The Baseball Chick

My last post highlighted some fantasy baseball hitters to target on the waiver wire for the 2^nd half of the 2010 Major League Baseball season. Now I wanted to spotlight some starting pitchers that are available in the majority of fantasy baseball leagues.

Edinson Volquez – SP – Reds – 6 inn, 1 win, 1.5 era, 0.83 whip, 9 k’s

Normally fantasy baseball owners can be forgiven for losing track of a pitcher that had Tommy John surgery last season and was scheduled to miss the entire first half of the 2010 season. However, we were all reminded of Volquez when he was suspended for 50 games for PEDs (that he was able to serve during his rehab, which makes me wonder why all pitchers with significant injuries don’t just do steroids to come back faster at least one time since neither they nor the team gets penalized, but I digress). Any questions about how he would come back were answered in his first start in which he looked as dominant as ever. He is sure to have some wild games, but his strikeout potential and win potential make him well worth any risk.

Randy Wells – SP –Cubs – 112.3 inn, 4 wins, 4.32 era, 1.38 whip, 88 k’s

After a tremendous rookie season in 2009, a lot of fantasy owners targeted Wells as their 3^rd or 4^th starter. These same owners quickly regretted their decision after a miserable start to 2010 and quickly cut Wells loose. In a lot of cases this would have been the smart move, but not with Wells. On the surface his numbers were horrible and maybe 2009 was just a lucky season. Looking deeper into the statistics, however, showed that Wells was just getting unlucky (really unlucky) and over his last 4 starts he has started to round back into form. There is no question his numbers will be solid the rest of the way, but the ability of the Cubs to win baseball games is another story altogether.

Vicente Padilla – SP –Dodgers – 55.7 inn, 4 wins, 4.04 era, 1.02 whip, 54 k’s

It may seem like Padilla has been around for 20 years, but he is only 32 years old and is on a very solid Dodgers team in a very weak National League West division. He is more than likely available in most leagues due to an early season groin injury, but he won’t be for long. With only 10 walks and 54 strikeouts in 55 innings, Padilla is pitching as well as he has in his entire career and is deserving of a roster spot on any fantasy baseball team.

Brandon Morrow – SP – Blue Jays – 107 inn, 6 wins, 4.71 era, 1.43 whip, 119 k’s

Just a few years ago Morrow was named the Seattle Mariners’ closer, a role in which he did very well. Morrow, however, wanted to be a starting pitcher and soon after this revelation he was injured. Now the 5^th pick in the 2006 draft has taken his talented arm to Canada to try to earn top starter money so he can pay top starter income taxes. Think of Morrow as an even wilder Volquez. If your team is in need of strikeouts, Morrow is definitely worth the risk to other categories.

R.A. Dickey – SP – Mets – 72 inn, 6 wins, 2.63 era, 1.26 whip, 51 k’s

After finding limited success as a traditional pitcher, Dickey reinvented himself as a knuckleball specialist and is now having his best season as a starter for the New York Mets. The first few wins seemed like a bit of a fluke, but R.A. has kept it going and has been doing so well that the Mets are no longer searching for another starting pitcher. There is no reason to think Dickey won’t keep winning games, just be prepared for the occasional hiccup.

J.A. Happ – SP – Phillies – 10.1 inn, 1 win, 0.00 era, 1.65 whip, 5 k’s

To continue with the theme of initialed starters, I wanted to remind everyone that Happ had a very solid season in 2009. With 12 wins and a 2.93 era, Happ had a nice breakout and was a target of many fantasy owners this year. A forearm injury sent him to the DL, however, and he has since been dropped in most leagues. Happ has begun making rehab starts and looks like he is nearing a return. Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro has said that Happ will come back as a starter, and he should be picked up in most fantasy leagues.

Brett Cecil – SP – Blue Jays – 93 inn, 8 wins, 3.97 era, 1.16 whip, 67 k’s

Cecil got off to a great start this season and was added in quite a few fantasy baseball leagues. A difficult schedule caused a few bumps in the road and he was dropped in a lot of leagues. In his last 10 starts he has 6 wins, twice beating the Yankees. Not necessarily a strikeout pitcher, Cecil gets by with excellent command and pitching to contact. When checking the waiver wire for a solid starter, you could do a lot worse than a 3.97 era and 1.16 whip.

Brian Duensing – RP – Twins – 39 inn, 2 wins, 1.62 era, 0.95 whip, 26 k’s

You may be thinking, Duensing’s not a starter, he’s a reliever with a weird last name. All of this is true, but the Twins have a couple of starters, which I will not name in order to protect them (Nick Blackburn, Scott Baker), that are not exactly the model of consistency. So with the Twins in a heated pennant race, they may choose to move Blackburn to the pen and turn to Duensing, one of their most reliable relievers, to help bolster the rotation. If you do grab Duensing and he is not named a starter, his numbers certainly will not hurt your pitching stats (Ok? so no angry emails).

By The Fantasy Dick

The Fantasy Dick has been handpicked by The Baseball Chick to be her resident fantasy baseball expert and to dispense fantasy baseball advice to her readers. Contact The Fantasy Dick via email:  thefantasydick at yahoo.com, with any fantasy baseball questions.

The Major League Baseball regular season is winding down, which means fantasy baseball seasons are nearing their sad, miserable conclusions. If you are lacking the supreme drafting skills of yours truly, then I’m sure you have been frustrated with one or more of your high draft picks.  I simply wanted to point out ten guys that probably screwed a lot of fantasy teams in 2009.

1.  Jose Reyes – SS – New York Mets - 147 ab, .279 avg, 2 hr, 15 rbi, 11 sb

As a top three pick in most fantasy leagues, Jose Reyes had the hopes of many managers resting on his shoulders. Reyes was projected to steal 50+ bases this season while potentially improving on his power numbers in the stacked Mets lineup. However, injuries derailed these lofty hopes and in turn derailed the chances of many a fantasy baseball team unfortunate enough to draft him. Top Bust.

2.  Brad Lidge – P – Philadelphia Phillies – 25 sv, 30 op, 6.90 era, 1.77 whip

In 2008, Brad Lidge did not blow a save and finished with a 1.95 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. Fantasy owners may not have been expecting perfection, but they were not expecting eight blown saves and an ERA closer to ten than two. Some of his problems can be blamed on the knee injury, but more likely than not Lidge has just lost it. This sad sack of shit is a major headcase.  Lidge has the mental fortitude of the scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz . Additionally, this is not the first time his confidence has been severely shaken, as the mammoth blast he gave up to Albert Pujols in the playoffs a few years back began a quick downward spiral for him that many may remember. He recovered from that last year, but seems to have fallen back into the funk and I’m not so sure that he’ll be able to get out of it this time. It should be noted that I love this guy though; he makes me giggle.  Bust.

3.  David Wright – 3b – New York Mets – 426 ab, .324 avg, 8 hr, 55 rbi, 24 sb

David Wright came into the 2009 season #1 on many people’s draft boards. He combines power and speed with a high average. Whether it’s the new pitcher-friendly Citi Field or the injuries to the power bats behind him in the line-up, David Wright just does not have his power this year. With his high average draft position and due to the fact he was projected by most to hit over 30 homeruns, Wright definitely qualifies as a bust for 2009.

4. Alfonso Soriano – OF – Chicago Cubs – 459 ab, .240 avg, 19 hr, 52 rbi, 9 sb

Soriano was a mid to late first round pick in most fantasy drafts in 2009. Most projected him to hit over 30 homeruns and steal over 20 bases. He fell in some drafts due to his diminishing speed, but the power should have remained. He has never been a player to help a team average, but he has also never batted below .268 in his career. The season is not quite over yet, but it appears that Soriano will not even reach 25 homers, will struggle to steal even his tenth bag, and will finish with an average below .250.  However, his “skip-and-catch” approach in left field is in peak form and it makes him look like a pretty ballerina. Bust.

5. Chris Davis – 1b – Texas Rangers – 258 ab, .202 avg, 15 hr, 33 rbi, 0 sb

Chris Davis may have been the top “sleeper” pick (that everyone knew about) in 2009. Projected to reach 30 homers and 100 RBIs while qualifying at both corner infield spots, Davis was primed for a big year. Unfortunately, strikeouts and an early season slump knocked him off course and even landed him back in the minors. Since his early season hype bumped him way up draft boards, Davis is most definitely a bust.

6. Garrett Atkins – 3b – Colorado Rockies – 298 ab, .225 avg, 8 hr, 39 rbi, 0 sb

Garrett Atkins came into 2009 with three straight 20 plus homerun and 99 plus RBI seasons. The lowest he batted in the last three years was .286. A guy is entitled to an off year, but having less than 10 homers and 39 RBIs with a .225 batting average in only 298 at bats is just plain horrific. Yes, he had distractions such as the trade rumors and Ian Stewart breathing down his neck, but he had been the definition of consistency for three straight years. Garrett Atkins makes it hard to ever trust him again, much like every other man in my life. Bust.

7. Chris Young – OF – Arizona Diamondbacks – 315 ab, .194 avg, 7 hr, 28 rbi, 11 sb

Much like the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season, Chris Young has been a major disappointment. Many thought that this year would be his breakout year. Young has 20/20, perhaps even 30/30, potential, but he just cannot stop striking out. He is down in the minors right now killing the ball, but has not shown that he can consistently hit at the major league level. A smart manager would probably bat him fifth or sixth because his on-base skills are not those of a major league lead-off hitter.  This guy sucks. Chris Young is nothing but a bust.

8. Rick Ankiel – OF – St. Louis Cardinals – 308 ab, .234 avg, 10 hr, 34 rbi, 2 sb

Rick Ankiel was one of the best “feel-good” stories of 2008. He accomplished the rare feat of transitioning from major league pitcher to major league position player. With a big bat and a cannon for an arm, Ankiel was the talk of every ballpark he visited. However, his lack of mental toughness was the reason for his breakdown and subsequent transition. The pressure of being a major league pitcher brought about one of the worst meltdowns in MLB history. Now in his second full year as a major league hitter, he is starting to come back down to earth and we will see if he is still a mental weakling. He has battled some injuries this season, but fantasy owners who drafted him looking for power don’t want to hear the excuses.  Everyone was prepared to take a hit in average, but 10 homers in 300 at bats equals a 2009 fantasy bust.  The only thing he had going for him was his 1970s-circa policeman’s mustache, and he shaved that off too.  Therefore, he is worthless.

9. Magglio Ordonez – OF – Detroit Tigers – 351 ab, .274 avg, 7 hr, 37 rbi, 3 sb

A drop off for Magglio Ordonez was to be expected as he is now 35 years old, but after a 2008 in which he hit .317 with 21 homers and 103 RBIs, the drop off was not expected to be this severe. Mags has heated up a bit in August, but he is still three homers shy of double digits and one good month is not going to be enough to save his fantasy owners. Bottom-line, Mags is a bust.

10. Cole Hamels – P – Philadelphia Phillies – 139.1 inn, 7 wins, 4.78 era, 1.35 whip, 119 Ks

A lot of fantasy owners suspected that Cole Hamels may be a bust in 2009 because of the injury risk he presented.  After all, in the 2008 season, Hamels pitched a staggering 227 innings. Nobody considered the notion that he could be a bust while being totally healthy, but that is exactly what happened (and is happening) this season. At first the assumption was that it was simply rust following some injuries in spring training, but now it’s just silly. Cole Hamels has been consistently mediocre in 2009 and because of his high average draft position, he is a total bust.  In punishment, I think that his super-hot wife should dump his ass and take up with Cliff Lee.  Cole Hamels and his stupid mid-90s hair need a serious slump buster.

Dishonorable Mention

Jay Bruce – OF – Cincinnati Reds -  299 ab, .207 avg, 18 hr, 41 rbi, 3 sb

Alex Gordon – 3b – Kansas City Royals -  96 ab, .198 avg, 3 hr, 11 rbi, 4 sb

J.J. Hardy – SS – Milwaukee Brewers -  371 ab, .245 avg, 11 hr, 45 rbi, 0 sb

Bronson Arroyo told the Boston Herald that he used both androstenedione and amphetamines back in the early 2000s.  Both substances were allowed by MLB at the time he was taking them, but have since been banned.  According to Bronson:

“Before 2004, none of us paid any attention to anything we took.  Andro made me feel great, I felt like a monster. I felt like I could jump and hit my head on the basketball rim.”

Another side-effect of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs: douchey hair growth.  Tragic.  Too bad steroids can’t make you stop thinking people want to hear your stupid band.  He released an album called Covering the Bases.  You can’t make that shit up…

That must be one troublesome poop.

The Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone and quite a few moves have been made in the last few days that will impact fantasy baseball teams everywhere. I will cover the trades with the greatest fantasy impact, starting with:

• The San Diego Padres traded pitcher Jack Peavy to the Chicago White Sox for lefty starter, Clayton Richard, and 3 other pitching prospects. Jake Peavy is due back sometime in September and could help the White Sox make a playoff push. Clayton Richard becomes an intriguing fantasy starter in NL-only and deeper mixed leagues with this move to the spacious Petco Park.
• The Cleveland Indians traded slugging catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez to the Boston Red Sox for major league ready pitcher Justin Masterson, promising lefty Nick Hagadone, and one other prospect. The move should not impact Martinez’s fantasy value and Masterson could find his way into the Cleveland rotation very soon. Mike Lowell will probably be the biggest loser in this deal as he stands to lose some playing time.
• The Red Sox made another move, sending recently acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche to the Atlanta Braves for first baseman Casey Kotchman. LaRoche’s fantasy value should increase as he will be the Braves’ everyday first baseman. Kotchman’s value will remain largely unchanged, but Boston seems like the winner here as Kotchman is 3 years younger and has slightly better career averages.
• The Cincinatti Reds sent 3 players, including third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, to the Toronto Blue Jays for veteran third baseman Scott Rolen. Encarnacion has the potential to deliver decent offensive numbers, but the Blue Jays will suffer a large drop in defense. If Rolen’s recent power surge is not a fluke, then he will love playing at Great American Ballpark and becomes a must-add in all NL-only leagues.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up lefty reliever George Sherrill from the Baltimore Orioles for prospects. This move greatly improves the Dodgers’ tired bullpen, but greatly reduces any fantasy value Sherrill had as a closer, unless your league counts holds. Early reports are saying that Jim Johnson will get first shot at closing duties in Baltimore, as was predicted by The Baseball Chick a few days ago in the Fantasy Sports Corner.
• The Detroit Tigers traded prospects to the Seattle Mariners for left-handed starter Jarrod Washburn. Washburn may see an increase in his ERA and WHIP since he was aided by a superior Mariners outfield, but he should still be a reliable fantasy starter. The Detroit Tigers now have 3 of the top 7 starting ERAs in baseball in their rotation.
• The Oakland A’s, always active at the trade deadline, dealt second baseman Orlando Cabrera to the Minnesota Twins for a prospect.  Cabrera will immediately bat second and should prove to be a nice upgrade over Nick Punto and Brendan Harriss.  The veteran should get a nice boost in runs scored batting in front of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.
• Surprising buyers at the deadline, with a pair of moves, the San Francisco Giants picked up former batting champ and second baseman Freddy Sanchez from the Pittsburgh Pirates for promising pitching prospect Timothy Alderson.  The Giants also added Ryan Garko, courtesy the Cleveland Indians, to replace struggling first baseman Travis Ishikawa.  Garko should see a little more playing time in San Fran and Ishikawa could lose all of his fantasy value.  Sanchez’s value should remain about the same.
• The Chicago Cubs picked up lefty set-up man John Grabow and starter Tom Gorzelanny from the Pittsburgh Pirates for starting pitcher Kevin Hart and 2 other prospects.  Grabow will help to set-up Kevin Gregg in Chicago, leaving his fantasy value largely unchanged.  It appears Matt Capps will stay the Pirates closer for the remainder of this season.
• Finally, the Florida Marlins picked up first baseman Nick Johnson from the Washington Nationals for a prospect.  Johnson’s value may take a hit in Florida unless they decide to bench Emilio Bonafacio and move Jorge Cantu to third base, opening up regular playing time for Johnson at first.