Fantasy Sports News
Update: According to Chicagobreakingsports.com, Chicago White Sox first round pick of the 2009 MLB draft OF Jared Mitchell is out of the season. Mitchell will undergo surgery on his left ankle next week and could miss what would have been his first full professional season after colliding with the wall while making a catch against the Angels. "It's going to cost him a year at least. The kids is still young. Unfortunately, this happened to him," said manager Ozzie Guillen. Mitchell was reassigned to the minor leagues two days ago.
Fantasy Impact: Although Mitchell had no fantasy impact this season, it's a shame to see a player with the potential of Mitchell's to be hit with such a bad injury. Playing for a high-powered LSU team, he showed the exciting athleticism that made him a two-sport standout, with plus speed and flashes of raw power.
Update: Chicago Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez left Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds due to triceps soreness.
Fantasy Impact: This shouldn't affect Ramirez draft status at all and he should be ready to play as scheduled for his games next week.
Update: According to ESPN, Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler will be sidelined for at least a week after suffering a high ankle sprain. Kinsler slipped on some wet grass during warm-ups Friday morning and rolled the ankle. "I will be ready to play, but I'm not going to put a timetable on it," Kinsler said. "I'll be playing games before we leave spring training."
Fantasy Impact: Kinsler is a top-3 2B and if this injury doesn't sideline him for more than a week he should be fine. However, if this injury persists over the course of the season, fantasy owners could see a decline in the stolen bases category. Kinsler stole 31 bases in 2009.
Update: The Associated Press confirms that the Minnesota Twins have agreed to sign a new contract with OF Denard Span. Span signed a five-year, $16.5 million deal that includes a $9 million team option for 2015. "We go through a pretty good checklist of criteria before we enter discussions with a player about a long-term contract and he has been very good for us for two years," Twins general manager Bill Smith said.
Fantasy Impact: Span will be the everyday center fielder after the Twins traded Carlos Gomez in the offseason. Span had a great season last year hitting .311 with eight home runs, 68 RBIs, 97 runs scored, and 70 walks. Span has a lot of upside and is a good potential sleeper in most fantasy formats. Also, Span stole 23 bases last season and could improve on that number next season.
Update: Detroit Tigers OF Johnny Damon had a great day in spring training against his former team the New York Yankees. Damon went two for four, with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Damon left the Yankees this offseason to sign with the Tigers as a free agent.
Fantasy Impact: Damon is a top-30 OF in all formats, and showed that he can still hit for power today. The Tigers are extremely optimistic about Damon's hitting abilities this season.
Update: It now seems that Daisuke Matsuzaka will not break camp with the Boston Red Sox when they head north to open the 2010 season. Dice-K was throwing a bullpen session today, when he suddenly walked off the mound after 5 pitches and ended his day. A Red Sox spokesperson said that Dice-K was suffering from a stiff neck. Add this to the sore back he has been battling, and the fact that he has yet to throw in a live game, and it is apparent that Dice-K will stay in Florida and try to rehab and gain his strength while his teammates open the season.
Fantasy Impact: Matsuzaka is beginning to look like too much of an injury risk to even bother drafting him at this point. Until he can show that he isn't so brittle he is only worth a pick as an injury risk sleeper.
Update:Tim Bogar of the Boston Red Sox say's that 3B Mike Lowell is "a natural fit" at first base. Bogar ,who is the Sox infield instructor, say's that Lowell has taken to the position nicely."His big thing was working on picking balls in the dirt and footwork stuff. We did that a couple of days. He’s a natural at it. Great hands. Two days we’ve hit him buckets of balls at first base with low throws and stuff. He’s just professional." Lowell will make his spring debut on Monday against the Baltimore Orioles and it is likely that the Red Sox will try to showcase him for other teams.
Fantasy Impact:If Lowell gets traded and can find a regular gig somewhere he could be a very nice sleeper pick for some lucky fantasy owner.The surgically repaired thumb that kept him from being traded to the Texas Rangers this past winter seems to be fully healed. Follow his spring AB's closely. If he stays in Boston he will be Adrian Beltre's caddy, as well as spell Kevin Youkilis occasionally.But as a regular he could still have some pop in his bat to make him a nice value pick.
Update: After sitting out of the St. Louis Cardinals last 5 spring games with a sore back, 1B Albert Pujols returned to his familiar position today and went 2 for 2. Pujols managed a single, and a double, as well as drawing a walk. The time off was obviously the right thing to do for the best player in baseball, and the Cardinals and their fans hope that Pujols will now roll into his 10th season as their regular first baseman and continue his run of a .300 average,30 HR's, and 100 RBI,something he has done every year he has been in the majors.
Fantasy Impact: Own the first pick in your draft? Lucky you. Here's your pick.
Update: Manager Charlie Manuel of the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies say's that P Ryan Madson could see some save opportunities at the beginning of the season if regular closer Brad Lidge is not healed from his surgeries on his elbow and knee.Madson is first in line to be the closer for the Phils until Lidge returns,but Manuel also said that recently acquired Danny Baez could be in the equation also.Madson filled in for Lidge last season and struggled as a closer.
Fantasy Impact:Madson might generate a few saves through the course of the season, but beware, he has blown 19 of the 34 save chances he has had since he came to the Phillies in 2003. As a set-up man, Madson seems more comfortable, and his value fantasy-wise lies in that realm.
Update: The Toronto Blue Jays traded away their unquestioned ace in Roy Halladay this winter but they may have someone ready to step right into his place in their rotation.Ricky Romero threw 4 innings of shutout ball today,allowing only 2 hits against the Atlanta Braves. For the spring Romero has now thrown 9 innings and allowed only one run.Romero walked 4 continuing a problem he had last season as a rookie,but all 4 runners were erased on ground ball double plays.Romero was 13-9 for the Blue jays in 2009.
Fantasy Impact: Romero ended the 2009 season on a bit of a downhill slide, but that was to be expected. Because of the way he ended the year most people will forget how well he began the year. His draft value will almost certainly make him available in the late rounds of most mixed leagues and with the experience he gained last season, as well as his ability to keep the ball in the park, he could be a nice sleeper pick.
Update: Micah Owings knows he is in a tough spot with the Cincinnati Reds. He is one of a number of pitchers who are battling for the 5th and final spot in the Reds rotation.Today's pitching performance did not help in his quest for that spot.In two innings of work Owings allowed 3 runs on 4 hits against the Chicago Cubs.Since debuting with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007, Owings has deteriorated on the mound. His bat though has been solid, and if things continue to go downward for the 27 year-old righthander, it may only be a matter of time before some begin to think of him in Rick Ankiel terms.
Fantasy Impact:Unless there is some sort of miracle worked within the next 2 to 3 weeks Owings will open the season in the middle of the Reds bullpen. Leave him alone in all league drafts.
Update: The Cleveland Indians knew what they were getting when they traded for P Justin Masterson last season. The soon-to-be 25 year-old throws heat and can deliver strikeouts, but he still has a lot to learn when it comes to pitching. Thus far this spring he has delivered the expected K's, with 12 in 7 innings.Today versus the Texas Rangers he struck out 6 in 3/23 innings, while giving up one unearned run. As soon as Masterson is able to figure out how to keep the ball down he could emerge as a top starter for the Tribe.
Fantasy Impact: Masterson is a young live arm. If you play in a league that values K's he is a good addition to your staff this season. The Indians are going to start Masterson this year, rather than use him in the bullpen.He would be especially handy to own in A.L. only leagues.
Update: Atlanta Braves manager got good news on Saturday when he was told that P Jair Jurrjens right shoulder felt fine one day after throwing his first 2 innings of the spring. Jurrjens will now make his next start on Tuesday on just three days rest. Also, fellow starter Derek Lowe will stay on schedule too after leaving his last start because of a blister on his right toe. This means the Braves can continue to set their rotation up for the start of the 2010 season.
Fantasy Impact: The news on Jurrjens is good for fantasy players. The fact that he and the Braves feel confident enough to keep him and the rest of the staff on schedule should ease any worries fantasy managers might have regarding his shoulder tightness.Lowe simply forgot to tape his toe when he last stepped on the mound and paid the price with a blister. It will be of no concern going forward. Jurrjens should pay handsomely as an 11th to 14th round selection, while Lowe is a late round addition in mixed leagues.
Update: For the first time in 10 days, Arizona P Brandon Webb threw a baseball.After saying his arm felt "stagnant" on March 4th after a throwing session, Webb threw off flat ground today and felt good enough to try some breaking balls also.Manager A.J. Hinch was happy with what he saw. "Throwing a few breaking balls may not sound like big news, but it is to us. That means he's able to throw without reservation, and that's big."If his arm feels OK the D'Backs hope to see if Webb can throw off a mound within a week or so.Webb will no doubt open the season on the DL and continue to work his way to health.
Fantasy Impact:Webb will start the 2010 season on the DL. There is no timetable for his return, but as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks he should be good to go no later than late April-early May.Webb's arm and shoulder are fine. The problem he has now is being behind the other pitchers as far as game action is concerned.Webb could miss 3 to 5 starts to begin the season, so in the long run that's not too bad. Consider Webb as a late round addition that you will need to stash for a few weeks.
Update: Clevealnd Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera injured his right leg diving back to third base on a pickoff attempt. "He had a little pain in his leg," manager Manny Acta said. "He did it diving back. We'll know more tomorrow."
Fantasy Impact: This injury doesn't seem to worry Manny Acta or anyone else on the Indians, so it is safe to assume its a day-to-day injury. Cabrera is a top-10 shortstop, and could be a nice middle round pick. He will bat leadoff for the Indians this season.
Update: It was only a Cactus League game but Angels reliever Scot Shields was nervous."I get nervous every time I pitch," Shields said. "I don't care where it is, what it is, I get nervous. But, there was a little something extra in there today." Shields was on the mound for the first time in a live game since last May before he underwent knee surgery.After A.J. Pierzynski lined his first pitched for a single, Shields settled in and retired the White Sox in order for a scoreless debut.
Fantasy Impact: Sure Shields was awful last season. The numbers don't lie, but for the 4 years leading up to 2009 Shields was among the elite relievers in the game. Four straight years of 30+ holds with low ERA and WHIP's made him a must own in leagues with reliever stats. He can probably be left undrafted in most leagues to start the year, but if he is healthy don't wait too long to add him to your staff. He could be a gold mine for relievers with the Angels and working as Brian Fuentes set-up man.
Update: He's about to begin his third big league season. He's already joined Dodger greats Drysale,Valenzuela,Sutton, and Branca as the only Dodger pitchers to rank in the top ten for ERA before they were 21 years old.He's been compared to Sandy Koufax.Clayton Kershaw is ready to take the next step and be the staff ace."I want to go deeper into games," Kershaw said. "I'd like to throw a complete game and then throw some more. I want to make 33 or 34 starts, and 200 innings is a rough goal. If I can do that, everything will take care of itself." So far this spring he has shown that he may be ready to take that step.After throwing 3 shutout innings against the Reds on Friday,Kershaw has allowed five hits and one earned run in five innings this spring.
Fantasy Impact:Kershaw has hurt himself, and therefore his fantasy managers also so far in his career, by walking too many batters. If he begins to gain control it will not only allow him to cut his BB rate, but it will also allow him to go deeper into games.It's a lot to expect from most 22 year-olds, but Kershaw appears to be the real deal and it is only a matter of time until he puts it all together. This year could be the start of his rise to the next level. He is a nice mid-round selection who could become a staff ace as soon as this year.
Update: Trevor Hoffman has been through a few spring trainings in his career, so it's no surprise that he hasn't thrown in a live game yet. Manager Ken Macha reports that Hoffman is experiencing some upper back soreness but that he is looking intense in his bullpen sessions. Macha doesn't feel as if it is a "pressing issue" to get Hoffman in a game anytime soon.The 42 year-old, all-time saves leader knows what it takes to prepare for the long season and there are few players in baseball who keep themselves in as good shape as Hoffman does every year.His off-season work-outs are still legendary in San Diego.
Fantasy Impact: Hoffman's day's as an elite closer are gone, but there are still few closers as reliable as Hoffman in the game.Having followed Hoffman his entire career the only thing negative I can say about him is he tends to falter when he comes into games with a multi-run lead. If it is a one run lead, there are few as reliable as Hoffman. With the Brewers, Hoffman is still capable of 35-40 saves and he is a nice pick after the top closers are gone.
Update: There is no question it's a long shot, but Tigers P Dontrelle Willis is alive and definitely in the hunt for the last spot in Detroit's rotation. So far this spring Willis has looked good while throwing and it has not gotten past manager Jim Leyland. "I think he's (Willis) made huge progress," Leyland said."I've been very pleased with his command around the strike zone.I'm very thrilled. I'm trying to stay out of it, I'm going slow. But I've been very impressed. He's made strides.I think he's done great. I'm very thrilled with his progress."
Fantasy Impact: It's not quite time to rush out and add Willis to your roster, or even draft him for that matter,but if he continues to impress he may be a nice waiver wire pick-up as the season progresses.With all of his struggles since 2007 I can't suggest he is worth a draft pick,but he could be a nice back-of-the-rotation filler if he can show anything like he did early in his career.
Update: Minnesota Twins P Francisco Liriano had a great showing in the Dominican League this past winter and it appears as if he has picked up where that left off in the Twins camp. Liriano threw two shutout innings on Thursday, while striking out three. His breaking ball and change up were described as "filthy" by manager Ron Gardenhire. On another front, there is talk that if Twins closer Joe Nathan can't pitch through the pain in his elbow,Liriano may be in line to become the clubs closer.Pitching coach Rick Anderson told MLB.com,"Frankie will start Monday, stretch out in innings and we'll keep him like the rest of the starters and progress that way. If somewhere down the line, you go the other way then at least we got him stretched out. We'll figure that out as we go."
Fantasy Impact: It sounds, and is beginning to look like, Liriano may have finally returned to the pitcher who literally blew the A.L away in his rookie year in 2006. If that is true, here is your sleeper pick of the 2010 draft. With the news that he could fill Nathans role as closer, it may make it a bit more difficult to figure out where to draft him. If his spring continues as well as it has so far,he could be a steal in the late-rounds.Liriano has ace potential.
Update: Derek Jeter was back in the New York Yankees camp this afternoon after being sent home before yesterdays rained out game against the Atlanta Braves. Team doctors thought he was showing signs of the flu-like symptoms that have been in the Yankee camp all spring, but today Jeter said that he thought it was food poisoning.There don't appear to be any complications and Jeter was back to work today.
Fantasy Impact: Sure Jeter is 36 years-old and plays a demanding position, but anyone who thinks he isn't still a viable fantasy option would be wrong. After the elite SS are off the board, Jeter is perfectly acceptable as your next best option. In fact with Mets SS Jose Reyes out for as long as the next 8 weeks, Jeter may see his draft average go up a bit. In mixed leagues Jeter is a good choice around rounds 4-6, and in A.L. only play he and Jason Bartlett of the Tampa Bay Rays are your two best choices.
Update: It hasn't happened yet, but if anything could make Giants 1B/3B Pablo Sandoval lose his fun-loving,jovial attitude, it could be the continued questions about his weight.Sandoval entered camp weighing 15 pounds less than he did at this time last year and already he has dropped another 5 pounds. But some people still want to focus on his appearance and not his results."I feel great. I feel everything has gone well and I feel the speed is there and the movement," Sandoval told Janie McCauley. "I'm just trying to maintain my diet and exercise. Sometimes it's hard."
Fantasy Impact: In the know fantasy players are aware that the real off-season agenda concerning The Panda was new hitting coach Hensley Meulens and his approach with Sandoval to be more selective at the plate.So far in spring games it's apparent that Sandoval is starting 2010 where he left off in 2009.Pablo should be picked within the first 40 players in regular mixed leagues and would make a nice 3rd or 4th round pick. There is no reason not to expect at least the same numbers out of Sandoval in '10 as he put up in '09....and don't be surprised if he improves a bit also.
Update: Spring training started out upbeat for Detroit Tigers reliever Bobby Seay. He soon began to experience shoulder pain after arriving in Lakeland,Fla. and even though he has begun throwing again, the pain isn't getting any better. Initially diagnosed with tendinitis and bursitis in his shoulder, team trainers now think he is also dealing with rotator cuff tendinitis.Seay told The Sports Exchange,"I don't think this is a major injury, or I couldn't throw," he said. "But the heating-up and cooling-down process (in throwing) is making my arm pretty sore. It's limiting my range of motion and what I can do throwing the baseball. ... I'm getting extreme soreness after (I throw). ..."
Fantasy Impact: Seay had some value in leagues that used relievers and the holds category, however as of now he should be ignored in all drafts.Shoulder injuries that linger and continue to worsen are huge red flags for any pitcher.
Update: Lance Berkman injured his knee during a running drill in the Houston Astros camp on March 1st. It was decided today that he would undergo arthroscopic surgery on that knee after it continued to swell and was causing him discomfort. The Astro's 1B is expected to miss from 2 to 4 weeks and he could be in jeopardy of missing Opening Day, as well as starting the year on the DL.G.M. Ed Wade,while not happy that his star is undergoing surgery, understands the need to do it now."We think that once it gets addressed, that it's a dead issue and we won't have to worry about it anymore," said Wade."We'll address it now, get him moving in a straight line and, hopefully, not have to worry about it for the rest of the season."
Fantasy Impact: This actually may help some fantasy managers who have not drafted yet. Berkman may tumble a bit in drafts as some will look at his age and his career low .274 average in 2009 and assume he is on the downhill portion of his career. Don't assume too much. This will be a walk year for Berkman, meaning he is playing for his next contract, not to mention the immense pride that he has as a ballplayer.If he drops to the 7th to 10th round in your draft he would be a huge bet for a sleeper pick.
Update: After getting rained out of his first appearance this spring on Wednesday, Braves P Jair Jurrjens managed to get two innings in today before rain washed out the Braves-Pirates exhibition game in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.Jurrjens appeared fine and it showed in his pitching as he gave up one hit and struck out one in his afternoon performance."It felt awesome," Jurrjens said. "I felt really great. I felt like all of my control was there and every pitch was like doing what I wanted it to do. I was happy with it."
Fantasy Impact: As long as Jurrjens comes back tomorrow and has no ill effects from today's game, he should be considered back on track for fantasy players. If he then continues his spring with no problems you can consider him a top 25 pitcher who should help all teams in fantasy,although if you play in a league that rewards K's you will need help elsewhere.
Update: Aaron Cook, as well as a good portion of the Colorado bullpen, got roughed up Thursday by Texas. In 2 and 2/3 IP, Cook gave up 9 hits, 9 runs (5 earned) en route to a 16-5 loss to Texas.
Fantasy Impact: Aaron Cook needed 73 pitches just to go as far as he did. Cook is coming off a year in which he went 11-6 with a 3.96 ERA. He has always been a decent option for a SP, especially one from Colorado. He is worth considering in the late rounds of your draft, but starts like these are reasons why it may be smart to avoid him.
Update: Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com reports that Baltimore Orioles’ starting pitcher Chris Tillman threw two perfect innings in his first action of the 2010 preseason.
Fantasy Impact: Tillman, 23, is a decent sleeper option on the mound this season. He’s firmly entrenched as the O’s fifth starter, and he’s got a ton of talent (he was, after all, a key piece of the Erik Bedard-to-Seattle trade a few seasons ago). He struggled in his first taste of the big-leagues last year, but 2010 brings renewed hope, valuable experience, and, now, a perfect start. He’s only getting drafted in about 25% of mixed leagues right now, so you should be able to hold off during the draft and just grab him off the waiver wire early in the year. He’s a low risk-extremely high reward guy, so make sure to keep an eye on him and pick him up after he reels off a few strong regular season starts.
Update: Baltimore Orioles’ starting pitcher Brian Matusz, Baseball America’s No. 5 overall prospect in 2010, currently leads the big-leagues with 10 strikeouts in four preseason innings of work.
Fantasy Impact: Matusz has showed glimpses of dominance early on this spring, but he has also allowed three runs in only four innings. That really shouldn’t mean anything, though, as preseason stats have a very low correlation to regular season success. Matusz has locked up a spot in the middle of the O’s rotation and is looking to build off an impressive 5-2 record from last season. He’s got as much potential as any pitching prospect not named Strasburg, and he should be a top-75 starter in 2010. He’s got a ton of upside, so he’s definitely worth a flier in the later rounds of mixed-league drafts. In keeper leagues, his value is off the charts. Grab him before his name hits the fantasy mainstream.
Update: MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez is reporting that Neftali Feliz is not guaranteed a spot on the Texas Rangers’ Opening Day roster. "It's not guaranteed. There is no guarantee," manager Ron Washington said. "You have to perform. Everybody else is fighting for a job, too." Feliz may be relegated to Triple-A to start the year.
Fantasy Impact: There has been a lot of speculation that Feliz would begin 2010 in the Rangers’ starting rotation, but that now seems unlikely due to his early preseason struggles (4 IP, 4 K, 2 BB, 13.50 ERA). His fastball is an A++ pitch, but he’ll need to work on his off-speed stuff in order to earn his way into the rotation (and be successful). However, he was untouchable last year, so it’s hard to believe that he wouldn’t at least make the big-league club as a set-up man early on in the year. If he’s not utilized as a starter or closer, he has limited fantasy appeal right now. He’s still worth a late-round flier, though, as it should only be a matter of time before he gets back on the path to fantasy superstardom.
Update: San Francisco Giants SP Tim Lincecum was roughed up in spring training against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon. Lincecum threw 2.2 innings, giving up six hits, four runs (only two earned), two walks, and four strikeouts. "Stuff-wise I felt like everything was good," Lincecum said. "I think right now everything is just location. I just try to take something positive from each outing."
Fantasy Impact: Lincecum is taking advantage of spring training and not using his bad starts during the regular season. Although fantasy owners can't be pleased with his progress so far, Lincecum is working pieces-by-pieces hoping to be fully ready to compete by Opening Day.
Update: ESPN.com reports New York Mets SS Jose Reyes has been told to rest and refrain from athletic activity for two to eight weeks until his thyroid levels normalize. This announcement comes after a confusing week for Reyes on whether he was cleared to play or not. "It doesn't look good right now. We will have to prepare for that," said general manager Omar Minaya. Reyes was limited to 36 games last season due to a hamstring injury.
Fantasy Impact: This definitely drops Jose Reyes' stock from a top-5 shortstop to a top-20 shortstop. Reyes isn't guaranteed to begin playing for two months, and that puts a huge dent into his value. Reyes' draft selection would be a high-risk, medium-reward outcome. Hopefully he can return as soon as possible, the Mets need him to.
Update: According to ESPN.com, the Colorado Rockies have given 1B Todd Helton a two-year contract extension. They agreed upon a two-year, $9.9 million extension that will run through the 2013 season. Helton has also agreed to defer $13.1 million of his $19 million salary in 2011 over a ten-year period beginning in 2014.
Fantasy Impact: Helton hit .325 with 15 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 79 runs scored last year and no reason to think he can't repeat that success in 2010. Helton is a top-20 fantasy player, which has his value boosted to the fact that he will play half of his games at Coors Field.
Update: Manager Ozzie Guillen told ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski that the White Sox will run on the basepaths much more this season. "We're a step ahead of everyone,'' Guillen said, referring to Chicago's shift to a more Ozzie-ball type of club that can manufacture runs. Guillen says he likes the switch from a predominantly power-hitting club to a more versatile offense because the "50, 60, 70 home run [hitters] ... they're gone." So far this spring, the White Sox have had 12 stolen bases in seven games.
Fantasy Impact: Juan Pierre becomes a stronger fantasy target, because in Ozzie's new system he has a chance for 60-75 stolen bases. This also gives more fantasy value to Alex Rios, Gordon Beckham, and Alexei Ramirez.
Update: Tampa Bay Rays SP David Price was hit with a broken bat on his hand, cutting his hand. Price was lucky, escaping Wednesday's scary situation with only what the team described as an abrasion on his right hand near the base of his thumb — similar to a scraped hand when falling off a bike.
Fantasy Impact: Price doesn't expect to miss a start, but if he does manager Joe Maddon expects that he will stay on track towards being ready for the season by Opening Day. However, the maple bat is going to be a hot topic again, because when it breaks, it is broken into splinters instead of a clean break causing a major health risk.
Update: Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports the Boston Red Sox and SP Josh Beckett are having 'substantive discussions' about extending Beckett's contract before the season begins. Beckett is in the last year of his previous three-year, $30 million contract. The benchmark that Beckett would like to use is fellow Red Sox SP John Lackey's five-year, $82.5 million deal.
Fantasy Impact: Last season Beckett went 17-6 with a 3.86 ERA and in 212.1 innings he threw 199 strikeouts. Beckett should be a top-15 starting pitcher in fantasy drafts, and should be a hot commodity if he doesn't get a deal with the Red Sox before the season and must have a good season to increase his free-agency value.
Update: Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune wrote an article that says the Minnesota Twins may be forced to trade C Joe Mauer if they are unable to reach a deal with him. "If (agent Ron) Shapiro is intent on pushing Mauer to $25 million or more a year, Mauer might find himself on the Johan Santana Shuttle out of town," Souhan writes.
Fantasy Impact: This would be the last resort for the Minnesota Twins, and many prominent baseball writers can't see the Twins trading Mauer during the season. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian is one of them. "Trying to put a trade together of that magnitude would be impossible. They can't let him go," Kurkjian said this morning on the Mike & Mike radio show.
Update: ESPN reports that Boston Red Sox signed SS Nomar Garciaparra to give Garciaparra the opportunity to retire as a member of the Red Sox. Wednesday Nomar Garciaparra announced his retirement from Major League Baseball but was happy to do it as a Red Sox. "But to be able to have that dream come true, I really just can't put into words because of what this organization has always meant to me, meant to my family, the fans. I always tell people Red Sox Nation is bigger than any nation out there, and to be able to tell people that I came back home to be back to Red Sox Nation is truly a thrill," said Garciaparra.
Fantasy Impact: In his 14 season career, Garciaparra was known as a fan favorite for the Red Sox, and the guy everyone loved to hate elsewhere. Garciaparra had his peak in the late 90s and early 2000s when he hit .357 in 1999 with 27 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 103 runs scored, and then in 2000 he hit .372 with 21 home runs, 96 RBIs, and 104 runs scored. Although he won't make it into the Hall of Fame, he will always be a favorite of the Red Sox Nation.
Update: Seattle Mariners SP Cliff Lee had a great debut in his first spring training appearance with the Seattle Mariners. Lee went three innings with five hits given up, one earned run, one walk, and one strikeout in 46 pitches.
Fantasy Impact: Lee's debut was an excellent sign for fantasy owners and the Seattle Mariners. After Lee showed up to spring training with an injury on his foot, the Mariners have to be happy to see Lee on the right track. The Mariners will need Lee this season to help out with Felix Hernandez and give them a chance at winning the AL West.
Update:Jon Lester had a good rebound game for the Boston Red Sox today against the Tampa Bay Rays. Lester threw 2 2/3 innings and gave up one unearned run on two hits, while striking out four. Lester allowed 4 runs in his spring debut in just one inning. Lester felt pretty good today, and said after the game,"All in all, I felt like I threw the ball pretty well today.Timing-wise, it's still a little bit off. There's still a little bit to go there. I felt like I made some adjustments and got the ball downhill pretty good."
Fantasy Impact: Lester has been a fantasy star the past two years for the Red Sox and there is reason to believe he is only going to continue to get better.The 26 year-old lefty is easily a top 25 pitcher in the game and should be drafted as such.Look for him around rounds 4-5 in regular mixed leagues and in the 2nd or 3rd rounds in A.L. only play.
Update: The Baltimore Orioles are all in when it comes to the Great Matt Wieters Experiment.Manager Dave Tremblay said today that he hopes that Wieters is able to catch in 130-140 games this coming season. Wieters finished off the 2009 season as hot as any catcher in baseball, and that includes Joe Mauer. Wieters may only be barely past rookie status but he is saying and doing all of the things managers hope for from veteran players this spring.
Fantasy Impact: This is the kind of news that fantasy players like to hear. If Wieters stays healthy and does indeed catch in 130-140 games you can rest assured that there will be another new catcher to add to the elite status in fantasy baseball.Wieters could be the third catcher off the boards in all drafts. If you really want him for your catchers spot you may have to pay a bit more than you expected earlier this spring to grab him.
Update: Grady Sizemore went 2 for 2 against the San Diego Padres today, as the Cleveland Indians pounded Aaron Poredo for 7 runs in 0 official innings pitched. Sizemore hit a grand slam off of Poreda in the 4th inning, when the Indians exploded for 9 runs in a 10-5 victory. Sizemore also scored 2 runs for the day.
Fantasy Impact: It looks like the move to the second spot in the Indians batting order is not going to cause any problems for Sizemore. As long as Sizemore stays healthy and is over his elbow problems of 2009 he should return him to top 15 outfielder status quickly. Expecting a 30-30 year might be a bit much to ask, but a 25-30 season is certainly possible.Because of Sizemores horrible year in 2009 he might slip a little on draft day, but don't count on him lasting past the third round if you expect to have him on your roster.
Update: Former Red Sox prospect Chris Carter had a huge game for the Mets against the Braves, as he went 2 for 3 with a double, homer and 4 RBI. He is now batting .625 with 8 RBI this spring.
Fantasy Impact: With no clear favorite at 1B in New York, it is certainly worth watching how guys like Carter and Ike Davis perform. David Murphy is listed as the starting 1B now, but if Carter and Davis continue hitting like they are hitting, it will be hard not to consider them for the roster, if not the starting first base job.
Update: Jose Bautista had another big game for the Blue Jays this spring, as he went 2/3 with his 3rd homer. He is batting .643 this spring with 3 homers and 6 RBI in just 5 games.
Fantasy Impact: Jose Bautista has been a good source of power ever since entering the league. In each of his 4 seasons, he has hit at least 13 homers and played in at least 107 games. He should not be considered on draft day, but he could be a solid pickup, as he is capable of going on streaks like this during the regular season.
Update: After giving up 6 hits and 3 runs in his first start (2 IP), Penny settled down with 4 innings of 1 hit ball with two strikeouts today against Washington.
Fantasy Impact: Brad Penny has certainly had a roller coaster career, with an incredible 2007 season in which he won 16 games and posted a stellar 3.03 ERA. He struggled mightily with Boston last year before going to San Francisco, where he dominated once again. I would not count too much on Brad Penny for your fantasy team, but he could certainly be a good sleeper pick.
Update: After his debut on the mound on Tuesdays against the Detroit Tigers, Stephen Strasburg was given just a little more of an opportunity by manager Jim Riggleman to make the Nationals Opening day roster."We'll make a decision about whether he's on the ballclub or not," said Riggleman. "But I think in his mind, he's doing the right thing. He's just competing to get hitters out, and if that puts him on the ballclub, that would be his wish I'm sure.Strasburg was everything advertised on Tuesday, but more. He was able to throw two scoreless innings using all 4 of his "out" pitches, showing those who think he just throws a 100 mph heater that he indeed knows "how" to pitch.
Fantasy Impact: If you play in a keeper league it's now just a matter of where you draft Strasburg. When is too early? When is too late? In regular leagues you can assume that Strasburg will arrive in the majors this season, perhaps earlier than expected. Just remember to keep your expectations down and you will not be disappointed. Good luck!
Update: The Minnesota Twins may already be in "relief" mode as far as trying to compensate for the loss of closer Joe Nathan. Bob Elliott tweets that the Twins have shown an interest in Toronto Blue Jay reliever Jason Frasor, who appears to be the odd man out in the battle for the Jays closer position.Earlier this week it was thought that the Chicago Cubs were showing interest in Frasor also as a possible answer to Angel Guzman's possible career ending injury.Frasor has closed for the Jays at various times the past 6 years. Last season he was 7-3 with 11 saves and a 2.50 ERA.
Fantasy Impact: It's still not clear why Frasor would be the odd man out in Toronto considering he threw the best of the 3 last season who are in competition for the job this season.If he would get traded to the Twins his fantasy value would take a nice bump upwards simply because of the extra save opportunities he would get in Minnesota. Monitor this news and make your pick accordingly.
Update: The Oakland A's got some good news,bad news today. P Justin Duchscherer has been scheduled to throw to live batters this Friday for the first time since undergoing a minor back surgery to relive pressure on his sacroiliac.On the bad news side, P Joey Devine reports that he is suffering from some elbow tendinitis.The A's have told him to rest for the next 3 to 4 days to see how it responds.Both pitchers are probably not going to be ready for Opening Day, although Devine is still close.
Fantasy Impact: Duchscherer is behind the other starters for Opening Day and at this point is probably at least two weeks behind so don't anticipate him until at the earliest mid-April. The A's will be careful with their pitcher and have enough arms to cover until he is fully ready. Devine could be ready for Opening Day, but again the A's won't push it simply to have him there for the first game. The Duke is still a gamble and at this point is probably best left undrafted. Devine could be a nice pick up in leagues that use reliever stats.
Update: This hasn't been the best week for St. Louis Cardinals stars Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. First,Pujols has sat out all of this weeks games as he tries to rebound from a sore lower back. Now outfielder Matt Holliday has been scratched from today's lineup by manager Tony LaRussa. also. Holliday told TLR that he "felt something in his rib cage." LaRussa wasted no time in sitting down his left-fielder. There are no other reports on how serious the injury may or may not be.
Fantasy Impact: All injury reports are to be taken seriously for fantasy players, but as of now there doesn't seem to be too much to be concerned about with Holliday or Pujols.It's still early in spring training and LaRussa, as well as both of the players, know how important the regular season is compared to spring games. Nothing should change with either players draft status at this time. Pujols is still the overall number one pick in all leagues, while Holliday is a top 20 player.
Update: 2009 was not the best year Phillies closer Brad Lidge has endured in his baseball career.Not only were his on field numbers hard to swallow, but he then had to undergo surgeries on both his throwing(right)elbow and his right knee. But there seems to be progress being made and now the Phillie pitcher believes he will be able to take the mound on March 15th. On Wednesday Lidge threw 21 pitches to hitters and afterwords he took part in pitchers fielding drills.“I actually felt like I was in spring training,” Lidge joked. “It felt good to see how hitters reacted to pitches.”Lidge is still hoping to be ready for Opening Day, but understands that realistically he may have to shoot for the Phillie's home opener on April 12th in order to rebuild even more strength in his arm.
Fantasy Impact:Lidge endured a horrible season in 2009. There is no need to rehash the numbers, they were awful. Until Lidge can regain the confidence of fantasy players he is a late-round pick in mixed leagues, despite pitching for the Phillies who can get him many saves. In N.L. only leagues he should be looked at around rounds 10-12.
Update: The news doesn't seem to be getting any better for young Nationals catcher Jesus Flores. He will make the trip up to Alabama this week to see Dr. James Andrews to be sure that his surgically repaired shoulder has no further structural problems. Flores and the Nats have been discouraged this spring with his rehabilitation from the surgery that ended his season in September of last year.This news means that veteran Ivan Rodriguez will see the bulk of the time behind the plate.
Fantasy Impact: This is troubling news,not only for the Nationals, but for fantasy players. If there is any position that could use an influx of young talent, catcher is the one.At this point drafting Flores is the wrong thing to do. Rodriguez on the other hand will get a nice boost fantasy-wise with the extra time behind the plate.He now projects to be a late-round selection in mixed leagues ,and can probably be drafted in N.L. only leagues in the late-teens.
