Fantasy Baseball Advice: Pro Sports Daily

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November 18

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"This week, we move on to the keystone, where I will not mention Robinson Cano (after this paragraph, anyway). Call me a spoiled Yankee fan, but Cano's hacking ways drive me nuts. I don't care if he had 75 extra-base hits this season — I don't want to write about him until I have to. I guess my World Series euphoria is gone, huh? As we've mentioned previously, these positional previews will appear every Tuesday until around Christmas, with complete position-by-position ranking lists ready by mid-December. The Man (or two) Ian Kinsler, Rangers — Go ahead, beat me up if you want, but I'll take Kinsler by a hair over Chase Utley again. Kinsler's worst category in 2009 was his .253 batting ..."

By the Numbers: Not all K artists created equal

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November 16

CBSSports.com

columnist Al Melchior

"In a recent column I singled out some of the batters who are fueling the strikeout trend that has gripped Major League Baseball for the last four seasons. The lack of contact, along with stagnant power numbers, has been bad for offense, but has been a boon for pitchers, as the major league ERA has dropped from 4.53 in 2006 to 4.32 for each of the last two seasons. For every Bengie Molina who has killed his batting average with a more whiff-happy approach, there is an Adam Wainwright taking advantage of all those extra Ks. What follows is a list of pitchers who have contributed to and benefited from the strikeout trend. While dozens of starting pitchers have been gorging themselves on the ..."

Where to draft Johan Santana?

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November 16

Foxsports.com

"Johan Santana had long been considered the best pitcher in baseball. From 2004-2008, there wasn't a pitcher who could touch him, posting some remarkable numbers, especially when you consider that he called the AL home up until 2008: # Struck out 200 or more batters every season # Had a sub-3.00 ERA in four out of five seasons (the other year saw him at 3.33) # Posted three WHIPs of 1.00 and better (and the other two seasons saw him post marks of 1.07 and 1.15) # Won 15 games or more every season, including years of 19 and 20 How many pitchers can boast that type of consistent success? His 2009 season looked to be off to a similar start, going 7-2 with a 1.77 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 11.73 K/9 ..."

Highlighting top Cardinals prospects for '10

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November 15

CBSSports.com

columnist Eric Mack

"We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2010, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year. According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)." Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age ..."

Highlight top Reds prospects for '10

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November 15

CBSSports.com

columnist Eric Mack

"We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2010, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year. According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)." Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age ..."

Highlighting top Astros prospects for '10

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November 15

CBSSports.com

columnist Eric Mack

"We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2010, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year. According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)." Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age ..."

Fantasy first base preview

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November 11

Foxsports.com

"I was in Phoenix for First Pitch Arizona and some Arizona Fall League games over the weekend. A bunch of us were fired up to see Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg in the Rising Stars game ... until he got scratched due to a minor injury that apparently occurred because he "slept funny" two nights before the game. Nothing against Strasburg, but I'd have asked for a refund if I hadn't gotten free tickets. Oh, well. Also, you know the "neighborhood call" that usually involves a second base umpire ignoring the fact the second baseman doesn't touch the bag on a double play? We saw a 5-4-3 triple play negated because the ump said second base wasn't touched. Never before had I been so angry at ..."

Highlighting top Brewers prospects for '10

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November 11

CBSSports.com

columnist Eric Mack

"It was a rebuilding year for the Brewers, who finally made the playoffs in 2008, only to fall back to mediocrity in '09. The thing is, this team is anything but mediocre if they had just acquired some pitching. Perhaps it comes from the farm in 2010? 1. Alcides Escobar, SS, 23 Escobar barely qualifies as a rookie having not surpassed the service time or at-bats after his August call-up to replace J.J. Hardy. Hardy fell out of favor due to inconsistency and the Brewers appear committed to Escobar long term. He hit .304 with a homer, 11 RBI, 20 runs, four steals, a .333 batting-average against and a .368 slugging percentage with the Brewers. He won't hit for power, but he can slap his way on ..."

Hightlighting top Pirates prospects for '10

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November 11

CBSSports.com

columnist Eric Mack

"The Pirates keep rebuilding, rebuilding, rebuilding. They have a strong and deep collection of prospects, but the problem has always been getting them to hit at once so they don't have to usher good players out the door because they get too expensive. This year's class of prospects has some star power and elite potential, but it will be interesting to see how the pieces wind up fitting together. Eventually a Pirates regime will get the right mix. 1. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, 23 Alvarez's first pro season produced the fruits expected of the widely acclaimed best hitter in the 2008 First Year Player Draft. Alvarez took a while to sign and then contested the contract after signing it, but he ..."

Highlighting top Cubs prospects for '10

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November 11

CBSSports.com

columnist Eric Mack

"The Cubs had a bad year with the big club, but their farm system looks a lot better than it has in years. Years of trades have stripped them of depth, but a year away from the fray allowed them to let their prospects grow a little. There is still plenty of ground to cover, but an improving set of prospects could help supplement the team in 2010. 1. Josh Vitters, 3B, 20 Vitters finally started to make good on all that promise that made him an early first-round pick in 2008, hitting .316 with 15 homers, 46 RBI, 42 runs, four steals, a .351 on-base percentage and a .535 slugging percentage in low Class A. The high school draftee was less impressive in high Class A, though, going ..."

Beckham moves to second base

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November 10

Foxsports.com

"In a little bit of a surprising move, Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams announced that Gordon Beckham will play second base for the south siders in 2010. This move is one result of the White Sox trading for Mark Teahen last week. I speculated that Teahen would play rightfield for the White Sox in 2010, but he will play third base. Now, I am not going to get into whether or not moving Beckham to second base is good for the White Sox — that is for another post. What I am going to get into is the fantasy impact of this move. If you have Beckham in your fantasy league, this is music to your ears. Beckham qualified as a shortstop in most fantasy formats last year, but played ..."

Bleacher Report: Iwamura traded to Bucs

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November 5

Foxsports.com

"According to MLB.com, the Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired second baseman Akinori Iwamura from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Jesse Chavez. Let's take a look at the fantasy impact of the deal. The Pirates Iwamura fills a glaring hole for the team, which was created when they traded Freddy Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants during their 2009 purge. Iwamura, who had lost his starting job to Ben Zobrist when he suffered an ACL tear, will provide a steady bat at the top of the lineup. He's a career .281 hitter and has shown a decreasing strikeout rate as he's grown accustomed to life in the major leagues. 2007: 23.2 percent (491 AB) 2008: 20.9 percent (627 AB) 2009: 19.0 percent ..."

Halpin' Hand: Fantasy catcher preview

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November 3

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"Welcome to the 2009-10 fantasy baseball offseason, folks! We're all Yankee fans around here, exulting as our team looks toward clinching its first World Series title in nine long years ... right? No? I'd better shut up, then. These positional previews will appear every Tuesday until around Christmas. My initial position-by-position ranking lists should also be ready by mid-December. I'd do them now, but before most of the free agent dominoes have fallen into place, what's the point? Here we go with the catchers. The Man Joe Mauer, Twins — This guy has three batting titles in five big league seasons, and this year he added a serious amount of power to his arsenal (28 HRs after missing ..."

Wieters 2010 preview

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November 3

Foxsports.com

"Matt Wieters was one of the most anticipated players heading into 2009, with fantasy owners waiting with bated breath for him to make his presence felt. Of course, the results fell short of the lofty expectations, as Wieters was kept in the minors until May 29 before being recalled and posting the following line: 354 At-Bats .288 Batting Average (102 Hits) 9 Home Runs 43 RBI 35 Runs 0 Stolen Bases .340 On Base Percentage .412 Slugging Percentage .359 Batting Average on Balls in Play With those numbers in the book and the talent still prevalent, what can we expect from him in 2010? Before I get into my projections, please keep in mind these are extremely preliminary numbers. I'll be ..."

By the Numbers: Power/contact hitters drying up

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November 2

CBSSports.com

columnist Al Melchior

"Baseball's power trend is sort of like the economy. The numbers tell us that the decline is coming to an end, but things still aren't like they used to be. For the first time since 2006, major leaguers collectively hit more than 5,000 home runs, resulting in a 3.9 percent increase in homers per at-bat. This modest boost did virtually nothing to create a larger pool of power hitters in Fantasy. Last season, 28 batters hit at least 30 home runs, and this year 30 players went deep 30 times or more. Options for mid-level power became more scarce, as there were five fewer players in the 20-plus club this year as compared to last. Though it would have seemed absurd to say this earlier in the ..."

Lucroy emerges as Brewers' top catching prospect

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October 30

ESPN.com

"When the Milwaukee Brewers' brass had a year-end meeting with the media, assistant general manager Gord Ash said something interesting: Jonathan Lucroy, not Angel Salome, was the team's top catching prospect. A third-round pick in the 2007 draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette, Lucroy turned heads last year when he hit .301 with 20 homers between two Class A levels."

Highlighting top Giants prospects for '10

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October 28

CBSSports.com

columnist Erick Mack

"We break down the top five prospects for each organization for 2010, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year. According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)." Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age ..."

Bleacher Report: Strasburg's fantasy value

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October 27

Foxsports.com

"Last season, the fantasy baseball world was abuzz over Matt Wieters and the potential impact he could make. Of course, all the hype caused his value on draft day to rise exponentially, costing owners who gambled on him dearly. In 2010, we could see a similar situation developing with phenom Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg, the first overall selection in the 2009 entry draft is already very well known. Many have projected him to be a must start fantasy option right from Opening Day, and while I will look at him closer as the offseason progresses and give a projection for him, his performance in the Arizona Fall League, his first true professional experience, is something that needs to be ..."

NL Predictions, revisited

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October 27

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"OK, so we've got 5 5/6 points for correct AL predictions so far, and we're trying to beat last year's total of 11 1/3. The predictions weren't designed to be 50-50 propositions, so try not to judge the incorrect ones too harshly. Or, just call me a stupid idiot in the comments section below if you like. Come on, National League! Prediction: Diamondbacks: Dan Haren will be a better fantasy pitcher than Brandon Webb What I wrote: This actually isn't such a big surprise, as you could make the argument that Haren was better than Webb in 2008: Haren: 16 W, 3.33 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 206 K Webb: 22 W, 3.30 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 183 K Most people think Webb is the D-Backs' unquestioned ace. He's not, at ..."

Where Did You Go Wrong?

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October 25

FantasyBaseball.com

"Fantasy baseball is a cruel game. Each year, over 90% of fantasy owners fail to win the league that is most important to them. That also means that if you didn't win your main league this year, there is a 90% chance that you will meet the same fate next year. But there is good news! You can reduce the odds of failure by trying to figure out where you went wrong this year. If you are going to try to change your luck next year, you need to start by not making the same mistakes a second time. Here are some key questions to ask yourself, when assessing where you went wrong in 2009? 1. Were you too optimistic or too pessimistic in your draft evaluation of prospects and young major ..."

AL predictions, revisited

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October 20

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"Welcome to the second annual "review my preseason predictions column." To refresh your memories, in February I made educated guesses about fantasy stats for a player on every MLB team. The idea was for the predictions to have no better than a 50-50 chance to be correct, with some having longer odds than others. Last year, I got 11 1/3 points out of 30. Yes, I gave myself partial credit and will be doing so again. Let's get on with it. If you have any comments, insults, etc. — and based on the results, you probably do — fire away at the bottom of the page. Next week, we'll look back at the National League predictions, in which I most certainly did NOT predict that David Wright would hit ..."

By the Numbers: Looking for relief in 2010

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October 19

CBSSports.com

columnist Al Melchior

"We love to complain about our closers, but that is only because we hold them to such high standards. Even great hitters can fail to reach base in three-fifths of their plate appearances and the best pitchers in baseball can be counted on to give up three or more runs in a start with some regularity. But we expect closers to be just about perfect, because often enough, they live up to that expectation, and several of them do it year after year. True ninth-inning guys are rare, which is why, once a team finds its Rivera, Nathan, or even Francisco Cordero, they tend to keep him around in that role for a long time. Maybe that's why it seems more than a little strange when an unfamiliar name ..."

Projection Review - Pitchers

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October 19

Rotoworld.com

columnist Matthew Pouliot

"This week's feature is a review of some of my preseason pitching projections and writeups. A look at the hitters will come next week. Starting Pitching Review Josh Beckett - Red Sox - $24 - SP #9 Projection: 16-6, 3.53 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, 176 K in 186 IP 2009 stats: 17-6, 3.86 ERA, 1.192 WHIP, 199 K in 212 1/3 IP Then: Maybe he's not yet a true ace after all. Beckett did finish seventh in the AL in WHIP and eighth in strikeouts, but two problems that plagued him during his poor first season in the AL again crept up: he used his curve less frequently and he had less separation between his fastball and change than he did in 2007. Health was also an issue. He missed the beginning of the season ..."

Year In Review: Starting Pitchers

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October 15

FantasyBaseball.com

"Best Player: Zack Greinke The best pitcher in baseball? That's what Sports Illustrated called him and right now it's hard to argue. While some of the veteran aces scuffled in 2009, Greinke emerged from a pack of talented young pitchers to take over top spot. He lead the majors in ERA from a starter and struck out 242 batters. If only he didn't play for the Royals…. Tim Lincecum If Greinke isn't the best pitcher in baseball, then it's probably this guy. He exceeded Greinke's WHIP and strikeout total and fell just short of him in ERA. Like Greinke, he is hampered by a weak offense behind him. He is going to be the consensus number one pitcher in 2010 drafts because of his high ..."

Halpin' Hand: Biggest fantasy flops of '09

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October 13

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"Last week, we named some fantasy MVPs. This week? The guys you hate. The guys who killed you. The guys who, if their names come up at next year's draft, will make you say, "I'll never, EVER pick that %$#@! again." This article is actually more fun for me to write, because I can rant and swear a lot more than usual. The extremely subjective criteria involve is simple: the player at each position who underperformed his average draft position (ADP) to the greatest degree. Complaints, suggestions or insults? Post a comment at the bottom of the page. Catcher: Russell Martin, Dodgers (ADP: 37, First at position) With all due respect to slumping sophomore Geovany Soto, Martin won this one easily. ..."

Year In Review: Outfielders

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October 13

FantasyBaseball.com

"Best Players: Carl Crawford He raced out to the stolen bases lead and then didn't have the greatest second half. But, the overall numbers at the end of the year were very strong. After a down year in 2008, he bounced back in every category. After years of being a mid to late first round pick, he slipped to the second round in drafts this year because of one down year. He is a good lesson to fantasy owners that players in their prime who have one down year are likely to bounce back after having an off-season to regroup. Jacoby Ellsbury He led the league in steals, but this is no one-category player. He hit .300 and even chipped in a few home runs. Here's the scary thing about Ellsbury ..."

Full Disclosure: Always lessons to be learned

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October 12

CBSSports.com

columnist Scott White

"Well, that's that. The ups and downs of a 162-game season yielded all you see before you: five respectable finishes, but not a single championship. It happens. If I had to take just one overriding lesson from this season -- and you always learn lessons, whether in victory or defeat -- it'd be this: more hitting, less pitching. I knew it already. I preached it to all of you. But now, I believe it even more. You can always find breakout pitchers if you make even half an effort, but if you don't draft the hitters you need, you might never get them. I could write a whole column on the subject -- already have, probably will again -- but in keeping with the spirit of this column, let's move ..."

Year In Review: Shortstops

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October 12

FantasyBaseball.com

"Best Player: Hanley Ramirez He was the most popular number one pick in 2009 drafts and he mostly delivered on expectations. His .342 average was a career high and established him as one of the best pure hitters in baseball. With the fall of Reyes and Rollins, he is now clearly the top fantasy shortstop. If there is any room to complain, it would be that the top pick in the draft didn't reach 30 home runs or steals and didn't reach 110 runs or RBIs. It would be nice to see dominance in multiple categories, but that is really getting too picky. Biggest Surprises: Jason Bartlett He was a late pick in deep formats and started the year on waivers in mixed leagues. He ended up hitting ..."

Dead Weight: Hitters

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October 8

Fantasy Baseball Cafe

"Everyone has their favorite fantasy hitters. Now that the 2009 regular season closed up shop, I'd like to look ahead to 2010 to help us all avoid drafting the next Carlos Beltran or Lance Berkman. Catcher I Won't Draft Joe Mauer (MIN) Now that the power has shown up, you will most certainly not be able to poach Mauer next spring. Even Brian McCann will look like a discount compared to Mauer's future ADP. As I will repeatedly say, ad infinitum, don't pay a premium for your catcher. Buy the toolsy outfielder, the power corner infielder, or even the power-heavy middle infielder. Season's like Mauer's don't happen every year, so betting on catching lightning in a bottle like that is unwise. ..."

Halpin' Hand: Fantasy MVPs

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October 7

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"Now that the regular season's over — for those of you not reading this during the Tigers-Twins game, anyway — it's time to hand out the fantasy hardware. We've got MVPs at each position, but they're not traditional MVPs. For example, you knew Albert Pujols would be awesome. If you drafted him, as happy as he might have made you, it was the overachieving later draft picks that really put your team over the top, right? Below are fantasy MVPs at every position, with the extremely subjective criteria being the player who outperformed his average draft position (ADP) to the greatest degree. Complaints, suggestions or insults? Post a comment at the bottom of the page. If you remember, during ..."

A little off base: Looking ahead to '10

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October 6

Foxsports.com

columnist Gerrit Ritt

"It's always a depressing day when you realize yet another baseball season's come to a close. For those of you who are fans of the remaining eight teams (after the Tigers/Twins game on Tuesday, of course), congrats. For the rest of us, though, these are sad times. Now it's time to review what went on this past season and look ahead to all the glorious days ahead next April! And yes, I'm already looking ahead. Cubs fans like myself have been doing that this time of year our entire lives. As always, there were some unbelievable performances, some disappointing ones and some that have us waiting for more. That's what we'll concentrate on here, since next season's already the more important one ..."

Year In Review: First Basemen

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October 6

FantasyBaseball.com

"This position gave us some of the best power hitters in baseball and was a key to many fantasy league champions. However, it also produced its share of busts and left many teams severely lacking in home runs and RBIs. Best Player: Albert Pujols He was not only the best first baseman, he was the 2009 Fantasy MVP. He got off to a hot start and then maintained a strong level of production all year. He is widely considered the best pure hitter in baseball and he currently doesn't have any injury problems. While some owners will choose to think outside the box, he will be the top pick in most fantasy drafts next year. If you had the guts to take him number one in 2009, great job! ..."

Right and Wrong in 2009

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October 4

Rotoworld.com

columnist Glenn Colton

"This week, for the final column of 2009, a look back at what Rick and I did right and what we did wrong in the LABR and Tout leagues in the hope of learning something for 2010. So I can end on a higher note, I will start with the five big mistakes or "did wrongs" of the year. Josh Hamilton: It is no secret that Rick and I invest in top talent and are willing to spend big to get it. At first blush, Hamilton, a supremely talented hitter in a strong lineup and a great hitter's park seemed like a sure thing. He wasn't. I often say that you will not win leagues with your big money picks, but you can surely lose them. Hamilton is 50% of the reason Rick and I are not in the running in Tout. What ..."

Hot/Cold 2009 Finale: A Look Toward 2010

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October 4

Fantasy Baseball Cafe

"Welcome back to the Hot/Cold, which best describes your feelings about the end of the regular season and especially the end of the road for this column in 2009. Like I hinted last week, today is practically graduation day and school's out for the winter, which makes it a good time to crack open the Dom Perignon as we make a toast to the 2009 season and to the Dodgers, who finally did the business of wrapping up the NL West pennant (and home field advantage in the NL playoffs). For those of us who are looking far ahead to better days from a disappointing fantasy baseball season (like yours truly, oddly enough), we'll look forward to 2010. We'll look at a few select players who have ..."

Top 100 hitter keepers for 2010

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October 1

ESPN.com

columnist Brendan Roberts

"Let's go back just three years, shall we, to this very date in 2006. You're looking at your team and deciding your final keeper slot. Well, you have Cecil's boy, Prince Fielder. He had a good year for you, with 28 homers, 84 RBIs and a .271 average. But wow, even though he's a designated hitter, Travis Hafner, your .308-42 homer-117 RBI stud, is the no-brainer, right? Right? And the rest is history. If you choose Fielder, you'd get early-round production from one of your keepers, just as you expect. If you choose Hafner, you'd get a .254 average and just 44 homers in the next three seasons combined. Keeper decisions can have an impact on your team for years to come. So choose wisely. ..."

Heading for Home(r)

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October 1

Rotoworld.com

"For those keeping score at home – and at this late stage of the season, I'll be impressed if you're simply paying attention, let alone keeping score – this is the 27th and final edition of Waiver Wired for 2009. It has been a glorious journey from April all the way to the beginning of October, but as a wiser man than myself once said, all great journeys, much like a ride on your Uncle Lawrence's pet mule, must eventually come to an end. I'll be handing out some Waiver Wired awards a little further down, but first, let's dive into some suggested options for the final days of the 2009 campaign: MIXED LEAGUE HITTERS Jose Bautista, 3B/OF, TOR (Yahoo: 2 percent owned; ESPN: 2 percent) Hello, ..."

Pen Names: Sept. 30, 2009

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September 30

SportsGrumblings.com

"Denver, CO: Franklin Morales had a nice little run there, good enough in fact to prompt manager Jim Tracy to suggest that the kid has a bright future as a closer. While left handed closers are something of an anomaly, Morales did thrive in the role for a short while and his stuff suggests he's fairly well suited for the role, just not now; not as long as Huston Street is back and healthy. Street is back, and throwing bullets for a Rockies team in the thick of the playoff hunt. This means good things for Street owners, as he'll likely be used as often as his arm can handle in the few remaining days of the regular season. In the Rockies most recent series versus St. Louis, Street notched ..."

Rivera, Nathan lead '10 relief rankings

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September 30

ESPN.com

columnist Eric Karabell

"Let's get this right out of the way: I generally don't protect relief pitchers in keeper leagues. Of course there are situations in which I would, like the 16-team, 12-keeper league I've been in forever. If I don't keep Brian Wilson in that league, he'll be one of the first picks in the draft and I'll be laughed at. Most closers are kept. But in most leagues, you get to protect five or fewer players, I just don't consider even the best relief pitchers to be strong, viable options. That doesn't mean closers aren't valuable to the cause. It's tough to win a fantasy league without proper saves, and we commend Mariano Rivera, Joe Nathan, Jonathan Broxton and the many others who have supplied ..."

High Five For Buchholz

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September 30

Rotoworld.com

columnist Aaron Gleeman

"Clay Buchholz pitched his way into the Red Sox's postseason rotation by going 7-3 with a 3.21 ERA through 14 starts, but turned in a disastrous outing Tuesday against the Blue Jays. Buchholz served up a career-high five homers after allowing a total of seven long balls through his first 84 innings this year, coughing up seven runs as his ERA rose nearly 20 percent. Two of those homers came off the bat of Adam Lind, who chased Buchholz from the game and later took reliever Takashi Saito deep for his third blast of the night. Lind is fifth in the league with a .932 OPS, hitting .305 with 35 homers, 46 doubles, and 114 RBIs to show that his .318/.380/.509 line in the minors was no fluke ..."

The Lower Half

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September 30

Foxsports.com

columnist John Halpin

"Welcome to the season's final edition of The Lower Half. In addition to possibly picking up the players below, here's something to remember about your starting pitchers in daily transaction leagues: if they start anytime after Tuesday, you should waive them after they pitch, because they're not pitching again. This week, The Lower Half reviews 10 players owned in less than half of FOXSports.com leagues, but who haven't been included in this space for the past month. We usually include nine, but you deserve a bonus. Pickups are advised if you've got the room on your roster. (Note: All stats are through Sunday's games.) Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, Blue Jays (28.1 percent owned) When Encarnacion ..."

Waiver Wire Roundup: Sep. 28, 2009

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September 28

SportsGrumblings.com

"There are seven days of fantasy-ing left until we seamheads are all left to watch games that have no bearing whatsoever on our carefully constructed rosters of toolsy dudes, live arms, and hot bats. I know that I speak for many when I say that there is about to be a gaping hole in my life where fantasy baseball used to be. Sadly, its football and basketball variations will not suffice. Activity in keeper leagues simply is not the same as when there are actual games being played. So before we all begin trying to invent a new system to value players and pinpoint who will rebound and who is destined for a crash, there is the formality of seeing this fantasy season to an end. The key in ..."

Morning Baseball Update: Rays' Howell shut down

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September 28

Foxsports.com

"The Twins and Tigers start a four-game series today in Detroit, with the Tigers ahead of the Twins by two games. Who else sees a 12-for-18, four-homer effort coming from Joe Mauer? I think I'd walk him every time if I was the Tigers. Who's off: Mariners, A's, Cubs, Brewers, Reds, Cardinals, Padres, Rockies, Giants, Diamondbacks First pitch: The Dodgers and Pirates get the NL day off to an early start at 12:35 p.m. ET, while we've got a trio of AL games at 7:05. Here's the full schedule. Pitcher to start: Since we last left you with a 93-90 record: * Wade Davis was good enough on Wednesday. * On Thursday, Jason Hammel got the job done, while Clay Buchholz continued to prove that he ..."

Jurrjens a strong No. 3 in 2010

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September 29

ESPN.com

"The Atlanta Braves continue to play the best baseball in the big leagues, winning Monday for the 15th time in 17 games, and if you're looking for a reason why, look no further than the starting pitching, which ranks first in baseball with a 3.51 ERA. Javier Vazquez is seventh on ESPN's Player Rater, and third among starting pitchers. Derek Lowe has matched Vazquez with 15 wins. Tommy Hanson could be on his way to winning rookie of the year honors, and Tim Hudson is back after Tommy John surgery and sporting a 3.56 ERA. And none of these guys has the best ERA in the rotation. Jair Jurrjens tossed seven shutout innings against the Florida Marlins on Monday, earning his 14th win and lowering ..."

By the Numbers: The Morales of the story

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September 29

CBSSports.com

"Comeback players and unsung heroes -- they can turn a Fantasy season from sour to sweet like no one else. When you got "stuck" with Derrek Lee or Jason Kubel on Draft Day, you were probably thinking, "maybe this isn't going to be my year after all." Their performances, along with those of other pleasant surprises, have turned out to be critical to many a Fantasy success. This is the first of two columns that highlight those players who have made 2009 a surprisingly good year for many owners. This time around, we are profiling eight hitters who have performed beyond just about everybody's expectations. We will dig through their statistics, looking for clues to their unforeseen success. Then ..."

Re-Encarnated

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September 24

Rotoworld.com

"Perhaps it's the fact that I root for a team that has been maddeningly close but ultimately not that close to threatening for a Wild Card berth (the Braves), or simply because there's only one compelling playoff race remaining in the waning days of September (Tigers-Twins), but for whatever reason, the latter part of this season has dragged on like an elderly dog who has lost use of his hindquarters. However, those of us who still have a modicum of pride remaining are going to scratch, claw and drag our mangled rear legs in hopes of sniffing out every single point possible before the season is done. Let's get to it: MIXED LEAGUE Octavio Dotel, RP, CWS (Yahoo: 6 percent owned; ESPN: 5 ..."

Treasure Hunting: Sep. 24, 2009

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September 24

SportsGrumblings.com

"At this point in the season you're either in a race or in a keeper league pining for the start of the 2010 season. In the latter case, you're probably looking at who to carry forward with next season. Let's take a look at some common keeper questions that teams will be facing next season. Should I carry forward a rookie from 2009 who was highly touted but has done nothing so far? Maybe one of the biggest mistakes fantasy players make is overrating the scouting reports. Every year there are rookies who under perform and every year people (including yours truly) get suckered in. Let's face facts here. For every Evan Longoria rookie season there is a Matt Wieters and a David Price. ..."

Lidge blows another save

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September 24

ESPN.com

"As the end of the 2009 regular season draws near, many fantasy owners -- especially those in keeper leagues -- are already looking ahead to 2010. They're scanning the waiver wire looking for bargains and crunching the salary numbers in their heads, attempting to narrow down the list of players they'd like to hang on to for next season. To them, may we offer a word of advice: Leave the pitchers off your list. To understand why, you need look no further than Brad Lidge of the Philadelphia Phillies. He was perfect in 2008, saving 41 games in 41 attempts, registering a 1.95 ERA and holding opponents to a paltry .198 batting average. So why wouldn't you want to hold on to this projected ..."

By the Numbers: What went wrong in '09

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September 23

CBSSports.com

"Whether you are considering keeper decisions or are just ready for an end-of-season retrospective, now is the time to take a closer look at some of this season's unexpected performances. This week, our focus will be on the unpleasant surprises of 2009 -- the players whom we thought would be among Fantasy's best but wound up doing little to distinguish themselves from the pack. We will start with the hitters in this column and will return with a sample of underperforming pitchers later in the week. The eight batters featured here were all among the best at their respective positions in 2008, and each showed every sign of repeating their strong performances in 2009. We will scour each ..."

Pen Names: Sept. 23, 2009

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September 23

SportsGrumblings.com

"Denver, CO: Rockies reliever and one time super prospect Franklin Morales took the reigns for an injured Huston Street on September 4, and subsequently went on to earn a save in his next six games. He hasn't registered one since, and has had the misfortune of registering a couple of outings (on back to back nights no less). Overall, Morales has been something of a revelation, to which his 2.16, 6 saves, and 11K/9 all attest. With a 1.56 September WHIP, not everything is coming up roses, but he should continue to see save chances until Street is back to full health. The question is when will that be? All indications are that Street will rejoin the team soon, possibly as soon as this ..."

Webb Finished in Arizona?

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September 23

Rotoworld.com

"Last week various reports surfaced that the Diamondbacks don't plan to exercise the $8.5 million option on Brandon Webb for 2010 and would instead attempt to work out a new, incentive-laden deal for the injured right-hander. Those plans hit a major snag Tuesday when Webb said that he's not willing to take a discount to remain in Arizona "if it comes down to that and they ask me to do something like that." While paying $8.5 million for Webb next season is a huge risk for the Diamondbacks given that he hasn't pitched since Opening Day thanks to a shoulder injury, it doesn't make much sense for him to accept a below-market deal when big-payroll teams like the Yankees and Red Sox would ..."