Posts Tagged Fantasy Baseball
What’s Wrong With Chone Figgins?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on June 29, 2010
Already on the decline?
Chone Figgins entered 2010 as one of the biggest free agent acquisitions of the off-season. His strong on base percentages, combined with his ability to hit for a high average, made him an intriguing fantasy option. Just the thought of employing Ichiro and Figgins in the 1-2 spots was enough to make many owners (and Mariners’ fans) salivate. Figgins, however, has been a major disappointment this season, hitting .232/.337/.277. With the All-Star Break approaching, can Chone Figgins figure out a way to turn things around?
The Arrival of Jay Bruce
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on June 26, 2010
Bruce has quietly improved this season.
Jay Bruce entered 2010 as a bit of an enigma. Once a top prospect, Bruce has been a disappointment in the majors due to a low average and on-base percentage. There was a silver lining, however. Bruce’s career BABIP of .262 ranked as one of the lowest in baseball, meaning his struggles were likely a result of bad luck. Unfortunately, Bruce also displayed a severe platoon split against lefties throughout his young career. In his third season, Bruce has made progress in both areas, and is on his way to fulfilling his lofty expectations.
Is Josh Hamilton Still Developing?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on June 23, 2010
Here's a scary thought: he's getting better!
Without a doubt, Josh Hamilton is one of the most interesting players in the majors. After losing years of development due to a drug addiction, Hamilton managed to make the Reds, despite any recent minor league experience. Due to his unique career path, Hamilton is viewed as a “late-bloomer.” Hamilton, who wasn’t a full-time starter until age 27, hasn’t disappointed in the majors. When healthy, Hamilton is regarded as one of the best hitters in baseball. Unfortunately, Hamilton began his career at the age where many players have already fully developed, making him a difficult player to project. As a result of his late start, is it possible that Josh Hamilton is still developing at age 29?
Should We Believe in Chris Young’s Breakout?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on May 25, 2010
Believe in the Breakout?
Over the past few seasons, Chris Young has been arguably the most frustrating player in baseball. In his first season as a pro, Young put up 32 home runs and 27 steals; while showing the potential that made him a top prospect. While those were impressive counting stats for a rookie, there were still concerns about the young outfielder. Young carried a low average, caused by a high number of strikeouts, and failed to get his OBP above .300 in his rookie year. In 2009, Young completely collapsed. Frustrated with his performance, the Diamondbacks sent him to AAA to work on his game. After half a month in the minors, Young returned to Arizona and hit 8 home runs in 122 plate appearances. In 2010, it seems that Young has continued to build on his strong finish. After frustrating for so many seasons, has Chris Young finally arrived…or is his breakout just smoke and mirrors?
What to Expect From Ervin Santana?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on May 14, 2010
Can he get back to his 2008 numbers?
Besides his 2008 season, Ervin Santana has been a frustrating fantasy pitcher. Injuries and ineffectiveness have held Santana back from reaching his full potential, but in 2008 it looked as if Santana was finally living up to his promise. Santana’s 8.79 K/9 and 1.93 BB/9 were the best of his career, while Santana also posted his lowest HR/9 percentage, which led to a career high GB%. At that point, it was safe to say that the 25 year old Santana was a pitcher on the rise. Once again, however, injuries took hold of Santana in 2009. Despite a strong stretch run, in which Santana posted a 2.84 ERA, he finished the season with a 5.02 ERA. The strong September performance hasn’t carried over to 2010 yet, but will Santana ever regain his 2008 success?
Scott Olsen, Fantasy Sleeper?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on May 11, 2010
Has he finally figured it out?
At age 22, Scott Olsen was well on his way to becoming an established, top-of-the-rotation starter. Olsen held his own in 2006, posting an 8.27 strikeout rate in 180.2 innings pitched. In 2007, he was a popular sleeper candidate in many fantasy leagues. Olsen was, after all, the top Marlins pitching prospect. Unfortunately, things went downhill for Olsen. His K/9 plummeted to 6.78 while his BB/9 rose to 4.33. Olsen also allowed a high FB%, leading to a higher homerun rate. Even though Olsen was somewhat unlucky, with a .350 BABIP and a 65.6% LOB, the decline in his peripherals led to an xFIP of 4.95 in 2007. While his 2008 stats looked better, much of the improvement was on the surface level. Olsen lowered his walk rate, but was the recipient of a .266 BABIP and a high FB%. His K/9 plummeted to a dismal 5.04. In 2010, Olsen might finally be living up to expectations. In his last start, Olsen flirted with a no-hitter, but are his gains in 2010 legitimate?
What to do with Jake Peavy?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on April 30, 2010
What's wrong with Peavy?
Anyone who believed the White Sox would compete in 2010 cited the addition of a healthy Jake Peavy as a major reason for optimism. Just 5 starts into the season, White Sox fans are already pulling their hair out every time Peavy takes the mound. Coming into fantasy drafts, Peavy was one of the most interesting players to project. While doubters cited his injury history and new ballpark as reasons to avoid Peavy, others were optimistic about his performance down the stretch in 2009. Thus far, it appears the doubters may have been right. Although it’s only been 5 starts, is it time to cut bait on Peavy?
Who Replaces Juan Pierre?
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on April 29, 2010
Can he get back into the lead-off role?
After almost a month with no extra base hits, a .200 average, and a .261 OBP Juan Pierre will be moved out of the lead-off spot. After an 0-5 performance on Thursday, Ozzie Guillen was not pleased with his new outfielder.
“He ain’t playing [Friday],…And then we’ll try and figure out the next day, we have a couple of righties [pitching Saturday and Sunday], move him down to the No. 9 spot to make him relax a little bit.”
With Pierre now out of the lead-off spot, at least for the time being, who is the best candidate to replace the speedy, slap-hitting outfielder?
Misleading Fantasy Players
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on April 27, 2010
Expect some regression
Compiling a list of sleepers in fantasy baseball can be a very arduous exercise. After looking through the situations and the statistics, owners will make informed decisions on which players look like breakout candidates. Opportunity, injury, and prospect status are some of the common factors one uses to determine whether a player will breakout. While hitting on a fantasy sleeper gives owners the ability to brag to their league members, owners need to know if the breakout/rebound is legitimate. Here are some players to be worried about in the coming weeks.
Phil Hughes Dominates in Oakland
Posted by Chris Cwik in Baseball, Fantasy on April 22, 2010
Finally living up to the potential
Heading into 2010, Phil Hughes was one of the biggest enigmas in baseball. The highly touted Yankees prospect has always been ticketed for stardom, but has faltered as a starting pitcher in his previous opportunities. After initially struggling as a starter in 2009, Hughes lived up to his potential as a reliever, posting an ERA of 1.40 in 51.1 innings. After beating out Joba Chamberlain for the 5th spot in the rotation, Hughes would get another shot to shine as as starter. While his first game was a bit shaky, Hughes dominated the Athletics last night. Going forward, can we expect Hughes to finally live up to his potential?
Recent Comments