The 2016 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread...

[Chi_archie]

Dexter Fowler returns to the Cubs on a 1 year $13M deal. He pulled a DeAndre Jordan on the Orioles.

wow

[Otters27]

Glad Fowler is staying with the Cubs. Guy is a extreme athlete. This is the Cubs year

[Cross]

Orioles never signed Fowler, this is such a non story. I'd play for the Cubs too if I were him, smart man!

[stevenash]

Glad Fowler is staying with the Cubs. Guy is a extreme athlete. This is the Cubs year

Problem with the Cubs is, the alarming strike out rates.
Cubs are going to be fun this year, I'm pumped to watch them myself, but they are going to piss off a lot of fans striking out in key situations.

They'll win a lot of games with home runs, don't get me wrong, but that Cub line up will strike out 14 times a game if a Harvey, Kershaw, Cole, Fernandez, etc is throwing 98 mph heat while bringing their 'A' game.

Personally I think the Cubs will fatten up on weak ass pitching, but I can see them struggling against good power arms, and know this, National League have a lot of good power arms.

Don't get me wrong, they are a fun team to watch, and I wish them well, but think twice if you are going to bet the farm on them.

These are 2016 ZIPS projections, these K % rates are alarming.

Player	PA	BB%	K%	ISO	BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	wOBA
Kris Bryant	658	12.20%	30.20%	0.222	0.35	0.263	0.362	0.485	0.37
Anthony Rizzo	674	11.00%	17.80%	0.231	0.289	0.271	0.369	0.502	0.375
Jason Heyward	613	10.10%	17.00%	0.159	0.311	0.274	0.352	0.433	0.349
Ben Zobrist	560	11.40%	12.50%	0.166	0.291	0.273	0.356	0.439	0.346
Addison Russell	500	6.80%	25.20%	0.161	0.317	0.252	0.307	0.413	0.316
Kyle Schwarber	586	11.10%	26.80%	0.246	0.294	0.25	0.337	0.496	0.358
Dexter Fowler	574	12.40%	22.10%	0.148	0.317	0.255	0.352	0.403	0.34
Javier Baez	526	5.90%	28.90%	0.195	0.313	0.248	0.301	0.443	0.33
Austin Jackson	611	7.00%	22.60%	0.131	0.328	0.261	0.315	0.392	0.317
Miguel Montero	458	11.10%	23.40%	0.126	0.284	0.232	0.325	0.358	0.298

[koz-man]

I was thinking Trout or Kershaw, I like Goldy a lot too but probably not quite as much as the other two.

If that's what you feel. I would stay with it! Both should contribute excellent numbers this year.

[stevenash]

can kc 3peat as AL champs?

Yes, but wish they kept Zobrist.
Infante's elbow is shot, now they have to go to war with Christian Colon or Cuthbert at 2B.

Lorenzo Cain hasn't even hit is peak yet, he's going to have a 20/20 season, Morales is a very smart hitter, Hoss is solid, Moose is a gamer, Perez is the best C in the game, and Escobar proved he can step up big time, Gordon is the best defensive LF in the game

They picked up Soria to eat up Holland's innings, when Holland comes back KC will have a 4 headed monster in the bull pen.

Starting rotation is ordinary.

[Shortstop]

Kool story!!

Nationals reliever Blake Treinen and his "wingdog" Maxx traveled more than 3,000 miles from Walla Walla, Washington, to Viera, Florida -- perhaps the longest road trip ever taken by a baseball player headed to spring training.

Blake Treinen and his bulldog's travel stats: 3,200 miles, six stops, 46 hours. The dog days of road trips

This is a cool story! Good stuff!

Definitely "Man's Best Friend!"

[Shortstop]

I have the 2nd pick in my first fantasy draft of the year tomorrow (std scoring) who would you guys pick in that spot ?

Nice position to be in, EM!

You're going to get a stud regardless of who gets taken ahead of you...

[EmpireMaker]

Nice position to be in, EM!

You're going to get a stud regardless of who gets taken ahead of you...

Goldy went 1st, I took Kershaw, then I got DeGrom in the 2nd and Abreu in the 3rd and Jose Fernandez in the 4th I'm happy with my draft. (10 team league)

[Cross]

Pretty sure signing heyward and zobrist will improve k rate, also young hitters a year older now.

[Chi_archie]

Goldy went 1st, I took Kershaw, then I got DeGrom in the 2nd and Abreu in the 3rd and Jose Fernandez in the 4th I'm happy with my draft. (10 team league)

nice drafting!

[Andy117]

Orioles never signed Fowler, this is such a non story. I'd play for the Cubs too if I were him, smart man!

Where's he getting ABs with the Cubs?

[Shortstop]

Goldy went 1st, I took Kershaw, then I got DeGrom in the 2nd and Abreu in the 3rd and Jose Fernandez in the 4th I'm happy with my draft. (10 team league)

Damn! Nice work!

[Shortstop]

Problem with the Cubs is, the alarming strike out rates.
Cubs are going to be fun this year, I'm pumped to watch them myself, but they are going to piss off a lot of fans striking out in key situations.

They'll win a lot of games with home runs, don't get me wrong, but that Cub line up will strike out 14 times a game if a Harvey, Kershaw, Cole, Fernandez, etc is throwing 98 mph heat while bringing their 'A' game.

Personally I think the Cubs will fatten up on weak ass pitching, but I can see them struggling against good power arms, and know this, National League have a lot of good power arms.

Don't get me wrong, they are a fun team to watch, and I wish them well, but think twice if you are going to bet the farm on them.

These are 2016 ZIPS projections, these K % rates are alarming.

Player	PA	BB%	K%	ISO	BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	wOBA
Kris Bryant	658	12.20%	30.20%	0.222	0.35	0.263	0.362	0.485	0.37
Anthony Rizzo	674	11.00%	17.80%	0.231	0.289	0.271	0.369	0.502	0.375
Jason Heyward	613	10.10%	17.00%	0.159	0.311	0.274	0.352	0.433	0.349
Ben Zobrist	560	11.40%	12.50%	0.166	0.291	0.273	0.356	0.439	0.346
Addison Russell	500	6.80%	25.20%	0.161	0.317	0.252	0.307	0.413	0.316
Kyle Schwarber	586	11.10%	26.80%	0.246	0.294	0.25	0.337	0.496	0.358
Dexter Fowler	574	12.40%	22.10%	0.148	0.317	0.255	0.352	0.403	0.34
Javier Baez	526	5.90%	28.90%	0.195	0.313	0.248	0.301	0.443	0.33
Austin Jackson	611	7.00%	22.60%	0.131	0.328	0.261	0.315	0.392	0.317
Miguel Montero	458	11.10%	23.40%	0.126	0.284	0.232	0.325	0.358	0.298

Almost an entire 1-8 of "Dave Kingman's" ????????

[Shortstop]

can kc 3peat as AL champs?

No doubt. I wouldn't be surprised at all...

[BarkingToad]

Kool story!!

Nationals reliever Blake Treinen and his "wingdog" Maxx traveled more than 3,000 miles from Walla Walla, Washington, to Viera, Florida -- perhaps the longest road trip ever taken by a baseball player headed to spring training.

Blake Treinen and his bulldog's travel stats: 3,200 miles, six stops, 46 hours. The dog days of road trips

Maxx would be a great mascot for Nats, especially for a team that uses the Walgreens logo.

[El Nino]

Goldy went 1st, I took Kershaw, then I got DeGrom in the 2nd and Abreu in the 3rd and Jose Fernandez in the 4th I'm happy with my draft. (10 team league)

Stacked in the pitching department

[LT Profits]

Stacked in the pitching department

I could not have passed up Trout at #2, best 5-category guy in fantasy. And I'd never take pitchers early either, very similar to quarterbacks in fantasy football. I'd rather have a stacked offense and get some bargain pitchers that give good value for their ADP late.

[Otters27]

No doubt. I wouldn't be surprised at all...

They have the experience now. Just hope they don't get complacent. Alex Gordon sacrificed a lot of money to stay there. That should go a long way in the locker room

[Wrigley]

Hoffman gets in eventually?

He will be in someday

[mr. leisure]

Goldy went 1st, I took Kershaw, then I got DeGrom in the 2nd and Abreu in the 3rd and Jose Fernandez in the 4th I'm happy with my draft. (10 team league)

Very solid draft

[El Nino]

Dbacks sign Rickie Weeks to a minor league deal...championship.

[stevenash]

I'm going to be running a MLB fantasy baseball thread.
Probably start it Sunday.

[BigSpoon]

Goldy went 1st, I took Kershaw, then I got DeGrom in the 2nd and Abreu in the 3rd and Jose Fernandez in the 4th I'm happy with my draft. (10 team league)

Trout not going in the top 2 picks is a bit of a shock.

[Chi_archie]

Dbacks sign Rickie Weeks to a minor league deal...championship.

lol nice

[Cross]

Lead off man just like last year of course.

[El Nino]

lol nice

I literally do not comprehend how he has stayed in the majors this long. Just a K machine.

[BarkingToad]

Abraham Almonte is the most recent to be suspended for PEDs.

[Otters27]

Dbacks sign Rickie Weeks to a minor league deal...championship.

Rickie Weeks in college used to steal 2nd and 3rd base every time he reached.

[Wrigley]

Abraham Almonte is the most recent to be suspended for PEDs.

look for more to come mlb cracking down

[mpaschal34]

Rangers sign Ian Desmond to a one year deal. Will play some OF and SS when they rest Elvis.

Nice pick up up for them, but wish the deal was longer than one year since they had to surrender a draft pick for him.

[stevenash]

Rickie Weeks in college used to steal 2nd and 3rd base every time he reached.

Willie Wilson was a catcher in HS because he had the best arm on the team.

Rickie Weeks had the ceiling of Ricky Henderson, than the 2011 off season all his skills disappeared.
He had to be juicing in 2010, no way he had 29 HR power naturally.
Led the league in HBP with 25 in 2010 also, I guess he pissed a lot of pitchers off that season.

[stevenash]

Rangers sign Ian Desmond to a one year deal. Will play some OF and SS when they rest Elvis.

Nice pick up up for them, but wish the deal was longer than one year since they had to surrender a draft pick for him.

He was a perfect fit in Denver, Reyes days are numbered, but I hear the Rox have a phenom that's MLB SS ready now.

[EmpireMaker]

I could not have passed up Trout at #2, best 5-category guy in fantasy. And I'd never take pitchers early either, very similar to quarterbacks in fantasy football. I'd rather have a stacked offense and get some bargain pitchers that give good value for their ADP late.

I got Bryant, Lindor, C Gomez, Springer with the next 4 choices.

[EmpireMaker]

Would you guys rather have Salvador Perez or Russell Martin as your Catcher on your fantasy team this year ?