What Went Right

Peyton Manning tossed 31 scores and accumulated just over 4,000 passing yards. Ho-hum. Just about the same as every other year for the Golden Boy. Reggie Wayne dominated to the tune of 1,500 yards and ten touchdowns. Dallas Clark also chipped in with 11 scores of his own. The running game wasn’t quite as fluid. Joseph Addai deserves some mention in this section because of his 1,000 yards and 15 total scores, but there is room for improvement.

What Went Wrong

Marvin Harrison went all sorts of wrong. He only appeared in five games due to injury and was pedestrian in those contests. One score in five games is just brutal for someone taken as a top wide out. Other than that, nothing really went “wrong†in the strict sense. Anthony Gonzalez had a steep learning curve and only contributed late in the year. Addai only had four 100-yard games and a disappointing 4.1 yards per carry average. It appeared as though he wore down late in the season, which is troubling since he only received 260 carries — a decent total, but nowhere near a caution area for workhorse backs.

Off-season Outlook

The Colts did absolutely nothing to improve their offense through free agency. Instead, let’s all read up on how to ensure we can finagle 12 hours of television time each Sunday without breaking up marriages and serious relationships! Yes, it’s important.

Draft Recap

The Colts went ahead and drafted Mike Pollak, a centre with Arizona State. He has a chance to win a starting job at guard, but the impact players on the Colts, like most of the teams at the top of the league, are already around. They used the draft to stock up some depth along the line and at tight end.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks - Manning. Yawn.

Running Backs - Addai is getting a lot of pre-season hype as a top five, or god help us, a top three back. We worry that he doesn’t quite have that pedigree yet. He’s not the top offensive option for the Colts, obviously, and that makes for some rough games. Yes, he’ll have his share of monster games, but a lot of worthless ones as well.

Wide Receivers - Wayne is an obvious stud and Harrison will still get love on draft day, but Gonzalez is the most interesting wide out for Indy. Over the last five weeks of the season, he had two 100-yard games and three scores. If and when Harrison falters, Gonzalez will pick up the slack and makes for a nice late sleeper pick.

Tight Ends - Clark. Yawn.

Defense/Special Teams - We’re almost ready to be done with the Colt defense. Dwight Freeney was limited to doing spin moves on the sideline for about half the season. The lack of pressure up front (the Colts tied for 26th in sacks) hurt the entire defense. If Freeney comes back healthy, great, but we’re not sold on that.

July 19th, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: No Comments

BY ROB REATH

Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren had indicated he wasn’t happy with the number of draft picks the Flyers had so he did what a GM does best in such a situation and he dealt a slew of picks for other picks and players and, at the end of the day the Philadelphia came out looking pretty good considering how things appeared the day before.

Luca Sbisa, D, Lethbridge, WHL (19th overall)

Philly used the pick they acquired in the deal that sent R.J. Umberger to Columbus to select Sbisa 19th overall. A steady defender with Lethbridge of the WHL, Sbisa is Italian born and played most of his hockey in the Swiss League. He is considered something of an offensive defenseman, but is quite poised in his own end as well. He is a bit lean and while he’s tagged with the typical knock of having played in the Swiss league (many times such players are deemed “soft”), Sbisa may appear soft on the surface, but he can deal out a big hit and back it up with his fists when called upon. However, that’s not how he usually plays the game; he is a finesse player first and foremost.

Sbisa’s weaknesses are that he doesn’t play physical enough or at least when he does show a bit of toughness, he needs to remember to do so in the next three games as well. Developing more consistency with that aspect of his game will go a long way towards determining his success in the NHL. It’s inaccurate to suggest that he coughs up the puck prematurely or makes poor reads because, while this happened occasionally, Sbisa is very much the thinking man’s hockey player and shows good judgment in those same situations most of the time.

Sbisa is strong on his skates and fluid in stride with very good lateral movement to either side. His skating will likely give him an edge over other young players in training camp. While the NHL is still a few years away, there is a lot to like about Sbisa’s chances as smart, fluid defenders with a flare for offense are always in demand.

Marc Andre Bourdon, D, Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL (67th overall)

Philly’s third round pick came as the second part of the Columbus package for Umberger, and the Flyers used it wisely. Having done their homework and scouted the entire crop, the club selected Bourdon, who may turn out be something of a gem for a host of reasons.

The Captain of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies was voted the league’s most valuable defenseman, providing leadership, offense and plenty of grit. In fact, the only question mark about Bourdon’s game is his skating, but it sure didn’t interfere with his ability to produce.

He scored 12 goals and 59 points while spending 114 minutes in the penalty box during 69 games.

If this combination of all purpose skills isn’t enough to get one’s attention, Bourdon posseses some intangibles that could add to his appeal. Some say Philly is a tough town on its athletes (really?), and hockey is no exception, but judging by the way Bourdon handled the press, it wasn’t surprising to see full articles on him in the sports pages the day after he was drafted. He has that unpretentious and self-effacing honesty to go along with a blue colour charisma that Philadelphia fans often rally around. It’s the reason that players like Ron Hextall and Steve Downie are favoured over more polished players. They play hard and don’t hide from criticism.

Bourdon has that quality in spades. On draft day he said, “I think I had a good year, maybe not too much, but I don’t think I could have done more than what I did.” He also told the truth, saying there was one team in particualr he wanted to go to, but he felt he fit the pattern in Philly becasue of his physical play and added that he liked the enthusiastic crowd when they get into the spirit of things with the all of the orange shirts in the playoffs.

If there is a such thing as a born Flyer, Bourdon might that guy.

Jacob DeSerres, G, Seattle, WHL (87th overall)

DeSerres is a confident goalie who doesn’t quite fit into the mold of the typical butterfly goaltender. There are plenty of elements of that to his game, but he has moments of blending it with a bit of a stand up game as well. While drafting goaltenders is an especially tricky business, the Flyers show signs of great diligence here as many of this year’s crop of puckstoppers were quite highly touted. DeSerres, much like Bourdon, may slipped under the radar a bit despite putting up strong numbers. There were several experts who quietly acknowledged the upside of Deserres, and while every player is a gamble to an extent, finding the ones with the upside are why one goes to the table. With a .922 save percentage and 2.28 GAA in 34 games, DeSerres will have to get in a few more games and establish that this year was not a fluke. But given his confidence level and reaction time to shooters, there is no reason to think he won’t be able to continue to improve and raise a few eyebrows doing so. He has displayed a bit of a fiery, competitive streak, which will suit the Flyers just fine.

Zac Rinaldo, C, Mississaugaga, OHL (178th overall)

Rinaldo is an intense role player, an agitator who brings some grit and intangibles to the table. While not especially offensively gifted, he could be the sort of player that embraces and thrives in the role of checking forward while stirring things up to aid his team. However, he would have a long road to the NHL and he would have to refine his game in several of the finesse areas. Before one writes him off, though, consider the Sutters, players whose drive carried them through any other shortcomings and cast long shadows on the ice for years because of it. Rinaldo could develop into such a player with increased dedication to rounding his game.

Joacim Eriksson, G, Brynas Jr., Swedish Junior League (196th overall)

Some say the Flyers had targeted a goalie with 19th pick and fell one pick short when Chet Pickard was taken 18th overall by Nashville. Instead, the Flyers opted for a highly touted defender. If that’s true, then the Flyers once again proved they comb the leagues for lesser-known talents that most other NHL team miss. Philly scout Ilkka Sinisalo brought Eriksson to the Flyers attention and seemingly with very good reason. His stats are startling to say the least: Boasting an eye-poping 1.25 GAA and .961 save percentage at the Under 17 tournament, Eriksson still has a lot to prove during the regular season, but he definitely looks like a prospect.

He plays a compact style of netminding and drops down frequently, but without unneccesary theatrics. He’s somewhat of a dark horse gamble this late in the draft, but with goalies it is much tougher to project their futures, and Eriksson has shown flashes of sheer brilliance in net so he may be well worth keeping an eye on.

July 19th, 2008
Categories: Draft report, HOCKEY, RotoRob correspondent report . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

There are two very notable players this year in the American League, both of whom should very easily qualify for multiple awards. Last season, Cliff Lee was not only banished from the rotation, but demoted to Triple-A and left off the Indians post-season roster. Josh Hamilton was in the process of re-establishing his career, but injuries continued to be his Achilles’ Heel. Both are huge comeback stories, one from a horrible nightmare called 2007, the other from the demons of years of drug and alcohol abuse. There are no bigger comeback and success stories this year in the American League than those of Lee and Hamilton.

MVP

Josh Hamilton, Texas, OF: For a guy that has yet to play a full season in the majors and was out of the game for four years dealing with his well-documented drug and health problems, to post the numbers he is putting up is truly amazing. With 21 homers and a league-leading 95 RBI at the break, Hamilton has now seen his career come full circle. To be leading the league by 25 RBI at the break is a truly outstanding accomplishment. Now, if the Rangers with Nolan Ryan at the helm could only find a way to build a starting rotation…

Grady Sizemore, Cleveland, OF: And the leading home run hitter in the American League at the break would be…yes, Grady Sizemore. When your top-of-the-order bat is leading his team in home runs, RBI, stolen bases and OBP it is certainly worthy of MVP consideration. Is a 40-40 season in the works for the 25-year-old Sizemore in 2008?

Ian Kinsler, Texas, 2B: Kinsler has raised his stock dramatically this year for the Rangers and for his fantasy owners. With a .337 BA, 14 homers, 58 RBI, 23 thefts and a league-leading 84 runs-scored — 17 more than the nearest competition — Kinsler is a true five-category stud, and definite MVP candidate. Taken in the sixth round in most drafts this spring, Kinsler has ascended to the title of the best offensive second baseman in the league, bar none.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees, 3B: Even with missing 17 games with a strained right quad, A-Rod has rather quietly put together a great first half. Currently, he is tied for fifth with 19 homers, is sitting in third spot with a 972 OPS and has pitched in with a very solid 13 stolen bases. How valuable is Rodriguez to the Yankees? The paltry seven wins they totaled in the 18 games he’s missed this year pretty much says it all. He has the potential to carry both the Yankees and your fantasy squad in the second half.

Justin Morneau, Minnesota, 1B: Morneau is probably one of the true team MVP candidates of the first half. Currently, the Twins’ offensive leader has driven in 68 runs, a staggering 22 more than the number two guy on the squad. He is the principle reason that the Twins are within two games of the first-place White Sox at the break.

CY YOUNG

Roy Halladay, Toronto, SP: With seven, Halladay has more complete games at the break than any combined pitching staff in baseball, this side of the NPB ( Yu Darvish of Nippon Ham just got his 8th). Doc’s strikeouts are back to 2003 levels, the walk total is at a stingy 21, and with 11 wins at the break he could be very well on his way to a second Cy Young award. Posting these numbers while pitching for one of the worst offenses in the game makes this even a more incredible achievement.

Joe Saunders, Los Angeles Angels, SP: The 27-year-old southpaw has stepped up his game in ’08. Saunders is currently tied for the league lead in wins with 12 and is sporting a fine 3.07 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. He’s seen a distinct drop in his hit rates this year, leading to a very successful first half. Is it sell high time here?

Justin Duchscherer, Oakland, SP: You have to love those junk ball pitchers that toss them in at 68 mph. The converted reliever takes a 10-5 record into the break with a league-leading 1.82 ERA. Food for thought: Duchscherer has only allowed more than two earned runs in one start this season. Is this sustainable? Probably not, but for those that gambled early and grabbed him off the waiver wire, enjoy the ride!

Cliff Lee, Cleveland, SP: Lee has had a truly amazing first half. That run of eight starts to commence the season (allowing a total of only four earned runs) was one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. At the break, Lee was tied for the league lead in wins with 12 and second in ERA with a 2.31 mark. He wrapped up the first half by earning the successful start in this year’s All-Star game. Lee is another fine example of why we don’t draft starting pitching in the early rounds of fantasy drafts — because clearly, you can use later picks or even the wire to find difference makers.

Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels, SP: What a turnaround Santana has enjoyed after that disappointing 2007 campaign. Currently the “other†Santana is sitting with 11 wins, a solid 3.34 ERA and is tied for third in the league with 122 strikeouts. He’s even found a way to pitch on the road this year. The 25-year-old righthander looks to be proving that his solid sophomore campaign in 2006 was no fluke.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay, 3B: Longoria started the 2008 campaign at Triple-A Durham and was called up April 12 to replace the injured Willy Aybar. After six games and 20 or so at bats, he signed a six-year deal with the Rays for a reported $17.5 million. Three months later, he’s hit 16 homers, driven in 53 runs and made the All-Star team. Evan Almighty, without a doubt, is the leading candidate for top rookie in the AL.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston, OF: It looks like the long-standing Boston stolen base record of 54 set in 1973 by Tommy Harper is going to be shattered. Ellsbury has 35 thefts at the break and has scored 60 runs batting leadoff. Apparently, the hype generated by his September run last year has been more than warranted.

Masahide Kobayashi, Cleveland, RP: It took a bit longer than I was expecting, but Kobayashi looks like he’s moved into the closer role for the Tribe heading into the break. Kobayashi has all the skills that a closer needs and he hopes to build on his success from those NPB days with Chiba Lotte. The Indians are already looking ahead to 2009 and the next couple of months will determine Kobayashi’s role in the Tribe bullpen for next year. I’m betting on success.

Greg Smith, Oakland, SP: Where does Oakland find its starting pitching? Smith is another in a long line of young A’s pitchers who have come up to the majors and been able to contribute. The 24-year-old southpaw has posted a very steady 3.43 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, to go along with 74 strikeouts in 110 1/3 IP. On the downside, Smith has allowed 47 free passes in the first half. If he is going to sustain those solid first-half numbers, he will have to find a way to limit the walks or those early results will be hard to duplicate in the second half.

David Murphy, Texas, OF: Murphy has hit 13 homers, driven in 60 runs and managed five stolen bases in the first half. Not bad for a guy that didn’t have a full-time job coming out of Spring Training. When you have Hamilton, Kinsler, Michael Young and Milton Bradley getting on base in front of you, the RBI opportunites are going to be there. Undrafted in most formats, Murphy has been another huge bonus for those gambling early on the waiver wire.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

J.D. Drew, Boston, OF: At the end of May, Drew was either buried deep on your fantasy bench or sitting on the waiver wire. In 115 at bats from mid-April until the end of May he hit the grand sum of one long ball. It was looking like the 2008 season was going to be a carbon copy of that disappointing ’07. And then came June. Twelve homers and 27 RBI later, and he’s back to being the player that the Red Sox thought they were getting when they shelled out $70 million to sign the free agent in the 2006 offseason. It’s been quite the turnaround for this Phillies’ fans favourite, so no worries that Drew will be dodging batteries any time soon at Fenway.

Mike Mussina, New York Yankees, SP: Many thought that after last year’s disaster, the fine career of Mike Mussina might be over. Not only is he alive and well in New York, but he’s been an integral part of the Yankee rotation. At the break, Mussina is tied for third in the league with 11 wins and has posted a solid 3.61 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He is currently on pace to have his lowest base-on-balls total in his career, with a stingy 16 so far. With the injuries to Chien-Ming Wang and Philip Hughes, and the failures of Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa, Moose will need a solid second half if the Yankees are to make the postseason again in 2008.

Troy Percival, Tampa Bay, RP: Percival commenced his comeback last fall by pitching very effectively for the Cardinals down the stretch. Signed by the Rays in the offseason, he has been a stabilizing force in the Tampa Bay pen. Still the fierce competitor, Percy has 19 saves and has allowed only 16 hits in 28 innings pitched this year. Coming back and pitching at the level he has after being out of the game for virtually three full seasons is an amazing accomplishment and one that will have to be sustained if the surprising Rays are going to reach the postseason this year.

Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox, OF: Dye is enjoying a fine resurgence this year for the division-leading White Sox. He is currently hitting to the tune of a .306 BA, with 21 homers and 56 RBI. This year, Dye is putting together a season reminiscent of that fine 2000, his last as a Royal, and he’s a big reason for the early-season success of the White Sox in 2008.

Aubrey Huff, Baltimore, DH: We haven’t seen numbers like this from Huff since the Rays had a bit of the Devil in them. With 18 homers already, he has surpassed his season total from 2007. Huff is another one of those early waiver wire acquisitions that has paid huge dividends for fantasy owners this season.

BUST OF THE YEAR

Victor Martinez, Cleveland, C: Over the past four seasons, Martinez has been the premier offensive catcher in the game. I remember thinking, ‘now here’s a safe pick for the third round in my bloggers’ league. Let’s grab a power bat at a relatively scarce position and run with it.’ Uh, yeah. At the break, in 198 at bats, he amassed the grand total of zero, that would be no home runs, and yes, I am bitter. Let’s hope the time off recovering from the elbow surgery helps him rediscover some semblance of a power stroke over the last six weeks of the season.

Alex Rios, Toronto, OF: For those that took the opportunity to read our pre-season picks to miss column back in late-March, we listed Rios as a player who would potentially disappoint — and disappoint he has. Four home runs from a player at a power position who was a third round pick in most formats is beyond disappointing. On the positive side at least he’s running, with a career high 23 thefts so far. With Vernon Wells missing a substantial amount of time due to injury, it would have been nice to see Rios step up to the plate, rather than away from it.

Kenji Johjima, Seattle, C: With Johjima coming off two very successful years in Seattle, who saw this one coming? Obviously not the previous Mariner regime, which rewarded Johjima with a three-year contract extension at $24 million. Yes, catchers have a history of rapid descent as they approach their mid-30s, but with three homers and a .213 BA, this would appear to be more of a crash than a descent. Now that Richie Sexson has been released, is moving Johjima the next part of the dismantling process? Johjima would be a very nice fit on a financially secure east-coast team for that stretch run, wouldn’t he?

Gary Sheffield, Detroit, OF/DH: This had to happen eventually. Sheffield has enjoyed a great career, but the combination of age, shoulder woes, and a strained oblique has finally taken its toll. Five homers and 18 RBI with a .217 BA is not what we were counting on when we made Sheffield a mid-level draft pick this spring. There’s definitely the potential for a bounce back in the second half in a strong Tiger lineup, but I’m not betting on it.

Travis Hafner, Cleveland, DH: Here’s another one of those picks that has done some serious damage to fantasy rosters throughout the land. Hafner amassed the staggering total of four homers, 22 RBI, and a .217 BA in 157 at bats this season before hitting the DL with a strained shoulder. With the Indians playing for 2009, and Hafner currently without a timetable for his return, don’t count on any reasonable levels of production this year from “Pronk.â€

July 19th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 4 Comments

What Went Right

West of Foxborough, Massachusetts, few offenses could hold a candle to the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Romo progressed nicely in his second year as a starter and threw 36 touchdowns, second in the NFL only to Tom Brady. Any hangover concerns from the dropped snap against the Seahawks in the playoffs a season prior were quickly forgotten. Terrell Owens was…Terrell Owens, catching 15 touchdowns. And Marion Barber nearly eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career and scored 12 times while splitting carries with the now departed Julius Jones. It was Jason Witten, not Owens, who led the Cowboys in receptions with 96. When the dust settled, Dallas averaged 28 points per game (second overall) and 365 yards per game (third overall).

What Went Wrong

While Dallas improved defensively, it was still susceptible to big plays and struggled at times allowing 20 points per contest. For the second straight season, the arrival of a blonde singer to Cowboy games coincidentally signaled the slow death of the team’s success. In ’06, Carrie Underwood stopped by towards the season’s end and in ’07 it was Jessica Simpson’s turn. While the season finale against Washington had little value because the Cowboys clinched home field advantage, they averaged only ten points per game in the three contests of the regular season. Compounding matters was a late-season ankle injury suffered by Owens. Then in the playoffs, the offensive line fell apart as the Giants harassed Romo non-stop and eventually overcame Dallas 21-17 in the divisional round.

Off-season Outlook

A team that possessed the NFC’s best record did not need to make wholesale changes on offense. The time is now for Dallas which is why on defense it acquired suspended cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones from Tennessee, who has still yet to be reinstated by the league, to bolster the secondary. Assuming he’s allowed to play, Jones could also have an impact on the special teams as a returner. Former Dolphin linebacker Zach Thomas will join the team to help shore up the depth at linebacker.

Draft Review

Felix Jones is a big play back out of Jerry Jones’ alma mater, Arkansas. He will not play quite the role that the absent Jones did. Instead, look for him to be the lightning to Barber’s thunder. Tight end Martellus Bennett has talent, but is behind Witten which renders his fantasy value rather ineffective for this season. Fourth round selection Tashard Choice may see carries as well. He handled the load while at Georgia Tech and should be able to provide some power running off the bench.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Romo is the rock solid starter for Dallas and should continue his successful ways. Throughout mock drafts and as suggested by fantasy magazines, Romo is the third quarterback typically taken behind Brady and Peyton Manning, which is a fair assessment. Another 30-plus touchdown pass season is well within reach for the Eastern Illinois product. As long as the Dallas offensive line plays like it did during the regular season instead of how it performed in the playoffs against the Giants, Romo will excel again. His level of play dipped in December again for the second straight season, which is a concern for fantasy owners when playoff time rolls around. In fact, over the last four games of the ’06 and ’07 campaigns, Romo has combined for nine touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. His last four games this season: at Pittsburgh, home against the Giants and Ravens; and at Philadelphia.

Running Backs

Assuming that the Dallas offense continues to stays relatively healthy (which it has since ’06), this might be the hitch in the Cowboys giddy up. Barber returns, but he has two rookies in Jones and Choice behind him. Meanwhile, Barber has yet to prove that he can handle a season as the main go-to guy. His season high in carries is 204. At the very least, he’ll have to shoulder a lot of responsibility early on until the young pups get their bearings. Nonetheless, Barber is a scoring machine and that should continue. This should be the season he finally surpasses the 1,000-yard mark and I expect him to add to another double-digit touchdown campaign.

Wide Receivers

At 34, Owens is creeping up there in age, but shows little signs of slowing down. The biggest concern with him is injury. He has missed at least one game in five of the last six seasons. However, he is as reliable as any receiver in the league when it comes to making big plays. A potential negative for the Cowboys at receiver is a lack of consistency after Owens. Patrick Crayton is the number two guy, but has shown a propensity to drop the ball at crucial times. His fantasy value as a second or third receiver on a fantasy team is solid though because of T.O.’s presence. Terry Glenn’s situation with the team still remains up in the air as he missed 15 games last season with a knee injury; he may be on his last legs.

Tight Ends

Witten is one of the top tight ends in football and is coming off a career year. His totals may not be quite as high from ’07, but he remains the second best option in the passing game behind you know who.

Defense/Special Teams

The Cowboy defense should be amongst the league’s best again in 2008. Even if Jones is not reinstated prior to the regular season’s beginning, Dallas still has guys who make plays like DeMarcus Ware, who had 14 sacks last season. The ‘Boys secondary should be in good shape as long as they hide safety Roy Williams, who is quickly falling out of favour in Big D. Whenever Dallas has given up a big pass play in the past two seasons, somewhere Williams was likely trailing the play. Expect Dallas to be one of the top fantasy defense/special teams squads in 2008.

July 18th, 2008
Categories: Derek Jones, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Derek Jones . Comments: 1 Comment

While Tim McLeod regales us with his Mid-Season Awards specials, including Wednesday’s National League Report, and the American League report, which will follow either later Thursday or Friday, I thought I’d weigh in with some of my own observations from a fantastic first half of baseball.

I bet you thought you were going to get more out of Vladimir Guerrero, a likely second round pick, than what he’s delivered so far. As a rookie, he posted a line of .302/.350/.483, which until now, represented the worst totals of his career. Currently, Vladdy is at .286/.348/.483, and he entered the break in a nasty slump. He’s still trying to shake off a sup par April (.272/.353/.437) and horrid May (.219/.260/.417). Can he do it? I think so, especially since he started heating up back in May. Guerrero has slugged .570 after the break compared to .541 beforehand over the last three years, so I think he’s a good buy-low candidate.

The Giants are doing better than expected, but you can’t credit Barry Zito. The team is 5-14 when he takes the mound. Opponents are batting .299 against him compared to his previous worst of .263. Just imagine what San Francisco could have done with that $126 million they handed this stiff. Zito has been better in his two July starts, so he might be worth another look in NL-only leagues, but the fact that he’s been a better first-half pitcher in recent years does not bode well for a recovery in 2008.

Talk about not making contact, have you seen that in almost exactly half of Jack Cust’s plate appearances (181 of 364), he’s either walked or struck out? After scuffling badly in June and most of July so far, Cust was heating up before the break, so could be worth taking a flyer on in an AL-only league. Once Frank Thomas returns, Cust will head back out to left field, and I see him as merely a short-term pickup; I expect him to lose PT to Matt Murton in the second half, assuming Murton starts hitting.

Rockie starters have combined for 26 wins and 11 of those belong to Aaron Cook, who authored three shutout frames in Tuesday’s All-Star game. As solid as Cook has been this month, he may still be available in more shallow leagues, but not for long.

Josh Hamilton, who cemented his place in history at the Home Run Derby, leads the AL with 95 RBI. His closest competitor is Carlos Quentin, who has 70. A 25-RBI lead at the break? Are you freaking kidding me? Hamilton is on pace to drive in 162 runs. Uh, that’ll do.

Bengie Molina and Geovany Soto are tied as the major’s leading run producers at catcher with 56 RBI apiece. I bet you all saw that coming. Consider this, however. Soto has struck out 84 times; Molina has whiffed just 23 times. I guess he took replacing Barry Bonds as the Giants’ clean-up hitter pretty seriously.

Speaking of Quentin, he entered the season with 14 homers and 63 RBI in 136 career games. This year, he’s smashed 22 dingers and driven in 70 in just 91 games. Can you say breakout, baby?

Manny Corpas is pitching much better lately, and very much deserves consideration for your NL-only bullpen, but after his sensational breakout season in 2007 that likely had him drafted by the 10th round this year, he’s saved just four games in ten tries. Even with Brian Fuentes on the trading block, I doubt Corpas gets the closing gig back. Taylor Buchholz deserves first crack at it once Fuentes is dealt.

Pop quick: name the only American League hitter who has an OPS of over 1000 at the break. A-Rod? Nope. Hamilton? Wrong again, but getting closer. It’s none other than Josh’s teammate, the fiery Milton Bradley, whose 1049 OPS ranks 65 points ahead of his closest competitor, J.D. Drew. Raise your hand if you saw this pair ranking one-two in OPS in the AL.

Talk about developing power. Let’s take a look at Adrian Gonzalez’s homer and RBI totals since he entered the league in 2004: 1-7, 6-17, 24-82 and 30-100 last year. This season, he’s already mashed 22 homers and driven in 71, fourth best in the NL. That puts him on pace for 38 homers and 121 RBI. I remember when Gonzalez was a prospect in the Marlin system and the scouts kept saying the power will catch up to his average later on. Uh, ya. They nailed that one. You may be wondering how he’s been this productive on such a weak-hitting team. Well, while Gonzalez is hitting .276 overall, he’s ratcheted that up with runners on (.287) and with runners in scoring position (.283).

How about the emergence this year of Mariner reliever Brandon Morrow, currently handling the closing reins with J.J. Putz on the DL? He recovered from his first blown saves this week with a perfect save against the Royals. Talk about dominant – he’s fanned 42 batters in 30 2/3 IP, while giving up just 16 hits. Opponents are batting .147 against Morrow. Other than some mild gopheritis, this kid has stud closer written all over him. No wonder I had some owner in my league sniffing around about Morrow.

Closing in on 40, Jim Edmonds is done, right? Sure looked that way when he toiled for the Padres, when, through 26 games, he had managed just one homer, six RBI, a .178 BA and a .233 slugging percentage. He’s been reborn at Wrigley, and in 44 games as a Cub, Edmonds has nine jacks, 29 RBI, a .269 BA, and .552 slugging percentage. Can you explain to me why he’s still barely owned in fantasy circles? NL-only owners need to grab this dude.

While Ian Kinsler took baby steps in his growth last year, even regressing in some areas, he’s taken giant leaps in 2008. His 134 hits at the break leads all AL players by ten; his 84 runs is 17 ahead of the competition. By the way, Kinsler is on pace for 229 hits and 144 runs.

How bad a start to the season did Roy Oswalt have? Consider that over his last eight appearances, he’s lowered his ERA every time out, dropping it over a run from 5.61 to 4.56, yet he’s still over a run higher than his worst season ever (3.49 in 2004).

July 17th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, Fantasy Notes, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment