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Here’s an early peek at the RotoAce 2012 fantasy baseball rankings for closers. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Arizona Diamondbacks’ Category
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…)
Spotlight: Collin Cowgill
Collin Cowgill has been lighting up the PCL all season despite previously not being thought of as much of a prospect, but the Diamondbacks will finally the diminutive 25-year-old outfielder a chance. Cowgill was called up from the launching pad at Triple-A Reno and should see at least a good share of the at-bats in left field for Arizona. (more…)
StockWatch: Saturday, June 25
Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From games of Saturday, June 25.
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Justin Verlander (98%) is on one amazing roll, striking out 14 in eight scoreless innings on Saturday to improve to 10-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. He has won six straight starts with a combined 0.72 ERA and a 51-6 K-BB ratio in 49.2 IP, making Verlander the early favorite for AL Cy Young.
Add of the Day: Tom Gorzelanny (3%) may have lost his fourth straight start on Saturday, but he pitched like he had early in the season before missing four weeks with an inflamed elbow, limiting the White Sox to seven hits and one run in seven innings with one walk and eight strikeouts. Gorzelanny has kept his strikeout up at 7.8 K/9 while lowering his walk rate to 3.1 BB/9 from last season’s mini-breakout with the Cubs. His xFIP of 4.17 matches his 4.18 ERA, so don’t go getting too excited, but Gorzelanny can be a decent back-of-the-rotation guy in a deep mixed league. (more…)
Spotlight: Wily Mo Pena
Wily Mo Pena is making a statement since being called up on Monday to serve as the Diamondbacks’ DH in AL parks, hitting his second tape-measure shot in four games. (more…)
StockWatch: Friday, June 17
Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From the games of Friday, June 17.
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Brett Myers (37%) may be finally awakening, tossing a complete game against the Dodgers on Friday. Myers allowed four hits and three runs (two earned) with six strikeouts and one walk. Before we get ahead of ourselves and start announcing that the Myers of last year (3.14 ERA, 180 Ks) is back, remember that this is just the third time in his last 11 starts that he has allowed three runs or less. One encouraging sign is that Myers has cut his walk rate in half from 3.2 BB/9 in the first two months to 1.6 BB/9 in June. Myers had always had a problem with the long ball before last year, when his HR/FB rate dropped to 8.5% from his career 14.4%. His old bugaboo has returned this season with a 14.8% HR/FB, so don’t expect a return to last year’s form entirely. Myers’ 4.03 xFIP shows that his 4.75 ERA is a bit inflated, so he should be able to become someone you can use in deep mixed leagues for favorable matchups.
Josh Tomlin (56%) ended his string of three straight six-run outings, limiting the Pirates to one run in 6.2 IP with five strikeouts and no walks. Tomlin dropped his ERA to 3.93 and has a sparkling 1.07 WHIP due in large part to his miniscule walk rate of 1.2 BB/9. As long as he can keep limiting the free passes, his 3.72 xFIP could hold up as long as the league doesn’t figure out how to square up all those strikes he throws. (more…)
StockWatch: Thursday, June 16
Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From games of Thursday, June 16.
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J.J. Hardy (40%) has been scalding hot since the calendar turned June, failing to record a hit in just one game this month. Hardy went 2-for-5 with his seventh homer on Thursday. He is 21-for-52 (.404) with five homers and nine RBIs in June to raise his season average to .299. Hardy has always been a binge hitter, so surely you’ve had him in this month if you own him.
C.J. Wilson (86%) bounced back from a one-strikeout start against the Twins last time out to record his fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season. Wilson held the Yankees to two runs and seven hits in eight innings with 10 strikeouts, giving him 93 Ks on the season. Wilson has been inconsistent with his strikeout totals, but the double-digit games make up for the five times he’s struck out three or less. (more…)
Spotlight: Josh Collmenter
Josh Collmenter is quickly becoming something of a rookie sensation, holding the Nationals to three hits in seven scoreless innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
Collmenter and his funky, over-the-top delivery now has a 1.25 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP. In 29.1 innings as a starter, he has allowed just four runs (1.23 ERA). (more…)
