Line of the Day: Nick Hundley: August 16th, 2011

Catcher Nick Hundley went 3-for-4 with two triples, an RBI and two runs scored in the San Diego Padres 6-1 victory over the New York Mets. He became the 14th player in Padres history to hit two triples in a game and the first catcher to do so since Fred Kendall in 1973. (video recap)

Line: 4 AB | 2 R | 3 H | 1 RBI; 2 3B

(box score)

My fantasy perspective: The 2011 season was supposed to be the year Hundley went from a backup/part-time catcher to the starter/primary catcher for the Padres but a couple of injuries have caused him to miss over two months of playing time.

Since returning from his latest DL stint (elbow surgery), Hundley has been absolutely on fire. In four games, he's gone 9-for-16 (.563 BA) with a double, two triples and a home run. If your team is in need of help at the catcher position, he's only owned in 3% of ESPN, 6% of Yahoo! and 15% of CBS 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.

Be sure to check out the past winners of COSFBA's Line of the Day awards and subscribe to its feed, too.

In The Sabermetric Spotlight: Cameron Maybin

After spending nearly a week and a half fine-tuning the Spotlight in an attempt to harness it's power, a ray of hope has made an appearance. Not only is Curtis Granderson still healthy *knocks on wood* but he homered again the day after the article was posted. It's an ongoing process but we're starting to head in the right direction.

You live by the longball, you die by the longball. This is essentially the strategy of powerhouse teams such as the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. Does anyone remember the phrase "Speed Kills"? That sounds a lot more reassuring to me.

So why do so many fantasy owners ignore the SB category? Maybe it's because they're Head-2-Head owners who are sacrificing one category in the hopes that they can win the other four. Whatever the reasoning, I simply do not understand it. I personally feel that speed is just as entertaining as power...fireworks aside. Want proof? Look here.

With that being said, it's no surprise that this week, we shine The Sabermetric Spotlight on...

Cameron Maybin, OF San Diego Padres

Like I said before, I see the merit of sacrificing one category to load up on others in Head-2-Head leagues. Maybe it's because power is easier to predict but would it be crazy to load up on speed and sacrifice power? If you could predict it properly, wouldn't you end up in a similar place? And what about Roto leagues, where all categories are accounted for? Certainly you need to pay attention to speed, then?

Before anyone gets all up in arms, I understand that a HR also equals a R and a RBI, as well as a small boost in AVG. Is it crazy to think that a SB also means an increase in R, as well as AVG (gotta love those infield hits)? I also understand that SB's are cheap and far easier to come by. On a slightly related side note, this fascinating article details just how rare and expensive power/speed combo's are, while speed itself is rather cheap.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, as far as speed outbursts in 2011, has been Cameron Maybin. As of this articles posting, Maybin has swiped 31 bases in 34 attempts. That is not a typo. Maybin has always been considered an extremely gifted athlete and a five-tool prospect but, to this point, hasn't really met the lofty expectations placed on him. Perhaps his performance this season is a sign of better things to come and the beginnings of a fantasy baseball superstar. Let us remember, the kid is only 24 years old. He's not even in his prime yet.

Where is all this speed coming from? Some would argue it's been there all along and that he's never been given the chance to showcase it. I tend to find myself agreeing that that crowd, as his numbers are hard to ignore. Take a look at the chart below.

There is definitely a big spike in SB's in the last month or so. How can we explain this? On June 1st, the Padres placed Maybin on the DL (retroactive to May 28th) with a knee injury. The MRI showed no signs of structural damage but the Padres said that Maybin had been playing through it for the previous two weeks. Anyone who has ever had a knee injury knows that walking, let alone running, is difficult. Perhaps this is the biggest reason why Maybin only stole two bases from April 21st through June 24th. FanGraphs ranks Maybin with the second highest Speed Score (Spd) in the league, behind only Jose Reyes. That's pretty remarkable, considering the guys he appears ahead of. Maybin's current Spd of 8.5 is identical to the leader last season, Carl Crawford. Spd is not the most useful statistic in the world, but I bring it up to point out that I'm not the only one who's noticed Maybin's speed of late.

Ok, ok...so he's posted good SB numbers. So what? One category alone will hardly help anyone win a Head-2-Head match-up or a Roto championship, for that matter. What do his other numbers look like and what do they mean for his future production?

If you take away the SB category, you basically have a glorified Ben Revere. He has 31 RBI on the season (that's right, the same number as his SB total) to go along with 63 R, 7 HR and an acceptable AVG of .276. These numbers aren't anything special, but they certainly won't hurt you either.

What about his future, though? What type of player does Maybin project to be? Honestly, it's hard to say. He's been one of the top prospects in baseball for the last half decade or so, and he's yet to pan out, while the two high school outfielders who were taken the picks immediately after him have flourished in the majors. Can you name them? Try Andrew McCutchen and Jay Bruce.

It might sound crazy, but I would actually like to compare Maybin to Justin Upton and Crawford. They all have extremely similar heights and weights, were highly touted prospects brought into the show at an early age and have had their doubters. Upton has gone on to explode into one of the game's best, while Crawford has taken a giant step backwards so far here in 2011. Comparing Maybin and Crawford's numbers side by side might surprise you.

Guess who's having the better season? Obviously it's Maybin, nearly across the board. If I may, I'd like to make a bold prediction here:

Rest of their career, better 5x5 value: Maybin or Crawford. I'm going with Maybin.

The reasoning behind it is peppered in the article above. There is so much potential there and he's also six years younger than Crawford.

Perhaps Maybin's biggest critics are asking, "But what about the power? And the ballpark?" It's true. PETCO isn't exactly what you want when you are attempting to develop your power stroke. However, Adrian Gonzalez (who was featured last month in his own Sabermetric Spotlight) seemed to fair pretty well. I think there is also something to be said about being given the chance to develop as a player on a team that itself is rebuilding. I found this quote from an article by Jerry Crasnick of ESPN very enlightening:

"This is the first time in two or three seasons where I've felt comfortable," Maybin said. "I'm not worried about the consequences of going out there and trying to get a hit every night. Even if I have a bad week or a bad month, I feel like these guys are still with me."
"In past situations, I've always felt like I had to be perfect or I might get sent down a month or two into the season. Now I'm able to relax and make the adjustments I need to make. I'm just believing in myself a little more."

The potential is all there AND you can get him on the cheap. In 2011 drafts, Maybin wasn't even drafted in the Top 260 players and those who drafted him in deeper leagues or in the late rounds are feeling pretty smart now. I think Maybin's value is highest in Roto Keeper and Dynasty Leagues, and he should be targeted if you can get him for the right price.

Have a question or comment? Want to suggest the next player featured In The Sabermetric Spotlight? Leave a comment below or drop me a line on Twitter @SillyLittleGame.

Warming In The 'Pen: NL Edition: August 5th, 2011

Welcome back! Apologies for the lateness of the article... Things outside of COSFBA have been a little hectic lately and I've been somewhat under the weather myself (damn heat wave). I'll endeavor to keep things as close to normal as possible here, though likely shorter.

There's been very little movement Waiver Wire-wise with the back end of the 'pens since the first of the month. The Mike Adams trade was the biggest one and it did shake up the Padres' bullpen.  However, who knows what the next few weeks will hold.

Let's have a review of last week's names:

• Brian Wilson only appeared in two games over the last week, due to blow-outs both by and against the Giants. He picked up a save and a loss in 1.1 innings, giving up a run on three hits while walking one and striking out two. Friday's game was the first game he allowed a run since before the All-Star Break, so we shouldn't read anything more into it than a closer having an off night.
• Adams was shuttled off from the San Diego Padres to the Texas Rangers. While it's hard to judge a trade this early, especially across leagues, here's the splits: in his last appearance with the Padres, he pitched an inning allowing a hit and a strikeout. He got the hold in that game. In his first appearance with the Rangers, he pitched an inning allowing a run and two hits, getting a punchout and allowing a walk. Like with the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, it's going to be hard to see immediate impact when coming from the opposite league. Once he has time to adjust (3-to-4 weeks, in my opinion), he should be back to near-dominance.
• Antonio Bastardo wound up in four games in the last week, winning two and picking up two holds. He only gave up a run on three hits in 3.1 innings, fanning four. He did allow a longball in last night's 8-6 win over Colorado, but such a thing is a rarity this season (he's only allowed three on the season). His and Ryan Madson's work are pivotal to keep Philly atop the NL East.
• Henry Rodriguez worked in a little longer relief last week, logging 4.1 innings in two games. He gave up a run on a hit, walking one and striking out five. There haven't been any clear or consistent signs of his performances improving; flashes here and there. There might be continued hope for him, but right now all signs point to not much improvement.

 Now, let's get some names out there for this week:

• "Doing Work" - J.J. Putz (ARI): J.J. has been having a solid season as the D-Backs closer, helping keep them within a game of the Division-leading (and World Champion) Giants. His last week reads dominantly: 2.2 innings pitched in three appearances, zero runs on three hits with a walk. He grabbed three saves, running his season total to 25. He is coming off the DL after to a right elbow injury, and isn't showing any ill-effects aside from a slight drop in fastball velocity (1 MPH) which right now could be contributed to 'rust'. The D-Backs had no problems throwing him in three straight games, but will likely rest him for a bit and let Arizona's solid set-up man David Hernandez close as needed. Expect that trend to continue for likely the next month as Putz works his arm (and elbow) back to shape and normal routine. J.J. will still be good for late innings, and will be relied upon for the high-leverage situations as the hunt for the Playoffs builds to a climax.
• "Unsung Hero" - Heath Bell (SD): While the Padres are pretty well out of the hunt for the Playoffs this year, you wouldn't know it looking at Heath. 30+ saves with a sub-2.50 ERA, hitters batting .210 against him. Last week's line reads brilliantly as well: three games, three innings, no runs, one hit, three punchouts. Most of this with the trade winds swirling around him and Mike Adams (who was the eventual 'odd man out'), and in the midst of a relatively dreadful San Diego season. The Padres have been playing a little better lately than their record indicates, and Buddy Black is not a manager to "mail-in" a season, so expect Heath to get plenty of work in for the rest of the year. He'll make it all count, even though it may be way too late to bail out the leaky boat of the '11 San Diego Padres season.
• "Heart-Attack Award" - Jason Isringhausen (NYM): Izzy got roughed up over his last week. He appeared in four games, four innings pitched. He allowed six runs on six hits, one walk, five strikeouts, and saved two games. He's up to 298 saves on his career, and I will stand behind him getting #300 on a Mets uniform (there were some trade winds swirling for him, and some still say he might still move over the Waiver Wire). However, he isn't a spring chicken anymore. New York is still on the outside edge of a Wild-Card spot, and will be playing like it. Izzy's in line to log more innings in a season than he has since his '07 Cardinals campaign, and it's going to wear on his arm pretty good at this point. The Mets seem to be riding Izzy for all he's worth, and I'm looking to see a fade within the next month and a half. Whether they stick it out with Izzy, or use a fresher (and younger) Bobby Parnell for the stretch run, will be decided by the standings.
• "ZOMBIE!" - Rex Brothers (COL):The Colorado Rockies setup man has been having a first year in the Big Leagues to... well... remember, but probably not for the reasons he'd want to. Up until the last week, he was running along pretty well. But then this happened: four appearances, three innings, six runs, five hits, two walks, six Ks. That equals out to two losses and a blown save. While there's pretty much nothing to go on (3 years of Minors work), Rex is next-in-line for the closer role, apparently by his merits. He's on-pace to pitch more innings than he has in pretty much any level of the Minors. Brothers could either be reduced in workload, or shut down completely because of it. It's extremely difficult to predict future performance on a rookie, so I would have to say that Rex is a "wait til next year" candidate and find your holds elsewhere.

Here's hoping for a return to normal next week!

Warming In The 'Pen: NL Edition

Well, well, well...Wednesday was a big day in the land of baseball. A bombshell of a deal sending Carlos Beltran to the World Champion San Francisco Giants, a massive three-way exchange involving 11 players in all. Yesterday had Kosuke Fukudome heading to Cleveland to shore up the outfield (a move on which I might have more to say). With just two days left til the Trading Deadline, there's bound to be plenty more 'shock and awe' to come. I'm sure there will be updates as we go along.

As it is, let's go over last week's names:

• John Axford continues to impress, knocking out three saves in three games. Three innings of work saw him give up two hits, striking out three and walking no one. A very solid week for the youngster as the Brew-Crew fight off three other teams for the top spot in the NL Central.
• Jason Isringhausen appeared in two games and saved both. He now has 296 saves on his career. He gave up a hit, a walk, and two knockouts in two innings of work. Bobby Parnell has been rocky over the past few games, so I believe that Izzy is going to be the go-to closer. That is, unless a move gets made. Beltran's already been let go by the Not-So-Mighty Mets. We won't know if they're in full fire-sale mode until Sunday.
• Fernando Salas worked two innings this past week, allowing one hit and one walk, fanning four and notching two saves. The Cards are only a half-game out from the above-mentioned Brewers, and so long as Fernando continues his solid performances, St. Louis will be in the race for the rest of the season.
• Carlos Marmol was seen in three games (2.2 IP), giving up three hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Sean Marshall seems to have the lead as the "closer for the moment" on the Cubs staff, and it looks like Carlos will be in a set-up role until his mechanics are right. He could be good for a few cheap and easy holds in the interim.

With all that said and done, here's this week's award "winners":

• "Doing Work" - Brian Wilson (SF): Since his little dugout meltdown on the 1st of the month, "The Beard" has been on a tear. In his last ten appearances (ten innings pitched) since he threw down with that Gatorade cooler, he's saved eight games, giving up two runs on seven hits in the process. He's walked four, but stuck out nine in the span. With the Giants' acquisition of Carlos Beltran, the front office is showing its seriousness and intent on thinking "repeat" this year. Contention, especially late-season, will depend on Wilson being his freaky self (all apologies to the REAL Freak, Tim Lincecum) at the back-end of the San Fran 'pen. Career-wise, Brian's heading into his best month of the season: He carries a 1.26 ERA in the month of August on his career, .555 OPS, .286 BAbip, and a strong 1.158 WHIP. This is very promising for a team that's picked up a huge bat for an offense looking desperately for help. While a boost in offense might trim down The Beard's save chances, Beltran will not solve all the Giants' O woes. Wilson will still be in the top five in saves, and likely be a catalyst to another push to the Playoffs for the City By The Bay.
• "Unsung Hero" - Mike Adams (SD): Though the Padres are well-removed from playoff contention, but you wouldn't know it by looking at Adams. He has been having a sensational year, along the lines of Joakim Soria for the Royals on the AL side of the fence. In the last week of work, Mike didn't allow a single run, gave up two hits, and no walks. He's also notched four knockouts and two holds. Sporting a 1.15 ERA on the season, Adams deeper numbers are equally impressive: 0.723 WHIP, 5.33 K/BB ratio, a .451 OPS, and a BAbip of a microscopic .200. His FIP of 2.07, while less solid than his ERA, is still extremely sweet and indicative of a pitcher that's solid enough to not need the backing of his defense (mid-ranked in the MLB). With the trade winds swirling around San Diego closer Heath Bell (and even Adams himself), the situation in the Padres' camp is fluid. If Bell is traded, I would expect Adams to move into the closer role and be a pick-up of value in most leagues. If Adams were to get traded however, it would be to a team with an immediate need for a solid set-up man. That'd help his value in deep or 5x5/6x6 leagues. Either way, Adams is worth looking into for shoring up your fantasy staff.
• "Heart Attack Award" - Antonio Bastardo (PHI): Yet another story about another closer in another pennant chase not exactly getting things done lately. Bastardo has slipped a bit off a solid season over the last seven days. He's only notched one save in three appearances (2.2 IP), giving up two runs on two hits and two walks. On a good note, he did fan three. Antonio has been having a career year, with an ERA of 1.38, FIP of 2.52, OPS of .422, and BAbip of .159. However, there's the case of another young arm possibly starting to fold under the pressure of a tight race. Bastardo's numbers over the last 14 days (ERA of 4.50, OPS of .568, BAbip of .286) are a little troubling. While there's not really a whole lot to go off of (he's only worked one game in August in his career), a sudden falloff during a pennant race is never a good thing. My recommendation is to hang onto Bastardo until we get an idea of how at least the first half of August goes for him.
• "ZOMBIE!" - Henry Rodriguez (WSH): The Nats, while realistically in the Wild Card hunt, are going to have some issues while Rodriguez is in their 'pen. His last seven days read like a pitching coach's nightmare: two games, 1.1 IP, six runs on four hits (including a blast), six walks, no strikeouts. A 4.25 ERA on the year, combined with a paltry 1.32 K/BB ratio, 1.639 WHIP, and .313 BAbip are the epitome of "stay away". There are a few pluses to his game: Only one homer allowed in 36 innings, a GO/AO ratio of 1.48 is solid, he has five holds on the season, and he's only allowed 27% of his inherited runners to score (3-for-11). While those kinds of things may hold promise for future considerations (say, the next year or two), he is of no help now, and should be avoided at any and all opportunities.

That's all that's fit to print for the moment. As always, comments below, or hit me up on Twitter: @JCPronkFan48

Playing the Name Game: Who's Who

This edition of "Playing the Name Game" is the third time this season I'll be comparing nameless player's statistics  and hopefully opening your eyes a little bit to how name recognition (and sometimes the lack thereof) can skew the realm of fantasy baseball ownership. This time I'm going to hold back all of the player's names until the end. NOTE: All stats quoted are from games played through June 29th, 2011.

---

Let's jump right into the game by comparing the statistics (5x5 style) of a pair of outfielders in Scenario A:

• Player A: .258 BA, 35 R, 10 HR, 51 RBI, 1 SB
• Player B: .282 BA, 42 R, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 3 SB

Player A is owned in 67.5% of ESPN leagues and just 39% of Yahoo! leagues while Player B is owned in 100% of ESPN leagues and 84% of Yahoo! leagues. Are the 24 points in batting average, seven runs, two RBI and two stolen bases really worth such a discrepancy in ownership numbers? Here's a hint to guessing their names: neither player's home park would be consider hitter-friendly.

---

Let's take a look at another pair of outfielders producing similar stats in Scenario B:

• Player A: .262 BA, 51 R, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 5 SB
• Player B: .264 BA, 25 R, 8 HR, 29 RBI, 3 SB

Again, pretty similar except for the large discrepancy in runs scored. How could that be explained? What if I told you Player A has had 279 at-bats while Player B has only had 148 at-bats? So, very similar numbers in half the at-bats, except for runs. Player A cost you an ADP of 104.1 while it's safe to say Player B was virtually undrafted. Now let's take a look at ownership numbers. Player A (99.6% E; 86% Y!); Player B (8% E; 5% Y!). Here's a hint to narrow down who they are: both players are on different contending teams in the NL Central.

---

Enough with outfielder comparisons for the moment. Check out these pair of first basemen in Scenario C:

• Player A: .173 BA, 20 R, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB
• Player B: .217 BA, 17 R, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 0 SB

Ugh, why would anyone want to own either of these players with nearly half a season in the books? Fantasy owners got the memo about Player B and have avoided ownership to the tune of 0.4% in ESPN leagues and 1% of Yahoo! leagues. Quite the head-scratcher, though, that Player A is still owned in 83.3% of ESPN leagues and 79% of Yahoo! leagues. Oh right, Player A cost you an ADP of 37.3.

---

How about a trio of first basemen with similar numbers up for comparison in Scenario D?:

• Player A: .297 BA, 33 R, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 1 SB
• Player B: .272 BA, 33 R, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 2 SB
• Player C: .306 BA, 34 R, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 0 SB

Okay, now we're talking. These three are virtually the same player, right? Wrong. Ownership levels are all over the place. Player A is owned in 100% of ESPN leagues and 90% of Yahoo! leagues while Player B is owned in just 43.3% of ESPN leagues and 30% of Yahoo! leagues and lastly, Player C is 91.9% owned in ESPN leagues and 53% of Yahoo! leagues. Over the last 15 days, Player B has three home runs while the other two combined have none.

---

Lastly, let's compare a pair of young catchers with a ton of potential but I wonder if that potential is another year away from being realized after looking at Scenario E:

• Player A: .226 BA, 36 R, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 3 SB
• Player B: .226 BA, 24 R, 11 HR, 35 RBI, 0 SB

Again, other than runs scored and a few bonus steals, these catchers are providing nearly the same level of offense to a fantasy team. Both players are 25 years old but the perception of each is quite different. Player A has only played 2/3rds of his games at catcher and the other 1/3rd at first base and owned in 100% of ESPN leagues and 95% of Yahoo! leagues while Player B has caught nearly the same amount of games but stuck in a perceived 60/40 split of time with a veteran catcher and owned in 50.9% of ESPN leagues and 52% of Yahoo! leagues.

---

Enough with the player comparisons already, right? Let's get to revealing the player's names after the break.

**********

Your League Probably Sucks...

...IF any of these examples are true about the fantasy baseball leagues you're in this season:

• Eric Hosmer is owned in only 59% of Yahoo! leagues. He has a 5x5 line of .309/18/5/21/2 in 32 games and has been an impact player since being called up on May 6th. He hit home runs in back-to-back games at New York on May 11th and 12th. He should have been 100% owned on May 13th, if not sooner. Check your waiver wire now to validate how much your league probably sucks.
• There is no reason whatsoever for Manny Ramirez to still be owned in 7.7% of ESPN and 5% of Yahoo! leagues. NONE! WHAT! SO! EVER! Quit sending trade proposals to these owners for any of their players. They gave up caring about your league long ago.
• Joe Mauer owners are dying to get his bat back into their lineups and there's hope it could happen in as soon as a weeks time. But can you explain to me why he's currently starting in 14% of Yahoo! leagues? Oh, I know why. Because those 14% of owners were so bromantically committed to having Mauer on their team that they no longer had anything to live for when he got injured. If your league hates the DL or has such limited bench spots, I have a formula for you. Lazy owners + crappy league settings - common sense = sucky league.
• Speaking of catchers: Does your league use a "two catcher" format? If so, it sucks. ESPN's Player Rater ranks just 17 catcher-eligible players with a rating above zero. Now I'm no mathematician but a negative rating on any scale has got to be a bad thing. Oh and one of those 17 players is Mr. Out For The Season Buster Posey, so let's knock that down to 16 players. Jorge Posada is ranked 27th and is owned in 18.4% of ESPN leagues. Nuff said. Quit requiring people to draft crappy hitters, you sadomasochists.
• Hey...you know that guy in your league who named his team after his favorite real team (most likely the Cubs) and his infield is made up of Carlos Pena, Darwin Barney, Starlin Castro and Aramis Ramirez? And his pitching staff is anchored by Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano with Carlos Marmol as his closer? Yeah? Well that guy sucks as an owner and any league that continues to invite that guy sucks too.
• Anthony Rizzo and Mike Moustakas were both called up to the majors this week and should see their ownership numbers skyrocket. Wait. What's that? You only get to make changes to your lineup weekly? Oh my. Weekly leagues suck. Plain and simple. This isn't fantasy football. Get involved in daily leagues or don't get involved at all. If fantasy baseball takes too much time and/or effort to manage a team over the course of six months then don't join.
• Keeper leagues are a lot of fun but why is everyone in your league talking about them in June? I'd rather play to win my league this year owning Johnny Damon than lose while owning Bryce Harper. Quit sucking and play to win now!

I'll continue writing these posts periodically to point out the number one frustration most fantasy baseball players experience in their leagues most years: INACTIVITY! Inactive owners affect the overall value of a league. How many times have you sent a trade proposal to another owner to simply have it ignored or expire?   Does winning a league filled with inactivity really give you any level off satisfaction if no money was involved? Probably not. Does kicking a cat before it can steal your soul feel good? The answer to that will always be yes. ALWAYS!

What experiences have you had which left you pondering whether or not your league(s) sucks?

Line of the Day: June 7th, 2011

SP Tim Stauffer of the San Diego Padres pitched eight shutout innings, allowed just four hits and struck out eight in a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies. The eight innings pitched and eight strike outs were both career highs.

Line: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K; W, QS

My fantasy perspective: Stauffer was touted as a "sleeper" coming into this season's drafts due to his 1.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in seven end-of-the-year starts in 2010 and hasn't lived up to the hype yet. His 2-4 record in 13 starts with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP are barely with owning at this point unless your league uses scoring categories like Quality Starts (8), K/9 (7.27) or K/BB (3.15).

His ownership numbers are kind of odd, too. Only 5.3% of ESPN league owners have deemed him ownable while 33% of Yahoo! owners are hanging in there. At this point, I'd be looking for favorable match ups to stream him but wouldn't invest much more than that until he can put together a nice string of very quality starts.

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.

Be sure to check out the past winners of COSFBA's Line of the Day awards and subscribe to its feed, too.

Waiver Saviors: Who's Hot and Available

This edition of Waiver Saviors is not a celebrity gossip edition. There will be no Kardashians mentioned unless one of them is dating Matt Kemp. Today's post will be focusing on those players owned in approximately 50% or less of all ESPN and/or Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues AND having a significant statistical impact over the last 15 days (through May 24th).

Here's the latest batch of waiver wire targets you need to be aware of at this point in the season:

• OF Jon Jay, STL (13/8% ESPN; 5% Yahoo! owned) is hitting .392 (20/51) with nine RBI and three stolen bases while filling in across an outfield dealing with injuries. If your team needs offense, Jay is worth the look while he's hot and making the most of his opportunities.
• OF Laynce Nix, WAS (21.9% E; 8% Y!) is hitting .362 (17/47) with three home runs, nine RBI and a stolen base as the Nationals' regular left fielder. He's projecting to hit 20 HR this season, which isn't much of a stretch for a player averaging 17 HR per 162 games over his career.
• 1B/2B/3B Adam Kennedy, SEA (2.5% E; 4% Y!) is hitting .297 (11/37) with two home runs and two stolen bases and can be a short term fix to a fantasy roster dealing with injuries. As second basemen go, Kennedy is ranked higher than Chone Figgins, Brian Roberts, Aaron Hill and Gordon Beckham.
• OF Raul Ibanez, PHI (47.6% E; 33% Y!) is hitting .326 (15/46) with two home runs, six RBI and 10 runs scored and has raised his average from a season-low .154 on May 1st to a season-high .252 today.
• 1B/OF Brad Hawpe, SD (5.8% E; 5% Y!) is hitting .318 (14/44) with two home runs, six RBI and 10 runs scored and could be a nice addition to your team in deep leagues utilizing extra roster positions such as CI, IF, UTL and DH or NL-only leagues.
• C Jonathan Lucroy, MIL (29.4% E; 26% Y!) is hitting .390 (16/41) with four home runs, 15 RBI and a 1.188 OPS and deserves to be owned in all formats. He's climbed the charts to become the 5th-ranked catcher on ESPN in just 32 games played.
• OF Seth Smith, COL (46.7% E; 29% Y!) is hitting .372 (16/43) with three home runs, nine RBI and two stolen bases while settling in as the Rockies' everyday right fielder. He may sit against some of the tougher lefties (.327 vs RHP; .214 vs LHP), but I think the concerns over him being a platoon should be put to rest.
• 1B Juan Miranda, ARI (0.5% E; 1% Y!) is hitting .375 (9/24) with one home run and five RBI and the reason the Diamondbacks recently released Russell Branyan. He's currently dealing with a hand/wrist injury but seems to be in Arizona's long term plans at first base.
• 1B/OF Michael Morse, WAS (2.3% E; 10% Y!) is hitting .407 (11/27) with two home runs and five RBI and will get an extended look at first base while Adam LaRoche in on the disabled list. He's now showing signs of being the player who hit nine homers  this past Spring and highly touted as a sleeper.
• 2B/3B Justin Turner, NYM (46% E; 17% Y!) is hitting .326 (15/46) with one home run and 12 RBI while seeing time at second base and third base for the injured David Wright. Check your league settings to see which position(s) he qualifies at because his value increases with dual eligibility.

Being extremely proactive in your daily leagues is the easiest way to stay ahead of lazy owners. We are nearly 1/3 of the way into the season and soon, if not already, it will be time to cut ties with under-performing players and take a chances on others that can help your team make up points in the standings. Head-to-head leaguers should be ready to treat each week separately and play as aggressively as possible to win.

Waiver Saviors: May 19th, 2011

Waiver Saviors is a regular feature on COSFBA looking for players available in a majority of leagues (ESPN and/or Yahoo!) who are currently having a statistical impact in fantasy baseball 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. This advice applies best to very deep, mixed leagues and shallow league-only leagues. I'm not sure why people still insist on playing in shallow mixed leagues where EVERYONE is available on waivers.

Here's the latest batch of Waiver Saviors who may be worth owning if your roster continually has been decimated by injuries or you're finally ready to move on from an under-performing draft selection:

• OF Marlon Byrd, CHC (32.6% ESPN; 29% Yahoo! owned) is currently tied for sixth in hits (51) in the MLB, is hitting .307 and has scored 22 runs. Those are some positives. On the flip side, he only has two home runs and nine RBI, a 2.9 BB% and an inflated BABIP of .374. The Cubs will continue to run him out there everyday and slot him in the three hole in the lineup and there is value in that if you need a temporary fill-in for an injured player. And it also helps that he's hitting .340 over his last 15 games and both of his homers have come during that span.
• OF Jonny Gomes, CIN (17.2% E; 23% Y!) is only hitting .183 and officially lost his starting left field job, so why would there be any value in acquiring him? One word; interleague. The Reds are going to use him at DH in upcoming interleague games hoping to utilize his bat. This could be the wake up call his season needs. Now if he could just cut down his 31.7 K% and have a few balls drop into play (.195 BABIP).
• OF Seth Smith, COL (25.8% E; 15% Y!) has started 31 of the Rockies 41 games and made it into a total of 35, producing 4 HR, 18 RBI, 23 Runs and 3 SB. At his current pace, he'd produce a full season line of .286/91/16/71/12. In 2010, only 28 players accomplished a 16 HR/12 SB or better season. His splits (.301 BA vs RHP; .167 BA vs LHP) prove he'll be stuck in a platoon and should be utilized as such on your fantasy team, as well.
• 1B Todd Helton, COL (68.3% E; 37% Y!) looks healthy and could add value to your team in several categories from a CI, IF or UTL/DH slot in deep, mixed leagues or shallow NL-only ones (8th-ranked NL first baseman). Is a 20+ HR/75+ RBI/.315+ BA season that much of a stretch for him? He's outperforming guys like Aubrey Huff, Adam Dunn and Billy Bulter at this point and deserves a look.
• OF Corey Patterson, TOR (14.1% E; 7% Y!) is currently the Blue Jays starting left fielder and batting at the top of an offensively-potent lineup. In his last 14 straight starts, he's batting .295 (18/61) with six doubles, two triples, nine RBI, 11 runs scored and three stolen bases. Get past the name and look at the statistics and you'll see a player with plenty of fantasy value while getting the opportunity to play.
• 3B Scott Rolen, CIN (43.4% E; 39% Y!) has returned to the lineup from a shoulder injury and tearing it up. In six games since his return, he's hitting .435 (10/23) with a 1.132 OPS and should be a mainstay in the middle of the Reds' potent offense with the occasional day off for rest.
• 3B Alberto Callaspo, LAA (51.7% E; 32% Y!) is another third baseman with value on waivers. Over his last 15 days, he's hitting .339 (19/56) with 11 RBI. He doesn't offer much power or speed but would fill in nicely if you are reeling from injuries at what's proving to be an even shallower third base position than it was on draft day.
• OF Roger Bernadina, WAS (2.2% E; 2% Y!) is the Nationals' starting center fielder and leadoff hitter and deserves to be owned in more leagues. He's now hitting .293 on the year with four stolen bases in his last 11 games. His 12.8 BB% has led to a nice .383 OBP. If the Nationals' offense could find some consistency, Bernadina could be a cheap source for runs scored, too.
• C Yadier Molina, STL (60.3% E; 55% Y!) has a 5x5 line of .323/16/3/18/1 and currently stands as the third-ranked catcher on ESPN's Player Rater after hitting .483 (14/29) with a 1.190 OPS over his last seven games. There's no reason to hold onto a multi-category killing catcher this deep into the season. You should be willing to play the hot hand if you missed out on the upper-tier options.
• OF John Jay, STL (1.1% E; 2% Y!) could see some additional playing time if Tony LaRussa continues get Albert Pujols starts at third base, going forward. His .322/8/3/11/1 line has been very under-utilized up until this point, thanks to the blazing start to the season Lance Berkman has had.
• OF Ryan Ludwick, SD (20.3% E; 17% Y!) has been on a tear over his last seven games, hitting .444 (12/27) with four home runs, 13 RBI and a .889 SLG. He may only be worth rostering on road trips, though (.177/6/4/11/0 at home; .280/13/4/17/1 away).
• RP Fernando Salas, STL (55.3% E; 39% Y!) is the latest Cardinals' reliever to get a chance at some saves and has gone 4-for-4 in his opportunities. Mix in a 2-0 record, 1.02 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 8.15 K/9, 3.20 K/BB, .153 BAA and three Holds and you got yourself a very valuable reliever in nearly all formats.

Is it time to hit the panic button yet on some under-performing players and if so, which ones have you simply cut your losses with and moved on from already? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section.

Be sure to check back every day to see who won COSFBA's "Line of the Day" award.

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.

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.

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.

Finding Keepers: San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres may find ways to win a lot of games in the NL West this season and stay competitive but they will be doing so with very few keeper worthy players. Funny how trading 1B Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox turned him from an upper-tier option at first base into an elite one.

With Gonzalez off the roster now, the Padres highest-ranked fantasy player according to the ESPN Player Rater was CL Heath Bell. Now, in a game that most pundits will say "never pay for saves", having your closer be your best option for a fantasy keeper is not necessarily a good thing. On the plus side, Bell was 6-1 with 47 Saves, had a 1.93 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP and an 11.1 K/9 ratio. So if you want to use a keeper selection on him, you'll probably get very good numbers in return for doing so. Probably? That word doesn't exactly instill confidence.

SP Mat Latos went from being virtually undrafted in most leagues in 2010 to producing an 8th-place finish in the 2010 NL Cy Young Award with a 14-10 record, 2.92 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 189 K's in 184.2 innings pitched. Those strikeout numbers translated to robust ratios of 9.2 K/9 and 3.78 K/BB. Those kinds of numbers matched with his potential for a big 2011 currently have him being drafted on MockDraftCentral.com at 72.17 with such fantasy pitching studs as Justin Verlander (66.12), Josh Johnson (72.40) and Francisco Liriano (79.91). Lock him up and enjoy the ride.

The only player on the Padres projecting to hit 20 or more home runs in 2011 is OF Ryan Ludwick. That surely doesn't bode well for a team that had the 22nd-ranked offense in 2010. Unfortunately, a 21 HR, 82 RBI, .270 hitting outfielder with no speed doesn't deserve a keeper selection but it will get him drafted as a third or fourth outfield option.

If SS Jason Bartlett was able to put up 2009 numbers again (.320/90/14/66/30) he'd be a no-brainer keeper option for 2011 at what's projecting to be a very thin position. Unfortunately, those numbers look more and more like a statistical anomaly. He'll probably get drafted in very deep, mixed leagues or NL-only leagues and could reward some owners with a decent, if not surprising, return on investment. But probably not.

2010 Fantasy Baseball Awards: 10/09/2010

The 2010 regular season is now behind us and it's time to hand out some hardware. The Baseball Bloggers Alliance has new names for the awards we all know and love and I'll be handing them out from a fantasy perspective. And the winners are...

The Connie Mack Award for AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, TB

Joe Maddon manages the Rays like a true fantasy baseball god. Position flexibility is the best friend of every good fantasy baseball manager and Maddon gets the most out of his roster. Ben Zobrist played 15 games at 1B, 56 at 2B, 2 at 3B, 1 in LF, 14 in CF and 104 in RF. He used Sean Rodriguez at 1B for 3 games, 94 at 2B, 7 at 3B, 5 at SS, 5 in LF, 9 in CF and 8 in RF. He batted his catcher, John Jaso, in the leadoff spot for 169 at bats (+ 30 walks) to the tune of a .380 on-base percentage. Toss in guys like Reid Brignac (2B/SS/RF) and Willy Aybar (1B/2B/3B) and you can see why Maddon is taking home this award.
2nd Place: Ron Washington, TEX
3rd Place: Ron Gardenhire, MIN

The Connie Mack Award for NL Manager of the Year: Bobby Cox, ATL

Bobby Cox managed his Braves to the NL Wild Card and probably helped many fantasy managers win their leagues with the likes of fantasy no-names such as 1B/2B/3B Martin Prado and 2B/3B/SS/LF/RF Omar Infante. Cox is single-handedly responsible for convincing Billy Wagner to come to Atlanta to be his closer and Wagner responded big time (7-2, 37 SV, 1.43 ERA, 0.87 WHIP). Add potential NL Rookie of the Year Jason Heyward and NL Comeback Player of the Year Tim Hudson into the mix and you can see why Bobby Cox is taking home this award.
2nd Place: Bruce Bochy, SF
3rd Place: Bud Black, SD

The Willie Mays Award for AL Rookie of the Year: RP Neftali Feliz, TEX

I hate the mantra, "Don't pay for saves", because sometimes saves are worth paying top dollar for (Mariano Rivera, for one). For those owners that were able to get Neftali Feliz at the end of their drafts (ADP 222.5), they struck fantasy gold. Frank Francisco opened the season as the Texas Rangers' closer and promptly blew two saves (April 8th and 10th). Feliz recorded his first save on April 12th and never looked back, converting 40 of 43 save opportunities the season.
2nd Place: Austin Jackson, DET
3rd Place: Brennan Boesch, DET

The Willie Mays Award for NL Rookie of the Year: C Buster Posey, SF

Most people would agree that this award was a two-horse race, Jason Heyward and Buster Posey. Looking at it from a fantasy perspective, their numbers were relatively similar. The differences are that Posey put his numbers (.305/18/67) in 108 games while Heyward put up his numbers (.277/18/72) in 142 games. Also, Hayward's ADP was 114.1 while Posey was virtually undrafted. Lastly, Posey put up premium numbers for a catcher and finished 3rd overall for his position while Heyward finished as the 40th ranked outfielder.
2nd Place: Jason Heyward, ATL
3rd Place: Jaime Garcia, STL

Line of the Day: 07/02/2010

SP Mat Latos, SD pitched eight shutout innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven and walking none. Latos moved to 9-4 on the season with a 2.62 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP and has struck out 91 in 99.2 IPs. If you were smart enough to draft (ADP 212.6) him or grab him off waivers, congrats. You get a fantasy gold star.

Agree? Disagree? Nominate your own Line of the Day player using the comments section or hitting me up on Twitter.

Ups and Downs: 05/29/2010

This edition of Ups and Downs will look at the top five players being added and dropped the most (according to ESPN leagues) and the possible reasons why.

• 3B Scott Rolen, CIN (+30.7%) has 5 HR and 16 RBI over the last 15 days. 
• C Mike Napoli, LAA (+27.1%) is back to being the Angels primary catcher and is hitting .349 with 5 HR and 11 RBI over the last 15 days.
• OF Jose Guillen, KC (+26.2%) has seen his ownership numbers fluctuate recently. He went on a 3 HR, 6 RBI two-game binge that probably caused a spike in ownership.
• SP Mike Leake, CIN (+25.8%) continues to produce quality starts, strikeouts and wins (without a loss) and should be owned in all competitive leagues.
• SP Mike Pelfrey, NYM (+23.7%) is 7-1 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.30 WHIP and riding a three-game win streak.
• SP Brad Penny, STL (-36.8%) hit the DL and then promptly waivers. His run of four straight losses prior to the injury probably added to the mass drops. Expect him to be a nice add once he's back and proves healthy.
• OF Andruw Jones, CHW (-23.3%) is no longer hitting home runs (0 in his last 13 games) and has seen his average drop down to .230.
• C Ivan Rodriguez, WAS (-22.8%) went on the DL with a bad back, which is never a good sign for a 38-year old catcher, regardless of how well he was hitting (.325). Keep an eye on him when he returns if you are in need of a catcher.
• RP Alfredo Simon, BAL (-22.5%) had a chance at the Orioles closer role prior to his injury. Their bullpen is a free-for-all and Simon probably lost his chance at remaining the closer.
• SP Wade LeBlanc, SD (-20.9%) has been knocked around of late (0-3, 13 ER, 15.2 IP) and currently not worth rostering. He could be a nice streamer with the right match up.

Be sure to check out COSFBA on Facebook and Twitter, too.
*Statistics accurate through games played on 05/28/2010.

Box Score Beasts: 05/17/2010

Box Score Beasts will look at the top performers from tonight's games without much commentary. This page should give you a quick look at the players that had the most impact in their respective games.

• C Victor Martinez, BOS hit two solo home runs in five at-bats.
• 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis, BOS hit a two-run home run in the 8th inning to give the Red Sox the lead over the Yankees.
• 3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 9th of Jonathan Papelbon to tie the game at 9 and end Papelbon's save streak at 22 games.
• OF Marcus Thames, NYY hit a two-run, walk-off home run off Papelbon to give the Yankees the win.
• OF Corey Patterson, BAL stole two bases. Might be a source of some quick, cheap steals.
• 1B Ryan Howard, PHI was 3/5, 2 R, 6 RBI courtesy of a grand slam.
• OF Jayson Werth, PHI had a home run and four RBI.
• SP Kyle Kendrick, PHI pitched eight innings, allowing just five hits, two earned runs, one walk and struck out four to earn his second victory of the season.
• C Joe Mauer, MIN was 3/5 to raise his batting average to .360. His power numbers may not be there but this guy is a batting champ.
• 1B Justin Morneau, MIN was 3/4 with three runs, four RBI and two home runs. His batting average is now .374.
• OF Vernon Wells, TOR had three hits and is hitting .310 on the season. He continues to get it done.
• 3B/OF Jose Bautista, TOR hit his 11th homer of the season.
• OF Corey Hart, MIL hit two solo home runs.
• SP Johnny Cueto, CIN pitched seven innings, allowing seven hits, one earned run, one walk and seven strikeouts to earn his third win.
• SP Edwin Jackson, ARI pitched eight shut out innings, allowing just four hits, two walks while striking out 12 to earn his second win.
• SS Starlin Castro, CHC went 3/5 with his first stolen base while raising his batting average to .361.
• 3B Aramis Ramirez, CHC hit a walk-off two-run home run to beat Colorado.
• SS Ian Desmond, WAS was 4/4 with a run scored.
• 1B Albert Pujols, STL was 3/3 with two runs and a walk.
• C Yadier Molina, STL stole his fifth base of the season. That's impressive.
• 2B/3B Jose Lopez, SEA was 2/4 with three RBI and a stolen base.
• 1B Daric Barton, OAK was 3/3 with two runs, an RBI, a double and triple.
• 2B/3B Blake DeWitt, LAD was 2/4 with a run, two RBI and two triples.
• SP John Ely, LAD pitched seven innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, zero walks with eight strikeouts to earn his second victory.
• SP Clayton Richard, SD pitched seven innings, allowing just three hits, one run, walking three and striking out five to earn his third win.
• SS Jason Bartlett, TB successfully executed a walk-off squeeze bunt to win the game.

Man, I loved digging through all of tonight's baseball games to find these top performers. Hopefully you won't have to do the same now that I've listed all the gems.

A Steady Stream: 05/11/2010

A Steady Stream will be a semi-regular column that looks at probable pitchers starting games tomorrow and owned in approximately less than 50% of all ESPN and/or Yahoo! leagues that could be "stream-worthy" if they are available in your league. My goal is to revisit the streamers to see how accurate my assessment of the risk was (or not).

Here are my Stream-Worthy Starting Pitchers for games to be played on Wednesday, 05/12/2010 and the level of RISK associated with streaming:

• Edwin Jackson, ARI (45% E; 55% Y! owned) @ home vs LAD (Kuroda)- Jackson has been horrific over his last three starts (13.1 IP, 28 H, 21 ER, 7 BB, 9 K, .500 OBA). Until he shows he's righted the ship, I'm avoiding him. RISK: HIGH
• Carl Pavano, MIN (42% E; 45% Y!) @ home vs CHW (Danks) - Why isn't Pavano owned in more leagues? Over his last three starts, he's gone 23 IP, 17 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 18 K but only 1-2 with 3 QS. He's getting hit hard at home this season (5.14 ERA) but has nice career numbers against the White Sox (5 GS, 3-2, 2 CG, 2 SHO, 2.86 ERA, 0.95 WHIP). RISK: LOW
• Derek Lowe, ATL (37% E; 53% Y!) @ MIL (Gallardo) - In Lowe's seven starts in 2010, he's managed only 38 IP and 1 QS. Need more reason to avoid Lowe? How about a 23:19 K:BB ratio. Look elsewhere! RISK: DANGER!
• Fausto Carmona, CLE (28% E; 31% Y!) @ KC (Davies) - Carmona has been good, so far, this season. He's recorded 5 QS in 6 GS but a troubling 17:18 K:BB ratio. He has poor career numbers against in 11 G versus KC (59 IP, 72 H, 4.73 ERA, 1.59 WHIP). RISK: MODERATE
• Carlos Silva, CHC (16% E; 27% Y!) @ home vs FLA (Volstad) - Silva was streaming along quite nicely, as proven here and here, until his last two starts (10 IP, 18 H, 9 ER). He's also battling tightness in his neck. RISK: HIGH
• Gio Gonzalez, OAK (9% E; 18% Y!) @ TEX (Holland) - Gonzalez is good and only getting better but his talent is still very raw (35.2 IP, 26 H, 19 BB, 34 K). I don't like this match up in Texas. I'm avoiding him. RISK: HIGH
• Clayton Richard, SD (2% E; 21% Y!) @ SF (Cain) - In his last two starts, Richard has gone 11 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 8 BB, 13 K. The 13 K is 11 IP is nice but the 8 BB are troubling. Not sure he pulls out a win, but I like Richard to pitch well. RISK: EVEN
• Chris Volstad, FLA (8% E; 8% Y!) @ CHC (Silva) - Volstad is coming off two stellar pitching performances (16 IP, 8 H, .193 OBA, 12:3 K:BB), but both were against the Nationals. I like Volstad because I don't like Silva (see above). RISK: LOW

Other possible streamers I'm simply avoiding:

• Jamie Moyer, PHI (5% E; 8% Y!) @ COL (Hammel)
• Tim Wakefield, BOS (3% E; 4% Y!) @ home vs TOR (Marcum)
• Zach Duke, PIT (2% E; 7% Y!) @ home vs CIN (Bailey)
• Kyle Lohse, STL (2% E; 16% Y!) @ home vs HOU (Rodriguez)
• Jeremy Bonderman, DET (1% E; 2% Y!) @ home vs NYY (Hughes)

Not a great day to be streaming pitchers, so be careful out there. GOOD LUCK!

What are your personal feelings on streaming pitchers and the practice that may take place in your league? Are there policies in place to deter such behavior (IP limits, transaction limits, etc)?

Did You Know? 05/04/2010

This edition of "Did You Know?" focuses on some more statistical* randomness regarding hits, walks and strikeouts.

Players with more walks than hits:

• 1B Nick Johnson, NYY - 9 H, 22 BB, .134 BA
• 2B/3B Chone Figgins, SEA - 18 H, 21 BB, .209 BA
• 3B Chipper Jones, ATL - 14 H, 18 BB, .206 BA
• 1B Mark Teixeira, NYY - 17 H, 18 BB, .181 BA
• C Carlos Ruiz, PHI - 17 H, 18 BB, .270 BA
• OF Jason Kubel, MIN - 16 H, 17 BB, .203 BA
• C Brian McCann, ATL - 16 H, 17 BB, .242 BA

Players with more strikeouts than hits:

• OF Justin Upton, ARI - 23 H, 38 K, .225 BA
• 2B Richie Weeks, MIL - 26 H, 33 K, .252 BA
• 1B/3B Mark Reynolds, ARI - 23 H, 33 K, .253 BA
• OF Cameron Maybin, FLA - 24 H, 32 K, .247 BA
• OF Kyle Blanks, SD - 14 H, 32 K, .194 BA
• OF Jason Bay, NYM - 24 H, 30 K, .255 BA
• 3B David Wright, NYM - 25 H, 30 K, .281
• OF J.D. Drew, BOS - 22 H, 29 K, ,247 BA

I was very surprised to see how low player's batting averages were that walked a lot compared to how much higher player's averages were that strike out a lot. Are "free swingers" more valuable to a fantasy roster's batting average than "patient" hitters? Anyone else surprised by that information? Share your opinions on the matter.

* Stats are accurate through games played as of 05/03/2010.