Results tagged ‘ Robinson Cano ’

Sizzlin’ Future Stars: Minor League Report, 5/10

With the season underway and some fans already looking forward to next year, even this early, it is a good time to look down on the farms for some names that you should get to know. Everyone knows who Wil Myers, Dylan Bundy, and Oscar Taveras are at this point, so these are players performing at elite levels who may not be household names…yet.

Yordano1

Yordano Ventura, RHP, Kansas City Royals

Year Age Tm Lev W L ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2009 18 Royals FRk 0 1 2.78 10 5 22.2 28 11 7 0 5 11 1.456 11.1 4.4 2.20
2010 19 2 Teams Rk-FRk 4 3 3.08 17 9 64.1 58 33 22 3 18 71 1.181 8.1 9.9 3.94
2010 19 Royals FRk 0 1 2.31 3 3 11.2 9 5 3 0 1 13 0.857 6.9 10.0 13.00
2010 19 Royals Rk 4 2 3.25 14 6 52.2 49 28 19 3 17 58 1.253 8.4 9.9 3.41
2011 20 Kane County A 4 6 4.27 19 19 84.1 82 43 40 8 24 88 1.257 8.8 9.4 3.67
2012 21 3 Teams A+-AA-Rk 4 7 3.62 23 23 109.1 92 49 44 8 42 130 1.226 7.6 10.7 3.10
2012 21 Royals Rk 0 0 2.45 1 1 3.2 3 1 1 0 1 7 1.091 7.4 17.2 7.00
2012 21 Wilmington A+ 3 5 3.30 16 16 76.1 66 32 28 7 28 98 1.231 7.8 11.6 3.50
2012 21 Northwest Arkansas AA 1 2 4.60 6 6 29.1 23 16 15 1 13 25 1.227 7.1 7.7 1.92
2013 22 Northwest Arkansas AA 3 0 1.84 6 6 29.1 19 7 6 1 11 43 1.023 5.8 13.2 3.91
5 Seasons 15 17 3.45 75 62 310.0 279 143 119 20 100 343 1.223 8.1 10.0 3.43
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

Ventura tends to be overlooked due to his height. Despite being just 5’11″ and  180 pounds, the soon-to-be 22-year-old with a mid-to-upper 90′s fastball is doing all that he can to create some hype and become one of the top prospects in baseball. Prior to the 2013 season, Ventura was ranked by Baseball America as the No.85 prospect and by MLB.com as the No.60 prospect in baseball. While he could end up in the bullpen due to his reliance on his dominant fastball and excellent curve, he could still improve his changeup enough to become a rotation fixture in Kansas City. His last two starts have been absolutely dominant in Double-A, as he has a 0.00 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and a 20:5 K:BB in 11 innings. Tim Lincecum, Whitey Ford, and Pedro Martinez had some success as pitchers under six feet tall, so don’t squash the idea that Ventura could dominate as a starter.

Henry Owens, LHP, Boston Red Sox

Year Age Tm Lev W L ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2012 19 Greenville A 12 5 4.87 23 22 101.2 100 58 55 10 47 130 1.446 8.9 11.5 2.77
2013 20 Salem A+ 3 1 2.25 6 6 32.0 17 9 8 2 11 40 0.875 4.8 11.2 3.64
2 Seasons 15 6 4.24 29 28 133.2 117 67 63 12 58 170 1.309 7.9 11.4 2.93
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

The anti-Ventura, Owens is a 6’6″ left-hander with three solid pitches in the Red Sox organization. While other young pitchers, like Allen Webster, Anthony Ranaudo, and Brandon Workman, are thriving in the system’s higher levels, Owens is dominating in High-A and demonstrating statistics that match his skills, something that wasn’t true last season. Owens is missing more bats and, while he won’t turn 21 years old until July, could see a few starts in Double-A this season. The Red Sox have to be excited about the progress that he has shown this season.

Garin Cecchini, 3B, Boston Red SoxCecchini

Year Age Tm Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2011 20 Lowell A- 32 133 114 21 34 12 1 3 23 12 17 19 .298 .398 .500 .898 57
2012 21 Greenville A 118 526 455 84 139 38 4 4 62 51 61 90 .305 .394 .433 .827 197
2013 22 Salem A+ 29 126 108 22 41 11 4 4 19 10 18 16 .380 .468 .667 1.135 72
3 Seasons 179 785 677 127 214 61 9 11 104 73 96 125 .316 .406 .482 .888 326
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

Cecchini is Owens’ teammate with High-A Salem, and while he doesn’t possess the normal hitting skills of a dynamic corner infielder, he is seems to be a robotic producer. Cecchini currently leads the Carolina League in total bases, and while he has just four home runs, his 19 extra-base hits, 10 stolen bases, and .468 on-base percentage show the type of talent that he has. At 22, it may be time to wonder if he’ll be able to produce enough pop to be valuable at third, especially with the Red Sox potentially moving Xander Bogaerts off of short in the future; however, hits 38 doubles last season could turn into home runs as he continues to fill his 6’2″ frame. He’s a pure hitter and possesses sabermetric skills that the Red Sox front office is known to drool over.

Baxendale

D.J. Baxendale, RHP, Minnesota Twins

Year Age Tm Lev W L ERA G GS GF IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2012 21 2 Teams A-Rk 0 0 0.96 17 0 12 18.2 13 3 2 0 2 31 0.804 6.3 14.9 15.50
2013 22 Fort Myers A+ 5 0 1.49 6 6 0 36.1 24 7 6 2 6 35 0.826 5.9 8.7 5.83
2 Seasons 5 0 1.31 23 6 12 55.0 37 10 8 2 8 66 0.818 6.1 10.8 8.25
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

This is really digging deep, but after striking out 10 while not allowing a run over seven innings in his last start, Baxendale could finally get noticed. A 10th round pick out of Arkansas in the 2012 MLB Draft, Baxendale was moved to starting pitcher this season by the Twins. Due to the club’s horrific starting pitching, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him move quickly if he continues to have this type of success. His strikeout rate isn’t going to overwhelm you, but the fact that he doesn’t allow many free passes is very encouraging. The only scouting reports that I’ve seen on him mention a 3/4 arm slot, an 88 to 91 mph fastball, and an average to solid  slider and curve, but his ability to thrive while pitching in the tough SEC while at Arkansas as a reason to not count him out. Mound presence and confidence can go a long way in success, and Baxendale’s early results show that he could become useful for the Twins.

Rob Refsnyder, 2B, New York Yankees

Year Age Tm Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2012 21 Charleston A 46 182 162 22 39 8 0 4 22 11 16 25 .241 .319 .364 .683 59
2013 22 2 Teams A+-A 33 157 130 23 50 12 1 1 20 13 22 22 .385 .490 .515 1.006 67
2013 22 Charleston A 13 62 54 9 20 4 1 0 6 7 6 12 .370 .452 .481 .933 26
2013 22 Tampa A+ 20 95 76 14 30 8 0 1 14 6 16 10 .395 .516 .539 1.055 41
2 Seasons 79 339 292 45 89 20 1 5 42 24 38 47 .305 .398 .432 .830 126
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

You have to assume that Robinson Cano isn’t going to be leaving New York anytime soon, and it is questionable as to whether he will ever move off of second base if or when he does sign a long-term extension with the Yankees; however, what are the Yankees going to do if Cano doesn’t re-sign with the club? Nearly all of their top prospects are outfielders and with the club sitting on the declining skills and lofty contracts of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, will the club look for an expensive free agent option to replace him if he does leave? Robert Refsnyder doesn’t have a name that should be familiar to anyone, but if he continues to hit the way that he has this season, he could quickly become a part of the Yankees’ plans. A 5th round pick out of the University of Arizona in the 2012 MLB Draft, Refsnyder won the Most Outstanding Player award in the 2012 College World Series by leading the Wildcats to the title. While his introduction to professional ball in 2012 wasn’t fantastic, he did show solid on-base skills and a little bit of speed. He has already been promoted to Tampa this season and he has responded with a 1.055 OPS in his first 20 games after posting a .933 OPS in 13 games in Low-A. He is short on home run power but he does have solid gap power, speed, and excellent plate discipline. If he maintains this production, it wouldn’t be too crazy to see him as a second baseman and leadoff hitter for a Cano-less Yankees team in a couple of years.

osuna

Roberto Osuna, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Year Age Tm Lev W L ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2011 16 Mexico AAA 0 1 5.49 13 2 19.2 25 15 12 3 11 12 1.831 11.4 5.5 1.09
2012 17 2 Teams Rk-A- 2 0 2.27 12 9 43.2 32 14 11 2 15 49 1.076 6.6 10.1 3.27
2012 17 Bluefield Rk 1 0 1.50 7 4 24.0 18 5 4 1 6 24 1.000 6.8 9.0 4.00
2012 17 Vancouver A- 1 0 3.20 5 5 19.2 14 9 7 1 9 25 1.169 6.4 11.4 2.78
2013 18 Lansing A 1 2 3.63 5 5 22.1 15 10 9 4 4 31 0.851 6.0 12.5 7.75
3 Seasons 3 3 3.36 30 16 85.2 72 39 32 9 30 92 1.191 7.6 9.7 3.07
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

Osuna just turned 18 years old in February and, while most boys his age are gearing up for high school graduation and prom night, Osuna is pitching for the Lansing Lugnuts and overmatching his competition in Low-A. At 6’2″, 230 pounds, Osuna has a solid frame that seems capable of handling a lot of innings, which could still grow. Hopefully, it wouldn’t grow like Bartolo Colon…Regardless, Osuna has very good stuff, he appears to have very good control, and if he keeps the ball in the park, he could be a tremendous asset for the Blue Jays. After several trades this winter to upgrade their club (which hasn’t worked out so well), the club could use an excellent season from Osuna to rebuild their minor league system.

Stetson Allie, 1B, Pittsburgh Pirates

Year Age Tm Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2011 20 State College A- 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012 21 2 Teams Rk-A 44 173 150 23 32 6 2 3 19 2 21 50 .213 .314 .340 .654 51
2012 21 Pirates Rk 42 173 150 23 32 6 2 3 19 2 21 50 .213 .314 .340 .654 51
2012 21 West Virginia A 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2013 22 West Virginia A 32 143 121 20 41 8 0 8 26 4 18 39 .339 .427 .603 1.030 73
3 Seasons 91 316 271 43 73 14 2 11 45 6 39 89 .269 .365 .458 .823 124
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2013.

Taken in the 2nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft after posting a 1.29 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 60 innings as a senior in high school, the Pirates had hoped that they had another first round talent in Allie, after taking Jameson Taillon earlier in the draft. Allie didn’t pan out, as he posted some horrific numbers while on the mound (7.76 ERA, 2.18 WHIP, 29:37 K:BB in 26.2 IP) before he was moved to first base. While it didn’t go so well last season, the 2013 season has been a bit kinder to him. It is still the Sally League (Low-A) and Allie is 22 years old, but he is showing very good power and is second in the league in total bases. He is a long way off and he has a lot to prove, and his age could become a factor in the Pirates philosophy in moving him through the organization, as well. He does live, though, and you have to root for a guy who had such tremendous stuff and lost it so abruptly.


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Is WAR Useful for Fantasy Leagues?

Miguel CabreraTrout1

Wins Above Replacement, better known as WAR, came to the forefront of MVP balloting last season for many voters. Mike Trout, who, according to Fangraphs.com had a 10.0 WAR lost the AL MVP award to the Triple Crown winning Miguel Cabrera, who had a 7.1 WAR.

WAR can be calculated in various ways, as there is not one, established way of calculating the statistic. Fangraphs and Baseball Reference (position players and pitchers) are my go-to sites for different statistics, and they both calculate WAR differently (click on the above hyperlinks to read how they do that).

Due to the inconsistency in the statistic and the inconsistency in the overall value of the statistic (as evidenced by the number of baseball writers that didn’t consider the difference in value in Trout and Cabrera in 2012), should fantasy baseball consider using WAR as a summative (end of season) statistic, adding it to a 5 X 5 league for additional player values, or should it be used as a way to value players as you approach your 2013 fantasy drafts?

I wanted to see what the 2012 ESPN Player Rater, the 2013 ESPN Player Projections, the 2012 Fangraphs.com WAR Rankings, and the 2013 ZiPS WAR Rankings could show based on player performance. Below is the table that I created:

2012 ESPN   Player Rater 2013 ESPN   Rankings 2012 WAR 2013 ZiPS WAR
1 Mike Trout Ryan Braun Mike Trout, 10.0 Mike Trout, 7.4
2 Ryan Braun Mike Trout Buster Posey, 8.0 Miguel Cabrera, 6.5
3 Miguel Cabrera Miguel Cabrera Ryan Braun, 7.9 Giancarlo Stanton,   6.4
4 Andrew McCutchen Robinson Cano Robinson Cano, 7.8 Clayton Kershaw, 6.4
5 R.A. Dickey Andrew McCutchen David Wright, 7.8 Buster Posey, 6.2
6 Josh Hamilton Matt Kemp Chase Headley, 7.5 Robinson Cano, 6.1
7 Fernando Rodney Albert Pujols Andrew McCutchen, 7.4 Felix Hernandez, 6.1
8 Justin Verlander Carlos Gonzalez Miguel Cabrera, 7.1 Ryan Braun, 5.9
9 Clayton Kershaw Joey Votto Justin Verlander, 6.8 Justin Verlander, 5.7
10 Craig Kimbrel Prince Fielder Jason Heyward, 6.6 Cliff Lee, 5.7
11 Alex Rios Troy Tulowitzki Adrian Beltre, 6.5 Joey Votto, 5.6
12 Adrian Beltre Justin Upton Yadier Molina, 6.5 Troy Tulowitzki, 5.3
13 Edwin Encarnacion Justin Verlander Aramis Ramirez, 6.5 Andrew McCutchen, 5.3
14 Chase Headley Clayton Kershaw Michael Bourn, 6.4 Zack Greinke, 5.3
15 David Price Giancarlo Stanton Aaron Hill, 6.2 Adrian Beltre, 5.2
16 Aroldis Chapman Buster Posey Felix Hernandez, 6.1 Dustin Pedroia, 5.2
17 Robinson Cano David Wright Martin Prado, 5.9 Madison Bumgarner,   5.0
18 Adam Jones Adrian Beltre Ben Zobrist, 5.9 Carlos Gonzalez, 4.9
19 Matt Cain Josh Hamilton Alex Gordon, 5.9 Evan Longoria, 4.8
20 Gio Gonzalez Jose Bautista Clayton Kershaw, 5.5 David Price, 4.8
21 Aaron Hill Evan Longoria Austin Jackson, 5.5 Ben Zobrist, 4.7
22 Jered Weaver Felix Hernandez Gio Gonzalez, 5.4 Bryce Harper, 4.7
23 Aramis Ramirez Hanley Ramirez Ian Desmond, 5.4 Matt Kemp, 4.7
24 David Wright Stephen Strasburg Torii Hunter, 5.3 Matt Cain, 4.7
25 Carlos Gonzalez David Price Matt Holliday, 5.1 Jose Bautista, 4.6
26 Prince Fielder Dustin Pedroia David Price, 5.1 Yadier Molina, 4.6
27 Buster Posey Ian Kinsler Yu Darvish, 5.1 Gio Gonzalez, 4.6
28 Jose Reyes Jason Heyward Zack Greinke, 5.1 Matt Wieters, 4.5
29 Billy Butler Jose Reyes Joe Mauer, 5.0 Brett Lawrie, 4.5
30 Cole Hamels Matt Cain Miguel Montero, 5.0 Ian Kinsler, 4.5
31 Kris Medlen Edwin Encarnacion Jimmy Rollins, 4.9 Yu Darvish, 4.5
32 Albert Pujols Cliff Lee Prince Fielder, 4.9 Roy Halladay, 4.5
33 Matt Holliday Cole Hamels Bryce Harper, 4.9 Joe Mauer, 4.4
34 Michael Bourn Adam Jones Chris Sale, 4.9 Carlos Santana, 4.4
35 Johnny Cueto Starlin Castro Cliff Lee, 4.9 Stephen Strasburg,   4.4
36 Jason Motte Jay Bruce Josh Reddick, 4.8 Cole Hamels, 4.4
37 Jason Heyward Bryce Harper Angel Pagan, 4.8 Jered Weaver, 4.4
38 Ian Desmond Billy Butler Wade Miley, 4.8 Jason Heyward, 4.3
39 Felix Hernandez Jered Weaver Johnny Cueto, 4.8 CC Sabathia, 4.3
40 Kyle Lohse Zack Greinke CC Sabathia, 4.8 Ryan Zimmerman, 4.2
41 Carlos Beltran Adrian Gonzalez Adam Jones, 4.6 Adam Wainwright, 4.2
42 Jim Johnson Brandon Phillips R.A. Dickey, 4.6 Albert Pujols, 4.1
43 Chris Sale Craig Kimbrel Max Scherzer, 4.6 Prince Fielder, 4.1
44 Giancarlo Stanton Chase Headley Dustin Pedroia, 4.5 Austin Jackson, 4.1
45 Derek Jeter Jacoby Ellsbury Ryan Zimmerman, 4.5 Jose Reyes, 4.1
46 Curtis Granderson Matt Holliday Jose Reyes, 4.5 Anthony Rizzo, 4.0
47 B.J. Upton B.J.Upton Cole Hamels, 4.5 Starlin Castro, 3.9
48 Melky Cabrera Yadier Molina Edwin Encarnacion,   4.4 Dexter Fowler, 3.9
49 Jimmy Rollins Gio Gonzalez Josh Hamilton, 4.4 Chase Headley, 3.9
50 Jonathan Papelbon Adam Wainwright Jake Peavy, 4.4 Miguel Montero, 3.9
Adam Wainwright, 4.4 Adrian Gonzalez, 3.9

When I was compiling this sheet, there were names within the top 50 players in baseball and several surprises. Furthermore, the lack of rhyme or reason when it comes to ranking players in fantasy baseball is evident through the ESPN rankings from the 2012 season compared to the sites rankings for the 2013 season. For example, R.A. Dickey went from 5th overall in 2012 to outside of the top 50 in 2013.

When looking at the WAR rankings for the 2012 season, names like Michael Bourn, Aaron Hill, Yadier Molina, Alex Gordon, Martin Prado, and Ben Zobrist popped into the top 20 spots in player value. Certainly, their defensive skills come into play here, but isn’t there value in defense that could be used within fantasy baseball? Would defensive zone ratings come into play and how would that destroy the value that Miguel Cabrera creates for himself on offense?

While fantasy baseball players would be apprehensive to the idea of bringing defensive value into their games, wouldn’t WAR be a better way to show true player values within fantasy sports, as it is in real-life baseball? How could you add WAR to your fantasy league – as a running statistic (similar to ERA and WHIP, which can change dramatically from game to game), or should it be a single counting statistic that can be added at the end of the regular season?

ZobristShouldn’t a player like Ben Zobrist, who ranks as the 11th most valuable position player in baseball the last three seasons, be considered an asset in fantasy baseball due to his value on the real diamond? Sure, his .259 batting average brings down his value, but he is just one of nine players over the last three seasons to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases, while posting an OPS of .792 with solid on-base skills to go along with his multiple position eligibility (2B/SS/OF).

There is no perfect way to determine player values from year to year, especially when regression can come from aging, change of scenary, teammates moving to another club, or injuries. While you probably don’t want to draft a player like Chase Headley, Zobrist, or Alex Gordon in your first 20 picks, there is value in the consistency of overall production, as WAR grades out baserunning for position players, as well, which is why Trout and Braun have so much more value as the No.1 or No.2 pick than Cabrera.

WAR is valuable in fantasy preparation, and while it can be inconsistent, the same can be said for batting average, ERA, WHIP, wins, and any other statistic used in compiling player values.

The bigger challenge is how WAR can become an asset as a part of your fantasy league, and not just a method for determining the value of players over the course of the season.

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Top 250: 2013 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

While I’ve already posted a top 10 fantasy baseball player at each position piece, I figured with drafts getting underway, that a more thorough ranking would be valuable. Here are the top 250 players in fantasy baseball for the 2013 season. (5X5 leagues, All MLB)

  1. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers
  2. Mike Trout, OF, Angels
  3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Tigers,
  4. Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
  5. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates
  6. Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees
  7. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies
  8. Prince Fielder, 1B, Tigers
  9. Joey Votto, 1B, Reds
  10. Albert Pujols, 1B, Angels
  11. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies
  12. Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers
  13. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers
  14. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Marlins
  15. Josh Hamilton, OF, Angels
  16. Justin Upton, OF, Braves
  17. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers
  18. David Price, SP, Rays
  19. Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals
  20. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays
  21. Buster Posey, C, Giants
  22. David Wright, 3B, Mets
  23. Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners
  24. Jose Bautista, OF, Blue Jays
  25. Hanley Ramirez, 3B/SS, Dodgers
  26. Jason Heyward, OF, Braves
  27. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
  28. Jay Bruce, OF, Reds
  29. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers
  30. Cliff Lee, SP, Phillies
  31. Matt Cain, SP, Giants
  32. Jose Reyes, SS, Blue Jays
  33. Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies
  34. Starlin Castro, SS, Cubs
  35. Adam Jones, OF, Orioles
  36. Jered Weaver, SP, Angels
  37. Billy Butler, 1B, Royals
  38. Brandon Phillips, 2B, Reds
  39. Edwin Encarnacion, 1B, Blue Jays
  40. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals
  41. Gio Gonzalez, SP, Nationals
  42. Yoenis Cespedes, OF, Athletics
  43. B.J. Upton, OF, Braves
  44. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Dodgers
  45. Ben Zobrist, 2B/SS/OF, Rays
  46. Craig Kimbrel, RP, Braves
  47. Matt Holliday, OF, Cardinals
  48. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Nationals
  49. Chase Headley, 3B, Padres
  50. Yadier Molina, C, Cardinals
  51. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Red Sox
  52. Yu Darvish, SP, Rangers
  53. Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals
  54. Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants
  55. Zack Greinke, SP, Dodgers
  56. Matt Wieters, C, Orioles
  57. Michael Bourn, OF, Indians
  58. R.A. Dickey, SP, Blue Jays
  59. Allen Craig, 1B/OF, Cardinals
  60. Joe Mauer, C, Twins
  61. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Blue Jays
  62. CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees
  63. Johnny Cueto, SP, Reds
  64. Mat Latos, SP, Reds
  65. Chris Sale, SP, White Sox
  66. Austin Jackson, OF, Tigers
  67. Jason Kipnis, 2B, Indians
  68. Aaron Hill, 2B, Diamondbacks
  69. Ian Desmond, SS, Nationals
  70. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Diamondbacks
  71. Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays
  72. Jordan Zimmerman, SP, Nationals
  73. Carlos Santana, C, Indians
  74. Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies
  75. Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Brewers
  76. Alex Rios, OF, White Sox
  77. Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants
  78. Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies
  79. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Reds
  80. Aroldis Chapman, SP/RP, Reds
  81. Mark Teixiera, 1B, Yankees
  82. Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Phillies
  83. Jason Motte, RP, Cardinals
  84. Alex Gordon, OF, Royals
  85. Kris Medlen, SP/RP, Braves
  86. Matt Moore, SP, Rays
  87. James Shields, SP, Royals
  88. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Brewers
  89. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros
  90. Curtis Granderson, OF, Yankees (mid-May return leaves some value)
  91. Max Scherzer, SP, Tigers
  92. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves
  93. Victor Martinez, C, Tigers
  94. Martin Prado, 3B/OF, Diamondbacks
  95. Ike Davis, 1B, Mets
  96. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals
  97. Rafael Soriano, RP, Nationals
  98. Elvis Andrus, SS, Rangers
  99. Fernando Rodney, RP, Rays
  100. Brandon Morrow, SP, Blue Jays
  101. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS, Indians
  102. Melky Cabrera, OF, Blue Jays
  103. Mariano Rivera, RP, Yankees
  104. J.J. Putz, RP, Diamondbacks
  105. Doug Fister, SP, Tigers
  106. David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox
  107. Ian Kennedy, SP, Diamondbacks
  108. Jake Peavy, SP, White Sox
  109. Hunter Pence, OF, Giants
  110. Carlos Gomez, OF, Brewers
  111. Josh Willingham, OF, Twins
  112. Joe Nathan, RP, Rangers
  113. Joel Hanrahan, RP, Red Sox
  114. Mark Trumbo, 1B/OF, Angels
  115. Josh Johnson, SP, Blue Jays
  116. Hiroki Kuroda, SP, Yankees
  117. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs
  118. Angel Pagan, OF, Giants
  119. Tim Lincecum, SP, Giants
  120. Anibal Sanchez, SP, Tigers
  121. Dan Haren, SP, Nationals
  122. Jonathan Niese, SP, Mets
  123. Shane Victorino, OF, Red Sox
  124. Torii Hunter, OF, Tigers
  125. Erick Aybar, SS, Angels
  126. Neil Walker, 2B, Pirates
  127. John Axford, RP, Brewers
  128. Carl Crawford, OF, Dodgers
  129. Alejandro De Aza, OF, White Sox
  130. Carlos Beltran, OF, Cardinals
  131. David Freese, 3B, Cardinals
  132. Brett Anderson, SP, Athletics
  133. Jim Johnson, RP, Orioles
  134. Danny Espinosa, 2B/SS, Nationals
  135. Brett Gardner, OF, Yankees
  136. Lance Lynn, SP, Cardinals
  137. Nelson Cruz, OF, Rangers
  138. Paul Konerko, 1B, White Sox
  139. Howie Kendrick, 2B, Angels
  140. Ben Revere, OF, Phillies
  141. Denard Span, OF, Nationals
  142. Jon Lester, SP, Red Sox
  143. Addison Reed, RP, White Sox
  144. Huston Street, RP, Padres
  145. Alcides Escobar, SS, Royals
  146. Sergio Romo, RP, Giants
  147. Jeff Samardzija, SP, Cubs
  148. Ryan Dempster, SP, Red Sox
  149. C.J. Wilson, SP, Angels
  150. Greg Holland, RP, Royals
  151. Ryan Howard, 1B, Phillies
  152. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals
  153. Adam LaRoche, 1B, Nationals
  154. Jason Kubel, OF, Diamondbacks
  155. Rickie Weeks, 2B, Brewers
  156. Wade Miley, SP, Diamondbacks
  157. Andre Ethier, OF, Dodgers
  158. Mike Napoli, C/1B, Red Sox
  159. Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies
  160. Michael Morse, OF, Mariners
  161. Jarrod Parker, SP, Athletics
  162. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pirates
  163. J.J. Hardy, SS, Orioles
  164. Homer Bailey, SP, Reds
  165. Matt Harvey, SP, Mets
  166. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Rays
  167. Manny Machado, 3B, Orioles
  168. Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners
  169. Dexter Fowler, OF, Rockies
  170. Rafael Betancourt, RP, Rockies
  171. Tim Hudson, SP, Braves
  172. Dan Uggla, 2B, Braves
  173. Miguel Montero, C, Diamondbacks
  174. Josh Reddick, OF, Athletics
  175. Todd Frazier, 1B/3B, Reds
  176. Matt Harrison, SP, Rangers
  177. Jonathan Broxton, RP, Reds
  178. Chris Perez, RP, Indians
  179. Derek Holland, SP, Rangers
  180. Marco Scutaro, 2B/SS, Giants
  181. Wilin Rosario, C, Rockies
  182. Salvador Perez, C, Royals
  183. Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees
  184. Ryan Vogelsong, SP, Giants
  185. Chris Davis, 1B/OF, Orioles
  186. Grant Balfour, RP, Athletics
  187. Mike Minor, SP, Braves
  188. Alexei Ramirez, SS, White Sox
  189. Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Yankees
  190. Alexi Ogando, SP/RP, Rangers
  191. Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, Indians
  192. Tommy Milone, SP, Athletics
  193. Kendrys Morales, 1B/DH, Mariners
  194. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Red Sox
  195. Colby Rasmus, OF, Blue Jays
  196. Adam Dunn, 1B/DH, White Sox
  197. Alfonso Soriano, OF, Cubs
  198. Phil Hughes, SP, Yankees
  199. Jaime Garcia, SP, Cardinals
  200. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Braves
  201. Jesus Montero, C, Mariners
  202. Jason Grilli, RP, Pirates
  203. Cameron Maybin, OF, Padres
  204. Corey Hart, 1B, Brewers
  205. Norichika Aoki, OF, Brewers
  206. Lance Berkman, 1B/DH, Rangers
  207. Kevin Youkilis, 1B/3B, Yankees
  208. Dayan Viciedo, OF, White Sox
  209. Brandon McCarthy, SP, Diamondbacks
  210. Kenley Jansen, RP, Dodgers
  211. Brandon League, RP, Dodgers
  212. Bobby Parnell, RP, Mets
  213. Michael Cuddyer, 1B/OF, Rockies
  214. Michael Young, 1B/3B, Phillies
  215. A.J. Burnett, SP, Pirates
  216. Jurickson Profar, 2B, Rangers (he should get enough time to have value)
  217. Jayson Werth, OF, Nationals
  218. Trevor Cahill, SP, Diamondbacks
  219. Justin Masterson, SP, Indians
  220. Glen Perkins, RP, Twins
  221. Casey Janssen, RP, Blue Jays
  222. Tom Wilhelmsen, RP, Mariners
  223. Everth Cabrera, SS, Padres
  224. Trevor Plouffe, 3B, Twins
  225. Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins
  226. Tommy Hanson, SP, Angels
  227. James McDonald, SP, Pirates
  228. Josh Beckett, SP, Dodgers
  229. Marco Estrada, SP, Brewers
  230. Jason Vargas, SP, Angels
  231. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds
  232. Mark Reynolds, 1B, Indians
  233. Steve Cishek, RP, Marlins
  234. Daniel Murphy, 2B, Mets
  235. A.J. Pierzynski, C, Rangers
  236. Nick Markakis, OF, Orioles
  237. Garrett Jones, 1B/OF, Pirates
  238. Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP, Dodgers
  239. Wei-Yin Chen, SP, Orioles
  240. Omar Infante, 2B, Tigers
  241. David Murphy, OF, Rangers
  242. Kelly Johnson, 2B, Rays
  243. Dustin Ackley, 2B, Mariners
  244. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Royals
  245. Carlos Marmol, RP, Cubs
  246. Kyuji Fujikawa, RP, Cubs
  247. Jon Jay, OF, Cardinals
  248. Brian McCann, C, Braves
  249. Wil Myers, OF, Rays
  250. Jean Segura, SS, Brewers

How Can You Rebuild the Yankees?

Keith Olbermann reported on his MLBlog on October 17 that the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins are already discussing a deal involving Alex Rodriguez once the season is over. This is big news due to the struggles of Rodriguez during the postseason, 3-for-23 (.103) with 12 strikeouts, and that fact that the quickly aging veteran is due another $114 million over the next five seasons.

Alex Rodriguez is taking a lot of heat for his struggles, as if he is the only player currently struggling during the club’s rotten postseason. Mind you, Robinson Cano is 3-for-36 (.083) and Curtis Granderson is just 3-for-29 (.103) with 15 strikeouts, so what is the deal with the hatred for the game’s highest paid player? The Yankees have bigger issues, including, how are they going to rebuild the franchise if the potential trade of Alex Rodriguez actually does happen?

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Moving Alex Rodriguez would signify a possible change in philosophy. While the Yankees have spent many hundreds of millions in payroll over the last decade, could this be the end of “buying” the talent, all because of an apparent very quick regression in some of their talent?

The Yankees have some things to look at with their current roster:

After that, the Yankees have some payroll concerns:

  • Alex Rodriguez, as mentioned before, is owed $114 million over the next five years.
  • C.C. Sabathia is due $119 million (counting his $25 million 2017 option) over the next five years.
  • Mark Teixeria is going to make $90 million over the next four seasons.
  • Derek Jeter will make $17 million in 2013 and either $8 million in 2014 or a $3 million buyout.
  • Rafael Soriano is guaranteed $14 million in 2013.

The problem with trading Alex Rodriguez is that the Yankees would have to eat a huge portion of the $114 million that he is owed. Since 2007, A-Rod’s OPS has gone from 1.067 (his MVP season) to .965, .933, .847, .823, and finally .783 in 2012. At the age of 37 (turning 38 next July), why would anyone give anything of value for the declining future Hall of Famer?

Dealing Rodriguez to the Miami Marlins for Heath Bell and Logan Morrison would be a solid deal, even paying $50-70 million of his deal, so that the team gets more bullpen help and a potential replacement in an outfield corner with Swisher and Ichiro both headed to free agency. However, that deal probably would not sit well with fans.

Should the club let all of their free agents depart, will they go after Josh Hamilton in free agency? Could Hamilton’s previous off-the-field issues, which he still admits to battling, become a huge issue in the largest media market in the world?

Should the club trade Granderson and/or Cano on top of dealing Rodriguez, just to allow the franchise to make a fresh start, like the Boston Red Sox deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which included the contracts of Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez?

For what it is worth, dealing Alex Rodriguez would open up third base in one of the weakest years for free agent third base in recent memory, including: Miguel Cairo, Mark DeRosa, Alberto Gonzalez, Brandon Inge, Maicer Izturis, Jose Lopez, Scott Rolen, Drew Sutton, and, if their options aren’t picked up, Ty Wigginton and Kevin Youkilis.

Courtesy: NY Times

Would the club really go into the season with Eduardo Nunez at the hot corner? General Manager Brian Cashman would have to look in the mirror and commit to a potential rebuilding mode if that is the case.

While Alex Rodriguez has struggled and his value and stock has plummeted, the unfortunate facts are that the Yankees would be and will be better with him at third base in 2013 than they would be by making a trade. Unless the Bronx Bombers were able to trade Robinson Cano to Baltimore for Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado after trading Rodriguez, starting to make trades to change the structure of the team just does not make sense.

Cashman would have to make several trades involving star players and huge contracts, just to fill the several holes that would remain from the various deals. If you trade Rodriguez, he would need to trade for a third baseman. If he traded Cano, who would play second? If he traded Granderson, he could possibly get Hamilton, but what if the Red Sox or Rangers outbid him?

You can’t rebuild the New York Yankees. Brian Cashman is in a situation where he needs to win, in a market and a fan base that wants to win – see the attendance in the ALCS. The club will rebuild by reloading, like they have done, through free agency. They will acquire a top-tier or solid starting pitcher and a solid outfielder, and they will be right back where they were. They will probably have the veterans mentioned in potential deals, as well, because it is not worth the potential hassle of dealing the contracts and taking so much less in value, just to make a change.

Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…Yankees Stink!

Sure, they made it to the ALCS, but what is the deal with the New York Yankees? For the millions upon millions of dollars that they are paying their superstars, the team has scored just 13 runs since scoring seven in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles. They’ve played six games since then!

If you take away Jose Valverde‘s total implosion in the ninth inning on Saturday night, the Yankees have scored ZERO runs on 11 hits in the remaining 20 innings in the ALCS against the Tigers. The Yankees are hitting just .200 in 50 at-bats with runners in scoring position during the playoffs, including .167 in 18 at-bats against the Detroit Tigers.

While Alex Rodriguez is getting a lot of the negative publicity for the Yankees struggles offensively, he is not alone. Along with Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano, ARod is  just a part of the larger problem. The three stars have combined to hit just .099/.161/.160 in 81 at-bats, with two doubles, one home run, five RBI and 30 strikeouts. The three are 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position (.111) with three RBI, all from Cano.

With Derek Jeter‘s devastating ankle injury, can Raul Ibanez carry this team? He has to this point, hitting a robust .438/.550/1.063 in just 16 at-bats, smashing three home runs and saving the Yankees against the Orioles in Game 4 of the ALDS, while helping extend the Game 1 loss to the Tigers on Saturday night. Mark Teixeira has walked seven times this postseason, while posting a .320/.469/.360 line, so will opposing pitchers continue to pitch around him and take their chances on the other struggling Yanks?

With so many Yankees possessing a great amount of postseason experience, the struggles that have been ongoing are quite worrisome for Yankee fans. The bigger question is, can ESPN sleep at night without their moneymakers giving them much to talk about? No worries…Tebow threw a pass on Sunday and actually got a first down. Gotta love New York!

2012 MLB Awards

The Second Annual Baseball Haven “I’m Always Right Before the Media Figures It Out” Awards are officially ready, just one day after the season.  These guys may not win the awards below, but they certainly SHOULD.

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Detroit Tigers

.330/.393/.606, 109 R, 40 2B, 44 HR, 139 RBI, 4 SB

Cabrera gets the award because he won the first Triple Crown in MLB since Carl Yastrzemski won it in 1967, AND because he carried the Tigers into the postseason in September and early October, blasting 11 home runs, driving in 30 runs and posting a 1.071 OPS in 31 games. He moved to a position, third base, to accommodate the acquisition of Prince Fielder. No one ever said that he would make a difference there defensively, but his .966 fielding percentage was still better than the league average for third baseman, .952. Sure, his WAR was lower than Mike Trout, but Mike Trout is at home and Cabrera proved his worth in 2012.

Honorable Mention: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels; Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers; Robinson Cano, New York Yankees; Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers;

NL MVP: Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants

.336/.408/.549, 78 R, 39 2B, 1 3B, 24 HR, 103 RBI, 1 SB

Posey led MLB in batting average and OPS+, handling catching duties and occasionally playing first base to give his reconfigured knee together after a devastating injury in 2011. Posey’s absence from the Giants 2011 season may have had a lot to do with their inability to make the playoffs after winning the 2010 World Series over the Texas Rangers. Posey’s transformation from a collegiate shortstop to a top-level offensive catcher has gone about as smoothly as anyone could have anticipated. Even while playing in an extreme pitcher’s park, AT&T Park, Posey is one of the most dangerous hitters in the game.

Honorable Mention:Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers; Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates; Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals; Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves;

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit Tigers

17-8, 2.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 238.1 IP, 239:60 K:BB

Verlander’s statistics in 2012 were not as impressive as his totals in 2011, but that doesn’t make him any less impressive. Verlander was the lone consistent starter for most of the 2012 season for the AL Central champion Tigers, and he scored a relationship with Kate Upton on top of that. The man is just a winner. The filth that he possesses rivals only Larry Flynt.

Honorable Mention:Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels; Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners; Fernando Rodney, Tampa Bay Rays; David Price, Tampa Bay Rays;

NL Cy Young: Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds

19-9, 2.78 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 217 IP, 170:49 K:BB

He pitches in an awful park for pitchers, he is on one of the best teams in the National League, and he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last two seasons, so Cueto deserves this award. While he doesn’t pitch in a major market and he did have a few stretches where he seemed to “lose it”, Cueto finally tossed over 200 innings, and, after suffering through a rough spot, he dominated late in the season. If you put the ballpark factor into play here, Cueto would garner many more votes. He should win, but it is unlikely thanks to the New York bias and the cool story that comes along with R.A. Dickey.

Honorable Mention:R.A. Dickey, New York Mets; Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals; Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers; Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds;

AL Manager of the Year: Bob Melvin, Oakland Athletics and Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles

Who says you can’t share an award? These two managers deserve some sort of plaque and a key from their respective city’s mayors for the work that they did this season. With the high spending Angels and Rangers out west for the A’s and the Red Sox and Yankees in the east with the O’s, the teams found creative ways to maintain a solid group of players on their rosters through trading and drafting well over the last several seasons. As both teams head into the ALDS, thanks to Friday’s victory over Texas for Baltimore, this could only be the beginning for one of these teams.

Honorable Mention:Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays; Robin Ventura, Chicago White Sox;

NL Manager of the Year: Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants

With his All-Star outfielder banned 50-games for a positive drug test, his one-time ace, Tim Lincecum, posting a 5.18 ERA over 33 starts, and injuries to Pablo Sandoval throughout the season, Bochy managed to lead the Giants over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. While you can question him for his lack of faith in Brandon Belt during most of the season, he seemed to make the right decision more often than not with his club.

Honorable Mention:Dusty Baker, Cincinnati Reds; Mike Matheny, St. Louis Cardinals; Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh Pirates; Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals;

AL Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

.326/.399/.564, 129 R, 27 2B, 8 3B, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 49 SB

A WAR of 10.7 in his rookie season, which led the league, shows just how special Trout is going to continue to be. Having just turned 21 years old in early August, the future is as bright as a supernova, as Trout’s power, speed, on-base skills, and fielding ability will continue to make him a perennial MVP candidate. You can certainly argue that he should win the award this season over Miguel Cabrera, but due to the Tigers landing in the playoffs and the first Triple Crown in 45 years, it has to go with the Tigers chubby third baseman.

Honorable Mention:Yeonis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics; Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers; Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles;

NL Rookie of the Year: Todd Frazier, INF/OF, Cincinnati Reds

Frazier was a monster while the Cincinnati Reds went two months without their best player, Joey Votto. He finished the 2012 season with an .829 OPS was second to Colorado catcher Wilin Rosario amongst NL rookies…I see you thought I was going to say Bryce Harper there, but he posted an .817 OPS. While Harper energized his club upon his callup and had one of the best quotes of the year (“That’s a clown question, bro), it was Frazier’s bat and versatility that helped the Cincinnati Reds win the NL Central.

Honorable Mention:Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals; Wilin Rosario, Colorado Rockies; Wade Miley, Arizona Diamondbacks; Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs;

Comeback Player of the Year: Chase Headley, 3B, San Diego Padres

2011: .289/.374/.399, 43 R, 28 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 44 RBI, 13 SB

2012: .286/.376/.498, 95 R, 31 2B, 2 3B, 31 HR, 115 RBI, 17 SB

Petco can put bats to sleep like the vets that work out of the back of actual Petco stores can do to your pet; however, Headley was one of the few bright spots for the rebuilding San Diego Padres, delivering MVP-like numbers for the Friars. At the age of 28 and with two years of arbitration eligibility, you have to wonder if the Padres are going to trade him this offseason for more prospects, especially after his surprising season and how often Headley’s name came up at the trade deadline.

Honorable Mention: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees;

Are the Reds the Best Team in MLB?

Joey Votto has been one of the top players in MLB in 2012, posting an absurd .362/.485/.657 slash with 27 doubles, 12 home runs, 44 RBI, and a 49:52 K:BB in 213 at bats. Brandon Phillips is finally hitting, posting a .441/.472/.735 over his last eight games, with one double, three home runs, and nine RBI.  In doing so, Phillips has increased his triple-slash from .259/.314/.392 on May 24 to its current .292/.338/.454 level. With Votto still mashing and getting on base and Phillips finally hitting, are the Reds capable of being the best team in baseball over the rest of the season?

Some will argue that the Detroit Tigers have the lineup to beat due to Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder.  Others say that the Yankees lineup with Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixiera, Robinson Cano, and Alex Rodriguez is the greatest of them all.  Others will argue that it is Ike Davis and Jason Bay, and we will mock them ferociously; however, the Reds seem to have what it takes to win.  The rotation can be thin at times with the inconsistencies at the back-end, but look at the front-end of that group…

Johnny Cueto has established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball, compiling a 16-8 record, a 2.36 ERA, and a 1.12 WHIP over his last 37 starts.  Mat Latos may not have great stats in 2012 (5-2, 4.64 ERA, 1.37 WHIP), but the Reds are 8-2 in his last ten starts. Latos is also in the middle of the season, especially from May to July, where he is now 21-6 with a 2.90 ERA over his career during the early summer months.

What does all of this mean?  The Reds were as many as five games back and they were up as many as 3.5 games.  Now, they are three games up on both the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals.  The Reds have gone 25-16 since April 15.  It’s too bad they aren’t the Chicago Cubs because they are 17-8 in day games after Thursday’s  12-5 stomping of the Cleveland Indians.

The Reds have a solid rotation and enough offense to matter.  The American League is filled with punishing offenses, but the National League has…good pitching?  With the dramatic decline of the Philadelphia Phillies lineup, the Cincinnati Reds are in an elite class in the National League.

The Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants are the only other teams in the National League with the rotation and lineups that can match the Reds.  Bryce Harper is the real deal and the Nats will, at least, ride Strasburg to the limits of his innings, not his talent.  The Dodgers have had issues with injuries in the rotation and to Matt Kemp, but they’ve managed to hold on thanks to Andre Ethier’s redemption season and Chris Capuano’s best Clayton Kershaw impersonation.  The Giants have had some success from their rotation and offense, definitely not from Tim Lincecum, though, and with the return of Pablo Sandoval from injury, they will be that much better.

However, if Votto and Phillips are clicking like they are right now and the Reds have the 1-2 punch of Cueto and Latos going, then they can sit back and hope that the likes of Zack Cozart, Devin Mesoraco, Todd Frazier, Homer Bailey, and Mike Leake take the steps necessary to keep the team in contention while infusing youth in the every day lineup.  With smart baseball, like Mesoraco plowing into Lou Marson for defensive interference and a free run (see here), and mediocre production from the spare parts, the Reds are a team to be reckoned with.

Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Second Basemen

Overall rankings will consist of the player’s value in a points format, earning points for each H, R, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, basically a formula of Total Bases + RBI + Runs = Total Value.  Here are the rankings for 2B, projections are italicized:

1. Robinson Cano, Yankees

.302/.349/.533, 46 2B, 7 3B, 28 HR, 118 RBI, 8 SB in 623 AB

.315/.357/.549, 43 2B, 5 3B, 33 HR, 121 RBI, 6 SB in 616 AB

Cano is underrated.  Yeah, you read that right, I am saying that a Yankee is underrated.  Cano is the best player on the Yankees roster right now, and that is saying a lot with Granderson, ARod, Teixeira, and the rest.  He’ll turn 30 in November and he’s got a couple more years to reach his peak.  He’ll be at an MVP level in 2012.

2. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox

.307/.387/.474, 37 2B, 3 3B, 21 HR, 91 RBI, 26 SB in 635 AB

.311/.389/.485, 38 2B, 4 3B, 24 HR, 96 RBI, 24 SB in 628 AB

Pedroia seemed like the only Red Sox player who didn’t collapse last September.  He continues to be a leader for the team and a nuisance to opposing teams.  He’ll turn only 29 in August, so he’ll continue to be a star with value across the board in fantasy leagues.

3. Ian Kinsler, Rangers

.255/.355/.477, 34 2B, 4 3B, 32 HR, 77 RBI, 30 SB in 620 AB

.271/.375/.481, 37 2B, 5 3B, 33 HR, 81 RBI, 27 SB in 607 AB

Kinsler’s AVG has been all over the place, but one thing is for certain: he continues to be a power hitting 2B with dynamic speed.  The lineup around him will keep the runs scored and RBI opportunities at high levels, and he is still in his prime, turning 30 in June.

4. Brandon Phillips, Reds

.300/.353/.457, 38 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 82 RBI, 18 SB in 610 AB

.305/.355/.464, 34 2B, 4 3B, 21 HR, 86 RBI, 16 SB in 623 AB

Some feel that Phillips is headed towards a major decline, but he turns just 31 and he has a lot to prove in 2012.  He is in the last year of his contract with the Reds and he’ll be looking for one more payday.  His ballpark and the lineup that he has around him will be a major help in reaching another great season.  He won’t touch 30/30 like he did in 2007, but his value is undeniable across the board still.

5. Ben Zobrist, Rays

.269/.353/.469, 46 2B, 6 3B, 20 HR, 91 RBI, 19 SB in 588 AB

.271/.357/.476, 43 2B, 5 3B, 24 HR, 92 RBI, 18 SB in 597 AB

Zobrist is a very unique player.  His average is all over the place, just like Kinsler, but he gets on base and provides a lot of power and enough speed to boost his value.  He’ll turn 31 in 2012, still in his prime, in a solid lineup and an ugly ballpark, which doesn’t matter.  Zobrist may have RF eligibility in some leagues, as well, so his versatility could add to his value.

6.  Dan Uggla, Braves

.233/.311/.453, 22 2B, 1 3B, 36 HR, 82 RBI, 1 SB in 600 AB

.255/.331/.489, 31 2B, 1 3B, 36 HR, 91 RBI, 1 SB in 591 AB

Uggla’s 1st half was gross to watch, especially if you owned him.  Uggla continues to be a monster with his power numbers, which you can deal with at the expense of his low batting averages.  Kinsler’s .255 average doesn’t compare due to his ability to fill all of the stats, as Uggla won’t steal many bases, if he steals any at all.

7. Howie Kendrick, Angels

.285/.338/.464, 30 2B, 6 3B, 18 HR, 63 RBI, 14 SB in 537 AB

.281/.336/.465, 35 2B, 7 3B, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 12 SB in 611 AB

Kendrick missed over 20 games last season and still posted solid numbers.  If he knew how to take a walk, the arrival of Pujols would have had a greater impact on his numbers, but he’ll continue to swing at nearly everything and put it in play.  Considering his swinging tendencies, his average is pretty impressive.  He’ll give value across the board, not to the levels of some of the above players, but he, too, could have OF eligibility due to his starts in LF last year.

8. Rickie Weeks

.269/.350/.468, 26 2B, 2 3B, 20 HR, 49 RBI, 9 SB in 453 AB

.271/.353/.476, 22 2B, 3 3B, 20 HR, 62 RBI, 6 SB in 471 AB

Weeks can’t stay healthy.  He posted his numbers last season in just 118 games.  He’ll try to do more with Prince Fielder gone and, possibly, Ryan Braun suspended, so it’ll be interesting to see how he holds up.  His ankle injury could lead to a sharp decrease in stolen bases, depending on how it actually healed this offseason.  If 2012 ends up like 2010, his lone season with at least 130 games played (160), he will be capable of posting numbers close to a top 3 2B.  Don’t count on it, though.

9. Chase Utley, Phillies

.259/.344/.425, 21 2B, 6 3B, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 14 SB in 398 AB

.271/.356/.441, 33 2B, 5 3B, 18 HR, 76 RBI, 20 SB in 521 AB

Utley’s days as an elite 2B are over, but he is still a great player.  He and the lineup around him are shaky due to a cohesive aging process.  Between Utley and Ryan Howard, the Phillies should begin to wonder what their right side of the infield is capable of, and if they have enough depth to survive another major injury over there.

10. Jason Kipnis, Indians

.272/.333/.507, 9 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 19 RBI, 5 SB in 136 AB

.274/.349/.494, 31 2B, 3 3B, 15 HR, 68 RBI, 11 SB in 597 AB

Based on Kipnis’ small sample size, you’d think he was going to be an elite 2B tomorrow.  Hell, if you take his 136 AB and turn it into a full season, he would have posted his .272/.333/.507 slash with 41 2B, 3 3B, 32 HR, 86 RBI, and 23 SB.  Kipnis is an offensive-minded 2B, but he isn’t going to touch those numbers.  With that being said, it wouldn’t surprise me if he hit up to 25 HR in a season in the future.  A great keeper league player.

11. Dustin Ackley, Mariners

.273/.348/.417, 16 2B, 7 3B, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 6 SB in 333 AB

.284/.356/.449, 41 2B, 11 3B, 11 HR, 67 RBI, 12 SB in 601 AB

Ackley won’t hit for power due to Safeco Field, but his gap power is impressive.  At some point, he’ll be ripping 50+ doubles annually.

12. Neil Walker, Pirates

.273/.334/.408, 36 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 83 RBI, 9 SB in 596 AB

.275/.341/.419, 38 2B, 5 3B, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 11 SB in 613 AB

13. Danny Espinosa, Nationals

.236/.323/.414, 29 2B, 5 3B, 21 HR, 66 RBI, 17 SB in 573 AB

.241/.331/.416, 31 2B, 6 3B, 22 HR, 69 RBI, 19 SB in 586 AB

14. Gordon Beckham, White Sox

.230/.296/.337, 23 2B, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 5 SB in 499 AB

.249/.311/.401, 32 2B, 1 3B, 17 HR, 64 RBI, 8 SB in 597 AB

15. Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks

.246/.299/.356, 27 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 21 SB in 520 AB

.258/.309/.398, 31 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 67 RBI, 18 SB in 563 AB

16. Kelly Johnson, Blue Jays

.222/.304/.413, 27 2B, 7 3B, 21 HR, 58 RBI, 16 SB in 545 AB

.239/.314/.422, 29 2B, 5 3B, 24 HR, 63 RBI, 14 SB in 571 AB

17. Omar Infante, Marlins

.276/.315/.382, 24 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 4 SB in 579 AB

.269/.311/.385, 28 2B, 9 3B, 9 HR, 51 RBI, 6 SB in 589 AB

18. Jemile Weeks, Athletics

.303/.340/.421, 26 2B, 8 3B, 2 HR, 36 RBI, 22 SB in 406 AB

.297/.342/.425, 37 3B, 12 3B, 3 HR, 51 RBI, 36 SB in 593 AB

19. Marco Scutaro, Rockies

.299/.358/.423, 26 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 54 RBI, 4 SB in 395 AB

.286/.351/.410, 31 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 67 RBI, 6 SB in 589 AB

20. Johnny Giavotella, Royals

.247/.273/.376, 9 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 5 SB in 178 AB

.269/.310/.401, 22 2B, 7 3B, 12 HR, 56 RBI, 11 SB in 574 AB

The Rest:

Ramon Santiago, Tigers; Darwin Barney, Cubs; Brian Roberts, Orioles; Orlando Hudson, Padres; Jose Altuve, Astros; Mark Ellis, Dodgers; Freddy Sanchez, Giants; Daniel Descalso, Cardinals; Daniel Murphy, Mets;

GM for the Day: New York Yankees

What a difference a weekend makes, huh?  When the Yankees were showcasing a starting rotation that looked just a little better than the dung that the Red Sox call a rotation, with Ivan Nova, Phillip Hughes, A.J. Burnett and Freddy Garcia behind C.C. Sabathia, it looked like they were heading in the wrong direction, as well.  Suddenly, the Yankees traded super-prospect Jesus Montero to Seattle for Michael Pineda and they signed Free Agent Hiroki Kuroda, then you’re wondering what role two of Burnett, Hughes, and Garcia will have with the club in 2012.  The roster is still aging, and the contracts that were forced to Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter will probably come back to bite them in the buttocks, but they still have one thing going for them.  Money…and lots of it.  Here is a look at the current 25-man roster:

2 Catchers: Russell Martin and Francisco Cervelli

1B: Mark Teixeira

2B: Robinson Cano

3B: Alex Rodriguez

SS: Derek Jeter

LF: Brett Gardner

CF: Curtis Granderson

RF: Nick Swisher

DH: Andruw Jones

Bench: Eduardo Nunez (INF), Ramiro Pena (INF) and Chris Dickerson (OF)

Starting Pitchers: C.C. Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, and Freddy Garcia

Relief Pitchers: Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Rafael Soriano, Boone Logan, Corey Wade, Phillip Hughes and A.J. Burnett

You have Garcia, who can’t be traded until June due to his contract, at the back of the rotation to build value.  He could be bumped for Burnett, who still has two-years and $33 million on his deal, to see if they can get something out of their investment.  He could be bumped for Hughes, who will need to show something to become a part of the Yankees future.  It’s a nice “problem” to have, especially after looking lot a hot mess just a week ago.

The offense is an interesting blend.  They have a young, speedy left fielder in Brett Gardner (28).  They have the future of the organization, their best and most valuable asset, Robinson Cano.  They have a slugger in his prime who has changed his swing and become a menace to pitchers around the league, Curtis Granderson.  Then, they have the declining stars: Jeter, Rodriguez, and Teixeira.  Why is Teixeira’s name there?  He’ll be 32 in 2012 and his OPS since joining the Yankees in 2009: .948, .846 and .835; however, people tend to focus on Jeter’s decline and A-Rod’s decline because it has been so obvious.  When Rodriguez opted out of his contract after the 2007 season, did they really think that a 10-year deal for a 32-year-old was a good idea?  Well, do the numbers 138, 124, 137, and 99 mean anything to you?  Those are the number of games Rodriguez has played since 2008.  Not to mention his OPS has dropped from  Good luck with Pujols, Angels.  Jeter will be 38 in 2012 and he has declined since 2009; however, not as drastic as some would think.  He did have a .297 AVG and .355 OBP in 2011, but it’s the .388 SLG that is killing his “value.”  His WAR was a career worst 0.7 in 2011.  He still has value…he just isn’t driving the ball and his range stinks.  Jeter certainly isn’t worth the 3-year, $51 million deal he got before 2011.  Public relations can be a bitch.

So, what can the Yankees do from here?  They could get a DH.  Rumors have Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada and Lou Gehrig returning to the Yankees…Actually, add Carlos Pena, Raul Ibanez, and Vladimir Guerrero to the list of “legendary” Yankees.  All of these guys can get coffee for $1 at McDonald’s all day (old…), but they could be had for pennies on that dollar.  Due to the left-handed power alley, I’d take Carlos Pena.  Pena is also a solid defender at first, so he could spell Teixeira there on occasion.  The Yankees could then put Jones into a reserve outfielder or right-handed platoon at DH-role, utilizing his power and strengthening the bench.  Chris Dickerson is a decent 4th outfielder, and suddenly, the Yankees are just as poor as the Red Sox and can’t pay a luxury-tax.  Cry me a river big market.  Welcome to reality!  They’ll settle with Dickerson there.

The rotation is set, the bullpen is loaded, and you have depth with Hughes, Burnett, and/or Garcia in the pen.  I wonder when over-working kills Robertson the way that it killed Scott Proctor, but ride him while he’s there.  The Yankees are basically locked in at this point with the roster.  A DH is about all you’ll see them reach out for, and they should be able to get a veteran that wants to win a championship to sign on the cheap to fill that role.  So, this is the new roster based on my simple moves:

2 Catchers: Russell Martin and Francisco Cervelli

1B: Mark Teixeira

2B: Robinson Cano

3B: Alex Rodriguez

SS: Derek Jeter

LF: Brett Gardner

CF: Curtis Granderson

RF: Nick Swisher

DH: Carlos Pena

Bench: Andruw Jones (DH/OF), Eduardo Nunez (INF) and Chris Dickerson (OF)

Starting Pitchers: C.C. Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda and A.J. Burnett

Relief Pitchers: Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Rafael Soriano, Boone Logan, Corey Wade, Phillip Hughes and Freddy Garcia

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