Archive for the ‘National League’ Category

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StockWatch: Tommy Hanson

So according to reports, Braves starter Tommy Hanson has tweaked his delivery after a small tear in his rotator cuff last season. Fantasy baseball owners tend to pause when pitchers mess with their deliveries, but many experts have been afraid of Hanson’s jerky motion and worried about arm problems.

Hanson said he’s focused on getting rid of the momentary pause in his delivery that was causing the snapping motion. He says it should limit the stress on his shoulder and, as an added bonus, makes his delivery to the plate quicker to help defend against the running game. This could potentially vault him into the top-10 elite pitcher he has had the potential to become if he’s less of an injury risk and better at holding on runners.

“I’m really just cutting out that pause,” Hanson said. “I felt like I was throwing with all arm. Also, by changing, I could kill two birds with one stone as far as cutting down the running game. Somebody gets on and they have just run all day. I think it’s going to help both.”

Watching Hanson’s strikeout rate start to skyrocket last season (career high 9.83 K/9) to go with a 3.29 xFIP had to have many keeper league owners very happy until the injury occurred. His xFIP has decreased in each of his three seasons (3.97 in 2009, 3.87 in 2010, 3.29 last season) and few pitchers have ever been as good right from the start as Hanson.

Watch Hanson closely this spring because he may just be a pitcher who will outperform his draft day position (current ADP #92 at Mock Draft Central).

StockWatch: A.J. Burnett

There has been talk all winter about the Yankees moving the contract of A.J. Burnett to free up some money to sign a DH.

Now it appears the Yankees are closer to a deal with the Pirates, and the question then becomes: How much will it help Burnett’s fantasy value going to the National League. He would be facing considerably less formidable lineups and no designated hitters and not pitching in the AL East.

More importantly for Burnett is the fact that he was one of the unluckier pitchers in baseball last season, as his 3.86 xFIP was well below his 5.15 ERA and his home run rate (17.0 HR/FB) was by far the highest in baseball and jumped up significantly from the year before (11.6 in 2010) and his career average (11.3).

He still walks too many batters and his fastball has gotten a little slower each season, but his strikeout rate (8.18 K/9) is still among the top starters and would surely increase in the NL. He has made at least 32 starts and approached or surpassed 200 IP in each of the past four seasons, so it’s not crazy to think he could approach 200 Ks again. It’s also worth noting that the last time he pitched in the NL was 2005 with the Marlins and he had a 3.20 xFIP and 198 Ks in 209 innings.

Early Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Closer

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for closers. (more…)

Early fantasy baseball rankings: Starting Pitcher

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for starting pitcher. (more…)

Early fantasy baseball rankings: Outfield

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for outfield. (more…)

Early fantasy baseball rankings: Shortstop

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for shortstop.

1. Troy Tulowitzki: Injuries again caught up to Tulo last season, but not until September in the form of a sore hip or before he had put up his customary huge numbers. He enters his age-27 season primed for a career year if he can avoid the injury bug.

2. Jose Reyes (left): The old hamstring issues cropped up again last season, taking a little of the luster off an otherwise spectacular season that saw him win the NL batting crown with a .337 mark. Now he’s taking his electrifying game to Miami, where he’ll try to live up to his $106 million contract with the Marlins while in his prime at age 28. (more…)

Early fantasy baseball rankings: Third Base

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for third base.

1. Jose Bautista (left): No. 1 overall on ESPN’s player rater for last year, he’s already produced one encore for his breakout 2010 season, so who are we to doubt he can do it again. The batting average is likely to fall back below .300, but the power numbers are as elite as they come.

2. Evan Longoria: The Rays star missed a full month yet still managed 31 homers and 99 RBIs, so a healthy season could see him rise to the top of the third base rankings if he can get his average back up. (more…)

Early Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Second Base

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for second base.

1. Robinson Cano (left): The Yankees’ most consistent hitter is a safe bet to turn in elite numbers everywhere except steals, and even there he turned in a career-high eight last season. The 29-year-old is a slam dunk to be a top-10 overall pick.

2. Dustin Pedroia: Bouncing back from a 2010 season half-ruined by a fractured ankle, Boston’s sparkplug put up career highs in homers, RBIs and steals. Entering his age-28 season, Pedroia is at the height of his powers. (more…)

Early Fantasy Baseball Rankings: First Base

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for first base.

1. Miguel Cabrera (left): It’s finally time for a changing of the guard, as the Tigers’ slugger moves into the top spot that Albert Pujols has inhabited for pretty much the past decade. Cabrera is smack-dab in the middle of his prime entering his age-28 season while Pujols is embarking on the backside of his career going into his age-32 season. Cabrera won the AL batting crown with a .344 mark and is a safe bet to keep up his trek to Cooperstown.

2. Adrian Gonzalez: Gonzalez didn’t enjoy the power surge many experts were forecasting when leaving San Diego’s Petco Park for Boston’s Fenway Park, but he still put up a fantastic .338-108-27-117-1 line. If the homers pick up, Gonzo could be the No. 1 first baseman in 2012. (more…)

Early fantasy baseball rankings: Catcher

Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for catcher.

1. Brian McCann (left): With our No. 1 going down for the season (Victor Martinez), McCann assumes the top spot. He’s as consistent as they come (between 18-24 homers and 71-94 RBIs in each of his six full seasons) and is in his prime entering his age-28 season.

2. Carlos Santana: The .239 average may have disappointed in his first full season, but the counting numbers (27 homers, 84 runs, 79 RBIs, 5 steals) were elite and could get better as he turns just 25 in the first week of the ’12 season. His high walk rate and .291 career minor league average are good signs that his average will be on the rise and give the Indians slugger a chance at the top spot. It helps that the Indians keep his bat in the lineup by playing him at first base when he’s not catching. (more…)

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