The 2014 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread

[Shortstop]

Thanks for the posting the "Around The League'' segments, Nasher!

Always a good read and very informative...

[benjy]

Great thread. Thanks to all, but especially Nasher, for the great content.

[koz-man]

Yeah, that was difficult to watch. I've always said that I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often...



Any word on how long he'll be out?

heard 6-8 weeks.

[stevenash]

Dodgers No. 5 starterPresumed fifth starter Josh Beckett is dealing with a thumb injury and did not make the trip to Australia. It sounds relatively minor, so I'd still expect Beckett to be part of the rotation, perhaps making his first start sometime in mid-April given all the off-days the team has. Should Beckett be not quite ready, the top candidates could be Paul Maholm and Zach Lee. Maholm has a 7.04 ERA this spring however, but Lee is coming off four one-run innings against Team Australia and was really locating his fastball well on the outter half. Lee now has an 11:2 K:BB in 8.2 innings this spring and looks like he can contribute at some point this year. Maholm though probably gets the first crack at a rotation slot.

Padres No. 5 starterThe Padres have yet to make it official, but it seems likely that Eric Stults will win the No. 5 starter job over Robbie Erlin. It won't be on spring performances however, as Erlin has a 2.45 spring ERA in four appearances while Stults sits at 7.15 with a 1.68 WHIP and just a 5:5 K:BB in 11.1 innings. Stults however pitched well last time out (five innings, one run against the Angels) and he posted a 3.93 ERA in 33 starts last year, so he'll likely get the benefit of the doubt. The Padres could use both in the rotation given that Tyson Ross has had a mediocre spring (6.39 ERA), but with a fastball that averages a tick over 94 mph, the team like's Ross' upside and wants to give him a chance.

Padres OutfieldWith Cameron Maybin likely out until mid-May with a biceps injury, the Padres outfield situation is a big unsettled at the moment. Carlos Quentin should play most every day at one of the corners, while the left-handed hitting Will Venable would seem to be in line for everyday duty as well. Venable surprisingly hit southpaws better than right-handers last year, batting a solid .276/.309/.524 against them. A healthy Venable is a threat to reach 20/20 for the second consecutive season. That leaves one spot open for some combination of Seth Smith, Kyle Blanks, Chris Denorfia, Alexi Amarista, Alex Castellanos, and the surprise of camp,Tommy Medica. A natural first baseman, Medica is batting a robust .296/.420/.646 this spring and could at least see time in the outfield versus southpaws as well as spelling (replacing?) Yonder Alonso at first. Medica is worth a flier in deeper formats.

Giants outfieldHunter Pence is reliable and having a solid spring, but the rest of the Giants' outfielders (Angel Pagan, Mike Morse, and Gregor Blanco) are each batting less than .235 and between the three, have combined for exactly zero home runs. That could leave the door open for Juan Perez to have some deeper league value this season. Perez is batting a healthy .318/.412/.591 and his nine extra-base hits (one homer) are tied with Pence for the team lead. Perez is 27 with limited big league experience, but his minor league track record suggests that with regular playing time, he could hit in the .280 range with 10 home runs and 20 steals. Monitor his status early in the season.

[MexicanStallion]

Opening Day is almost here in about an hour and a half! I'm ready to go with a few bats here.

[Shortstop]

heard 6-8 weeks.

That's actually sooner than I thought he'd be out. I was thinking 10-12 weeks.

Also, who knows what his confidence and demeanor will be like when he returns?

Anyone will be a little gun shy after experiencing something like that...

[stevenash]

Kyle Seager (3B - SEA)

Thanks for the posting the "Around The League'' segments, Nasher!

Always a good read and very informative...

Never a problem

Seager is a player who could be undervalued in 2014, as I believe there is room for significant improvement in his numbers. Seager put up a fairly unremarkable .260/.338/.426 line in 2013, with 22 HR and 9 SBs. However, Seager was in line for a much more impressive season, until a .213 BABIP over the final two months dragged his numbers down. Seager showed significant improvement in his plate discipline (improving his BB% from 7.1 in 2012 to 9.8 in 2013 and, barring another late-season surge in bad luck,

his BA should improve into at least the .270 range. This anticipated improvement, coupled with his proven HR ability(20HR in 2012, 22 in 2013) and what should be an improved lineup around him, makes Seager a player I will be targeting in drafts. As an added bonus, Seager should provide 10 or so SB, which is a rare commodity at his position and which should make him just as valuable as some of the more highly-regarded (and more expensive) 3B.

[stevenash]

Around the league

Baltimore Orioles - 2B Battle.

Ryan Flaherty went 0 for 4 Friday against the Braves. Although Flaherty is playing well this spring, posting a .282 average with 1 HR and 4 RBI, he is being outplayed by prospect Jonathan Schoop, who is hitting .406 with 1 HR and 6 RBI. Both players will probably make the team, with Flaherty sliding over to 3B until Manny Machado is ready, but if Schoop performs well early, he could hold on to the 2B job. From a fantasy perspective, Schoop has far more upside, as he is ranked as the Orioles' fifth best prospect by MLB.com. Schoop had an injury-shortened season at AAA in 2013, but he did post 9 HR in only 289 at bats, leading to the conclusion that he could be a good source of HR at a position where power is scarce. He is an average risk, however, posting BAs of .256 and .245 the last two years at AAA and AA, respectively. These low batting averages are the product of a lack of plate discipline, as evidenced by Schoop's almost 4:1 K:BB ratio at AAA. Despite his lofty BA this spring, Schoop's plate discipline remains suspect, as he has 10 strikeouts to only 3 walks. Nevertheless, should Schoop wind up as the starter at 2B, he could be a sneaky source of power as a late round flier.


John Axford (RP - CLE)
The Indians signed Axford with the intention of having him take over for Chris Perez as closer, despite the fact that he is coming off a down season during which he lost his job as the Brewers closer and was traded to St. Louis in a deadline deal. The trade to St. Louis may have been a blessing in disguise for Axford, because Cardinals coaches supposedly figured out that he was tipping his pitches, and he posted solid numbers down the stretch for the Cardinals. If Axford has truly corrected a flaw in his delivery, he could provide solid value as a closer who is routinely available late in drafts (21.08 ADP). Axford's peripherals remained solid (9.00 K/9, 22.5 K% and a 3.56 FIP) and his 1.52 WHIP was at least partly the product of a .339 BABIP. Axford will likely not have a long leash in Cleveland, as the Indians do have alternatives such as Cody Allen, but the possibility that Axford could return to his 2011 form when he saved 46 games for the Brewers makes him a worthy gamble.


Brandon Phillips (2B - CIN)
Although Phillips drove in a career high 103 runs in 2013, several warning signs appeared that lead me to believe that Phillips will likely be overvalued in 2014. His K rate increased from 12.7 to 14.7%, which may be an indication that Phillips, who will turn 33 during the 2014 season, is starting to lose some bat speed. Additionally, Phillips' steals plummeted from 15 to 5, likely indicating that Phillips has lost a step. While Phillips is probably still a top ten 2B, the slippage in both his speed and his plate discipline cause me to rank him below other 2B who are being drafted later than Phillips' current 11.05 ADP.


James Paxton (SP - SEA)
Paxton has taken advantage of the injuries to Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker to win a spot in the Mariners' rotation. Paxton impressed in a brief audition at the end of the 2013 season, posting a 1.50 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and a 22.3% K rate in 4 starts. Those numbers were markedly better than the 4.45 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 20.5% K rate Paxton posted at AAA (albeit in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League). However, Paxton's AAA numbers were affected by poor luck, as they were inflated by a .338 BABIP and a 65.9% strand rate. Paxton did make significant improvement in his control, reducing his BB/9 from 4.57 to 3.58 (still not great, but improvement nonetheless). Paxton also showed excellent ground ball ability (59.1% GB rate in his 4 MLB starts, although small sample size caveats apply). If Paxton pitches well while Walker and Iwakuma are on the shelf, he should be able to keep his rotation spot after they return, which makes Paxton worthy of strong consideration in AL-only leagues and of at least reserve roster consideration in deeper mixed leagues.


Desmond Jennings (OF-TB)
Is this finally the year for the break-out? Seemingly a perpetual disappointment for not living up to the hype of being "the next Carl Crawford," it is easy to forget that Jennings is still only 27 years old and should just be reaching his prime. Jennings showed some improvement in his plate discipline in 2013, reducing his K rate from 21.3 to 19.1%. Jennings' .252 BA was hampered by a .295 BABIP, which is rather low for a player with Jennings' speed, so some improvement in BA can be expected. More concerning is Jennings' drop in SBs from 31 to 20. All-in-all in does not look like a breakout is coming in 2014, unless Jennings can increase his SBs. We project Jennings to improve in BA (to .261) and HR (to 17, from 13 in 2013), but to essentially hold steady in SBs at 22. While this is solid production, it is certainly not a break-out and makes Jennings somewhat overvalued at his current ADP of 11.05.


AROUND THE LEAGUE


Yasiel Puig (OF-LAN). Manager Don Mattingly announced on Thursday that he intends to use Puig as his leadoff hitter during the season-opening series in Australia. If this change sticks throughout the season it will obviously affect Puig's projected stats in that he can be expected to score more, but drive in fewer, runs. The change may also make Puig more likely to attempt stolen bases, although this may be wishful thinking given the way Puig appears to have bulked up over the winter (0 SBs so far in spring training). We currently project Puig to hit .290, with 77 R, 27 HR, 94 RBI and 18 SB. In light of this recent news, the run and RBI totals should probably be adjusted up and down, respectively, but I would not expect much change in the SB numbers even with this change in lineup position.


Bruce Rondon (RP-DET)

If you were looking at Rondon as a possible deep sleeper for saves in the event of a Joe Nathan injury, you can stop now. Rondon has been diagnosed as needing Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2014 season. This probably makes Joba Chamberlain the front-runner to act as Nathan's setup man.


Kyle Gibson (SP-MIN)
Kyle Gibson has apparently won the job as the Twins fifth starter on the strength of 2.70 ERA over 13.1 innings so far this spring. I would not recommend rushing out to add Gibson to your fantasy teams, however. Gibson posted a rough 6.53 ERA and 1.75 WHIP in a ten start trial with the Twins in 2013. While Gibson unquestionably suffered from some bad luck in producing these less-than-stellar results (.350 BABIP, 66.5% strand rate, 13.5% HR/FB rate), he still profiles as, at best a fourth starter and, on a Minnesota team not likely to be significantly better than last year, Gibson's limited upside is simply not worth a roster spot in most fantasy leagues. Gibson's ascension to the fifth starter spot also means that Samuel Deduno will start the season in the bullpen, thereby eliminating any fantasy value he may have had
.


Evan Gattis (C-ATL). Gattis missed his third straight game with a strained quad on Friday, although he insisted that he would be playing if it were the regular season. Gattis is slated for duty as the Braves' primary catcher in 2014, although he is also expected to receive starts in the OF, which should make him a candidate for more games played than most catchers. Gattis should be a good source of power (although don't fall into the trap of extrapolating his 2013 HR total over a full seasons' worth of at-bats) and we expect him to hit 26 HR in 2014. However, he is not likely to contribute much in BA - although he posted a low .255 BABIP in 2013, that is not exceptionally low, given Gattis' 14.5% line drive rate. Unless he manages to hit more line drives, Gattis is unlikely to crack the .250 BA barrier.

Brett Lawrie (3B-TOR)
Lawrie hit a home run and a two-run single against the Rays on Friday, to raise his spring average to .350. While Lawrie has had difficulty staying healthy and is therefore an injury risk, he has a chance to provide excellent value at the 3B this year and is on my list of players to target in drafts. Lawrie's .254 BA in 2013 was largely the product of a .280 BABIP that was 20 points lower than Lawrie's career average and his counting stats were negatively impacted by Lawrie's inability to stay off the DL (only 107 game played). Assuming he can stay healthy, I like Lawrie to outperform his current 15.05 ADP and post a line of at least as good as the .270/.324/.431, with 18 HR and 13 SB that we currently project for him.






Rajai Davis (OF-DET)
Davis, who has been nursing a tight hamstring, is expected to return to Grapefruit League action on Sunday or Monday. With Andy Dirks likely out for at least 3 months, Davis will have the chance to establish himself as the Tigers' full-time LF. We are currently projecting Davis to post a .270 BA with 44 SBs, which makes him mixed league relevant.

Jackie Bradley (OF-BOS). Bradley went 0 for 4 on Friday, dropping his spring BA to .182 in 44 ABs. Bradley has been outperformed by
Grady Sizemore to this point, and is in serious danger of starting the season in the minor leagues. Not a recommended add at this point.


Michael Brantley (OF-CLE). Brantley went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI on Friday, to raise his spring average to .500. Brantley is a solid play as an OF4 or OF5 in standard mixed leagues, as he provides solid across-the-board production in all categories. We project him to hit .296 with 13 HR, 76 R, 74 RBI and 18 SB in 2014.


Alex Gordon (OF-KC). Gordon went 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI against the Angels on Friday. Gordon is another steady contributor at the OF position, providing production that, while not flashy, will help you in all offensive categories. We project Gordon to hit .272 with 23 HR, 88 R, 93 RBI (thanks to his new position in the five-hole in KC's batting order) and 11 SBs.

[koz-man]

That's actually sooner than I thought he'd be out. I was thinking 10-12 weeks.

Also, who knows what his confidence and demeanor will be like when he returns?

Anyone will be a little gun shy after experiencing something like that...

This is what I'm worried about.

Hopefully he can over-come any fear.

[Shortstop]

Clayton Kershaw kicks off the season with a gem. Plus, he went 1-3 at the plate...

C Kershaw (W, 1-0)	6.2	5	1	1	1	7	0	102-73	1.35

[stevenash]

ADPTrends - 5 pitchers on the Move

P David Price
has looked sharp this spring and his ADP hasmoved accordingly, up almost a full round to early5th round selection. Price has averaged a sub 1.10WHIP the last 2 seasons, and his value is stillbeing discounted based on his under representedWins (10) total from 2013. We believe Price isdeserving of a 4th round selection.

P Cole Hamels
has dropped 2 rounds in ADPto the 8th round 12 selection. Hamels threw two 15pitch innings on Saturday and didn't report anysetbacks. Hamels could be back in late April anddoes offer value in the 8th-9th rounds. Hamelsdealt with a similar issue last Spring and stillmanaged 220 IP.

P Alex Cobb
has moved up 14 slots since hislast ADP run. His dominant 12 strikeoutperformance over 7 Innings yesterday is likely tocontinue to drive up his asking price (9th roundADP) in the days ahead.

P Hisashi Iwakuma
has seen his draft stockdrop 16 slots into the 10th round. Hisashi wasdominant last season posting a 1.00 WHIP and 2.62ERA. Other than the regression expected on his.249 BABIP allowed and 80% Strand Rate, theligament issue in his finger is cause for concernas his splitter is very much dependant on fullhealth there. However the latest news indicatesthat he's pain free and is expected to resumepitching shortly.

P MichaelPineda
has moved up 5 rounds into the 20thround of the ADP consensus. The Yankees have beenusing words like encouraged and hopeful whendiscussing the re-emergence of once promisingstarter Michael Pineda. Through 9 innings thisspring, Pineda has struck out 14 batters and onlywalked 1. WOW! His final audition is expected tocome today, and there's a pretty good chance thathe'll be named the Yankee's fifth starter laterthis week.

[MexicanStallion]

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Tigers' offered Max Scherzer an extension at a slightly lower figure than the $25.7 million per year Justin Verlander received last spring.

That seems crazy to reject. I'm guessing he could make that much in free agency, but you never know.

[ProPicker713]

Cobb is a big strikeout candidate, I use to play him a lot when I knew tampa had the right lineup to back him up.

[greenhippo]

Astros going with closer by committee to start the season, watch out AL

[koz-man]

Astros going with closer by committee to start the season, watch out AL

Fantasy owners nightmares!!!...

[Robber]

Doesn't matter

Astros need to win to get saves

They have almost no MLB
Players

[EmpireMaker]

P MichaelPineda
has moved up 5 rounds into the 20thround of the ADP consensus. The Yankees have beenusing words like encouraged and hopeful whendiscussing the re-emergence of once promisingstarter Michael Pineda. Through 9 innings thisspring, Pineda has struck out 14 batters and onlywalked 1. WOW! His final audition is expected tocome today, and there's a pretty good chance thathe'll be named the Yankee's fifth starter laterthis week.

if his shoulder stays healthy he should have a nice year

[MexicanStallion]

P MichaelPineda
has moved up 5 rounds into the 20thround of the ADP consensus. The Yankees have beenusing words like encouraged and hopeful whendiscussing the re-emergence of once promisingstarter Michael Pineda. Through 9 innings thisspring, Pineda has struck out 14 batters and onlywalked 1. WOW! His final audition is expected tocome today, and there's a pretty good chance thathe'll be named the Yankee's fifth starter laterthis week.

if his shoulder stays healthy he should have a nice year

They are suppose to announce Monday or Tuesday I read. I would have a hard time imagining them going with a different starter. I think it's silly to worry about innings. Just pitch them and when they reach the max, shut them down. I think that stuff takes care of itself than worrying about it.

[benjy]

From the box score and the highlights I saw Pineda looked pretty solid for the Yanks yesterday.

If that was the "final" audition, I'd be surprised if he isn't named the fifth starter.

[Shortstop]

Yeah, Jackie Bradley has definitely had a disappointing spring at the plate.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Grady Sizemore in the starting lineup for Boston on Opening Day...

[BigSpoon]

Tigers acquired Alex Gonzalez to compete for the starting SS spot. Did not even know he was still in the league.

[stevenash]

2014 Fantasy Busts

OF Busts

One of the purest facts of life is that sometimes, no matter what you do, haters are in fact going to hate. As Yasiel Puig enters the 2^nd year of his MLB career, this is a fact he should be awfully familiar with. Puig also received more votes than any other outfielder in our biggest fantasy baseball busts category. He’s a divisive player and people are split on whether or not they want him on their team. If you play on FanDuel, you can pick and choose your spots with him and not be forced to rely upon a full season of production from baseball’s biggest wildcard – just sayin’.
The outfield position received more total votes than any other position, as 21 players—a lot of them household names—received votes. It’s no surprise to see a bunch of older veterans that struggled last season pop up on this list. Guys like Matt Kemp, Josh Hamilton, Jose Bautista, Ryan Braun, and Ichiro Suzuki all received votes, no doubt the effect of each of them having sub-par years in 2013. Just a couple years ago, any one of those guys could’ve been a first-round pick and nobody would’ve blinked an eye. This year, drafters will actively look to avoid the big bust in the early rounds (especially if they had that player last season- Hell hath no fury like a fantasy baseball owner scorned).
Our panel also thinks that many big busts lie within the young prospects. Billy Hamilton has been a hot-topic leading into the 2014 MLB season, but if he doesn’t see the field it’ll be tough to live up to the hype. Bryce Harper and Jason Heyward both came up with a ton of fanfare, but neither have excelled into the MVP conversation like they were expected to.
Our voters also frowned upon a number of players that switched teams this offseason, including Jacoby Ellsbury, Curtis Granderson, Dexter Fowler, and Carlos Beltran at the OF position. New York Yankee fans especially hope our voters were off about that – except in Curtis Granderson’s case.
1B Busts

Chris Davis had an incredible breakout season in 2013. Our voters do not expect that to translate to MVP-level success in 2014. Davis tied with another AL infielder for the most votes received in the biggest fantasy baseball busts category. That doesn’t mean he’ll have a terrible season, but Davis will have to post another impressive season to live up to his newly-found 1^st round draft status. Our voters don’t see it happening.
Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, the two most disappointing first baseman of the 2013 season, both received votes to nobody’s surprise. If neither can turn it around in 2014, their teams’ fans (and owners’ wallets) will want to run them out of town.
Eric Hosmer has been consistent in his 3 seasons in the MLB, but he’ll likely be drafted higher than his production validates in hopes he makes a big jump this season. Be careful drafting players as stars before they make that jump on the field.
2B Busts

Sure, Matt Carpenter, Dan Uggla, Chase Utley, and Brandon Phillips all received votes as busts for the 2^nd base position. But the difference between those guys and the top overall vote-getter is that they’re prospective plays. Missing on one of them won’t ruin your season by itself (if it does, we really need to find you a new hobby). But if you draft Robinson Cano and he struggles with his move to Seattle, you’re going to have a tough time recovering. Plenty of our voters made it known that they’re not willing to expose themselves to that risk. After 9 full seasons at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, Cano took the money – a lot of money- and ran all the way to Seattle. Are you willing to bet your season that he’ll produce numbers and play hard for 162 games on a team that may not contend? That’s a tough question. Luckily for FanDuel users, it’s one they never have to worry about.
3B Busts

Adrian Beltre has been playing major league baseball since 1998. That’s a long time. He’s been able to resurrect his career (for what feels like the 6^th time) in Texas over the past few years and is now considered a borderline 1^st round pick. If you’re going to pick Beltre early, just be aware that all those annoying High School kids you see hanging out at the movie theater were likely born after Beltre started is major league career.
Josh Donaldson isn’t as old as Beltre– he’s only 28- but he has exactly one solid MLB season under his belt. Atlanta’s Chris Johnson also has a very limited history of success. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see either player struggle to replicate their successful campaigns from a year ago.

SS Busts

Jimmy Rollins’ name has been worth a lot more than his production this last few years. Despite playing 160 games last season, Rollins only posted 39 RBIs all season. Jean Segura’s first half numbers were phenomenal, but his second half let down may be more of an indicator of things to come.
And then there’s Troy Tulowitzki. We know the Colorado Rockies’ SS has the chops at the plate to succeed, but can he stay on the field enough to justify an early draft pick? If you’re a numbers guy – and if you’re playing fantasy baseball, you probably are—then the answer to that question is probably not. If Tulo can’t stay on the field, he’ll be labeled as one of the biggest fantasy baseball busts again in 2014.
Starting Pitcher Busts

Plenty of player received votes as fantasy baseball busts at the SP position, but only one guy ended up with more than one. Despite dropping 40 pounds this offseason, our voters don’t think CC Sabathia will get his top form back. It’s tough to expect a 33-year-old pitcher with a reported 88 MPH fastball in camp this year to all of a sudden turn things around. CC has only won 20 games once in his career, and allowed a career high 112 earned runs in 2013.
Sabathia’s new buddy on the New York rotation, Masahiro Tanaka, also received a vote. He’s a major wildcard and it’s near impossible to know whether or not his game will translate to the MLB level. Even Yu Darvish posted a 3.90 ERA in his 1^st MLB season. Be careful not to overpay for the shiny new toy in the New York rotation.
Others include Zach Greinke, who is already facing an injury, Francisco Liriano, who had a magical comeback during his 2013 season after 4 straight seasons with single digit wins, and Cliff Lee, who’s turning 36 years old and on a team that’s not expected to contend this season.
Relief Pitcher Busts

Koji Uehara and Joe Nathan are both aging closers that were able to stave off Mother Nature during 2013. Will either be able to repeat that performance in 2014? Both play on good teams and should be in position for a lot of save opportunities, but whether or not their arms survive another stressful season is another story. Have we mentioned that FanDuel users never have to worry about the variance involved with Relief Pitchers? It makes life a lot easier.
Catcher Busts

Many people are high on Brian McCann as a New York Yankee this season, especially considering that magical short-porch in Right Field. That’s driving his draft position higher and higher, and a couple of our voters feel as though it’s looking too high. If you take McCann in the first few rounds, you better hope that he regains the power that made him one of the most lethal hitting catchers in the MLB. If not, he’ll be labeled as one of the biggest fantasy baseball busts of the season.
Yadier Molina is as consistent as they come, but does his boring consistency validate a high draft pick? Upside-chasers would say no. Willin Rosario’s stock looks to be trending up, but a continued drop in his power numbers is not what owners will want to see. Matt Wieters’ average has droped almost 15 points each of the last two seasons; another drop like that and the Mendoza Line will be in view for the once promising prospect.

[koz-man]

Yeah, Jackie Bradley has definitely had a disappointing spring at the plate.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Grady Sizemore in the starting lineup for Boston on Opening Day...

I'm rooting for Sizemore to have a great comeback year.

[MexicanStallion]

Tigers acquired Alex Gonzalez to compete for the starting SS spot. Did not even know he was still in the league.

I didn't realize he was in the league either. What the hell is up with Stephen Drew? Big mistake not taking the offer.

[Andy117]

I'm rooting for Sizemore to have a great comeback year.

I'll be amazed if he can make it through the year.

[stevenash]

Astros going with closer by committee to start the season, watch out AL

Matt Dominquez will hit 25 bombs for them too.

[Shortstop]

I didn't realize he was in the league either. What the hell is up with Stephen Drew? Big mistake not taking the offer.

From what I've heard and read, Drew would be a good fit for the Mets.

If this doesn't pan out, the Tigers would be the next logical scenario.

And of course he could also end up back in Boston...

[stevenash]

From what I've heard and read, Drew would be a good fit for the Mets.

If this doesn't pan out, the Tigers would be the next logical scenario.

And of course he could also end up back in Boston...

Mets won't spend the money, which is whack, because Drew won't break the bank.
The next time Drew ends up in Boston is with a plane ticket to Logan Airport, on vacation to site see.
Their future is Boegarts.

[koz-man]

SS,

Whats up with your Pirates scoring 22 runs today?

You should tell them to save it for the regular season.

Even Wandy Rodriguez got into the action with 2 hits, 2 rbi's, and 2 runs scored.

[MexicanStallion]

SS,

Whats up with your Pirates scoring 22 runs today?

You should tell them to save it for the regular season.

Even Wandy Rodriguez got into the action with 2 hits, 2 rbi's, and 2 runs scored.

Go ahead and keep scoring in Spring. It doesn't bother me any

[Chi_archie]

Pirates trade for Vance Worley from Twins

hopefully he can regain some Phillies form

as a twinkee he gave up 82 hits in 48 innings last year

guy is going for john van benschoten type numbers!!!

[Shortstop]

SS,

Whats up with your Pirates scoring 22 runs today?

You should tell them to save it for the regular season.

Even Wandy Rodriguez got into the action with 2 hits, 2 rbi's, and 2 runs scored.

That was awesome! Spring Training or not, that put a huge smile on my face!

However, Wandy didn't have a real strong outing on the hill.

But, if he puts up those types of numbers at the plate, who cares?!?!?

[greenhippo]

Matt Dominquez will hit 25 bombs for them too.

Should be their lone all-star and a deserving one at that. Only one on the team (maybe Altuve) who would make a good MLB roster.

[stevenash]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS:Bullish on the Royals Bullpen

Even after losing Luke Hochevar to Tommy John earlier this spring, the Royals will again have one of the most dominant bullpens in the majors this coming season. Setting up for rock-solid closer Greg Holland, the Royals will have Kelvin Herrera, Aaron Crow and Wade Davis. If you caught my latest post in "A Closer Look" in the subscriber section of our website last Friday, you already know that I am high on Herrera. Blessed with an average fastball velocity of 97 MPH, Herrera has a swinging strike rate around 14% and struck out batters 30% of the time last year. His ratios should remain rather low considering his extreme groundball tendencies and the Royals stellar defense. In 2014, after getting off to a rocky start through June, Herrera straightened out some mechanical and mental issues in Triple-A and saw success the rest of the year after being recalled in July. Control is Herrera's biggest problem but it can also be an asset. Being "effectively wild" has proven at times to keep hitters off-balance and can help lead to weakly struck balls.

Aaron Crow's name has been tossed around in the past as a potential fill-in at the closer role for Royals, but lacks the elite stuff that Herrera possesses. Crow doesn't have a dominant pitch and his free passes and homeruns allowed have burned him throughout his career. However, as we've seen time and time again, opportunity is one of the most important attributes to fantasy players and Ned Yost has shown great confidence in Crow, utilizing him in high leverage situations.

After losing out on the fifth starting spot, Wade Davis was reassigned to be a late-inning guy in the back of the Royals bullpen (potentially to fill the void left by injured reliever Luke Hochevar). I talked about Davis in detail earlier this off-season, but he should be poised for a solid season as a reliever. Davis has had success as a reliever in the past and Yost has already said he envisions using Dave in high-pressure situations. To hold onto this role in the bullpen, Davis will need to prevent hitters from squaring up his pitches. For his career, Davis has historically given up line drives at a rate higher than league average. Last year, nearly 28% of batted balls given up by Davis were of the line drive variety.

[Shortstop]

Michael Brantley (Cleveland Indians) is hitting a cool .522 so far this Spring.

He has 24 hits in 46 at bats. This is impressive for any level of baseball!