Hello everyone,

I'm trying to set my rotation heading into this season and I have 4 options to choose from to select my final 2 arms.

Here are the choices...

Tim Hudson

Matt Harrison

Jake Peavy

Erik Bedard

Tim Hudson was a no-brainer until I found out he had back surgery that might keep him out for the 1st month of the season. Furthermore, I'm not sure how this surgery will impact his stuff/performance. Matt Harrison is a guy that I expected to fail, but never did. He pitched well all season long, showed good stuff, and is very young. My concern is that he pitches in Texas (although he has good gb rates and low hr rate), and doesn't get as many Ks as he should based on his arsenal. Jake Peavy and Erik Bedard are twins as far as I'm concerned as both represent high risk and high reward.

If you were in my position, which 2 would you select? FYI, 5x5 Roto Keeper League.

Thanks all!

Hey guys,

Trying to set my weekly roster (due tonight).  I have the choice between 3 speedsters:

Juan Pierre

Nyjer Morgan

Brett Gardner

Pierre's bat has come alive lately, but I'm not sure if he has the greenlight to run as he pleases on the bases.  He had an ugly caught stealing today in the middle of a rally, and I'm sure it mustve really pissed off Ozzie Guillen.  Morgan has also been hitting well, and seems to be getting the majority of the starts for the Brewers in CF.  His lineup spot fluctuates between 2nd and 8th though.  Gardner's bat is a little cold, is getting benched vs lefties in favor of Andruw Jones, and is stuck at the bottom of the lineup.  If you were me, who would you select?  My weak categories are Runs and Steals.  I think the choice is between Pierre and Morgan, with the slight edge to Pierre due to his leadoff spot, and secure playing time.  I would love to get some other opinions on this though.

Hey guys,

I'm hoping to get some advice on who to start for my rotation this upcoming week.  We start 6 pitchers.

Its a weekly league, so i must set my lineup before 3am tonight.  Standard 5x5 league.

Here are my pitchers and their matchups this week:

Josh Beckett @ Cleveland

Max Scherzer vs Boston

Chad Billingsley @ Houston

Daniel Hudson @ Houston

Brandon Morrow vs Chicago (AL)

Kyle McClelland @ San Diego

Travis Wood @ Philadelphia

Phil Coke vs Tampa Bay & Boston

Chris Narveson vs Washington

Jake Peavy @ Texas

Which 6 would you start this week???  THANKS!!!!

I'm trying to decide on who will be the best MI for the remainder of the season. 

The guys I'm trying to decide between are:

Daniel Murphy

Kelly Johnson

Scott Sizemore

J.J. Hardy

Heading into the season, it was KJ hands down.  However, Murphy has worked his way into an everyday gig, and bats between Jose Reyes and David Wright.  Scott Sizemore, similarly to Murphy, also bats in a great spot (#2).  JJ Hardy will most likely stay in the bottom 3 of the O's lineup.  However, he seems like he could provide good power and RBIs because of the strong lineup overall and great hitters park.  KJ is a wild card.  He probably has the most upside of the bunch, but he seems kinda lost at the plate and possibly losing playing time to Ryan Roberts.

Who do you like most?  How would you rank them for the rest of 2011?

Yovani Gallardo is too good to be doing this bad right? 

He seems like the ideal 'buy low' candidate, however, is he someone you want to put in your rotation?  Let's discuss.  After pitching reasonably well for the first few innings vs the Braves tonight, he suffered another epic meltdown.  The final line consisted of 5 ER in 5 IP with 13 baserunners.  On a positive note, he did accumulate 7 Ks, so at least that's something.  Moving forward, should we expect him to rebound?  I'm not so sure to be honest.  Gallardo hasn't been 'right' for awhile now.  Gallardo typically gets off to a great start every season...

2008 April: 0.64 ERA, 1.07 WHIP

2009 April: 2.86 ERA, 0.87 WHIP

2010 April: 3.41 ERA, 1.38 WHIP

This April? 6.23 ERA, 1.55 WHIP

His May didn't get off to a better start tonight either.  If you believe he is in a small funk or rough patch, think again.  His second half of last season consisted of 5.77 ERA & 1.53 WHIP.  So as you can see, he is in a 4+ month funk.  If you can obtain him in a deal at a discounted price, then definitely acquire him.  Just be cautious before you insert him into your rotation.  Everyone thinks that he will eventually turn it around.  I don't dispute that, however, based on the fact that he has been struggling dating back to the middle of last season, sunny days might not be around the corner.  Yovani Gallardo simply cannot be trusted right now.

Looking to add a MI off the waiver wire to fill in for the slumping Kelly Johnson.

Who would you select between Daniel Murphy and Alberto Callaspo?

Murphy seems to be looked into the #2 spot in the lineup between Reyes and Wright.  Callaspo hit in an RBI spot at 6th in the batting order.  Both have playing time issues, so I think that's a wash.  They both actually seem like similar high contact hitters who don't strike out much.  Murphy is technically in a platoon with Justin Turner, but the way Murphy has been hitting lately, I think his days on the bench will be less and less.  Callaspo has been hitting all season long, however, with Erick Aybar and Macier Izturis both in the picture, I could see Aybar at SS and Izturis at 3B a couple of times a week at least, leaving Callasop on the bench (although he should be playing everyday imo).  I know its not a major move, but I've got an empty roster spot, so just looking to add a guy to play in the short-term while Kelly Johnson continues to struggle.  For what its worth, its a standard 5x5 roto league.

With today's demotion of Travis Snider, it got me thinking... is Pedro Alvarez next?  Heading into this season, he was a popular pick for a thin position, but he has done nothing but disappoint.  He been a slow starter throughout his professional career, so its quite possible that a hot streak or some good games are right around the corner.  As an Alvarez owner myself, I'm quite frustrated and disappointed in his performance thus far.  The upside is undeniable of course, but I guess sometimes it takes young kids a little while to figure things out.

From Rotoworld:

Mike Leake was arrested Monday in Hamilton County, Ohio on charges of theft.

Leake was stopped by Macy's employees in downtown Cincinnati after trying to leave the store with nearly $60 worth of T-shirts. He was taken to jail and is facing a misdemeanor. Leake, 23, is earning right around $425,000 this season.

Ya ya, how is this minor league related... who cares, its newsworthy.  I must say, this is quite surprising.  You hear about DUI's, drugs (marijuana), but shop-lifting t-shirts???  So not cool, haha.  I wonder how this plays out within the Reds organization.  So far he's been able to avoid the minor leagues, but could he be sent there as 'punishment'?

For what its worth, he's pitched alright, 3.78 FIP, 3.84 xFIP.  However, Bailey and Cueto are due back soon.

Inspired by a discussion this morning on our local sports radio station...

What would your theme music be when you come to the plate to bat?

What would your theme music be when you come out of the bullpen?

Some classics include "Welcome To The Jungle" for Eric Gagne, and "Hells Bells" for Trevor Hoffman.  "Wild Thing" for Ricky Vaughn is obvious, haha.  Do you recall any hitters having memorable entrance music?  Over the past couple of years I've been hearing a lot of "Turn My Swag On", which I think is kinda douchey. 

What would you select for yourself as a batter/reliever?

Hey guys,

Unfortunately, I have not been able to catch many spring training games on television this year.  I was wondering if anyone has any insight on how Travis Snider has looked at the plate.  Any linger effects from the strained rib cage?  The batting avg looks great obviously, but I'm more interested in whether he is driving the ball hard or getting dink n dunk cheap hits.  Also, how is he looking vs lefties, as well as high fastballs.  Any insight would be much appreciated.  As long as he stays healthy, I think he is in for a big season.

With my keeper roster due at the end of the week, I have a decision to make for my final minor league spot.

Here are the candidates...

SP Mark Rogers (MIL)

OF/1b Brandon Allen (Arz)

3B Brent Morel (CHW)

From a strictly fantasy perspective, who would you keep?  Rogers has a history of arm issues, but looked great in his debut last season for the Brewers.  His stuff seems to be almost all the way back from pre-injury.  Is his future role a starter or reliever though?  Not sure if the arm can hold up.  Allen seems to be a guy that doesn't have much left to prove in the minors, but can't seem to find a starting job in the D-backs lineup because new GM Towers acquired Juan Miranda, Xavier Nady, and Russell Branyan (all guys that play the position Allen plays).  Morel is known more for his defense, but I've read he should be capable of hitting for a good average, and the aid of US Cellular Field can possibly inflate his HR totals from the projected 10-15 HR power, to possibly 15-20 HR.  As of right now, he is in a tight battle with Mark Teahen for the starting 3b job in the south side.

So...  Who would you keep?  For what its worth, 5x5 Roto League.

I recently read that Quentin is working on improvements to his swing with the hitting coach.  Can anymore tell me how he's looked this spring?  I know the batting average isn't pretty, but I'm more concerned about whether he's driving the ball or popping it up a lot.  I'm still holding out hope that he can recapture some of that 2008 magic.  As long as he can stay healthy, the ABs will be there for a potential 30/100 season.

So, anyone have some observations on how his at-bats have looked this spring?

Alright folks, with my keeper roster being due this week, I could use some feedback before I finalize things.

League Info: 12 Teams, Standard 5x5 Roto on Yahoo

Here is my roster at the moment (we protect 20 - starting roster)...

C-Brian McCann

1B-Ryan Howard

2B-Robinson Cano

SS-Alexei Ramirez

3B-Pedro Alvarez

CI-Mark Teixeira

MI-Kelly Johnson

OF-Andrew McCutchen

OF-Andre Either

OF-Shane Victorino

OF-Carlos Quentin

UT-Travis Snider

SP-Josh Johnson

SP-Max Scherzer

SP-Chad Billingsley

SP-Daniel Hudson

SP-Josh Beckett

SP-Ian Kennedy

RP-Brian Wilson

RP-Brad Lidge

Notable guys I'm cutting: Logan Morrison, James Shields, AJ Burnett, Jorge De La Rosa

Should I submit my starting roster as listed above or make a change based on my cut guys?

Furthermore, do you believe this is a competitive team?  If not, where should I improve?

My self-assessment is that I could use help in speed and avg.  Strength is HR and Ks.

Your help is greatly appreciated because you guys are a knowledgeable group.

I know we shouldn't put too much stock into spring performances, but c'mon, AJ has looked fantastic.  Haven't seen much of his hook so far, but the fastball has been a solid 92-94.  From what I've read, he's been working on a changeup this spring.  Any word on how its looked?  I'm cautiously optimistic on Burnett this season.  Larry Rothschild seems to have corrected a flaw in his delivery which has translated to excellent results.  His control is much improved, velocity been good, and lots of groundballs.  Once he starts using more hook, Ks will go up.

What are your thoughts on AJ Burnett this season?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W-F8A6F9bE

This kid is quickly becoming my favorite pitching prospect in all of baseball.  The kid has legitimate 3 plus pitches (fastball, curve, change), and knows how to command it like a veteran.  I completely understand that he needs to build up some more innings in the minors, but there is no doubt in my mind that Banuelos could be an effective starter at the MLB level RIGHT NOW.  For all the press and hype that Jeremy Hellickson gets for the Rays, I believe Banuelos is better.  The Johan Santana comparison is not as crazy as it might sound folks.

What was the point of this post?  Just wanted to give ManBan the respect he deserves.

Hey guys,

I'm trying to decide between Carlos Quentin and Logan Morrison.  Right now my team is on the cusp of competing, so part of me feels that Quentin would be more useful for the immediate future.  However, thinking long-term, Morrison seems to have pretty darn good potential.  The only concern is whether he will develop 20+ hr power.  Quentin is not old by any means, only 28 or 29.  It seems both will be batting around 6th in the lineup.  The power advantage goes to Quentin, avg and health to Morrison.  Does Quentin still have that 2008 season potential (.288, 36 hr, 100 rbi)?  I dunno, but its tempting to find out. 

What do you guys think?  No brainer to hold onto the better long-term player in Morrison, or try to hope that Quentin stays healthy enough to pop 25-30 hr and 90+ rbi?  High risk/reward vs promising young bat.

Apparently Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Angels and Blue Jays have agreed upon a trade that involves Mike Napoli and Vernon Wells changing teams.  As a Jays fan, I'm really happy about this.  I'm really hoping that the Jays didn't have to include any money, but they probably did.  Wells had a heavy back-loaded deal.  On the flip side, the Angels seemed happy with Jeff Mathis behind the plate, and with Hank Conger waiting in the wings, Napoli was definitely expendable.  What does this mean for the Jays outfield and catching position?  I was under the impression that Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind were going to share the 1b/DH role, leaving Arencibia with catching duties to be shared with Jose Molina.  With Napoli in the picture, it appears Arencibia is the big loser in this trade.  In the outfield, I'm guessing Rajai Davis moves to CF, and Travis Snider will play full-time in either RF or LF, depending on what they do with Jose Bautista (3B?)  From the Angles side of things, I expect Wells to move to LF.  Bourjos is way too good in CF, and Hunter is pretty good in RF. In my opinion, Wells has lost a step on defense (might be an understatement).  I love how Alex Anthopolous pulls this stuff off without it getting leaked.

What are your thoughts on this potential trade?  ie The impact for both teams.

Assuming no $$$ is involved, Angels making a desperate move after losing out on Crawford/Beltre?

I came across an interesting thread on another blog that I found would be fun to discuss here.  The topic was who are the future faces of the MLB franchises.  In some cases, the current faces are young enough to hold position for awhile, but in other cases (Jeter), their time will be up soon.  Which prospects do you think have "Face of the Franchise" potential?  So lets give this a shot, shall we?  I didn't research the below, just what came to mind.

AL East

Toronto Blue Jays - Was Roy Halladay.  Now who?  Ricky Romero?  Vernon Wells? (gross)

Baltimore Orioles - Doesn't seem like Ripken will ever be replaced.  Nick Markakis?  Adam Jones?  Brian Matusz?

Boston Red Sox - Gotta be Dustin Pedroia over Kevin Youkilis, right?

Tampa Bay Rays - Evan Longoria no question.  Or do you think David Price gets some consideration?

New York Yankees - It's Derek Jeter's team.  However, when he rides off into the sunset... Jesus Montero?

AL Central

Minnesota Twins - Joe Mauer for awhile, too easy.

Chicago White Sox - Paul Konerko for now I guess.  Who could replace him?  Sale?  Mitchell?

Detroit Tigers - Miguel Cabrera seems like the logical choice, but Ajax might become quite popular.

Cleveland Indians - Was Grady Sizemore.  Still Sizemore?  Or do Choo and Santana have a shot?

Kansas City Royals - This is tough.  Torn between Moustakas and Hosmer.  Am I overlooking Billy Butler?

AL West

Texas Rangers - Josh Hamilton as long as he's there right?  Neftali Feliz has some appeal.

Seattle Mariners - Ichiro, but I think Justin Smoak will take over eventually, not Ackley.

Oakland Athletics - I don't see anyone that stands out to be honest.  Such a blah team.

LA Angels - Believe it or not, I think Mike Trout is already the face of the team, haha.

NL East

Florida Marlins - Hanley Ramirez... but don't be surprised if Mike Stanton is promoted more heavily.

Atlanta Braves - I don't see how its not Jason Heyward moving forward.

New York Mets - I believe Jose Reyes & David Wright shared this role for awhile.  Ike Davis on deck?  Fan fav.

Philadelphia Phillies - I don't know if there is a true face right now.  Long-term, Domonic Brown?  Cole Hamels?

Washington Nationals - Ryan Zimmerman is the man, and is young.  But Straz & Bryce more marketable?

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals - Prince Albert.  If he walks... Matt Holliday?  Adam Wainwright? Colby Rasmus?

Pittsburgh Pirates - I think Andrew McCutchen is gonna hold onto this title for awhile.  Pedro Alvarez maybe.

Chicago Cubs - I think Starlin Castro is gonna be the guy, but don't sleep on Brett Jackson's sex appeal, lol.

Houston Astros - If its not Hunter Pence, I have no frickin clue, haha.  I dont see a prospect with 'face' potential.

Milwaukee Brewers - Hebrew Hammer.  Prince Fielder won't be sticking around in my opinion.

Cincinnati Reds - Joey Votto seems like the obvious choice.  Jay Bruce and Aroldis Chapman can be sleepers.

NL West

San Francisco Giants - Buster Posey or Tim Lincecum?  Could go either way.

Colorado Rockies - Troy Tulowitzki or Carlos Gonzalez?  Both?

San Diego Padres - Mat Latos I believe.  Don't see anyone else worthy.

Arizona Diamonbacks - Justin Upton.  Chris B Young and Stephen Drew just don't have the swagger.

Los Angeles Dodgers - I don't know who to choose between Kemp and Kershaw.  Possibly Ethier?

What are your thoughts guys?  Let's keep it civil, no need to argue over this, its not that important.

Hey guys,

I was wondering what you knowledgeable fish fans expected out of Anibal Sanchez this year?

I was really happy to see him make it through a full season without any shoulder issues.  An even more encouraging sign was that his velocity crept up as the season went on, and was the highest it as been in several years.  I think its safe to say that Anibal is all the way back now.

Do you think he can duplicate his 2010 season?  Improve?  Regress?  I love his slider.

Hey guys,

What kind of numbers do you think JDLR will put up this year?

I was expecting a big 2010, but unfortunately he sustained a finger injury early on and missed a lot of time.  Upon his return, I really like what I saw.  The fastball was mid 90s, the changeup fell off the table, and the slider has excellent bite to it.  The obvious concern with JDLR is the walks.  Do you expect improvement from him this year or is he who we thought he was, lol.  Sorry, had to make a Denny Green reference.

Is a sub 4.00 ERA, with 180+ K, 14+ W, and a whip around 1.30 a reasonable expectation?

Before some of you criticize me for making a non-prospect post, keep in mind that there isn't much going on right now in baseball except the HOF stuff this week.  So I really don't think it's inappropriate to discuss this topic.

With that being said, do you believe Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa saved baseball?  If you do, do they belong in the Hall of Fame, despite the huge steroid cloud hanging over their heads?  This issue was raised on the local sports radio station and I was wondering what the community here thought about it.  The debate was interesting between the callers, some arguing that based on the numbers alone they should be in, opposing views obviously calling those numbers tainted because of steroids/PEDs.  During this discussion, the question came up, did Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa save baseball?  If they did, do they belong in the HOF because of it ?  What do you guys think?  Did baseball need saving?  I remember is how exciting the HR chase was, and how it captured the world's attention.

I was wondering what you guys thought of Travis Snider heading into next year, and his future as well.

Going into 2010, he seemed like a popular sleeper pick on various fantasy sites/magazines.  Unfortunately, the season didn't play out very well for Snider.  He battled injuries and was mired in slumps.  However, the light at the end of the tunnel is that he is JUST 22 years old right now, with 600+ MLB ABs under his belt, and teased us with a big May and September.  If he can manage to stay healthy for a full year, what kind of season should we expect out of him?  The Ks are high, so I'm not sure he can post a batting avg higher than .270.  The power is definitely legit though.  I watched some video on MLB.com of his HRs and quite a few of them were of the crushed variety.  25+ HRs is not unrealistic assuming he gets 500+ ABs in 2011 (he had 14 HR in 82 games/298 AB).

How do Rajai Davis and Edwin Encarnacion affect his playing time?

What do you guys think?  Still a lot of hope for this kid or are you ready to write him off?

Wanna make some projections?  I really hope John Farrell gives him everyday ABs.  I think he's a great 5/6 bat.

I will say...  .260, 71 R, 27 HR, 83 RBI.  Not sexy, but a step in the right direction I believe.  Your turn!!!

Either guy would only be playing UTL on my roster.  My positions are filled.

Carlos Quentin seems to be a major tease.  The power potential is great, but he seems to get hurt a lot and has posted poor batting averages.  Apparently he has been a little unlucky with the BABIP, however, I don't see much improvement if he continues to hit pop ups.  It seems like a long time ago, but he was huge in 2008  The talent is there, but health and consistency is not.

Derrek Lee recently signed with the Orioles and goes to a favorable hitting environment.  My guess is that Showalter will most likely put him either 3/4/5 in the lineup, which should be good for runs/rbis.  The concern is that he will be 36 this year and is coming off thumb surgery.  Despite a bad 2010 campaign, he is only a year removed from .300+ 30+hr in 2009.

Who do you prefer to play in the UTL spot of your lineup?  The young injury prone kid or declining vet?

Any projections for each?

I posted this on rotohardball awhile ago, but would love to get this community's thoughts as well...

Despite only being 24 years old, it seems like Johnny Cueto has been around forever.  I can still remember his debut in 2008 when he put up 7 IP of one hit ball (1 ER) with 10 Ks and no BBs.  Having watched baseball for over 20 years, Cueto's debut ranks right up there as one of the best I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, that debut set the expectations and hype to unprecedented levels to which it was almost impossible for Cueto to fulfill.

Fast forward to 2010, it appears that Johnny Cueto has been an underachiever.  However, if you look closely at the numbers, he's making improvements.  For the third year in a row, Cueto has lowered his BB and HR rate, and increased his GB rate.  Furthermore, he has also been increasing his strand rate of base runners.  Some may argue that is fluky, but it's quite possible that Cueto is learning to pitch better under high stress situations, rather than unraveling.  The slight concern is that his K rate is also dropping, but his stuff (93+ mph FB, mid 80s slider) is still as good as it was when he debuted with a 8.17 K/9 in 2008.  Has he made the decision to pitch to contact in order to go deeper into games?  It would partially explain his IP per start increase to a career high in 2010.  With his excellent fastball/slider combination, I do expect the K rate to increase soon.  He's had to do a lot of his 'learning' at the MLB level.  I think its just a matter of time before he begins to utilize his arsenal to its potential.

In his 3rd year in the Majors, Johnny Cueto put up his best season in terms of Wins (12), IP (185.2), ERA (3.64), and WHIP (1.28).  I guess you can call this a 'breakout' season.  It wasn't sexy by any means, but it does show promise that the young kid is getting better and making improvements in his game.  These are the qualities you want to see in a young arm.  I still think he might be a year or two away from a 'wow' season, but he's definitely headed in the right direction.  In my opinion, Johnny Cueto will no doubt out perform his ADP.

My projection for Johnny Cueto in 2011:

200 IP, 16 W, 3.55 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 160 K

What are your thoughts on Johnny Cueto for 2011?

Despite only being 24 years old, it seems like Johnny Cueto has been around forever.  I can still remember his debut in 2008 when he put up 7 IP of one hit ball (1 ER) with 10 Ks and no BBs.  Having watched baseball for over 20 years, Cueto's debut ranks right up there as one of the best I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, that debut set the expectations and hype to unprecedented levels to which it was almost impossible for Cueto to fulfill.

Fast forward to 2010, it appears that Johnny Cueto has been an underachiever.  However, if you look closely at the numbers, he's making improvements.  For the third year in a row, Cueto has lowered his BB and HR rate, and increased his GB rate.  Furthermore, he has also been increasing his strand rate of base runners.  Some may argue that is fluky, but it's quite possible that Cueto is learning to pitch better under high stress situations, rather than unraveling.  The slight concern is that his K rate is also dropping, but his stuff (93+ mph FB, mid 80s slider) is still as good as it was when he debuted with a 8.17 K/9 in 2008.  Has he made the decision to pitch to contact in order to go deeper into games?  It would partially explain his IP per start increase to a career high in 2010.  With his excellent fastball/slider combination, I do expect the K rate to increase soon.  He's had to do a lot of his 'learning' at the MLB level.  I think its just a matter of time before he begins to utilize his arsenal to its potential.

In his 3rd year in the Majors, Johnny Cueto put up his best season in terms of Wins (12), IP (185.2), ERA (3.64), and WHIP (1.28).  I guess you can call this a 'breakout' season.  It wasn't sexy by any means, but it does show promise that the young kid is getting better and making improvements in his game.  These are the qualities you want to see in a young arm.  I still think he might be a year or two away from a 'wow' season, but he's definitely headed in the right direction.  In my opinion, Johnny Cueto will no doubt out perform his ADP.

My projection for Johnny Cueto in 2011:

200 IP, 16 W, 3.55 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 160 K

What are your thoughts on Johnny Cueto for 2011?

Jeez, is this the longest winter or what?!?!?  The 2011 season cannot come fast enough.

Anyways, here is some latest news....

- Derrek Lee joining the Orioles on a 1 year deal. Could be a good spot for him to rebuild his value.  Probably won't ever see a lengthy contract again, but somewhat lucrative 1 or 2 year deals are possible with a bounce back season.

- Nationals now in talks with Adam LaRoche on a multi-year deal with Derrek Lee out of the picture.  $$$?

- According to MLB Trade Rumors, Enrique Rojas is reporting that the Texas Rangers are close to signing Adrian Beltre.  This has yet to be confirmed, but there are also reports about mutual interest by both sides.  This would be a HUGE blow to the Angels as their main competitor in the division would be getting the guy they coveted.  I guess the A's fans will also be disappointed, but no surprise really since Oakland is a shit hole and no big free agent ever wants to go there.  If I was an A's fan, I'd hate Billy Beane.

- If Rangers do sign Beltre, what happens to Michael Young?  Traded?  DH?  1B?

- Nothing imminent on the Carl Pavano and Rafael Soriano front as the top remaining SP/RP free agents.

- Where is Vladimir Guerrero gonna go???

- Lots of talk that Andy Pettitte is leaning towards retirement.  In my opinion, he's got the Yankees by the balls now and can demand a pretty hefty one year deal if he wants.  I don't see how he doesn't come back to be honest.

- Slightly old news, but Brandon Webb in Texas is interesting.  Any reports on his velocity returning?

- David Aardsmaa having hip surgery, pretty much killing any chance the Mariners had of trading him.

What are your thoughts on the above and what have I missed?

I was wondering what you guys thought of Travis Snider heading into next year, and his future as well.

Going into 2010, he seemed like a popular sleeper pick on various fantasy sites/magazines.  Unfortunately, the season didn't play out very well for Snider.  He battled injuries and was mired in slumps.  However, the light at the end of the tunnel is that he is JUST 22 years old right now, with 600+ MLB ABs under his belt, and teased us with a big May and September.  If he can manage to stay healthy for a full year, what kind of season should we expect out of him?  The Ks are high, so I'm not sure he can post a batting avg higher than .270.  The power is definitely legit though.  I watched some video on MLB.com of his HRs and quite a few of them were of the crushed variety.  25+ HRs is not unrealistic assuming he gets 500+ ABs in 2011 (he had 14 HR in 82 games/298 AB).

What do you guys think?  Still a lot of hope for this kid or are you ready to write him off?

Wanna make some projections?

I will say...  .260, 71 R, 27 HR, 83 RBI.  Not sexy, but a step in the right direction I believe.  Your turn!!!

1. OF Bryce Harper - I find the fluctuating hype around this kid to be quite odd.  Around draft time, he was viewed as a rare talent that would be capable of putting up monster numbers (power and average).  Now it seems (based on recent fan posts) people feel he will strikeout a lot and might not put up a high average.  Personally, I'm still a strong believer in the kid.  I'm amazed at the amount of talent such a young player possesses.  I see a perennial MVP candidate.

2. OF Domonic Brown - It took me awhile to come around on Brown, but now I'm in love with his power/speed combination.  I think he has .300 and 30/30 written all over him.  With the departure of Jayson Werth via free agency, Brown now has the opportunity to win the RF job out of spring training.  I bet some of you are thinking there is no way Brown belongs ahead of Trout.  From my perspective, I think Brown is safer to reach the comparable offensive ceilings of the two.

3. OF Mike Trout - I'm sure many of you will put up a fuss that Trout belongs atop this list.  To be honest, I wouldn't say you're entirely wrong.  However, I think some of you are overstating his power potential... at least for now.  His skill set is impressive, and the defense will be excellent (perhaps pushing Bourjos to RF/LF).  Bottom line, the Angels have themselves an exciting young player in Trout who will be the talk of baseball once he reaches the Show.

4. C Jesus Montero - I'm sick of the catcher debate and don't care if he is or isn't the long-term catcher of the Yankees or anyone else.  In my opinion, this kid will mash.  He got off to a slow start in AAA this past season and some people began to raise questions.  Take into account his age, level of competition, and 2nd half performance, and you will be 'wowed'.  Montero is gonna be a tremendous hitter and offensive force in the middle of the Yankees lineup once Arod and Tex are ready to move aside.

5. C WIl Myers - Another player with an incredible offensive ceiling but with debate on whether he will be a catcher or right fielder.  While Myers doesn't meet Montero's power potential, he does get the edge in on-base ability.  Myers has an advanced approach at the plate and should put up .300/.400/.500 seasons for the Royals.  He's an athletic kid that won't clog the bases either, so there is 10-15+ SB potential.  But where will he play?

6. 1B Eric Hosmer - If he played any other position, I might have put him number one on this list.  As a hitter, Hosmer appears to be the total package.  He's got the ability to hit for a lot of power and high average, combined with an excellent approach at the plate.  Following a disappointing 2009 season, Hosmer definitely exploded this past year and firmly entrenched himself as one of the best hitting prospects in the minor leagues. 

7. 3B Mike Moustakas - Moose put together an incredible offensive season in 2010.  Some question the legitimacy of these numbers based on favorable hitting parks.  In my opinion, he's a gifted hitter that smacks the shit out of a ball with tremendous loft.  There is no doubt in my mind that he will put up 30-40 HR campaigns.  With his power potential, passable defense at 3b, and rocket arm, I think he belongs in this spot on the list. 

8. 1B/OF Brandon Belt - By now everyone knows about the adjustments the Giants organization made with Belt's swing heading into the 2010 seasons.  As you can see by his numbers, the results were amazing.  He continued ripping the ball in the AFL and he might not be in the minors for long in 2011.  With Huff re-signing for two years, I'm unclear where Belt's defensive home is in the short-term, but I believe GM Sabean has labeled Belt as the 1B of the future.

9. C Devin Mesoraco - Talk about rebuilding your prospect value eh?  I'm pretty sure Mesoraco caught all of you by surprise by his excellent 2010 season.  His offensive potential at a premium defensive position definitely makes him one of the best positional prospects in the minors.  Based on his previous sub-par seasons, I can understand why some of you might be hesitant, but he was highly touted as a draft pick and is finally living up to the potential.

10. OF Brett Jackson - I still believe the Grady Sizemore-lite label fits.  Let's not forget how good a player Sizemore is when he's healthy.  As for Bjax, the concerns are overblown.  He's got a good enough approach at the plate that his strikeout rate can get better.  He's not a free-swinger either, he knows how to work the count and take a walk.  While he doesn't "kick ass" at one thing, the overall package is really good (good power, speed, defense, plate discipline).

11. 2B Brett Lawrie - Hasn't put up eye-popping numbers yet, but I believe as a second baseman, Lawrie has the potential to put up elite numbers at the position.  He is very athletic and his performance up to his point is still quite impressive considering how young he is, and the fact that he came out of Canada where baseball is played strictly seasonally.  The Jays GM has already stated that they view him as a 2B, so for now, we don't have to assume he is OF bound.

12. SS Nick Franklin - Much like Lawrie, Franklin also possesses the potential to put up production that would be considered in the top tier of its position.  Although a lot can go wrong from where he is now and to the upper levels, Frankilin's excellent season gives us good reason for optimism.  He put up impressive power numbers in a tough pitchers league, while posting a decent walk rate.  If he keeps it up, he will be in the discussion for Top 5 next year.

13. 1B Freddie Freeman - Although Freeman doesn't profile as the prototypical power hitting first baseman, he is a good all-round hitter with excellent defense.  Some of you might believe he has more power than I give him credit for, but I see him as a .290-.300 low 20s HR bat.  There's nothing wrong with that and it makes him quite valuable.  However, I believe the guys ahead of him on the list have higher ceilings or positional value.  Freeman's got a high floor.

14. OF Desmond Jennings - To ask Jennings to fill Crawford's shoes is unfair.  However, Jennings himself still has pretty good upside.  With excellent speed and on-base skills, he's a dynamic player who could be a potential game-changer atop the Tampa Bay Rays lineup.  There are a couple of concerns that prevented me from placing him higher on this list.  First, his power hasn't developed as I expected, and second, he gets hurt quite a bit.

15. C Gary Sanchez - When people start calling him a Jesus Montero that can catch, you gotta take notice.  Although it is very early for the lofty expectations to placed on a kid that is so young and far away, the scouting reports have been tremendous up to this point.  Sanchez possesses an elite level ceiling for the position and barring any setbacks in 2011, he will sky rocket up prospect rankings next year.  Montero might only be keeping the seat warm.

16. OF Michael Choice - I'm probably much higher on Choice than most of you, but I think this kid has an impressive set of skills and a huge upside.  He's gonna hit a lot of homers, draw walks, and steal some bases.  The high strikeout rate is a little worrisome, but I'm not overly concerned yet.  Perhaps I'm clouded by my fantasy baseball perspective, but I think Choice has Matt Kemp-type upside.  Still a ways to go obviously, but I'm very optimistic.

17. SS Manny Machado - For those of you with the Arod comps, you're setting this kid up to fail.  Machado is a good shortstop with good skills across the board.  Although he won't 'wow' you in any specific area, he will play excellent defense with solid offensive production (.280-.300, 15+ HR).    He doesn't have much speed and his offensive ceiling doesn't compare to others on this list, but when you take into account his positional value, I believe this is a good spot in the rankings for him.

18. 1B Anthony Rizzo - In the past I've ranked Rizzo ahead of Freeman mostly because I felt that Rizzo provides the thunder that you want from the corner infield position.  While I still do believe Rizzo gets the edge in power potential, Freeman is a more complete hitter.  Although Rizzo won't make Friar fans forget about the hometown kid that was traded away, Rizzo will provide the run producing bat in the middle of the order that they need in the future.

19. OF Jonathan Singleton - Moving to the outfield gave his prospect value a huge boost in my opinion.  Some believe he is athletic enough to handle the switch, others are less optimistic.  Defense aside, Singleton is a very advanced hitter for his age.  He has shown good power and excellent plate discipline.  His first half of the season opened a lot of eyes, but I guess his cold second half soured some of you.  The overall numbers are still impressive.

20. SS/2B Danny Espinosa - Espinosa provides a good power/speed combination and excellent defense at a premium position.  He probably won't be a hitter that posts a batting average above .270, but he brings value in the other areas.  Although he is an above average defender at SS, he will open the 2011 season with the Washington Nationals as a 2B.  Even with the defensive change, he is still an extremely valuable middle infield prospect.

Just Missed: Jason Kipnis, Miguel Sano, Wilin Rosario, Grant Green, Josh Sale

I'm doing some early draft prep for my league.  We are running an early draft this season due to scheduling restraints.  Therefore, I'm trying to get a head start on my cheat sheet for the upcoming season. 

Can you please help me?

I'm trying to figure out how to rank the following arms (Standard 5x5 Roto):

Anibal Sanchez

JA Happ

James Shields

Jorge De La Rosa

Jair Jurrjens

Daisuke Matsuzaka

AJ Burnett

Javier Vazquez

How would you rank them?  Thanks!

First Lebron James gave the city of New York a big F-U.

Several months later, prized FA Cliff Lee did the same.

Lately, it seems I'm hearing a lot of "no-trade clauses" being disclosed from ball players with New York Yankees being on the no-trade list.  Is the fame, the money, and the chance to win no longer enough for New York to attract players?  I'm just surprised to see the number of notable players that dont want to be Yankees.

Did Jay-Z and Alicia Keys mislead us with "Empire State of Mind"?

Why do you suppose more and more players are turning their backs on the "greatest city in the world"?

Is it the pressure?  The media scrutiny (tabloid-like)?  The city itself?  I'm curious to hear your thoughts.