Around the Horn: April 15, 2011
April 15th, 2011 | by Ray Flowers |(1) Joe Mauer has “bilateral leg weakness” sending him to the DL.
(2) Is Jonathan Herrera worth an add in mixed leagues?
(3) Will the Tigers recall the hot Scott Sizemore to take over for Will Rhymes?
(4) Cliff Lee has a historic night – 99 pitches, 12 Ks.
(5) Alexei Ogando makes history for Rangers.
(6) Matt Kemp is a blazing with new found approach.
By Ray Flowers
Tags: Alexei Ogando, Cliff Lee, Joe Mauer, Jonathan Herrera, Matt Kemp, Scott Sizemore
By Callaway on Apr 15, 2011
Hey Ray, no one ever answers me on Facebook so I always come back to you: I was just offered Carl Crawford and E Santana for Lester.
- If I trade Lester, my staff will be Carpenter, Kershaw, Latos, Gio Gonz, Pavano, Nolasco, Shields, and then Santana.
- My OF is now Span, Berkman, and Ichiro. (I lost Hamilton earlier this week)
This a 10 team weekly league where we start 5 SPs. Would you do take the trade?
By Jake on Apr 15, 2011
I didn’t get a SS on draft day and ended up with Infante. I want steals, average, and runs, from that position, anything else will be extra. Should I keep Infante, or pick up Pennington or Theriot.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 15, 2011
Callaway – Happy to help.
Crawford will turn it around – book on it. If you trade for him think of this – you miss his slump and likely get his greatness.
Santana is nothing fancy, but solid.
Lester is obviously and ace.
I like your staff even w/o Lester.
I say do it.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 15, 2011
Pennington will certainly help in the steals category, but his power and average won’t be an asset.
Theriot will be solid. Look for 70 runs, 20 SBs, but there is no upside.
Infante is unlikely to match what he did last year. Still, he should produce a solid average. He won’t steal many bases, though if he plays daily as expected, he should score some runs.
If you need steals grab pennington – but Infante is a slightly better option.
By Mike on Apr 15, 2011
Hey Ray,
deep 16-team, mixed H2H-Points League
A guy with sick OF depth (CarGo, Cruz and Upton, and Holliday at U) but a need for a 1B has offered me Upton for Morneau. It would leave me with Carlos Pena at 1B. Right now my OF is Braun, Fowler and Murphy (Bay on the DL) with Snider and Byrd streaming at U.
Do I take the risk with Pena at 1B for the chance at Upton’s upside?
Thanks.
By Chad on Apr 15, 2011
Ray- A ton of questions this week. Guy in my 12 team league dropped Abreu. Would you rather him over Zobrist?
By Ray Flowers on Apr 15, 2011
Chad – I’d had Zobrist and Abreu ONE spot apart in my top-300: http://baseballguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Top-300-2011-BBGuys5.pdf
By Ray Flowers on Apr 15, 2011
Mike – I don’t know which Upton it is?
Honestly though, I don’t care which one it is, I want them both over Morneau by a lot. I wish Justin well, but until he starts hitting I’m not counting on him.
Add Upton, and then go about finding someone else to help at 1B.
By Mike on Apr 16, 2011
Yea, that would help. It’s Justin Upton. Thanks for the advice.
By brad weiner on Apr 16, 2011
made trade of morales hawpe and vargas for swisher coghlan and dickey
who do you think got the better of the trade
By brad weiner on Apr 16, 2011
pickups this week and i need pitchers bad who do you think out of these pitchers kk/bb era and wins are our catagories
harang
harrison
naverson
materson
garland
orgando
holland
By Ray Flowers on Apr 16, 2011
Brad – Both pitchers are unexciting to me. Swisher has to be viewed as a more stable option than morales. Coghlan wont give the power of hawpe, but better average. Certainly a fair deal, and if morales continues to linger on the shelf or struggle when he gets back, then deal will look lopsided.
By Ray Flowers on Apr 16, 2011
Brad – If you need pitching bad, a log of those names should be an improvement (must be a shallow league).
First, no one can predict victories.
Harang is always good in K/BB.
Narveson has pitched very well since ASB last year.
Harrison is totally locked in.
Masterson has looked like an ace.
Ogando has been terrific for the Rangers.
By matt on Apr 16, 2011
would you cut niese or narveson? 12 team 5×5
By matt on Apr 16, 2011
i mean niese for narveson
By Cliff Gross on Apr 17, 2011
Hi Ray,
I have some excess power and may need speed. Offense is : Napoli,Tex,Uggla,ARamirez,Alex Rod,Choo,Granderson,Stubbs,Konerko,Swisher,Sizemore. 13 team mixed. What do you think of trading Konerko for Crawford? No brainer?
By Ray Flowers on Apr 17, 2011
Cliff – No brainer. It’s the perfect sell high / buy low deal. Make it happen.
By Mike on Apr 17, 2011
Hey Ray,
How were your three dates this weekend?
12-team 5×5
Trade Ellbury & Buchholz FOR Werth & Mad-Bum?
Your Top 300 says it’s a no-brainer. Do Werth and Bum’s slow starts give you any pause?
Thanks.
MJC
Thanks.
By Chad on Apr 17, 2011
Ray- What’s your take on Brandon McCarthy? Good start vs SEA? Do you think Figgins will snap out of his funk. Waited last year forever. Should I drop and pick up Bettimit(?) KC?
By Carson Trice on Apr 18, 2011
Just made a donation to BBGs… Mostly because you convinced me to take Tulo at no. 3 in my “serious” league. Tell Kay not to worry though b/c I donated to Japan first.
Two questions… First I have 5 closers (Soria, K-Rod, Street, Walden, and Axford) while my starters are Billingsley, Gio Gonz, Beckett, David Price, and Morrow (back from DL I hope this week). I’ve been platooning my final two bench spots with SP (currently Jair and Holland) and it’s worked out fairly well in pitching categories. But has gotten me killed in two offensive categories particularly R/SB.
BTW I’m in a ESPN standard H2H mixed league 5×5.
My question is, should I keep all of the closers and continue what I’m doing (platooning pitchers)or should I try to trade a closer or two for a solid pitcher and open up a bench spot for a high SB/Runs guy I could use when other guys have days off. Or use in place of A. Jackson until he gets going a little.
The other question is about platooning in general. Is it ever good to do this. Last week it worked out well (thank you Bud Norris and Randy Wolfe) but can this strategy be successful especially when losses don’t matter and there is no cap on no of starts…
Thanks
By Ray Flowers on Apr 18, 2011
Carson – Thanks again for the donation, and I’ll pass along the note to Kay and Kyle.
When you say standard ESPN lg, does that mean 10 teams?
I honestly dont play on ESPN, but I’m going to assume you start 9 pitchers each week???
If that is the case, having 5 closers is too much. Most teams would like to have 3, and four is plenty. I know it’s a fickle position, but I would trade one of the five to get an arm for your rotation. Jurrjens and Holland are solid though, so you could get by with what you are doing. However, in H2H it would make more sense to get the starter because you can never predict how saves are going to come each week.
Platooning – Personally, I dont really believe in it. You can look at hot/cold trends. You can look at historical trends etc., but what do they tell you? I’m pretty sure it doesn’t matter that Player A dominates against the Reds when he has spent the past 4 years in the AL — all the numbers he racked up where when the team was filled with different players. I do pay attention to home/road splits, but make sure you are looking at a large enough sample size. 35 at-bats isn’t enough to make any sort of determination.
I use this example all the time. I know Pujols will hit 40 homers and knock in 110 runs. Still, I have no idea if he will homer today, tomm., this week. I just know at the end he will be there. If you worry too much about moving players around you MIGHT end up with all the good performances, but you might also end up with all the bad as well.
By Jim on Apr 18, 2011
Hi Ray, I have a specific trade question for a second baseman, but that position seems so thin this year that your analysis may help a lot of readers. I’m working on a deal to acquire one of Brian Roberts, Howie Kendrick or Michael Cuddyer (eligible with one more start at second in my league). Very deep 5X5 mixed. Any thoughts? Thanks!
By Jeff on Apr 21, 2011
Hey Ray,
I have a bench spot in a 8 man NL only league and I can give it to Herrera or J. Sands or many other possibles – you think either are worth stashing for the rainy day – or should I do something better with this bench spot?
By Ray Flowers on Apr 21, 2011
Jeff – In a league that shallow you’ll always have guys to add. My thought -
Herrera is a nice player, but I dont expect him to continue the steals onslaught. Even if he hits .300, I don’t think he’ll have a ton a value.
Sands has more downside, but also way more upside. He could pop 25-30 homers right now, and the Dodgers could give him tons of looks given their OF and 1B woes.
Herrera might be safer, but go for the big fly with Sands.