Jim Leyland is the (Fantasy) Devil

May 27, 2009

I hate Jim Leyland. Not only do I think he’s a terrible manager – (check his history – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Leyland – he’s only won with stacked teams and as soon as his amazing teams lose their stars, his teams slide into mediocrity, and then he quits), but he is a fantasy baseball manager’s nightmare. To wit, I give you examples from this year’s Tigers team:

Josh Anderson, OF. The Tigers traded for Anderson in spring training, and he made the team largely on his ability to get on base and steal bases. He had 4 starts through the first 3 weeks of the season, then started 8 of 9 games – getting hits in all but two and stealing 4 bases. On May 5, to jump start their struggling offense, Leyland puts Anderson in the leadoff spot, and he responds with 2 hits and a run, and the Tigers win 9-0. Leyland praises the spark Anderson provides at the top of the lineup…and promptly parks his butt on the bench for the next 12 days. He seems to start 2 out of every 5 days, but I am yet to figure out a pattern – he plays against righties, but not all righties, and often enters the game as a late-inning replacement, killing his fantasy value. and then there’s days like today, when he goes 4 for 5 with a run, an rbi, an a stolen base. Drives you nuts.

Clete Thomas, OF – Clete was called up on that same fateful May 5, and promptly hit in the third spot fifteen straight games. Then he hits a rough spot, and Leyland sits him against a lefty, then puts him back to 3rd, then sits him, then hits him 7th, then sits him against a righty. For awhile there, it looked like Clete had value in AL-only leagues at least, hitting in front of Miguel Cabrera, but now it looks like Leyland sees Clete as nothing more than one of the many outfielders he can run out there on any given day. He has no power or speed, but does a good job of getting on base. Ignore him in most leagues.

Adam Everett, SS – Everett has been on a tear in May – he’s hitting .345 with 11 rbi and 3 steals, and playing his normal excellent shortstop. Except Leyland is desperate to get Ramon Santiago in the lineup, so instead of just having Santiago spell Placido Polanco, he has him spelling Polanco and Everett, meaning that even if Everett goes 3 for 3 with 2 runs and an rbi, he gets sit down for Santiago 2 days later, against another righthanded starter. Everett seems to be the everyday starter, but its still no less maddening when he plays 5 days a week and there is no rhyme or reason to when he sits. I’d give him a look in an AL-only league if you’re weak at shortstop.

Ramon Santiago, SS/2B – yes, this cuts both ways. That same day that Everett went 3 for 3, Santiago went 4 for 4 with a homer, 3 runs and 4 rbi, raising his average to .352 and earns himself a start the next game, relegating Everett to the bench. Leyland says he wants to get Santiago in there more often, and Ramon goes 1 for 4 that night. Not surprisingly, Leyland sits him down and Ramon plays 3 times over the next 9 days, again with no rhyme or reason why. He’s not worth owning.

Ryan Raburn, 2b/OF – Raburn may be the most maddening of all. He had made 7 starts the first 5 weeks of the season, and then on May 15, hits a grand slam and drives in 5 runs. May 16, he gets 2 hits, 2 runs, 3 rbi and another homer. And promptly gets put back on the bench for 3 games. May 20, he starts, gets 2 hits – including another home run – and gets pinch hit for in the 8th inning – by none other than Clete Thomas (incidentally, Josh Anderson stole 2 bases that night – his first two since Leyland started screwing with his playing time). Since then Raburn has two starts in 7 games, including today where – that’s right – he had 2 hits, a run and an rbi.

Wilkin Ramirez, OF – When Magglio Ordonez went on the personal leave list, the Tigers called up their top prospect Wilkin Ramirez from Toledo. Ramirez was hitting .300 at the time, with 27 runs, 5 home runs and 17 steals at AAA, and is expected to be a big part of their future. So the Tigers call him up Wednesday May 20, Leyland bats him 3rd, and he goes 1 for 3 with his first major league home run. Leyland then sits his butt on the bench for the next 2 days until they send him back down when Magglio returns. He was up for such a short time that by the time he cleared waivers on Yahoo leagues, he was back in the minors. If you’re in a keeper league and you’ve got an extra roster spot to stash him, he may be worth the flier; if not, don’t bother.

Now, if you’ve got Granderson, Polanco, Cabrera, Inge or Laird, you’re guaranteed 90% of the playing time. But if you’ve got any of the guys listed above, or Jeff Larish or Marcus Thames, I’m sorry, you’re subject to the devil. He kills the stability of your lineup, kills your trade value, and kills your ability to find real steals on the waiver wire.

And considering that in my AL-only league, I have owned no fewer 4 of the guys listed above, I hate Jim Leyland.

Written by Jesse Mendelson · Filed Under Blog | 1 Comment 

h2h Corner ~ Red Light District, the Closer Carousel

May 27, 2009

Closers do most of their work late at night, often after most upstanding fantasy managers have gone to bed. They necessitate early checking of box scores and Fantasy Baseball 101 to see if they secured the win for the home team. They are your average, everyday closers. Read more

Written by Albert Lang · Filed Under H2H | Leave a Comment 

Mark Reynolds’ Journey Across the Diamond: Temp to Perm?

May 27, 2009

The man who set baseball single season strikeout record last season with a whopping 204 whiffs looks to be moving across the diamond (for now) to make room for 28 year old pseudoprospect Ryan Roberts at the hot corner.  It appears that Diamondbacks’ manager Bob Melvin has officially lost patience with the anemic hitting of former offensive rock Chad Tracy at first, third, or much of anyplace else.  Tracy is below the Mendoza line at a meager .189 with 3 homers and 13 RBI in 111 at bats, while Reynolds has 13 homers, 10 steals, and a .264 average (with 61 K’s). 

What is the future of this round robin of corner infielders? The D-backs have Tracy, Jackson, Reynolds, and Ryan Roberts?  It is fair to say that when Conor Jackson returns, he will be given a shot at an everyday job.  That means that in order for this confusion to persist, Roberts must hit and keep hitting. Otherwise, expect a return to normalcy soon in Arizona, which will likely mean Reynolds at third, Jackson at first or in left field, and Roberts back to quadtruple A status – but you never know! Watch this one unfold and be ready to pounce on Roberts should he continue to get on base and steal at his present clip.

Written by Russ · Filed Under Articles, Minor Leagues | 2 Comments