Tag: Dioner Navarro

      2009 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Catchers

      March 5, 2009 /

      All 2009 Fantasy Articles | 2009 Position Rankings

      There’s an unwritten rule among intelligent fantasy football drafters that goes a little something like this: Don’t draft a quarterback before Round 5. That’s because unless you land Peyton Manning, there’s not a huge difference between the No. 2 rated quarterback and the No. 8.

      A similar rule can be applied to catchers in fantasy baseball. Chances are if you selected Victor Martinez (the No. 1 rated catcher in most draft rankings in 2008) early in your draft last year, you punched a whole through one of your walls by the All-Star Break.

      If you selected a guy like Joe Mauer in the fourth or fifth round, you probably were quite satisfied by his .328-9-85-98 production. But what if we told you that you could have had taken Bengie Molina much later and still wound up with .292-16-95-46 production out of your catcher spot? Sure, you would give up runs and sacrifice average, but you almost doubled your home runs and gave your RBI numbers a boost as well.

      What we’re saying is – don’t overvalue the catcher position. Let someone else jump on Brian McCann’s potential or Russel Martin’s stolen base production while you’re concentrating on bolstering the other positions that don’t have the amount of depth that the backstops do.

      As we pointed out, there just isn’t much of a difference at the end of the day between guys like Mauer and Molina. Plus, don’t forget that nowadays most teams like to keep their catchers as fresh as possible – especially the contenders.

      So unless a stud drops into your lap in later rounds, take a look at the backstops below to address your catcher position. You can thank us later.

      Bengie Molina, San Francisco Giants
      Yes, Molina runs with about as much grace as a cement truck and he won’t cross the plate too many times, but his average usually hovers around .285 and he’ll hit 15-plus home runs. Batting cleanup also helps his RBI production and now that young Giants Fred Lewis and Pablo Sandoval are starting to develop, he should have even more opportunities to drive in runs. Consider yourself fortunate if you’re able to pluck Molina off the board late in your draft while addressing other positions in earlier rounds.

      Ryan Doumit, Pittsburgh Pirates
      Doumit is an injury risk, but he’s coming off a breakout 2008 season and at only 27, his ceiling his high. Considering he hit .318 with 15 home runs and 34 doubles last year, he would be an outstanding value late in the draft and although he’s still a bit of an unknown, Doumit nailed down the starting catcher position last year so you don’t have to worry about him splitting time (unless of course he goes into a tailspin in the first half of the season). Like Molina, Doumit will also bat either third or fourth in the lineup, which will give him plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

      Chris Iannetta, Colorado Rockies
      Could this be Iannetta’s breakout year after blasting 18 home runs in 2008? He went from a sleeper last season to a bona fide top 10 starting catcher and his potential is awfully intriguing after he drove in 65 RBI and scored 50 runs in just 333 at bats last year. He only hit .264, but he certainly has the potential to sniff the .300-mark hitting at Coors.

      Jorge Posada, New York Yankees
      A lot of fantasy pundits are down on Posada this year after he had shoulder surgery last year, but even at 37 he still has a lot of value. He won’t play more than 125 games this year, but he should see some at bats at DH, especially with Hideki Matsui continuing to battle a bad knee. Posada hits in one of the best lineups in baseball and if he can stay healthy, he has the potential to hit well over .300 and chip in 15-plus home runs and 85-plus RBI.

      Mike NapoliMike Napoli, Los Angeles Angels
      Don’t expect much in the batting average department, but he has 20-plus home run potential and could have a breakout season in 2009 if he fixes the various holes in his swing. The only problem is that he’s a good bet to be a platoon player and if his average dips too much, his playing time could plummet. Still, he’s a candidate to drive in 70-plus runs, score 60-plus runs and even swipe anywhere from 8 to 10 bases this season.

      Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
      Weiters is a potential sleeper and if you’re in a keeper league, he’s definitely worth a long look. He’s only 22 years old, but he posted a .355 batting average in two minor-league stops in 2008 and could be a tremendous steal late in your draft. Keep an eye on him in spring training because if he earns the starting catcher position in Baltimore, he’s unlikely to relinquish it.

      Ramon Hernandez, Cincinnati Reds
      Call this our bargain bin special. Hernandez hit 15 dingers last year in Baltimore, but jumps to a hitter’s park this season in Cincinnati. He probably won’t sniff .280 in the batting average department, but he’ll give you more than enough pop to keep you happy and you could always grab a young sleeper like Pablo Sandoval (who also qualifies as a first basemen) or a trusty vet like Yadier Molina later in the draft if you wind up pulling the trigger on Hernandez.

      Below is our official ranking of catchers. You’ll see that there is plenty of depth after the top 5, including the guys ranked after the ones we went into detail above.

      1. Brian McCann, ATL
      2. Joe Mauer, MIN
      3. Russell Martin, LAD
      4. Geovany Soto, CHC
      5. Victor Martinez, CLE
      6. Bengie Molina, SF
      7. Ryan Doumit, PIT
      8. Chris Iannetta, COL
      9. Jorge Posada, NYY
      10. Mike Napoli, LAA
      11. Matt Wieters, BAL
      12. Ramon Hernandez, CIN
      13. Jarrod Saltalmacchia, TEX
      14. Kelly Shoppach, CLE
      15. Jeff Clement, SEA
      16. Gerald Laird, DET
      17. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW
      18. Kurt Suzuki, OAK
      19. Yadier Molina, STL
      20. Dioner Navarro, TB
      21. Chris Snyder, ARZ
      22. Brandon Inge, DET
      23. Jason Varitek, BOS
      24. Jesus Flores, WAS
      25. Kenji Johjima, SEA

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Appreciate how the Rays got here

      October 20, 2008 /

      Tampa Bay RaysForget the magical, out-of-nowhere season for just a second. Instead, take a moment to appreciate how the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays got here.

      No big name free agents. No blockbuster trades. No big payroll. The Rays’ built their success through years of phenomenal drafting, patience, and unlike most MLB teams, had the foresight to resist overspending on overpriced talent.

      The Rays’ roster is littered with examples of how a baseball team should build success.

      Take Matt Garza, the starting pitcher who limited the Red Sox to just two runs in 13 innings in the ALCS. He was the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins’ organization entering the 2007 season, and the 21st-best prospect in Major League Baseball according to Baseball America. But he couldn’t crack the Twins’ starting rotation out of spring training and the team began to grow impatient. The Twins felt that they could get a quality bat in return for their star prospect, and they eventually did.

      In the 2008 offseason, Minnesota packaged Garza along with Jason Bartlett and Eduardo Morlan, and sent them to Tampa for Delmon Young, Jason Pridie and Brendan Harris. And while Garza only had a smattering of success in the regular season this year (he went 11-9 with a 3.70 ERA), he saved his best work for Boston in the postseason and wound up earning the ALCS MVP.

      But the Garza trade was just one of many intelligent moves that the Rays have made throughout the years to get them where they are now.

      There’s B.J. Upton, who has quickly become one of baseball’s best centerfielders at age 24. The Rays drafted him with the second overall pick in 2002 and after a couple of years in the minors, he made his debut in early August of 2004.

      B.J. UptonUpton didn’t rot behind an overpriced veteran free agent because the Rays felt that they needed to spend big to win. The club allowed him to play and develop his game at the major league level and obviously the moved paid off, because he’s become a crucial part of the team’s championship run, belting seven home runs so far in the postseason.

      Before Upton, there was Carl Crawford – the Rays’ second round pick in the 1999 MLB Draft. The team took the same approach with Crawford as they did Upton, and allowed him to slowly develop in the big leagues. But really, there was nothing slow about Crawford’s development since he became the eighth player to record 1,000 hits and steal 250 bases before turning the age of 27.

      Against Boston in the postseason, Crawford tied an ALCS record with five hits in one game, going 5-5 in the Rays’ 13-4 Game 4 victory. He also scored three runs, stole two bases and drove in two runs.

      The Rays’ draft success doesn’t end with Crawford and Upton, either. Evan Longoria (the third overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft) made the 2008 All-Star Game and is the frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year after batting .272 with 85 RBI and 27 home runs. He also almost single-handedly beat the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS by belting two home runs in his first two at bats.

      The team also drafted starters James Shields and Andy Sonnanstine, who each of have notched postseason victories. In fact, Sonnanstine has won both of his postseason starts, which is incredible considering he’s making his playoff debut.

      Of course, it’s impossible to talk about how the Rays have successfully built their roster through sound drafting and decision-making and not talk about Scott Kazmir.

      While the mainstream media chooses to focus on Garza, Upton and Crawford this postseason (and rightfully so), it’s easy to forget that Kazmir has been the rock of the Rays’ youth movement since he arrived in Tampa following a trade with the New York Mets in 2004.

      July 30, 2004 is a day most Mets fans would like to forget. That’s when their team traded Kazmir and minor league pitcher Joselo Diaz to the Rays for Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato. Little did the Mets know that they had just traded away a front-of-the-rotation starter for practically nothing.

      Scott KazmirSince the trade, Kazmir has gone 47-37 with a 3.61 ERA, which might not seem that impressive. But remember that before this season the Rays were consistently bottom feeders in the AL East. Kazmir has often won in spite of his team, not because of it. And to put it mildly, he’s been absolutely fantastic as the team’s ace.

      There are more Rays that deserve mention and praise, such as Dioner Navarro, Akinori Iwamura and Gabe Gross, but surely those players will prove how they’ve helped turn this team from nobodies into title contenders when the World Series kicks off Wednesday night.

      The bottom line is that the Rays did it the right way. That’s not to say that every team that spent more than Tampa and who didn’t make the World Series did it the wrong way, but there should be a greater appreciation for a club that is knocking on the doorstep of a championship and spent just over $43 million to do so. (Even the Rays’ World Series counterparts, the Philadelphia Phillies, spent over $98 million on their payroll – 13th most in all of baseball.)

      The Rays were patient in building their success and now are reaping the benefits. While it’s exciting when a team makes a big splash in free agency or pulls off a blockbuster trade, there’s just something about one waiting their turn and winning with youth.

      Instead of bitching about how they can’t compete with how much the Yankees and Red Sox spend, more teams in smaller markets should take a cue from the Rays and be patient. Of course, not every team can draft and trade as well as the Rays have over the years, but it’s obvious they’re better off trying to build through their farm system than dishing out huge contracts to just one or two players and hoping a couple of individuals can win in a team sport.

      MLB

      Experience pays off for Sox in Game 1 win over Rays

      October 10, 2008 /

      Boston Red SoxAs play-by-play announcer Chip Caray said during the final inning of Boston’s 2-0 win over Tampa in Game 1 of the ALCS Friday night, “Experience trumped exuberance tonight.” (I can’t believe I’m quoting Chip Caray, but the comment was spot on.)

      For six innings, Boston ace Daisuke Matsuzaka was un-hittable. Literally.

      The Rays didn’t record their first hit until Carl Crawford singled to lead off the top of the seventh. But once Crawford reached, Cliff Floyd followed with a single of his own, moving Crawford to third and all of a sudden Tampa was in business despite trailing 1-0 since the top of the fifth.

      This is the situation where good teams – World Series contender or other – score that runner from third with less than two outs. But the Rays failed to do so as Dice-K got Dioner Navarro to fly out to left, then struck out Gabe Gross before finishing off Jason Bartlett with a fielder’s choice to the shortstop.

      Inning over.

      Again the Rays struck in the bottom of the eighth after the first two batters reached safely to start the inning. Yet once again they came away with nothing as the Boston bullpen got Carlos Pena to fly out to right and Evan Longoria to ground into a double play.

      In nine innings Friday night, the Sox showed what it takes to be a champion. They’ve still got a long way to go in their chase to defend their title, especially with how good Tampa is. But great teams separate themselves in these types of games and the performances by Matsuzaka, Dustin Pedroia and the BoSox bullpen were outstanding.

      That said, Rays’ starter James Shields was phenomenal and on a normal night when the Rays’ bats are on, he walks away from such a masterful performance with a victory. And Tampa will learn a lot from a game like this and it’ll be interesting to see how they respond in Game 2 on Saturday night.

      MLB

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