Joba Rules? What to Expect in 2009

March 22, 2009

Joba Chamberlain has been penciled in as the fifth starter in the Yankees’ rotation for the upcoming season. No one doubts that Joba has great stuff, nor is there any question that Joba can handle the pressure of pitching in New York. With that being said, two questions remain.  The first, how is it possible that he could be dating a model?  The second and I guess the slightly more relevant question, can he be a legitimate ace pitcher?

I wish I could confidently predict that Joba is going to win 18 games this year. I wish I could say that Joba is a lock for 200 plus strikeouts this season. I wish I could claim that Joba is going to show the world that fat kids can play baseball too. Unfortunately, I just don’t believe it’s going to happen.

Joba started only 12 games last year and pitched fairly well but certainly didn’t dominate like he had as a reliever. He displayed that he has a tendency to fall behind hitters and that he still lacks command over his slider and changeup. These would be normal problems for any 23 year old pitcher, but Joba doesn’t have the luxury of time. If he falters in the least bit, he will be back in the bullpen. There are just too many people in the Yankees organization, Joe Girardi included, who believe that he’s more valuable as a reliever. Considering that that the Yanks don’t have a proven setup man, I would be shocked if they don’t jump on the chance to move him to the bullpen after a few bad starts. My guess is that he will be dominating the seventh and eight innings by the all-star break.

Don’t be tricked into spending a high draft pick on Joba. He should be treated as a top middle reliever and that’s all. At this point, Joba’s value lies in his status as the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera. This year, however, its doubtful that Joba is going to be a fantasy stud.

Written by Keith Reinfeld · Filed Under Blog | Leave a Comment 

Underrated Players, Part I

March 22, 2009

Many fantasy baseball managers go after household names on draft day. Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, David Wright, Miguel Cabrera and Manny Ramirez to name a few. It’s easy to brag about a team that has Pujols, but not too many of your friends are going to consider you sane if you start ragging on them for not having Derek Lowe. Yet, in many leagues it is the consistent, more obscure player, that determines the standings. Behold the unsung heroes, the second and third tier players who perform at a high level without the glaring media attention. This article reviews a few of them.

Nick Markakis

Experienced fantasy ballers will recognize Markakis as a top fantasy baseball outfielder. Yet, there are a surprising number of fans who do not yet know about Markakis. Over the past two years Markakis has quietly hit .300 and .306 with 23 and 20 homers respectively. A pure five category player, Markakis also provides 10-16 steals and ~100 runs scored. Only 25, Markakis’s power is still developing and he could become a 30 homer player this season.

Derek Lowe

Lowe has become one of the most consistent pitchers in the National League, but he gets very little fanfare. He is a virtual lock for 12-16 wins, a mid 3 ERA and a good WHIP. His K’s aren’t as high as many of the elite pitchers, but the 147 he’s racked up in each of the past two years won’t hurt you. Now with the Braves, we think Lowe will get more wins and a slightly higher WHIP than last season.

Adam LaRoche

With mashers like Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols sharing his position, you won’t win too many bragging rights with LaRoche as your starting first basemen. But don’t let that dissuade you from drafting him. Take a look at his stats over the past three years:

                 BA   HR   RBI
2006 – .285   32   90
2007 – 272   21   88
2008 – 270   25   85

Pretty good for a virtual no name. LaRoche has a tendency to slump in the first half and get hot in the second. If he can ever put it together in April, watch out; he could hit 35 homers with a .280 batting average. Not bad for a late round first basemen.

Placido Polanco

Batting average is perhaps the most overlooked category. We admire the long ball, and crave players like Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, and Dan Uggla, even if they destroy our team’s batting average. Polanco is at the other end of the spectrum. His stats hardly look glamorous, but he’s precisely the type of player that you should use to fill out your roster. He’ll do wonders for your batting average, and help balance out the .230 hitters on your team. Polanco hit .295 in ‘06, .341 in ‘06, and .307 in ‘08. And he’s not a one category player, he will also get close to 100 Runs, and rack up a respectable 60 rbi’s.  Better yet, he can usually be had in the late round of a draft, or for under $10 in an auction.

Ryan Zimmerman

Playing for the lowly Washington Nationals, Zimmerman is often left off the list of top National League third basemen, even though he has the potential to be one of the best. Perhaps an injury-plagued 2008 season is part of the cause, but Zimmerman should definitely be on your radar as a low cost, good value option on draft day. He is only 24 and has already put up a .287-20-110-11-84 season (in 2006) and now has more protection in the lineup with the addition of Adam Dunn. Zimmerman has the potential to hit .290-26-105-8-100 in 2009.

Most managers in your league are familiar with these players and their track record, so they don’t fit the bill as “sleepers”.  But they are underrated in most leagues and will help your team.  Stay tuned for Underrated Players, Part II.

Written by Evan Rosen · Filed Under Draft Strategy | 4 Comments 

Hall of Fame Bound Closer to Start the Year on the Shelf?

March 22, 2009

Trevor Hoffman, who holds the all-time record for most career saves, is now unsure if he will be ready for the start of the season.  The forty-one year old right hander has suffered from an oblique strain that occurred during a spring training game.  He is now unsure of his timetable to return due to his nagging injury.  If Hoffman starts the season on the DL, that opens up a spot for either Carlos Villanueva or Seth McClung.  

Before spring training, the logical choice would have been Villanueva.   However, due to his lackluster spring and downright awful numbers, McClung would probably get the nod.  He should be owned in all leagues, especially by those who drafted Hoffman.  The only way that McClung would not close out games for the Brewers would be if he had to fill a rotation spot.  Hoffman is not expected to miss many games, but if you are struggling to fill a closer spot, McClung might be your answer.

-Bobby Holt

Written by Bobby Holt · Filed Under Player News | Leave a Comment