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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).

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: 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…)

Spotlight: Jose Constanza

OK, so his name sounds like the famous bald character on Seinfeld and Mets fans hate him after a disastrous slide caused a season-ending injury to Daniel Murphy – but we’re here to talk about what Jose Constanza can do for your fantasy team. (more…)

StockWatch: Monday, June 27

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From games of Monday, June 27.

Stock Up

Brandon Phillips (98%) has caught fire with six multi-hit games in his past seven contests, going 16-for-32 with a homer and seven RBIs. He was 4-for-5 on Monday to raise his average to .299. Phillips hasn’t attempted a steal during this stretch despite being on base constantly – not a good sign for a guy with just four steals who averaged 24 thefts from 2006-10. The power is way down too, as Phillips has just six after averaging 21 homers over the past five seasons. Phillips turns 30 tomorrow and is already showing signs of decline after dipping to 18 homers and 16 steals in 28 attempts last season. He’s still an excellent option at second base, but the production isn’t matching the name value. This makes him someone to sell rather than buy unless you believe this recent hot stretch is a sign of good things to come.

Aramis Ramirez (91%) is much like Phillips, an aging star who is making up for a slow start. Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two homers and a double against the Rockies on Monday. He is 8-for-16 with three homers and two doubles in his past four games, raising his average to .289. Ramirez’s stats were down last year too, but he went on an extended binge at about this time – hitting a combined .307 with 14 homers and 46 RBIs last July -August. With the ball starting to fly out of Wrigley Field with regularity (Ramirez was one of three players with two homers there on Monday), he is someone to target for possible big returns. (more…)

StockWatch: Wednesday, June 22

Yahoo for our ownership percentages are in parentheses. From games of Wednesday, June 22.

Stock Up

Johnny Cueto (72%) keeps getting hotter, holding the Yankees to two hits and one run in seven innings with three walks and six strikeouts on Wednesday. Cueto has yet to allow over three earned runs in nine starts since coming off the DL at the beginning of May and has a tidy 1.63 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP. In his last three starts, Cueto is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 19-6 K-BB ratio in 21 IP. It is that improved strikeout rate that has us finally ready to recognize Cueto as a fantasy ace. He had a 5.2 K/9 through his first six starts, but he has stepped it up to 8.1 K/9 in his last three outings. This recent outburst has helped lower his xFIP from the low fours to 3.52. Cueto is still benefitting from a .234 BABIP, but he’s suddenly becoming a groundball pitcher, upping his GB rate from 41.7% last year to 55.9% this season. A drubbing to help correct that low BABIP has to be around the corner, but we could be witnessing the birth of an ace as the results start to line up with the electric stuff Cueto has always flashed. (more…)

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