5 Fill in Starting Pitchers for Week 6

This list is populated by players who are owned in less than 50% of leagues and face either a good matchup or are pitching consistently well.

 

Carlos Zambrano Miami Marlins- Next scheduled start Sunday vs. Mets

The big Z received his first victory of the season Monday night pitching a complete game shutout. He has now gone 16 innings without allowing a run, and has struck out 14 batters. It is well known that he throws in one of the better pitcher parks in baseball, and faces a favorable matchup Sunday vs. the N.Y. Mets.

 

James McDonald Pittsburgh Pirates- Next scheduled start Friday vs. Astros

The big righty is on a 2 start win streak and has struck out 17 batters, while only allowing 4 earned runs. He will pitch against Houston Friday, and he has a history of success against that lineup.  His stamina was one of his problems in the beginning of the season, but he has been pitching later into games recently. He is an excellent source of strikeouts and faces a good matchup.

 

Henderson Alvarez Toronto Blue Jays- Next scheduled start Thursday vs. Twins

Alvarez is 2-1 in his last 3 starts, giving up only 3 runs in 22 innings. His ability to induce ground balls has been the key to his success. He faces a struggling Twins team and is a must start.

 

Ricky Nolasco Miami Marlins- Next scheduled start Saturday vs. Mets

Nolasco received a no decision the last time he faced the Mets after allowing 1 run in 7 innings and exiting with the lead. He’s pitched well on the season (4-0, 2.72ERA, 1.11WHIP, 21K’s) and the Marlins lineup is starting to produce.

 

Erik Bedard Pittsburgh Pirates- Next scheduled start Wednesday vs. Nationals

Bedard is one of the most difficult pitchers to watch in baseball because he pitches with no sense of urgency. He’s been effective pitching in the National League; he hasn’t allowed more than 2 earned runs in a start all season. He is on a 2 start win streak, and has struck out 20 batters in 10 innings. A favorable matchup vs. Washington is his next start Wednesday.

 

Scouting the Waiver wire: Week 6 edition

Wandy Rodriguez (SP) Houston Astros

Rodriguez is showing total command of the strike zone, and throwing his changeup more. He has cut down on his walks per 9 innings, which has led to a decrease in his fly ball %. The Astros are starting to score runs, leading to a 3 start win streak for Rodriguez. He’s pitching in a weak division and should maintain a low ERA/WHIP to go along with a decent amount of wins.

 

Carlos Ruiz (C) Philadelphia Phillies

Ruiz is smoking hot at the plate possessing an 8 game hitting streak. The power numbers have been there as well (3 doubles/3HR/14RBI). His saber metrics are in line with his career statistics, so ride out this hot streak while you can.

 

Pedro Alvarez (3B) Pittsburgh Pirates

The former 2nd overall pick in the 2008 Draft is one of the hottest hitters in baseball. In the midst of a 7 game hitting streak, Alvarez has assembled 5 multi hit games. He’s amassed 8 runs/ 9RBI’s/3 doubles and has 3 homers in his last 5 games. His BABIP is a modest .286 and he’s hitting the ball all over the field. His GB% is the lowest it has ever been, which could be a sign the power is going to continue.

 

Rafael Dolis (RP) Chicago Cubs

Former closer Carlos Marmol has been removed and Dolis is reportedly the prime candidate to fill the role.  He picked up his 2nd save of the season Friday night in an effortless inning of work.

 

Cody Ransom (SS,3B) Arizona Diamondbacks

Keep an eye on Cody Ransom. Manager Kirk Gibson told reporters “he’s going to be playing more than he normally would due to the hot start”. He is just one injury away from seeing starters playing time and carries a SS designation. He is not lineup worthy right now, but deserves a spot on your watch list. In 29 AB’s he’s hitting .345AVG/1200 OPS/5 runs/3 doubles/3 HR/10RBI.

 

Luke Scott (1B,OF) Tampa Bay Rays

If you are in need of power and RBI’s Scott is your man. He is the classic platoon player because of his struggles versus lefties. However he is killing right handed pitchers and hits in a good lineup. If you have an extra spot on your bench you can’t go wrong with Scott and playing the matchups.

Are you playing in daily leagues?

Daily fantasy leagues are becoming very popular. There are different type’s 50/50, Head to Head, and top 3 are the most popular. Analyzing the matchups is critical because most games are only one day. I like to look at player’s numbers versus the pitcher they are facing, and analyzing statistics from the previous seven days to determine who is hot and who’s not. The final determining factor is the pitcher who is on the mound. If it is an ace I might stay away from that match up and focus on hitters facing a weak pitcher.

Pedro Alvarez (Pirates) is one of the hottest hitters in baseball.

Here’s my lineup today with a 35K salary cap.

P -Kyle Lohse STL@HOU $6,500

C -Yadier Molina STL@HOU $3,700

1B- Mark Teixeira NYY@KAN $3,800

2B- Howie Kendrick TOR@ANA $3,400

3B -Pedro Alvarez CIN@PIT $3,000

SS -Derek Jeter NYY@KAN $3,900

OF

Cameron Maybin MIA@SDP $3,100

Bryce Harper PHI@WAS $3,300

Justin Upton ARI@NYM $4,000

 

I like Lohse because he carries a lower salary, has been consistently good, and faces a weaker lineup. I am going with a couple of Yankees in Jeter and Teixeira because of their history versus starting pitcher Bruce Chen. Howie Kendrick has been hot at the plate recently and has a solid history versus starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez. Pedro Alvarez is one of the hottest hitters in baseball and has a very cheap salary at 3rd. Cameron Maybin is starting to produce by getting on base, scoring runs, and stealing bases. Harper has been solid and faces a favorable matchup versus starter Kyle Kendrick who is struggling; Upton’s bout is very favorable and he is currently undervalued salary wise.

 

Are the Red Sox a playoff team?

We are about 1/8 of the way through the baseball season, and the Boston Red Sox find themselves in last place in the A.L. East. The injuries are piling up as Kevin Youkilis has been placed on the D.L. with a strained back; ace Josh Beckett will miss his start on Saturday with stiffness. They are already without starters Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford, and closer Andrew Bailey which has contributed to their slow start. The real question to be asked, is this a playoff team?

Manager Bobby Valentine has had a lot to shake his head about.

In my opinion, no they are not and it is not just because of injuries. Their lineup consists of hitters who mash middle and bottom tier pitching but struggle against the upper echelon. The pitching staff is overrated with concerns of being brittle and susceptible to injury. Manager Bobby Valentine has a bullpen that consists of too many question marks, and not enough answers.

The inconsistencies of the offense and starting rotation are major problems. It is either boom or bust as the offense scores 12 runs or 2. I call it the bully syndrome, where they beat up on weak opponents but struggle against equal competition.

So who is to blame for the Red Sox problems? It starts with the front office. They have handed out millions of dollars in free agency and have received very little production. Let’s go down the list of stinkers; John Lackey, Carl Crawford, Daisuke Matsuzaka, J.D. Drew, Matt Clement, Julio Lugo, Edgar Renteria, and Mike Cameron were given huge contracts by this regime. The team that won in 2004 was essentially former GM Dan Duquette’s players. A huge chunk of their payroll is tied up to players who are not even playing.

Can they turn it around? We will see, but if the injuries keep piling up this could be a season of transition.

Scouting the Holds category

Does your league use holds? If it doesn’t then you’re probably wondering what a hold is. Holds measure the value of middle relievers pitching in the 6th, 7th, and 8th inning; it is comparable to a save for a closer. If the pitcher does not surrender the lead, then he registers a hold. Simple enough right?

Being on a good team is important, because it will give you more opportunities. There is another trick to the holds category; finding players with starting pitching and relief pitching eligibility. You will be able to use a player for holds, and not lose any of your relief pitching positions. Left handed specialists who pitch to 1 batter in key situations are valuable as well.

Here are my rankings for the Hold category broken down in tiers.

Tier 1

Kenley Jansen -L.A. Dodgers

Alexi Ogando ***-SP/RP Texas Rangers

Mitchell Boggs -St. Louis Cardinals

Mike Adams -Texas Rangers

Ryan Cook -Oakland Athletics

Jonny Venters –Atlanta Braves

 

Tier 2

Franklin Morales –Boston Red Sox

Aroldis Chapman –Cincinnati Reds

Tom Wilhelmsen –Seattle Mariners

Joaquin Benoit –Detroit Tigers

Tyler Clippard –Washington Nationals

Chad Qualls –Philadelphia Phillies

David Robertson –New York Yankees

Francisco Rodriguez –Milwaukee Brewers

David Hernandez –Arizona Diamondbacks

 

Tier 3

Phil Coke ***SP/RP –Detroit Tigers

Vinnie Pestano –Cleveland Indians

Addison Reed –Chicago White Sox

Edward Mujica –Miami Marlins

Scott Downs –L.A. Angels

Matt Thornton –Chicago White Sox

Bryan Shaw –Arizona Diamondbacks

Josh Lindblom –L.A. Dodgers

Sean Burnett –Washington Nationals

Aaron Crow –Kansas City Royals

Wade Davis ***SP/RP –Tampa Bay Rays

Sergio Romo –San Francisco Giants

Fantasy baseball report April 29, 2012

This was an interesting week; it featured the promotion of two future stars Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. They both possess immediate fantasy value. Trout is a solid all-around player with speed, while Harper is known for his tape measure power. In keeper leagues their value is even greater as they are considered can’t miss prospects.

 

Yu Darvish impressed me with his 10 strikeout zero run effort versus the Yankees. He was able to work out of tight situations; in the 3rd he loaded the bases and escaped by striking out Curtis Granderson looking then getting Alex Rodriguez to ground into a double play. He featured a 93MPH fastball with late movement, a slow curve which he spotted for strikes, and a changeup that was effective against left-handed hitters. He moves the ball up and down, in and out, and lives on the edges of the strike zone.

 

Adrian Beltre returned to the Rangers this week with no restrictions and picked up where he left off. He’s started at third base the past 4 games after suffering a minor hamstring injury and went 6-16 with 2HR/6RBI’s. Beltre is a MVP candidate for Texas.

 

It appears Carl Crawford will be out for an extended period of time. He visited with Dr. Andrews and will reportedly be out at least 3 months. He had been taking batting practice for the Red Sox, but was unable to throw the ball. It is never a good sign when a player visits Dr. Andrews and you have to seriously consider Crawford’s season is in jeopardy.

 

Marlon Byrd’s career seems to be rejuvenated after being traded to the Red Sox. He struggled mightily for Cubs but has produced as a member of the Sox. With Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury missing significant time Byrd has found a regular lineup spot and has produced at least a hit in every contest.

 

The Red Sox have two interesting starting pitching candidates in their minor-league system in Daisuke Matsuzaka and Aaron Cook. Dice K is almost back after suffering Tommy John surgery, and veteran Aaron Cook has been pitching effectively for AAA Pawtucket. Cook has a contract clause which specifies he can opt out if he is not promoted to the big leagues by May 1st. This situation needs monitoring; will the Red Sox bring up Cook and place Daniel Bard in the bullpen?

 

Jon Jay returned from injury to the Cardinals outfield and produced immediately. He has been batting 2nd in a productive lineup and merits a roster spot in deeper leagues.

 

 

Who’s Hot

Aramis Ramirez (3B) Milwaukee Brewers

Desmond Jennings (OF) Tampa Bay Rays

Carlos Gonzalez (OF) Colorado Rockies

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C) Boston Red Sox

Luke Hochevar (SP) Kansas City Royals

Billy Butler (1B) Kansas City Royals

David Ortiz (DH) Boston Red Sox

Jay Bruce (OF) Cincinnati Reds

José Altuve (2B) Houston Astros

Brandon Morrow (SP) Toronto Blue Jays

Wandy Rodriguez (SP) Houston Astros

Alfredo Aceves (RP) Boston Red Sox

 

Who’s Not

Albert Pujols (1B) L.A. Angels

José Reyes (SS) Miami Marlins

Mark Teixeira (1B) N.Y. Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton (OF) Miami Marlins

Nelson Cruz (OF) Texas Rangers

Yovani Gallardo (SP) Milwaukee Brewers

Heath Bell (RP) Miami Marlins

Jordan Walden (RP) L.A. Angels

Shaun Marcum (SP) Milwaukee Brewers

Fantasy baseball news and notes April 24, 2012

Francisco Cordero has been promoted to the closer position for the Toronto Blue Jays. He replaces Sergio Romo who is expected to be out at least 3-4 weeks. He is worth a roster spot if you are looking for saves.

 

Justin Upton appears to be regaining his health after nursing a thumb injury. He drove in his 1st run of the season and added a solo homer as well. He hit the ball extremely hard in all three at bats, opening up on the ball with authority. Buy low on Upton if you can.

 

Corey Luebke is a very quiet ace for the San Diego Padres. The 27-year-old lefty shut down the Phillies Saturday night allowing 2 hits and no runs in 8 innings beating Roy Halladay. He was shaky in his first start but has only given up 2 runs in his last 20.1 innings pitched. His command was extremely impressive, able to spot his fastball on the corners and off-speed pitches for strikes.

 

I watched Tim Lincecum pitch yesterday versus the Mets and was not impressed even though he only gave up 1 run in 5 innings. His velocity was down pitching in the 88-91MPH range, and couldn’t throw his slider for strike. He walked 5 batters and averaged over 20 pitches an inning. I would sell now if you can.

 

Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are heating up for the Kansas City Royals after getting off to a slow start. Hosmer has hit in 4 straight games clubbing 2 homeruns, including one to the opposite field last night. Moustakas is 12-33 in his last 9 games and 5-8 in his last 2 games including doubles in each contest. Moustakas may be available in your league and warrants a roster spot, while Hosmer is a buy low candidate.

 

Keep an eye on Cubs 1B/OF Brian Lahair who is a great fastball hitter with good plate discipline. He is batting .361/1.106 OPS with 2HR/9RBI’s. His 12 pitch at bat versus Cardinals closer Jason Motte Monday night was impressive leading to a come from behind win.

 

Colby Rasmus appears to be much more patient at the plate recently. His 2 HR game Saturday night made people take note, but he had hit in 6 straight games before that. Add him now because this may be his career year.

 

Jake Peavy pitched a gem last night versus the Oakland A’s allowing 0 runs/3 hits/2 walks in 9 innings. It appeared he was getting tired in the later innings but battled for a complete game. He did give up a lot of fly balls, which could hurt him later on when the wind is blowing out in Chicago. For the time being he is a must start.

 

This is the best I have seen Alex Rodriguez play in a couple of seasons. He has been very patient at the plate and is driving the ball on a line up the middle and to the gaps. He is also a solid buy low candidate.

 

Kyle Lohse has been extremely impressive early on for the Cardinals and needs a roster spot in all leagues. He has not faced a good lineup all season, but pitches in one of the weakest divisions in all of baseball and should see plenty of win opportunities all season.

Team stat department- Hitting & Pitching

Team Hitting stats as of Sunday April 22 11:23 AM, rankings filtered by runs scored.

Team R 2B 3B HR RBI BB SB BA SLG
Rangers 63 22 2 21 61 26 4 0.290 0.522
Indians 61 15 2 16 60 49 7 0.249 0.442
Cardinals 59 19 5 16 59 36 6 0.293 0.491
Yankees 57 22 1 13 55 49 10 0.264 0.426
Red Sox 56 29 1 11 54 37 3 0.270 0.439
Blue Jays 54 16 2 14 52 36 6 0.231 0.403
Dodgers 54 21 1 11 53 43 9 0.253 0.408
Tigers 54 16 3 13 47 28 2 0.272 0.437
Orioles 53 23 1 20 48 30 5 0.260 0.478
Rockies 52 22 7 9 49 35 8 0.258 0.426
D’ Backs 52 19 1 15 51 44 11 0.237 0.414
Angels 51 20 2 10 49 27 8 0.269 0.412
Braves 51 15 3 10 47 37 11 0.229 0.37
Giants 49 21 5 9 47 35 6 0.254 0.406
Mariners 48 18 3 8 47 25 6 0.236 0.354
Brewers 48 19 3 15 47 29 9 0.233 0.43
Nationals 46 20 1 6 42 50 5 0.251 0.345
Padres 44 20 2 7 41 53 6 0.216 0.332
Astros 44 19 3 7 41 45 9 0.248 0.368
Cubs 42 15 3 5 38 32 9 0.237 0.338
Royals 42 28 3 8 40 24 6 0.255 0.405
Rays 41 19 2 10 40 43 2 0.253 0.4
Marlins 41 20 3 9 38 26 12 0.243 0.384
Mets 39 18 0 11 37 41 1 0.248 0.39
Twins 38 17 2 9 37 27 5 0.259 0.389
White Sox 38 16 5 12 36 23 7 0.234 0.418
Phillies 35 15 0 6 34 19 12 0.259 0.348
Athletics 33 15 0 10 32 29 9 0.201 0.314
Reds 32 17 2 6 31 30 2 0.205 0.309
Pirates 24 10 2 5 21 17 7 0.203 0.284
Team Pitching stats as of Sunday April 22 11:23 AM, rankings filtered by E.R.A.
Team ERA IP ER R BB SO Hits/A HR
Nationals 1.91 113 24 30 39 117 78 2
Rangers 2.36 99 26 27 21 86 90 6
Phillies 2.65 98.1 29 33 24 77 87 9
Mets 2.88 97 31 40 40 89 91 5
Cardinals 2.93 98.1 32 35 21 81 77 8
Pirates 2.97 94 31 34 30 60 85 7
Dodgers 3.17 99.1 35 38 38 99 73 8
Blue Jays 3.18 99 35 38 39 69 73 14
Orioles 3.23 103 37 46 37 70 93 13
Athletics 3.23 108.2 39 44 24 61 93 11
Tigers 3.27 99 36 37 27 98 89 7
White Sox 3.44 89 34 40 29 83 79 16
Reds 3.53 104.2 41 42 43 82 96 11
Astros 3.53 99.1 39 46 29 71 99 9
D’ Backs 3.65 98.2 40 42 38 81 88 11
Padres 3.7 109.1 45 55 57 94 87 12
Marlins 3.71 99.1 41 44 35 68 97 9
Braves 4.07 95 43 49 38 83 105 11
Giants 4.07 95 43 50 27 71 92 8
Mariners 4.16 106 49 51 26 87 101 16
Yankees 4.22 100.1 47 50 39 109 102 14
Royals 4.38 98.2 48 55 40 89 100 11
Cubs 4.41 96 47 53 35 87 84 11
Rockies 4.55 97 49 60 38 63 106 12
Angels 4.74 95 50 52 28 74 100 14
Indians 5.18 92 53 58 32 66 95 9
Twins 5.31 95 56 59 25 54 106 14
Brewers 5.4 95 57 61 40 91 105 14
Rays 5.9 93 61 64 50 64 95 13
Red Sox 6.22 97 67 68 36 79 111 17

Scouting the waiver wire

Week 4 will be upon us and trigger happy managers looking to make moves now have a larger sample size to judge players. It’s been the year of the pitcher as is usually the case in the early going; however it should start to even out soon. My advice is to ride those hot pitchers while you can.

This piece looks at players who might be available in your league and present an alternative option to a struggling or injured player in your lineup.

 

Matt Joyce (OF) Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Joyce is on a hot streak as of late; in his last 4 games he is 7-17 with 2 doubles and 3 homeruns. Hitting in a prime spot in the lineup he should score a ton of runs and see plenty of RBI opportunities. Buy now or watch him produce for someone else later.

 

Alex Rios (OF) Chicago White Sox

Rios had an awful season last year, which scared off many owners. If he can rebound you are looking at a player with 20 homerun/30 stolen bases potential. He has been hitting much better this season and is a player you should keep an eye on.

 

Mat Gamel (1B,3B) Milwaukee Brewers

Gamel is not your prototypical power hitting first baseman. However his all-around ability can bring value to any team. He started off slowly but he has 4 multiple hit games in his last 8 starts, his ability to steal bases and score runs should make up for his inability to hit 40 homers.

 

Mike Aviles (2B,SS,3B) Boston Red Sox

Aviles is a solid middle infielder, hitting in a favorable park and lineup. He should continue to see tremendous RBI and run opportunities while stealing some bases and hitting for a little power.

 

Jake Peavy (SP) Chicago White Sox

Peavy is 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA/0.81 WHIP/21 K’s in 19 innings. In his last start he threw the most pitches he has all season and reported feeling no pain. If he can stay healthy, Peavy could be a candidate for comeback player of the year.

 

Ted Lilly (SP) L.A. Dodgers

Lilly is 2-0 in 2 starts carrying a 0.69 ERA/1.00 WHIP after missing some time with a stiff neck. The Dodgers are one of the hottest teams in baseball increasing Lilly’s value. If the veteran lefty stays healthy he’s a good source for wins and K’s.

 

Jake Westbrook (SP) St. Louis Cardinals

Westbrook has given up 1 earned run in 14 innings so far for the Cardinals. He has changed his delivery to avoid tipping his pitches, which seems to have worked. Pick him up, and ride out this hot streak.

 

Five players whose stock is up

Adam Jones (OF) Baltimore Orioles

Jones has hit in all 10 games this season, and has homeruns in three of his last four games. He’s been working with Brian Roberts to become a better base stealer swiping 3 in 3 chances. Jones could be a sneaky 30-30 player this season as he develops his all around game.

 

Cody Ross (OF) Boston Red Sox

Ross appears to be a great fit for Fenway Park because of his ability to pull the ball. With Jacoby Ellsbury injured he should be a full-time player. If Ross is available pick him up before it is too late. He hit .357/2 HR/8 RBI’s in the 4 game home series versus Tampa Bay.

 

Jason Heyward (OF) Atlanta Braves

This is Heyward’s 3rd professional season and it appears the monstrous 22-year-old is ready to carry the Braves. He currently has a six-game hitting streak, while hitting for power and stealing bases. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just a hot start, he’s the real deal.

 

Ike Davis (1B) N.Y. Mets

Davis got off to a horrible start going 2-28 to start the season. He appears to be seeing the ball better as he is 3-8 with 2 homers and 5 RBI’s in his last two games. He is batting 4th for the Mets and should see plenty of RBI opportunities moving forward.

 

Jordan Zimmermann (SP) Washington Nationals

Even though the young right-hander has not registered a win on the season he has pitched unbelievable posting a 1.29 ERA and 0.79 WHIP through 14 innings . Finally healthy Zimmermann appears poised to have a breakout season.

 

 

Undervalued Players

Drafting undervalued players win you championships. Let’s look at Jacoby Ellsbury and Curtis Granderson for example; if you were able to draft either player last year you received incredible value based on their average draft position. There were signs that both of these players were breakout candidates.

In Ellsbury’s case an injury that wiped out his previous season diminished his value. He showed power in spring training and it lasted the whole season. Granderson is a player who put it all together last year for the Yankees. Granderson was now more comfortable playing in a great park, had an excellent lineup, and had shown signs that he was now able to hit left-handed pitching his previous Achilles’ heel.

These are the players that are being undervalued, and are intriguing options because of the value they possess based on 2012 composite rankings.

Cameron Maybin San Diego Padres
Maybin was showing signs last year that he was ready to break out before battling injuries towards the end of the season. He is a good source for steals, who is starting to develop at the plate. There is no way he’s going to hit 30 home runs, but if he hits 15 with 50 stolen bases you’re looking at a valuable asset.

Brennan Boesch Detroit Tigers
I’m very bullish on Boesch. Injuries ruined what was a promising start in 2011, an impressive 306 AVG with 12HR 57R 44RBI was his Pre-All-Star Game stat line. He is rumored to be hitting 2nd for a very good Tigers lineup; he has 30HR potential and should score a lot of runs. Think Ryan Ludwick when he put up unbelievable numbers in the Cardinals lineup hitting second in front of Pujols and Holliday.

Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees
It seems like a lot of people are writing off Alex Rodriguez, but I’m not one of them. Rodriguez has been battling injuries the last couple of years, but for some reason I think he will stay healthy this year. He visited Peter Wehling a German doctor referred by Kobe Bryant, and is reportedly feeling better than he has in years. He will also see time at the DH spot this year to keep his bat in the order while resting. He homered off Roy Halladay on the first pitch he saw this preseason.

Michael Cuddyer Colorado Rockies
His value is as a second baseman, and a move to Colorado should inflate his numbers. He is always an injury risk which might decreases his value, but how many second baseman are going to get you 25HR with good peripheral numbers.

Erick Aybar L.A. Angels
Shortstop is one of the least attractive positions in fantasy baseball. When a player like Elvis Andrus is a top 50 pick because he steals bases, then you know it’s not a deep position. This is why Aybar is valuable, last year he cut down on his strikeouts and his power doubled. Leading off for the Angels should result in runs and don’t forget he stole 30 bases last year.

Colby Rasmus Toronto Blue Jays
Rasmus has suddenly become valuable compared to previous seasons. He has the potential to go 30/30 and is worth a shot in later rounds. Hopefully a change of scenery to the slugger’s paradise A. L. East will bring out that potential.

Ike Davis New York Mets
Davis certainly comes with a risk as he is fighting Valley fever. This is the same illness that wiped out Conor Jackson’s season when he had it. Davis said he has had no symptoms this spring. If Davis is healthy he presents a solid utility/1B option at a discount price, he will be hitting 4th for the Met’s and is a talented hitter.

Kendrys Morales L.A. Angels
Morales is fighting back from injuries, he has been rehabbing as the designated hitter in minor-league action. His injured foot has been healing but he hasn’t been running that much. He was never a threat on the base passes, but he will hit for power and average when healthy. That is why he is a player you should target in the later rounds and stash on your D.L. spot till he is ready.

Overvalued Players

Nothing derails a team quicker than spending early round picks on players who do not produce. If you drafted Adam Dunn, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Mauer, Jason Heyward, and Alex Rios you were extremely disappointed with the production versus the early selection.

Currently, I have these players overvalued based on their average draft position.

Prince Fielder Detroit Tigers
Currently Fielder is going in the top 15 picks, at a deep position. Normally I would justify taking Fielder this high, but I feel he is going to struggle a bit while getting used to the A.L. pitching. I would rather go after a less deep position maximizing value, and use a later pick on first base.

Chase Utley Philadelphia Phillies
Chase in my opinion is being drafted way too high. He is being overvalued based on reputation, and not production. He’s had a hard time staying healthy recently, and the Phillies lineup isn’t what it used to be.

Mike Napoli Texas Rangers
Do you really want to have to pay for Napoli’s career year? The power wasn’t a fluke; will his batting average continue at the same rate? I don’t believe in taking Napoli with the top 35 picks because he is a catcher who will be susceptible to injury.

David Wright New York Mets
I know that the Mets are moving in their fences, but I am not buying David Wright this year. He has been battling injuries all spring which leaves his status for opening day questionable. I don’t like the recent trends regarding Wright; which is injury prone, and depleted power.

Elvis Andrus Texas Rangers
Andrus has been going in the top 50 picks on average. Basically you are paying for one category at a scarce position. If you can’t get one of the top 3 SS then you should probably wait and not over value middle tier players.

Michael Bourn Atlanta Braves
Bourn is another player being drafted early because of his ability to steal bases. I don’t want to have to use a third round pick on Bourn, when I can get Cameron Maybin in the later rounds who might be comparable in the stolen base category.

Yu Darvish Texas Rangers
I see pitching as a deep position this year I will not be spending an early pick on Darvish. He has the size and talent to be a star, but I don’t see success right away. Therefore I would much rather target hitting and focus on pitching in the middle and later rounds.