Justin Verlander, most veritable player
More games, most game?
Can a pitcher be a league's most valuable player?
In 2011, Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury played in 158 games and manned center field for 1,358 1/3 stanzas. He won Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
In 2011, Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander made 34 starts and pitched only 251 innings. He won a Cy Young Award.
What excludes a pitcher?
Just juxta-position Tap your mouse here for more »
Can New York Yankees get inside Zack Greinke’s head? And an invitation to the Mastersball
The Kansas City Royals are dangling Zack Greinke. Ken Rosenthal is the latest to share the 27-year-old's reported feelings about his eventual destination; sources say that Greinke told KC he'll go to any team. The Toronto Blue Jays, after dealing Shaun Marcum, became the initial hottest spot, but they're put off by the asking price.
Ewww, gross
This seems like the perfect time for the New York Yankees to acquire the right-handed uppercut to complement the jabs and hooks that make up ace CC Sabathia.
Reynolds rap, Puma probs Tap your mouse here for more »
Boston Red Sox closing deal with San Diego Padres for Adrian Gonzalez – updated (again)
The Boston Red Sox have reached an agreement that will bring 1B Adrian Gonzalez to Boston from the San Diego Padres, reports SI.com's Jon Heyman. The two sides are still ironing out some details, but there will be a press conference tomorrow to announce the deal.
The prospects remain the same. The Padres will receive P Casey Kelly, 1B Anthony Rizzo, OF Reymond Fuentes and a player to be named later. Boston is expected to add seven years at around $23 million per year to Gonzalez's deal, on top of the $6 million he will receive in 2011. However, no agreement is official yet.
Tap your mouse here for more »
Adrian Gonzalez's indeterminate inner impulse, and fantasy baseball's experience vs. theory debate
The health of Adrian Gonzalez, particularly as it relates to his shoulder, is worth monitoring. Aaron Gleeman explained the legitimate concerns well. It prompts one to ask, For whom is Gonzalez is playing more in 2011?
Not your father's Fathers: Maybin
It's not like his production this year reflected inexcusable power failure, but Gonzalez's fly-ball generation died off a bit at the tail end. The San Diego Padres' biggest asset played with shoulder pain for most of the season, and his HR/FB percentage dipped to 16.4, after two seasons in the 20s. It could just be coincidence.
A-Gon A-Gone, Dodgers' Dues Tap your mouse here for more »
Jeremy Jeffress' pace can lay waste or make it, and Jorge Posada's make-a-wish foundation
As many in the Twitterverse and blogosphere (See: this official club blog) noted, the Milwaukee Brewers' Jeremy Jeffress hit triple digits in the AFL Rising Stars Game on Saturday night.
Posada: from crouch to couch?
Jeffress' velocity, well-documented, serves as a tantalizing starting position for inquiry into his fantasy baseball value. It was a jumping-off point for a question about him at this past weekend's First Pitch Forums, a day after our full FPF contingency attended that close contest.
Cruise control, more Montero Tap your mouse here for more »
Major League Baseball's misguided, made-up mutation … and Colby Lewis, Part Ni?
Should Major League Baseball consider realignment? It gets a little mention because competitive imbalance is rearing its ugly head.
I cost a lot of money
The glaring offenders: the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Obviously, financial advantage fuels competitive imbalance. Those two clubs sit atop the monetary mountain, followed by the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.
MLB MBA, maturing Brave Tap your mouse here for more »
Kerry Wood, closer? Dice-K, control freak? Starlin Castro, fantasy baseball sensation?
Would you have moved Kerry Wood into the closer role yet?
What Wood you do?
A couple of days ago, Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta said that Wood passed the final test - pitching on back-to-back days, while throwing strikes - in his return journey to the back end of the Tribe's bullpen.
Wood's 2010 workload: two games (2 IP) in spring training; catch, bullpen sessions, simulated games; two minor league games (1 2/3 IP) - the first, awful; two major league games (1 IP) - the first, a mixed bag.
Vote! Plus more on Wood, Wright, Dice-K, Starlin... Tap your mouse here for more »
Give up on these disappointing fantasy baseball players? Maybe it's time
Some are reluctant to cut ties with players for whom they paid top dollar, or even midlevel prices. Is it that unthinkable? Take a closer look.
What are you really losing by kickin' Big Papi to the curb?
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox - It's no secret: Big Papi has reached new lows. Can you pull the trigger? He has a six-game hitting streak and has reached two homers. Surely there's hope he won't finish with an RBI total in the 60s. He insists it's not the end. Tap your mouse here for more »
Small feats from Big Papi: David Ortiz is done
Has Terry Francona seen enough? David Ortiz is riding the pine a day after he went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts and stranded 12 Red Sox in a 5-4, extra-innings loss to the Angels.
Francona is a pretty loyal skipper, so don't expect Ortiz to become a pinch hitter. But Tito may give the big guy a couple more days off this weekend. He has also discussed dropping him in the order. Publicly, at least, Francona thinks Ortiz is just "pressing, trying too hard."
Futility for Big Papi isn't unprecedented, but the level to which he has sunk is brand new. Last season, we had a sore knee (residual from offseason surgery) and a partially torn tendon sheath in his wrist to blame. We also saw encouraging signs in May 2008; we have yet to witness any this year. Tap your mouse here for more »
Upside part-timers in fantasy baseball
Nick Swisher and Kosuke Fukudome were clubbing their way into their clubs' respective lineups before injuries cemented their values. Where else might fantasy baseball players prospect for part-time gold? Consider stashing...
OF Dexter Fowler, Rockies - Fowler improved his plate vision as he ascended, from a 0.54 BB/K at Class A to his 0.73 mark for Double-A Tulsa last year. His line-drive rate also skyrocketed, to 22.4 percent, in 2008. Outfielder Ryan Spilborghs is solid, but Seth Smith can be had.
Fowler, an improving switch-hitter has already gone .267-2-4 with two thefts in 30 at-bats. You don't keep your top prospect on the bench. Manager Clint Hurdle: "... [If] he continues to handle [things], we're going to give him more." Tap your mouse here for more »
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