Welcome back for, believe it or not, our 13th year on the web trying to figure out how to win the roto puzzle known as fantasy baseball.
This looks to be a fun and engaging season, at least for me. Well, at least I am feeling a lot more relaxed about it, and as a result my focus, when writing or doing research, or even drafting, has really felt purposeful this spring.
In fact, one of the things I really noticed last week during the Tout auctions, were how staying focused and having a discliplined draft at least bore competitive results. In other, coming out of the draft, the competitive teams were the ones that had the focused draft. And, well, that is why we play the season.
So, going into the first week, I want to look at some players--and spots--that I thought would make a mark this season.
For instance, I scored last Friday's exhibition game between the Giants and the Athletics play a pretty good game considering it drizzled throughout. Well, over the first five innings Tim Lincecum held the Athletics hitless, striking out nine, and throwing 57 strikes over 75 pitches. He walked two. The dude has just wicked stuff, and my only fear about him is his size does not suggest a power pitcher. But, then, neither does Pedro Martinez' or Tim Hudson's.
I actually grabbed Jerry Owens in Tout for $14 hoping he would be good for 25 or so swipes. But, Owens is not only starting the season on the DL with groin problems, but Owens has been passed by Cuban star Alexi Ramirez. Ramirez, who hit .357-2-12 this spring, certainly starts the season at center, and owns it till at least till Owens returns.
Who would have thought Johnny Cueto would have passed Homer Bailey as the two kids charge for startdom? Well, Cueto, #3 in the Reds rotation, certainly has, as Bailey was sent back to AAA to start the season. Cueto climbed up through all three minor league levels in 2007, going 4-5, 3.33 at A level Sarasota, then 6-3, 3.10 Chattanooga, and then 2-1, 2.05 at AAA Louisville.
Looking at a couple of other pitchers, Phillip Hughes and Joba Chamberlain draw a lot of Yankee ink, but I really like Ian Kennedy best among all the young Yankees hurlers. Like Cueto, Kennedy blasted through all three levels of the minors last season, and then pitched at The Show the month of September, going 1-0, 1.89 over three starts. This guy is very good.
Tampa always has a tough row to hoe just by playing in the same division as the Red Sox and the Yankees, but they have drafted and traded very well, and have the basis for a nice and competitive team for a number of years. And, though Scott Kazmir and Jamie Shields get a lot of ink, look at Matt Garza if you get a chance. The 24-year old former Twin, who was bundled as part of the Delmon Young deal, had an iffy looking win/loss mark of 5-7, but, over 83 innings, Garza whiffed 67, walked 32, and had a solid ERA of 3.69.
Similarly, Toronto's Shaun Marcum had a really solid 12-6, 4.01 season which is belied by Marcum's September when he was 0-1 with a 7.12 ERA over four starts. Marcum, pitching behind AJ Burnett, Roy Halladay, and Dustin McGowan should settle in with some solid numbers on a good team.
Looking at the outfield, I really like Juan Rivera, the man in Los Angeles without a job. I like him because he can hit and play. I like him because he is younger than Gary Matthews, Torii Hunter, Vlady Guerrero, and Garrett Anderson, and his big drawback is he broke his leg in 2007 and lost a starting job to that. But, in general, Rivera should be healthier than that quartet. Remember, he hit .310-23-85 over 448 at-bats in 2006.
Similarly, Coco Crisp has kind of been written off but only because Jacoby Ellsbury is the flavor of the month. And, Ellsbury might be just fine, but somehow, Crisp will scrounge 400-plus at-bats. Crisp, who struggled some last year at .267-6-60 did swipe 28 bases and is great defensively, and well, somewhere or other he will play.
Finally, Brian Wilson is the closer in San Francisco, but, remember that owning the closer job can be an ephemeral thing. And, remember that Brad Hennessey, who saved 19 games last year, and had passible (3.43 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) numbers, could easily return to that spot if Wilson falters. I have yet to see Hennessey selected on a mixed team, meaning he is a forgotten man. Not by me.
Have a good first week. We will see you in seven.