2012 Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Advice & Analysis
 Derek Jeter (credits below) Well another Fantasy Baseball season is upon us and I'm sure most of you are preparing quite hard right now for your upcoming drafts. Some of the cabin fever baseball diehards may have drafted already and many others are hitting the mock draft scene (check out www.mockdraftcentral.com) on a nightly basis to help finalize your draft boards. I personally like to wait right up until the last two weeks before the season starts to make sure I have taken in the spring games (Michael Morse 2011 spring training phenom), know player injury status and have a good feeling about how the teams will set their rosters for the season. Remember patience is a virtue!! The below tips are meant for first time fantasy baseball players. It's even a good reminder for owners who have played before but forgotten key elements to playing the game. Either way, hope you win in 2012! 1) Do your research. Check the draft guides and compare all the experts opinions then buy our very own The Fantasy Fix 2012 Baseball Draft Kit. 2) Choose a league you will have fun in. There are many to choose from (Mixed, A.L. only or N.L. only). Do you want to try a keeper or dynasty type league? Know your options and go with a type of league you have some knowledge about. 3) Know your league rules BEFORE you draft. I can't tell you how many live drafts I've been in where 2-3 guys have no idea if they are in head-to-head leagues, total points or a Rotisserie league. Is there a games started limit etc. Know the rules and draft accordingly! 4) Do the scoring rules put more prominence on pitching or hitting stats? How many players do we draft? What positions do we start in our lineups? Is there a Injured Reserve spot on my roster etc.. Can I draft 12 pitchers out of 21 roster spots or do I have requirements to draft at a certain position? All these questions you must know the answer to going into the draft. 5) Have a draft plan going in but be flexible so you are prepared for something to happen you didn't plan on. I don't care how many mock drafts you do, it always seems that the league your actual draft is taking place in it never goes like the mocks. Be prepared and when in doubt take the next best player on your list! 6) Do not "fall in love" with certain players that have helped you in the past or are on your favorite team. This is sure fire disaster waiting to happen. If Derek Jeter is your favorite SS or player, that still doesn't warrant taking him in the first round. Be patient and be prepared that you may not get him this year . 7) How and who to draft is your choice but I can tell you that small ball, batting average and steals do not win head to head leagues. You want power and RBI guys, those stats out produce the others hands down. Some leagues do punish batters for striking out and pitchers for losses, earned runs etc. so keep that in mind. Pitching is also key – try loading up on two-start pitchers with good match-ups each week in head-to-head formats. 8) Once your draft is over, the great team owners know how to win with waiver wire pickups, trading, putting in the right lineup each week and be as active as you can. Keep an eye out for the Desmond Jenning's of 2011 (picked him up in two CBS leagues off waivers last year) or the Matt Moore's of the world. Be active and check the game stats daily. 9) Keep relationships with other owners of your league at a high level. You will be offered some bone-head trades and the first thing you will want to do is scold the other guy, but don't. If you see a trade you deem is fair for two other owners in your league, do not veto it to be spiteful because it may come back to bite you. Also some owners value players much differently than you do therefore remember happy owners will be more willing to trade with you and accept and approve the trades you are making with others so keep it POSITIVE!. 10) Remember above all else to keep things in perspective, this is just a GAME! Life is full of ups and downs and the so is the fantasy sports world. None of of us have a crystal ball that will predict just how well these players we have drafted will do. You will lose one week to an opponent by five points because your ace starter was taken out after seven shutout innings and you lose those 10 extra complete game points. Have fun and remember the highs and lows will come frequently. 11) Above all else never give up no matter how bleak things look. I scratched my way into the playoffs last year with a team that started 0-8 and won the championship. It would have been easy to tank it but if you draft a solid team, make a few trades and work the waiver wire you can right the ship quickly. hang in there til the end ! Written by John Marino exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (September 23, 2011 - Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images North America)  Add Comment  David Price (Credits Below) The Rays have quite a dilemma this spring as they try and decide just who exactly will be in their 2012 rotation. We know David Price and James Shields will be 1-2 but after that we have a collection of promising young arms and a ton of question marks. With 2011 American League Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson and 2012 rookie phenom Matt Moore you can see why this staff has the potential to be one of the best in baseball. DAVID PRICE- Price finished just 12-13 last year as he faced the tough American League East competition. He did compile a 3.49 ERA with 218 strike outs in 220 innings pitched. In his last 10 games he had a 3-3 record and a very low 2.51 ERA. With some luck David will notch the win column up at least five this year and have another solid campaign making him a top 15 mixed league starter and a top six A.L. pitcher. JAMES SHIELDS- Shields had the best season of his career last year going 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA. He also add a 1.04 WHIP and just a .217 BAA while pitching 11 complete games and four shutouts. My feeling is that Shields will be way over valued this year and be cautious to pay too much for last year's numbers. He should revert to his career norm of 4.00 ERA which puts him in the early middle rounds of most fantasy drafts. JEREMY HELLICKSON- The reigning American League ROY had quite impressive numbers last year going 13-10 with a low 2.95 ERA. He also had the lowest BABIP in the major leagues with a .224. He only struck out 117 batters in 189 innings which will not help much in the K's category. It is tough to gauge Hellickson based on a one year performance so I would advise taking him somewhere in the middle rounds and cross your fingers for another year like 2011. MATT MOORE- Moore has two major league starts to his name and both of them were quite impressive against the Yankees and Rangers last year. He will be one of the leading candidates this year for the A.L. ROY honors providing the Rays have him in their 2012 opening day rotation. The potential is there for a break out year for the young lefty. The word will be out on Moore come draft day so the choice is yours on how early you want to take your chances. JEFF NIEMANN- Niemann finished 9-3 with a 3.41 ERA in his last 15 starts in 2011. He has some history of back problems which could be troublesome especially with an already overcrowded pitching situation in Tampa. He is worth a late round flier if he makes the starting rotation. WADE DAVIS- Davis finished 11-10 last year with a 4+ ERA. He has been rumored in trade talks all winter as the Rays attempt to make room for their crop of young hurlers. Even if he makes the rotation in spring training, Davis posts mediocre stat lines at best and isn't worth drafting in mixed league formats. ALEX COBB- Cobb another promising young arm for the Rays is coming off post season surgery but does expect to be ready for spring training. In his brief major league stint last year he went 3-2 with a 3.42 ERA. If he makes the spring rotation he is definitely a late round sleeper candidate. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images North America)  Zach Britton (credits below) Nothing seems to change in O-Town each year we discuss the starting pitching rotation. Good young talent filled with question marks and mediocrity is the norm in Baltimore. This year Jeremy Guthrie will lead the pack as the team's ace but how things shape up behind him still remains to be seen. I honestly can not find a pitcher in this rotation worth drafting. JEREMY GUTHRIE - Guthrie posted another 17 loss season last year making that two in the last three years. The American League East doesn't help much as he started 20 out of 32 games against .500 or better teams. He did manage 130 strikeouts which may help a bit in that category. Otherwise I do not feel Guthrie is worth drafting anywhere but a late round flier. ZACH BRITTON - Britton was a early season favorite as he got a chance to start for injured starter Brian Matusz. He started out hot but faded fast as opposing hitters learned how the young lefty worked. Zach possesses an excellent sinker but does not strike out many batters. He also walks 3.6 batters per nine innings which he will need to improve on before he becomes fantasy relevant. JAKE ARRIETA - Jake had 10 wins last year before bowing out to a season ending elbow problem. The 6' 4" righty has some promise if he is healthy and the elbow holds up. Keep a close watch on spring training to see how he is holding up before taking a late round flier on the youngster. BRIAN MATUSZ - Matusz had a promising 2010 which sparked some interest in early drafts last spring as a sleeper, unfortunately Brian came into 2011 camp out of shape and got hurt. Matusz was never the same after his early season oblique injury especially with his velocity numbers way down. This year Buck Showalter will make his pitchers earn their keep which may motivate Brian to get his act together. He is a possible late round pick if healthy and deemed go to go for 2012. TOMMY HUNTER - Hunter bounced in between starter and reliever last year appearing in 20 games but only starting 11 of them. The 25 year old has pretty much a make or break year in which he clearly has the chance to be a starter for the O's but will he take the opportunity to task? Last years numbers were not great posting a 4-4 record and a 4.68 ERA. I would advise staying away from him come draft day. ALFREDO SIMON - Simon started 16 of the 23 games he appeared in last year. He ended the year with a 4.90 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP which are mediocre numbers at best. Simon will get a chance to start again this year so keep an eye on spring training games. ARMANDO GALARRAGA - For what it is worth Armando has a good chance as any of the others here mentioned for a fourth or fifth spot in the rotation. He went 3-4 for Arizona last year in eight starts. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (September 21, 2011 - Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images North America)  Ricky Romero (credits below) Looks like the Blue Jays are happy with the young starting pitching staff they have assembled as they did virtually nothing this winter in the free agent market to help the staff with the exception of adding a steady closer in Sergio Santos. Ricky Romero is poised to take the next step as the team's ace and he will be followed most likely by Brandon Morrow and a slew of young talented arms. RICKY ROMERO - Romero finished last season with 15 wins and a 2.92 ERA. He finished 6th in the American League in ERA and 10th in wins. Ricky has gotten better each year in all Roto categories and had a very low BABIP. I like Romero to perform in the same range as last year although he still remains a mid-round draft selection. BRANDON MORROW- Morrow was one of my top sleeper picks last year and unfortunately he was asleep for most of the season. He did mange 11 wins and 203 strikeouts but a 1.29 WHIP and a 4.72 ERA made him a major disappointment. Tough call once again this year, I like the upside with him and if you can get him late he is worth a chance. HENDERSON ALVAREZ - The rookie showed some promise in his 10 starts last year for the Jays. He had a 3.53 ERA, an excellent ground ball rate and showed great control with only 8 BB's in 63.2 innings. His critics do not like the fact that he doesn't strikeout many batters and pitching in the AL East is not a great spot to be in. He is worth a late round flier. BRETT CECIL - Cecil had a huge regression from his stellar 15 win 2010 year with a terrible 4-11 record and a severe drop in his velocity numbers. Brett also lost his last seven decisions last year after returning from a stint at the AAA level. Early discussions say he is motivated to bounce back this year but I will need to see a hot start to have any faith in him. Not worthy of drafting but keep an eye on the waiver wire. KYLE DRABEK- Drabek was a popular sleeper last year than just never made the grade. He showed terrible control in walking more batters than he struck out while posting a 1.81 WHIP. Opposing hitters nearly hit .300 against him as well. If he can re-establish the strike zone and become more aggressive this time around he has a chance to post some decent numbers. Take a wait and see approach with Kyle this year. DUSTIN MCGOWAN- McGowan signed a one year contract with the Jays in the off season and will most likely compete for a 5th starter role on the team. Dustin sat out nearly three years with multiple arm injuries and has no value as a fantasy player at this time. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (September 18, 2011 - Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images North America)  Jon Lester (credits below) The 2012 Red Sox starting rotation is full of question marks and will most likely be undecided until late into spring training in March. If Clay Buchholz can remain healthy and the back end shapes up with Aaron Cook, Andrew Miller and a healthy Dice K, this staff could have plenty of sleeper potential. Keep an eye on the Red Sox situation this spring as they have been rumored to be interested in Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt. JON LESTER - Lester's numbers declined across the board last year compared to his 19 win 3.25 ERA in 2010. He was plagued by a mid season lat muscle injury but the decline nontheless is troublesome for the left hander. Expect 16-18 wins, a 3.40 ERA and about 200 K's making him one of the top 15 pitchers off the board. JOSH BECKETT- Beckett posted a career best 2.89 ERA last year as he made his third All-Star team for the Bosox. Beckett was aided by a .249 BABIP which is unlikely to remain. My thoughts are that he will most likely regress back into his normal ranges with a 3.80-4.00 ERA and right about 10-13 wins. Draft him in the middle rounds and hope for another solid year. CLAY BUCHHOLZ - Clay is a solid option when healthy, possessing the stuff to be a number one pitcher. The problem therein is the fact that he rarely remains healthy. Last year he suffered back problems which cut into his velocity and caused control problems. Buckhholz has reportedly thrown some off the mound this year and has looked good spiking interest in him again as a top 25 talent. Buyer beware is my advice here, as you are taking a gamble on a pitcher with tremendous upside. He is worth a mid-round flyer. DANIEL BARD - The Red Sox plan is to turn the flame throwing RP into a starter after acquiring A's closer Andrew Bailey to take over the closing role for departed Jonathan Papelbon. Bard who led the American League in holds has an excellent 1.06 career WHIP while striking out more batters than innings pitched. Bard could be an excellent late round sleeper if he proves he can handle the extra innings work load. AARON COOK- After 10 years in Colorado Aaron signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox. Last year was terrible for Cook as he went 3-10 with a 6.03 ERA in an injured plagued season. If Cook does make the team he has no fantasy value and is not worth drafting. ANDREW MILLER - The once highly touted college pitcher has never been able to make the transition successfully as a big league pitcher. In 2011 Miller finished 6-3 with a 5.54 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP. With the cloudy situation at the back of the Red Sox rotation still at hand, Miller has a chance to remain a starter and attempt once again to find the form he once possessed as a younger player. Miller is not worth drafting and should be available on waiver wires if he starts out hot. DAISUKE MATSUZAKA - Dice K had Tommy John surgery last June and it is not known when he will be ready to have a chance to contribute to the Red Sox pitching situation. As of now he remains not worthy of a roster spot until we see positive results off the mound. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (September 27, 2011 - Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images North America)  CC Sabathia (credits below) The Yankees starting pitching staff scored a nice coup in the off season as they resigned ace CC Sabathia and added 2011 rookie phenom Michael Pineda. Freddie Garcia will be brought back also as the only real loss the staff will suffer is with Bartolo Colon now in Oakland. With a rock solid bullpen in place the starters need only to pitch six solid innings to reap the benefits of being a pinstripe pitcher. Beyond CC though we are left with several question marks going into 2012. CC SABATHIA- CC had a stellar year last year going 19-8 with a 3.07 ERA while finishing with the second most strikeouts and second best ERA in his career. He also has now pitched 230-plus innings for five consecutive years. Although he ran out of gas at the end of the season, I expect another top 10 pitcher perfromance once again in 2012. He will win 20 games this year. IVAN NOVA- Nova finished 16-4 last year with a 3.70 ERA earning him a fourth place finish in the American League's Rookie of the Year voting. His strikeout and walk rate are not real good adding to his 1.33 WHIP. I am not terribly high on Nova this year but if you can get him cheap or late he is definitely worth a gamble especially in the wins category. MICHAEL PINEDA- Pineda who came over in a trade for Yankee phenom catcher Jesus Montero, now brings his electricfying stuff to the Bronx where he may find things a bit tougher in the small confines of Yankee stadium. Pitching in the American League East doesnt help either although I feel with another year of experience under his belt can only help the 23 year old. I loved Pineda last year especially in the first half of the year but will temper my expectations for the 2012 year until I see how the youngster can handle the New York spotlight. PHIL HUGHES- Keep a close watch on Hughes' spring training, especially radar gun numbers before drafting him. He could be a late round steal if you are willing to take a chance that he can get back to what he once was before his dead arm issues in 2011. He did have better numbers after returning from his disabled list stint although they still were not as good as we saw in 2010. A.J. BURNETT- A.J. ended up with an 11-11 record last year with a terrible 5.15 ERA. If the Yankees can find a suitor for his contract he will not be in pinstripes for the 2012 year. His velocity is down and for a high ball pitcher in Yankee stadium and the A.L. East that spells disaster. FREDDIE GARCIA- Freddie managed a 12-8 record and a 3.62 ERA in 146 innings last year. What a splendid surprise he turned out to be although do not expect anything close to that again in his career. I see him getting some spot starts and may win 10 games in this offense but his velocity continues to decline and he can only get away with so-so stuff in this division for so long. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (September 3, 2011 - Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images North America)  Drew Pomeranz (credits below) SP- DREW POMERANZ (COLORADO) - Drew, the key piece in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade made his first major league start for the Rockies holding the Red's scoreless for five innings. Pomeranz had a 4-3 record and a remarkable 1.78 ERA in 20 starts in the minors. He should get 2-3 more starts and could be useful down the stretch for your fantasy team. SP/RP- MATT MOORE (TAMPA BAY) - Matt was recalled from Durham Sunday night by the Rays who are making a late push for the wildcard spot in the A.L. East. In 27 minor league starts he held a 12-3 with a 1.92 ERA. As for now he is expected to pitch in middle relief but may be called on to start due to a late scratch of a Ray's starter. Moore should be grabbed in all dynasty type formats and can be useful on a roto team as a middle reliever. C- WILIN ROSARIO (COLORADO) - Wilin will receive the majority of the late season starts at catcher according to manager Jim Tracy. Rosario, considered a top prospect hit 21 home runs at AA Tulsa this year. Any Rockies player is always worth a look although they only have six of their remianing 16 games at home. If you need help at catcher why not take a chance? C- SALVADOR PEREZ (KANSAS CITY) - The 21 year old Perez who is expected to be the starter next year for the Royals is hitting .295 in just under 100 AB's for the Royal's. Perez looks to be getting most of the playing time in September for the Royals and can be useful to help your team in the batting average category down the stretch. 2B- JEMILE WEEKS (OAKLAND) - Weeks is absolutely lighting it up for the A's since his call up in June. In 350 AB's this season Week's is hitting .302 with 21 stolen bases and 44 runs scored. Weeks continues to shine although fellow rookie second sacker's Brett Lawrie and Dustin Ackley still garner the headlines. Worth a look down the stretch if needed. 3B- BRENT MOREL (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) - Morel had the first multi home run game last week against the Indians. He is (7 for 14) is his last six games and has started to look much more comfortable at the plate. Brent has had a rather pedestrian season hitting only .255 with seven home runs in 355 AB's. He is still an A.L. only option at this time. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (September 10, 2011 - Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images North America) Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, 2011 Fantasy Baseball, The Rookie Report, John Marino  Kimbrel celebrates (credits below) RP- CRAIG KIMBREL (ATLANTA) Kimbrel broke the rookie save record last week and now has 42 saves on the season. In addition he has a 4-2 record, a 1.57 ERA and 113 K's in 68 innings of work. On top of all this he has the major's longest scoreless streak at 36 2/3 innings and heads all relief pitchers in strike outs... WOW !! SP- WADE MILEY (ARIZONA) Miley has done well in his four starts going 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA. He has a high WHIP at 1.60, but that will eventually come down as he learns to pitch at the big league level. The young lefty is worth a pick up in mixed leagues if you need a decent pitcher on a first place team. SP- HENDERSON ALVAREZ (TORONTO) Alvarez pitched a gem last night against Boston as he continues to show flashes of brilliance at the MLB level. His ERA now after six starts is 2.95. In addition he has pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings. The Blue Jays will continue to run him out there every fifth day so grab him while you can. SP- ZACH STEWART (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) Stewart tossed a gem last night throwing a complete game one-hit shutout, just missing a perfect game against the Twins. For the season he is 2-3 with a 4.56 ERA. Maybe Zach has turned it around after his last two starts, keep an eye on him. C- JESUS MONTERO (NEW YORK YANKEES) Jesus had quite a day yesterday as he hit two home runs against the Blue Jays in the Yankees win. The much heralded prospect is finally here and it remains to be seen how much the Yankees will use him in September. If you need help at catcher, take a chance, just monitor his situation to see how much playing time he will get. OF- ALEJANDRO DE AZA (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) De Aza has been raking the ball lately since his call up to replace Alex Rios in CF for the Chi Sox. In his last 12 games he has a .364 BA, with two homers and 11 RBI's. De Aza is a 10 year minor leaguer and is finally getting his chance. Ride him while he is hot and be ready to dump him once the ride is over. Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team! (August 31, 2011 - Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images North America)  Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, 2011 Fantasy Baseball, The Rookie Report, John Marino  Dayan Viciendo (see credits below) SP-ERIC SURKAMP (SAN FRANCISCO) - Surkamp who was 10-4 with a 2.02 ERA for AA Richmond, pitched well against the Astros last week in his major league debut, giving up only one run in six strong innings. Eric is expected to pitch again September 6th and stay with the club through September. He may be a sleeper pitcher down the stretch for your team if you need pitching help, especially since he has been a dominant pitcher in the minor leagues. Keep an eye on him. SP- BRANDON BEACHY (ATLANTA) - Brandon has quietly put a stellar rookie season in for the Braves. In his last four games he is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA. For the season he is 7-2 with 128 K's in only 114 innings. He also sports just a 3.31 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Beachy is a converted reliever and an early season DL stint should benefit fantasy owners because he will not reach his innings limit by the end of the year. RP- STEVE CISHEK (FLORIDA) - Cishek has picked up two saves in the past week for the Marlins. For the season the 6'5" righty has a .278 ERA while averaging over one K per inning. With closer Leo Nunez struggling badly right now this might just be your chance to pick up some saves for your roto team. Hard to say what the Marlins will do for the month of September but why not give Cishek a chance? 3B- DAYAN VICIEDO (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) - Viciedo made quite an impact in his first major league game of 2011 hitting a three run home run Sunday against the Mariners. Dayan was hitting .296 with 20 HR's and 78 RBI in AAA before the call up. Also he hit .308 with five HR's in limited action for the Chi Sox in 2010. This guy can hit and the White Sox are committed to playing him here on out. He is a MUST pick up if you need help at the corner position. 3B- MIKE MOUSTAKAS (KANSAS CITY) - Moose is finally coming along in his third month at the major league level. He is currently 19 for his last 39 with seven RBI's. He has raised his BA from .181 to .231. Mike is a top prospect for the Royals and he seems to be finding his stroke now. I still recommend leaving him on the waiver wire although if you are in a deep league and need help grab him while he is hot! 3B- KYLE SEAGER (SEATTLE) - Seager is currently the number one waiver wire pick up in CBS leagues following his .769 batting in a series versus Cleveland last week. Kyle is a .328 career minor league hitter and should join fellow rookie second baseman Dustin Ackley in the Seattle infield for years to come. He has a great track record and is another case of "get him while he is hot". (February 20, 2009 - Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America) Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!  Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, 2011 Fantasy Baseball, The Rookie Report, John Marino  Alex White (credits below) SP- ALEX WHITE (COLORADO) - White who was the key acquistion in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade will start tonight for the Rockies. He is recovering from a tendon injury to his pitching hand. The 6'3" lefty with a mid 90's fastball has an excellent minor league resume and is a must pick up in all leagues if you need pitching help down the stretch. C- RYAN LAVARNWAY (BOSTON) - The Red Sox recalled Ryan last week from Pawtucket where he was hitting .301 with 16 HR's and 47 RBI's in 55 games. In the weekend series against Kansas City he promptly hit .333 in 15 AB's. Lavarnway has 30 HR this year between AA and AAA ball and 22 the year before while also hitting over .290. With the injuries to David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis, Ryan may just stick around. He is a useful American League add right now and a mixed league add if he can get enough at bats. C- TYLER FLOWERS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) - Flowers now gets his chance with A.J. Pierzynski on the disabled list. In his brief major league stint so far he is hitting .315 with one home run and three RBI. Flowers has shown some pop in the minors and is now getting his chance at the big league level. He is useful in American League only formats only for now. 1B/OF- BRANDON ALLEN (OAKLAND) - Allen who came over to the A's from the Diamondback's this year is .275 with three home runs and nine RBI's in just 58 AB's. Manager Bob Melvin has said that he likes the kid and he will get plenty of playing time. Allen has been starting over regular first baseman Conor Jackson in an attempt to inject some power into the relative light hitting A's lineup. He is a must add in American League only leagues at this time. OF- BEN REVERE (MINNESOTA) - Revere has been a full time starter in the Twinkies outfield since Delmon Young was sent packing. Ben currently owns a .256/0/20 line with 23 stolen bases. Needless to say if you need help in the SB category then he is your man. His minor league stats should a career .326 batting average so in time he will logically become a better hitter but for now he is pretty much a one category player. OF- KYLE BLANKS (SAN DIEGO) - Blanks is raking the ball right now in San Diego. In his last eight games he is 11 for 29 with three home runs and seven RBI. Blanks has been a top prospect for the Padres and as long as he his hitting he should get every chance to shine. The 6'6" 270 pounder has the potential to carry you to a title down the stretch. He is a must have in all National League formats. OF- CASPER WELLS (SEATTLE) - Wells has been starting for the Mariners since he came over from the Tigers in late July. In August Wells is hitting .340 with six home runs and 13 RBI. His 2011 stat line shows a .282/10/26 line which is solid rookie year. I am pretty sure he is owned already in A.L. formats but if not grab him quick. BRYCE HARPER WATCH - Bryce was placed on the seven day disabled list with a strained hamstring and is probably going to be out for the remainder of the season according to Nationals big league manager Davey Johnson. There are only a few minor league games left for this season so I can not see the Nationals taking a chance on hurting their number one prospect. (February 26, 2011 - Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images North America) Written by John Marino exclusively for www.thefantasyfix.com. Follow The Fantasy Fix on Twitter @thefantasyfix or for Free Fantasy Sports Advice use our Quick Fix to get help with your team!  Tags: The Fantasy Fix, Fantasy Sports Advice, 2011 Fantasy Baseball, The Rookie Report, John Marino, Bryce Harper | 
CategoriesAll NJ SEO Company
 ArchivesFebruary 2012 |
RSS Feed