Line of the Day: April 30th, 2011

SP James Shields of the Tampa Bay Rays pitched into the ninth inning, allowing one run, six hits, a walk and tied a career-high with 12 strikeouts in the Rays' 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Shields, perfect through one out in the fifth inning, was saddled with a no-decision when closer Kyle Farnsworth couldn't lock down the save.

Line: 8+ IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 K; ND, QS

My fantasy perspective: Shields continues to prove he's the real deal in 2011. He's thrown five of six quality starts this season, allowing just 35 hits and 11 earned runs over 46.1 innings with a 39:9 K:BB ratio, a 2.14 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. For a pitcher with an ADP of 203.9, he's putting up similar numbers to Roy Halladay (46.1 IP, 39 H, 11 ER, 47:7 K:BB) at a fraction of of the draft day cost.

How is it that he's 100% owned in ESPN leagues but just 78% owned in Yahoo! leagues? Check your Y! waivers in case you are unfortunate enough to be in a league that's already been busted just one month into the season.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 29th, 2011

SP Jason Marquis of the Washington Nationals pitched a five-hit, complete-game shutout to beat Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants 3-0. He struck out seven and walked none in pitching his fourth career shutout.

Line: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K; W, QS, CG, SHO

My fantasy perspective: Marquis is trying to make believers out of fantasy owners by throwing his fifth consecutive quality start of the season while upping his record to 3-0 and lowering his ERA to 2.62 and WHIP to 1.17. In 34.1 innings this season, he's struck out 24 (6.33 K/9) and walked just 5 batters. His ownership numbers are so low (3.3% ESPN; 3% Yahoo!), so there's no hurry to make a decision but be aware that his next scheduled start would be against the Phillies...in Philadelphia. I'm waiting to see how he comes out of that game before I start believing he's fantasy-relevant again. Wait, was he ever?

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Did You Know?: April 29th, 2011

If you weren't already aware, know this. I am a box score guy. I love the simplicity of the story it tells with numbers. I'm also excited about all of the new baseball statistics that seem to pop up yearly and even though I'm a little late to the game in understanding their utmost importance in using them when evaluating fantasy baseball players, it doesn't mean that I'm not paying attention. I hope to incorporate more of them into my analysis as I see fit. Stay tuned.

Now on to some statistics which you may not be aware of nearly a full month into the season in the latest installment of Did You Know?:

• Adam Dunn has just two home runs and 10 RBI in 19 games this season, while Ben Zobrist accomplished those numbers in yesterday's doubleheader.
• Names I did not expect to see in the top 10 in Total Bases this early in the season: Lance Berkman (1st), Jeff Francoeur (tied 6th) and Ike Davis (tied 9th).
• Aren't stolen base guys supposed to be stealing bases? Juan Pierre has five steals and has been caught six times. Brett Gardner has four steals and has been caught three times. Chone Figgins has three steals and three caught stealings.
• Josh Johnson has allowed just 13 hits in 34 innings pitched. Batters are "hitting" .116 off of him this season.
• Austin Jackson is hitting just .167 (16/96) and has nearly twice the number of K's (31) as hits (16).
• Vladimir Guerrero is hitting .284 with a .303 BABIP with zero walks in 95 at-bats. He must like his own chances when swinging the bat. Hopefully you don't own him in an OBP league.
• Ryan Dempster has allowed 33 earned runs in 31 innings pitched. His ERA of 9.58 is higher than his K/9 ratio of 8.42.
• At age 37, Johnny Damon is on pace for 130 RBI in just 136 games played (20 RBI in 21 of Rays first 35 games). Don't forget about 26 HR/26 SB pace, too.
• Jorge Posada and Russell Martin have each hit six home runs in exactly 69 at-bats this season. Martin is batting .290 compared to Posada's .130 average.
• Huston Street leads the majors with nine saves and is on pace for 63 total.
• Matt Garza has 41 K's in just 30.2 innings pitched for a staggering 12.03 K/9 ratio yet he's 0-3 with a 4.11 ERA and an ugly WHIP of 1.47.

Are there some surprising statistics floating around out there already that have you scrambling to acquire or drop a player? If so, share them with the group, please. We all have a right to know.

Line of the Day: April 28th, 2011

1B/2B/OF Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays was a combined 7-for-10 with two home runs and 10 RBI in a doubleheader sweep of the lifeless Minnesota Twins. He also added three doubles, five runs, a stolen base and totaled 16 bases for the day. His eight RBI in game one of the doubleheader were a new, single-game record for the Rays.

Game 1 Line: 6 AB, 2 R, 4 H, 8 RBI; 2 2B, HR, SB

Game 2 Line: 4 AB, 3 R, 3 H, 2 RBI; 2B, HR

My fantasy perspective: Zobrist, affectionately known as "Zorilla", now has seven home runs and a major league-leading 25 RBI through 25 games. At his current pace, he'd finish the season with a ridiculous 5x5 line of .258/117/45/162/26 with 45 doubles and 13 triples. Now let's not get crazy here. He's a career .250 hitter in over 1600 at-bats, averaging 20 HR/162 games, so we should temper our expectations of him. If he keeps his average going north, a 30/100 season could be attainable. And all this comes from a player with 2B-eligibility.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Fantasy Baseball's Line of the Day: 04/27/2011

1B Justin Smoak of the Seattle Mariners was 2-for-4, homered and drove in a career-high five runs in a 10-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was Smoak's second home run in as many days and his fourth of the season.

Line: 4 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 5 RBI; HR, BB

My fantasy perspective: Smoak burst on the fantasy scene in 2010 as the "next great thing" at first base but struggled in Texas and Seattle to the tune of a .218 overall batting average. In 19 games this season, he's got a triple slash line of .302/.408/.571 with four home runs, 14 RBI and a 14/12 K/BB ratio. Only being 17.4% owned in ESPN leagues and 19% owned in Yahoo! leagues proves fantasy owners aren't sold that he's the real deal yet. He definitely needs to be owned in deeper mixed leagues that utilize roster positions such as CI, IF or even multiple DH or UT slots.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Waiver Saviors: April 27th, 2011

Waiver Saviors will be a semi-regular feature on COSFBA looking for players available in a majority of leagues (ESPN and/or Yahoo!) who are currently having a statistical impact and could/should be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch without destroying your current roster in the process.

Here are some players having a hot week worth taking a long look at for the short and long term, depending on your league type, too:

• OF Peter Bourjos, LAA (11.1% ESPN owned; 22% Yahoo! owned) has gone 9/23 (.391 BA; 1.112 OPS) over the last week with no home runs (four extra-base hits for 16 total bases), four runs, an RBI and a stolen base. For the season, his 5x5 line is now at .321/11/2/9/2 and very worthy of an outfield slot in all leagues except the shallow ones.
• OF Melky Cabrera, KC (21.9% E; 14% Y!) has gone 10/26 (.385 BA; 1.141 OPS) over the last week with one home run (five extra-base hits for 18 total bases), five RBI, four runs and a stolen base. His season's 5x5 line of .301/15/2/14/2 has to be taken seriously soon by fantasy owners or at least while he and the Royals are firing on all cylinders.
• OF Ryan Ludwick, SD (2.2% E; 6% Y!) has gone 11/34 (.324 BA; 1.067 OPS) over the last week with  three home runs (seven extra-base hits for 24 total bases), five RBI and four runs scored. He's 5x5 line of .209/12/4/11/1 is getting better but may only have value as a spot starter in deeper mixed leagues or very shallow NL-only ones. An encouraging sign is that three of his four home runs have come at PETCO but that unfortunately comes along with a .157 batting average at home, too.
• OF Ben Francisco, PHI (26.8% E; 20% Y!) has gone 8/26 (.308 BA; .960 OPS) over the last week with two home runs (three extra-base hits for 16 total bases), six RBI and three runs scored. He seems to have settled back in as the Phillies' everyday right fielder and has produced a season's 5x5 line of .262/10/4/14/1, with is becoming more ownable in most league formats.
• 2B/SS Darwin Barney, CHC (41% E; 24% Y!) has gone 12/34 (.353 BA; .824 OPS) over the last week with one home run (two extra-base hits for 16 total bases), eight RBI, five runs and one stolen base. His 5x5 line of .329/13/1/13/1 makes him a great find for a MI slot in deeper leagues and a must-own in NL-only formats. He should continue to get the majority of starts at second base and hit out of the number two hole.
• SS Erick Aybar, LAA (67.3% E; 16% Y!) has gone 9/28 (.321 BA; .679 OPS) over the last week. He's started at shortstop the last seven games and stolen two bases. He won't contribute much to your fantasy team unless he continues to hit for average and steal bases. Even then, his value is limited to a spot start or MI position in the deepest of leagues.
• OF Kosuke Fukudome, CHC (2.9% E; 4% Y!) has gone 14/23 (.609 BA; 1.292 OPS) over the last week but that was helped by 5-for-5 and 4-for-7 performances. He's only starting against right-handed pitchers, so he may only be worth rostering to play in favorable match ups.
• 1B Brett Wallace, HOU (8.3% E; 10% Y!) has gone 11/21 (.524 BA; 1.260 OPS) over the last week with no home runs (four extra-base hits for 15 total bases), two RBI and five runs scored. He doesn't have the power numbers (1 HR this season) to be a primary option at first base but his overall 5x5 line of .347/14/1/8/0 makes him a target as a CI or IF candidate on deeper leagues.
• OF Carlos Gomez, MIL (15.3% E; 6% Y!) has gone 10/27 (.370 BA; .861 OPS) over the last week with one home run (one extra-base hit for 13 total bases), four RBI, five runs and a stolen base. Maybe he's feeling the pressure of Nyjer Morgan being brought in and Corey Hart coming off the DL? Keep an eye on his playing time if you plan to pick him up.

Starting pitchers are harder to grab off waivers, with most only have four or five starts to show their stuff. Keep an eye on all of the "pitch and ditch" type articles regarding streaming to see if there's a gem or too hiding in there. Relief pitchers in the mix for saves should be grabbed now and dumped later if things don't pan out. You'll probably miss out if your league is worth anything when it comes to scavenging for saves.

Fantasy Baseball's Line of the Day: 04/26/2011

1B/OF/DH Adam Lind of the Toronto Blue Jays went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored in a 10-3 win over the Texas Rangers. It was his fifth career multihomer game and his third at Rangers Ballpark, where he now has nine home runs in his last 12 games.

Line: 5 AB, 3 R, 3 H, 5 RBI; 2 HR

My fantasy perspective: Lind's batting average has crept its way up to .256, which is better than last season's .237 but still way below his .305 average in 2009. If he can keep his average moving in a positive direction, at his current pace, he'd hit 21 home runs, drive in 120 runs and score 85. Those are very fantasy-relevant numbers for a first baseman.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Fantasy Baseball's Line of the Day: 04/25/2011

SP Ian Kennedy of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitched a complete game three-hit shutout to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0. He struck out 10 and walked none in recording his first career complete game.

Line: 9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

My fantasy perspective: Kennedy (ADP of 209.6 on ESPN) was on my fantasy radar this offseason as a pitcher capable of 12-15 wins,  an ERA under 4.00, a WHIP around 1.30 and the ability to rack up 175 K's. Those numbers were right in line with other projections. For the season, he's 3-1 with a 4.02 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and a 7.47 K/9 ratio. At that rate, over 200 innings pitched, he'd be looking at 167 K's for the season. Kennedy is currently owned in 55.9% of ESPN leagues and 52% of Yahoo! leagues. I'd pick him up for his next start against the Cubs.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Playing the Name Game

We've all seen the fantasy baseball articles where the writer will compare one nameless player's statistics to another nameless player's statistics and then hit you with a ton of reasons why you should be looking past simple name recognition if you want to be winning your fantasy baseball league. And do you know why you see articles of this type all over the fantasy baseball blogosphere? Because they're very helpful when evaluating your roster and the "who's who" out there on waivers.

I'll run through a few of my own comparisons (using standard 5x5 categories) for your fantasy baseball viewing pleasure and hopefully give you something to mull over as you assess your roster(s).

• Player A: .321 BA (17/53), 15 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB
• Player B: .255 BA (24/94), 15 R, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 1 SB

Simple comparisons show that Player A has only gotten roughly half the at-bats that Player B has received so far but has been able to score the same amount of runs, hit the same number of home runs and steal the same amount of bases, all with a higher batting average and just four less RBI. A deeper look into another statistic shows Player A has an .956 OPS while Player B's is .691. Any guesses yet? Well, Player A is Casey Blake and Player B is Martin Prado. Blake is owned in 12.4% of ESPN leagues and Prado is 100% owned, as he should be.

My fantasy perspective: Blake has settled in as the Dodgers' number two hitting and should get plenty of opportunities to continue scoring runs with the likes of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier tearing it up behind him, as long as he keeps getting on base. His value comes in deeper mixed leagues that utilize an extra CI and/or IF roster spot or in the much shallower NL-only format. Prado owners shouldn't be concerned.

• Player A: .282 BA (22/78), 11 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB
• Player B: .311 BA (28/90), 10 R, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SB

Not a ton of difference here other than the fact that Player B hasn't shown the ability to hit a home run yet. A deeper look into their player profiles shows that Player A has walked 15 times compared to Player B's six times. Both players qualify at 2B, while Player B also qualifies at SS. Player B leads all 2B-eligible players with 28 hits this season. Any guesses? Player A is 100% owned Dustin Pedroia while Player B is 54.6% owned Ryan Theriot.

My fantasy perspective: Theriot is another of those players manager Tony LaRussa loves to pencil in at the top of his lineup card night after night. His value comes in the runs and stolen base categories while not hurting you in batting average (career .285 average). He won't help you much in home runs or RBI. His 2B/SS eligibility could help you in those deeper mixed leagues with an MI position or the shallow NL-only leagues. Pedroia owners should start to see even more benefits to their investment now that the Red Sox offense seems to be firing on all cylinders.

• Player A: 0-2, 26 K, 3.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP
• Player B: 3-2, 29 K, 2.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP

To start off, each of these pitchers have started five games this season and recorded four quality starts. Player A has allowed two runs or less in four starts and had his bullpen blow three chances for a win. Player B has allowed just one earned run and nine hits in his last three starts (20.2 innings pitched). Any guesses who these pitchers are yet? Player A is 100% owned Chris Carpenter while Player B is 39.1% owned Randy Wolf.

My fantasy perspective: Carpenter has been a tough luck recipient of a bullpen in flux but should benefit now that Mitchell Boggs has been named the closer and acting like one (3-for-3 in save opportunities). Wins aren't an easy stat to predict but he'll give you the the ERA, WHIP and K's we've come to expect from him. Wolf is in a groove and should be streamed, if not owned, for his next start against the Astros.

• Player A: .283 BA (28/99), 13 R, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 1 SB
• Player B: .216 BA (16/74), 10 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 SB

This is the classic case of owners drafting a player based on potential and hanging on to him longer than warranted. Player A was virtually undrafted while Player B cost owners an ADP of 67.7. So what's an owner to do when saddled with Player B, one that's cost them such a high pick? Sell low? Cut and run? There aren't many options for owners (such as myself) who thought this could be a bounce-back season for B.J. Upton other than to either keep running him out there and taking the good (5 SB) with the bad (.216 BA) or keeping him on the bench to limit the damage and hope he turns it around soon. Oh, Player A is Melky Cabrera and he's only 19.5% owned. Nothing sexy about throwing his name around fantasy baseball circles but he's currently playing with a renewed fire and has value in leagues using lots of outfield roster spots.

Doing exercises such as these regularly will help you not fall in love with a player's name recognition or your personal investment you have in him. And it is even easy to do if you're in a one-and-done league rather than a keeper or dynasty format. Just make wise decisions when it comes to the waiver wire because in no world am I suggesting you ever drop Upton to pick up Melky. But dropping Julio Borbon (.214/3/0/4/2) for Cabrera wouldn't be a difficult move to make at this point. Just be ready to do the opposite should Borbon turn things around.

What types of fantasy baseball articles are you finding most valuable to your teams on the web these days? Player projections? Injury updates? Waiver wire gems? Hot players being added or why others are being dropped? Let me know so I can continue to tailor the content COSFBA has to offer the competitive fantasy baseball player in this, just year two, of a site that continues to find its place in the blogosphere.

Fun With Player Projections

With three full weeks of games in the books to start the 2011 season, it's time to start looking at some of the statistics players are putting up and determining what's true or false about what we are seeing. ESPN Player Profile pages have a fun "projected" line worth looking at but have little value in truly projecting the season's outcomes with such as small sample size:

• SS Starlin Castro, CHC leads the majors with 35 hits in 21 games. At his current pace, he projects to collect 270 hits, breaking Ichiro Suzuki's 2004 record of 262. It's doubtful Castro gets anywhere near the record but if you wound up with him on your roster(s) rather than Derek Jeter or Hanley Ramirez, you're not in a position to complain.
• 3B/OF Jose Bautista, TOR is tied for the major league lead with seven home runs, has scored 19 runs and walked 19 times in just 18 games this season. At his current pace, he projects to hit 54 home runs (sound familiar?), score 147 runs and walk 147 times. None of these numbers put him in the stratosphere of "record-breaking" but they should be putting the talk of his 2010 simply being a fluke to rest.
• 1B Prince Fielder, MIL leads the majors with 22 RBI in his first 21 games this season. At his current pace, he'd drive in 170 runs in 162 games played. It's unlikely he'll keep up this pace but he could be back in line with his own 2009, when he drove in 141 runs in 162 games. Either way, his owners have to be pleased with his hot start to 2011.
• OF Sam Fuld, TB has an unlikely 27 hits and 10 stolen bases in 20 games this season. At his current pace, Fuld will accumulate 199 hits and 74 steals. Could 175 hits and 40 stolen bases be that unrealistic for a player that's proving he deserves every opportunity to be in the lineup?
• OF/DH Bobby Abreu,  may only be hitting .240 but he's tied for the major league lead with 19 walks for a robust .394 OBP. At his current pace, that walk rate would put him at 140 for the season. He has a career .400 OBP and has walked over 120 times in a season twice, so this pace isn't all that unheard of for the disciplined Abreu.
• OF Matt Kemp, LAD is doing all he can to make fantasy owners forget about his 2010 season by starting off 2011 with this insane 5x5 line: .402/16/5/17/8. At his current pace, he's looking at a season's ending line of .402/127/35/127/56 and a run at the Triple Crown. There's no way he hits anywhere near .400 but he looks like a man on a mission to go 40/40. If you passed on Kemp because you were burned by him in 2010, there's always 2012.
• OF Dexter Fowler, COL is unfortunately tied for the major league lead in strikeouts with 27 but has offset that with 14 walks and a .381 OBP. At his current pace, Fowler would strike out 208 times and walk 108.
• OF Juan Pierre, CHW is known for his stolen base prowess in fantasy baseball but he already has been caught stealing five times to go along with his five stolen bases. At his current pace, Pierre would be looking at 37 SB and 37 CS. Now, it seems highly unlikely that he'll get caught stealing that often but you may start wondering if he's losing a step at age 33. And without his speed, Pierre's not much of a fantasy option.
• SP Jered Weaver, LAA is 5-0 with 39 strikeouts in 36.2 innings over his first five starts. At his current pace, Weaver projects to start 39 games and strike out 301 batters in 278.2 innings pitched. Those just aren't realistic numbers in today's game but if he keeps his current 9.6 K/9 and matches his innings pitched from 2010 (224.1), he'd probably wind up leading the majors in strikeouts again in 2011 with 241.
• CL Mariano Rivera, NYY has appeared in 11 of the Yankees first 18 games and saved seven of their 12 wins. At his current pace, Rivera would appear in 99 games and finish the season with 63 saves. He's only averaging 64.2 appearances over the last five seasons, so he should slow down once the rest of the Yankee pen settles into their roles. I'd bet Rivera's a lock for his usual 35-45 saves again this year.

The goal of this exercise is to point out not getting too crazy over such a small sample of statistics, positively or negatively. Proven stars will more than likely return to levels that proven stars are used to performing at, statistically speaking. Now, that doesn't mean a top player can't have a down year (see Matt Kemp's 2010) but at least give everyone more than 1/8th of the overall schedule to prove their values to your fantasy baseball roster(s).

Which players are you buying are for real and what numbers are you predicting for them that might surprise most? Which players are you afraid are going to have an off or down year and are ready to cut ties with (drop or trade)? Please use the comments section below to get the conversation started.

Line of the Day: April 24th, 2011

2B/3B/SS Mike Aviles of the Kansas City Royals was 3-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in the Royals 8-7 loss to the Texas Rangers. It was Aviles' second and third homers of the season and his fourth stolen base.

Line: 5 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 4 RBI; 2 HR, SB

Fantasy perspective: Aviles has been in the mix for playing time with the Royals at both 2B and 3B while carrying over SS eligibility in some leagues from last season. In 15 games, he only has 13 hits in 55 at-bats (.236 BA) but nine of them have been for extra bases (5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR). Add in his 14 RBI and 4 SB and you are looking at a player that should be valuable to most teams in deep mixed leagues, especially those utilizing an MI or IF roster spot.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 23rd, 2011

SP Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Boston Red Sox pitched eight innings of one-hit ball, striking out none and walking three, in a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He's now pitched back-to-back one-hitters.

Line: 8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K

Fantasy perspective: Matsuzaka started the 2011 season miserably, managing only a total of seven innings in his first two starts, allowing 14 hits and 10 earned runs, walking five and only striking out four. In his last two starts spanning 15 innings, Dice-K has allowed just two hits and no runs with 12 strike outs and four walks. It's hard to imaging what you'll get out of him in his next start against Seattle, but that might be a great team for him to continue his current groove. He's only 4.8% owned in ESPN leagues and 14% owned in Yahoo! leagues. Good luck.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 22nd, 2011

SP Anibal Sanchez of the Florida Marlins pitched eight no-hit innings against the Colorado Rockies before allowing a leadoff single in the ninth to Dexter Fowler. He then recorded the final three outs for the 4-1 victory. Sanchez struck out a career-high nine hitters and was just three outs from his second career no-hitter.

Line: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K; QS, W

Fantasy perspective: Sanchez is widely available in both ESPN leagues (32.1% owned) and Yahoo! leagues (29% owned), so there should be opportunities to pick him up before his next start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The question is, "Should you?" Over his last two starts, he's racked up 237 pitches, allowing seven hits and seven walks in 15 innings. On the plus side, he's struck out 17 (10.2 K/9 ratio). I won't blame you for streaming him for his next start but be aware there could be some signs of fatigue at this early stage of the season.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Legendary Battle: Sam Fuld versus Jed Lowrie

These days, if you're a fan of Major League Baseball and follow anyone on Twitter blogging about baseball, then you're surely aware of a legendary battle taking place amongst the hashtags.

First out of the gates was the #LegendofSamFuld, dedicated to Tampa Bay Rays' outfielder Sam Fuld as he burst onto the baseball scene as a result of the Manny Ramirez retirement fiasco. A recent 12-game stretch of Fuld's produced these eye-opening stats: .420 BA (21/50), 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R, 7 SB, 3 BB, 3 K along with many defensive gems and a string of "legends" the likes that haven't been seen since Chuck Norris. Here's a sample of a few gems:

• Sam Fuld eats Chick-Fil-A on Sundays.
• Superman wears Sam Fuld pajamas.
• Sam Fuld can divide by zero.
• Honus Wagner bought a Sam Fuld rookie card at auction.

One of the most memorable moments during Fuld's legendary ascent was in a game against the Boston Red Sox in which he only needed a single to complete hitting for the cycle and adding his name to the Rays' record books forever decided to stretch a ninth-inning single into a double and there was no turning back from his legendary status.

While the Sam Fuld legend was growing, a new legend was being birthed in Boston for their own cult hero, Jed Lowrie, with the #LegendofJedLowrie hashtag. Lowrie is in the midst of his own eye-popping offensive assault over his last nine games: .531 BA (17/32), 2 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 0 SB, 1 BB, 5 K, spurring legends such as these:

• Jed Lowrie doesn't have a shadow.
• Unicorns drink Jed Lowrie's blood to stay hidden and magical.
• Harry Caray has decided to come back to announce a game with
  Jed Lowrie playing.

To get a pulse of what other baseball bloggers had to say about which side of these legends their allegiances lay, I reached out in this edition of my Fantasy Forum series to fellow Baseball Bloggers Alliance members and other friends I've made in the blogosphere, and here is what they had to say on the subject of "legendary".

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Michael Clair (@clairbearattack) of Old Time Family Baseball weighed in with:
There hasn't been a more fun story in baseball than the emergence of Sam Fuld. Fuld, a career fringe Major Leaguer, diabetic, and player who grew up obsessing over statistics, is the patron saint of the superfan. He's like us, only phenomenally gifted at playing baseball.

While his .344/.379/.525 start has been exciting and proof that he has is deserving of more Major League than given in previous years, it's not time to anoint him a fantasy god. Fuld doesn't offer enough power for a corner outfielder, having never topped six home runs in a minor league season, and his career .777 minor league OPS doesn't offer much hope either. He has an excellent batting eye, so if your fantasy league uses OBP instead of batting average, he's an great pick up. Fuld is a #Legend because he's a great guy who followed a unique career path and doesn't embarrass himself with extended playing time, something that is still a rarity. If anyone can prove me wrong though, it's Fuld.

Jed Lowrie, currently doing his best Troy Tulowitzki impression, is a different story. Three years ago Lowrie looked like the shortstop of the future for the Red Sox, hitting .258 with 25 doubles as a 24 year-old rookie and his offensive future was bright. At 27, Lowrie is just now entering his prime and with a few more good weeks, he should wrestle the starting job away from Marco Scutaro. If Francona can get him enough at-bats, and considering his home ballpark, Lowrie is a good bet to hit at least .275 with 15 or so home runs. How many shortstops managed to do both last season? Four. Troy Tulowitzki, Hanley Ramirez, Alexei Ramirez, and Stephen Drew, with Miguel Tejada just missing the cut.

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Rob Munstis (@bottomlinesox) of The Bottom Line weighed in with:
The legend of Jed Lowrie began in 2007. He tore through Double A and Triple A like Pecos Bill riding a tornado, hitting a combined .298 that year, while smashing 47 doubles, 8 triples and 13 homers while playing all over the infield. In 2008, he earned a spot on the big league roster and the Red Sox rode his bat through August, while Jed hit .284 with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 1 homer and 24 RBI in 102 at-bats.

It seemed Jed was desitined for greateness, but injuries and illness plagued the mighty Jed in 2009 and 2010... and whispers of a new "shortstop of the future" with "magic hands" began to spread through New England.

Jed returned to the field in 2011 and quietly made the team as the utility infielder, ready to wait his turn. But with the Red Sox floundering to an 0-5 start, the need for a hero grew, and Jed was ready. After a battle with the hated Yankees, Lowrie exploded onto the scene, starting 6 of the next 8 games and leading the offense with his Paul Bunyan-like lumber - hitting .465 with an 1.115 OPS, 2 doubles, 3 homers, 9 runs and 11 RBI, while players with bigger and much bigger contracts struggled to keep up.

Bottom Line: All joking aside, Lowrie is on a roll right now, and has more talent and power than Marco Scutaro. The Sox will create ways to squeeze him into the lineup, but he may struggle to log 400+ at-bats as long as Scutaro remains in Boston. Ride the wave and sell high when you can.

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Kyle Phillippi (@PiratesGab) of Pirates Gab weighed in with:
Heroes come and go, but legends stay forever. A recent surge on Twitter has dubbed Sam Fuld and Jed Lowrie 'legends.' But wait? They seem a bit young to be legends already, to be compared to the likes of Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols. In my opinion, none are legends right now, but down the road, I could see Sam Fuld being the legend. As of Thursday night, Fuld was batting .344 with a .380 OBP. That's quite impressive for anyone, let alone a three-year player.

My favorite Sam Fuld tweet: Sam Fuld can steal first base.

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Jonathan C. Mitchell (@FigureFilbert) of MLB Dirt weighed in with:
Player A - .284/.372/.401 with a 112 wRC+ and 1.3 fWAR and 1.2 rWAR in 115 games.
Player B - .267/.345/.446 with a 108 wRC+ and 4.3 fWAR and 4.1 rWAR in 182 games.

Player A - 11.9% Walk rate and 12.2% Strikeout rate and 5.9 Speed Score.
Player B – 10.9% Walk rate and 21.7% Strikeout rate and 3.3 Speed Score.

Player A - Can play all three outfield positions and is 29 years old.
Player B - Can play all four infield positions and is 27 years old.

Both “Legends” have struggled in small sample sizes and both have flourished in small sample sizes. Neither has enough experience to paint a perfect picture of which “Legend” will continue to perform at a high level of play.

Both Sam Fuld and Jed Lowrie have the ability to be contributing factors to any team. Fuld could be most team’s starting centerfielder and is a major fan favorite. I had the pleasure of talking to him last night about his “Legendary” status and he is enjoying the ride and thanking the fans along the way by signing autographs for a minimum of 20 minutes before each game. I mean, this is a guy that eats Chick-Fil-A on Sundays and had April 11th renamed April Fuld’s Day in his honor. But, due to his position, age, Fan Nation, and better minor league track record, Lowrie is more likely to be an All-Star and carry the legend on for seasons to come.

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From my fantasy perspective: I think Sam Fuld has the longer leash on job stability this season since the Rays are in a transition  year, of sorts, and that could allow him to get 600 at-bats to prove whether or not he's in their long term plans. Is a .300+ batting average with 30+ steals really that far-fetched? That's better than what Brett Gardner will put up this season.

Jed Lowrie probably has more fantasy upside, as long as he remains in the mix for at-bats. He already qualifies at 2B/SS and could be working towards some more time at 3B if the Kevin Youkilis injury is serious. He has more HR/RBI upside and could score as many runs as Fuld in a Red Sox lineup that will eventually start running on all cylinders.

As far as #Legend's go, I think the #LegendofSamFuld has more staying power. One, it comes from a place of true fandom for a player that is the epitome of gritty. And two, it's the original. Unfortunately the folks driving the #LegendofJedLowrie have taken to attacks against Fuld rather than simply promoting all that they love about their hometown hero. And that act tends to get old.

Line of the Day: April 21st, 2011

SP Kyle Lohse of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched a (career-best) two-hit complete game shutout in a 5-0 win over the Washington Nationals. He walked two and struck out six and improved his record to 3-1 on the season with a 2.01 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP.

Line: 9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K; QS, W

Fantasy perspective: Lohse is pitching himself back into a fantasy-relevant starter. He's pitched at least seven innings in all four starts this season and has recorded a Quality Start in three. He's only owned in 51.4% of ESPN leagues and 37% of Yahoo! leagues. His next scheduled start is at Houston, so now is the time to pick him up. Remember, this is a pitcher that is just two injury-plagued seasons removed from being a 15-game winner who looks healthy now.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 20th, 2011

OF Ryan Ludwick of the San Diego Padres went a combined 5-for-8 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk (ten total bases) in a double header split against the Chicago Cubs. It was Ludwick's second home run of the season and the five hits raised his batting average to a cool .200.

Line: 4 AB, 0 R, 2 H, 0 RBI; BB

Line: 4 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 2 RBI; 2 2B, HR

Fantasy perspective: Ludwick, owned in just 2.2% of ESPN leagues and 5% of Yahoo! leagues, shows no signs of ever returning to the 2008 version of himself (.299/104/37/113/4). As a member of the Cardinals, he homered 84 times in 1608 at-bats (19.1 AB/HR) compared to just 8 times in 269 at-bats (33.6 AB/HR) as a member of the Padres. If you are still rostering Ludwick at this point, be sure you are looking at him in 2011 (projections) and not 2008.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Fantasy Baseball News and Notes from April 19th, 2011

Here are some fantasy baseball tidbits I picked up from games played on April 19th, 2011:

• DH Adam Dunn, CHW has two hits in his last 27 at-bats and may be dropped down in the batting order.
• RP J.P. Howell, TB, coming back from left shoulder surgery, is set to pitch in extended spring training after throwing a 35-pitch batting practice session. The reliever is not expected to rejoin the team until mid-May.
• C Matt Wieters, BAL is 5-for-5 with eight RBI this season with runners in scoring position.
• OF Nick Markakis, BAL has only one hit in his last 20 at-bats.
• OF Ryan Braun, MIL is 9 for 19 in his last five games, and has reached safely in all 17 games this season.
• Toronto activated RP Frank Francisco (right shoulder) off the 15-day DL and optioned SP Jesse Litsch to Triple-A Las Vegas. Francisco will be in the mix for saves with Jon Rauch depending on the situation.
• 3B David Wright, NYM is hitless in his last 16 at-bats with seven strikeouts.
• OF Michael Bourn, HOU is 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts this year and has swiped 16 straight dating to last season.
• SP Josh Johnson, FLA is now 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA, a 0.59 WHIP and a 9.00 K/9 ratio this season. He's allowed four hits or less in each of his four starts and batters are hitting .112 against him.
• OF Logan Morrison, FLA left the game in the fifth inning with a strained arch in his left foot and hopes to be back in the lineup within a couple of days.
• CL J.J. Putz, ARI is 4-for-4 in save chances this season with an 11.57 K/9 ratio over 7 IP.
• 3B/OF Alex Gordon, KC went 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .361, with two stolen bases.
• OF Grady Sizemore, CLE is 5-for-9 with two doubles, two RBI and a home run in two games since returning from knee surgery. Indians manager Manny Acta plans to let him play three or four games every five days or so. Plan accordingly.
• OF Andre Ethier, LAD went 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 16 games. He's hitting .362 on the season.

Line of the Day: April 19th, 2011

3B/OF Ryan Roberts of the Arizona Diamondbacks was 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI, 2 runs scored and a stolen base in the D'Backs 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds. It was Roberts' second career multi-homer game.

Line: 3 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 3 RBI; BB, HR, SB

Fantasy perspective: When given the opportunity this season, Roberts is producing. He currently sports a healthy 5x5 line of .382/7/4/10/2 but has only started eight of the D'Backs first 15 games. He's made appearances defensively at 2B (1), 3B (7) and SS (1) to go along with his OF eligibility, so there should be opportunities to get him at-bats and you have to wonder how long Melvin Mora will stay in the mix. He's widely available in ESPN leagues (1.8% owned) and Yahoo! leagues (7%), so there's no rush to make a decision on him but worth keeping an eye on his playing time.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 18th, 2011

2B/SS Jed Lowrie of the Boston Red Sox was 4-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored in a 9-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. It was Lowrie's second home run and raised his batting average to .516 (16/31) for the season. I can't imagine a scenario where Marco Scutaro gets his starting job back, barring injury.

Line: 5 AB, 2 R, 4 H, 4 RBI; HR

Fantasy perspective: Lowrie has 15 hits in his last 24 at-bats (.625 BA) over the last 10 days. He's only 22.8% owned in ESPN leagues and 37% owned in Yahoo! leagues. He qualifies at both 2B and SS and have major value at either position as long as he continues to see the bulk of playing time at shortstop. I'd love to see him get some time at 3B, too, on days when Kevin Youkilis or Adrian Gonzalez get a breather as the DH.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 17th, 2011

OF Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored in a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The home run was a walk-off 2-run shot off of Cardinals' closer (for the moment) Ryan Franklin. It was Kemp's second career game-ending home run.

Line: 4 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 2 RBI; HR, CS

Fantasy perspective: Kemp is doing all he can to make owners forget about his disappointing 2010 season by starting the season off with a .474 BA (27/57), 3 HR, 12 RBI, 12 R and 8 SB. He's also carrying an insane .545 OBP with a 1.265 OPS. He single-handedly could be keeping most fantasy teams afloat. We may all finally be seeing the player with 40/40 potential shining through.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 16th, 2011

SS Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs went 4-for-5 with a double, home run, three RBI and a run scored in an 8-3 win over the Colorado Rockies. It was his first home run of the season and increased his batting average to .397.

Line: 5 AB, 1 R, 4 H, 3 RBI; 2B, HR

Fantasy Perspective: Castro is currently the 3rd-ranked shortstop on ESPN with a 5x5 line of .397/12/1/6/2. He was the 11th shortstop drafted with an ADP of 150.6, compared to Derek Jeter being the 4th-drafted shortstop with an ADP of 56 and a 5x5 line of .240/8/0/3/0. Castro is the Cubs new leadoff hitter and in six games this season, he's batting .536 (15/28).

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 15th, 2011

1B Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals went 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs in an 11-2 blowout of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Albert may not have had the best line of the day but there was an awful lot of concern for his slow start to the season. He's hitting .300 over the last seven days with all four of his home runs with 10 RBI and 10 Runs. I think he'll be just fine.

Line: 5 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 3 RBI; 2 HR

Fantasy perspective: Pujols continues to prove why he is currently, and shall be for years to come, the overall number one pick in fantasy baseball year after year.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 14th, 2011

SP Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies was masterful in a 12-strikeout, three-hit shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Washington Nationals.  He faced just 30 batters, walking one, while throwing just 99 pitches in the game. It was Lee's 21st complete game and sixth shutout of his career.

Line: 9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K

On average (ADP), Lee would have cost you the 19th pick in an ESPN draft and a 29th pick in a Yahoo! draft. Neither price seems too high for a pitcher that can be as dominant as Lee has shown he can be at times. Sit back and enjoy the ride this season if you invested heavily in the second-best pitcher on the Phillies staff. Let that one absorb a minute or two.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 13th, 2011

SP Josh Johnson of the Florida Marlins took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves and wound up allowing just one hit and no runs in 7.1 innings with three walks and nine strikeouts in a 5-1 victory. Johnson also pitched six no-hit innings against the New York Mets on Opening Day. He lowered his ERA to 1.35 with a 0.65 WHIP.

Line: 7.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K

If you invested in Johnson as your fantasy baseball ace then you have not been disappointed. He's started three games in 2011, pitching 20 innings and only given up eight hits while striking out 18. He's a dominating force that seems destined to throw a no-hitter in the very near future.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Where Can I Find: Stolen Bases

I know it's just a couple weeks into the season but now is the time to evaluate your roster to see if you may have overlooked a category or two (or more) during your draft and making some roster adjustments to keep you from failing falling too far behind in the standings.

Below is a list of players available in a large percentage of ESPN and/or Yahoo! leagues that could help you stay competitive in the Stolen Bases category early in the season:

• OF Sam Fuld, TB leads the American League in stolen bases with six in just nine games played. He wasn't fantasy-relevant until Manny Ramirez retired and looks to get the majority of playing time in left field while batting leadoff. His overall line of .313/5/1/4/6 could easily help you out in three categories. He's still only 18% owned in ESPN leagues and 26% in Yahoo! leagues. And for some good laughs, check out the #LegendofSamFuld hashtag on Twitter.
• 3B/SS/OF Willie Bloomquist, ARI benefited from Stephen Drew starting the season with an injury and has made the most of his opportunities. He's started nine of the D'Backs eleven games and has a hit in all nine while racking up six stolen bases and accumulating quite the fantasy baseball line of .349/9/1/5/6. He's only OF eligibility in ESPN leagues but could turn into a super-utility type much like what we saw from Omar Infante in 2010. Now may be the time to commit to picking him up as his ownership numbers continue to rise (54.1% E; 72% Y!).
• 2B Orlando Hudson, SD is settling in quite nicely near the top of the order with his new team and showing there's still life left in his legs. Hudson has never stolen more than 10 bases in a season, so the four he has now could be an anomaly but if you are lacking at 2B or MI in a deeper league he may be worth the look. He's putting up overall numbers (.324/5/0/2/4) that make him ownable while he's widely available (3.7% E; 7% Y!).
• OF Coco Crisp, OAK has averaged 31 stolen bases per 162 games in his career but his problem has been staying healthy. He already has four steals this season but is now dealing with a lower back injury. If you have the roster space to spot start him when he's healthy, you could pick up some cheap steals without much risk. His ownership numbers are currently dropping (56.9% E; 41% Y!), so you probably have some time to make a decision here.
• OF Johnny Damon, TB somehow has managed three steals already and currently riding a five-game hitting streak. He'll run a lot more with the Rays than he did with the Tigers, so double-digit steals should be a reality for him again this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him reach 15/15 in 2011. His ownership numbers are very low (25.5% E; 10% Y!) and so is his batting average but he's providing value in 4-out-of-5 standard scoring categories (.220/4/2/7/3).
• C Russell Martin, NYY looks healthy and playing with passion again for the Yankees. Why his ownership numbers aren't higher is beyond me (68.2% E; 72% Y!)? A catcher with the potential to go 20/20 should be owned in 100% of all formats (minus the NL-only lovers). Martin is currently the highest-ranked catcher on both ESPN and Yahoo! with his .300/5/3/8/2 line.
• OF David Murphy, TEX will be in the mix for the majority of starts with Josh Hamilton hitting the DL yesterday. Murphy stole 14 bases in 138 games in 2010 and couple provide a nice mix of power and speed over the next couple of months. He's come out of the gate hot (.313/4/1/3/2) and should see a major spike in his ownership numbers (5.1% E; 34% Y!).

I hope you find this list as useful as I have while doing the research. People always talk about how fantasy baseball leagues aren't won by the players they draft in the early rounds but by how well they did with late-round picks and how active they are in the early part of the season with waiver wire pickups. Don't be someone that sits around too long waiting for that "sleeper" to start producing or wasting a roster spot on a potential keeper for next season. I play to win now and will deal with managing potential keepers when September rolls around.

Line of the Day: April 12th, 2011

SP Dan Haren of the Los Angeles Angels pitched his first career one-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Cleveland Indians. Haren struck out eight, walked two and threw 125 pitches while recording his 12th career complete game and third shutout.

Line: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Haren is now 3-0 on the season (thanks to a win in relief) with an ERA of 0.73 and a WHIP of 0.53. In 24.2 innings pitched, he's struck out 21 for a 7.7 K/9 ratio with a ridiculous 21/2 K/BB ratio. I know it's early, but it's worth noting that Haren is the number one fantasy pitcher in both ESPN and Yahoo! leagues.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 11th, 2011

OF Sam Fuld of the Tampa Bay Rays went 4-for-6 with two doubles, a triple and a 2-run homer while driving in three and scoring three runs in a 16-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night. He was a single short of hitting for the cycle.

Line: 6 AB, 3 R, 4 H, 3 RBI; 2 2B, 3B, HR

Fuld was a non-factor on draft day but has been the major benefactor since the Manny Ramirez retirement debacle. He's now hitting .387 .321 (9/28) with five stolen bases and should be a staple at the top of the Rays' lineup while he's producing. If you need some speed on your roster, Fuld is only 0.4% owned in ESPN leagues and 4% owned in Yahoo! leagues. Expect a huge spike in his ownership numbers this week.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 10th, 2011

SP Jered Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels struck out a career-high 15 batters in a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. In 20.2 innings this season, Weaver has allowed just nine hits while striking out 27 and walking nine. He's 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP, an 11.76 K/9 ration and a .130 BAA.

Line: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 15 K

Weaver was the 15th drafted starting pitcher on ESPN with an ADP of 67.7 and taken between Cole Hamels and David Price. So far he's showing all the signs of a fantasy baseball ace and paying off for owners that believed 2010 wasn't a fluke.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Line of the Day: April 9th, 2011

OF Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets showed signs of life by going 2-for-4 with two home runs in an 8-4 win over the Washington Nationals. He also drove in three runs and score three times.

Line: 4 AB, 3 R, 2 H, 3 RBI; 2 HR

Beltran had an ADP of 203.3 (on ESPN) and an ownership rate of 99.4% while his Yahoo! ADP of 178.8 has only translated to a 68% ownership rate. Odd. He looks healthy (at this point) and could be in line for a nice bounce-back season. If he's available in your Yahoo! league, it might be a good time to pick him up.

Agree? Disagree? Check out ESPN's formula for determining the best daily performances and nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Ups and Downs: April 9th, 2011

This edition of Ups and Downs looks at a few players being added and dropped the most over the last seven days (according to ESPN leagues) and the possible reasons why.

• SP Kyle Drabek, TOR (+63.9%) is settling in as the Blue Jays #2 starter quite nicely. He's struck out 12 in 13 innings and allowed just seven hits and two earned but has walked seven.
• RP Jordan Walden, LAA (+58.2%) is now the Angels' closer and looks like he could be there for a while. He's 1-for-1 in save opportunities with a total of 7 K's in just 4.1 innings. Only 62.4% owned in ESPN leagues.
• 2B Freddy Sanchez, SF (+47.4%) was just 7% owned before opening the season with a .333 (9/27) BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI and 5 Runs. He definitely deserves to be owned while he's healthy and hitting.
• OF Jose Tabata, PIT (+42.8%) was being touted as a "sleeper" coming into 2011 and has opened the season with an 8-game hitting streak, hitting .344 with 1 HR, 2 RBI, 9 Runs and 3 SB. You're opportunity to get him off waivers has probably passed.
• SP Edwin Jackson, CHW (+41.1%) is 2-0 with 20 K's in just 14 innings pitched. It's no surprise he's being added in so many leagues. It's VERY SURPRISING he's still available in 39.5% of leagues.
• SP John Lackey, BOS (-32.3%) has allowed 17 H and 15 ER in just 8.2 IP. Ouch!
• OF Manny Ramirez, TB (-29.8%) should be dropped in 100% of all leagues. I'll give managers a little time but if he continues to be rostered in your league much longer than you're league probably sucks.
• OF Ryan Raburn, DET (-26.4%) was another preseason "sleeper" that seems to be stuck in a platoon with Brennan Boesch. What a shame.
•  RP Jake McGee, TB (-26.1%) was in the mix to become the Rays' closer this Spring but those dreams seemed to have faded. Not many save opportunities for a 1-6 team.
• RP Fernando Rodney, LAA (-25%) has a 7.71 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP. It's clear to see why Walden is now the closer.

Have you already given up on your "sleepers" or late-round picks? Were you one of those teams in my drafts that was so focused on drafting next year's keepers that you passed on quality players that would help you win THIS YEAR? Feel free to share your early season struggles and/or successes in the comments section of this article.