Vegas Baby!!!! Vegas!!!!

For the RotoBuzz Faithful...

For the next 5 or 6 days, updates and the daily "What's the Buzz" may be a little sparse as I will be in Las Vegas for my wedding.

I know this can be a critical time, what with drafts happening and the first game of the season on Sunday night, but I have shared with you all that I can to help you with your drafts. If you have been reading RotoBuzz regularly, then you are prepared. I've left behind a little last minute advice, so be sure to check it out. Everything else you need is in the articles -- both here and at Addict Fantasy Sports.

So be confident and good luck.

I'll see you all in the money this year...

Sincerely,

Howard

What's the Buzz? 3/28/06

Less than a week to go and ....BASEBALL IS UPON US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Some last bits of info from Spring Training...

The Kansas City Royals have picked up infielder Tony Graffanino off waivers from the Red Sox. He will immediately become the backup infielder and will probably also steal some ABs from 3B Mark Teahen and 1B Doug Mintkiewicz. Avoiding Royals' infielders this year is highly recommended. Super sleeper 2B Esteban German has temporarily lost his value.
Dusty Baker has made the decision on his starting second baseman. Problem is, no one else knows; not even the Cubs. I'm sure all you Todd Walker fans are on the edge of your seat. Way to go Dusty...keepin' it mysterious...
Rangers OF Gary Matthews, Jr. is still on pace to begin this season on the DL. Go get 'em Gary...
Red Sox hurler and resident trouble-maker David Wells has said that he will retire after this season. If you're in a keeper league, he now....HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Can't believe I was even considering typing that.
The Cubs traded reliever Todd Wellemeyer to the Marlins for 2 minor league pitchers I don't even need to name as they probably will stay in the minors. Wellemeyer goes into middle relief in Florida.
Brian Bannister appears to have won the 5th starter job which moves Aaron Heilman back to the bullpen. This spot in the rotation could evry well be a revolving door all season long.
Further tests on OF Jeremy Reed show that his wrist is not broken after all. The doctor's were apparently also viewing a healed fracture from some 15 years ago. He still might not be around for the first two weeks of the season, but that's not nearly as bad as the potential platoon situation the Mariners were going with -- Willie Bloomquist and Joe Borchard. Keep Reed on your radar for free agent pickups.
Once again, it appears safe to announce that Dioner Navarro will not go on the DL for the start of the season. He remains a viable option in very deep mixed or NL-only leagues.
The Diamondbacks have finally announced that Claudio Vargas will be the 5th starter in the rotation. It was pretty much a lock after the trade of Brad Halsey, so I'm sure the suspense in Arizona was mild. I like Vargas for a nice free agent grab if he produces in April.
It's official....The Cubs have placed both Kerry Wood and Mark Prior on the 15-day DL. Neither one will be ready until the end of April. Shame on you for drafting either one...I don't think I could've warned you any more.
The Nationals sent Ryan Church down to AAA today leaving centerfield patroled by Brandon Watson and Marlon Byrd. I can't see either one being a better option than Church, so look for him to be back up fairly soon.
That's all for now.

Catch you next time...

3rd Draft Update -- round 2 results

This draft is getting worse and worse....

Apparently, we lost on all but three of our bids either by $1 or a letter tiebreaker. Hmmm. I don't like the looks of this one...

We did however pick up C Rod Barajas and pitchers Ervin Santana and Zach Duke.

Still need 1 SS, 3 OF and 2 pitchers......ugh!!!

More on this tomorrow......

For tonight, my 4th and final draft --> 11 team mixed 5x5 24 man rosters with a 4 man bench, snake-style....and we all know how I feel about snake drafts...

3rd Draft Update

So round 1 is complete in this one now and it's looking pretty sketchy our way. The only pitchers we added were Cubs' closer Ryan Dempster, Dave Bush, and Erik Bedard (my pick obviously if you've tracked my last 2 drafts). We need 4 more starters. Some pretty good guys slipped through and never received bids, so hopefully I'll be able to do some patchwork here.

On the offensive front, we were able to grab Sean Casey at first (BA help), Adam Kennedy at 2B, rookie 3B Ryan Zimmerman (the wife's choice), A.J. Pierzynski behind the plate, and OF Mike Cameron (a pick we both actually liked).

We still need another catcher, a SS, 3 OF, and 4 P.

2nd round bids are in.....she did a little more listening to me this round, so we'll see where it goes. I should find out this evening.....just before I start draft #4. Wow!!! This could be baseball overload.

What's the Buzz? 3/27/06

Here's a few notes that may help you out in the later rounds of your drafts...

The Orioles and Melvin Mora have not reached any kind of settlement on a contract extension for the third baseman. In a slightly revamped lineup, Mora should do well in his contract year and produce above average 3B numbers.
Dustin Hermanson will likely start the season on the DL. This really doesn't affect the closer situation in Chicago as Bobby Jenks and Neal Cotts remain the main candidates to get saves. Jenks still probably has the edge as Cotts has been beaten up a little, ever since Ozzie Guillen announced the possible committee.
Kerry Wood is still on target for a late April return but hasn’t faced live hitters yet and Mark Prior still looks to be missing the first 3 weeks of the season with a shoulder problem. The Cubs, in the meantime, will probably announce that Carlos Zambrano will have to start 4 games per week as he seems to be the only reliable arm on the mound in Chicago. Glendon Rusch is the #2 guy?!?!? Ugh.
OF Eli Marrero has locked up a roster spot in Colorado as a reserve outfielder. He also may get an occasional day behind the plate which would increase his value tremendously if he qualifies there soon.
Dodgers’ closer Eric Gagne is still a very risky pick this year as his velocity is down and his command is way off. Danys Baez and even Yhency Brazoban could find themselves in the mix for saves early on.
Reports out of Minnesota say that Francisco Liriano will make the Opening Day roster. He will come out of the bullpen as either a long reliever or a lefty specialist. If he becomes the lefty specialist, it may be harder for him to find his way into the rotation.
Twins SS Jason Bartlett sat out today with a strained hamstring. Not good as apparently manager Ron Gardenhire is looking for any excuse to bench him. He just doesn’t like him. Nick Punto and Juan Castro look to be the beneficiaries of playing time in his absence.
The Devil Rays continue to shop OF Joey Gathright with the Marlins being a likely destination. They want a pitching prospect in return, and Scott Olsen’s name has been thrown around. It would be a great move for Gathright as he would probably replace Reggie Abercrombie and hit leadoff instead of SS Hanley Ramirez.
Speaking of Gathright, he was involved in another Red Sox inspired incident on the field. As if it wasn’t bad enough that Josh Beckett was looking to get his ass kicked by Phillies 1B Ryan Howard yesterday, reliever Julian Tavarez connected with a right to Gathright’s chin after getting spiked at the plate today. Benches cleared without further incident, but Tavarez will be looking at a suspension for his actions. Atleast it wasn’t another roundhouse kick to the head like last time.
Homeless 1B Carlos Pena might be a Devil Ray soon as the Rays are always looking to upgrade from Travis Lee.
The Rangers are shopping OF/DH Dave Dellucci. Unless he goes to a team and has a starting job available for him, any move away from Texas will significantly hurt his value.
Also with Texas, 3B Hank Blalock is dealing with a stiff back and some soreness in his throwing arm this spring. He still remains a top quality draft option at the hot corner.
The Reds signed OF Terrence Long to a minor league contract today. He will start the year in AAA but may have some value later on if the Reds need to bring him up as an injury replacement.
Xavier Nady is not helping his cause to be the regular right fielder for the Mets with his 1 for 25 slump -- 0 for 4 today with 3 K's. If he doesn't click soon, the team may opt for Victor Diaz instead.
The 5th starter role in Houston appears to have gone to Taylor Buchholz as Carlos Hernandez was sent down to a minor league camp. The role could be short lived as the Astros are still awaiting a decision from Roger Clemens.
The Texas Rangers have released DH Erubial Durazo. He should land somewhere else, but that is still lup in the air.
Atlanta closer Chris Reitsma is day to day with a strained hamstring. If you have him or were planning on drafting him, take a look at Joey Devine and the rest of the bullpen for insurance purposes.
And finally, Runelvys Hernandez will be starting the season on the 15 day DL with, what is being called, a "lack of stamina". Perhaps he should give ex-major leaguer Rafael Palmiero a call and get that little blue pill to help him out. He should be ok when he gets back, but watch him first before picking him up as command and velocity have been a huge problem.

Hope your drafts went well and if you haven't gone yet, good luck.

Catch you next time...

3rd draft running......

So league #3's draft started today. It is the same structure as yesterday's -- both rosters and "blind bid" style draft. Difference is, though, I am really more of a silent partner. It is a league my wife had joined and this year she wants more of my input...and cash flow. This could be a little bit of a struggle as we have very different styles and opinions about certain players and strategies. I'm letting her do most of the bidding while throwing out the occassional player name and opinion. We'll have to just wait and see on this one.

The protects she had were pretty good as we were already walking in with 1B Jim Thome, 2B Jeff Kent, 3B Scott Rolen, SS Rafael Furcal, OF's Andruw Jones and Scott Podsednik, and closer Mariano Rivera.

This league doesn't do the draft in person, so bid sheets were emailed today to the commissioner. First round results coming soon, so I'll keep you updated as it happens over the next 3 days....yes that's right...3 days.

Wish us luck.

What's the Buzz? 3/26/06

This weekend and next looks like it's it for the drafts. For those who have completed their's, congratulations. I hope you are extremely happy with your teams. If you're still waiting to draft, then some of this may be helpful....

Nothing earth shattering here, but let's get too it...

The Red Sox put 2B Tony Graffanino on waivers today. Some possible destinations are the Mets, Cardinals or the Cubs. Anywhere he goes he will still just be a reserve infielder.
Curtis Granderson has officially been named the Tigers starting center fielder and leadoff hitter. Don't expect Nook Logan to push him at all for the job so he should be pretty comfortable this year. He should have some decent late round value this season.
With 1B Jeff Bagwell done for the year, the Astros will go with Lance Berkman at first opening up the outfield for Willy Taveras and Jason Lane along with Preston Wilson. Taveras, again, will bat second.
Brewers ace Ben Sheets will start the year at AA to rehab his shoulder. He will probably get 2 or 3 starts, depending on his performance before they bring him back. They don't want to rush him.
Sticking with the "Brew Crew", 2B Rickie Weeks will play in a minor league game this weekend. He should be ready for Opening Day.
The Tigers released 1B Carlos Pena. No biggie......if he was on your draft sheet, then you've got serious problems.
The Diamondbacks and A's swapped pitchers with Juan Cruz going to Arizona in exchange for Brad Halsey. Cruz has some good upside, but I really don't see where Halsey is going to fin in Oakland.
They are still saying that OF Rocco Baldelli might not be ready for Opening Day. Get your Joey Gathright right here!!!
It looks like new Blue Jays starter A.J. Burnett will start the season on the DL and probably miss anywhere from 2 to 4 starts. Told ya!!!
The hot rumor has 1B/OF Craig Wilson going to the Braves for P John Thomson. It might be a nice fit for Atlanta as his bat will definitely be more appreciated than it was in Pittsburgh.
Barry Bonds has been diagnosed with elbow inflammation according to MRI results. He'll sit for a little while but he'll definitely be back. He could be in and out all year this year. Only problem is, that you really want him when he is playing as those HRs will certainly help. Tread lightly.
Reds catcher Jason LaRue will have surgery to repair some torn knee cartilage. He should miss about 2 or 3 weeks. Javier Valentin will probably see all of the time behind the dish until LaRue gets back.
Marlins pitcher Travis Bowyer was sent to AAA today. Looks like Joe Borowski has the closer's role locked up in Florida.
Mariners star Felix Hernandez has shin splints and will sit for a little while until he is healthy. There is no reason to risk this talent so early on. Hernandez remains a valuable commodity this year.
Phillies 1B Ryan Howard and Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett had words today and almost cam eto blows. It seems Howard was admiring a long hit ball and Beckett took exception. I wouldn't mind seeing Howard put down Beckett....I can't imagine it could go any other way.
Reports have OF Michael Cuddyer back for th eTwins by Opening Day. If that's the case, then Jason Kubel will probably start the year in AAA and Lew Ford will come off the bench.
An dfinally, 2B Jose Lopez was announced as the starter for Seattle. He's worth a buck or 2 in AL-only leagues.

Like I said.....a lot of "business as usual" today.

Catch you next time...

2 Down.....2 to go....

So today was the draft for my primary league, Cooperstown Classic. It is a 15 team keeper, mixed league, 5x5 with 25 man rosters (16 hitters/9 pitchers) and a 10 player bench, which gets filled in a free agent draft at the end of April.
The draft itself is a "blind bid". If you aren't familiar, her it is...your first round sheet is handed in with your potential roster...bids on each guy you are going after with a letter for tiebreaking purposes. If you are the highest bidder, you get the player. If not, that money moves to the second round where you will need to find your next player. Each round continues in the same fashion where you try to fill out your full 25. It usually goes just 4 or 5 rounds.
You can protect up to 9 guys on your team from the previous season with the first guy being free. The next costs 10, then next 15, then 20, 25, 30, etc. You have 260 to start, less your protect costs.

So this year, I did some offseason maneuvering so I could protect the following guys: 1B Paul Konerko, 2B Chase Utley, SS Felipe Lopez, 3B Scott Rolen, OF Johnny Damon, OF Coco Crisp, and closer Derrick Turnbow.

Sticking with the theory that you should spend roughly 65% of your money on offense, I went in considering Turnbow to be my $10 guy and the rest was diverted to protecting the offensive guys. I needed to make some shrewd picks on offense as I was going to throw my whole league for a loop and lock myself in to some great starting pitching. No one saw it coming....

Actually I went for the same pitching guys as my first draft, the 7x7 league with the snake draft, as I was very happy with how it came out. Erik Bedard, Jason Schmidt, Jeremy Bonderman, and Mark Buehrle once again adorned my roster. I filled in with a few other "sleepers" and I was good to go.
Hitting wise, I knew I was going to have to bargain shop as I invested $2 in the Marlins middle infield, Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez. I also lucked out with soem crazy picks as I was able to land Jim Edmonds for $1. You gotta love talking up injuries. I know I recommended against him, but for $1, how could it go wrong?

In any event, here's how the roster looks...

C Johnny Estrada, Brian McCann
1B Paul Konerko, Chris Shelton
2B Chase Utley, Dan Uggla
SS Felipe Lopez, Hanley Ramirez
3B Scott Rolen, Garrett Atkins
OF Coco Crisp, Johnny Damon, Jim Edmonds, Juan Encarnacion, Craig Monroe, Matt Murton
P Jason Schmidt, Mark Buehrle, Jeremy Bonderman, Erik Bedard, Horacio Ramirez, Jason Vargas, Scott Baker, Derrick Turnbow, Mike Gonzalez

Maybe I could use a little more pop, especially in the OF, but overall I am very happy with today's draft.

If you want to throw in your 2 cents and tell me what you think of the roster, you can post comments here or email me at hbender26@yahoo.com.

What's the Buzz? 3/25/06

Ok then.....here's some news that should be helpful as you move closer to your drafts. For me it's 1 down and 3 to go.....very busy next few days coming.....very well deserved Vegas vacation to follow. I will be also be getting married on my trip...she even picked the date so that we would be back home for the start of the season. But I digress....let's get to the news...

A bigger competition than expected for the Pirates' center field position as manager Jim Tracy announced that Nate McLouth is very much in the running for the job. We all thought Chris Duffy was a lock for the job, but this makes things a little interesting. Duffy will still probably win the job as he is definitely the better glove, but we could see a decrease in ABs if they Pirates need a little more pop in the order.
In Houston, 2B Craig Biggio has been given the leadoff spot this year and OF Willy Taveras will hit second. If this is the case, look for Taveras' stolen base production to decrease. It may change back if Biggio can keep up last year's power numbers and needs better RBI chances.
Dodgers cather Dioner Navarro seems to be recovering nicely from his hamstring strain and will most likely be back for Opening Day.
There is speculation that Yankees' backstop Jorge Posada could miss Opening Day with his fractured nose. I think we're jumping the gun here a bit. It happened 2 days ago and they said he should be out for 5. Let's just wait the next 3 days and then see where he is. Until then, I like #20 behind the dish for the Yanks on Opening Day.
Devil Rays' OF Rocco Baldelli still hasn't played the field yet, but not because of his Tommy John surgery, but for a hamstring issue. His slow recovery makes it look more likely Joey Gathright continues to start. Johnny Gomes moves to play right and Aubrey Huff stays at third while Gathright plays center. Maybe I should send them this link just so they can see how they should do it.
So it's official....Jeff Bagwell is done. After another trip to Dr. James Andrews, it was announced that he had bone spurs in his shoulder and needed to be surgically removed. If the Astros want to recoup the 15 million from the insurance company, Bagwell must stay on the DL all season. That seems to be the way it ends here for the Killer B's.
Remember OF Alex Sanchez? Our first major leaguer suspended for steroid use? Well he's signed on with the Reds now and he just jumped into the mix for backup outfielders. If Chris Denorfia was sent down, so will Sanchez. Maybe he gets the call if Ken Griffey....well...I don't need to say it.
Barry Bonds was out of today's lineup with an elbow strain. It was supposedly a precautionary move. C'mon Barry...don't crap out on us now!!
The Royals announced that Jeremy Affeldt and Denny Bautista will be their 4th and 5th starters. It may be a moot point for Bautista as he will start the year in AAA and won't come up until April 14th when the Royals need a fifth starter. On top of that, Mark Redman is due back shorty after that so he may really only get 2 starts in the whole month and then go back.
Well, if Bobby Jenks is going to be one of your closers, then it'd be best to also pick up Neal Cotts as well. Jenks is in manager Ozzie Guillen's doghouse for showing up in poor condition this spring and his performance hasn't helped him out. Cotts looks real good and will find himself in the mix for some saves early on. I still think Jenks will put it together and return to last year's form.
With Brandon Webb, Orlando Hernandez, Miguel Batista and Russ Ortiz locked into the rotation, Brad Halsey and Claudio Vargas continue to fight for the 5th starter spot. It's pretty close, but I think Vargas may edge out the admiral.
Mets closer Billy Wagner is still experiencing stiffness in the middle finger. They are talking about being careful with him, so if he sits, Duaner Sanchez would be next in line for saves. Wagner is still a solid pick in mixed and NL-only leagues.
Brandon Duckworth and Victor Santos are still battling for the 5th spot in the Pirates' rotation. I think Santos will edge him out, but Duckworth would have better K's. With so many young arms, there is a chance both could still see some decent starts this season.
Yankees OF Johnny Damon made his first appearance in center field since the WBC. He went 1 for 2 with 2 walks. He will be a great pickup as he leads it off for the Yankees this year.
Keith Foulke pitched a perfect inning today as he looks to return to the closer's role in Boston. We'll just have to see how his knee holds up. He is still a risky pick.
Orioles' 2B Brian Roberts is making his way back very nicely. He was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. He'll be high on people's draft boards again this year.
Staying with Baltimore, pitcher Erik Bedard is quietly having an outstanding spring after his WBC return. He struck out 8 Marlins in 6 innings today and with K/BB ratio is fantastic.
Jim Leyland has announced that 1B Chris Shelton will start the season hitting 8th, but I really don't see that lasting....look for him to be moved up a few weeks into the season if he gets off to a nice start or when Dmitri Young goes into one of his patented slumps with a minor injury.
The Mariners will go with a probable platoon of Willie Bloomquist and Joe Borchard in center field as there is no plan to move Ichiro, in the wake of Jeremy Reed's injury.
Brad Wilkerson will have an MRI to confirm, but Dr. Lewis Yocum said there was no sign of structural damage. Monitor this as Wilkerson was supposed to be a big sleeper this year when he came to Texas.
Continuing with the Rangers...manager Buck Showalter has announce Ian Kinsler as the starting second baseman. I like Kinsler for this year, not because I own him in one of my leagues, but because who doesn't like hitting in Arlington?
And finally, Marlins manager Joe Girardi said that Josh Willingham will play left field when he's not catching. He is the primary guy behind the plate, so when he does play left it will be at the expense of Reggie Abercrombie. Regular left fielder, Chris Aguila, would move over to center field.

Big draft day for me tomorrow....my primary league...blind bid auction draft.
Gotta go re-adjust those draft sheets...

Catch you next time...

Draft Flurry Beginning...

I just had my first draft of the season (first of 4)...

So I'm the new guy in this league and when I agreed to join it was a 12 team mixed league 5x5, with 9 hitters/9 pitchers and a 4 man bench. From out of nowhere, it suddenly becomes 7x7. They add things like losses and holds and penalty categories for hitters like K's. It actually looks like this now:
Hitters: Avg., HR, R, RBI, SB, BB, and K's
Pitchers: W, L, SV, HLD, BB, K, and ERA

Not really my cup of tea, but I didn't want to bail on the guy.

But then it got a little worse.....

The draft order is posted and I end up getting the 8th pick in a standard snake-style draft. Normally I prefer to be closer to one of the ends...
But then the one thing I don't want to happen, happens. When it gets to my first pick I get stuck with deciding whether or not to take Johann Santana. Is he more valuable than the best available hitter? Well, for those who have read my pitching rant, you know how I feel about this. I take Bobby Abreu.
Now I like Abreu, but was he really the guy I wanted? No. He'll be great and I know I can look forward to solid overall numbers, but it just didn't leave the best taste in my mouth.
It's one of the things I don't like about a snake draft. Atleast in an auction or a "blind bid", like my primary league, I know walking in that I have just as much chance of landing the guys I covet as everyone else. If I want him, I have to put money on him. In this draft it's just watching the people in front of you taking all the guys off your draft board.
Frustrating.
The next few rounds went, roughly as expected with an abundance of pitching being taken. I counter a little and cover my self a little and I grab B.J. Ryan, Jason Schmidt and Mark Buehrle...somehwere in there I found Ryan Howard too, so that made me smile. But then it happened on the back run of the 8th round...
I found Eric Chavez just sitting there, so I grabbed him as my utility guy (Aramis Ramirez with my 3rd pick).
From then on, 7 --> 1 and back down again, I would say there were atleast 8 closers taken. 8 out of 14.
Ugh.
I didn't want to be left in the cold so I ended up with Mike Gonzalez to go along with Ryan. Again, not really a guy I wanted to have. He'll get 25 to 30 saves, sure, but it's really his first year as a close rin Pittsburgh....I mean...it's Pittsburgh.
Ugh.
But that was it.....let someone else rule the saves/holds categories.....I was going back to my basic principles.....I hated myself from deviating from the plan, but hey....sometimes you have to adjust....learning to be the new guy.
In any event, here's how my team turned out...

C Kenji Jojihima
1B Ryan Howard
2B Alfonso Soriano
3B Aramis Ramirez
SS Clint Barmes/Ian Kinsler
OF Bobby Abreu
OF Jermaine Dye
OF Willy Taveras/Brad Wilkerson
Ut. Eric Chavez
SP Jason Schmidt, Mark Buehrle, Jeremy Bonderman, Erik Bedard,
Joe Blanton, Horacio Ramirez, Ervin Santana
RP B.J. Ryan, Mike Gonzalez, Ambiorex Burgos, Joey Devine

At first glance, I think I need to improve my OF; Wilkerson's a good sleeper, but if the rumors are true and Taveras is not hitting leadoff, I could get boned on SBs. My SS could be good with both guys in great hitters' parks; even though Barmes looks a little shaky after a poor showing in winter ball followed up by a pretty lame spring. Maybe he's saving it for the season. I am happy with my starting pitching, but something tells me I'm going to have to trade one of them to shore up my relief corps.

If you'd like to throw some comments around, you can either post them here or you can email me at hbender26@yahoo.com.

What's the Buzz? 3/24/06

Big weekend for drafts this week and next so let’s just get to it…

The Reds are now shopping catcher Jason LaRue. Problem is, he signed a 2 year, $9.1 million agreement in December and a price tag like that is just too high. Exactly why Bengie Molina lasted so long in free agency. If LaRue does get traded, then Javier Valentin’s value jumps as he becomes the primary in Cincinnati.
The flip-flopping on Angels OF Garrett Anderson continues as his recovery timetable has been pushed back again. The chances of him starting the year on the DL increase proportionally to the value of Juan Rivera. If Anderson avoids the DL, he will start as the DH putting Rivera into left field. If he starts on the DL, then they Angels may keep 3B Dallas McPhereson up, throw Chone Figgins into the OF and have Rivera act as the DH.
The Juan Gonzalez saga gets a little kooky here as reports are coming in that there was never an agreement with the A’s and Gonzalez never even showed up to Boston’s camp after agreeing to a minor league deal. Today though, he is trying out for the Rockies. Clear as mud? Not that any of this matters…he is worthless in all leagues.
Speaking of Boston, Keith Foulke has officially been named the closer to start the season. Watch this one closely as Foulke’s recovery hit a few snags along the way. If he gets hurt, Mike Timlin would step in again and maybe Dave Riske and/or Julian Tavarez.
Also in Beantown, the Sox have claimed 1B Hee Seop Choi off waivers today. He becomes a solid insurance policy for the unproven Kevin Youkilis and the ancient J.T. Snow.
In St. Louis, the MRI came back on Larry Bigbie and it was announced that he would be out for atleast 2-3 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot. With Bigbie out, So Taguchi takes left field with John Rodriguez staying up as the 4th outfielder.
It looks like DH Erubial Durazo may not make the Rangers come April. It all depends on how many relievers they want to start the season with. Either way, Durazo is no longer worth a pick in your draft. Maybe on the waiver wire come mid-season, but that’s about it.
And the Cleveland Indians’ third base job goes to…….Aaron Boone!!!!! Future star Andy Marte was sent to AAA today.
Things just got ugly in Seattle as OF Jeremy Reed will be out for atleast 6 (possibly 8) weeks with a broken wrist. Candidates to fill in are Matt Lawton (who still has to serve out a 10 game suspension) and Willie Bloomquist (he of the non-existent bat). Look for the Mariners to start shopping for some OF help soon.
Hot prospect Justin Verlander was just named the Tigers’ 5th starter today. I think he should do fairly well in Detroit. Very favorable ballpark and he has the right mechanics. He just needs to stay healthy as he was shut down after a shoulder problem last year.
More news out of Cincy as the Reds sent down OF Chris Denorfia today. With Tony Womack leading the 2B competition, it frees up Ryan Freel to act as the 4th outfielder and utility guy; a job he has done quite admirably the past 2 years. Keep your eyes on Denorfia though, as there is still a chance that someone in the OF (like Ken Griffey) gets hurt, or Womack just starts to suck again.

Probably more later but enjoy this for now…..good luck this weekend to all that are drafting.

Catch you next time…

What's the Buzz? 3/23/06

Some interesting developments today….

The Braves are actively shopping John Thompson now and are looking for relief help. They seem to be fairly confident that Kyle Davies can slide into the rotation to replace him. If Davies gets the shot, he could be a nice late round pickup.
The Luis Matos for Todd Walker trade is almost all but dead now. The Orioles aren’t as high on Walker now that Brian Roberts is back to game action. Perhaps also the idea of putting all of their eggs into Corey Patterson’s basket makes them a bit uneasy.
Yankees reliever Octavio Dotel threw sliders for the first time since he had Tommy John surgery. Manager Joes Torre was very impressed with what he saw. Dotel is shooting for a mid May return and he may be a nice waiver pickup if you need help in WHIP and ERA. If your league counts holds as a category, he will be good for that as well.
Reds manager Jerry Narron said that if the season were to start today, his closer would be either David Weathers or Kent Mercker, depending on who’s available. I think Weathers is the better choice, but realistically, this team needs a legit closer. I mean...Kent Mercker?!?
Offensively for the Reds, it's getting interesting too. The battle for 2B continues and it appears that Tony Womack has the inside track over Ryan Freel and Rich Aurilia. It's hard to tell if he can hold them off all year as Freel is definitely the better choice. If Womack stays hot, which there is a slim chance of that happening, look for the Reds to put Adam Dunn back at first and put Freel in left field; moving Scott Hatteberg back to the bench. The speedy Freel's baserunning shouldn't be left untapped.
Phillies 1B Ryan Howard hit his 10th HR of the spring...hubba hubba!
Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez continues his ridiculously hot spring. So far he is 21-35 with 4 HR and 3 doubles. And he's 27 years old. He is definitely a candidate to have a huge year so long as he stays healthy. There seem to be no lingering effects from last season's quad injury that forced him out of a big part of the second half.
Can someone please tell me how Glendon Rusch is pitching the second game of the season for the Cubbies? I know Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are hurt, but is that the best they could come up with?
The Royals new closer Ambiorex Burgos looked sharp today throwing 2 scoreless innings with 4 K's. He is the go-to guy in Kansas City now and will have some value even when Mike MacDougal comes back. For now, Andy Sisco seems the be their top set-up man.
The rumor out of Astros camp is that Eric Munson will make the Opening Day roster as a backup catcher. He also plays the infield, but if you remember him from a couple of years ago with the Tigers, you’ll be wise to steer clear of him.
Speaking of the Tigers...they are now actively shopping OF Nook Logan and are looking for a lefty reliever in return. Cha-ching !!! Curtis Granderson!!!
The Brewers expect to see 2B Rickie Weeks back to game action this weekend. It appears that it hasn’t been so much that he was slow to recover, but more the Brewers being over-cautious. Weeks will be a great 2B option in the middle rounds.
Devil Rays OF Joey Gathright is expected to return to action by Friday. He was sidelined with a sore shoulder. Rumors are surfacing again about a possible trade to the Marlins. More to come on this…
You can scratch Gary Matthews off your outfield depth charts. He will probably start the year on the DL and his nagging injuries will hamper him all year long.
The Seattle Mariners have officially set their rotation. Jamie Moyer gets the Opening Day start followed by Joel Piniero, Jarrod Washburn, Gil Meche, and Felix Hernandez. Even though Hernandez is listed as the 5th starter, he will not be skipped at all. He remains a solid pick for high strikeouts this year.
Word out of Twins camp is that manager Ron Gardenhire may be winning the Francisco Liriano battle with GM Terry Ryan. Liriano could stay up with the club as a reliever after all. This would definitely make it easier for him to find a spot in the rotation if an injury opens the door.
Well good for Barry Bonds. He hasn't filed suit for libel yet, but his lawyer is being heard on an order that forces the authors of "Game of Shadows" to turn over any profits they make from the book. That's the best way to do it. Hit 'em where it hurts the most. The wallet. Why should these guys make millions on something we've all ready dealt with over the past 2 years. No more I say. DO NOT BUY THEIR BOOK!!!
Rangers pitcher Adam Eaton is recovering from an elbow bruise but is still on target to pitch the second game of the year. It's really a shame he's in Texas now as it decreases his value in my eyes. I don't think he'll be doing as well as he did in San Diego.
So the word on Jim Edmonds is that the MRI revealed an inflammation in the muscle and it is pressing on the nerve. He says it's numb. He did, however, go 2-3 with a double today so he can play through it...but for how long? Be careful with him.
White Sox OF Scott Podsednik seems to have shaken off the sore shoulder and is back in business going 3-4 with a triple and 2 runs scored. He will do well atop the Sox lineup as he will run the bases freely waiting for Paul Konerko and Jim Thome to knock him in. Look for big steals from him.
After hitting his first HR of the spring, Rockies' 1B Todd Helton said that his back has been bothering him at times this spring. I can't say that he's done being a 30 homer guy, but it doesn't look too good.
Scott Kazmir has been given the Opening Day start this season for the Devil Rays. With Lou Pinella gone, these young pitchers may actually have a chance in this league. If you've read my pitching rant, then you know why I'm high on this guy, despite the high walk totals this spring.
Also in Tampa, it appears that Dan Miceli has the edge in the closer battle over Chad Orvella. Miceli's been around, so we all know what he is capable of. Look for Orvella to start stealing opportunities and become the closer by mid May, maybe even sooner.
Looks like that's it for today.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 3/22/06

So we're getting to that point in Spring Training when key decisions are being made. Managers are setting their rotations and their batting orders; position battles are being won and lost. If you haven't drafted yet, it'll be good to know some things...

Let's start in Anaheim where former super prospect 3B Dallas McPhereson is looking like he's going to start the year in AAA. With Casey Kotchman playing first and Darin Erstad moving to the outfield, Chone Figgins gets the start over at third. It's really a no-brainer for them as McPhereson has been having an awful spring dealing with nagging injuries.
On another Angels note, OF Garrett Anderson doesn't look to be returning to the field soon with his heel problem. He will probably DH to start the year, which increases the value of Juan Rivera who looks like the new left fielder in town.
In Atlanta, the 4th outfielder job is going to Matt Diaz. They may even use him in a platoon in left field which may make him an interesting late round choice.
In Boston, Jonathan Papelbon will start the year in the bullpen. I wouldn't worry though as he will likely be needed once the blisters start on Josh Beckett.
Keeps your eyes on Cubs 1B Derrek Lee as he has been cleared to play and should be in Thursday's lineup. No one really thought we was going to match last year's numbers anyway, but now we have to see if this shoulder has any further effect.
Manager Joe Girardi has announced the Marlins' 2-3-4 hitters to be Jeremy Hermida, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Jacobs. While it's not Carlos Delgado, Jacobs should do well enough to keep pitchers from pitching around Cabrera so easily. Hermida definitely benefits and should do well in the runs scored department. His RBI will be directly linked to how well SS Hanley Ramirez performs in the leadoff spot. Ramirez has "unofficially" won the starting job and will probably hit leadoff.
Trouble's brewing in Los Angeles as Grady Little dropped a bomb on Greg Gagne owners. In order to lighten Gagne's workload, he says he will be using Danys Baez in save situations. The dreaded closer by committe has officially begun. They'll both have value, but this definitely works out better for Baez' owners than it does Gagne's.
Little also backtracked on the status of catcher Dioner Navarro as it looks like he will be out with a hamstring longer than expected. He really should only miss the first week of the season.
So Alfonso Soriano caved....he's agreed to move out to left field for the Nationals rather than be put on the disqualified list. Something had to happen and management really had all the cards here. I still think they will actively look to trade him, so this defintiely isn't over. While Soriano remains a top option still at 2B, it will still be interesting to see how this ballpark affects his numbers.
In St. Louis, Sidney Ponson has won the 5th spot in the rotation, sending promising Anthony Reyes back to AAA. Ponson might be a nice sleeper pick as pitching coach Dave Duncan has been known to really turn guys around.
There are problems in the Cards' outfield though as Larry Bigbie waits on an MRI for his possible stress fracture in the foot, So Taguchi has a sore elbow and Jim Edmonds is experiencing pain in his non-throwing elbow and numbness in the forearm. None of this sounds good so check over the next few days to see who starts winning some jobs here.
2B Ian Kinsler appears to have won the starting job for the Rangers this year. Nothing officially announced, but Mark DeRosa seems to be conceding the job to him. I like Kinsler as a solid pick in both AL and mixed leagues. Leading off in Texas will be a great spot for him.
Baltimore announced its starting rotation of Rodrigo Lopez, Erik Bedard, Kris Benson, Daniel Cabrera, and Bruce Chen. I know people aren't high on Benson, but I think he will be just as valuable as Bedard or Cabrera, everybody else's sleeper picks.
A favorite of mine, as 1B Ryan Howard belted his 9th HR. I expect atleast 30 HR and 100+ RBI from him this year and I don't think I will be disappointed.
Brewers 3B Corey Koskie continues to look good this spring. They're already talking about him starting vs. righties over Bill Hall and he could overtake him for the job if he continues hitting.
Craig Counsell will probably return to playing shortstop tommorrow for the Diamondbacks and looks to be fine for Opening Day.
1B Conor Jackson continues to look good this spring although he will still have Tony Clark looming over him and taking away at-bats against lefties.
More stupid steroids stuff from "Game of Shadows" as now it involves Gary Sheffield and the injecting of HGH and testosterone. Enough already...I am done with this......we knew it already...look, if someone comes up with a positive test TODAY, then fine. We can deal with that when it happens. But the rest of this doesn't matter anymore. You can't suspend a guy for something that is written in a book.
Also in Yankeeland, catcher Jorge Posada looks to be out for the next 5 days or so as he recovers from a fractured nose. He got hit while playing catch in the pre-game. Nothing to worry about. He'll be fine.
Tom Glavine will get the Opening Day start for the Mets as Pedro Martinez is recovering from his toe injury. Martinez hopes to pitch in the first week of the season and nothing yet seems to show otherwise.
Pitcher David Bush has won a rotation spot in Milwaukee. He looks to be a nice sleeper choice as really the only guy that could push him for a spot is Rick Helling and c'mon...it's Rick Helling.
If 1B Ben Broussard continues to stink like this, the Indians will be looking for a new first baseman.
While the Astros may still look for a veteran arm to fill the spot, it appears that for now they will go with Taylor Bucholz.
It shouldn't be too much longer before the Twins announce Scott Baker as their 5th starter and send future star Francisco Liriano to the minors.
And lastly, both Barry Bonds and Vladimir Guerrero went back to their HR hitting ways today, so all seems to be normal again with the universe.

Catch you next time...

At Long Last...My Pitching Rant

I said it was coming.....

I have the same argument with the same fantasy owners, year in year out, in my keeper league about protecting starting pitching. I am not in favor of it. Unless you're talking about a lights out guy like Johann Santana, I just don't see the point in protecting certain pitchers when you can build a winning staff each year without having a "top tier" starter on your roster. It is my infamous pitching rant. Check out "How to Build a Pitching Staff" on Addict Fanatsy Sports today...

What's the Buzz? 3/21/06

two weeks and counting.....

The season is almost upon us. Spring Training is fully under way as the World Baseball Classic closes it's inaugural season. Again, congratulations to Team Japan. Some kinks will need to be ironed out, but hey...they've got atleast 4 years to try and improve on it.

In Spring Training news...

After tossing four shutout innings in a minor league game, Angels starter John Lackey declared his shoulder fully healed. Monitor this through the rest of the spring. If he remains fine he could be a solid middle to late round pick again this year.
The Pirates continue to shop Craig Wilson with the Braves being the latest rumored to be interested. If he goes to Atlanta, his stock will rise as he will join some youngsters in the outfield and possibly spell Brian McCann behind the plate.
The Cubs and Orioles are re-visiting the Todd Walker for Luis Matos trade talks. I can't express my displeasure enough if the Orioles make this bonehead move. I hate to repeat all this so here...
Who's playing center field for the Tigers this year? Manager Jim Leyland says that if the season started today it would be Curtis Granderson. Bad news for the speedy Nook Logan.
Brewer's 2B Rickie Weeks is still struggling in his recovery from a strained oblique. It was reported that he probably won't return to game action until next week. This could impact his draft appeal, so if you can steal him cheap, try it out.
And speaking of strained obliques...Twins OF Michael Cuddyer strained his today. He was all set , finally winning the right field job and now this. Watch for Lew Ford and Jason Kubel to take full advantage of Cuddyer's injury.
Another possible "door opening" injury in St. Louis as the apparent explanation for 2B Junior Spivey's horrendous spring is a Mysterious shoulder condition. This could be interesting to watch as former Rockie Aaron Miles waits in the wings of AAA.
Mets closer Billy Wagner won't pitch until the wekend due to an irritation on the middle finger of his pitching hand. It doesn't look like anything to worry about as he had the same thing 2 years ago and he was fine. Look for him to remain one of the top closers in the league.
And the Reds continue to trade off pitchers as they send righty Bobby Basham to the Padres for catcher Dave Ross. Not really sure about this as the Reds already platoon Javier Valentin and Jason LaRue. Basham will probably start the year in AA so there's no need to concern yourself.
Pitcher Carl Pavano continues to show the Yankees why they made a mistake on him as now he may not even be ready by April 15 when the Yanks need a fifth starter. If you haven't seen this rant yet, then see what you've been missing...
Cubs manager Dusty Baker says that Kerry Wood could be back by late April....we'll see about that one. He still hasn't faced live hitters yet, but he has thrown from the mound.
Apparently it was the wisdom teeth that were inhibiting Pirates SS Jack Wilson this spring as he is now hitting .400 since their removal. Look for Wilson to pretty much give you what his 3 year averages show....stress the word "average".
Indians OF and leadoff hitter Grady Sizemore continues his torrid spring....I know the stats really don't count for much, but wow...this guy is, so far, living up to the hype.
If the Devil Rays go with Aubrey Huff at third this season, then it looks like Joey Gathright will start in right field...problem is that he's having a little trouble on the bases as he is 5-9 in steals with one pick off at first. He'll right that ship, so if he does get the Opening Day nod, he is going to be a great source of SBs.
2B Josh Barfield continues to impress with his .469 average this spring. He will be the Padres' opening day second baseman. He should hit around .270 with 10 or 12 HRs. However, if he starts off real slow, the team has Mark Bellhorn ready to step in.
Ben Sheets will be starting the season on the DL. Doug Davis gets the Opening Day start this year. Keep your eye on the Sheets situation....his shoulder concerns are already knocking him down on a lot of people's draft boards. I wouldn't take the chance on him though.....but again that's just me.
The Pirates gave the Opening Day start to Oliver Perez. He will be followed by Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and Ian Snell. Guess the Pirates aren't concerned about Perez' velocity which was reportedly down in the WBC. I would be...
The Alfonso Soriano saga continued in perfect he said/she said fashion as Soriano says he had no knowledge that he was in yesterday's lineup. Apparently there were two lineup cards made and the one without him in the lineup was the one posted. I heard from a friend of Jose Vidro that he said that Soriano said that he would pass a note to Frank Robinson after study hall next period to find out if he was really being put on the restricted list. "AM I GOING ON THE RESTRICTED LIST? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE: YES NO". Oh boy, does this sound like it's going to be fun for fantasy owners or what? Soriano remains a top option at second base, but be careful....root for a trade if he's already on your team.
1B Jeff Bagwell was removed from the game today with pain in his surgically repaired shoulder. Really....do I have to even say it?
And lastly, in the wake of the Wily Mo Pena deal, former slugger Juan Gonzalez has opted out of his contract with the Red Sox and will sign a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics. He'll definitely start the year in AAA, but can you imagine that...? Juan Gonzalez and Frank Thomas together? How fast can you say "clubhouse chaos"?
Thanks for checking in.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 3/20/06

Tonight's the night....World Baseball Classic finals...Japan vs. Cuba, and only 2 MLB participants remain -- Ichiro and Akinori Otsuka. The game starts at 9 PM EST, so we'll update you later on in the night. In honor of my friend Hiro I will be pulling for the men from the far east...

(time passes)

Congratulations to Japan -- the first ever WBC Champion

The Japanese jumped out to a 4 run lead before Cuba even got to bat in the 1st and stayed on top all game. The Cubans rallied back to come within 1 run after the eighth but the Japanese roared back with another 4 spot in the top of the 9th and left no doubt. They went on to win 10-6. Kudos to Ichiro who went 2-4 with a walk, 3 runs and an RBI. He continues to show that he is a complete player and why you want him on your fantasy team.

In Spring Training news...

Red Sox closer Keith Foulke threw against live batters and says that he is confident that he will be pitching on Opening Day. Manager Terry Francona isn't totally sold on the idea yet, but he does like what he hears. Whether he likes what he sees is a different story. Be very wary of drafting Foulke this year as his knee will probably be an issue all season.
And speaking of the Red Sox, they traded pitcher Bronson Arroyo to the Reds today for OF Wily Mo Pena. This deal actually looks good for the Sox as they were really only going to use Arroyo for middle relief. Pena will probably fall into a straight platoon with Trot Nixon leaving his value relatively unchanged. Arroyo, on the other hand, leaves for the NL and one of the worst parks for a pitcher. For the Reds, it means that Adam Dunn officially moves back to left field leaving Scott Hatteberg to play first base. Not the best move for the Reds but it does leave Hatteberg with a slightly higher value if he is indeed the regular starter.
The Indians are planning to give catcher Victor Martinez some rest this year, but will keep his bat in the lineup as he will play a little first base. He is, without question, the top catcher out there, but don't go selling the farm for him. There is a significant drop off in talent after him, but if you check out what I had to say about catchers a few weeks ago, then you know you won't suffer in your league without him.
What's going on with Royals' pitching here? Mike MacDougal is out 6 weeks, Zack Grienke is out atleast until June and Mark Redman is out until mid-April. Maybe this increases Runelvys Hernandez' value as he will probably soon have to pitch every other day...
Brewers "ace" Ben Sheets will resume throwing, but his status for Opening Day is still in question. I'd rather spend less and get Doug Davis or Chris Capuano anyway.
I just don't understand this whole personal catcher business. Aren't major league pitchers supposed to be professional? Greg Maddux couldn't deal with Javy Lopez, Randy Johnson couldn't deal with Jorge Posada and now apparently Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber can't work with Mike Lieberthal. His personal catcher is now Sal Fasano.....yes....Sal Fasano.....didn't he play Fish on Barney Miller years back?
The Padres, while they continue to search for a viable backup to Khalil Greene, may have to expand their search for a better fourth outfielder as well. Termell Sledge has been battling an assortment of injuries and his status for Opening Day is in question. If he's out, then look for Ben Johnson to take his reserve role.
The return of Alfonso Soriano (1-12 in the WBC) is imminent and the Nationals still want him to move to the outfield....let the fur fly!!! They had him slated for left field today, but he refused to take the field. Unless he gets traded or Jose Vidro gets hit by a bus, this could be a disaster in the making.
In a fairly insignificant trade, the Mariners sent LHP Matt Thornton to the White Sox for OF Joe Borchard. Neither will make any kind of fantasy impact this season.
Twins OF Jason Kubel is in an 0-10 slide over the last three games this spring, increasing his chances of starting the year in AAA as Michael Cuddyer takes the open OF slot and Lew Ford becomes the DH/4th outfielder.
I'm not really sure I understand Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel here, but it looks like he will be going with 3B Abraham Nunez as his #2 hitter bumping OF Aaron Rowand down to the 7 hole. This lineup would look so much better idf that were reversed. Nunez owns a career .248/.314/.326 and doesn't look like he's getting any better.
Oakland A's pictcher Rich Harden looked good today striking out 7 in five innings today. He will be a top pitcher this year provided he stays healthy.

WBC Finals are starting....here we go....MATSUZAKA!!!!!!!!!!!

Catch you next time....

What's the Buzz? 3/19/06

So let's just do a quick round up here as it was one of those business as usual days...here's a few of the important notes...
White Sox DH Jim Thome hurt his left hammy running out a double to day. Day to day status, but we all know what happens when you come back from this too soon.
The Cubs have held out 1B Derrek Lee following his return from the WBC. They say they're just being cautious here. Lee still remains a valuable commodity at first, but don't expect the same power as last year. A banged up shoulder and just the improbability of repeating those stats should be taken into consideration when choosing him for your draft.
Apparently the injury to Dodgers' catcher Dioner Navarro is not as serious as thought. Manager Grady Little said he will be the starter for Opening Day.
2B Rickie Weekes is slow to return from his strained oblique. I still like him for the year he will have, but "slow to recover" is never good.
Hmmm.....OF Juan Gonzalez has signed with the Red Sox and is looking to make the team as a bench guy. Not even worth that random dollar you have left in the end of the draft. Don't do it.
Yankees pitcher Al Leiter has retired. Good job Al. You were better in the booth than on the mound these past few years. Time to let it go, bud.
Royals closer Mike MacDougal has a strained terres major muscle under his right shoulder. He will be out for atlest 6 weeks. Ambiorex Burgos has been given the role in the meantime, but look for him to explode like last year and have Andy Sisco take over.
OF Corey Patterson is in the midst of a 3-23 slump. They still say the job is his, but I haven't heard them talking about a Luis Matos trade in the past few days.
In his first game back since being beaned by Curt Schilling 8 days ago, "super-sleeper" OF Chris Duffy went 1-4 with 3 strikeouts.
Phillies 2B Chase Utley is back to smacking the ball around and will be highly sought after on draft day. If you can get him, do so.
And finally, Brewers' closer Derrick Turnbow has righted the ship.....good job. Hell be worth a middle round pick as he goes on to save 35 for the Brew Crew this year.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 3/18/06

We'll jump in with another update later tonight, but we'll start now with some action in the World Baseball Classic...
So Cuba is the first into the WBC finals this year with a moderately surprising 3-1 victory over the MLB stacked Dominican Republic. It really doesn't help when D.R.'s 3-4-5 hitters (Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre) go a combined 1-12 and leave 10 men on base. And in a modestly ironic move, Alfonso Soriano (0-12 in the WBC) struck out to end the game.
One thing I need to touch on is something the announcers continued to do throughout the tournament. The Cubans are not amateurs. They are the professional/national team of Cuba. Stop calling them amateurs. If the U.S. and Cuba got along better, politically, atleast a third of the guys playing for Cuba would have already been on MLB rosters. The only thing holding these boys back from multi-million dollar contracts is Fidel Castro. We'll be on the lookout for any defections after the championship game.
Back later tonight with results from Korea vs. Japan.
(time passes)
Hmmm...8th inning rain delay. Japan 6 Korea 0. Not what we were expecting but I guess Korea found out what we in the U.S. already know...Byung-Hyun Kim stinks....you do not want this guy on your team; fantasy or reality.

In real Spring Training news...

Braves skipper, Bobby Cox, reiterated today that the closer's job belongs to Chris Reitsma. It is his to lose. Personally, I think he'll lose it sometime towards the end of May, bu teven that could be optimistic. If you're going to draft him, make sure you leave room for guys like Oscar Villerreal or Joey Devine.
The word out of Rumorsville has the Red Sox and Pirates discussing a Craig Wilson for Matt Clement trade. Wilson would definitely benefit from this as he could spell Trot Nixon in the OF and serve as a backup to catcher Jason Varitek. Clement on the other hand would probably suffer in the wins depatment but regain some of those overall numbers he had in past time in the NL. See how it plays out first...until then, their roto values remain unchanged.
It looks like uber-prospect Francisco Liriano could be starting the year in AAA. Manager Ron Gardenhire thinks he can be used in the bullpen to start out, but GM Terry Ryan doesn't want that. Look for the GM to win this power struggle. He'll either start the year in the rotation or he'll start in AAA, with the latter seeming more likely.
Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez will probably be sent to AAA as well. He would have been better off stayin gin the AL trying to glom DH at bats. We'll probably see him when interleague play starts and the Pods go to the AL parks.
Bad news out of Toronto as newly signed pitcher A.J. Burnett removed himself from today's game and is en route to the hospital for an emergency MRI on his elbow. We'll see what the results are, but the words "elbow", "injury" and "Burnett" in the same sentence can only mean disaster. Can't say I didn't warn you...if you picked him up already then I'm sorry for your loss; if you haven't drafted yet, then don't grab him. Here's why.
The David Wells controversies continue in Boston as he has publicly called manager Terry Francona an "idiot" for divulging an earlier conversation to the media. He should still remain in the Boston rotation so there's no real need to adjust his value. Just Boomer being Boomer again.
Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter has extended his scoreless innings streak to 16 now and has a 13/1 K/BB ratio so far. He remains a top flight pitcher and, barring injury, will produce excellent numbers across the board.
More to follow later, so until then...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 3/17/06

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all....unless of course you spent the day getting wasted and throwing up all over yourself....then happy is probably the wrong word.

So a day off from the WBC leaves us just the real Spring Training notes...

Word from Angels' mananger Mike Scioscia is that if Garret Anderson's heel keeps him from playing the OF, he will still come into Opening Day as the DH. Even if he DH's, how will he run the bases. I don't recommend him unless you can steal him real late or real cheap.
Rockies' manager, Clint Hurdle, has announced that his 3-4-5 hitters will be 1B Todd Helton, OF Matt Holliday, and 3B Garrett Atkins. Holliday should get some real nice pitches if Helton is back in form, and Atkins should see some real good RBI opportunities.
As position battles become more apparent, I will do a column giving you teams projected lineups.
Twins OF Jason Kubel still has a small chance of staying with the big club when the season starts. He will most likely serve as a 4th OF and/or DH and may develop some value if he can beat out Lew Ford and Michael Cuddyer for the full time job.
It appears that rookie 2B Josh Barfield has won the starting job...atleast according to self appointed backup Mark Bellhorn. Don't go crazy on getting Barfield just yet or at the least keep your bids in check. If he starts off slow or falls into a mini-slump, Bellhorn will most likely step in and claim the job from there.
So Boston and Baltimore continue to discuss a possible Tony Graffanino for Luis Matos trade now...but with the the injury to Mets 2B Kaz Matsui (sprained MCL), New York could very well be the next stop for Graffanino, the consumate journeyman infielder.
Cubs starter Mark Prior is officially being shut down for the next week and will probably start the season on the DL. Oh boy, that pitching rant is getting close...
The Padres search for a backup SS has led them to Ricky Gutierrez...yeesh!!!
Nationals reliever, Luis Ayala will soon undergo Tommy John surgery and be lost for the season. They don't know if it's a WBC injury or not, but what a shame. He was a great middle reliever last year and filled in nicely at times for closer Chad Cordero.
Lastly, Francisco Cordero will not be pitching in the WBC as the insurance company that covers him for the team said no....'bout time someone regained their senses.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 3/16/06

Anyone shocked? Appalled? Dumbfounded? Yeah...me neither. So the U.S. was ousted from the WBC tonight with a 2-1 loss to Mexico. Can't believe it? I can. We were the only country represented that didn't show up to play. We were embarrassed at our own national passtime. Maybe it's because we don't play winter ball up here and we're not ready in March to go all out. But you know what...we didn't even play with pride tonight. Oh!!! And what's worse? Stinkin' Jorge Cantu had the 2 RBI for Mexico tonight. You might need to re-read my Cantu-disclaimer before I start sharing my thoughts about this guy. He still hasn't proved anything to me....
So there it is: Korea vs. Japan and the Dominican Republic vs. Cuba
Leave the Americans out this time. If they still plan to do this in 4 years, then maybe we should just send minor leaguers and college kids. Those kids will be hungry. Really...what was a more meaningful celebration -- Sweden and it's NHLers this year or the 1980 U.S. Men's Hockey Team beating the international pros?

In Spring Training today...

Some definite injuries to report so far as the Angels announced that they hope to have OF Garrett Anderson back in 2 weeks. It still looks like he could miss opening day. Check him out as a late steal maybe. If he were to come back healthy he would be a nice addition to your starting lineup.
2B Marcus Giles will be out a few days with a shoulder injury. He's definitely one of those guys where the phrase "prone to injury" is emphasized. When healthy he's solid, but with so many other nice young second basemen out there, you can do better.
An MRI on White Sox OF Scott Podsedenick showed nothing more than tendenitis, so he should be fine. Look for stolen bases galore and tons of runs scored.
The Cubs are calling pitcher Mark Prior's injury a posterior shoulder strain. He put off the MRI until tommorrow, but c'mon now...this just isn't good. Is it worth your stress and the risk to draft this guy? Sure he's got great potential, but how can you put your faith in this guy? I know I've kept saying I have a pitching rant I need to go on....well it's definitely coming soon. Look for it on my weekly column, Around the Diamond, on AddictFanatsySports.com next week. It'll be there sometime around Tuesday or Wednesday.
I bet the Cubs are happy that the U.S. is out of the WBC allowing 1B Derek Lee the opportunity to rehab at their spring training facility.
In some non-injury news....
Marlins manager Joe Girardi announced that Dan Uggla has won the starting second baseman's job. He could be worth a late look to add some depth to your roster or if you need to start 2 second basemen like I have to. I might have to draft him just for his name alone.
Mariners catcher Kenji Jojihima is really catching everyone's eye. Now sssshhh. Don't talk about him to much. The less attention, the easier for you to grab him. If you don't, I will.
Texas closer, Francisco Cordero, was "graebered" today as he was shipped off to pitch in the WBC as an injury replacement. Doh!!!
The Devil Rays optioned Delmon Young to AAA today....guess you have to wait until next year again...this poor guy is buried down the depth chart.
Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow is getting pounded this spring...first it was the "which side of the rubber" debate and now this...can we just get him back to his form from last year and stop the experiments? Please?
Both John Patterson and Josh Beckett looked good today in their respective starts today. Look for Patterson to continue and have an excellent year. Look for Beckett to not. You've been warned.
That's all I've got for you now...

Catch you next time...

Thought of the Day

What's the deal with "sleepers" today? There's no such thing. There's so much information out there that these secret, hidden gems are more exposed than Alfonso Soriano's swing. There are no secrets anymore. There's informed and there's uninformed. Which one are you?

What's the Buzz? 3/15/06

Well, the WBC has almost sorted itself out, but as of right now it looks like the U.S. could be advancing as Korea has taken a 2-0 lead in the 8th inning over Japan. Just gives me one more week to worry about Chase Utley and Johnny Damon. (Knock on wood) Utley has been fine and apparently Damon, who should just come home, will still be allowed to hit. Definitely not happy about that. If they need to shut him down then just do it. Where's Steinbrenner?!? Someone get him on the damn phone!
On the other side, Cuba has joined the Dominican Republic in the semi finals with a big victory over Puerto Rico. Bet the Cubans are pulling for Korea.....they really want the U.S. in the next round. Special shout out to Bernie Williams who led it off with a solo shot. He won't have very much fantasy value, but I'm still a huge fan.
(time passes)
Uh oh...this just in.....Japan has scored and it's now 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth...
(time passes)
So there it is. 2-1 final. Korea remains unbeaten and it looks like the U.S. advances if they beat Mexico. Obviously I'm pulling for our boys to win the whole thing...i'm not a communist here....I would just like them to do it without Utley and Damon. On a more positive note for me...I get to sit and watch Jorge Cantu (remember...pronounced -- can't do--) strike out against the Rocket a couple of times.

In real Spring Training...

Looks like Garrett Anderson could be starting the season on the DL. The Angels OF has a strained plantar fascia which basically means his heel is messed up and inflamed. Well, that's good news for Juan Rivera as he will probably take over left field.
More good news for my friend Keith as now the Orioles and Cubs are talking about a Luis Matos for Todd Walker deal. I don't really get it. If Brian Roberts is starting to play in live action next week, then why bring in Walker? What's he going to do? Back up Roberts? DH? Move into the outfield mix? And that means that they are locking themselves into Corey Patterson and please...do I have to quote those numbers from last year again? Bad move for the O's if they do this deal...bad move.
Indians third baseman Aaron Boone is apparently starting to feel the heat from Andy Marte. This should be an interesting battle. Keep an eye on it as the starter will definitely have solid roto value and if it's Marte, then it's solid roto keeper value.
The Tigers are thinking about releasing 1B Carlos Pena. If they do, then the value of Chris Shelton shoots up even more.
I just can't say it enough...Ryan Howard leads Spring Training with 8 HRs....he is currently hitting .421.
The Reds continue to stock up on mediocre infielders as they picked up Matt Kata off waivers. I don't even know why I'm even saying it....useless....I'm just embarrassed for them. Do NOT pick him up for your team. Don't do it.
Three letters you don't want to hear associated with your players? MRI. Both Johnny Damon and Derek Lee had them...nothing major, but they should both get out of the tournament before they do something even more stupid.
Bad news for Armando Benitez as he will be out for about a week after receiving a cortisone shot in his knee. If you're going to draft him, make sure you pick up Tim Worrell for insurance.
Dodgers catcher Dioner Navarro hurt his hamstring today and there's now a possibility that he could miss the first week or two of the season. Russ Martin probably gets the nod over the ancient Sandy Alomar, Jr. That could actually be good as it will hurt Navarro's draft value. He could be a great steal in the later rounds.
Carl Crawford hit his first home run of the spring but don't get too excited. The Rays' OF was 1 for 16 going in and he still has that lingering wrist problem. He's a great rising star as he steals a ton of bases and showed some good power last year. You might be thought the fool for passing him up but I think that wrist could nag him all year long.
Cardinals pitcher Mark Mulder looked good again today and he's only given up 2 runs in 10+ innings this spring. He's always a favorite to be on my team.
On the other hand, Tigers "ace" Jeremy Bonderman has an 8.31 ERA thi sspring. He's still going to be solid for you as long as he stays healthy....I just like to crack on Tigers pitching. (cough cough) supersleeperKennyRogers (cough cough).
Giants' OF Barry Bonds is 7 for 9 with 3 HRs this spring. 'nuff said.

Catch you next time...

Look Out for the Boss!!!

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is going to go nuts!!! It has been reported that Johnny Damon's shoulder injury will stop him from throwing for about a week and will most likely keep him out of the rest of the World Baseball Classic. The Boss predicted it and every other owner scoffed as the rest of them voted in favor of the Classic. Idiots!!! What I want to know is what was promised to MLB owners for them to be so in favor of a tournament that could damage their entire season!?!
It's already crept out that the Twins are upset about the way Johan Santana was used and I can't imagine the Cubs are too happy either. First, Kerry Wood's progress has been slow, then Derek Lee hurts his shoulder and now, Mark Prior is down with another shoulder problem. Rumor has it that they weren't forthcoming with Prior's injury from the start until season ticket sales were complete. So how are the fans going to react now that their most potent offensive weapon gets hurt in a tournament that the U.S. doesn't even seem to care about?
Mark my words.....this is going to get ugly. It's a guaranteed battle between ownership and that idiot, Bud Selig when teams watch their stars crumble during the second half this year due to over use and burn out. And we have definitely not heard the last from George...

What's the Buzz? 3/14/06

Well, good news for my friend Keith. According to reports in the Washington Post, Corey Patterson has the inside track on the starting CF job in Baltimore. It's a shame that Luis Matos could lose his starting job due to his participation in the WBC. I don't see him lasting as the starter but Keith differs and will be on him at the draft like a fat kid on cake.
Some good news for Keith goes hand in hand with bad news for my other friend, Roger, as the Cubs announced that Mark Prior will have his shoulder examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum. Posterior rotator cuff irritation is what it's being called, but bottom line is, this can't be good for fantasy owners.
You knew it was bound to happen and you knew it had to be to me...Johnny Damon has an injured left shoulder that may keep him out of action for the remainder of the tournament. He says it's not serious, but so would I if i had to go back to Steinbrenner with this.
Joining Damon on the casualty list is Derek Lee who spent the day with the aforementioned Dr. Yocum. He apparnetly bruised it during the WBC but test results are not in yet.
Orioles 2B Brian Roberts is still progressing nicely as he looks to return Tuesday for his first full game action. His injury will allow him to cost a little less this year, but his numbers will also.
The Devil Rays outfield is still jammed up which means that you will probably have to wait until mid season to see Delmon Young. He'll start the year in AAA and still sits behind Joey Gathright on the depth chart.
Nationals starter Livan Hernandez is making his way back from knee surgery and appears to be in line for another Opening Day start. He's a good guy to have as your 4th or 5th starter....he'll pitch fairly well an eat up a lot of innings. Definitely known as a hot starter and will help you even more when you trade him before his second half decline.
Brett Myers is still looking a little shaky this spring which is great. A mediocre spring will be just the thing you need to steal him at the draft. His strikeout numbers will be great and he should have another great year.
I'm loving the Spring Home Run Derby as Edwin Encarnacion hit his 6th so far to put him just 2 behind Ryan Howard who smacked his 8th today against the Twins. Encarnacion is not really a power guy, but the third base job in Cincy should be his and he should have a great season. Howard on the other hand is indeed...a power guy.

in the WBC.....

Japan smacked the crap out of Mexico 6-1...probably, in some bizarro way, helping the U.S. move closer to the next round.
The Dominican Republic defeated Venezuela 2-1 in a tremendous pitching duel. Duaner Sanchez made it interesting with a couple of 9th inning walks but escaped in the end. Anyone see those Dominicans run out in celebration? How about how heartbroken the Venzuelans looked? It was like the end of the World Series. These guys are playing with pride here. The U.S. shouldn't advance here as they seem to be just going through the motions. What do you think....Korea vs. Dominican Republic? Sounds about right...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 3/13/06

So today I'm just going to start here and probably update a few times during the night....

We can start out with the first of today's WBC games as it looks like those feisty Cubans are getting pummeled by the Dominican Republic 7-0 in the 7th inning. Tough break for the Cubans as it puts a crimp into their plans to pummel our boys from the States. Some details in the game: Big Fatty....I mean Big Papi, David Ortiz has cranked out another HR and Miguel Tejada seems to be swinging the bat well today also. Odalis Perez and Jorge Sosa have combined to throw 3 hit shutout ball in the meantime. Again, I like Sosa this year....but save him til later as he could be one of those guys you sneak by due to Leo Mazzone leaving Atlanta. Now that the pitching guru has left town, the stock on Braves' pitchers is dropping a bit.
Carlos Zambrano got the victory today as Venezuela pounded Puerto Rico 7-0. Along with Carlos Silva, Rafael Betancourt, and 4 other pitchers, Venezuela flexed its pitching muscles again. Offensively it was Victor Matinez' grand slam and the surprising Endy Chavez. Unfortunately, Chavez never really makes his way into being full time, so don't get too excited about his numbers.
And you didn't think it could get any worse for the Americans. They narrowly escape the first round, they beat Japan in Round 2 play but get it on a controversial call, Japan files a formal protest today and now they are getting pounded in the 7th inning by the undefeated Korean squad. Dontrelle Willis and Dan Wheeler got roughed up and the only bright spot was Ken Griffey, Jr.'s third HR of the tournament...but we all know how that's going to turn out. What could possibly go wrong next? Too bad they'll beat Mexico and that controversial victory against Japan will force my two fantasy guys (Damon and Utley) to continue with this debacle.

In real Spring training news...

It looks like Padres GM Kevin Towers has finally learned what us fantasy leaguers have known for the past 2 years, as he is now actively looking for a regular shortstop that can play in the event Khalil Greene gets injured. More like when rather than if. Frail and fragile fingers do not make for a quality shortstop.
Anyone remember Fernando Tatis? He's trying to find himself a job as a utility guy in Baltimore and having little or no success here.
Florida Marlins shortstop, Hanley Ramirez, is looking real sharp this spring and looks to be getting the nod for Opening Day and the season. Here's the question though....what's wrong with him? For 2 years, all we heard was that he was the Red Sox SS of the future. But when they decided to let Edgar Renteria go to the Braves, why include Ramirez in a deal for Josh Beckett? Hmmmm......
Apparently Carl Pavano has been doing more work lately throwing 40 pitches off the bullpen mound. He says his back feels better, but I just don't recommend him to you. As a matter of fact, you should check out what I had to say about ex-Marlins pitching moving over to the AL.
Zach Day is falling out of favor with Clint Hurdle in Colorado, and that couldn't be better for him. Who in their right mind wants to pitch for the Rockies? The Mets expressed interest in him as GM Omar Minaya worked with him in Montreal before. If he does go to the Mets, look for him to be a great sleeper as Rick Peterson will easily get him going.
The Indians have announced that 5th starter Jason Johnson will have his first start of the season skipped. Now if they can find a way to do it for the rest of the year. He had some good promise as a power pitcher, but his WHIP just doesn't seem to want to come down to earth.
My man, and the best player name in the majors, Coco Crisp has been given the green light to steal by manager Terry Francona. You have to take it with a grain of salt as the Sox are not known for their small ball style, but it still sounds good if you own him. I do, and I'm looking forward to a wonderful 20-20 performance from him.
Jaret Wright continues to disappoint Yankees fans as he got lit up today by the Pirates. He's almost out of the competition for the 5th spot in the rotation and today couldn't have helped his cause.
Anyone else see Phillies 1B Ryan Howard crush another HR today? If not, then take notice...he's going to be a monster in Philadelphia this year.
Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter hasn't let up a run all spring. He looks like he's just picked right up where he left off last year.
The battle between Tony Clark and Conor Jackson continues as Clark belted another HR today. Unfortunately, Jackson doesn't have the versatility of Chad Tracy so the D-Backs can't move him around. If Clark continues his level of play, it's going to fall into a direct platoon situation thus damaging the fantasy value of both players.
And finally, the Mets right field situation remains complicated as both Victor Diaz and Xavier Nady continue their impressive springs. It looks like Nady has a slight advantage, which is really where it should end up. Look for him to get the nod for Opening Day and, with a solid start, remain in the lineup.


Catch you next time...

Thought of the Day

Is it the Jack Daniels that makes announcers talk about the current no-hitter going on or say things like "He's never struck out to end an inning with the bases loaded."? Idiots!

What's the Buzz? 3/12/06

Ok, it's Sunday....normally my poker night, so it's a little difficult to do a full recap. But here's what's going on down on the street.....

Round 2 started up in the WBC and ooh...what a shocker. The U.S. beat Japan 4-3 as, once again, Chipper Jones and Derek Lee hit HRs to lead the charge. On the mound, Jake Peavy looked less than spectacular giving up 3 runs in 5 innings. Peavy will fare well this year. He has definitely improved over the last 2 or 3 seasons, but listen....he's good....he's not a stud though.....he's not winning 20 games with 220 Ks. I understand that fanatsy leaguers covet the top tier pitchers, but you can easily build a top flight pitching staff without breaking the bank on a guy like Peavy....as a matter of fact, this is setting up one of my most typical rants....join me later for that one...you'll know when it happens. As for Jones, see my rant on the shelf life of players and the WBC. On the Japanese side, only Ichiro stood out, hitting a home run, stealing a base, and just being the overall catalyst for his team; but we already knew what he could do.
Korea maintained its unbeaten play in the tournament as they beat Mexico in a real snoozer. While the Koreans won the game 2-1, the only highlight for me was watching Jorge Cantu's ineffective and not so pleasing 1-4 at the plate.
In the other pool, Puerto Rico surprised the Dominican Republic as Javier Vazquez outdueled Bartolo "Chubbs" Colon and the P.R. squad found their offense in the form of Javy Lopez and Jose Cruz, Jr. Lopez should fare well as the DH in Baltimore as he awaits a trade that makes him a full time catcher again, but Cruz is always a disappointment. He's unbelievably streaky, and is really only good for around 20 dingers coupled with a .260 average. Nothing special.
And finally, Cuba pounded Venezuela as their "date with destiny and the U.S. remains a viable possibility. Venezuealan manager Luis Sojo pulled Johan Santana before his 80 pitch limit to avoid a fight with the Twins again and was punished by a typically awful performance by Giovanni Carrara. Those feisty Cubans are going to be a major thorn in the side of the MLB loaded Latino teams in their division.

That's all I have for you right now, but stay tuned....I promised rants and that's what I'll deliver.

Catch you next time....

The WBC and The Shelf Life of Players

Yes, yes....you all know how much I despise the World Baseball Classic and all that it "stands for" in the eyes of MLB and the higher ups involved. But here's just yet another way to look at it; just to add another point to my usual WBC rant.
So we sat and watched the U.S. destroy South Africa in a game that launched us into the second round to face Japan. In that game, Ken Griffey, Jr. went 4-4 and crushed 2 HRs. Great right? Griffey showed the country and fantasy leaguers all over that he's still got it. But let me take you back to last year for a moment.
Last year saw a resurgent Griffey obliterate the doubt about his health and ability as he connected for 35 HRs 92 RBI and a .301 average. He had 17 of those dingers in the first half and hit .287 up to the All Star Break. After the break, he maintained his pace and, in August, caught fire. He had 10 Hrs and 19 RBI for the month as he hit a scorching .355. But then it happened...the old injury bug jumped up and bit poor Ken in the ass. He missed pretty much the entire month of September. Imagine what his numbers would have looked like had he played through the entire season.
All this tells me now, with the WBC in full swing, is that I have to be very careful about which participants to draft or not draft for my fantasy league. Griffey had 4 solid months of baseball last season. He played his heart out. Now, unfortunately, he's wasting one of those precious months on the WBC. Before the tournament, Griffey was definitely on my radar as a guy to draft in the later rounds. Now, I'm not so sure. He may start off hot this season, but deep down, I know that he might not even make it to July. My radar is now honed in on who? Tony Womack? Chris Denorfia? Jacob Cruz? Ick!!!!
It doesn't just end there. Look, I'm not going to tell you to not draft Johan Santana, because that would be stupid. But I would tell you to maybe trade him come the All Star Break. There's a reason the Twins are upset that he was allowed to throw 60+ pitches in his WBC debut for Venezuela. The whole pitch count in the WBC was to help avoid pitchers from ruining their arms on a meaningless tournament.
Now I'm sure you can make a case for a guy like Bernie Williams as he is looking real sharp for Puerto Rico. Maybe it allows him to build momentum, solidify his starting job and go into the beginning of the season hot. But you know what? As much as I have loved Bernie these past 10 years, he is at the tail end of his career. He could be a legitimate DH threat for the Yankees this year, but his energy needs to be spared. He is playing all out, as are most of the Latino ball players. To me, all that does is run the risk of losing out on a fat paycheck. As a DH, he could add another 3 years to his career. But who's paying for a guy who can only go out for 3 months because he blew his load playing in the WBC for Selig? Let's say you're a free agent or a guy pushing for a trade....you're just looking for a way to get hurt now and ruin your actual MLB value.
Listen....international play may be fun....the gold medal at the Olympics was something maybe to strive for. But who signs the checks? Who pays the bills? Should David Ortiz count on his native land to pay his bills once he blows out his shoulder and the Red Sox won't foot the bill anymore? I doubt it.
Ok...the rush is gone......but I think you get what I'm saying....if not, I'll say it 1000 more times if that big injury Steinbrenner is predicting actually happens.

What's the Buzz? 3/11/06

A day without the WBC.....mmmmmm......nothing really to report as each team that we all thought was going to make it to Round 2, made it to Round 2. Interesting sets of "brackets" here as Pool A contains the U.S., Mexico, Japan, and Korea. Pool B has Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Venezuela. Now I'm not totally knocking Asian baseball, but does it seem like the U.S. is having a pretty easy route towards a potential championship?

now for some real Spring Training notes....

It looks like the Ben Sheets situation is not getting better. Apparently he has a strained muscle alongside the muscle he tore last year in August. With him being questionable for Opening Day, I would hedge my bets with him. If it were me, I'd only pick him up if it were for a good bargain price. He will probably be battling this all season.....unless the vertigo gets him first.
Pitching coach Dave Duncan has been doing some extra workwith Mark Mulder this spring. They have refined his delivery and so far the results look promising. I like Mulder as a solid guy you want on your roster. He went through a little rough stretch in the 2nd half 2 years ago and it carried over into the beginning of last year. He was streaky, but still gave, and will continue to produce solid numbers.
The Nationals and Nick Johnson agreed to a 3 year $16.5 million deal. It looks like a good deal for the Nats as Johnson's defense is always solid. The only knock is the health issues. He has always dealt with them and there's never a guarantee they won't continue, but if he does avoid them he could be good for 20 HRs, 85 RBI and an average close to .300.
The Jeff Bagwell experiment continues as he played a few innings at first today going 0-3. Too bad the whole insurance settlement didn't work out for the Astros. I don't recommend drafting him for your team....that's one creaky shoulder.
Ryan Howard continues to light it up for the Phillies this spring banging his 5th and 6th HRs. Going in the total opposite of Bagwell, this kid is just getting ready to bust out. Invest happily.
Last year's rookie disappointment, Jason Bartlett, is hitting .438 this spring and looks to be the Twins' starting shortstop....atleast maybe for Opening Day.
Julio Lugo played today and it doesn't look like the bruised knee the other day is an issue at all.
Interesting game between the Pirates and the Red Sox today as Curt Schilling tossed three perfect innings, hit Chris Duffy in the head (giving him a concussion) and then gave up 4 runs to close out the fourth. Looks like the master of the bloody sock has a conscience afterall.
Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen had a pair of hits and a stolen base as he continues to work back from a shoulder injury. Last year was an abberration. Look for Rolen to bouvce back this year with close to 30 HRs and 100 RBI.
Lastly, Kenji Johijima went 3-5 and hit his first HR of the spring. I like MLB's first Japanese catcher. Whether he hits 2nd or 7th, he should still be a great fantasy pickup this year.

Rants on the way....look for 'em. The WBC picks back up tomorrow so I'll have plenty to rant about.

Catch you next time...