The combination of power and speed over the course of the regular season is a great milestone to reach as a player and a strong individual accomplishment for any fantasy team.  If you were lucky enough to win your league, most likely one or more of the following players were on your team.

Special props to the (4) fantasy MVP’s of the year – Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, Ian Kinsler, and Jacoby Ellsbury for reaching the 30/30 club.  Unless you were living under a rock, Kemp, Braun and Ellsbury were clearly raking all year long as they batted well over .300 for their teams.

All four of these gentlemen are talented and young enough to reach 20/20 next year with an outside chance of a repeat performance.

Here are the 20/20 hitters on the 2011 season.

This year there were a total of 12 members who reached the 20/20 club, which includes the 30/30 guys.  It’s interesting to see how only 5 of the 12 players’ teams made the playoffs; however, 9 of the 12 were on winning teams.

Justin Upton and B.J. Upton were the 1st set of brothers to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.  Jason Werth and Ben Zobrist were each one stolen base short of reaching 20/20.  There were only 2 repeat performers from last year: Carlos Gonzalez &  Chris Young.

There were 7 members of the 20/20 club in 2010.  Obviously, Hanley Rameriz & Shin-Soo Choo sustained injuries that limited their performance.  Bobby Abreu lost his wheels even though he had 12 straight prior seasons of 20+ stolen bases.  Alex Rios ended up with only 13 home runs and 11 stolen bases while Drew Stubbs hit 15 home runs and stole 40 bases.   Drew Stubbs has the chance to easily make the club again next year.

As the 2012 fantasy baseball season is down the block and around the corner, look forward to seeing MSF’s fantasy baseball draft kit where we will provide a list of possible repeat performers in 2012, familar faces re-appearing, and new members who will reach this milestone.

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Follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/John_Stangler

The tendency to evaluate baseball by adding up the sum of a team’s individual players’ performances lends itself seamlessly to fantasy leagues.

The Dodgers’ Matt Kemp has made a legitimate run at the National League Triple Crown this season.  On top of that, he has also stolen 40 bases, good for second in the N.L.  If you are looking for a fantasy stud in the outfield for next season, your list starts with Matt Kemp.

As impressive as Kemp’s 2011 season has been, it actually pales in comparison to some of the greatest offensive seasons by outfielders in recent memory. I decided to stroll through the virtual archives of baseballreference.com to try to put Kemp’s superb numbers into some historical context.

What outfielders in seasons past have racked up more impressive stats than Kemp has this year?

Taking this concept further, what are the best fantasy baseball seasons ever at every position?

Unlike fantasy football, in which the object is typically to rack up as many points as possible (with each on-field achievement linked to a static point value), fantasy baseball’s best performing teams have consistently excellent performers in each stat category. Determining the best of all time in fantasy baseball isn’t as simple as looking at the single season touchdown record.

I decided to try to assemble the greatest possible fantasy baseball team ever, by taking single seasons at every position (C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, 3 OF, 1 Utility, plus 5 starting pitchers and 3 relief pitchers) and adding up the stats to create one mega-juggernaut.

I laid down a few conditions before starting:

• Only seasons from 1980-2011 are eligible, since fantasy baseball started, in its modern form, in 1980.
• I’m only including one season from any player.  I’m only including this rule to keep things interesting and give credit to the maximum number of players.
• Outfielders are designated simply as “outfield.”  There is no specification of which outfield position was played.  For example, I can choose three left fielders if I decide they possess the best three fantasy seasons ever for outfielders.
• I’m choosing these players based on the standard categories in fantasy baseball – batting average, home runs, RBI, stolen bases and runs for hitters, and wins, strikeouts, saves, ERA, and WHIP (walks plus hits/innings pitched) for pitchers.  I know it’s not exactly saber-friendly, but these are the stats fantasy leagues were built on and that most continue to use today.
• The idea is to add up all of the statistics for the team and have it be able to best any other combination of players’ seasons in at least 6 of the 10 scoring categories.
• I haven’t examined every possible combination to see if my team is unbeatable based on the criteria I have chosen.  I simply did a lot of research and chose the seasons I was most impressed by and tried to make my statistics as well rounded as I could.
• I challenge any readers to create their own teams to see if they can beat my team in at least 6 out of 10 categories.  Post your own teams or glaring omissions I may have made in the comments below.

Now that the technicalities and rules have been explained, let’s see who had the most absurd fantasy seasons in the last 31 years!

Catcher:

Mike Piazza – 1997 – Los Angeles Dodgers

.362 BA, 40 HR, 124 RBI, 104 R, 5 SB

This was the easiest position to decide since there have been precious few spectacular seasons from catchers.

All 5 stats were at least ties for his career high, which is saying something because no one at the position has ever mashed like Piazza.

He finished 2^nd in MVP voting in 1997, but he is second to no one when it comes to the best fantasy season ever supplied by a backstop.

Also considered – Ivan Rodriguez – 1999 (.332/35/113/116/25) and Joe Mauer – 2007 (.365/28/96/94/4)

First Base:

Todd Helton – 2000 – Colorado Rockies

.372 BA, 42 HR, 147 RBI, 138 R, 5 SB

It was as difficult to select a first baseman as it was easy to select a catcher.  I chose the 2000 edition of Helton because of his strong performance in all categories, and especially because of that gaudy batting average.

Fantasy baseball does not discriminate against statistics regardless of their accelerants (read: Coors Field).  Though 42 is a lot of homers, it falls well short of some other big power seasons (including Helton’s own 2001 total of 49).

I decided I could make up the differential in home runs lost by not choosing Mark McGwire’s 1998 season at other positions.

Also considered – Helton – 2001 (.336/49/146/132/7), McGwire – 1998 (.299/70/147/130/1), Albert Belle – 1996 (.311/48/148/124/11), Albert Pujols – 2006 (.331/49/137/119/7) and Andres Galarraga – 1996 (.304/47/150/119/18)

Second Base:

Roberto Alomar – 1999 – Cleveland Indians

.323 BA, 24 HR, 120 RBI, 138 R, 37 SB

Alomar was never a power hitter, but he did supply some pop in ’99.  His home run, RBI and runs were all career highs.  Throw in a very good stolen base number and a solid batting average and you’ve got the makings of the best fantasy season ever from a second baseman.

Outside of runs, other players at the position had higher totals in each category, but no one was as consistently excellent across the board as Robbie.

Also considered – Alfonso Soriano – 2002 (.300/39/102/128/41), Bret Boone – 2001 (.331/37/141/118/5), Jeff Kent (.334/33/125/114/12), Craig Biggio – 1998 (.325/20/88/123/50) and Ryne Sandberg – 1990 (.306/40/100/116/25)

Shortstop:

Alex Rodriguez – 1998 – Seattle Mariners

.310 BA, 42 HR, 124 RBI, 123 R, 46 SB

Remember when A-Rod was a speed-demon, capable of posting a 40/40 season?  I do, and he was a shoo-in for this spot.  No other shortstop in the fantasy era, and maybe ever, produced like Rodriguez during his Seattle and Texas days.  His move to New York and its accompanying position change to third base has always been sad to me, as it robbed the fantasy game of a dominant power and speed combination at shortstop the likes of which we had never seen.

This year’s best fantasy shortstop, depending on your team’s needs, was either Troy Tulowitzki or Jose Reyes.  1998 A-Rod out-slugged Tulo (to date, he does have a few games left) by 12 homers and 19 RBI, hit for a higher average (.310 to .302), scored 42 more runs, and stole 37 more bases.

Reyes, meanwhile, was injured for a chunk of the season and has managed a fantasy line of .329/5/40/98/36 in 122 games.  Depending on what your team’s makeup was for 2011, Tulowitzki or Reyes could have been your top shortstop, but A-Rod’s 1998 season almost tops both of the top 2011 seasons combined.

Also considered – N/A

Third Base:

Chipper Jones – 1999 – Atlanta Braves

.319 BA, 45 HR, 110 RBI, 116 R, 25 SB

In the midst of the Braves record-setting string of division titles, Jones was the switch-hitting, 5-tool player who bolstered the offense and gave the starting pitchers enough breathing room (not that they needed much) to relax.

Despite stiff competition and a relatively low RBI total, Chipper gets the nod here because of his surprising stolen bases and strong number of runs scored.  It’s worth noting that had the 1981 season not been shortened by a strike, Mike Schmidt (.316/31/91/78/12 in 102 games played) likely would have been the choice.

Also considered – Adrian Beltre – 2004 (.334/48/121/104/7), Ken Caminiti – 1996 (.326/40/130/109/11), Vinny Castilla – 1998 (.319/46/144/108/5), Mike Schmidt – 1980 (.286/48/121/104/12) and George Brett – 1980 (.390/24/118/87/15)

Outfield:

Barry Bonds – 2001 – San Francisco Giants

.328 BA, 73 HR, 137 RBI, 129 R, 13 SB

Remember when I said I would make up for the home runs I left on the table at first base?  Well, here you go.

Like first base, the outfield is cluttered with great seasons.  It was really tough to leave out some all time great players (Griffey, Vlad) and the fantastically ridiculous Rickey Henderson (130 steals in 1982!).

There are a handful of Bonds seasons I could have included (and would have, had I not self-imposed the one-season-per-player rule), most notably 1993 and 2002.  I went with the record-setting big fly year that worked everyone into a frenzy and ultimately ramped up the nation’s concern over performance-enhancing drugs.

Remember, fantasy cares not about what forces are behind a statistic’s achievement, only that it goes into the official score.

Outfield:

Sammy Sosa – 2001 – Chicago Cubs

.328 BA, 64 HR, 160 RBI, 146 R, 0 SB

Slammin’ Sammy sure wasn’t running a whole in 2001, but that’s probably because he spent most of his time doing a slow trot around the bases.  That, or he was so massively juiced up that he was incapable of more than jogging.

Joking aside, Sosa racked up the second-most RBIs since 1938 (Manny Ramirez had 165 in 1999).  His .328 average and 146 runs scored were also differentiators.  His average was 20 points higher than his massive 1998 campaign, too.

Sosa, like Bonds, had a few seasons worthy of inclusion on this list.  The lack of steals hurts, but my next two selections help make up that gap while not sacrificing power or average.

Outfield:

Larry Walker – 1997 – Colorado Rockies

.366 BA, 49 HR, 130 RBI, 143 R, 33 SB

Our second beneficiary of the Coors Field effect is Larry Walker.  That, or cutting his mullet had dramatic effects on his numbers.  Either way, in 1997 Walker combined power, speed and average like no player in the last 30 years, possibly ever.

His 33 stolen bases help cover the shortage left by Rickey Henderson’s absence and Sosa’s goose-egg.  And that .366 average is second only to Helton for best on the hypothetical team.

Also considered – Bonds – 1993 (.336/46/123/129/29), Bonds – 2002 (.370/46/110/117/9), Sosa – 1998 (.308/66/158/134/18), Ramirez – 1999 (.333/44/165/131/2), Rickey Henderson – 1985 (.314/24/72/146/80), Henderson – 1982 (.267/10/51/119/130), Vlad Guerrero – 2002 (.336/39/111/106/40).

Utility:

Ellis Burks – 1996 – Colorado Rockies

.344 BA, 40 HR, 128 RBI, 142 R, 32 SB

Yes, I included a third player who benefited from the Coors Field launching pad.  But Burks had one of the most well rounded seasons ever in 1996.

Plus, the randomness of Ellis Burks appearing on this list was appealing to me.  He’s clearly not in the same conversation as the other position players in any other context.  That’s part of what makes fantasy sports so fun, though.  When you get a guy later in a draft that puts up video game numbers it gives the owner an even greater sense of satisfaction.

Also considered – All of the players considered at each position, plus Edgar Martinez – 1995 (.356/29/113/121/9).

All told, the offense ended up with:

.339 BA

419 HR (average of 46.5 per player)

1180 RBI (131 per player)

1179 runs (131 per player)

196 stolen bases (approximately 22 per player). 

Pretty incredible stat line, huh?  Of course, some categories can be easily tweaked to beat my totals (home runs and steals are easy to manipulate), but when you load up one stat, typically a couple others suffer.  This combination is the best setup I found for all stats.

I’d like to see yours, too.  Let me know how I did in the comments, and if I missed a great season by someone, tell me about it.

Part 2, featuring the pitching staff, is coming soon. [Update: Click to view the best possible fantasy baseball pitching rotation.]

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]]> http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/09/the-greatest-fantasy-baseball-team-possible-part-1-hitters/feed/ 4 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/09/fantasy-baseball-hitting-planner-for-week-of-september-19th-2011/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/09/fantasy-baseball-hitting-planner-for-week-of-september-19th-2011/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:33:55 +0000 Jay McClain http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=36890 Cold weather, low scores, and nagging injuries signal that the year is about to close.

As you know, the rosters get expanded in September, allowing players who were recently called up from the minors a chance to see what they can do in favor of aging veterans or inconsistent players.  If there is any advice you can take from this week’s hitting planner it is this: whatever got you to this point, don’t rely on it 100% to finish your year out.  Too many  variables can make a matchup swing one way or another with just one guy missing action so pay close attention to this week’s hitting planner.

Catcher

You have a choice between Mike Napoli and Alex Avila to start as your catcher.  Each guy brings something different to the table but the all around hitter would have to be Napoli.  As the Tigers have basically wrapped up their division, Avila could see some rest days take place.

Yes Joe Mauer is on Playstation 3 commercials. (Don’t forget about shampoo either!)  But the 100% owned number is way too high.  He is ranked as the 22^nd player for his position so make the executive decision. 

Jordan Pacheco only has eligibility behind the plate right now but he is seeing some extra playing time at 1^st and 3^rd, so if you are looking for a sleeper at this time of the year, he could be your guy.

First Base

Chase Davis?  Yes he is the Orioles’ 1^st baseman who has had a few good games but hold your horses when adding him to your team like a few other owners have done.

Another hot and unknown player would be Justin Smoak.  The streak might last until the end of the season with only a week and a half to go.

Only batting 4 for 24 after an off day, Ryan Howard isn’t looking like a prime option for fantasy production this week. 

Prince Fielder said it himself that this is the last year of his contract but realistically, his production as a fantasy player this year could be done.

With the fantasy baseball playoffs being as strange as they are, you have to ride players while they are hot and Joey Votto’s late season surge only reaffirms that.

Second Base

Ouch!  Any other part during the season, a day-to-day injury isn’t a big deal but when the season is down to single digit games, Robinson Cano could pose to be a thorn in your side.  While the injury isn’t anything serious, you can bet the Yanks are going to take precautions.

Dan Uggla has consistently upped his play throughout the year.  His little slump is nothing to worry about, hey, chances are he will be a top-5 player next year.

This is a week where a couple of highly owned 2^nd basemen shouldn’t make the cut in your starting lineup.  Kelly Johnson, Ty Wigginton, Aaron Hill and Neil Walker fit the bill as those who need to see some time off.

Third Base

Owners have this Love/Hate thing going on with Mark Reynolds but there is one thing to be excited about: 11 games on the schedule this week means plenty of opportunities to score big for your team. 

Alex Rodriguez is back in the lineup after dealing with a minor thumb problem and chances are he is going to play the regular season out instead of sit because he needs to be ready to go for the postseason.

The Giants as a whole are surging late in the year and are led by Pablo Sandoval and his improbable cycle against the Rockies.

Chipper Jones and Alberto Callaspo have seemed to hit a little wall here at the end of the season.  Don’t put all your eggs in these baskets if you can help it.  Instead of those two, give Lonnie Chisenhall a chance because he wants to show the Indians what he can do, for next year that is.

Shortstop

Say goodbye to Troy Tulowitzki this year.  It was the worst time for him to go down with the playoffs going on but these things happen.

More injuries floating around baseball is going to see Jose Reyes on the bench for a few games with the expanded rosters.  A few more guys to add to that list would be Rafael Furcal, Brendan Ryan and Wilson Valdez.

There is some good news for shortstops this week including Elvis Andrus and Cliff Pennington.  While Andrus is trying to get his postseason swing down pat, Pennington doesn’t have any pressure on him and just goes out there and hits like there is nothing serious going on.

This should be noted, with the expanded rosters, the 37 year old Derek Jeter will likely see the time off he needs here at the end of the year so act accordingly.

Outfield

The end of year fantasy outfield is really a rat-race.  Who is playing?  Who isn’t? Who is fighting for playing time or making a statement for next year?  The questions are endless so you really have to go with your gut feeling during these times.  Let’s go over the group of guys who are HOT and NOT.

HOT: Jason Bay,  Josh Willingham, B.J. Upton, Jayson Werth, Craig Gentry and Alex Gordon have been doing all they can at the end of the season to keep you afloat and or make an impression for 2012.

Then there are those who are either packing it up or hitting an unfortunate time to slump.

NOT: Jason Heyward,  Andrew McCutchen, Kyle Blanks, Austin Jackson and Drew Stubbs headline the guys who aren’t doing too well right now.  With only 10 days left, will they be able to turn it around in time?

As said before and we can’t stress this enough, a lot of players that you are used to seeing in starting lineups will not being seeing as much playing time as they once did now that their teams are out of the race and younger players can be rotated in. This is when the real work comes in for you the manager.  It can be tedious so just hang in there and let the hitting planner do the work for you.

Catcher

As you can see, the top three catchers this week are playing for future playoff teams.  Those players would be Victor Martinez, Mike Napoli and Jesus Montero.  Playing for the Yanks, Montero isn’t the everyday starter but seems to be making the most of his playing time.

Another observation to be made about catchers this week is that the best fantasy options aren’t playing as much due to different reasons.  We aren’t saying that Carlos Santana is turning it in right now with 20 regular season games to go but there is an 0 for whatever streak going on and now isn’t the time to reward that play.

If you are looking for a little bit of value, that can be achieved with Jonathan Lucroy.  The Brewers don’t beat him up too much and they still have something to play for.

First Base

Teammates Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler have been hitting like they want new contract extensions.  Butler is owned by just about everyone but Hosmer could probably be had for the right price. 

Derrek Lee seems to be comfortable in Pittsburgh.  His batting average and RBI numbers looked to be absent all year until just now, likely due to a new scene, this should continue.

When he isn’t getting called out on Twitter, Albert Pujols is saying “told you so” to whoever wrote him off at the beginning of the year.  Depending on how well the Brew Crew hold their division lead, Prince Fielder may get some days off at down the stretch.  Not saying bench him, just don’t be surprised when he sits out.

Second Base

The hitting streak may be long gone but Dan Uggla is playing as one of the best fantasy 2^nd basemen around.  Yes his batting average is still only .236, it is hard to get a batting average from .170, as recent as June up to elite status. 

Jemile Weeks doesn’t want to take any time off and has been rated fairly high over the last week.  As you know the power numbers aren’t there but if you can settle for a great average and runs-scored combo, then you are in luck.

On the flip side, Chase Utley is day-to-day with appears to be a concussion so hold him out.  To be honest he wasn’t a top 10 player this year so when he returns, it would be best to leave him off.

Other guys to place on the bench this week would be Danny Espinosa and Kelly Johnson, who is owned by more managers but is a lower ranked player this year compared to last.  How does that happen?

Third Base

When evaluating your options at 3^rd base, it is necessary to take advantage of the abundance of talent that is both 1B and 3B.  The team that gets the most recognition for their power hitters with 3^rd base eligibility are the Toronto Blue Jays.  For example, Edwin Encarnacion, Brett Lawrie and Jose Bautista each have the ability to play at multiple positions throughout the field with 3^rd being the common link between the three.

Keeping positive, Chipper Jones has the veteran savvy that is needed during the pressing times of a pennant race, so keep him in the fold.  The Mets are out of the pennant race, and it has been that way for some time so look for David Wright to get some rest as time winds down.

Shortstop

Plenty of new faces are spread across the top of the board for fantasy shortstops this week so let us get to them now.  Trevor Plouffe, Marco Scutaro and Dee Gordon have asserted themselves among the “elite” for shortstops.

This is a time period where the fantasy game gets somewhat difficult.  Whether a player gets at-bats or not is really a crapshoot.  It is hard to judge if a guy is going to be forced to sit because their manager wants to see what the rook can do.  That won’t be the case for players such as Troy Tulowitzki, but Jose Reyes is seeing the other side of the coin.  With a few make up games in store for east coast teams, guys who have had injuries throughout the year like Reyes will be seeing some regular rest for the next few weeks.  Plan accordingly.

Outfield

Don’t get excited about Shelley Duncan’s recent outbursts.  His power is intriguing but the inconsistency is alarming.  There aren’t very many injuries plaguing the outfield this week, but inconsistent play certainly is.  Jay Bruce, Lucas Duda, Matt Holliday, Andrew McCutchen and Juan Rivera haven’t had the best week and all of the fantasy owners out there have been feeling the effects.  Look for a turnaround in the second half of the scoring period with a couple double-headers coming up.  Those doing some good work would be, Jason Bay, Jon Jay, Dexter Fowler, Nolan Reimold and Justin Upton.  Yes these guys are popular players but they haven’t been playing the way everyone would expect them to.  With the outfield having such a large number of players vying for playing time, its hard to go wrong with any specific lineup.

Will that winner be you?

Who knows. Take a look at the week’s hitting planner and prepare your squads for victory.

Catcher

For anyone who follows the Reds, there is a noticeable change in the way that catchers are handled. Instead of switching things up on a daily basis, players like Ramon Hernandez are enjoying the two- to three- day rotation.  Can’t argue with a .322 average and 10 home runs while only playing in 53 games.

Staying in the NL Central, Michael McKenry is in a good position. The Pirates are in the midst of an unusually good season and one must believe that his play should stay at a high level.

Trivia! I am hitting a career low .243, I have ZERO home runs, jus NINE RBIs, and have an owned percentage of 100…so who am I?  Don’t take this as a bashing of Joe Mauer, but his production is simply terrible and a lot of it has to do with the injuries.

Someone else who should get a shot first is John Buck who is the third ranked catcher over his last seven games and has a favorable matchup against a further depleted Mets staff.

First Base

Let’s compare two players who offer similar end production but go about it in different ways.

First is Joey Votto, who offers a .324 batting average to go along with 59 runs scored this year; his home run and RBI numbers are down a little in comparison to last year, but managers know that he can have a big game at anytime. Next we have Ryan Howard.  While he does rank near the top of league in power departments, he is hitting near a career low of .257, and his OPS is a dismal .828.  If you had to chose between the two it looks as if Votto is the better all-around hitter.

Going into the break, Freddie Freeman was one of the hottest players at 1^st base and looks to keep the trend going as play resumes.

If you were afraid that Albert Pujols came back too early from injury, then you might want to retract that statement and get him back into the starting lineup.

Maybe Adam Dunn will have a better second half of the season.

Second Base

It’s easy to argue that Robinson Cano is the best 2^nd basemen in baseball right now. Will his historic effort in the Home Run Derby help or hurt his production? We think he will be riding high. 

Ben Zobrist has rebounded greatly from his slow April and May. If you have him on your squad, look for some top-5 production for the rest of the year.

Slipping to the five spot came with some growing pains for Howard Kendrick, but he showed some comfort just before the break and those RBI numbers should jump a little with the lineup change.

The excitement of the trade of Mark Ellis has dwindled just a little since coming over from the A’s, but it is hard to deny the benefits of playing in Coors Field.  Give him a few games to get settled in to his new home before too many judgments are made.

It may seem bold but Chase Utley should see the bench while Aaron Hill starts to heat up.

Third Base

Emilio Bonifacio’s popularity has skyrocketed lately with his hitting and stolen base numbers improving. He has eligibility all over the field but we’ll peg him here for now. The time to acquire him is running out so you know what needs to be done. What also needs to be done is putting him in your lineup in place of Chase Headley, who is not in the top 25 for fantasy 3^rd Basemen over the last seven days and is dinged up.

What’s the deal with Ryan Zimmerman?  If there is anyone who feels that they have a reason as to why he has an owned percentage of 100 with a .254 average, four home runs, and 15 RBIs (which ranks 28^th at the position) please feel free to comment below.

Good news comes out of Minnesota with the name of Danny Valencia. Yes he has had a few difficult months hitting for average, but he has started the first half of July with a bang and a 1.010 OPS to boot.  Same goes for Ryan Roberts.  He is showing good power numbers with a low average, but the only difference here is that he is losing playing time to teammate Sean Burroughs.

Shortstop

Derek Jeter took care of business the best way he could with a 5-5 game on the night of his 3,000^th hit. While that may have happened, Hanley Ramirez proves to be the much better choice when it comes to fantasy. Not that you didn’t know that already.

Strangely, Tsuyoshi Nishioka hits much better when playing shortstop than he does when playing 2^nd.  The Twins like him there and it looks like the success should continue.

Even though Asdrubal Cabrera’s home run numbers have fallen off after the first couple months of the season, he has come back off the break strong to start the second half.

A lot of owners like Ian Desmond, but there is not much to benefit when there hasn’t been an RBI in the month of July. Also, he is only hitting .216 this month to go along with the .223 yearly mark.

Outfield

Travis Snider has made the most of his time since being called up from the minors, as he has established himself as the best outfield option over the last seven days. Things obviously won’t stay this way for long, but he could be the surprise of the second half.

Along with Snider, teammates Rajai Davis, Eric Thames, and Jose Bautista were also ranked in the top 10 fantasy hitters at the position this week.  So, four Blue Jays in the elite group of hitters are certainly reminiscent of last year’s home run champs.

For an all around game, look no further than Nyjer Morgan. This Brewer has good batting average and decent power numbers to go along with an above average ability to steal bases.  Milwaukee is improving as a team so there is no doubt in my mind about him being a valuable asset to almost anyone out there.

On the flip side there are some players who’s hitting has been on a downward trend and they are: Lance Berkman, Nelson Cruz, Carlos Beltran and Alfonso Soriano.

Two-Start Pitchers

Must Starts:

Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays

Coming off a spectacular eight innings against the Orioles, Romero lowered his ERA to 3.01. Romero has been hot lately allowing more than 3 runs only once over his last 7 starts.

Anibal Sanchez, Florida Marlins

Sanchez has two very favorable matchups in the Angels and Mariners. That coupled with his incredibly successful 2011 start should keep him as a mainstay in your lineup.

Dillon Gee, New York Mets

Gee had only allowed one hit through four innings against the Braves before a rain delay killed his chances at earning his 8^th win. Gee is the hot hand. Go with him.

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

While he does not have the wins to back it up, Bumgarner has been spectacular for the Giants, posting 10 straight quality starts. Go with him as he faces two weaker offenses in the Twins and the Indians.

Other Must Starts: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies; Clayton Kershaw, LA Dodgers; Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves; Jered Weaver, LA Angels

Take a Chance:

This is really not the week to take a chance on any two-start pitchers. I am stretching the “take a chance” section quite a bit this week.

Livan Hernandez, Washington Nationals

Livan just keeps chugging along despite his “fastball” being clocked under 85 mph. He gets the White Sox and Mariners this week after just finishing a complete game masterpiece against the strong Cardinals’ offense. He might be worth a look this week.

Spot Start Options:

Randy Wolf, Milwaukee Brewers

Wolf has been hot lately, giving up just one run over his last two starts in 13.2 innings of work. This week he gets the Minnesota Twins terrible offense at home, where he owns a 2.58 ERA this season. Wolf has actually only had one subpar start in his last five (written prior to Saturday’s start vs the Red Sox juggernaut offense). This is the week to give Wolfy a shot.

John Lannan, Washington Nationals

Lannan faces the Mariners this week, which alone makes him a viable starting option this week. Lannan has been great lately allowing more than 2 runs just once over his last 5 starts. The Nats’ lefty has posted a 1.77 ERA over his last three starts. Despite low strikeout numbers, Lannan is a good candidate for a spot start this week.

Interleague play is producing some perplexing situations for AL clubs such as Boston but is going to bring some extra at-bats for the NL teams. One important subject to note is how certain hitters react to the sudden switch in style of play for the next few weeks.

Also, this is the time of year when some minor injuries are going to take players out of games here and there and it is pivotal that you stay on top of your game and make the correct moves to help your team.

Catcher

It is a delight to most managers when they see Miguel Montero hitting the way he has with a few multi-RBI and runs scored games. Strangely enough the Diamondbacks have been giving him a lot of rest lately but with the onset of interleague play, he could possibly be used as a DH when playing at an AL park for six out of seven games this week.

Geovany Soto is owned by a whopping 34% of all owners with a meager batting average of .219 and a ranking of 29 for his position. If you have him on your team its time to sit him because the Cubs already have a head start in doing so.

With two series against the Reds and Pirates, look for Matt Wieters to keep his June numbers consistent.

Of all the catchers out there, Kurt Suzuki looks to have one of the toughest weeks ahead of him. Batting only .232 on the season and .118 the last seven; the visit to Philadelphia is only going to make matters worse.

First Base

Even though he isn’t hitting the ball 500 feet like his father, Prince Fielder has been the number one fantasy first basemen over the last seven days.

James Loney has been swinging the bat as well. Literally. When playing at home he has walked only two times in over 100 plate-appearances; and with a week full of home games, he is going to swing the bat for you.

Seemingly each time the Cubs face a Lefty on the mound, Carlos Pena is forced to sit.

Paul Konerko’s production has marked him as one of the premier fantasy players in 2011; no need to second guess his spot in your lineup, but with Mark Trumbo you should. The Angels go away to hit against one of the best pitching teams, vs. Seattle.

One of the first dilemmas that stems from interleague play regards teammates David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez, both players fall in the first base category. The problem is though, who will lose the at-bats when they travel to Pittsburgh on Friday? Prepare to play accordingly.

Second Base

After coming off of an injury and a bad start to the season, Chase Utley has hit .302 so far in the month of June and is playing like the all-star he is.

According to ESPN, Dan Uggla has a 98.7 owned percentage but is only the 31^st rated player at his position. There isn’t an excuse for his .576 OPS, and he shouldn’t be playing for you right now. A good replacement for him would be the Rockies’ Chris Nelson. He just began to see some regular playing time over the course of the month and is hitting a respectful .318 in 44 at-bats.

Ian Kinsler has been struggling recently with his fantasy numbers but should look to bounce back against weak pitching staffs vs. the Mets and state foe Houston.

Take note, that with Darwin Barney seeing the DL, maybe his cross-town rival Gordon Beckham of the White Sox would be a good replacement as he has some favorable matchups coming up.

Third Base

The “overrated” Alex Rodriguez continues to be the class of the 3^rd base fantasy world. Look for his production rise as he knows he is going to have to make up for injured teammates.

With the low production of 3^rd basemen, you should take a chance on the Pirates Josh Harrison. He is back from a recent oblique injury and should continue to be a spark for a Pittsburgh team that is on the rise.

Since Pablo Sandoval was activated from the DL his numbers have been marginal at best. Better give him another week to get back into the swing of things before he starts for you again.

Although he has been facing some recent slumps, especially this year, batting 80 plus points under his career average, Chone Figgins is going to be facing some opponents that he should have some success against this scoring period. If you need a replacement due to injury, Chone is your guy.

On the flip side of things, it would be best to stay away from Scott Rolen and Adrian Beltre. Although looked upon as premier players, these two haven’t been playing well, don’t let them hurt your team.

Shortstop

It’s going to be a while before Derek Jeter gets his 3,000^th hit and before he returns to your lineup as well. If you are looking at a replacement look to two players to pick up the load as one of them are his teammates. First is fellow Yankee Eduardo Nunez. He has an all around productive fantasy game as he drives in runs, steals bases and scores too. Next is KC shortstop Alcides Escobar. He has been a quiet fantasy player for most of the year but has been on fire over the last 10 games with 16 hits; give him some time.

Asdrubal Cabrera has the Rockies and Giants on his plate for the upcoming scoring period. It’s well known about the stellar pitching on those teams so it may be a good idea to sit him down for a little.

The Angels are in the midst of a 13-day road trip and so far Erick Aybar hasn’t played well. The team goes from Seattle, all the way to New York, straight to Florida and then return to LA to play at Dodger Stadium. The mental burden surely will seem to have an effect on his play so don’t be hesitant to show him the pine.

Outfield

After urging you to take a serious look at putting Jay Bruce on the bench, this week we’ll go in a different direction. It’s painful to look at his numbers from the Reds’ recent road trip (2 for 21), but his slump won’t last forever as he should be good to put back in your lineup.

The walks keep rolling in for Jose Bautista as he has as many free passes as days in the current month. He gets on base so the opportunity to score runs is there so it is up to you but it should be safe to play him.

Rated the 93^rd outfielder for the last seven games, Bobby Abreu might not break out of his slump this week as soon as we would hope. His career .220 clip against Mets and Nationals pitchers doesn’t look promising, especially on the road.

Braves outfielder Jordan Schafer was hot for the past couple of games but doesn’t look to be a solid starter as he will likely get sent back to Triple-A.

Before it gets too late, pay attention to Charlie Blackmon, he hasn’t played a lot but his production will keep him in the lineup. Where he lacks in power, it is surely made up in other areas such as stolen bases as he swiped four bags in consecutive days.

A quick run-down on who’s hot or not.

• HOT: Ichiro Suzuki, Justin Upton, Brett Gardner and Garrett Jones.
• NOT: Shin-Soo Choo, Mike Stanton, Coco Crisp and Jeff Francoeur.

This week offers some new questions. Will an old flame spark again? Is everything going to be ok in St. Louis? What should you do now that Adam LaRoche is going to be out indefinitely and other injuries are starting to pile up?

Well worry not because we are going to take care of all that with this week’s hitting planner.

Catcher

Is Russell Martin the future in New York? Nobody knows for sure but the two time All-Star is starting to swing the bat with some power. Never mind the 6 straight road games next week, this former Dodger is batting .327 away from Yankee Stadium with 4 homeruns in only 55 at bats.

If you lost some fantasy points because Alex Avila was on the bench against the Pirates, don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. Interleague play does that to AL teams traveling to NL parks but with everything back in order, Avila will get back to his swinging ways against Chicago, whom he is hitting .545 against.

Baseball is a sport that rewards good hitting and in the case of lightly owned Ramon Hernandez and Jonathan Lucroy have been doing just that. Jump on these guys before someone else does.

First Base

Don’t get too caught up with all of Jason Giambi’s hits leaving the ballpark. Chances are that he won’t get many chances to hit over Todd Helton and he is now day-to-day with a sore elbow but once interleague starts back up, he should be the DH in AL parks.

Speaking of Todd, playing with a stiff back is no good for a fantasy type swing. Show him the pine. Same goes for 3-time MVP Albert Pujols. What is there left to say about him? Batting .250 last week with one homerun and two RBIs won’t win much for you.

It may be a reach but Matt LaPorta could have a good week ahead of him with a full slate of games, especially night games, something the Tribe 1^st Basemen tends to like.

Second Base

Macier Izturis plays all over for the field for the Angels so we will plug him at 2^nd base but either way, he is struggling. With a few home games on the slate (and only hitting .229 at home) his streaky and recently low level of play isn’t reassuring. Same goes for teammate Howard Kendrick. Chances are he will not see the DL but you don’t want to take the risk of spotty playing time while he’s trying to get his hamstring back to strength.

With a player like Brandon Phillips struggling as of late, take a look at Kelly Johnson if he is still available. The low batting average may turn some heads away from the Diamondback but he is turning things around and has a bit of power to boot.

Third Base

This slump is worse than Pujols.

There is nothing nice to say about Evan Longoria’s play other than you hope it turns around but just like Pujols, it would be better to sit until some steady play is shown.

Once again we are endorsing this unfamiliar player; Mark Reynolds anyone? Despite a low average, this Oriole will score and drive in some runs at the hot corner.

Do you have Adrian Beltre on your team to hit homeruns and RBIs? Thought so. That’s why it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to give him a rest this scoring period. Even with a full week of games, the Rangers play at Cleveland and Tampa Bay, teams who play to win with defense and pitching.

How about a few hot players to get off of your bench? Chase Headley and Danny Valencia are swinging the bats but one surprise is Daniel Descalso who is taking advantage of significant playing time due to David Freese being on the DL. Competition brings out the best in athletes and if he wants to lock himself into the starting lineup then Descalso will continue to swing the bat, not only for the Cards but for you as well.

Shortstop

Who is Brendan Ryan? Many know him as a shortstop on the Seattle Mariners not the undercover fantasy player who will fill your needs with the injured/slumping Hanley Ramirez. Back to Ryan though, he’s hitting .360 in May and .550 plus over the last 7 days. Was it mentioned that he is hitting .400 this year during day games? Believe that! With 4 day games during this upcoming scoring period, look for Ryan to keep ripping it up.

Ian Desmond does a little bit of everything and looks to be on pace for 40 stolen bases this year. As a top 10 fantasy player at his position, chances are he is gone in your league but if he is still out there pick him up. All the other shortstops around the league seem set to have a pretty average fantasy week.

Jamey Carroll won’t hit for power but if you are in need of some batting average help, he is a reliable option at the position.

Outfield

The AL East boasts 3 of the top 5 fantasy outfielders so far in 2011. Jose Bautista, Curtis Granderson, and Jacoby Ellsbury. There isn’t a single thing that can point to these guys slowing down over the coming weeks so as always, we’ll dig deeper to find out who should be sitting or starting.

Get Lance Berkman back in your starting lineup and make sure that Bobby Abreu sees some action as well.

Nationals’ 1^stbasemen Adam LaRoche is going to be out for good and it seems as if red-hot Michael Morse will be stepping into his place. His eligibility points towards the outfield so that’s why we highlight him here and he’s been lighting up the stat sheet hitting .381 with 3 homeruns and 8 RBIs over the last seven days.

Mike Stanton may not have a great week ahead of him as he has to face the Diamondback’s 6 win pitcher Ian Kennedy to go along with the fact that he doesn’t hit as well against righties. Give him a short rest to avoid a surprise slump.

Two-Start Pitchers

Must Starts:

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

I should not even have to say anything here.

Anibal Sanchez, Florida Marlins

Sanchez’s big boost in strikeouts this year has boosted him into the upper echelon of fantasy pitchers. He and his 2.60 ERA should be started any chance you get.

Erik Bedard, Seattle Mariners

Right now you have to be loving Bedard if you were lucky enough to make him a draft selection… which most sane people were not. Bedard looks as though he has returned to old form and gets the Orioles and Rays offenses, neither of which is murderer’s row.

Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves

Hudson is a little bit more shaky when it comes to the “must start” title. He’s apparently healthy after having some back pains earlier this week. However, he gets the best cure-all a pitcher could hope for in his first start, the abysmal Padres offense. Then, Hudson gets to travel to the cavernous Citi Field, where the righty owns a career 1.80 ERA. Put him in your lineup.

Other Must Starts: Chad Billingsley, LA Dodgers; Mat Latos, San Diego Padres; C.J. Wilson, Texas Rangers; Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks

Take a Chance:

Bartolo Colon, New York Yankees

Never thought I’d be suggesting Colon, but he has had a solid season so far. Colon gets two starts on the West Coast against the terrible A’s lineup in the Coliseum and the middling Angel offense. The big right-hander will be pitching with an extra day of rest too. So if you need a starter for the week, why not Colon?

Jason Hammel, Colorado Rockies

Very quietly, Hammel is putting together a great year. His 3.20 ERA despite the Coors effect is impressive, but even more impressive is his 1.71 road ERA this season. This week he heads to Chavez Ravine to play the Dodgers and to the pitcher haven that is AT&T Park in San Francisco. Over the last three years, Hammel has a 2.88 ERA against the Dodgers and a 3.46 ERA vs. the Giants. He is looking like a great option this week against the 26^th and 29^th ranked offenses, respectively.

Spot-Start Options

Vance Worley, Philadelphia Phillies

Worley has been a star in his replacement of Joe Blanton. This week, he gets the Pirates, who own the fourth worst offense in the league. Another bonus is that Worley will be pitching in PNC Park, a much better pitcher’s park than Citizen’s Bank Park. Take advantage of his great pitching (2.14 ERA) this week.

Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles

Matusz will start his season in Safeco Field, a paradise for any pitcher. Coming off injury, the Orioles lefty gets one of the weakest offenses in baseball in Seattle. Matusz had progressed incredibly last season logging ERAs of 2.43, 1.89, and 1.50 in August, September and October last year. Look for Matusz to continue that success this week against the Mariners.

We have compiled a few pitching sleepers that should give you a great return on your investment this year.

Fantasy Sleeper – Starting Pitcher – Jeremy Hellickson

We saw a glimpse of what Jeremy Hellickson could do toward the end of the year, having gone 3-0 as a starter, and looking mediocre in relief appearances in September. Tampa Bay knew what they had waiting in the wings when the pulled the trade that shipped Matt Garza to Chicago.

Jeremy has the control of four pitches to strike out a ton of batters while rarely walking them, and should make a strong push for AL Rookie of the Year. Considering the amount of wins the Rays starting pitchers accumulated last year, don’t be surprised if Hellickson makes an immediate impact and finishes 11-6, 3.65 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 148 K’s. He should be a solid source of Ks, but remember his innings will be limited or he’ll be shut down early, ala Mat Latos last year.

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For more detailed information on the draft kit and email support, click here. To make a purchase, do so via PayPal below.

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Fantasy Sleeper – Starting Pitcher – Aaron Harang

Aaron will be heading back home where it all began: San Diego. Needless to say, Petco will be a much warmer environment than the crackerjack box in Great American Ball Park.

I don’t know if it’s just me but it sure seems Dusty Baker never gets the most out of his pitchers. Aaron overcame a string of back luck after undergoing an emergency appendectomy ending his ’09 season. Then, suffering through 2 months of back spasms last season, Cincy messed up his rest by throwing him out of the bullpen.

He won 16 games in ’06 and ’07 before Dusty arrived, but was 6-7 with a 5.32 ERA over the past three seasons. If you are looking for a veteran hurler at the back of the rotation to eat some innings, look no further than Aaron Harang.

Check out the rest of the Pitching Sleepers at MSF Fantasy Sports.

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We have put together 10 tips to help you avoid some of the mistakes that can bring your fantasy baseball season crashing down before its even started. Even seasoned pro’s usually fall victim to two or three of these each year, so read up and be ready to build a powerhouse team this year!

10) Prepare, Prepare, PREPARE! – I can’t stress this enough. If you want to do well in your fantasy league this season, you can’t go in without the necessary preparation. Sure, maybe once a decade you can get lucky, but if you are serious about winning, preparation is key. It’s hard to build a team in an auction league when you are constantly trying to figure out who the guy is that everyone else is bidding on.

9) Draft Hitting, not Pitching- We’re coming off of the year of the pitcher, and quite frankly, the pitching talent available is more than abundant. A very viable staff can be drafted for a reasonable price, while hitting is less deep than usual. Spend on hitting and save on pitching on your way to fantasy success.

8) Please don’t spend on saves!- Especially in auction leagues, the bidding can get a bit out of control when in comes to closers. Resist the temptation to draft the latest “sexy” closer, and don’t shell out for Brian Wilson, Health Bell or Joakim Soria. In a standard 12 team league, the closer prices will inevitably begin to drop off, and that’s where you swoop in to nab your bargains. Wait patiently, and grab solid value picks like John Axford, JJ Putz, or Huston Street.

7) Know and Account for your Opponents’ Tendencies- In every league, there are always owners who define your drafts, or draft predictably. Recall these owners, and make mental notes of their tendencies. Have a rabid Phillies fan? Make him go the extra buck for Dominic Brown. Is your league gun shy in bidding in the beginning? Buy the first player. Has someone owned Carl Crawford for 3 straight years? Make him pay. Know these tendencies going into the draft, and have plans ready to exploit them.

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For more detailed information on the draft kit and email support, click here. To make a purchase, do so via PayPal below.

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6) Keep track of your Opponent’s Teams and Funds Remaining- One of the most violated rules on this list, the average fantasy owner fails to realize the vital need of keeping track of which team has drafted what player, and how much they have left to spend. This is important because it allows you to know what each team needs, and helps you avoid getting into bidding wars. Know if there is only one more guy who needs a 3B, and how much money he has left. This can help you know if you can take the bid, or will be overpowered before it even happens. It also can help you catch other owners bluffing, if they are bidding up your 3B despite already having drafted 3.

5) Don’t get caught up in all the hype- Thanks to great fantasy baseball resources out there today (like this one), many of the people in your draft will be well-informed. The catch is many of them will have the same generic information, with the same lists of “top sleepers” and “hot prospects”. This will consequently lead to bidding wars on everyone’s favorite sleeper and sexiest rookie. Avoid these, as it will save you later. However, remember to…

4) Go the extra dollar- Yes, I just got done telling you to avoid bidding wars, but the beautiful thing about an auction draft is that you can draft whomever your little heart desires. If you have a strong feeling about a player, don’t live and die by his average or projected auction value. Go the extra dollar to make sure you have him on your team, because in the grand scheme of things, the actual dollar values of each independent player is quite variable. Leave no regrets.

Check out the rest of the Tips at  MSF Fantasy Sports.

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Last year was one of the best fantasy years for rookies breaking into the big leagues, as every position had a valuable rookie. The question is, which of these sophomores will fall victim to the sophomore slump, and which will keep their production rolling? Check out this season’s sophomore Hits and Misses below.

Here is a list of the top sophomores that you want on your team:

1) Michael Stanton- OF Florida

Remember his name when you see it among the NL lead in HRs. Stanton was on fire in the latter months of the season last year, batting .316 with 8 homers in September. With support in the lineup, Stanton will continue to hit the bombs (22 last year as a rookie) and be an absolute fantasy stud. My bold prediction for Stanton is that he will lead the NL in home runs this season. You heard me.

2) Jason Heyward- OF Atlanta

Heyward exploded off the scene with a great first two months stroking his way to .300+ avg and 38 RBI’s. Then he got in to a rookie funk the rest of the year finishing with a batting average of .270. Now that he has a full year under his belt, expect this kid to explode like he did in the minors. He will grow to be the most balanced five star sophomore, and will become one of the best young players in baseball. Bold prediciton: top 10 fantasy outfielder this year

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Now here’s the list of the top sophomores who will be fantasy busts this year:

1) Buster Posey C San Francisco

Buster Posey? The NL Rookie of the year? You must be joking? I wish I was. I am a huge Posey fan ever since his days at Florida State (where he became the only player to play all nine positions in a single college game), and I am not saying that he will be a bust for the Giants, just for fantasy teams. I would still have him over Jaso who I mentioned earlier, but Posey will not produce at where he is being drafted. Too many legaues have Posey going too high based off of the Giants World Series run. Do not draft him that early! Bold Prediction: Posey finished outside the top 5 catchers.

2) Ike Davis- 1^st base New York Mets

A .264 avg. 19 home runs and 71 RBI’s is solid production for a rookie, but Davis’s problem is that he plays 1^st base — the deepest position in fantasy. To be honest, if he played on the other side of the hot corner, he would be on the other half of this list. But unfortunately for his fantasy value, he doesn’t. He wouldn’t be a bad option at first, but in all reality, there are around 20 first basemen who I would take over Ike Davis, and he won’t be worth where he goes in drafts this year. Bold prediction: Ike has more plays on SportsCenter’s top ten than he will have days that he starts on your fantasy team.

Find out more about this season’s Top 5 sophomore Hits and Misses at  MSF Fantasy Sports.

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1) Joe Mauer- What can you say about the best catcher in the game? As steady as he has been with the Twins, is just about as steady he has been for fantasy owners over the years. The only thing that could slow this train down is another injury. He underwent minor knee surgery in early December, but will be more than ready to go come Opening Day. As reliable as they come.

2) Victor Martinez- The newly acquired Tiger will most likely be seeing his last season at catcher eligibility, as he faces a DH role this year. Look for the added rest to give V-Mart a power boost. An increasing fly ball percentage points to increased homeruns for a small sacrifice in batting average.

3) Brian McCann- About as projectable as they come McCann looks to be headed for another similar season. A small concern is his rising strikeout percentage, which showed its face in his .269 batting average last year.

4) Buster Posey- World Series hero, rookie of the year, the hype is up on this kid, and why shouldn’t it be? Posey has one of the sweetest swings in the game, and will produce in the top tier of catchers. Make sure not to get caught in a bidding war though, as he isn’t the only catcher that can give you production.

5) Carlos Santana- Splashed onto the scene smacking 6HR’s and stealing 3 bases in not even a third of a season. Projecting those stats out for a full season gives fantasy owners something to drool over. Batting average should also be in for a spike, after a low BABIP last season.

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It is available in the 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit. You can purchase the kit for $5.95 (we’ll email it to you) or get a discount by purchasing it in conjunction with email support from our fantasy baseball experts.

For more detailed information on the draft kit and email support, click here. To make a purchase, do so via PayPal below.

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6) Miguel Montero- Was hitting at a spectacular pace to begin last season, but died off through an injury plagued second half. When healthy, he has the potential to be a top of the line hitting catcher.

7) Geovany Soto- Was showing great power last season, before missing time with an injury later on the year. Has shown before he can be a viable fantasy starter when he puts a whole season together, don’t let someone steal him.

8) Mike Napoli- If you can stomach the batting average, Napoli can put up power numbers right up with the top tier of catchers. With the added bit of speed thrown in there, you find yourself with a solid, everyday fantasy catcher.

9) Kurt Suzuki- Was plagued by an extremely low BABIP last season, so look first for an increase in batting average. Leaves a little to be desired in the power category, but you could do worse.

10) JP Arencibia- The kid flat out crushed the ball in AAA, but has too small of a sample size to conclude anything from his big league stint. However if he can produce anywhere close to his juiced up AAA numbers, he could be fantasy gold this season.

Check out the rest of the catcher rankings at MSF Fantasy Sports.

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Statistics provided courtesy of FanGraphs

Before we dive in, I need to discuss a statistic I have referred to a lot in my SP rankings, and will be using again here in the closer rankings – strand percentage, or LOB%. Strand percentage is simple enough, it’s the percentage of runners that the pitcher strands on base. The theory behind it that makes it fantasy relevant is what I want to touch on.

The league average for strand percentage is around 75%. Pitchers generally strand ¾ of all the base runners they put on. The theory behind this is that the pitcher is trying to get the hitter out every time, and has little control over what the hitter will do. Therefore, the difference between an RBI double and “getting out of the jam” is left up to chance more than anything. An abnormally high strand percentage mean the pitcher was “getting lucky” and an abnormally low strand percentage means he was “unlucky”.

Some counterpoints would be that a pitcher “gears up” when runners are on base, therefore his skills give him an uncharacteristically high strand percentage. When you look at the stats, this hardly occurs, and I tend to throw this theory out the window when it comes to starting pitchers.

However relievers are a different breed. Sometimes I think some of the following guys are crazy enough to “gear up” when runners are on base, and give themselves abnormal strand percentages. So, if a closer demonstrates an unusually high strand percentage for 3 straight years,

I will give him a new baseline above the league average, on account of simply greater pitching skills. For those with normal strand rates for their entire career, a spike in strand rate will still be considered lucky. Is that clear? Good. Let’s go.

1) Jonathan Paplebon- Calm down. I know, anyone who owned Paplebon last season is going to lose it when they read this, Red Sox fans would probably disagree, and anyone who has done any kind of research on the surface is also probably shaking their head right now. But it’s okay. You see, here at Midwest (shameless company plug) we dig deeper than the average fantasy analyst to provide you with truly inside information. You see folks, like I’ve been saying all along, fantasy baseball is not about the past, it’s about the future!! Sure, Paplebon was not good last year, and sure they brought in Bobby Jenks as a backup, but Paplebon will be fine this season. Trust me. He was hampered by one of the ugliest strand percentages in baseball last year, and it’s due to rebound. He increased his strikeout rate which tells me his stuff is still there. He was one of the best closers in the game for the past 3 seasons, and is playing on a revamped Boston team that’s going to win a lot of games. Plus despite last season’s awful luck in which most closers would have certainly lost their job, he managed to hold down the fort and keep a livable ERA. Once he gets his walk rate back under control, he will be fine, the saves will rack up, and you will be glad you got your draft advice from Midwest.

2) Carlos Marmol- Okay, I have been this guy’s biggest doubter ever since he took over the closer role, and finally I’ve decided to roll with him. The conclusion I’ve come to, is that this guy is pretty much unhittable. He either walks you, or you strike out. Either way, you don’t touch the ball. Okay, while it might not be that extreme, have a look at Mr. Marmol’s K/9 ratio from last season- 15.99! Are you kidding me?! That means he’s striking out on average 16 guys per every 9 innings. That’s absolutely ridiculous. Filthy. He walks a ridiculous amount of guys as well, but it didn’t hurt him last year, and his peripherals show that his stats should be even better this year. Draft him. Buckle up. And get ready for 40+ saves with as many season strikeouts as a low strikeout starter.

3) Health Bell- I like what I see from the big fella, and a three year upward trend in strikeout percentage is always something you want to see. Got a bit of help from a higher strand percentage and a low HR/FB% but he does pitch in Petco, and maybe his stuff is just THAT good.

4) Brian Wilson- How can you not like this guy after his playoff run? He brings cheese everytime, and yes, he was helped by abnormally high strand rates in 2010, but his skill set can handle a correction. Three straight years of solid save production, and three straight years of increasing strikeout percentage always bodes well for job security.

5) Joakim Soria- Has held an absolute absurd strand percentage (above 87%) for three consecutive seasons, and it makes me feel like this is just simply his baseline, he might just be the rare exception who is that good. However, if his luck ever flattens out, and his strand percentage drops to say 65%, (getting the average correction many experts would say he deserves after 3 years above 87%), things could get ugly. But have no fear, his skill set is there, and I’m not predicting anything near a collapse.

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6) Neftali Feliz- Proved he could close an entire season in the big leagues, and despite being helped by a low BABIP, all other signs are positive heading into 2011.

7) Mariano Rivera- Have to keep him this high on the list because he might have the best job security of any closer in the game but there are a couple stats that alarm me. First, had one of the lowest K/9 rates of his career last season with a 6.75. Also was helped out by a .230 BABIP. However with his aforementioned job security, and his pitching ability still intact, he should be a reliable source of saves yet again.

8) John Axford- All signs point towards Trevor Hoffman not coming back to the Brewers, and even if he did, the Brewers would be out of their mind to use him as closer over Axford. He filled in nicely last season converting 24/27 saves posting a 2.48 ERA with a very intriguing 11.79 K/9 ratio. His ERA was even inflated by a .319 BABIP. A luck correction added to this skill set should equal big things for Axford. Especially when your rotation goes Gallardo, Greinke, Marcum….

9) Rafael Soriano- Would be higher on this list except for the fact that he is unemployed. He is asking for a ridiculous amount of money, and can’t find a suitor that wants to take him. My guess is that he will eventually back down his offer and re-sign with the Rays, where he saved 45 games last season. Expect a rise in ERA and WHIP with a luck correction, but not enough to cost him his job. If he goes to the Yankees as a setup man, I believe JP Howell would be next in line here. Wait and see.

10) Francisco Rodriguez- This is a cautious 10^th, as he is dealing with assault charges, and I’ve never been a fan of the delivery. However, his peripherals were yet again solid, and you can’t argue with his track record.

Check out the rest of the Closers rankings at MSF Fantasy Sports.

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Statistics provided by FanGraphs

1) Chase Utley- Missed time with an injury last season, but was still producing at his ever-reliable rate. If his ground ball percentage spike and his fly ball percentage drop continue into this season, his power might dip. However, that’s the only chink in this armor.

2) Robinson Cano- Back to back incredibly consistent seasons, both producing great numbers. Has one of the most stable skill sets in baseball now, and the only place he falls short of Utley is in SB. Can’t go wrong here.

3) Dustin Pedroia- or D-Piddy as I like to call him. (I know, one day it WILL stick), had an otherwise solid season shortened thanks to a fractured foot. Look for him to return to form this season, especially in the revamped Red Sox lineup.

4) Ian Kinsler- We all know what he can do when he is healthy, question is, will he stay healthy? If you’re betting on yes, draft with full confidence as the skill set is still in full bloom.

5) Brandon Phillips- It’s clear now that his monster 2007 was more of an aberration than anything else, and I am concerned with his four year home run to fly ball ratio trend, along with his alarming rate at which he hit ground balls last year. Power might be slipping away.

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6) Rickie Weeks- Was a monster in 2010, and finally flashed the potential we all had been waiting for. Again, staying healthy will be his biggest obstacle, and if he continues to his so many ground balls, it will be hard for him to maintain an average over .270.

7) Dan Uggla- Monster season across the board was a consequence of an inflated batting average. That average will drop back to previous levels this year, and naturally the runs and RBI’s should follow. Regardless, you cannot deny the sheer power. Just don’t draft him with Adam Dunn.

8) Ben Zobrist- Statistically an off year, but by further investigation, Zobrist was one of the more unluckiest players in the league last year. A terrible BABIP should correct, and his BA will resurface. Combine that with a correction in his HR/FB%, and you’re looking at a perfect buy low candidate, ladies and gentleman.

9) Martin Prado- He doesn’t do anything spectacular across the board, yet he doesn’t hurt you anywhere either. And depending on your league, he normally comes with added positional eligibility.

10) Kelly Johnson- Went from being one of the unluckiest players in 2009 to one of the luckiest in 2010. Two incredible contrasts in stat lines. I’m projecting something in the middle of the two for 2011.

Check out the rest of the second base rankings at MSF Fantasy Sports.

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Statistics provided courtesy of FanGraphs