We're ten weeks into the 2010 baseball season; it's time for you to stay on track, or get back on track with what's going on in the fantasy baseball world. There won‘t be many projections, but plenty of material to help you decide who to start and bench.
And since I love keeping my readers guessing each and every week (to keep things spicy), I've added three new sections this week. Enjoy. Good luck !
Ben & Roy's Curve
Here are ten facts heading in to week ten that are leaving fantasy owners baffled like a Ben Sheets or Roy Halladay curveball would do to Major League hitters.
- Jose Bautista's 2010 power surge has him positioned at the top of baseball world with 18 homeruns.
- Robinson Cano is the Yankees best hitter right now, and is on pace to bat over .350, hit 35+ homeruns, and drive in 120+ runs.
- Ubaldo Jimenez is the best pitcher in baseball with 10 wins, and an ERA of 0.78. The most baffling part is that he pitches in perhaps the most hitter friendly ballpark in all of baseball.
- Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson has struck out 60 times in 52 games, but still has a .333 batting average and is keeping top hitting Tiger prospect outfielders in the minors.
- Nationals pitcher Tyler Clippard has the same win-loss record (8-3) as Roy Halladay, but has an ERA of 1.72 while Halladay's sits at 2.03. Note: Halladay has a perfect game.
- Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez is hitting .158, and is on pace to finish with just 10-12 homeruns by the end of the 162 game 2010 season. In 2009, Ramirez hit 15 homeruns and batted .317 in just 82 games.
- There are three 30+ year old starting pitchers (Tim Hudson, Jon Garland, and Livan Hernandez) ranked in the top ten in ERA, yet only average 3-4 strikeouts per game. Then again, Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer is approaching 50, and he threw a complete game shutout earlier in the season.
- Nationals closer Matt Capps leads the National League and all of baseball with 18 saves, while Rangers hurler Neftali Feliz leads the American League with 15.
- Twins first baseman Justin Morneau leads all of baseball with a .372 batting average, and is third with 132 total bases, on the same team featuring baseball‘s top hitter, Joe Mauer, from a season ago.
Colder than the Bad News Bears
Here are a few players who are making Walter Matthau's crew seem like all-stars.
Orioles catcher Matt Wieters -- Wieters has been surprisingly disappointing this season, and in his last ten games has hit a rock bottom low. He has just four hits in his last 33 at-bats, and hasn't hit a homerun since May 5th. Wieters is batting .236 with four homeruns, and 16 RBI for the season.
Cubs first baseman Derek Lee -- Lee has just two hits in his last 18 at-bats, and has struck out 11 times. The Cubs aging corner infielder has been anything but stellar this season, and is currently hitting .234 with six homeruns and just 23 RBI. He is also currently battling a tight hamstring.
Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda -- In his last two starts the Dodgers right-hander has allowed eight earned runs in just 10 innings of work. Kuroda's season ERA is deceivingly good at 3.63. However, he has raised his WHIP to 1.40, and is allowing opposing batters to hit .330 against him.
Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner -- Not too long ago (2005 and 2006) Hafner was powering the white leather ball over big league walls at a rampant pace. He has slowed that pace down over the years, and has transformed in to a below average power hitter. In his last 22 at-bats Hafner has just one hit, and is hitting .244 with four homeruns for the season.
White Sox starting pitcher John Danks -- In his last two outings Danks has allowed a total of 12 earned runs in just 9.1 innings pitched, and has struck out just seven. Danks currently carries a 3.60 ERA, and is 4-5 on the season.
Hotter than Dottie Hinson
Here are a few players that are making Dottie look more like Courtney Love, Donatella Versace, and maybe even teammate Doris Murphy (Rosie O'Donnell) all wrapped in one. (All stats as of Saturday)
Giants starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez -- In his last two starts Sanchez has struck out 12 batters, has recorded two wins, and has allowed just one earned run. He's 4-4 with a 2.63 ERA for the season.
Braves first baseman Troy Glaus -- Glaus has seven hits in his last 18 at-bats, four of which have been of the homerun variety. He also has driven in 10 runs to raise his total to 42 for the season.
Padres starting pitcher Matt Latos -- Latos has had five quality starts in the past month, and has allowed just eight earned runs in his last 40 innings pitched. He had a next to perfect game against the Giants on May 13, and currently ranks fifth in the National League with a WHIP of 1.06.
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano -- Cano has 20 hits in his last 40 at-bats, including three homeruns. He has also driven in 15 runs, and was featured as a Boppin' Bambino last week. For the season Cano is hitting .366 with 12 homeruns and 43 RBI.
Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz -- Buchholz hasn't been electric from a strikeout standpoint, but in his last two starts he's allowed no earned runs, and recorded a complete game shutout on Friday night against Baltimore. For the season he is 8-3 with a 2.39 ERA.
A Benchwarmers Moment
Here are a few players who will find their outer Gus, and release their inner Richie or Clark.
White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham -- Yes, he has been a huge disappointment thus far this season, but later next week the White Sox face the Cubs. In 2009, Beckham recorded nine hits, while striking out just twice in 20 at-bats last season against the cross-town rival. If there is any week for him to finally break though it's this one.
Braves outfielder Nate McLouth -- His .175 batting average is an eye sore, and is enough reason to keep him on your bench, but you may want to re-consider that notion this week. The Braves start the week against the Diamondbacks; the National League team that McLouth boasts his highest career average against (.333). Plus, in 11 at-bats this season against Arizona he has four hits, all of which have been extra bases, including one of his three season homeruns.
Athletics starting pitcher Ben Sheets -- His 5.00 ERA is enough to make you hurl, and stash him on your bench any other week, however this week may be a different story. Sheets will get two starts, and the second will be against a Giants team that he went six strong while allowing no runs, and striking out eight back on May 23rd.
Jimmy Morris' Dream
Here are a few players to keep an eye on who should make a big league splash this season. They may be worth stashing.
Marlins outfielder Michael Stanton -- Stanton has amazing power and is putting on a clinic in Double A Jacksonville right now with 21 homeruns and 52 RBI through his first 51 games. If these numbers translate to the Major League level this season you may see fantasy owners going bananas over this kid. I'm already thinking about including Prince Fielder in a trade for the Marlins up and coming outfielder.
Rays starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson -- In 12 starts this season Hellickson is 8-2 with a 2.28 earned run average, and 71 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched at Triple A Durham. The Rays have one of best rotations right now in baseball, but fourth starter Jeff Niemann is 27, and fifth starter Wade Davis has been struggling as of late. I anticipate the Rays will call up Hellickson at some point this summer, and either Niemann or Davis will be moved to the bullpen, or will be sent packing altogether.
Final Thoughts
The other day I found myself in a heated argument with a friend on whether or not the Brewers should trade Corey Hart now. The argument was intense, and lasted about 45 minutes as I paced around my whole yard about five or six times shouting through the phone.
Two days later I listened to a roundtable podcast argument surrounding Ubaldo Jimenez on my iPod while cutting the same grass that was trampled during the last argument. And as I listened to one of the regular experts on the show try to explain why Jimenez isn't the best pitcher in baseball, I laughed hysterically. Why?
Well, that was probably what I sounded like to both my wife, and the neighbors living on my block. At that moment I envision everyone laughing hysterically as they listened to my rants about Corey Hart, and how the Brewers shouldn't trade him while his value is skyrocketing.
However, as I reflect upon it, I say it's okay. It's okay to be passionate about something you feel you are right on. It's okay to initiate a scene and argue back and forth, forcing your wife to go ballistic, and causing ears from all over to pop up like unwanted weeds in a garden. Most of all, it's okay if you believe Corey Hart should be kept and not Prince Fielder, or that Ubaldo Jimenez is not the best pitcher in baseball, because you may be right.
The only thing I ask is that you provide hard evidence to back what you believe, and make sure that you refrain from violence; cursing is okay though.
In other words, leave Ubaldo and Corey alone.