Around the Horn: May29, 2012
May 29th, 2012 | by Ray Flowers |(1) Can Will Middlebrooks keep up that batting average given his approach?
(2) Eric Thames sent down, who takes over in Blue Jays OF?
(3) Gregor Blanco establishes himself as Giants leadoff hitter.
(4) Dexter Fowler has huge night, been impressive for a long while now.
(5) Jonathan Lucroy out 4-6 weeks with broken hand.
(6) Bryan LaHair continues to slump (people are bailing on him over at Fealflicker).
(7) Jered Weaver hurts back – what does it mean?
By Ray Flowers
Tags: Bryan LaHair, Dexter Fowler, Eric Thames, Goerge Kottaras, Gregor Blanco, Jered Weaver, Jonathan Lucroy, Rajai Davis, Travis Snider, Will MIddlebrooks
By Nick on May 29, 2012
Could you rank these players for the ROS?
Dirks, Maybin, Middlebrooks, Fowler
Thanks
By MN Mike on May 29, 2012
My H2H league has W, K, Holds, Saves, ERA, and Whip as pitching categories and a three transaction limit per week. We also need to throw a minimum of 25 innings per week.
My staff includes Bumgarner, Romero, Morrow, Daniel Hudson, Doubront, and a couple of streamers for SPs. I have Nathan, Casilla, Janssen, Cishek, Sean Burnett, Greg Holland, Wilton Lopez and James Russell for RP. I am finding that I am often facing teams with ten to fifteen starts per week.
My question is basically should I be looking to move a SP or two, for a better RP options (if I can) and just pitch the minimum innings while basically giving up on Ks and Wins, but hopefully taking the other categories?
Also this is a Yahoo League and guys like Casey Coleman, Luis Perez, Clay Hensley, and Brian Duensing qualify as SPs too. Are these guys worth using in the SP spots everyday to try to get holds and keep era and whip low?
Sorry for the long message, but you’re the best and I am feeling like my season is kind of at the crossroads. Thanks.
By Ray Flowers on May 29, 2012
MN Mike – You can certainly target categories in a H2H lg. Using RPs can give you ERA/WHIP/SV/HOLD each week giving you 4 of 6 cats. That is a fine plan. If you go that way, I would not be adding guys like Clay Hensley to fill an SP spot out of pen. Just start your SPs for innings, and then fill in the highly skilled relievers.
By Ray Flowers on May 29, 2012
Nick – Here you go:
Fowler, Maying, Middlebrooks, Dirks
By Keith on May 29, 2012
MN Mike, backing up Ray – I’ve totally considered doing that. I went cheap on starters and my staff was pretty bad for the first month. Things have turned around a bit now and I’m competitive but I did consider just dropping all the SPs and going with the SP-eligible middle relievers as a last resort.
By Ryan on May 29, 2012
Ray, I want your thoughts on 3 NL only players (2 of which are on my bench on one available on free agent wire). I own Campana and Theriot and Everth Cabrera is available. Time to bail on Campana and pick up Cabrera? I owned Campana for a number of weeks and he produced on the steals but now it looks like Mather and Johnson are getting all the playing time. Theriot? Sanchez is hurt and Bochy made the comment the other day that he is the “man” at 2nd…. but how much competition does he have from Burriss? Cabrera supposedly is the starter at SS now that the Padres are heading to the youth movement.
By Greg on May 29, 2012
Hi Ray – some quick hits if you have time?
I own Andrus, Cano, Alexei so no room for Peralta who just hit WW. Keep my 3? Could drop Norris (my 6th best SP) to get Peralta’s depth.
I have Craig coming off DL Friday to man my CI spot. Drop Middlebrooks to pickup Fowler (OPS lg). Fowler or Rios as 5th OF? Own both even if one is bench/trade depth?
10-teamer w/ AVG & OPS. Thanks!
By jon on May 29, 2012
Ray – deep 16-team mixed with 2 catchers. Flores, Kottaras or Clevenger until Iannetta gets back? thanks!
By Ray Flowers on May 29, 2012
Ryan – Cabrera is a certain add in NL only lg. He’s got a chance to run with the full time gig in SD, and those wheels are high octane. Theriot is NOT the man at second from what I’m hearing. He’ll play against lefties for sure, but he’ll likely share time with Burress who seems to have the inside track against righties if he can just start hitting.
Go with Cabrera and Campana — I’d drop Theriot unless it’s a positional thing.
By Ray Flowers on May 29, 2012
Greg – I see no need to have 3 SS on a roster, even with MI in play. Andrus elite, Alexei starting to heat up and I’d rather have him over Peralta.
I’d say you have to go with Rios/Fowler, but the OPS part obviously dings both a bit.
I’d move on from MIddlebrooks, but I’d have to think you could trade him – maybe a 2 for 1 to open a roster spot?
I hate 10 teamers… lol
By Ray Flowers on May 29, 2012
Jon – I’d go Kottaras. Not a needle moving type, but he should be a solid option as a #2 in a lg this deep.
By Alan on May 30, 2012
Hey Ray,
Am I missing something on Raul Ibanez? I’m in a 12 team 5×5 yahoo league. I picked him up a few weeks ago as a cheap source of power in my lineup. I look at the transaction trends recently and people are dropping him. He is only owned by 48% but I’m using him as a 4th-5th OF. I’m looking at his stats and although not great he is hitting. He has a .843 OPS which is decent. I’ve been perplexed as to why he is being dropped because every time I flip through and see a Yankee game, he is getting on base or hitting a HR. What are your thoughts on him?
By Ray Flowers on May 30, 2012
Alan – Ibanez is a decent 5th OF type, but one with no upside. He’s old, He’s not going to ever steal a base. Also not likely to hit 30 homers after 36 the last two years. He’s also on pace for about 55 runs, an awful total. Plus, that .261 batting average is league average. All you get from him is solid power and RBIs, and they come at a price in the other three categories.
By Alan on May 30, 2012
Ray,
Thanks for your thoughts and outlook on Ibanez. Would you prefer Carlos Quentin or Matt Adams over Ibanez?
By Matt w on May 30, 2012
Ray, I just got Tori Hunter back, but my team has been hitting awesome without him. From today to Sunday which 2 do you think I should start the most, and going forward also? Raul Ibanez, Tori hunter, and carlos Ruiz. Thanks.
By Ray Flowers on May 30, 2012
Alan – Ibanez, like I wrote, is so blah, I wouldn’t be wasting my time. Quentin is younger, slightly more upside, but similar outlook – power, no speed, little avg. Adams better short term, but with Jay, Craig, Berkman on way back, hard to see how Adams is playing full time unless he just kills it.
By Ray Flowers on May 30, 2012
Matt W – You can see my thoughts on Ibanez in the COMMENTS section above.
With Hunter just back though, hard to trust him over Ibanez this week. Ruiz out again today, so looks like Ibanez/Hunter right now.
By brad on May 30, 2012
i traded joyce desmond and tabata for
dunn ackley and Kneiwenheis
which side do you like i went for the power of dunn?
By Ray Flowers on May 30, 2012
Brad – joyce/desmond/tabata for dunn/ackley/Nieuwenhuis
Joyce is no Dunn, but solid.
Desmond is as solid a play up the middle.
Tabata – wow he continues to disappoint, though still like the potential. Nieuwenhuis has been better to this point, but not a ton of faith.
Give me first side… but very close.
By Steve on May 31, 2012
Ray,
Dunn/Sale for Cabrera OR Pujols?
Dunn and Jerome Williams or Paulino for Fielder? Should I offer Dunn/Sale for Fielder? Would this be too much for Fielder?
I’m aiming for the upgrade at CI with either Cabrera, Pujols, or Fielder? Might be slight sacrifice in HRs, but Runs and RBIs should be close. The big + is the average. What do you think?
By Ryan on May 31, 2012
Ray, NL only league: Garrett Jones, Simmons (SS- Braves), Campana, Andres Torres. Please rank for rest of the year. Also, what do you think about Michael Fiers chances at sticking in rotation in Milwaukee? Thanks.
By Ray Flowers on May 31, 2012
Steve – Give how Dunn has started the year, and the 15 K game by Sale (not to mention his performance for the year), it seems like too much to give up. Fielder may not outpace Dunn in HR/RBI this year, and runs could be close too. Neither man steals of course, so you’d be paying a high price for Avg gain. If you could do Williams/Dunn = I’d do that, easy.
By Steve on May 31, 2012
Thanks, Ray. I offered Williams or Paulino plus Dunn for Fielder and was turned down.
In an effort to get Miguel or Pujols, Dunn, Williams, and Paulino was turned down and countered with Tex/Sale for Pujols/Fister. I turned that one down and offered Dunn/Sale for Miguel or Pujols. Neither was accepted.
I’ll just have to hold for now. However, in the past two weeks, my team has been on a tear and I’ve moved up to 2nd place 7.0 pts behind the leader. My offense has been clicking and I’m trying to sell high on some of these guys (Reddick, Dunn), but don’t want to go after the high-injury risk players (Nelson Cruz, Jennings, Longoria). Plus, I’m not sure the owners would be willing to take Dunn or Reddick in exchange.
I’ve been trying my luck at DailyJoust… Not that easy, but trying to get used to it.
By Ray Flowers on May 31, 2012
Steve – Keep at it my good man. Someone is likely to bite, though I’m not at all surprised your offer was turned down (you can sub in Paulino w/o an issue, but again, I find it hard to believe it will be accepted).
As for Daily Joust = was proud of myself the other day. Out of 495 sign ups I came in 2nd. Pretty fun huh?