New Fantasy Judgment decision – fantasy baseball trade (Bastardo/Motte)

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

Road Runners v. Urban Achievers

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM THE ANGERTHAL LEAGUE

Decided June 28, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 47 (June 2011)

Factual Background

A rotisserie fantasy baseball league (hereinafter referred to as “Roto league” or “The Angerthal League”) that was formed in 1988 and utilized an auction-style draft seeks an evaluation of a trade made between two teams within the Roto league.  This is a twelve-team NL-only keeper league where each team has a $260.00 salary cap to draft 23 players.  During the season, there is no limitation on players’ salaries.  Teams are permitted to retain between 7-15 players during each off-season with each individual player allowed to be kept for three years before they must either be signed to a long-term contract (“LTC”), play, or be returned to the free agent pool. 

Players with a LTC have a progressive salary structure of (Base Salary + ((N-1) * 5)) where N = the number of years a team wants to sign the player. Once a player is signed to a LTC, there is a real monetary penalty (which depends on the structure of the salary of the player – if the salary is less than $10, then there is a penalty of $20; or there is a penalty of two times the player’s salary if he is released early from a LTC). All money collected for penalties is placed into the pool for prize money.  After a LTC is completed, the player is not eligible to be signed again and must be placed back into the free agent pool for the next season’s draft. Teams that finish in 1^st through 4^th  place in the Roto League will win money prizes at the end of each season.   

As with many rotisserie leagues, the Angerthal League uses the standard 5×5 scoring categories to determine the standings and prize money.  For offensive players, the five categories are: (1) batting average; (2) homeruns; (3) runs batted in; (4) runs scored; and (5) stolen bases.  For pitchers, the five categories are: (1) wins; (2) earned run average; (3) WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched); (4) strikeouts; and (5) saves.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the course of the season and there are no head to head games contained within the Roto league.

Procedural History

The Road Runners have made a trade with the Urban Achievers.  The Road Runners traded Jason Motte (RP-STL) to the Urban Achievers in exchange for Antonio Bastardo (RP-PHI).

According to the Angerthal League’s Commissioner, several other members of the league have challenged this trade alleging there is a significant disparity in the value of a potential closer in exchange for a middle reliever with no distinct inherent value.  Members of the league also argue that the Urban Achievers failed to explore other trade options that would have arguably netted them better compensation than Jason Motte.

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the trade between the Road Runners and Urban Achievers be upheld and approved?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment typically favors individual fantasy sports participants and teams’ ability to make moves, transactions, and trades.  The standard of review has been that people pay money to purchase a team in a league, draft their team, and manage it accordingly.  Whether success is bred from that individual’s decision-making is purely left to some skill, luck, dedication, and savviness.  The Court also acknowledges that the analysis for evaluating trades is much different in a keeper league than a non-keeper league.  A trade that may look uneven or lopsided on its face may receive a different opinion when it is involved in a keeper league.  The reasons for this are obvious, but must be restated.  In a keeper league, teams that are having unsuccessful seasons are more likely to continue to pay attention and make moves that will set themselves up for better success in the following season.  They can do this by acquiring young talent that is not under contract within the league, or by dumping salary (assuming it is an auction league) and allowing greater financial flexibility to sign key players in the next season’s draft.  In non-keeper leagues, there is no rationale for thinking ahead, nor is there any need to stockpile young, inexpensive talent.

Another factor that the Court must always consider is whether there is any collusion or under-the-table dealings going on between teams.  According to the league Commissioner, the league members involved in the subject trade are very close friends.  While several members of the league have challenged the trade, no one has outwardly accused the teams of colluding.  However, the general consensus of the league is that this is an instance of one friend helping another based on the impression that the Urban Achievers, currently in 11^th place, did not receive commensurate value for Bastardo from the Road Runners, currently in first place.  While that is a subjective point of view in determining the value exchanged in the trade, the fact remains that there is inconclusive evidence of any collusion that would warrant immediate denial of the deal.  The fact that the league members are close friends is not demonstrative in and of itself of collusion.  See Jetnuts v. Joker’s Wild, 2 F.J. 15, 16 (September 2010) (holding that family members should not be held under any additional scrutiny when making trades outside of evidence supporting a collusive effort).  The Court is not aware of any prior complaints or allegations of collusive conduct between these league members.  Based on the foregoing, the Court concludes that there is no collusion in place or tacit agreements to share potential winnings between the team owners.

At first glance, the trade of Jason Motte in exchange for Antonio Bastardo looks fair and even.  The only reason there is potential inequity between the relief pitchers is the fact that Bastardo will be the Phillies’ closer while Ryan Madson is on the disabled list.  Both pitchers have had success this season as setup relievers, posting very similar numbers.  Another similarity between them is that their respective teams have had multiple pitchers serve as closer.  In St. Louis, incumbent closer Ryan Franklin blew several saves at the beginning of the season before he was replaced by Mitchell Boggs.  Boggs then struggled and was replaced by a committee until Fernando Salas emerged as the best option over Eduardo Sanchez.  Motte has remained in a setup role, although he does have the ability to close games if needed.  In Philadelphia, incumbent closer Brad Lidge began the season on the disabled list and still has not returned.  Jose Contreras was then given the chance to close games and was successful until he succumbed to injury as well.  Following Contreras, Ryan Madson was anointed the team’s closer and has been dominant.  However, he was placed on the disabled list and the role is now likely to be assumed by Bastardo. 

The following chart represents a statistical comparison between the two players in the relevant roto categories as of June 28, 2011:

Player	Wins	ERA	K’s	WHIP	Saves
Antonio Bastardo	3	0.96	33	0.85	2
Jason Motte	3	2.81	30	1.09	0

As can be seen from this comparison, both Motte and Bastardo have very similar numbers.  The difference is that Bastardo will now have save chances for a very successful Phillies team whereas Motte does not currently have such opportunities.  While this gives Bastardo additional inherent value, there is no guarantee that his success as a setup reliever will transfer to his new role as closer.  With few exceptions (i.e., Neftali Feliz), it is rare for a pitcher with such little experience as Bastardo to step in and immediately succeed as a closer.

When analyzing the fairness and equity of a trade, the Court will consider each team’s individual needs to assess whether the trade subjectively made sense from each team’s perspective.  See Cajon Crawdads vs. Carson City Cocks, 1 F.J. 41, 42 (June 2010) (upholding a trade for Jason Bay because of the Carson City Cocks’ desperate need for a starting outfielder due to the demotion of Cameron Maybin).  This trade involves two relief pitchers.  The Urban Achievers did not have any other closers on their roster – only mediocre middle relievers including Bobby Parnell and Brian Sanches.  It was apparent that he has “punted” the saves category, which is not an uncommon strategy in roto leagues.  Acquiring Jason Motte fits the pattern that the Urban Achievers had created.  The Road Runners already had Drew Storen and Mark Melancon as closers.  Neither is considered a high-end closer, but they are closers nonetheless.  The acquisition of Bastardo will help in the saves category assuming he is successful.  Based on the foregoing analysis, the needs of each team were clearly delineated and equally met with this trade.

In terms of keeper league status and salary cap value, this trade is almost equivocal.  Motte is an owned player with a salary of $2.00 and is eligible to be signed to a LTC.  Bastardo was not drafted.  He was added through the league’s free agent auction bidding process and his rights through the remainder of the season are controlled by the owning team.  The salaries and contractual status of both players are not significant enough to factor into the evaluation given the equality of the players involved.  See Smittydogs v. Stud Muffins, 3 F.J. 10, 11 (April 2011) (holding that a $0.10 differential amongst the players salaries in a league where each team has a $36.00 budget was not enough to factor into the Court’s evaluation).

As referenced in Smittydogs v. Moneyball, 1 F.J. 32, 34 (June 2010), the dichotomy between the Road Runners and Urban Achievers’ motivations is precisely why the Court must look at trades in keeper leagues differently than non-keeper leagues.  However, had this trade been made in a non-keeper league, the Court would still likely approve it. 

While this trade may not be the most intelligent deal that could have been made by the Urban Achievers, it is certainly not unfair.  It is not up to the Court to make a determination on what is considered intelligent.  Rather, the Court’s role in this jurisdiction is to evaluate the objective merits of a deal and ensure that the integrity of the league is maintained.  See Victoria’s Secret v. C-Train, 2 F.J. 32, 35 (October 2010).  Here, a trade was proposed and agreed to between two teams on the opposite ends of the standings.  While the potential value of the two players may not be exactly commensurate given Bastardo’s upcoming opportunities to gain saves, the trade is not lopsided enough to warrant an intervention.  Unwise decisions should not be scrutinized or vetoed merely because they are unwise.  See Id. at 35 (upholding the May 2010 trade of Justin Upton and Zack Duke in exchange for Raul Ibanez and Josh Johnson).   Additionally, the claim by the amicus plaintiffs that Urban Achievers should have solicited better trade offers for Bastardo is vehemently rejected.  Teams are not obligated to shop players around to appease skeptical league members.  Based on the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby decides that the subject trade should be approved.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

New Fantasy Judgment decision – fantasy baseball issue (FAAB)

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

A-Holes & Pujols v. Mad Cow Disease 

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ALL-STAR FANTASY BASEBALL LEAGUE

Decided June 27, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 44 (June 2011)

Factual Background

A rotisserie fantasy baseball league called the Southern California All-Star Fantasy Baseball League (“SCAFBL”) is a mixed NL-AL non-keeper league comprised of 12 teams utilizing the standard 5×5 scoring categories to determine the standings and prize money.  For offensive players, the five categories are: (1) batting average; (2) homeruns; (3) runs batted in; (4) runs scored; and (5) stolen bases.  For pitchers, the five categories are: (1) wins; (2) earned run average; (3) WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched); (4) strikeouts; and (5) saves.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the course of the season and there are no head to head games contained within the Roto league.

The SCAFBL operates under a written Constitution which outlines all of the league’s rules and guidelines.  Each league member was provided with a copy of the Constitution prior to the league’s draft which took place on March 27, 2011.  Included in the rules are provisions regarding the process and method of inputting transactions, including add/drops, placing players on the disabled list, and making trades with other teams.  The SCAFBL employs an auction bidding process for free agents where each league member was allotted $100 to use in bidding for available players throughout the season.  The following represents a condensed and concise summary of the pertinent Constitutional language that governs the transaction process:

• Each team is given a budget of $100 to use on players available on the waiver wire.
• Teams are restricted to a maximum of five transactions per week.
• All bids on free agents must be made before the conclusion of the final Sunday night game of the week.
• Teams must make their transactions in conformity with the league’s roster and lineup requirements.
• The bidding process will be managed, controlled and administered by the CBS Sports internal commissioner service.
• The bidding process is blind and no team shall have access or knowledge of other teams’ bids.
• The SCAFBL commissioner shall not have access to other teams’ bids.

On Saturday, June 25, 2011, A-Holes & Pujols placed a bid on free agent Dustin Ackley (2B-SEA) for $12 using the CBS Sports free agent auction bidding process.  As his corresponding move, A-Holes & Pujols sought to drop Ben Francisco (OF-PHI).  A-Holes & Pujols made no other free agent auction bids or any other transactions for the remainder of that week.

As usual, the free agent auction bidding process was run by CBS Sports on Sunday night, June 26, 2011.  Once the auction was complete, Mad Cow Disease (also the SCAFBL Commissioner) was awarded Dustin Ackley by winning the auction with a bid of $14.  As a result, A-Holes & Pujols’ bid for Ackley was denied and Francisco remained on their roster.

Procedural History

On Monday, June 27, 2011, A-Holes & Pujols sent out an email to the entire league accusing the Commissioner of abusing his power and outbidding him for Ackley.  The basis for A-Holes & Pujols’ contention is the allegation that the Commissioner has access to everyone’s bids and can manipulate the system where he can outbid any team for a free agent he so desires.

In response to this email, the Commissioner emphatically denied such accusations and reminded the league of the provisions laid out in the league’s constitution (which are also delineated above in the Factual Background).  A majority of league owners responded to the emails as well affirming the Commissioner’s decree and lashing out at A-Holes & Pujols for the undeserved accusations. 

A-Holes & Pujols still refused to accept this explanation and requested a league vote to resolve the issue.  The Commissioner rejected this request, so A-Holes & Pujols have contacted the Court to rule whether the Commissioner’s acquisition of Dustin Ackley should be upheld due to his alleged capability to see all competing bids.

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the Commissioner’s acquisition of Dustin Ackley be upheld?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment is a strong advocate for having written Constitutions that govern fantasy sports leagues.  See John Doe v. Fantasy Football League Commissioner, 2 F.J. 21, 22 (October 2010).  Having a written league constitution or charter helps ensure that “all league members are aware of the rules and guidelines in place, and it shifts the burden onto the league members to read, understand, and adhere to the rules that are delineated.”  See Shawn Kemp is My Daddy v. Fantasy Basketball League Commissioner, 2 F.J. 24, 25 (October 2010).  Here, the rules explicitly stated what the procedures are for the FAAB process, including the fact that the bidding is blind and not even the Commissioner has access to other teams’ bids.  Not only were they delineated by the Commissioner in the league’s Constitution, but they are also the fixed settings set forth by CBS Sports in their League Commissioner package.  See Green Eggs & Hamels v. Megan Fox is Hot, 3 F.J. 4, 6 (April 2011). 

The Commissioner does subject himself to added scrutiny simply by having such inherent power as making the rules and having access to the league’s internal structure and settings.  However, those who choose to participate in a fantasy league run by a Commissioner should presumably have implicit trust and faith in that Commissioner – otherwise it would be foolish to entrust one’s money and time in a fantasy league run by someone that is not trustworthy. 

Here, the Commissioner is also a league member, which is often the case.  As Commissioner, he must make decisions that are in the best interests of the league.  However, he is also entitled to manage his team to the best of his ability and try to win.  The Commissioner is subjected to the same rules that apply to everyone else, including the provisions of the free agent auction bidding process.  The Commissioner is allotted the same budget as the rest of the league, and he must go through the same bidding process as everyone else.  Additionally, there is no way for the Commissioner, or anyone else in the league, to have access to other people’s bids pursuant to the settings that were input.  Any bid placed by the Commissioner is as blind as A-Holes & Pujols, and every other member of the SCAFBL.

Further, there is no way for a team to track when another team actually makes their bid.  A-Holes & Pujols stated that he placed his bid for Dustin Ackley on Saturday, June 25.  It is unknown when Mad Cow Disease placed his bid.  Irrespective of that, it simply does not matter when the bids are placed so long as they are placed prior to when the auction runs, which is typically just after 1:00 AM EST.  At that point, the only thing system cares about when running the auction is who bid more for a certain player.  Based on the blind bids placed on Dustin Ackley, Mad Cow Disease won the auction and successfully acquired the Mariners’ young second baseman.  

A-Holes & Pujols went to the rest of the league to appeal this.  The Commissioner, despite being involved in the situation, denied A-Holes & Pujols’ request for a league vote on the issue.  The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment advocates for league Commissioners to have a certain amount of authority and autonomy to run and administer fantasy sports leagues.  See FlemishUSA v. League Commissioner, 2 F.J. 35, 36 (October 2010).  In this case, the Commissioner appropriately ruled on the issue by denying the request for a league vote, and instead adhered to the clearly established rules and guidelines that govern the league and the FAAB process. 

The league’s FAAB rules clearly demonstrate that Mad Cow Disease (a.k.a. the league Commissioner) properly acquired Ackley.  The Court hereby upholds the Commissioner’s decision and rules that the subject transaction should be upheld. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

New Fantasy Judgment decision – fantasy baseball trade (Carlos Pena/Geovany Soto)

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

Carson City Cocks v. Moneyball

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM THE INCONTINENT LEAGUE

Decided June 27, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 41 (June 2011)

Factual Background

A rotisserie fantasy baseball league (hereinafter referred to as “Roto league” or “The Incontinent League”) utilizing an auction-style draft and transaction platform seeks an evaluation of a trade made between two teams within the Roto league.  This is an NL-only keeper league where each team is permitted to maintain up to ten (10) players during each off-season with each individual player allowed to be kept for a maximum of three (3) years.  Each team is also permitted to keep two minor league players which are in addition to the ten players kept.  This Roto league also has a $36.00 in-season salary cap that is applicable for all teams.   

As with many rotisserie leagues, the subject Roto league uses the standard 5×5 scoring categories to determine the standings and prize money.  For offensive players, the five categories are: (1) batting average; (2) homeruns; (3) runs batted in; (4) runs scored; and (5) stolen bases.  For pitchers, the five categories are: (1) wins; (2) earned run average; (3) WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched); (4) strikeouts; and (5) saves.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the course of the season and there are no head to head games contained within the Roto league.

Procedural History

The Carson City Cocks have made a trade with Moneyball.  The Carson City Cocks traded Geovany Soto (C-CHC) to Moneyball in exchange for Carlos Pena (1B-CHC). 

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the trade between the Carson City Cocks and Moneyball be upheld and approved?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment typically favors individual fantasy sports participants and teams’ ability to make moves, transactions, and trades.  The standard of review has been that people pay money to purchase a team in a league, draft their team, and manage it accordingly.  Whether success is bred from that individual’s decision-making is purely left to some skill, luck, dedication, and savviness.  The Court also acknowledges that the analysis for evaluating trades is much different in a keeper league than a non-keeper league.  A trade that may look uneven or lopsided on its face may receive a different opinion when it is involved in a keeper league.  The reasons for this are obvious, but must be restated.  In a keeper league, teams that are having unsuccessful seasons are more likely to continue to pay attention and make moves that will set themselves up for better success in the following season.  They can do this by acquiring young talent that is not under contract within the league, or by dumping salary (assuming it is an auction league) and allowing greater financial flexibility to sign key players in the next season’s draft.  In non-keeper leagues, there is no rationale for thinking ahead, nor is there any need to stockpile young, inexpensive talent.

Another factor that the Court must always consider is whether there is any collusion or under-the-table dealings going on between teams.  The Court has not been presented with any evidence of such malfeasance, so assumptions will be made that this is not an issue. 

At first glance, the trade of Geovany Soto in exchange for Carlos Pena looks fair and even.  Both players have had success in the past and have fallen on hard times over the last couple seasons.  Soto had emerged as a top fantasy option at the vacuous catcher’s position only a few years ago.  However, injuries and lack of production have relegated him to merely a second or third tier option in terms of fantasy value.  However, in a roto format, he still does possess the potential to contribute in power categories.  Carlos Pena is coming off of one of the worst seasons an everyday player can have when he failed to hit .200 during the 2010 season.  He still produces 25+ homeruns and will drive in 80-90 runs, but he is a death wish for the batting average category.  That being said, his value as a first baseman is commensurate with Soto’s value as a catcher.  They both play every day for the Chicago Cubs and have the ability to capitalize on the friendly confines of Wrigley Field during the summer months.  Neither player will hit for a high batting average, score a lot of runs, or steal many (if any) bases.  Their value lies in the homerun and RBI categories. 

When analyzing the fairness and equity of a trade, the Court will consider each team’s individual needs to assess whether the trade subjectively made sense from each team’s perspective.  See Cajon Crawdads vs. Carson City Cocks, 1 F.J. 41, 42 (June 2010) (upholding a trade for Jason Bay because of the Carson City Cocks’ desperate need for a starting outfielder due to the demotion of Cameron Maybin).  This trade involves one catcher and one first baseman.  Prior to the trade, the Carson City Cocks lost Albert Pujols (1B-STL) to injury for four to six weeks due to suffering a fractured wrist.  Clearly this left a void at first base or corner infielder, so it is obvious why the Carson City Cocks sought to acquire Pena.  Trading Soto does not leave them without viable catching options as they also have Jonathan Lucroy (C-MIL) and Josh Thole (C-NYM).  Conversely, Moneyball had depth at first base with Lance Berkman (1B/OF-STL), Freddie Freeman (1B-ATL) and Ty Wigginton (1B/2B/3B-COL).  This depth made Pena expendable.  Moneyball’s catchers were Miguel Montero (C-ARZ) and Eli Whiteside (C-SF), so acquiring Soto made sense as an upgrade for his second catcher.  The combination of Montero and Soto has the potential to be one of the most productive duos at that position.  Based on the foregoing analysis, the needs of each team were clearly delineated and equally met with this trade.

In terms of keeper league status and salary cap value, this trade is almost equivocal.  Both Soto and Pena are in their first year under contract with their respective teams.  Soto is worth $1.20 while Pena is worth $2.00.  Moneyball, currently in sixth place, will gain $0.80 in salary cap space which is not significant enough to factor into the evaluation given the equality of the players involved.  See Smittydogs v. Stud Muffins, 3 F.J. 10, 11 (April 2011) (holding that a $0.10 differential amongst the players salaries was not enough to factor into the Court’s evaluation).

As referenced in Smittydogs v. Moneyball, 1 F.J. 32, 34 (June 2010), the dichotomy between the Carson City Cocks and Moneyball’s motivations is precisely why the Court must look at trades in keeper leagues differently than non-keeper leagues.  However, had this trade been made in a non-keeper league, the Court would still likely approve it. 

Based on the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby decides that the subject trade is fair, equal, and free of collusion.  The trade should be approved as it comports with the best interests of the league.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

OBFBL Power Rankings #2 – Through Week 11 (June 22, 2011)

After eleven weeks and fifteen fantasy games played, it is now time for the second edition of the 2011 Power Rankings for the Old Bridge Fantasy Baseball League (“OBFBL”).  The OBFBL is an 18-team, non-keeper, head to head, points, mixed NL/AL fantasy baseball league that has existed since 1999 and is currently in its 13th season.  We will rank each team in the league based on their overall record, points scored, roster trends, significant transactions, and other general criteria.  Without further adieu, here is the second edition of the power rankings through the middle of May 2011.

1. Mets in 2011 (12-3, 1st place AL East, Previous Rank – #5)

Jordan has been on fire since the last rankings winning seven in a row and bludgeoning opponents with lopsided scores.  Joey Votto, Matt Kemp and Justin Upton continue to produce big numbers.  Free agent acquisition Eric Hosmer has been steady and consistent asJordan’s utility player.  His pitching staff has also been dominant with Josh Beckett throwing multiple shutouts, Tim Hudson and Jaime Garcia consistently winning, and the closer duo of Brian Wilson and Ryan Madson racking up saves. Jordanhas already won three weekly money prizes for having the highest scores in the league.  That should help him stockpile diapers which he will need. 

2. The Ewok Rebellion (12-3, 1st place AL Central, Previous Rank – #1)

Abe has backed up his words by maintaining a torrid pace.  He has gone 5-2 since the last rankings and is only bumped from the top spot due to the amount of points the Mets in 2011 have produced.  His pitching staff has been surprisingly good despite losing Bartolo Colon.  Dan Haren is a lock, but recent acquisitions Bud Norris and Ryan Vogelsong have stepped in and produced.  David Ortiz regained his old form and has carried Abe’s offense, which is still waiting for Ryan Howard to go on a hot streak.  First round pick Robinson Cano hasn’t hit his stride yet either.  The loss of Derek Jeter has made no impact on Abe because Jeter sucks at this point.  HA!

3. Benny Enjoys the Moment Being My Bee-otch (12-3, 1st place NL East, Previous Rank – #2)

Marc has opened up an impressive six game lead in the division and looks to be running away with things.  He has also gone 5-2 since the last rankings and recently acquired Alex Rodriguez in a trade.  This could be huge for Marc as the health of outfielder Hunter Pence is now in question.  Marc’s dynamic pitching duo of Jon Lester and Clayton Kershaw has justified their positions as his first two draft picks.  The multiple closer theory has been up and down as Joakim Soria has been very inconsistent.  Jacoby Ellsbury and Brennan Boesch have provided solid numbers all year.

4. Fellowship of the Orange Veal Cutlets (10-5, 1st place NL West, Previous Rank – #3)

Maury has been able to hang onto first place in the league’s most competitive division.  He has Justin Verlander to thank for that as the Tigers’ ace put up 94 points in the most recent double-header week giving the Veal Cutlets a sweep.  The OBFBL veteran has little patience for non-production as youngsters Ian Kennedy and Jonathan Sanchez have been relegated to the bench.  His managerial style has worked thus far as he relies on waiver wire pickups to piece together a pitching staff around Verlander.  Ryan Braun and Brian McCann continue to be studs on offense.  The return of Adam Lind also gives Maury another potent bat to rely on.

5. Madoff’s Marauders (9-6, 1st place NL Central, Previous Rank – #4)

Joey I. has only gone 3-4 since the last rankings yet still remains tied for first place in the division.  The great Roy Halladay has been his usual dominant self.  Combine that with Yovani Gallardo and Craig Kimbrel, the Marauders have one of the more formidable pitching staffs in the league.  Credit Joey I. for his scouting team as he landed highly touted prospects Mike Moustakas and Danny Duffy who were recently called up by the Royals. Despite being without Ike Davis since April, free agent Mike Morse has filled in nicely at first base.  Ryan Zimmerman recently returned from injury which is a huge boost.  He also has pitching depth with closers Jordan Walden and Sergio Santos sitting on his bench.  . 

6. Blue Horseshoe Loves Giant Douche (9-6, 2nd place NL West, Previous Rank – #13)

The Commish has gone 6-1 since the last rankings and jumped up seven spots on this hot streak.  Several of his big bats got hot at the same time, including Jay Bruce, Jose Reyes and Miguel Cabrera.  Josh Hamilton returned from injury to provide even more offensive output.  The Commish also made another trade acquiring Dustin Pedroia and Logan Morrison who have produced nicely.  Plus, the Phillies called up rookie Domonic Brown who was plugged into the Commish’s lineup as well.  Mark Reynolds finally started hitting some homeruns and even went a few at bats in a row without striking out.  The Commish’s pitching staff is still a work in progress, but the return of Wandy Rodriguez and acquisition of John Danks will help complement Cliff Lee.

7. Pap Smears (9-6, 1st place AL West, Previous Rank – #9)

Jared has gone 5-2 since the last rankings and has created some distance between him and the other teams in his division.  Now owning a three game lead, the Pap Smears have been on a hot streak despite being without ace pitcher Josh Johnson who has been sidelined with an arm injury and isn’t expected back until after the All-Star break.  Other pitching woes have forced Jared to rely on his offense as Jair Jurrjens has cooled off slightly and Shaun Marcum is injured again.  First round pick and pending free agent Prince Fielder has been dominant in terms of his power and run production.  Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre have also been consistent run producers when they are healthy.  The issue will be whether Jared can maintain his lead while waiting for Johnson to return.

8. Jewish Mafia (9-6, 2nd place NL Central, Previous Rank – #7)

If you look at Randy’s roster and see who has been injured or a complete bust, you would be amazed that he is 9-6 and tied for the NL Wild Card.  First round pick Carlos Gonzalez has picked it up lately, but overall he has not lived up to the expectations created from his monstrous 2010 season.  Rockies’ pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez has arguably been the biggest fantasy bust in terms of pitchers.  He has battled injuries and ineffectiveness all season, and only just recently won his first game of the season.  He has not been the same since the second half of 2010 began.  Brandon Phillips and Mat Latos have put up very pedestrian numbers compared to what was expected of them.  And Jason Heyward has been ineffective and injured most of the season.  Yet somehow, the Mafia has continued winning.  Maybe Randy drinks a lot of tiger’s blood.

9. Len Tuckwilla’s Nuts Over My Chin (7-8, 3rd place NL West, Previous Rank – #6)

The final sentence in the analysis of Craig’s team in the first edition of the Power Rankings was: “Craig is known for fading in the second half, so hopefully he has built up some OBFBL endurance.”  Sure enough, he has gone 2-5 since those rankings and now finds himself in last place in his division.  Granted there is still plenty of time left in the season, but Craig must adjust to the trends that present themselves.  Troy Tulowitzki has cooled off considerably, and no one else has stepped up to be a constant offensive threat with the exception of Gaby Sanchez (until the Marlins’ recent slide).  Carlos Beltran and Todd Helton do not provide the same type of offensive dominance they once did, and Carlos Santana may be too young to be counted on for such a thing now.  Craig’s pitching will keep him competitive and in the race as he relies on Jered Weaver, Max Scherzer, Michael Pineda, and Gio Gonzalez.

10. RAD (7-8, 2nd place AL Central, Previous Rank – #8)

Amazingly, Matt has scored the fourth most points in the league yet is 7-8 and five games behind in the division.  During the weeks he has won, he has won big.  Other weeks, not so much.  Adrian Gonzalez has been outstanding and Andrew McCutcheon is blossoming into a star.  From a pitching perspective, James Shields, Jordan Zimmerman and Carlos Carrasco have all overachieved and provided superb numbers in all respects.  Unfortunately, Matt has not been able to consistently put it all together week after week.  Matt lacks a big power bat, so perhaps he should look into making a deal with someone as we get closer to the All-Star break.  He proved last year that he can come on strong down the stretch, so this is one team to definitely keep your eyes on.  The points scored thus far demonstrate what Matt can do.

11. Cole Hamels Adopted Charlie Sheen’s Kids (6-9, 3rd place AL Central, Previous Rank – #15)

In an interesting twist, the Philadelphia boys actually starter producing better after Buster Posey sustained his season-ending injury in a horrific collision at home plate with Scott Cousins.  While they cooled off in the most recent double-header week, Jeff and Mike exploded right after Posey went down partially due to the fact Chase Utley is back.  Mark Teixeira got hot again as April became a distant memory, and some of their pitchers had huge weeks including Cole Hamels, Alexi Ogando, Mike Leake and Huston Street.  They are still waiting for Jayson Werth to actually do something other than wash dishes with the excess cash he has sitting around from his ridiculous contract.  Andre Ethier has cooled off considerably since his hitting streak ended.  They should take advantage of having Utley, Rickie Weeks and Danny Espinosa at second base and trade one of them.

12. It’s Gotta Be Mooses…or Meese (6-9, 2nd place AL West, Previous Rank – #10)

The strength of Cory’s team, on paper, is his pitching staff.  However, C.C. Sabathia has won nine games but hasn’t put up dominant numbers such as strikeouts and complete games.  Chris Carpenter has pitched better lately but is still 1-7 with a 4.40 ERA.  Chad Billingsley is only 6-6 with a 4.49 ERA and questions from his manager and team about his heart and desire (and Cory moved him to the bench this week).  And Ricky Romero has pitched better than anyone but is only 6-7 because the Blue Jays do not provide run support.  These pitching woes, along with more injuries to Matt Holliday, have caused Cory much grief and angst as he has gone 2-5 since the last rankings and fallen three games out of first place.

13. This is the Business We’ve Chosen (6-9, 2nd place NL East, Previous Rank – #11)

It has been an ongoing struggle for Mr. Tuvel as he agonizes over selecting Hanley Ramirez in the first round.  It may be Monday morning quarterbacking, but Hanley has been a complete bust thus far and has also missed significant time due to injury.  Newly hired interim manager Jack McKeon put Hanley in the cleanup spot.  It is unknown whether he will remain there, but something needed to be done to kick start some production from the fantasy stud.  Evan Longoria looks to be back in his old form as he missed significant time with an injury.  Now after getting Hanley back, Jason has lost Clay Buchholz to injury.  At six games back in the division, it is getting close to the time where Jason will have to start focusing on the Wild Card where he is only three games out.

14. Admiral Ackbar (6-9, 2nd place AL East, Previous Rank – #18)

After starting the season 1-7 and ranking dead last in the previous rankings, OBFBL sophomoreMario Portillahas stormed back to respectability by going 5-2 over the last five weeks.  Even after trading away Cliff Lee, he is still getting strong pitching contributions from Francisco Liriano, Anibal Sanchez and Jason Vargas.  He now gets Joe Mauer back in his lineup after missing most of the season, so look for a continued upward trend in the standings as Mario digs himself out of a hole.  However, he must overcome the injury bug as players such as Rafael Furcal, Brian Roberts, Aaron Harang and Phil Hughes remain on the DL.

15. Montreal Espos (5-10, 3rd place AL West, Previous Rank – #12)

The first edition of the Power Rankings were done the week David Wright was placed on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his back.  Instead of panicking and make a desperate trade for another third baseman, Pat kept his cool and simply added someone off the waiver wire.  That someone is Greg Dobbs on the Marlins.  While he has not exactly torn it up for Espo, it demonstrates the type of fantasy baseball player Espo is.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out very well as Espo has gone 2-5 since then.  He does have some solid pitching with Felix Hernandez, Zack Greinke, Carlos Zambrano and Dillon Gee (until this week’s game against Oakland).  Curtis Granderson has been one of the top players in both real and fantasy baseball thus far, but Espo doesn’t have too much on offense beyond that.  Shin Soo Choo has been a major disappointment and Billy Butler hasn’t developed the kind of power I thought he would. 

16. Dawg Eat Dawg (5-10, 3rd place NL Central, Previous Rank – #14)

Things are not looking good at the moment for the defending OBFBL champion to become the first ever repeat champion in league history.  Injuries to Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore and Justin Morneau, coupled with the horrendous numbers put up by Vladmir Guerrero and Jason Bay, have rendered Benny a low point machine.  He also became so disenchanted with A-Rod’s lack of power that he dealt him away in exchange for Alex Gordon and two mediocre pitchers.  David Price has been a solid ace and Erik Bedard has been a pleasant surprise, but Roy Oswalt has been a disappointment as his projected #2 starter.  Benny has always been a creative and intense league member, so expect maximum effort in his attempts to climb back into the race.  He better do it soon as he has a lot of ground to make up chasing two teams ahead of him that are 9-6. 

17. It Byrnes When I Peavy (3-12, 3rd place NL East, Previous Rank – #16)

Did you ever just have one of those years where nothing goes right for your team at all?  That pretty much sums up the Co-Commish’s season thus far.  Besides having the second worst record in the league and going 1-6 since the last rankings, now Ari has lost Albert Pujols for 4-6 weeks with a fractured wrist.  On top of that, he has to replace Pujols with Adam Dunn at first base.  Few hitters have struggled as bad as Dunn has in his first year in the American League.  In addition, Ari’s ace pitcher Tommy Hanson missed a start but should be back next week.  Ari should be commended though because no matter what the status of his team was, it has not affected his ability to be a leader and sounding board during various league issues that have arisen.

18. Sharks With Frickin’ Laser Beams (2-13, 3rd place AL East, Previous Rank – #17)

For proof that the number of points you score is not nearly as important as when you score them, just take a look at this: Jim has scored 3,477 points and is 2-13.  Compare that to the Jewish Mafia who has scored a total of 11 more points (3,488) but has a record of 9-6.  The Sharks are on life support as they currently have the worst record in the league and sit 10 games behind in the division.  However, the light at the end of the tunnel is the fact they are only five games out of the wild card, and Jim does have a history of going on lengthy winning streaks.  The acquisition of Jhoulys Chacin has given Jim a solid #2 pitcher behind Tim Lincecum, but it hasn’t proven to be enough to overcome some large point totals accumulated by his opponents. 

 

Passing Judgment – Tomorrow’s MLB Stars Are Here Today

Right now is an exciting time to be a baseball fan as teams begin elevating highly touted prospects to the big leagues.  The reason this happens at this point in the season is so clubs can save an arbitration year by avoiding the “Super Two” status.  It does make sense from a financial standpoint for teams to do this because purchasing early arbitration years in a long term contract has been the recent trend for teams to save money later on by spending right now.  This injection of youth begins and ends with the Kansas City Royals who have one of the deepest and most talented minor league systems in all of baseball.  Both Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are now with the big league club and look like they are here to stay.  Hosmer has been extremely impressive since his promotion in May, holding his own in 37 games by batting .288 with 5 homeruns and 22 RBI.  Moustakas was just called up this week and already has his first major league homerun.  Hosmer (1B) and Moustakas (3B) look like they will be the cornerstones for a hopeful renaissance by the Royals as they build for the future.  Oh yeah, they also called up one of their top pitching prospects, Danny Duffy, who likes like he will be a fixture in Kansas City’s rotation from now on.

Another notable call-up is Padres first baseman Anthony Rizzo, one of the top prospects included in the Adrian Gonzalez trade.  Thus far this season, Rizzo is hitting .365 with 20 doubles and 16 homers in just 52 games. In those 52 games he has knocked in an amazing 63 runs, giving him an OPS of 1.159 in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.  Rizzo will be relied upon to inject some power into an otherwise pedestrian offensive team playing in a true pitchers’ park.  Based on the numbers he has previously compiled, it looks like the Padres have found their man to try and fill Adrian Gonzalez’s shoes.

Other notable call-ups include Dustin Ackley (2B-SEA), Jemile Weeks (2B-OAK), Charlie Blackmon (OF-COL), and Dee Gordon (SS-LAD).  Not far behind are Brett Lawrie (3B-TOR) and Desmond Jennings (OF-TB).  These rookies are all top prospects with which expectations come attached.  Recent trends have shown that players do not necessarily need 5-6 years in the minor leagues to develop and learn how to properly play baseball.  This new crop of young stars should all have at least moderare success in the big leagues barring unforeseen injuries or other circumstances.  At the very least, they will all be given the opportunity to prove they belong.  If any of these players are available in your fantasy baseball league, grab them.  It doesn’t matter if you are in a keeper or non-keeper league, these young players are contributing more at an earlier age so it is highly advisable to snacth one, two, or all of them

 

New Fantasy Judgment decision – fantasy baseball trade rejected (Cole Hamels, again)

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM THE INCONTINENT LEAGUE 

Decided June 15, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 37 (June 2011)

Factual Background

A rotisserie fantasy baseball league (hereinafter referred to as “Roto league” or “The Incontinent League”) utilizing an auction-style draft and transaction platform seeks an evaluation of a trade made between two teams within the Roto league.  This is an NL-only keeper league where each team is permitted to maintain up to ten (10) players during each off-season with each individual player allowed to be kept for a maximum of three (3) years.  Each team is also permitted to keep two minor league players which are in addition to the ten players kept.  This Roto league also has a $36.00 in-season salary cap that is applicable for all teams.   

As with many rotisserie leagues, the subject Roto league uses the standard 5×5 scoring categories to determine the standings and prize money.  For offensive players, the five categories are: (1) batting average; (2) homeruns; (3) runs batted in; (4) runs scored; and (5) stolen bases.  For pitchers, the five categories are: (1) wins; (2) earned run average; (3) WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched); (4) strikeouts; and (5) saves.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the course of the season and there are no head to head games contained within the Roto league.

Procedural History

The 4 Ponies have made a trade with the Beaver Hunters.  The 4 Ponies traded Jhoulys Chacin (SP-COL), Jordan Lyles (SP-HOU), and Randy Wolf (SP-MIL) to the Beaver Hunters in exchange for Cole Hamels (SP-PHI) and Leo Nunez (RP-FLA).

Previously, the Court rejected a trade between these two teams for the same players minus Randy Wolf.  See 4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters, 3 F.J. 26 (June 2011) (holding that the package of Jhoulys Chacin and Jordan Lyles was not sufficient compensation for Cole Hamels and Leo Nunez, thus undermining the best interests of the league due to the inequity of the trade).  Now, the Court is being asked to consider this trade with Wolf being added to balance out the equitability of the deal.  The Court was made aware that several members of The Incontinent League challenged that trade as being too lopsided, and the Court subsequently agreed. 

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the modified trade between the 4 Ponies and the Beaver Hunters be upheld and approved?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment typically favors individual fantasy sports participants and teams’ ability to make moves, transactions, and trades.  The standard of review has been that people pay money to purchase a team in a league, draft their team, and manage it accordingly.  Whether success is bred from that individual’s decision-making is purely left to some skill, luck, dedication, and savviness.  The Court also acknowledges that the analysis for evaluating trades is much different in a keeper league than a non-keeper league.  A trade that may look uneven or lopsided on its face may receive a different opinion when it is involved in a keeper league.  The reasons for this are obvious, but must be restated.  In a keeper league, teams that are having unsuccessful seasons are more likely to continue to pay attention and make moves that will set themselves up for better success in the following season.  They can do this by acquiring young talent that is not under contract within the league, or by dumping salary (assuming it is an auction league) and allowing greater financial flexibility to sign key players in the next season’s draft.  In non-keeper leagues, there is no rationale for thinking ahead, nor is there any need to stockpile young, inexpensive talent.

Another factor that the Court must always consider is whether there is any collusion or under-the-table dealings going on between teams.  The Court has not been presented with any evidence of such malfeasance, so assumptions will be made that this is not an issue. 

The Court has always held that the approval or rejection of a trade is based purely on its fairness, free from collusion, and in the best interests of the league.  Whether a trade is intelligent or popular will not be part of the analysis.  The virtue of a trade is measured in both quantifiable criteria and subjective needs of the teams involved.  See Carson City Cocks v. Stud Muffins, 3 F.J. 23, 24 (May 2011).

At first glance, the trade of Jhoulys Chacin, Randy Wolf and Jordan Lyles in exchange for Cole Hamels and Leo Nunez does not look even.  The reason for initial pause is identical to the rationale from the previous incarnation of this trade.  See 4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters, 3 F.J. 26, 27 (June 2011) (holding that the trade did not appear even on its face because Hamels is unequivocally one of the top pitchers in both real and fantasy baseball, and any trade he is involved in should likely have a player of equal or approximate value on the other side).  Additionally, Nunez is one of the top closers in the National League which makes him anything but a throw-in in the deal.  The package in return includes three starting pitchers with varying degrees of success and consistency.  As stated in the previous case, Chacin is the best pitcher in the package and he has only had a modicum of success in his brief professional career.  He is certainly worthy of being designated an up and coming prospect, but hardly worth a player of Hamels’ stature alone.  Lyles has impressed the Astros enough to remain in their starting rotation, even after Wandy Rodriguez was activated.  This was not anticipated when the Court previously denied this trade, so the Court recognizes that Lyles’ value is marginally greater than before due to his remainder on the big league roster.  The addition of Randy Wolf is what the Court is being asked to consider as the balancing factor in the deal.  In general, Wolf has never been more than an average pitcher in both real and fantasy baseball.  He is a crafty veteran that is neither a short-term solution or part of the long-term plan on a keeper league fantasy baseball team.  The Court now provides a statistical comparison amongst the players:

Player	Wins	ERA	Strikeouts	WHIP	Saves
Cole Hamels	9	2.49	97	0.92	0
Leo Nunez	0	3.30	32	1.20	19
Jhoulys Chacin	7	2.90	74	1.09	0
Randy Wolf	4	3.20	65	1.23	0
Jordan Lyles	0	4.15	12	1.21	0

From looking at these players’ current statistics, it can be argued that the numbers amongst the starting pitchers is equivalent because their totals are not far apart.  In fact, the Beaver Hunters would be getting back more wins (13) collectively than Hamels has attained on his own (9).  But that cannot be the lens in which this trade is viewed.  Hamels currently leads the National League in both wins and WHIP.  As stated earlier, Nunez leads the National League in saves with 19.  In this NL-only fantasy baseball league, they are arguably two of the most valuable players in the entire league.  Loading up multiple players whose cumulative statistics equal or surpass one individual’s superstar statistics does not necessarily make a trade fair or even.  Granted, Chacin has been impressive and looks to be a legitimate pitching prospect.  But he is hardly a sure thing and cannot be considered equivalent value for Hamels.

When analyzing the fairness and equity of a trade, the Court will consider each team’s individual needs to assess whether the trade subjectively made sense from each team’s perspective.  See Cajon Crawdads vs. Carson City Cocks, 1 F.J. 41, 42 (June 2010) (upholding a trade for Jason Bay because of the Carson City Cocks’ desperate need for a starting outfielder due to the demotion of Cameron Maybin).  Since this incarnation of the trade only includes an additional mediocre starting pitcher, the Court will adopt its prior reasoning in terms of the needs of each team and their respective rosters.  See 4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters, 3 F.J. 26, 28 (June 2011) (holding that no reasonable inference can be made as to how the Beaver Hunters benefit at all from the trade given how their current roster is construed).

In terms of keeper league status and salary cap value, this trade doesn’t make sense either.  Nunez only costs $0.10 and is in his final year under contract, which means he will be available in the 2012 draft.  However, Hamels is only in his first year under contract and can still be kept for an additional two years at $3.10.  It must be considered where these players are in terms of their career which is helpful in analyzing possible motivation to perform.  Hamels is arbitration-eligible after the season when his current contract expires with the Phillies.  He is clearly motivated to justify seeking an arbitration award comparable to Tim Lincecum’s record-setting deal.  After he likely agrees to a one-year contract with the Phillies, he will be pitching in 2012 as a pending free agent.  This should serve as an extra motivating factor for him to succeed as he will likely be seeking Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee type years and dollars on the open market.  The Beaver Hunters have him locked up under contract for these important seasons.  To trade him away for unequivocal value in return is incomprehensible.  Even assuming arguendo that Jhoulys Chacin’s potential is equivalent for Hamels’ current value, Chacin is only signed for one more year before he re-enters the Incontinent League’s draft.  So the Beaver Hunters are missing out on one whole year of productivity in this exchange.  From a financial standpoint, the Beaver Hunters are only gaining $1.60 in net salary cap space by making this trade (Wolf only costs $0.10 and still has two years left on his contract).  In a league with a $36.00 salary cap, that does not represent a significant enough amount when dealing with a players of Hamels’ magnitude.

As referenced in Smittydogs v. Moneyball, 1 F.J. 32, 34 (June 2010), the dichotomy between the 4 Ponies and the Beaver Hunters’ motivations is precisely why the Court must look at trades in keeper leagues differently than non-keeper leagues.  If this trade had been made in a non-keeper league, the Court would vehemently reject it. 

It should be reiterated that the Court typically favors a league owner’s ability to make trades and manager the roster according to his/her own preferences and judgments.  When a person pays money to participate in a fantasy league, the presumption is that he/she is permitted to make whatever decisions they feel are best for their team.  However, when a trade such as this is proposed, it throws off the competitive balance of the league and creates a slippery slope for future trades.  The Court has no issues with the idea of trading Cole Hamels and/or Leo Nunez.  However, given what the Beaver Hunters were receiving in return, the Court cannot endorse such a maneuver due to the inequity of the return package.  Even adding Randy Wolf to the trade does not even out the trade enough to prevent it from unjustly throwing off the competitive balance of the league.  The Court must consider the impact and effect on the overall league when determining whether a trade should be accepted or rejected.  Based on the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby decides that the subject trade, in this current incarnation is unfair, uneven, and should be modified again before being granted approval.  The trade should be rejected as it still fails to comport with the best interests of the league.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

June 14, 2011 – Tuesday Top Ten Fantasy Baseball Headlines

Greetings and salutations to the fantasy baseball universe.  It is everybody’s favorite day of the week (and by everybody I mean nobody), so that means it is time for the Tuesday Night Top Ten list of newsworthy fantasy baseball happenings.  We are now in Week 11 of the season which is hard to believe because it feels like just last week was Week 10.  So without further adieu, here are your headlines for this Tuesday night.

10. Captain Crunch – For Yankees fans, the news that Derek Jeter was placed on the disabled list just six hits shy of 3,000 was akin to telling Ashton Kutcher that Twitter has been destroyed by Skynet.  For everyone else, no one really cares unless Jeter was your starting shortstop on your fantasy team.  Nonetheless, it is newsworthy that Jeter will be out for at least two weeks as he closes in on 3,000 hits for his career.  He has regressed in terms of offensive production, which is not surprising given his age and the position he plays.  However, Jeter is still a valuable fantasy player at a weak position so his injury could be significant in your league.  His replacement, Eduardo Nunez, is only worth a pickup if you get points for at bats or throwing errors.

9. Happy Holliday – The Cardinals are expected to activate Matt Holliday in time for Thursday’s game this week.  Holliday has been sidelined since the end of May with a left quadriceps tear, which came only six weeks after he returned from an emergency appendectomy.  It has been a frustrating season for fantasy owners of Holliday who has put up huge numbers in the limited time he has played.  With Albert Pujols finally heating up and Lance Berkman still producing, Holliday should fit right in the middle of that and continue to maintain a batting average well above .300 along with impressive power numbers and run production.  He is an elite outfield option in any fantasy format, but he is an injury risk this year so be cautious and keep Allen Craig and Jon Jay close by in case Holliday suffers a relapse.

8. No More Morneau – As if it can’t get any worse for the Minnesota Twins, now Justin Morneau has landed back on the disabled list with a left wrist injury.  The former MVP has not been the same player since he sustained a concussion in July 2010 that ended his season and clearly still affects him today.  The Twins are hopeful that this will resolve itself within the 15 days that Morneau is out.  However, even if Morneau does come back quickly, what exactly are you getting from him in fantasy baseball at a premium power position.  Morneau is only batting .225 with 4 homeruns and 22 RBI, so his value has already plummeted.  Stash him on the disabled list if you have the room, but look for other options at first base under the assumption you won’t start Morneau even when he comes back.  The guy is too talented to struggle this bad, so once he is able to heal from all of his injuries, then Morneau will be More-Yes.

7. Yo Adrian! – When the Red Sox acquired Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego this past winter, the general consensus was that we would finally get to see how truly great A-Gone is when hitting in a potent lineup and a hitter-friendly ballpark.  What we have seen thus far from Gonzalez goes beyond any of those expectations.  Gonzalez currently leads the American League in batting at .347 as well as RBI with 60.  He has anchored Boston’s lineup and thrived hitting behind Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia who both always seem to be on base for him.  Gonzalez hasn’t homered as much as one would have predicted, but that shouldn’t matter because as hot as he has been, some of those flyballs and laser beams will start finding their way over the fence.  Right now, Gonzalez is the best first base option in fantasy baseball.

6. Niese to Meet You – In a shocking turn of events, there is actually a reason to covet a Mets starting pitcher on your fantasy team.  Jonathon Niese has quietly put together a very solid season thus far in earning the right to be owned in mixed fantasy leagues.  Niese won his sixth game of the year tonight against the Braves making this the sixth straight start where he has allowed two earned runs or less.  He is commanding his deadly curveball which has led to an increase in strikeouts and a decrease in walks.  If he is available, you should add him immediately and ride the wave of his success. 

5. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Jason Bay has been one of the most disappointing players in all of baseball for the last year and a half.  After signing with the Mets for huge dollars prior to the 2010 season, Bay has produced as much offense as a backup middle infielder.  He has essentially become an automatic out at the plate with his poor pitch selection, lack of discipline, and inability to have a good at bat.  Mets manager Terry Collins has finally seen enough to make the decision that Bay was hurting the team by being in the lineup.  As a result, he has ridden the bench several times over the past 10 days.  This does not appear to be a permanent thing, or even a strict platoon.  However, it is apparent that Bay will not be playing every day unless and until he starts hitting the ball like a $16 million/year player should.  If Bay is in your fantasy team’s starting lineup, then you might as well start Henry Blanco too.

4. Philling Better – Amidst all of the Yankees injury problems lately, they actually have received some good news.  Phil Hughes, on the disabled list since early April, threw 49 pitches during an intrasquad game where he consistently hit 92 mph with his fastball.  The plan going forward is to have Hughes slowly extend himself and build back his endurance before he inevitably returns to the rotation sometime in July.  Fantasy owners who have stashed him on the disabled list will be rewarded when he returns and likely assumes the #2 spot in the Yankees rotation.  If for some reason Hughes is floating around your league’s waiver wire, grab him…but not in THAT way, sicko.

3. Return of the Zimm – Nationals star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman finally made his return to the lineup after missing over two months due to surgery repairing an abdominal tear.  Zimmerman was thought to be the second or third best option at third base heading into this fantasy baseball season, so owners have been anxious to receive a return on their investment.  Zimmerman’s return should also help the production of Jayson Werth who has struggled mightily to anchor Washington’s lineup in his absence.  When healthy, Zimmerman is a solid candidate for .290, 25 HR, and 90 RBI.  He will need some time to readjust, but your patience will be rewarded.

2. Good News for the Steals Category – Those of you who drafted Hanley Ramirez have been sorely disappointed by his .210 batting average, 4 homeruns, 17 RBI and multiple week stint on the disabled list.  Now not only is he back in the lineup, but he is back in his old leadoff spot in the Marlins lineup.  This is good news for Hanley owners who have been craving that deadly combination of power and speed.  Not that Hanley was doing much when he was healthy, but batting third in the order severely limited his stolen base attempts.  Now that he is leading off again, look for him to start doing a Mike Leake impression and stealing quite a bit.  There is still time to justify why you drafted him second overall.

1. The Justin Verlander School for Pitchers Who Aren’t Good – Justin Verlander was already in the upper echelon of pitchers in both real and fantasy baseball.  With two no-hitters already on his resume, Verlander nearly tossed his third tonight against the Indians.  He would have been the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1973 to throw two no-hitters in the same regular season, but it wasn’t meant to be.  Instead, Verlander had to settle for a two-hit, complete game shutout compiling 12 strikeouts on his way to his eighth win of the season.  Verlander has firmly entrenched his position as one of the elite pitchers in the game and can be relied on as the anchor of your fantasy team’s pitching staff. 

June 11, 2011 – Special Saturday Night Spectacular Six Fantasy Baseball Lines

Don’t adjust your calendars and put down that phone before you make an appointment with your in-network eye doctor.  It is not Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean we can’t compile a special list of fantasy baseball headlines and newsworthy events on other days of the week.  Please join me for a special edition of my featured lists.  Because I know how much you and everyone else loves alliteration, this edition will be slightly truncated to due to the alphabet.  So without further adieu, here is a Special Saturday Night Spectacular Six fantasy baseball headlines.

6. Hall of an Opportunity – The San Francisco Giants suffered another devastating injury to one of their starters.  This time, second baseman Freddy Sanchez sustained a serious shoulder injury which created an immediate need.  Enter veteran Bill Hall, who was released by the Astros earlier this season.  Hall should not be mistaken for anything resembling the Hall of Fame, or even Mel Hall for that matter.  But in terms of fantasy value, Hall could provide some power to  a relatively weak and shallow position.  He will get most of the at bats going forward, and the Giants do have a history of plucking discarded veterans off the waiver wire and rejuvenating their careers (see Pat Burrell and Cody Ross in 2010).   If you have issues at 2B or MI and need a quick fix, Hall could be your man.

5. Colon Cleansing – The New York Yankees are dropping like flies.  Just after it was announced that Joba Chamberlain is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery next Thursday, Yankees’ starter Bartolo Colon had to be removed from Saturday’s game due to tightness in his left hamstring sustained when he was running to cover first base.  He was pitching a shutout at the time and has been one of baseball’s great comeback stories of the year thus far.  MRI results are forthcoming, but the Yankees will likely be cautious with the portly veteran.  He could still be a valuable pickup in your fantasy league, so monitor the situation and his prognosis.

4. Final-Lee - After signing a huge contract to rejoin the Philadelphia Phillies, Cliff Lee was expected to be the 1A of the Phillies star-studded pitching staff.  He was also considered a lock as a stud fantasy pitcher due to his contributions in all relevant categories.  However, Lee has not produced the results that were anticipated thus far.  Not all of it was his fault as the Phillies struggled to score runs due to several injuries to key offensive players.  But he had failed to pitch in a manner that was commensurate with such a free agent contract – until this week.  In a two start Week 10, Lee dominated the Nationals and Cubs allowing a total of one run in 15 innings while striking out 17. He is now above.500 at 6-5 and he leads the majors in total strikeouts with 107.  If you can still manage to buy low on him, do it now because that train is about to leave the station.

3. Six Pence All the Richer – After being removed from Friday’s game for cautionary reasons, Astros’ outfielder Hunter Pence was back in the lineup on Saturday and extended his hitting streak to 22 games.  In those 22 games, Pence is batting .391 with 3 homeruns and 15 RBI.  He has literally carried Houston’s lineup by himself this year as he has emerged into one of the elite outfielders in baseball.  His overall average is up to .318 which is unfamiliar territory for the free-swinger.  With his ability to keep a good batting average, Pence now becomes even more valuable in roto leagues due to his contributions in all categories. 

2. Happy Anniversary, Mike Stanton – Earlier this week, Marlins’ young stud outfielder Mike Stanton celebrated the one year anniversary of his call-up to the big leagues.  In the 365 days since he arrived in Florida, Stanton has hit 37 homeruns which is the 7^th most in the majors, and 97 RBI which is 25^th overall in that time span.  Stanton is emerging as a true power threat, which could likely affect his batting average and total strikeouts.  But there is no denying his homerun and RBI output as he remains someone to actively target in all fantasy baseball formats.  Just make sure you don’t mistaken him for the retired white, left-handed relief pitcher

1. Boston Tea Party – After a horrendous 0-6 and 2-8 start to the season, the Boston Red Sox have finally clicked and are the hottest team in all of baseball lately.  They sit two games ahead of the Yankees in 1^st place in the AL East thanks in part to their tremendous lineup and starting pitching.  The recommendation at this point is to acquire anyone you can from the Red Sox’s lineup or roster because everyone is hitting.  Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford have begun living up to expectations and proving why they were worth $148 million.  Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz have been locked in for quite some time and should be targeted via trade in your fantasy league.  As for the pitching, the top 3 of Lester, Beckett and Buccholz should have plenty of run support this year and will contribute in all categories except saves

Passing Judgment – Terry Collins wins the Bay of Pigs

The general consensus amongst Mets’ fans is that when they trade for or sign a star player, said star player will either get injured or lose his ability to play at a level which justified the aforementioned acquisition.  There is a long list of examples dating back many years to justify this feeling – from George Foster, Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Vince Coleman, Bret Saberhagen, Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn, Jeromy Burnitz, Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez (sans 2005), Carlos Beltran (sans 2006-2008), Johan Santana (he has pitched well when healthy), etc.  True, there have been some that panned out such as Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, and Mike Piazza.  But for the most part, big name acquisitions haven’t been the Mets specialty over the years. 

Jason Bay is all smiles here, but he is really crying on the inside.

Generally speaking, it comes as a surprise when these star players fail to live up to their hype and expectations.  I admittedly supported almost every acquisition that was made involving these big names.  That brings me to the topic at hand.  In the winter of 2009, there were two big name free agent hitters on the market – Matt Holliday and Jason Bay.  Everyone knew Holliday would be worth more money and wanted to stay in St. Louis, so it came as no surprise when he re-signed with the Cardinals.  Bay was available and was the perfect match for the Mets who were in desperate need of a left fielder and powerful bat in the middle of the lineup.  Bay had experience playing in a big market environment with the Red Sox the previous year and a half, and he had a great reputation of being a hard-working player and a positive clubhouse guy.  The Mets inked Bay to a 4-year, $65 million contract that was generally well-received by fans and the media.  He would solifiy left field and provide a presence in the middle of the Mets’ lineup while also taking some pressure off of David Wright. 

As it turned out, the only impact Bay really had was in a Sunday Night game against the Yankees where he hit two homeruns off of C.C. Sabathia.  Check that, the other impact he had was with the outfield wall which gave him a concussion and ended his season in late July 2010.  His final statistics for his first year on the Mets were a .259  batting average, 6 homeruns, and 47 RBI.  In his previous six full seasons, he had never hit less than 21 homeruns or driven in less than 81.  He clearly hit rock bottom, right?

Coming into 2011, Bay was fully recovered and ready to make up for the lost season that was 2010.  However, just before Opening Day, he suffered an oblique injury during batting practice that would land him on the disabled list for most of April.  By the time he came back, it was almost 9 months since he had seen a pitch from a big league pitcher in a regular season game.  The Mets got off to an awful start, but Bay’s return coincided with a six-game winning streak that brought the Mets back to respectability.  However, since the beginning of May, Bay has been non-existent in terms of production with the bat.  In 39 games, he is hitting .207 with 2 homeruns and 10 RBI.  Yes, 10 RBI.  Ruben Tejada has 9 RBI thus far – just for comparison.  He only has 4 doubles along with those 2 homeruns giving him a slugging percentage of a whopping .279.  And this is supposed to be the Mets’ cleanup hitter?

As bad as those statistics are, it is even worse when you watch him play everyday as I do.  He looks completely lost at the plate with no idea how to approach each at bat.  He cannot catch up to average fastballs, and he is consistently fooled by off-speed and breaking pitches away.  When he does make contact, he either softly grounds out to the left side of the infield or pops up to the outfield.  He has become an automatic out and makes Rey Ordonez look like Willie Mays.

Given the Mets’ injuries, they have been relying on Bay more than ever to anchor their lineup that consists of Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and a bunch of minor leaguers.  Instead, Bay has been outplayed and outperformed by guys like Jason Pridie, Daniel Murphy, Justin Turner, and Ruben Tejada.  It reached the point where Bay has become a liability to the Mets because he is contributing nothing from an offensive standpoint.  Manager Terry Collins has moved Bay down in the order to try and take some pressure off of him, but that didn’t work.  Now, C0llins has benched Bay on several occasions and almost looks like he is creating some sort of platoon in left field. 

Granted, if Bay starts hitting then he plays everyday – no questions asked.  But I must give Terry Collins credit for proactively dealing with Bay’s lack of production because he was hurting the team by being in there.  Collins wants to win, and despite having a banged up roster, he is going to put a lineup together that gives the Mets the best chance to win.  Right now, Jason Bay does not give the team the best chance to win.  Kudos to Collins for ignoring Bay’s contract and the back of his baseball card.  To his credit, Bay seems like a class act and has handled all of this with dignity.  He doesn’t have any history of selfish behavior, so there shouldn’t be concern over that.  Bay has to straighten himself out, and then he will be right back where he should be.  But until then, he cannot continue to hurt the team by being in the middle of that lineup producing absolutely nothing. 

What could help Bay resolve his issues?  Perhaps a two-week trip down to the minors to work on his mechanics and timing would serve him well.  It has worked in the past for pitchers Steve Trachsel and Bobby Jones.  But Bay would have to agree to the demotion and buy into the theory that it will help him.  He is just going to have to keep working on his swing and his approach, and somehow regain the stroke that netted him  a $65 million contract.  If he cannot do this, than Mets fans are going to have fonder memories of Mo Vaughn than Jason Bay. 

June 7, 2011 – Tuesday Top Ten Fantasy Baseball Headlines

It is hard to believe, but Tuesday has once again come and gone which means it is time for the Top Ten list of newsworthy fantasy baseball happenings.  The calendar has turned to June and the fantasy baseball season has entered its tenth week.  Time seems to fly by when you are having fun or checking the waiver wire to fill the void left by an injured player.  That being said, let’s dive right into the June 7, 2011 edition of the Tuesday Top Ten list and see what is crack-a-lacking.

10. On the Mark – The Yankees and Red Sox have one of the most storied and dramatic rivalries in all of sports.  The two AL East powerhouses are at it once again as they battle for first place in a mid-week series at Yankee Stadium.  Sure enough, it didn’t take very long for the drama to rear its ugly head again as Jon Lester hit Mark Teixeira in the knee with a pitch in the first inning.  Teixeira would ultimately leave the game and will undergo x-rays and tests during the night.  This could be devastating for Teixeira owners if he has to miss any significant time.  After an uncharacteristic hot start to the season, Teixeira has been pedestrian at best through most of May but started showing signs of hearing up on the Yankees’ recent west coast road trip.  The Yankees will be cautious with Teixeira no matter what, so carefully monitor the situation and have some backup plans in place.

9. It Burns When I Peavy – Ok I will admit that I did not come up with that slogan.  It is actually my friend’s team name in one of my fantasy baseball leagues, and arguably one of the funniest ones I have seen over the years.  Speaking of funny, it is hilarious to think that Jake Peavy could last more than five games in the major leagues without a stint on the disabled list.  Well, after missing the beginning of the season recovering from an arm injury, Peavy returned to Chicago which then employed a six-man starting rotation.  Peavy went 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA in five starts since coming back.  Sure enough, he injured his groin which will likely land him on the disabled list.  If you want to send a “Get Well Soon” card to him, please send it to Jake Peavy c/o The Disabled List since that seems to be his primary residence.  If you are looking for a headline about this, it can read “Peavy lands on DL with another injury.  In other news, man invented fire.”

8. Future Jackass of the Year – This doesn’t necessarily affect much in terms of current fantasy baseball, but it has to be included in today’s update.  Nationals’ prospect Bryce Harper, the #1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, continues to prove why he has a reputation of being an assclown.  In a game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, Harper hit a homerun off Zachary Neal who glared at him as he rounded the bases.  Cameras caught on film Harper blowing a kiss at Neal before he crossed home plate.  While some may interpret this as a harmless romantic gesture, others are probably insulted.  Harper may be a very talented player and will likely end up a successful major league hitter.  But his reputation and antics are going to attract a lot of fastballs heading between the numbers on his back.

7. Wright is Still Not Alright – Mets third baseman David Wright got some bad news from doctors saying that the stress fracture in his lower back hasn’t healed as quickly as they thought and have prescribed another three weeks of doing nothing.  This means that the earliest Wright could start resuming some form of baseball activity is the end of June, which puts him in line for a return around the All-Star break.  Wright was having an abysmal year before the injury anyway, but historically he was going to end up with his standard numbers (.285, 25 HR, 90 RBI).  There are not many great options on the waiver wire for third base.  You will need a stop-gap option that is dispensable once Wright comes back later on.

6. Paying for Failure – There are no guarantees in the game of baseball or fantasy baseball.  Players commonly sign ludacris free agent contracts with teams desperately  looking to rebuild and contend for the playoffs with high priced talent.  However, things don’t always work out that way.  Some glaring examples are Jason Bay, Adam Dunn and Jayson Werth.  In terms of fantasy baseball, these players probably cost a middle round draft pick or a decent amount of auction dollars.  And all you have gotten in return is absolute crap.  At some point, you will have to consider benching these players because they are essentially a waste of a roster spot.  Of course these veterans may turn things around, but for over two months these three players have been guilty of stealing a salary for pretending to be a baseball player.

5. Know Your Role, Jabroni – Brad Lidge, who is still waiting for Albert Pujols homerun from six years ago to land, is currently rehabbing and working his way back to the Phillies.  The former closer had graciously indicated that he has no expectations to close games when he does make his return.  The success that Ryan Madson has had since being anointed the closer in April is no longer considered a fluke.  Lidge’s addition to the bullpen should provide added depth and insurance should Madson falter at some point.  But kudos must be given to Lidge who understands the nature of the business.  Not such great news for those of you who drafted Lidge on the cheap and have stashed him away.  But great news for those of you who have Madson (and a special kudos to those of you who have Madson as a result of my closer profile on him from two weeks ago).

4.Uh oh for Brett Anderson – Not that many people have a burning desire to go to Birmingham, Alabama, but there is especially one reason why Major League Baseball pitchers do not enjoy going there.  Of course, that would be Dr. James Andrews, the noted surgeon who specializes in performing Tommy John surgery.  A’s young pitcher Brett Anderson will be visiting with Dr. Andrews to get an opinion on his elbow, which has currently landed him on the disabled list.  If you can stash him on the DL, do it in case he doesn’t need surgery.  If he does have to go under the knife, he will be gone the rest of this year and likely most of next season as well.

3. Edinson’s Light Bulb Went On – Reds starting pitcher Edinson Volquez made his return from the minor leagues to defeat the Cubs 8-2.  He threw seven innings and allowed only one run on seven hits while walking two and striking out seven.  This is a step in the right direction for the former ace of the staff who was sent to the minors to work on the command of his pitches.  He may be available in some leagues, so grab him if he is.  Rumor has it that Tigers’ legend Billy Chapel taught Volquez how to “clear the mechanism.”  Get the reference???

2. Summer Lovin’ in San Diego – Padres prospect Anthony Rizzo is expected to be recalled very shortly once he receives a clean bill of health on this thumb.  Rizzo is a strong first baseman who will be immediately be relied upon to inject some power in the middle of San Diego’s lineup.  He is one of the top prospects in baseball and should be added if he is available.

1. Flash 2.0 – Dee Gordon, the son of former major league pitcher Tom “Flash” Gordon, made his big league debut on Monday night as a pinch runner.  On Tuesday, he made his first start and proceeded to go 3-5 with a run scored and a stolen base.  With Rafael Furcal back on the DL and likely out a month, Gordon should get plenty of playing time to show off his skills.  He could be a big boost to your roto team if you need stolen bases from the weak middle infield position.  If he plays especially well and doesn’t seem overmatched, it would not be surprising to see Gordon supplant Furcal as the starter when he comes back.  For now, keep an eye on his playing time and definitely add him if available.