Fantasy do-over: Auditing results from an in-season experts draft

Source: Roto Arcade by Andy Behrens

At the risk of tearing down the entire "fantasy expert" scam, we begin today with an admission: Occasionally, fantasy gurus get stuff wrong.

It's rare, but it happens. Back in March, it's possible that some of us led you to believe Roy Halladay was salvageable and that Adam Dunn was not terrible at baseball. We apologize for these misunderstandings.

With six weeks of MLB data in the books, it's time to reassess the player pool. We've assembled a group of 10 experts for an in-season baseball draft. The league settings are fairly standard: 5x5, mixed player pool, CI & MI, head-to-head, weekly lineups. Nothing too exotic.

[You can still own Paul Goldschmidt! It's not too late! Sign-up today for

Shuffle Up: Checking in with Josh Rutledge; more words about Didi Gregorius

Source: Roto Arcade by Scott Pianowski

Today's Shuffle Up assignment is the middle infielders, everyone who covers the second base or shortstop area for your fake juggernaut. Settle in, settlers, and let's try to figure it all out. (Where's Braun and Miggy? Sorry kids, they're not middle infielders.)

Play to this point matters as an audition, but that's it. The goal is to figure out who will play the best (and collect the juiciest stats) from this point forward, 2013-only. Pretend we're starting from scratch with a fresh draft tonight. Don't worry about the dollar value in a vacuum; they're merely used as tools to compare. And players at the same price tag are considered even.

I'll add extensive comments as the day goes along and I may tweak a

Roto Roundup: Mat Latos, Chase Utley, Jose Valverde, and Others

Source: Fake Teams by Ray Guilfoyle

Is it me or are there a lot of one run games this season? One run games means more save opportunities, more saves and more blown saves. We currently have one closer with 9 saves, three closers with 8 saves, one with 7 saves, seven with 6 saves and four with 5 saves, for a total of 16 closers with 5 or more saves. So, projecting their saves out over a full season, we could see 16 closers with 40 or more saves.

Mat Latos: Reaching a new level

Reds starter Mat Latos has been on the cusp of becoming an ace starter for over a year. What has held him back has been his tendency to start the

Draft Day Challenge, April 9

Source: Baseball Guys by Ray Flowers

Daily baseball is all the rage in the fantasy sports world, so I will be covering the game a couple of times a week here at BaseballGuys.com. To that end, I’ve partnered with DraftDay.com to give all my wonderful followers, that’s you, the chance to

The Fantasy Freak Show Podcast: Lincecum, Larry Fitz and the single greatest closer song ever

Source: Roto Arcade by Brad Evans

Blown saves, box score donuts, seven-walk implosions, unexpected pitcher masterpieces … welcome to the season of overreaction.

On this week's highly opinionated program, Brad Evans and Scott Pianowski attempted to decipher the meaningful from the meaningless. Our dynamic duo revealed concrete takeaways from opening week action, decided if you should believe or make believe in Chase Utley's resurrection and Matt Harvey's continued dominance and ran the closer gamut sorting out the messiness in Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee.

Also, our fanalysts touched on what the Carson Palmer trade means for Larry Fitzgerald's overall worth in

Freak Show Friday: Buying the Harvey hype at 8 PM ET, 5 PM PT

Source: Roto Arcade by Brad Evans

Blown saves, box score donuts, seven-walk implosions, unexpected pitcher masterpieces … welcome to the season of overreaction.

On this week's highly opinionated program, Brad Evans and Scott Pianowski will attempt to decipher the meaningful from the meaningless. Our dynamic duo will reveal concrete takeaways from opening week action, decide if you should believe or make believe in Chase Utley's resurrection and Matt Harvey's continued dominance and we'll run the closer gamut sorting out the messiness in Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee.

Also, our fanalysts will touch on what the Carson Palmer trade means for Larry Fitzgerald's

Over/Under: Is Chase Utley Rocky Balboa in disguise?

Source: Roto Arcade by Brad Evans

Fantasy is a speculative game. Predict the future, and you look like a genius. Don't, and you're painfully human. Gazing into the crystal ball, here's our view on nine intriguing over/unders entering spring training.

Chase Utley, apparently sipping from the fountain of youth after finding the cheap seats twice in Atlanta, total home runs on year 22.5

Dalton – OVER. And by a lot. I have him in almost every league I'm in this year, so I might as well go all in. He felt better (and actually played) during spring training this year more so than the past few seasons, and watching him sprint during a triple in Philly's first game gave me more confidence than his homer. I've gone on

Mostly MLB Notes: A 2013 Season Preview

Source: Roto Arcade by Dalton Del Don

Editor’s note: I wanted to get this posted much earlier, but I had my first kid recently (well, technically my wife had her), so that’s my excuse for the delay.

National League East

1. Washington Nationals
2. Atlanta Braves (WILD CARD)
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. New York Mets
5. Miami Marlins

Comments/Fantasy Predictions: Both Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are top-15 fantasy players, while Dan Haren is a top-25 starting pitcher. Ryan Zimmerman proves to be a better pick than Evan Longoria, while Drew

Empty Wallet: The All-Avoid Team, 2013

Source: Roto Arcade by Scott Pianowski

The good cops have had their say, the optimistic spins are already out there. Today I'm here to play bad cop, throw some red ink around. Let's get ready for the Anti-Value team, the names to avoid.

There's a sneaky industry secret when it comes to target and avoid lists; the second group generally gets the short end of the stick. It's common for many a fantasy pundit to

Bouncing Back: Roy Halladay

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

If there was a bounce back "team" this season it would be the Fightin’ Phils. They have more guys who underperformed or battled injuries in 2012 than you can shake a stick at. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and new addition Michael Young come to mind. But the one guy whose bounce back season could be the key to winning for both the Phillies and your fantasy roster is Roy Halladay.

The post Bouncing Back: Roy Halladay appeared first on Fantasy Baseball Blog at Razzball.com.

Over/Under: Young Cubs Rizzo, Castro are bears worth feeding

Source: Roto Arcade by Brad Evans

Fantasy is a speculative game. Predict the future, and you look like a genius. Don't, and you're painfully human. Gazing into the crystal ball, here's our view on nine intriguing over/unders entering spring training.

Eric Hosmer, who failed miserably to cash in on his spring success last year, home runs 19.5

Brandon – OVER. I definitely think Hos will rebound from a forgettable '12, and he's having a strong spring, but I doubt he ever gets too far above this number. It's just not his profile. I'm putting him down for 22 HRs for next year, and for the many years that follow.

Andy – OVER, but not by much. Hosmer is probably too much of a line-drive/ground-ball

Draft Strategy: Showdown: Uggla vs. Utley

Source: Rotoworld Baseball Articles

Dan Uggla or Chase Utley? Two Rotoworld writers take sides and debate.

Fantasy baseball 2013 draft preview: Second base primer

Source: SI.com

Second base isn't considered as weak of a fantasy baseball position as shortstop, catcher or relief pitcher, but with Chase Utley and Dan Uggla aging and Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia leveling off, it offers the greatest potential for disappointment on draft day.

Follow The Leader

Source: SI.com

Second base isn't considered as weak of a fantasy baseball position as shortstop, catcher or relief pitcher, but with Chase Utley and Dan Uggla aging and Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia leveling off, it offers the greatest potential for disappointment on draft day.

Pressing Questions: The Philadelphia Phillies

Source: Roto Arcade by Scott Pianowski

Three aces can take you a long way, be it on the poker table or the baseball diamond. But a stacked starting rotation might not be enough to save the 2013 Philadelphia Phillies. They're almost down to the felt.

The Phillies have the most aging collection of name-brand talent south of Yankee Stadium. The four infield starters are 33, 34, 34 and 36 years old. Mound stalwarts Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay are in their mid-30s. You almost expect Greg Luzinski and Mike Schmidt to emerge from the dugout, bats in hand.

There are other problems to deal with. Carlos Ruiz, last year's surprise star behind the plate, is grounded for 25 games per league suspension. There's plenty

2013 Rankings: Second Basemen

Source: Fantasy Baseball 365

Unlike first base, second base lacks impact bat depth. In mixed leagues without a middle infielder, few players outside the top-15 will be rostered heavily. In larger leagues, sorting through the dregs is a necessity that adds to the appeal and nuance of stepping out of kiddie pool leagues.

Rank First Name Last Name Organization 1 Robinson Cano Yankees 2 Dustin Pedroia Red

Who Would You Rather Have Poll: Chase Utley or Rickie Weeks?

Source: Fake Teams by Ray Guilfoyle

This is a quick post on which NL second baseman you would rather have in 2013: Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks or Phillies second baseman Chase Utley? I ranked Weeks as my 5th ranked NL-Only second baseman, with Utley coming him just ahead of him at #4. Both come with a question mark or two, with Utley's injury risk and age a concern for fantasy owners, while Weeks has an injury history himself, but has played 157 or more games in two of the last three seasons. But,

Chase Utley: Expects to be Healthy for 2013 Season

Source: RotoWire.com MLB

Chase Utley: Manager Charlie Manuel said Utley emailed him to say he would be ready for upcoming season, the Philadelphia Daily News reports. "He emailed me at Christmas and said, 'You're going to have a healthy second baseman,'" Manuel said. "Knowing him, that's means a whole lot." Visit RotoWire.com for more analysis on this update.

Championship Vinyl: A collection of Top-5 Lists

Source: Roto Arcade by Scott Pianowski

From a very early age I've always been a list-driven person. I probably checked out Phil Pepe's "The Sports Book of Lists" from my local library 8-10 times as a kid. And I loved the Top 5-driven theme of High Fidelity, a theme I'm going to shamelessly borrow in this exercise.

Keep in mind there's no preferred order with these Top 5 lists unless specifically noted, and also accept that this is one of the most subjective of undertakings. So you like different football players or music or movies than I do? It's all good. There's no problem. That's the fun of it, the disagreements.

Have a happy and safe New Year and we'll catch you on the

Player Profile: Howie Kendrick

Source: Baseball Guys by Ray Flowers

There aren’t many second baseman who can do what Howie Kendrick can do. Unfortunately, his skills don’t necessarily translate to huge value in the fantasy game, and as a result people never seem to be able to give the guy his due for what he does do. I get it. In today’s sports world it’s often

Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Ben Revere to the Phillies

Source: Fantasy Baseball Dugout by ballparkbob34

 

Phillies fans are quite used to general manager Ruben Amaro making the blockbuster big ticket move.  And, it’s no wonder.  The Phillies pack the stadium every night at Citizen’s Bank Park.  Last year, it’s consecutive sellout record finally came to a halt at 257 games.  Although, quite frankly, there were times when I sat in my season ticket seats in section 117 and saw a lot of empty seats in the upper corners.

So, when the Phillies acquired Ben Revere from the Twins this week, knowledgeable Phillies fans were happy, but

Chase Utley: All In For 2013

Source: Fake Teams by Brian French

Before Robinson Cano was Robinson Cano there was only Chase Utley. Utley was the number one second baseman and an elite talent from both a fantasy and reality perspective. He was a solid all around defender that played with reckless abandon but it was his bat that made him great. Throughout his career Utley has made a name fro himself in fantasy baseball as a five category contributor from a position on the diamond almost completely devoid of offensive firepower.

From 2005-2009 he received MVP considerations in each season and he earned four All-Star game selections along with four Silver Slugger

OPS Fantasy Leagues: 2012 Second Basemen Review

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Here is a look at the value of second basemen over the past season in OPS fantasy leagues. This is not meant to be a ranking so much as adding a lens to illustrate their relative value with OPS as a component. They are listed from highest to lowest OPS. Note that I only included players with at least 300 plate appearances in 2012. For reference, here’s my review of catchers and first basemen.

Top Ten

Robinson Cano – Here’s to you, Mr. Robinson. Fantasy owners love you more than you will know…

2013 Minor League Preview: Philadelphia Phillies

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Organizational Talent Rankings via Baseball America
2012 (27) | 2011 (11) | 2010 (18) | 2009 (12) | 2008 (22)

2012 Affiliate Records
MLB:  [81-81] NL East
AAA:  [75-68] International League — Lehigh Valley
AA:  [76-66] Eastern League — Reading
A+:  [72-60] Florida State League — Clearwater
A:  [62-76] South Atlantic League — Lakewood
A(ss):  [30-46] New York-Penn League — Williamsport

Arizona Fall League Players — Peoria Javelinas
Jay Johnson (LHP); Tyler Knigge (RHP); Colby Shreve (RHP); Kyle Simon (RHP); Tommy Joseph (C); Cody Asche (3B); Zach Collier (OF)

Fantasy Baseball Rankings Review – 2012

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

This is part of a two-part series designed to help Fantasy Baseball fans determine on what fantasy rankings and projections to rely.  The first part will cover Rankings.  The second part will cover Projections.  The methodology for the test relies on comparing Razzball Commenter League team drafts (576 teams in 2012 across 48 12-Team MLB leagues using ESPN’s default 5×5 format) and their end of season point totals.  Background on the methodology can be found here.

Everyone who participates in fantasy baseball snake drafts has

Review: Tout Wars

Source: Baseball Guys by Ray Flowers

I stand accountable for my actions. More times than not I’m right, but sometimes I make mistakes. When I do, I’m not afraid to admit it. I’d like to think that helps to set me out a bit in this industry. I try to be transparent and truthful. To that end, I thought I would spend a few days reviewing the results from my “experts leagues.” It wasn’t exactly pretty, I’ll be straight forward with that, but again I don’t believe in running and hiding. Here is how things went in my first year

Chase Utley likely to stay at second base - Chase Utley | PHI

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. indicated Friday that Chase Utley will likely stay at second base.

Utley unlikely to try third base this year - Chase Utley | PHI

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel indicated Friday that it's unlikely Chase Utley will play third base before the end of the season.

RCL Roundup: September 24

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

The Rank Railheads (RCL 40) are looking like champions with 10 days to go, stretching their lead atop the Master Standings to 6. The Railheads are still scoring 119 league points, and a perfect 120 is a possibility. They are now a mere 3 runs behind Chin Music after outscoring them 46 – 35 this week. RR was solid in most categories, hitting .292 with 13 home runs, 50 RBI, and 7 stolen bases. On the pitching side, they had 39 strikeouts in 36.1 innings with 1 win, 9 saves, a 2.97 ERA, and a WHIP of 1.13.

Meanwhile, panthers_freak (We’ve Got the Runs — Baseball Reasons) dropped to 111 points, but held on to

Can Drew Storen Save Your Season?

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Poor Tyler Clippard. It seems everyone wants Drew Storen to be the closer in Washington, Clip is merely a place filler who’s done so well in Storen’s absence (3.22 ERA, 32 SVs) that they didn’t have the heart to take it from him. But it seems even Clippard is ready for Storen to be closer. Nationals Manager Davey Johnson announced yesterday that Clippard and Drew Storen would share the closing duties and Clippard responded like any true closer would, by imploding in the ninth to the tune of 0.2 IP, 3 R, 2ER. He did it for Drew! He also spoiled Edwin Jackson‘s gem in the process, too (8.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Ks). So he’s in everyone’s dog house right about now. Wouldn’t

Sandoval Would Prefer If You Called Them Pleasantly-Plump Trippers

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Yesterday, Pablo Sandoval hit two homers, and his third in two days to bring his season total to 11.  The other day when Alberto Callaspo hit his 10th homer, I went into our Fantasy Baseball Player Rater to see who had been more valuable this year, Alberto Callaspo or Pablo Sandoval.  First rule of Fantasy Baseball Player Rater Checking, if you’re looking to see how a player compares to Alberto Callaspo, there’s a problem with said player.  There’s no second rule.  That’s the only rule you need.  Eric Hosmer or Alberto Callaspo?  Oh, man, Hosmer you done messed up.  Alberto Callaspo or Michael Young?  Damn, Michael Young, you smell like a

Around the Horn: September 18, 2012

Source: Baseball Guys by Ray Flowers

(1) Gordon Beckham hot in September. Sign of things to come?

(2) Rob Brantly streaking for Marlins at the dish.

(3) Chase Utley to play 3B for Phillies?

(4) Cliff Lee streaking for Phillies.

(5) Martin Prado scorching with 17 hits in 10 games.

(6) Nate McLouth savior in Baltimore even if no one is noticing (see Fleaflicker)?

(7) Kevin Correia getting it done.

(8) Ike Davis to

Kris Continues Medlen With Opposing Hitters

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Spare me while I talk about my team for a moment. I almost missed out on my head to head playoffs. Another team grabbed the final spot one week before the postseason was to begin. Oh no, it was that mean old Mr. McGaragle, and he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for that Medlen Kris (and that dumb dog!) Yes, Kris Medlen continued his brilliance last night pitching 7.0 innings, giving up just 1 ER with 13 Ks. I really want to take this moment to thank Grey, because I literally own Medlen everywhere and he’s the only reason I made the playoffs in one league, and the only reason I’m still contending in the others. K-Med is 8-1 with a 1.62 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 102 Ks in 117 IP (9 starts including 2

NatGio Shows The World One Pretty Pitcher

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

You could argue Mike Minor threw a slightly better game yesterday and deserved the lede, but you’d be arguing with a computer screen and over what should be the lede on a fantasy baseball blog.  It’s about time I gave Gio Gonzalez (7 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners, 9 Ks) some love after emoting all over myself in the preseason about how much I wanted Gio on every team.  In December of last year — yes, December — I gushed over Gio like a little schoolgirl that just got a free shopping spree at American Girl Place.  I followed up that gushing volcano of man love with me ranking him 17th overall.  I’m not right all the time, but sometimes you just gotta sit back and say, “Grey, your mustache is thick as your

Hasta Bautista

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

It’s a wrap for Jose Bautista in 2012.  See you around like a donut in 2013.  It’s far from breaking news that he’s done for the year.  It looked like it was headed that way for the last few days.  As an aptly-named, pessimistic Polish man would be named, Bummerooski.  He didn’t have the year you grew accustomed to after having a few years that you weren’t accustomed to. (Or maybe it’s, Bautista had a season you were expecting if he didn’t have the years you weren’t expecting?  Or maybe, he had a season you knew was coming because of seasons you didn’t know were coming?  I’ve painted myself into a logic corner and I’m getting hungry.)  Too bad the Jays weren’t in the pennant race,

RCL Roundup: August 27

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

panthers_freak (We’ve Got the Runs — Baseball Reasons) had a big week and stretched their lead atop the overall standings to four, 117-113, over the Rank Railheads (RCL 40). Both teams have 115 league points, but, as was shown last year in the tense battle between Random Italicized Voice and Better Lucky Than Good, the League Competitive Index can make the difference.

We’ve Got the Runs have been led by 5 Top 40 players, according to the Razzball Player Rater. #7, Justin

OPS Fantasy Leagues: Return Of The King

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Here are some updates on guys I covered earlier in the year and where I expect them to be for the rest of the season:

Albert Pujols – When I last wrote about him a few months ago, he had an OPS below .600. I remember people talking about how he was struggling to adjust to American League pitching. Since then he’s been getting to know them, getting to know all about them. The King has impressively turned his season around to the tune of an OPS well over .900 since June. His BABIP and low home run to fly ball rate are two areas that have vastly improved as the season progressed. I expect him to be more than king for a day, and continue to dominate for the rest of the season. One potentially exciting development

Are you a Buyer or a Seller?

Source: Fantasy Baseball Dugout by ballparkbob34

KNUCKLE DOWN: And make the deal for the injured Carlos Ruiz now if you are a seller.

Prior to August 1, many MLB teams had to make the tough decision: are we buyers or are we sellers?

The Pittsburgh Pirates, second in the National League Central were in the unusual position of actually not being sellers in late July.  Same with the Baltimore Orioles who are competing for a coveted wild card post season position.  Certainly, the addition of the extra wild card team this year has made more teams buyers than in previous seasons.

The Philadelphia Phillies, with 5 consecutive NL East championships, were also in an

CC Sabathia Dominates Sea-Sea-Seattle

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

C.C. Sabathia was sensational Friday night as he held the Mariners to 3 runs and just 3 hits in a complete game, striking out 10. With the loss, the Mariners impressive win streak ends at seven. Poor Sea-Seattle, but no surprise their impossible dream ends in Yankee Stadium. We’ll always have that one unforgettable week at the end of July, right M’s fans? And as Grey touched on earlier, 2002 called, they want their Friday night baseball game back. Honestly, Kevin Millwood, Ichiro, Andruw Jones, even Eric Chavez went 2-for-4 with a HR, but he left the game early because he “just had to lie down for a little bit.” Anyway, CC was sent to task and did what an Ace is supposed to do, shut down his

Yanks Replace Gardner With Bonzai

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Just when you thought the hype for Ichiro Suzuki couldn’t get more unwarranted along comes a trade to the Yankees.  There’s a short porch!  There’s a jet stream!  There’s more media scrutiny which will have him more focused!  Iron Chef Morimoto will be preparing him pre-game meals!  A-Rod’s been learning how to say, “You are a beautiful steel butterfly” in Japanese, so he can pick up female Japanese bodybuilders!  New York has a history of taking fading stars and making them productive like Andruw Jones!  Okay, Andruw Jones is nothing but a platoon player, but whatever, this is Ichiro!  In 2010, a fading superstar went to the Yankees in a trade and everyone started talking about how he was going to

Shuffle Up: Ian Desmond puts it all together

Source: Roto Arcade by Scott Pianowski

The middle infield is the focus for this week's shuffle up, your 2B and SS options. Settle in for the usual rule disclaimers, and then we'll discuss some prices.

This blog contains how I'd rank the players if I were headed into a new start-from-scratch league today. What's happened already in 2012 is an audition, but what we're trying to figure out is what the players will do going forward. Don't obsess over the dollar amount in a vacuum; what matters is how the players relate to one another. Commodities at the same tag are considered even.

Your respectful disagreement is always welcome, and it will help me iron out this list. But you need to have a reason for your unrest; further the conversation,

Down & Dirty: Baseball’s Hottest (Looking) Players 2012

Source: Fantasy Baseball Dugout by Barkley Kay

We’re at it again – baseball’s sexiest players of 2012.  We’ve narrowed down our top 25, now it’s your turn to rank them.  Text MLBSEXY (space) (number) to 84444to lock in your vote.

Who is the Sexiest Player in the MLB 2012?

Adam Wainwright – MLBSEXY 1

Current Team: St. Louis Cardinals Position: Starting Pitcher Why He Makes Top 25: Have you seen his piercing green eyes?  Oh yeah, and he’s 6’ 7”. Alex Rios –

The Dread Pirate Is A Swashbuckling Mofo

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with his 21st homer yesterday, and now has five homers in his last 4 games. On the year, he’s batting .371. For s’s and g’s, I went back to look at April comments about McCutchen when he had zero homers and only 7 RBIs through the first month. Y’all are ridiculously fickle. Or refickulous, if portmanteaus do it for you. BTW, if anyone out there wants to open a store selling pickles, I’d go with the name, That’s Repickulous! Gotta have the exclamation mark, too. Some of those comments from April go like this, “I don’t understand this site’s man crush on Andrew McCutchen. He’s not worth where you ranked him, and this comment is written by a man who actually

The Dread Pirate Is One Swashbuckling Mofo

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with his 21st homer yesterday, and now has five homers in his last 4 games.  On the year, he’s batting .371.  For s’s and g’s, I went back to look at April comments about McCutchen when he had zero homers and only 7 RBIs through the first month.  Y’all are ridiculously fickle.  Or refickulous, if portmanteaus do it for you.  BTW, if anyone out there wants to open a store selling pickles, I’d go with the name, That’s Repickulous!  Gotta have the exclamation mark, too.  Some of those comments from April go like this, “I don’t understand this site’s man crush on Andrew McCutchen.  He’s not worth where you ranked him, and this comment is written by a man who

Utley's three hits, two RBI lead Phillies - Chase Utley | PHI

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Chase Utley went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI, leading the Phillies to an 8-5 win over the Rockies in Colorado on Saturday.

Fantasy Baseball: What to Do with an Injured and Underperforming Dustin Pedroia

Source: Bleacher Report MLB

There is such a thing as a "lost season." You (and the player in question) would be loathe to ever admit a season is lost before it is over. But players have bad or "off" seasons. It just happens. We all can't be "on" all of the time.

So what to do with Dustin Pedroia? He's quietly been the Tim Lincecum of hitting this season.

Going into 2012, Pedroia was ranked in the top three at his position, he was a top-15 hitter and a top-25 overall player. He was being drafted in the second round of fantasy drafts on average.

 

Here's what fantasy owners have gotten from Pedroia so far in 2012:

4 SB (Stolen Bases) 5 HR (Home Runs) 28 RBI (Runs

2012 Fantasy Baseball All-Star Squads

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

Welcome to the 1st annual Razzball All-Star squads!  These squads disregard any selections made by fans, Tony LaRussa, and Ron Washington as their focus is skewed towards a player’s value to their actual employer vs. potential 2012 fantasy baseball teams.

We’ve got four All-Star squads – all leveraging the $ estimates in our Player Rater.  This is based on 12-team mixed leagues using the ESPN standard roster format:

Performance All-Stars – These are the most valuable players for fantasy baseball in the 1st half of 2012. Value All-Stars – These are the best values based on the difference of their season-to-date value vs.

Fantasy Beat: At the Break

Source: Baseball Guys by Ray Flowers

Justin Fensterman and Trevor Ray break down some guys to be grabbing in keeper and dynasty league and talk about a few players and what they expect from their 2nd half.

Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Justin Upton, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Ivan Nova, Hiroki Kuroda, Phil Hughes and more…

Listen to the Audio.

Roto Roundup: Ryan Howard, Jose Quintana, Dee Gordon, and Others

Source: Fake Teams by Ray Guilfoyle

It was announced late last night that Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard will be activated from the DL today and start at first base vs the Braves, so activate him this morning. I am not sure what to expect from Howard, as from what I understand, he has only played a few games at first base, DH'ing in several others. He should be a welcome site to Phillies fans as Friday will be the first game this season where both Chase Utley and Howard are in the starting lineup.

Mariners Lineup Fails To Show Up In CT Scan

Source: Razzball by grey@razzball.com (Grey Albright)

“That guy looks vaguely familiar.”  ”Which guy?”  ”That guy on the mound.”  ”The Chris Tillman fella?”  ”Yeah.”  ”Did he used to serve us coffee at the Blue Danube?”  ”I don’t think so.  That guy’s name was Ronnie.  And he had dreads.”  ”But he was white.”  ”Yeah, Ronnie was a white guy with dreads.  He looked like he had a smelly undercarriage.”  ”I don’t disagree.  White guys with dreads always remind me of Snow… Informer!”  ”Don’t sing, man.  So… This guy… This Chris Tillman guy… He just looks so familiar.”  ”Not sure, man.  Informer!”  ”He just threw a 8 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners, 7 Ks start against our M’s, but I feel like I