"April 2008" Monthly Archives - Page 2

Welcome to a “tax-free” edition of Fantistics’ weekly article on Value Picks! Hopefully by now everyone out there is squared away with the IRS, so instead of crunching numbers to avoid sending out money, you can start playing with numbers...

I really believe that Chone Figgins deserves the great player status, and as Figgins has posted a ridiculous 1.06 FPI to start the season, it‘s hard to argue anything else. He is the biggest on base threat in the major...

Jeff Weaver: The Brewers signed Jeff Weaver to a contract. He will need some time in the minor leagues to get into shape. Depending on how some of the younger Brewer pitchers and Weaver perform will determine if he goes...

Ervin Santana - Santana posted his third straight quality start, allowing three runs over seven innings to the Rangers last night. Santana was very unlucky on balls hit into play last year, and that fact, combined with his excellent stuff,...

Mark Teixeira- ATL- Stats- A good part of Teixeira’s slow start can be placed at the foot of an uncharacteristically horrid .136 batting average against lefties. Normally, the switch hitter does far better against them than against righties (splits of...

According to research by Fantistics.com only 10% of batters have a favorable control of balls hit into play. Such a low number means that many of the leaders in BHIP% (and thus batting average) are there only due to good...

Howie Kendrick: Much has been made around this site about Kendrick’s anemic EYE last season and how as a result he’s been overvalued heading into the season. While I fancy myself a numbers man, I have to go against my...

Wandy Rodriguez: While we’re at it, let’s give a little hat tip to my man Joe Ribando for his recommendation of Wandy Rodriguez as a two start pickup this week. If you listened to Joe you ended up snagging a...

Jay Bruce OF Cincinnati Reds Jay Bruce may be the best offensive prospect in baseball right now. He combines tremendous physical skills, and very good baseball instincts, with a strong work ethic to produce the total prospect package …...

Jim Thome - This isn't the Jim Thome we're used to in April. He's only 6-for-38 this season (.158, with two of those hits coming as HR). In April 2007, Thome got off to a great start, hitting .340 with...

Ted Lilly Lilly was awful yet again on Saturday, allowing five runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Phillies. Lilly is now 0-2 in three starts, having allowed 14 runs in 12 2/3 innings with an 8:4 K:BB and an...

It certainly doesn’t look like Albert Pujols’ elbow is causing him any discomfort. Pujols went 2-5 last night with a 3-run homer and a run-scoring double, boosting his totals to .378, 3 HR and 8 RBI. His early season success...

Shaun Marcum – With the top three starters in Toronto’s rotation garnering so much attention, it is easy for Marcum to get overlooked, but he is certainly worth a look in all fantasy formats. Last year was a semi-breakout season...

Geovany Soto: Soto finally saw some results after spraying line drives and deep fly balls all over the field early in the season. Thursday night Soto went 4-5 with 2 2B’s and his 2nd HR of the season. Soto was...

Miguel Olivo: When Olivo was starting for the Marlins, his low batting average, .237 last year, was tolerable in NL-only leagues because he brought some power to the table, 16 home runs in 452 AB in 2007. Now that he...

Jason Bulger- LAA- Rise Value- With KRod nursing a sprained ankle, someone else will have to handle the save situations for the Angels until he is ready to return. Manager Mike Scioscia has said he would use the dreaded “closer...

Ryan Braun - With many first and early second round draft picks slumping to start the season (I'm looking at you A-Rod, Jose Reyes, and Ryan Howard), Ryan Braun is at least displaying a power stroke similar to his incredible...

Week of 4/14 to 4/20 Favorable Matchups, teams facing: Josh Bard San Diego (7% Caught Stealing in 2006): 3 games against Colorado (Willy Taveras, Scott Podsednik, Jayson Nix), 3 games against Arizona (Chris Burke, Eric Byrnes, Chris Young) Greg Zaun...

One of the early surprises so far has been Jake Westbrook. We all know Westbrook has good stuff but not dominating by any means. However, he’s now 1-1 with a 2.76 ERA after two very good outings, including his complete...

It’s good ole “hump day” for those of you enjoying your first cup of coffee this morning and that means its “Value Picks Day” here at Fantistics. Each Wednesday we’ll be touching on the somewhat generic concept of Value. One...

Mike Gonzalez: Gonzalez, who has been out since the middle of last season after undergoing elbow surgery, could be ready to rejoin the Braves’ pen by the first week of June. His K/9, 2005/2006 #’s of 10.4/10.7, is worthy of...

  Good morning everyone!!  Welcome to Insiderbaseball.com's Coaches Meeting for Week #2...and the opening day for Fantistics Regular Season reporting! American League In the Field It appears as if Brian Roberts is determined to repeat last year’s 50 steals...

Huston Street - It's hard to believe that there isn't something wrong with Street. After allowing only 12 homers in 199 innings from 2005-2007, he's allowed 3 in 3 2/3 innings this year - one in each appearance. There are...

Pat Burrell- PHI- Hot- Burrell smacked 2 of the 4 Philadelphia homers yesterday, giving him a total of 3 in this young season. His overall 2-for-4 at the plate raised his average to .435. Burrell tends to be a fast...

Sabermetric Tuesdays: The Quality StartIts baseball season and its a Tuesday.  You know what that means?  Its "Sabermetric Tuesday" here at Fantistics.  Last week, Drew taught us the "ins-and-outs" of the GB/FB and its importance in determining pitcher fantasy value. ...

Robinson Cano is just one of many fantasy players in an early season slump to start the 2008 campaign. At .174, he has just 4 hits and one extra base hit through 6 games with the Yankees. Cano , who...

Jeff Keppinger For those that haven’t noticed, Jeff Keppinger is for real. Keppinger put together a nice 2nd half last year as a utility player for the Reds hitting .332/.400/.477 in 276 PA’s. In that time Keppinger, showed an elite...

Clayton Kershaw - SP LA Dodgers The Dodgers were impressed with Clayton Kershaw's 13 scoreless IP in spring training this March and so were we. Kershaw allowed just 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 15 but the...

Michael Bourn The big question surrounding Bourn coming into the season was not his speed or ability to hit for a decent average, but his ability to get on base enough to enable him to stay in the leadoff spot...

Nate McLouth - I really think that Nate McLouth is one of those rare players that has changed their game at the major league level. In the minors McLouth was a speed guy, slapping singles and doubles and racking up...

John Danks: Danks allowed an ER in 6.2 innings in a no decision against Cleveland yesterday. On the negative side he had just 2 strike outs while also walking a pair. In his rookie season last year, Danks pitched better...

John Danks: Danks allowed an ER in 6.2 innings in a no decision against Cleveland yesterday. On the negative side he had just 2 strike outs while also walking a pair. In his rookie season last year, Danks pitched better...

Oliver Perez - A great start for Oliver Perez. He was one of my key "watch" guys in this year's drafts of having the potential to post a big season. Granted, last night's game was against one of the weaker...

Favorable matchups for the week of April 7th to April 13th: San Diego: Josh Bard and Michael Barrett were ranked 33rd and 29th in catching runners, so anyone playing San Diego should have a field day. This is great news...

First Pitch - April 2, 2008 - "Value Picks"Good morning!  In today's edition of First Pitch, we will take a look at value picks.  With a couple of games in the books and our fantasy teams up and running, its...

Joel Pineiro: Pineiro, who has been out of action with an inflamed left shoulder, could pitch in a minor league game by the end of this week. If that happens it would put him on schedule for a major league...