Jonny Venters: Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

Source: RotoWire.com MLB

Jonny Venters: Venters (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery Thursday. Visit RotoWire.com for more analysis on this update.

Venters requires second Tommy John surgery - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery on Thursday afternoon.

Jonny Venters: Undergoes Tommy John

Source: RotoWire.com MLB

Jonny Venters: Venters (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery Thursday. Visit RotoWire.com for more analysis on this update.

Jonny Venters undergoes Tommy John surgery - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery on Thursday afternoon.

Jonny Venters to visit Dr. Andrews Thursday - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters (elbow) will visit Dr. James Andrews on Thursday.

Venters stops bullpen session after soreness - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters has to stop his bullpen session halfway through due to soreness in his left elbow.

Venters (elbow) to throw off mound Thursday - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters (elbow) is scheduled to throw off a mound Thursday for the first time since he was shut down in early April.

Venters (elbow) to resume throwing next Tues. - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters (elbow) will resume light throwing next Tuesday.

Venters (elbow) shut down for four weeks - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters (elbow) has been shut down for the next four weeks.

Venters (elbow) to see Dr. Andrews on Tuesday - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters (elbow) is scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday.

Venters (elbow) will visit Dr. James Andrews - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters (elbow) is scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews early next week.

Venters exits game with left elbow sprain - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters exited Tuesday's Grapefruit League game with a left elbow sprain.

2013 Rankings: Relief Pitchers

Source: Fantasy Baseball 365

For the sake of comparing apples to apples, I've removed starting pitchers with relief pitcher eligibility from the list. Saves are what relievers are being drafted for, but there are a few relievers that will also make an impact in fantasy leagues with their dynamite ratios. 

Rank First Name Last

Player Profile: Tommy Hanson

Source: Baseball Guys by Ray Flowers

The Braves dealt Tommy Hanson to the Angels in exchange for reliever Jordan Walden. Yes, the Walden that opened the year as the closer for the Angels last season. With the Angels adding Ryan Madson they felt they could deal the hard throwing right-hander (Walden didn’t have a great season last year, but don’t forget that he saved 32 games in 2011 and that he owns a 10.83 K/9 mark over 123 big league games). The Braves now possess, arguably, the

Your 2012 RCL Champions: Nobody’s Perfect

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

Congratulations to the 2012 champions, RCL 40′s Rank Railheads. Co-managers Charley and JungleMike guided the Railheads to an incredible 119-point finish, missing out on perfection by a mere 3 stolen bases. While they had pretty much clinched their league title long ago, the overall title was up for grabs, and they continued to carefully make the moves necessary to stay ahead of the pack.

The Draft

I have included each player’s Razzball Player Rater rank [after the name]. The

Closer Look

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

With the trade deadline in the bag and closers moving, we have a lot to talk about.  Some of it refreshing like a glass of ice cold lemonade on a summer’s day.  Some of it less so like being asked to write something for Lainie Kazan, wondering who Lainie Kazan is and Googling her to find Playboy pics from the 1970′s juxtaposed with her present-day pics.  You’ve been warned to not Google, now the choice is yours.  Broxton and Brett Myers were so gonna be traded somewhere, that it was written on the side of a building by Banksy and the building left it there because it was by Banksy and everyone got to see it for months.  Everyone else that was rumored to be moving somewhere was written on the side of a building by Neck Face

Braves activate Venters from disabled list - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Braves activated LHP Jonny Venters from the 15-day disabled list.

Closer Look

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

Here’s one way baseball could take cues from fantasy baseball.  Yesterday, the Marlins announced that they’d be going to a closer-by-committee, which puts Steve Cishek in line for saves.  If they had a fantasy baseballer (<–my mom’s term!) running their club, things would’ve been different down in South Florida.  About two months ago, the Marlins would’ve dropped Bell for Cishek, then they would’ve traded Reyes for Adam Dunn and Cozart, dropped and picked up Josh Johnson four times, asked Stanton to catch for the eligibility and changed their team name seven times, finally going with the Miami Turdsuckers.  In other closer news, Carlos Marmol is actually being a decent closer, but I’ll believe it after another two

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.

Opening Time: Mayday Milone calls on Friday

Source: Roto Arcade by Scott Pianowski

Successful rotisserie play is all about looking ahead, especially in daily leagues, so let's get you something good for Friday. You find the droppable guy, we'll give you the addable piece.

Oakland's Tommy Milone is currently free to grab in 66 percent of Yahoo! leagues, a puzzling number. I know he's not a big strikeout source (63 punchouts in 101.1 innings), but he's not a complete zero in that area, either. And his six home starts have been exquisite: 5-1 record, 0.99 ERA, 0.77 WHIP. The unthreatening Mariners are his opponent Friday, with Kevin Millwood on the mound.

Big park, punchless matchup, quick worker who's around the plate. Sign me up.

There might be a

Jonny Venters (elbow) lands on disabled list - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Braves placed LHP Jonny Venters on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 4, with a left elbow impingement.

Buchholz Finally Putting The Ch Where The TT Had Been

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

Clay Buchholz went down to Miami and, like most visiting Northeasterns, retired….Marlin batters that is!  While his 7-2 record is due to Nova-esque luck and run support vs. year to date performance (5.00+ ERA), this is his 4th straight start of 7+ IP, 2 ER or less, and 6+ K.  Maybe there’s some truth to that whole “rediscovered his changeup thing” (and can he share it with Lester?).  He’s a must pick up in all leagues for as long as he’s on this roll.  Anyway, here’s what else we saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Brian Roberts – The concusstador is back in style going 3-for-4 hitting leadoff.  Robert Andino can now wait in his shadow and mutter to himself that if his parents

Pitcher Ranks: Freaky stuff

Source: Sporting News Fantasy Source Baseball

What's wrong with Tim Lincecum? Fantasy owners were asking that question back in early April, and they're still asking it in early June.

To be fair, Lincecum has had some decent starts in the meantime -- including his last outing where he only allowed one earned run over seven innings (despite five walks) -- but a 5.82/1.57 line this late into the season is still a major disappointment for the two-time Cy Young winner.

So, again, we ask -- what's wrong? The simple answer is that he's walking too many batters. His 5.07 BB/9 ratio is fifth worst among qualified starters and would easily be the worst mark of his career. Of course, there's more to it than that. Lincecum is giving up fewer ground balls and more

Venters no longer Braves' go-to set-up man? - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters gave up a run on three hits in a seventh inning appearance Tuesday against the Cardinals.

Venters no longer Braves' set-up man? - Jonny Venters | ATL

Source: Rotoworld Baseball

Jonny Venters gave up a run on three hits in a seventh inning appearance Tuesday against the Cardinals.