The Phillie Phanatic recently made a trip back to his homeland in the Gallapagos Islands. The Phanatic was kind enough to share some of his pictures with his favorite fantasy baseball site, Fantasy Baseball Dugout.
HOME GAME: The Phanatic makes his way to his hometown on the Gallapagos Islands.
POSER: The Phanatic poses with a native of the island.
(See more of the Phanatic’s home pictures after the jump.)
TONGUE THING: The Phanatic does the tongue thing with a seal on the Gallapagos Islands.
RACE: After being distracted by the seal, the Phanatic falls behind in the challenge race with the giant tortoise.
The royal we just went over the top 20 starters for 2012 fantasy baseball. For those that skipped the title, this post is the top 40 starters for 2012 fantasy baseball. If you’re looking for the hitters, it’s under the 2012 fantasy baseball rankings, which is also at the top of the page. Barring unusual circumstances, I usually try to grab two starters from this list of twenty. So I’ll have one starter from the first twenty and two from this, which gives me three. Math’s been berry, berry good to me! Anyway, here’s the top 40 starters for 2012 fantasy baseball:
21. Daniel Hudson – This tier started in the top 20 starters for 2012 fantasy baseball. This tier goes from here until Anibal. I called this tier, “Am I crazy with these rankings? Yeah, crazy like a fox!” In 2011, Hudson’s K/9 was 6.85 as he struck out only 169. That seems like the absolute basement and I’m banking on him striking out quite a few more guys in 2012. In Triple-A, he had a K/9 of 10.41 and in 2010 he had 7.93 in the majors. He had the third fastest, um, fastball in the Senior Circuit, but hitters made decent contact with pitches outside of the strike zone. I expect that’ll change in 2012 and he’ll bump up his K-rate by at least 1. To show my love, I almost put him in the top 20 starters. Instead, he’s in an extended tier that started there. I can only give so much love. 2012 Projections: 14-8/3.40/1.18/190
22. Jordan Zimmermann – I’ve ranked Zimmermann on the high side, but I was thinking about how it probably won’t matter. Last year everyone and their lunch had an ERA under 3. If that happens again, and I see no reason why it won’t, then there will be dozens of pitchers to own. You’ll probably be able to draft Greinke, Zimmermann and wait seventy picks. I’ll go over more about drafting strategy later. As for Zimmermann, the K-rate will be better this year and if he holds the gains he made with his walk rate, he might just be a top 10 pitcher this year. Yes, the Nats will be good. 2012 Projections: 14-6/3.25/1.15/170
23. Matt Garza – In 2009, Garza had a K/9 of 8.38 for the Rays. I mention this so it doesn’t seem that outlandish to think he can repeat his K/9 from last year of 8.95. Is he as sexy a name as the others in this tier? Nope. Can he be as productive? Maybe more so. I wouldn’t let it worry me too much that Epstein seems absolutely dead set on moving Garza. Shizz happens as Forret Gump invented, don’t let it play too much into your drafting. 2012 Projections: 12-10/3.40/1.25/190
24. Anibal Sanchez – I shocked myself with this ranking. Nearly fell off my Barclay Lounger! Anibal was that good last year? He (she?) was! His K/9 of 9.26 and BB/9 of 2.93 were the best rates of his career. Is there a chance he goes back into the junk drawer this year? I guess, but why? He’ll be 28 years old and entering his third full year, if you exclude his early years when he bounced back and forth between the minors and majors, battling injuries. I love Anibal this year and I’m not sure if that should make me feel uncomfortable because of his gender-confusing first name. I’m gonna type up a manifesto about my Anibal love in the weeks to come. I may even type it up using only the blinks of my eyes to show how dedicated I am. He is the Marlins’ ace. Screw Josh Johnson and the stretcher he rode in on! 2012 Projections: 15-8/3.50/1.24/190
25. Josh Johnson – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Hanson. I call this tier, “The ‘perts that are taking these guys are puff, puff, puffing; I’m passing.” Josh Johnson and his porn star brother, Gosh, can show up at my house and plead their case for me drafting Johnson, and I will not. Because of injury risk, I’m down on Johnson. Okay, maybe I could’ve reworded that. Someone can tattoo how healthy Johnson will be this year on the inside of my eyelids and I’ll ignore it. I will not read one single “He’s healthier than he’s ever been in his life!” report from Spring Training. Maybe we’ll see each again in 2013. For now, I’m like Joey Buttafuoco and I’m without Johnson. 2012 Projections: 10-3/2.75/1.05/100 in 110 IP
26. Ian Kennedy – My feelings against Kennedy aren’t quite as extreme as Johnson. He’s just being overdrafted because of his 21 wins from last year. If he had 15 wins, no one would’ve said anything about him not being in the top 20. Who knew there were so many Murray Chasses (Chassi?) out there. He’ll be lucky to get 15 wins this year. Also, you throw in the fact he’s more of a 3.50 ERA pitcher than a 2.88 ERA that he was in 2011 and it’s yet another reason to avoid. Will he shat the bed? I guess it depends on what he eats, but I doubt it. He made improvements on his K-rate and walk rate, but I still don’t trust him for where he’s being drafted and won’t pay the price. And for all those haters who think I’m stupid for avoiding Kennedy, I go back to the fact there are a gazillion, give or take a million, starters to choose from. If I’m having concerns about one guy, you’ll excuse me if I avoid him and take one of the other gazillion (plus or minus a million) pitchers. 2012 Projections: 15-10/3.50/1.12/180
27. Yu Darvish – I already went over my Yu Darvish fantasy. It’s sexy and I know it. 2012 Projections: 14-7/3.60/1.10/190
28. Josh Beckett – Red State Jeter is just too flaky for me. One year — 2.89 ERA; another year — 5.78 ERA. What he actually is is (stutterer!) a 3.75 ERA pitcher. What side of the 3.75 ERA bed Beckett wakes up no one knows, except for maybe some country singer no one’s ever heard of. 2012 Projections: 14-9/3.60/1.20/185
29. Ricky Romero – For full disclosure purposes — or porpoises if dolphins are reading — I almost put Romero in the sexy name tier. He seemed to fit in there better than Garza, but when it came down to it, I wanted Garza more than I wanted Romero. Last year, Romero had an ERA of 2.92 but an xFIP of 3.80. Romero — what a joker! His K-rate two of the last three years has been 7.13 and 7.12. Um, they’re okay. Finally, a cool name and an uncanny resemblance to LL Cool J does not make him sexy for fantasy. Sorry, RR Cool Jay. 2012 Projections: 13-12/3.75/1.20/170
30. James Shields – Shields and Beckett are tomato-tomato with a different emphasis. Good Ks, all over the map with their ERAs. What I’m looking for from starters is the most trustworthy names I can find (even if Gallardo and Greinke don’t feel trustworthy). Like a 1800′s soldier who just saw his first gun fired, I just don’t trust Shields. 2012 Projections: 13-11/3.70/1.25/190
31. Tommy Hanson – I felt like mmmdropping Hanson even lower, but settled on him here in a tier where I’m saying others are drafting these guys before me, i.e., I won’t own them, I before E except in Teixeira, I hope everyone can follow to not draft Hanson. Think Hanson can be a Cy Young-type for many years, but I don’t trust his shoulder to be right this year. I doubt 200 regular season innings is going to improve that. 2012 Projections: 9-7/3.75/1.20/130 in 120 IP
32. Matt Moore – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Luebke. I call this tier, “Yummo!” I already went over my Matt Moore fantasy. I wrote it while buying a Pacman-shaped potato chip on eBay. 2012 Projections: 10-7/3.15/1.20/160 in 150 innings
33. Max Scherzer – I already went over my Max Scherzer 2012 fantasy. There’s lots of love in that post. If you read it in the dark, you can almost feel my erection. 2012 Projections: 14-8/3.70/1.30/195
34. Ubaldo Jimenez – Look at me giving Ubaldo another chance. I’m one forgiving ess oh bee (except when it comes to Brian Bonsall ruining Family Ties). Last year Ubaldo held his K-rate from his terrific season in 2010, but just had a bit of crappy luck. I don’t expect a sub-3 ERA, but he’s also not the 4.68 ERA guy he was last year. If I’m right, this is good news for all the Colorado-area parents that named their kids after Ubaldo back in 2010. The bad news, they have to move to Cleveland. 2012 Projections: 13-10/3.65/1.27/190
35. Shaun Marcum – Member when March Grey said Marcum would start the 2011 All-Star Game? What a dog-faced fool! March Grey, “There’s more of me in you than you care to admit! All of you!” Look at you grandstanding like you’re Al Pacino. March Grey, “Hoo-ah!” Marcum didn’t take a step forward last year like I thought he might with the move to the NL, but he still performed admirably and if he has even the slightest of gains, he’ll have a great year. If he just repeats last year, it’s still solid. 2012 Projections: 12-8/3.60/1.17/160
36. Brandon Beachy – Here’s a guy that could jump to the top 10 for next year or bomb and become a sleeper for 2013. If he can turn in 170 innings with his 10+ K/9, you’re looking at a pitcher that is going to exceed this ranking by a lot. If he gets injured as he’s wont to do, then you’re gonna have a wasted draft pick on your virtual hands. Of course, his season may not be that cut and dry and be somewhere between those two predictions. But what fun is that? (BTW, there’s no reason to ask why Beachy is below other guys that have worse projections. Beachy has more risk, hence the ranking.) 2012 Projections: 12-7/3.45/1.18/190 in 170 innings
37. Brandon Morrow – I already wrote a Brandon Morrow 2012 fantasy sleeper post. A real snoozer in the inverse. 2012 Projections: 13-9/3.85/1.28/210
38. Cory Luebke – Out first appearance of a Hodgepadre in the starter rankings. I can’t believe I haven’t written a sleeper post on Luebke yet, but that’ll all change after I fill my Adderall prescription. Last year, Luebke had a K-rate of 9.92 and a xFIP of 3.02. You need more? You shouldn’t. But fine, for you anything! He can control his walks to the tune of under a 2 BB/9, as he did in the minors. He’s only 26 years old (as of this writing) and he pitches in Petco. When I say giddy, you say up. Giddy… Up! Giddy… Up! P. Diddy… Up! Fooled you. 2012 Projections: 9-8/3.25/1.09/170
39. Chris Carpenter – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until the top 60 starters for 2012 fantasy baseball. I call this tier, “Might be fine, won’t be fine on my teams.” I’ve never been a fan of Carpenter. His Ks are solid, his ERAs are solid, his WHIPs are solid. My dislike is unwarranted, basically. Right? Or not right? He’s only topped 200 Ks once in his career and that was back in 2005 when he threw 241 2/3 innings. Anyone who owned him last year when he was 1-7 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP as of June 17th, probably won’t go near him this year either. We can be friends. Wait by your phone, I’ll call you. 2012 Projections: 13-10/3.65/1.25/165
40. Johnny Cueto – I’ve liked Cueto since he emerged on the scene. Liked him even more when he Zabka’d LaRue. We’re gonna take a break this year. His peripherals last year were a mess. 6 K/9, 3.90 xFIP, crazy low BABIP… Crouching Cueto, Hidden Dragon Breath Stats. 2012 Projections: 11-6/3.80/1.25/130
Bryan LaHair took an unlikely path to a Major League first-base job. An unheralded 39th-round draft pick of the Mariners in 2002, LaHair plugged away in the minors for years, putting up solid numbers at the lower levels but stubbing his toe (a .661 OPS in 150 plate appearances) when he got his chance with Seattle in 2008. The M's let LaHair go, he signed with the Cubs, and proceeded to put up whopping numbers at Triple-A Iowa in both 2010 and 2011. He was called back up to the Majors last September and made the most of his second chance, hitting .288/.377/.508 in 69 plate appearances, a performance that made him Chicago's incumbent first baseman going into the 2012 season.
Great story notwithstanding, Cubs fans were no doubt hoping their new GM would bring Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder or another superstar first sacker to town this offseason. The Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer management team, however, eschewed adding (another) big contract to the Cubs' payroll and instead made a long-term move by acquiring star prospect Anthony Rizzo from the Padres.
Rizzo is clearly "their guy," as Epstein originally drafted Rizzo in Boston and Hoyer traded for him last year when he was San Diego's GM, but that doesn't mean the Cubs are in any rush to immediately put Rizzo in the everyday lineup. Hoyer has already stated that Rizzo will begin this year in Triple-A for more seasoning in the wake of his disappointing .181/.281/.242 line in 153 PAs with the Padres last season.
For fantasy purposes, then, we have a clear handcuff situation. If you're able to draft both LaHair and Rizzo, great. If not, then the LaHair owner will be nervously checking the Triple-A boxscores to see if Rizzo is on the verge of a callup and the Rizzo owner will be hoping that he doesn't have to stash Rizzo on his bench for too long. While the situation seems clear on paper, however, judging which player has the more fantasy value in 2012 itself is a bit harder to gauge.
LaHair, 29, is still very much a wild card heading into next year, as one doesn't want to make too much of a September cup of coffee. Roto Authority's Mike Axisa didn't even give LaHair as much as an honorable mention in his recent first base position rankings. This said, LaHair's recent minor league success can't be ignored, and Wrigley Field is a great place to play if you're a slugging first baseman. I'd expect LaHair to at least be able to hit right-handed pitching, with right-handed utilityman Jeff Baker getting some starts against southpaws.
Rizzo is coming off his biggest minor league season yet (a 1.056 OPS 413 PAs for Triple-A Tucson) but those numbers should be taken with a grain of salt in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. In fact, Rizzo was in a way too successful, as his stint in the PCL gave him some bad swing habits. Since Hoyer admitted that calling Rizzo up last year "was a mistake," he could take the opposite tack now and give Rizzo an entire season in Triple-A. It's quite possible that Rizzo might not get the call up to Wrigley until the rosters expand in September, though Cubs fans and media will certainly pressure Hoyer to do if Rizzo is raking in Iowa and LaHair is struggling.
The good news for LaHair is that if he plays well, he won't entirely lose his job in the case of a Rizzo call-up. LaHair can play both corner outfield spots — he could split time in left with Alfonso Soriano if Soriano struggles or is injured again, and he could play right field against right-handers, with David DeJesus moving to center to spell Marlon Byrd against a tough righty. Byrd and DeJesus could also both be midseason trade candidates, opening up a spot for LaHair or possibly prospect Brett Jackson.
Fantasy outlook: I'd forecast LaHair for at least 350 plate appearances in 2012. Given his minor league numbers and his positional versatility, LaHair is not just a placeholder; he carries some quality sleeper potential as a late- or final-round pick in your draft. You can try to handcuff him with Rizzo if you have the bench space and are willing to wait a potentially long time for Rizzo to arrive in the Majors. Otherwise, Rizzo could go undrafted and you'll have to brave a waiver-wire frenzy later in the season if he's called up.
Keep an eye on Rizzo's spring numbers, however, since that could set you up for a nice little sell-high tactic. If Rizzo has a big Spring Training but the Cubs are adamant that he'll start the season in the minors, draft him anyway in your fantasy league. Then, use the hype and a "oh, the Cubs will call him up soon" line of reasoning to try and deal Rizzo to another fantasy owner for a player who will have a clearer Major League impact right away. Best-case scenario is that you'll ride the hype to acquire a player who can contribute now, while your opponent wastes a roster spot on a player who's in the minors for months. The worst-case scenario if, of course, that Rizzo is called up early and starts annihilating Major League pitching…but hey, when are the Cubs ever that lucky?
The mystery team struck again this week, as the Tigers agreed to signPrince Fielder to a nine-year, 4MM contract in the wake of Victor Martinez's torn ACL. The move will obviously improve a team that won its division by 15 games last year, but just how much is an argument for another time. We're going to focus on the fantasy impact of the signing, which is far-reaching.
Park Effects
Miller Park is one of the game's most underrated hitter's parks, at least in the sense that it doesn't get talked about as much as Yankee Statium, The Ballpark In Arlington, Citizens Bank Park, or Coors Field. It has inflated home run production by 12.1% over the last three seasons according to ESPN's Park Factors, but we can be more precise than that. StatCorner provides park factor splits for left-handed and right-handed hitters for a variety of stats, and they say Miller Park has a home run park factor of 118 for lefties and just 103 for righties. That might be surprising since it's 356 and 374 to right and right-center fields but only 344 and 370 to left and left-center, but the orientation and physical shape of the ballpark creates a bit of jet stream out to right. If you watched the NLCS at all this past October, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Fielder's over-the-fence power received what is approximately an 18% boost thanks to his home park in recent years. Comerica Park is much less forgiving though; the homer park factor for lefties is just 88, so it suppresses long balls by lefties approximately 12%. Now we can't just add the 18% and 12% and say that Fielder's homer total will drop 30% because of the ballpark switch, it doesn't work like that. Prince isn't your average home run hitter, he has arguably the most power in all of baseball, so it's not like he's just barely clearing the wall on his way to 35+ homers each year. Petco Park and Tropicana Field didn't stop Adrian Gonzalez and Evan Longoria from hitting all those homers, and Comerica is unlikely to do the same to Fielder. Heck, just look at his new teammate Miguel Cabrera, who still continues to rank among the league leaders in long balls every year. Park effects don't always apply to great hitters.
According to Hit Tracker, Prince's homers had an average standard distance of 407.5 ft. last season, more than 13 ft. and 3.5% greater than the 393.7 ft. MLB average. Furthermore, just ten of his 38 homers qualified as "Just Enoughs," meaning they cleared the wall by less than ten vertical feet or landed less than one fence height beyond the wall. Given their definition, Just Enoughs are the most volatile type of homer from year-to-year, which is part of the reason why Casey McGehee went from 23 homers (and 15 Just Enoughs) in 2010 to just 13 homers (and five Just Enoughs) in 2011. Slightly more than one-quarter of Fielder's homers last year qualified as Just Enoughs, so he's out of the danger zone when it comes to signficant drop-off next season. Prince doesn't just sneak the ball over the fence, he's fond of the second deck and 400+ footers, which plays anywhere.
Now that doesn't mean Fielder won't see some decline in his power numbers next year, just that it might not be as drastic as one would assume at first glance. Age-related decline isn't a concern at 27 (28 in May), though he will have to adjust to a new league and presumably DH'ing at least part of the time. I think we all have Adam Dunn in the back of our minds, who went from being one of the game's most prolific power hitters to unrosterable last year, but that's a rather extreme example. Similar players like Jim Thome and Vladimir Guerrero made the same switch a few years ago and showed no ill effects. It's safe to project another 30+ homers out of Fielder next year, but the days of 40+ might be a thing of the past. Then again, he's only topped 40 twice in his six full years, the last time coming in 2009.
The Trickle Down Effect On Cabrera
Manager Jim Leyland was emphatic that Cabrera will be his third baseman when Fielder was officially introduced on Thursday, which is wonderful news for fantasy owners. I don't know of many people that expect the experiment to work given his size and already subpar defensive skills, but as far as fantasy owners are concerned, it's a goldmine. If Cabrera — who's already the best fantasy option at the most productive position — manages to play enough games at the hot corner to qualify for third base eligibility, he has a chance to become the most dominant fantasy weapon since Alex Rodriguez in his heyday. We're talking a super-elite hitter at a premium position, even though his offense might take a slight hit given the transition. But still, he's starting from such a high production baseline that we'll barely even notice.
The Trickle Down Effect On Boesch
During the same introductory press conference, Leyland acknowledged that Brennan Boesch will bat second in front of Cabrera and Fielder, which improves his fantasy outlook a bit. The 26-year-old outfielder hit .283/.341/.458 with 16 homers in 115 games and 472 plate appearances before a thumb injury ended his season in late-August. That production alone made him valuable, but hitting in front of the two big bats should boost his runs scored total if nothing else. The effect of lineup protection is generally overstated, but in the case of elite hitters like Cabrera and Fielder, it can have a very real impact. I definitely have Boesch earmarked as a breakout candidate for 2012.
The Trickle Down Effect On Fister And Porcello
As wonderful as a third base eligible Cabrera would be, his defense at the hot corner figures to create some problems for a few members of Detroit's staff. The team will employ three below-average defenders on the infield in Fielder, Cabrera, and Jhonny Peralta (Peralta's +9.9 UZR in 2011 was based on his ability to avoid errors, not necessarily make more plays) regardless of who they play at second base. Both Doug Fister (career 5.52 K/9 and 46.5% ground ball rate) and Rick Porcello (4.84 and 51.9%) are pitchers that rely on their defense, so don't be surprised if they wind up with a higher WHIP and ERA than projected. Fister was already doomed to be overvalued on draft day given his dominance after the trade (five of his ten starts with the Tigers came against the lowly Twins, Athletics, and fading Indians), so don't fall into the same trap. That's not to say he won't be a solid option, but don't count on him repeating his second half numbers over a full season, especially now with the defense behind him. Porcello wasn't much more than a fringe roster candidate in standard 12-team, 5×5 leagues to start with, so I wouldn't blame you if you took him off draft boards entirely now.
* * *
Given his mammoth power and the fact that he's still very much in the prime of his career, Fielder will again be a top fantasy producer in 2012 even though he's moving to an unfriendly ballpark. Cabrera stands to gain the most out of the deal since he'll pick up third base eligibility, though Boesch should receive a boost as well. Some members of the pitching staff won't like the infield defense behind them, so make sure you don't get stuck depending on them for quality innings next year.
Jonathan Bentz of Fantasy Baseball Dugout discusses the Michael Pineda for Jesus Montero trade and its impact on fantasy baseball 2012.
Michael Pineda to the Yankees: Fantasy Analysis
In getting traded to the New York Yankees, Miguel Pineda immediately gets thrown into a spotlight/pressure cooker situation. He’s projecting right now as no. 2 in the Yankees rotation behind CC Sabathia — so you know he will be in line for some wins if he can keep it consistent. After his All-Star start to the 2011 season – he struggled with getting wins down the stretch.
Obviously, wins aren’t as important in fantasy baseball as they are in real life. This is one of the great inaccuracies of fantasy baseball, but one of the biggest reasons great pitchers on bad teams still have a lot of value (see Hernandez, Felix circa 2010). As we start projecting player rankings for the 2012 draft season, look for Pineda to be a top 25 starting pitcher. It would seem that Pineda could be one of the biggest draft day values in fantasy baseball 2012 – and he should be a solid no. 2 in fantasy baseball, too.
For 2012 fantasy baseball analysis of Jesus Montero,
Jesus Montero to the Mariners: Fantasy Analysis
After what seemed to be years and years of waiting, Jesus Montero can FINALLY become a starting catcher. Ironically, incumbent Yankees catcher Jorge Posada finally retired this week.
The Mariners youth movement was hurt by the loss of Pineda, but they now have a great core of players who are all under 25. King Felix obviously is now the crown jewel of their pitching staff. Montero, first baseman Justin Smoak, second baseman Dustin Ackley, third baseman Kyle Seager, and left fielder Mike Carp are all 25 or under.
While he projects on the Mariners depth chart as a DH, Montero will retain eligibility at catcher. Because of his availability as a catcher, he becomes an instant top 10 catcher in fantasy baseball simply based on how his 2011 production projects over 162 games. After about 9 catchers in fantasy baseball, the value drops significantly – especially in terms of power numbers. Check out our top 25 catcher rankings for 2012 to see who’s ahead – and behind – of Montero in our rankings.
Today’s guest author is Jeremy Wolf of The Wolf’s Den. Jeremy is a left-handed hitter on the Chaparrel High School baseball team in baseball rich Scottsdale, Arizona. Jeremy hopes to play baseball in college and eventually be a general manager of an MLB team (he sounds perfect for fantasy baseball, doesn’t he?). He claims that MLB Network is the “best thing that ever happened to me.” I agree Jeremy. Not sure my wife would though.
If you’d like to be a guest author for Fantasy Baseball Dugout, and see your article on the first page of Google, go to our About Us section and submit your article there. We are always looking for great content to get out to our readers.
The Leagues Best 2nd Baseman
The second base position is evolving. You have to be able to hit for power, average, you need a strong arm and you must have range. Who in the league has all those attributes??*(all based on the 2011 season and projection for 2012 season.)
He has the sweetest swing in the major leagues right now, definitely, top 5 of all time. He knows how to hit and he has the smoothest fielding ability in the league. Why is he #1 over Kinsler? Not because he is a Yankee, everyone knows he would be just as good on any other team, but because he gets big hits and big RBIs in big games. He has a knack for getting on base an a knack for scoring runs. Definitely top 5 hitters in the league right now.?2012
Definitely the safest bet for second place. He is a very good fielder with a very strong arm. He’s got a good eye at the plate but seems to be in a pitchers count every at bat because of his aggressiveness. He’s got great power, more power than Cano, but still lacks the average. Great speed and seems like he scores every time he gets on base. Look for a strong season in 2012 because he might need to carry the team.?2012
Summary: Five feet, nine inches. I bet you have heard that so many times, but it’s true. His small stature packs a pretty huge punch. A great fielder, a great player, a great hitter and a great teammate.?2012
Summary: Multiple Gold Gloves, and many more to come. He’s got power to all fields and he flies around the bases. He’s got one of the funkiest stances I have ever seen, but it works. He’s got a passion for the game and a passion for playing hard. He is the leader of that team and he will let everyone knows what he thinks. He plays like Orlando Hudson, and being a big fan of Orlando makes me a big fan of this guy. Look for a big big year from Brandon.
Summary: You gotta love this guy. Utley is a professional, he is the definition of the term. He plays hard and he plays well whenever he gets in. Though I am a Mets fan, I do Respect this guy. You got to! He has earned it. Let’s hope he stays healthy in 2012.
Summary: Simply put, he had a fantastic season last year. It was a very nice season to watch. He has got a great glove and the fans of Pittsburgh love that young nucleus they have growing. With players like Andrew McCutchen, James McDonald, Garrett Jones, and their closer Joel Hanrahan, look for above .500 seasons for the next few seasons.
Summary: Hurt for part of last year, and really got nothing to work in the playoffs. He was 6 for 41 in the two playoff series against the Cardinals and the Diamondbacks. Definitely has raw power but the glove and the average need to get a tad it better. Look for the same type of season this year, and likely without Prince Fielder he will have a little bit more pressure on him to produce.
Summary: In my opinion, one of the most valuable players on any team in the league. He can play at every single position and he switch hits. He hits for power, average, he can field and he can throw. Definitely one of those players you want on your team.
Summary: If I made a list of the biggest arms in the league, He would be number 1. He has got so much raw power, but he really needs to get that average up and he needs to be better with the glove. He was under the Mendoza line for the beginning of last season. That rampage he went on brought a) the Braves to the playoff hunt, and b) his average up a lot. Though he ended the season at a .233 average, look for more quality at-bats and a higher average in 2012.
Summary: One of the most under-rated guys in the league. He goes out there and plays the game hard. In 2012 look for a big season because of the acquisition of Albert Pujols. In that entire lineup, Kendrick might benefit the most.
Summary: Plainly put, what an incredible rookie year. He got his name out there as a potentially great player. Though the average was low, he had big hits in big spots. Look for plenty more big hits and big home runs for many years to come.
Look at you getting two posts today, which we will continue until next October. It’s an exciting time to be alive. Kinda like in the 1300′s when doorknobs were invented and people no longer needed to axe down the door to enter their house. So how about those Cleveland Indians brimming with prospects? It’s the biggest Native American bounty since the original Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed these Indians aren’t practically wiped from existence, then almost 400 years later Lonnie Chisenhall‘s great-great grandniece is allowed to open a casino. Lonnie Chisenhall was called up in the middle of last season, like a firefly without a light. In his first full month, he hit two homers and .217, like a slow torch burning. In his 2nd month, he didn’t do much better, like a key that could use a little turning. Seemed like he should’ve been getting somewhere. Then in September, he hit four homers and .279. Like a madman laughing at the rain. If you knew those were Soul Asylum lyrics, pat yourself on the back…with a knife. I’ll take that September month from Chisenhall every day of the week and twice on Muesday if we can get that from him every month next year, but can we? Let’s see what we can expect of Lonnie Chisenhall in 2012 fantasy baseball and what makes him a sleeper?
Chisenhall’s BABIP during his torrid-for-him month of September was .308. That’s close to doable for him, but his walk rate was pathetic last year. In 21 games in August, he didn’t walk once. His K-rate wasn’t great either. So .279 seems doable, but highly unlikely. He looks more like a .250 hitter. In September, his HR/FB was 16.0%, which is a little high for him, making 4 homers per month on the high side, too. For 2012, he’s gonna be more of a 3 to 4 homer per month guy, so you’re looking at between 18-24 homers. The Indians are saying that Jack Hannahan will compete in Spring Training for the 3rd base job with Chisenhall, but that’s just talk to motivate Chisenhall. There’s no way Jack Hannahan will win the starting job unless he brings one of his ligers into the clubhouse and releases it on Chisenhall. Since Lonnie was able to finally start to put it together in September, I’m gonna be optimistic and say he gives us 65/20/80/.250/3. Not exactly rewriting the record books, but more than serviceable if you can get him cheap in your fantasy drafts and he has some upside. Muahahahahaha! Sorry, still laughing like a madman at the rain.
First base delivers a lot of pop in fantasy baseball. Look for these guys to add great value and return on your investment when you draft first basemen in your 2012 fantasy baseball draft. There are some solid sleepers at the first base position in 2012 so you may want to wait until wait in your draft to pick up these guys if you can’t land one of the top tier guys.
SAFE: Paul Goldschmidt barely exceeded the at bats to be considered a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2012, but he's a safe sleeper bet to have a big year for the Diamondbacks.
1. Ike Davis, New York Mets – Mets first baseman Ike Davis finished an injury plagued 2011 season with seven homers, 25 RBIs, 20 runs scored and .302 batting average in just 149 at bats. That’s coming off of a rookie season in 2010 where he smacked 19 homers and 71 RBI. Davis didn’t play after May 10 last year due to an ankle injury and then a series of unfortunate medical mistakes by his doctors. The Mets are moving in the fences at Citi Field. That can only help a 6′ 4″, 230 pound power hitter like Davis.
2. Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks — Paul Goldschmidt was mashing in the minors with 30 homers in 108 games so the Diamondbacks brought him up earlier than anticipated. Goldschmidt hit .250 in his inaugural season, with eight homers, four steals, 26 RBIs and 28 runs scored in 156 at-bats. He’s a big strikeout guy, but can add some pop to your lineup. He’ll be pushed by newly acquired Lyle Overbay. Goldschmidt is projected by Bill James at .266/32/99/9.
3. Mat Gamel, Milwaukee Brewers — Mat Gamel has been stuck behind Prince Fielder for 4 seasons and is tired of being labeled as a prospect. His 2011 season in the minors should turn heads: .310/28/96/2. The only rap against Gamel is himself. He reported to camp last year 30 pounds overweight and his Triple-A manager Don Money said: ”He’s hard-headed. He doesn’t carry himself well. You have to carry yourself like a professional, and he doesn’t do it and I’ve said it to him.”
4. Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs — Anthony Rizzo got in 93 games last year at Triple-A before getting the call to the Padres. His minor league numbers were .331/26/101/7. Rizzo really struggled in the Bigs, however, as he barely hit half his weight at .141 in 153 plate appearances. It’s hard to imagine that the Padres would give up on him so quickly given his minor league numbers. He’ll battle Brian LaHair for the first base job unless the Cubs decided to pick up a veteran like Pena or Trumbo.
5. Mike Carp, Seattle Mariners — No, Carp is not going to start in front of Justin Smoak, but he does qualify at first base. Carp finished the 2011 season with 12 homers, 46 RBIs, 27 runs scored and a .276 batting average in just 290 at-bats. On a team that is desperate for offense, expect Carp to be a regular outfielder in 2012.
FISHING: Carp's 2012 statistics won't need exaggerating.
6. Kendrys Morales, Los Angeles Angels — It’s hard to imagine a more freak injury than the one that Kendrys Morales suffered on May 29, 2010 when he suffered an injury while jumping on home plate after a walk off grand slam. Morales finished fifth in the MVP voting in 2009 and would be the ideal hitter to offer protection for Albert Pujols if he can prove that he can play. This is a must watch fantasy baseball situation for Spring Training as the Angels are loaded at the corner infield positions and at DH. Morales, 28, was just signed to a one year deal that may pave the way for the Angels to trade Mark Trumbo or Bobby Abreu.
7. Yonder Alonso, San Diego Padres — Jesus Guzman brings a .312 average in from last season so he’s the #1 guy to start the season, but we think Alonso will earn the starting role by mid-season given his bigger power potential. Alonso hit 5 home runs in just 88 at bats last year. He was acquired from the Reds in the Mat Latos deal and should pick up 60% of the first base at bats in 2012. That should put the Havana-born big man at a .275 average and 15 homers, even in spacious Petco.
8. Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals — Adam LaRoche suffered both a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff in 2011 that limited him to just 151 at bats. This is a guy, however, who is only 32 and hit exactly 25 homers for three consecutive seasons with the Diamondbacks and Pirates from 2008-2010. And, with backup Chris Marrero on the shelf with an injury suffered while playing winter ball, the job is all LaRoche’s. Manager Davey Johnson said that LaRoche is “100% now.”
9. Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox — I can’t recall a regular player who had a higher strike out total than batting average. Dunn had 177 strikeouts while hitting .159 with 11 homers, 42 RBIs and 36 runs scored. He can’t possibly be that bad again in 2012, can he?
10. Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants — Yes, Belt was on our sleeper list as well last year, but things didn’t quite work out for Belt who started the season as the starter, then got demoted. His replacement, Aubrey Huff, was not able to duplicate his 2010 season, however, thus opening the door again for Belt. Belt struggled to hit for average throughout the season but flashed some power, hitting seven homers after August 1. Perhaps that’s an indication of his 2012 potential.
11. Brandon Allen, Oakland Athletics — The Athletics got frustrated with Daric Barton’s lack of power last year (0 homers) and sent him to the minors. Brandon Allen has home run power capable of 20 in 2012, but the big man will likely punish your team batting average; he’s a lifetime .210 hitter.
12. Lucas Duda, New York Mets — Lucas Duda will be an outfielder this year for the Mets, but he’s qualified at first base as well. Duda hit .292 with 10 homers, one base swipe, 50 RBIs and 38 runs scored in 301 at-bats during the 2011 season and is another one that should benefit from moving the outfield fences in at Citi Field.
13. Brett Wallace, Houston Astros — I’m guessing that 35-year-old Carlos Lee doesn’t fit with the Astros youth movement. That could open the door for Brett Wallace to earn the starting job in Houston. The big problem is that Wallace is not a good fielder, but if you play in a keeper league, Wallace is a strong consideration since he can move to DH in 2013.
