Category: Fantasy Baseball (Page 31 of 48)

      Top 50 MLB Free Agents

      November 5, 2008 /

      Manny RamirezSI.com released its top 50 MLB free agents. The first team listed is that player’s current team and the second one is SI.com’s “best fit” for that player.

      1 CC Sabathia 28 SP Brewers Dodgers
      He’s a behemoth, yes, but he proved in ’08 that he might not just be better than Johan Santana, but the most valuable player in baseball. He’ll be rewarded as such, and could turn down Yankee riches to play for a contender in his home state, and to hit every fifth day, which is something he genuinely loves.

      2 Mark Teixeira 28 1B Angels Yankees
      The guy’s got everything – he’s a young, powerful switch-hitter who plays a Gold Glove first base. Soon he will be able to buy everything, and the Yankees would love to devote a chunk of the revenue from their new ballpark to bring him aboard.

      3 Manny Ramirez 36 OF Dodgers Dodgers
      He’s like baseball’s version of Catherine Tramell. So enticing, so beautiful to behold, but be careful if you get too close. L.A., of course, is still in the relationship’s first blush, and will probably pay a fortune for a potential ice-picking.

      4 Francisco Rodriguez 27 RP Angels Angels
      Single-season saves record overshadowed fact that he’s lost velocity on his fastball, doesn’t go more than one inning and was perhaps only the AL’s fifth best closer (after Rivera, Papelbon, Nathan and Soria). Many consider the Mets to be the frontrunner for his services, but they’re on the hook for Billy Wagner’s $10.5 million salary in ’09 and would be wise to pursue a cheaper option.

      5 A.J. Burnett 31 SP Blue Jays Yankees
      Brittle in the past but threw a career-high 221.1 innings in ’08, which was (guess what?) his contract year. His 231 strikeouts led the American League, and his filthy stuff will have G.M.s salivating — particularly those that lose out in the CC Sabathia sweepstakes.

      It’s incredibly ironic that no team would touch Burnett with a 600-foot pole around the All-Star break and now he’s one of the most coveted free agents on the market. The Blue Jays couldn’t have given Burnett away at midseason for a coloring book and a box of crayons.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Derek Jeter the worst fielder in baseball?

      November 4, 2008 /

      A couple of stat geeks got together and did a study to determine which MLB fielders were the best and worst at each position. According to their research, New York Yankees’ infielder Derek Jeter is the worst defensive shortstop, worst defensive fielder at any position and worst uniform-wearer in all of baseball.

      Derek Jeter“They watched film of every major-league game, and had recorded every ball off the bat by the direction in which it was hit [the vector], the type of hit [groundball, flyball, line-drive, popup, etc.] and by how hard the ball was hit [softly hit, medium, hard hit],” according to James.

      In an earlier article that appears on James’ Fielding Bible Web site, BIS ripped Jeter.

      “They had analyzed the outcomes to determine who was best at turning hit balls into outs,” James wrote. “One of their conclusions was that Jeter was probably the least effective defensive player in the major leagues, at any position.”

      Jeter is no stranger to statistically questioned fielding. A Penn University study released in February found Jeter to be the worst shortstop in the majors.

      “Maybe it was a computer glitch,” Jeter told The Post during spring training. “Every [shortstop] doesn’t stay in the same spot, every one doesn’t have the same pitching. Every one doesn’t have the same hitters running. It’s impossible to do that.”

      There’s no question Jeter has lost a step over the years, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. And regardless of what a couple of stat-heads say, Jeter never takes a play off, often sacrifices his body to make plays and always plays with energy.

      Other shortstops like Jimmy Rollins, Troy Tulowitzki and J.J. Hardy might be better defensively, but I would still take Jeter on my team in a heartbeat.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Jake Peavy to the Yankees?

      November 4, 2008 /

      Jake Peavy has apparently added the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim California Santa Anita America to his list of teams he would approve a trade to.

      Jake PeavyTowers said that the five NL teams — the Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals and Astros — remain Peavy’s preferred destinations, but Towers said Peavy also expressed a willingness to consider the Angels and Yankees should it be impossible for Towers to find an equitable deal with one of the NL clubs he likes.

      Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, said in a recent interview with SI.com that his client has some good feelings about the Yankees. “What kid doesn’t grow up dreaming of wearing the pinstripes?” Axelrod said. Yet, for geographic reasons the Yankees remain below the five NL teams on Peavy’s list, and perhaps also the Angels, who have a distinct advantage in that they are the nearest team to Peavy’s new home in San Diego.

      It’ll be interesting to see which starting pitcher the Yankees pursue more this offseason. They’re rumored to be interested in CC Sabathia, but he wants to stay in the NL so he can hit. Peavy would obviously be a great addition, but that means giving up prospects and who knows if he can make the jump into the AL. Out of the two, Sabathia might be the better fit.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Brewers make CC Sabathia an offer

      November 3, 2008 /

      The bidding war for free agent pitcher CC Sabathia has begun.

      CC SabathiaThe Milwaukee Brewers have opened up the bidding for free agent ace Milwaukee Brewers have opened up the bidding for free-agent ace CC Sabathia.

      Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Monday that the team made a contract proposal to Sabathia over the weekend but wasn’t willing to discuss terms of the offer or assess the team’s chances of keeping its prize pitcher.

      “It’s in their hands,” Melvin said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “He hasn’t really had a chance to talk with other teams.”

      Sabathia, who went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA for Milwaukee after he was traded from the Cleveland Indians on July 7, filed for free agency over the weekend and is expected to draw interest from big-market teams who could outbid the Brewers. His new deal could top Johan Santana’s $137.5 million, six-year contract with the New York Mets.

      This is obviously only the beginning. Sabathia will still likely draw offers from the New York Yankees and perhaps the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are in great need of a front-of-the-rotation starter. Sabathia has often said that he wants to hit, which would mean he’d eventually settle with a National League team. Money talks, however, and one has to believe that the Yankees are going to come with a substantial offer.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Now That The World Series Is Over…….

      November 1, 2008 /

      It’s time for one of my favorite times of the year in baseball, the Hot Stove League…a.k.a. the time when players change teams and change the landscape of MLB for the following season. Let’s start by taking a look at the big names that will be moved or signed as free agents in the coming months, and be sure to check back in with us each week during the cold months….

      Manny Ramirez—Word is the Dodgers do not want to sign Manny to a 4-5 year deal the way agent Scott Boras would like. That leaves open the very real possibility that Manny could be heading back to the American League where he can DH for a team like (are you ready for this?) Toronto. I don’t know, that just doesn’t seem right, does it? But it sure would tighten up a tough division even more. My feeling is Manny stays in LA for two years or so. The Yankees will also have to make a bid, and you might expect the Mets to as well just to say they did.

      CC Sabathia—The Brewers would love nothing more than to re-sign their ace who came over from Cleveland in July and almost led them to the promised land. Well, he did almost single-handedly land the team in the playoffs. CC likes Milwaukee, but yearns for the west coast where he is from. The Dodgers might open their wallet here, especially if Manny goes elsewhere. The Yankees are also expected to bid, so the $$ could go high.

      Jake Peavy—The hot rumor is that Peavy is being courted in a trade by the Braves, but GM Frank Wren is not itchy to give up the top prospects the Padres are looking for.

      Francisco Rodriguez—The Angels’ closer who saved a major league record 62 saves in 2008, is expected to receive a hefty offer from the Mets to replace Billy Wagner.

      Mark Teixeira—The Angels are likely to re-sign him, but if the Yankees do not get Sabathia, expect a run from them as well.

      Other news….

      Detroit’s Freddy Garcia has filed for free agency after pitching just three games for the Tigers in 2008……Seattle’s Raul Ibanez has also filed…AJ Burnett is likely to opt out of his contract with Toronto, and is expected to do so before next week’s GM meetings….Ken Griffey’s option was declined by the White Sox, who didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs against Tampa. Griffey should find a home in the American League as a DH….Florida traded 1B Mike Jacobs to Kansas City on Thursday for pitcher Leo Nunez….the Tigers declined the option on Edgar Renteria….the Dodgers’ Jeff Kent is finally expected to retire…..in Brewers news, Ben Sheets has declared free agency, and they have named former A’s manager Ken Macha to replace Ned Yost…the Brew Crew also declined their option on infielder Craig Counsell yesterday.

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, Fantasy Baseball, MLB

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