig is good for pigeons to use as a bathroom.

Monday, February 21, 2011

BaseballNotebook.com - If Sleepers Existed Part 2

BaseballNotebook.com - If Sleepers Existed Part 2:

"Evan Meek, Pittsburgh: Look at how good he was in 70 games last year and realize that even with no more than average control, the rest of his game is good enough to be just about anyone's closer let alone Pittsburgh's. We recognize that Joel Hanrahan goes into the spring with a virtually equal chance to emerge as the closer and both Meek and Hanrahan will probably both set career-high saves marks in 2011. We're still pretty sure that Meek is already the better pitcher, so much more than Hanrahan that no matter who wins the battle this spring, we expect Meek will be the closer by the end of the season. His other numbers will be good enough to help a fantasy team even while everyone's waiting for that to happen."

I have him at $10. That is somewhat steep for a back-up closer but I want to protect him.

Talking My Book: David Freese

NL only 4x4 Keeper League. I have Cardinals 3B David Freese for $6. A leaguemate is offering an $18 Scott Rolen. Am i only talking my book to think Freese is a better value?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

BaseballNotebook.com - If Sleepers Existed Part 1

BaseballNotebook.com - If Sleepers Existed Part 1:

"Emilio Bonifacio, of, Florida: He stole 12 bases last year and was not caught at all, this in only 73 games. It looks as though he's going to get lots of playing time in center field in 2011 and while there's no hope of any power, the speed makes him at least worth some attention."

I'm always happy to find validation for sleepers who I have to possibility to protect. My guess is Bonifacio gets 20 games at 3B as I can't believe the Marlins will stick Matt Dominguez at 3B when the consensus in the scouting community is he can't hit for a 3B.

Why not send him to AAA for two months and save a year of eliginility?

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Roundtable Show - Download free podcast episodes by Patrick DiCaprio on iTunes.

The Roundtable Show - Download free podcast episodes by Patrick DiCaprio on iTunes.: "The Roundtable ShowBy Patrick DiCaprioTo listen to an audio podcast, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to download and subscribe to podcasts"

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Rickie Weeks Is The next...

...Reggie Sanders? A player whose injury history cements the reputation as an injury-prone player but who actually produces every year.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Fluke watch (potential closer edition): Evan Meek and Brandon League

Fluke watch (potential closer edition): Evan Meek and Brandon League:

"Meek is also a fascinating pitcher with odd pitching splits, but in such a way that make him a much better bet to be a successful closer, if given the opportunity, than League. Like League, Meek has two pitches that look like they could be plus pitches, a fastball with a good amount of cutting action and velocity, and a slider with solid horizontal movement."

MLB: These young players just missed the rankings because of service time - ESPN

MLB: These young players just missed the rankings because of service time - ESPN:

"It could be another two or three years until we see Strasburg throw a full, effective major league season, but with all indications that the ligament transplant surgery was successful, he remains Washington's long-term No. 1 starter."

Keeper leagues needs to consider this.

Monday, February 07, 2011

Will Carroll's 2011 Team Health Reports

Will Carroll's Rndm Crap - Risky Business:

"I’ve been working on what we’ve known as Team Health Reports for the last couple weeks, really digging in over the last few days. It’s mostly an intellectual exercise for me, since I don’t have a place to publish them. At worst, I’ll put the matrix up somewhere"

Really, Buster?

MLB: Albert Pujols and Michael Young could both be elsewhere next year - ESPN

"As written here before: You can debate the merits of giving a slugger who just turned 31 a 10-year deal based on what you expect his production to be, and you won't have to look hard for reasons to not do that kind of deal. For example: Rodriguez has seven years remaining in his 10-year, $275 million deal with the Yankees, and already it appears that the last years of his contract will be sunk money for the richest franchise in the sport, because there already are signs of regression in the third baseman."

No one believes any long-term contract signed in a player's early 30s won't be sunk costs in his late 30s.

To believe otherwise is to be Randy Levine regurgitating Scott Boras bullcrap.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

From KLaw

MLB: These prospects will impact the majors in 2011 - ESPN:

"But the Angels have an irrational love of the infinite out-making capacity of Jeff Mathis,..."