WAR SHEET
WAR SHEET |
Word has come out of Great Britain that a women is eight weeks pregnant with a clone. Does that mean we�re a generation away from MLB being populated by a couple hundred Randy Johnson�s, along with several dozen Barry Bonds, a bunch of Ichiro Suzuki�s, and a few Curt Schilling�s thrown in. All that will be left would be to somehow clone a closer who doesn�t give up eight runs in the ninth inning.
Last week I went through my roster decisions and my reasoning behind them. But what about everyone else??? With that in mind we take a look at the Diamond Challenge�s most popular plays (out of the current top 250 teams). Are you part of the clones??? Or are you daring to actually go a different direction�
CATCHER � Toby Hall quickly became fantasy ball�s worst kept pre-season secret. With his 320 salary, Toby has become far and away the most popular Devil Ray in Diamond Challenge history appearing on 160 of the top 250 rosters. Paul LoDuca is a close second being on 154 rosters. Another good sleeper, Detroit�s Robert Fick is third with 81 selections. Perennial, but pricey favorites Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Piazza are each on 60 of the top teams.
FIRST BASE � Minnesota�s David Ortiz, at a salary of 640, is currently on 143 of the top 250 teams. Colorado�s Todd Helton is also on 143 teams, with most starting him this week with the Rox at home. Jason Giambi is third being on 77 teams while Tony Clark is on 62 teams.
SECOND BASE � Alfonso Soriano is the most popular hitter in the Diamond Challenge, on 235 of the top 250. The second SB spot seems split between Edgardo Alfonzo (101 teams), and Jose Ortiz (97 teams). Ortiz seems good for those weeks COL is at home while Alfonzo seems to be getting some of his old 1999 form back, when he was be considered the new Ryne Sandberg. Other plays at 2B include Bret Boone (34 teams) and Brian Giles (550 salary � 35 teams). Porn legend Jeff Kent did manage to make his way to the taxi squad of two teams.
THIRD BASE � The hot-starting Eric Chavez leads the way here being on 186 teams, with Aramis Ramirez a close second on 173 teams. Highly-touted rookie Hank Blalock is on 101 teams, with roughly half of them taxing him after a slow Week 1. Adrian Beltre, another third sacker due for a breakout year, is on 38 of the top teams.
SHORTSTOPS � Nomar Garciaparra has clearly returned to his old form and is on 214 of the top 250. Alex Rodriguez is slightly less popular than recent years (since Nomar is a better bargain in �02), but is still on 160 teams. Speedy Jimmy Rollins (who thinks he can steal 100 bases) is on 139 teams while Rockie Juan Uribe checks in 119.
OUTFIELDERS � More variety than in recent years. J.D. Drew is the one near consensus pick, a selection on 220 of 250. J.D. is closely followed by Lance Berkman (212), Ichiro Suzuki (201), Adam Dunn (179), Darryl Ward (156), and Larry Walker (126). Many owners benched Dunn after a subpar Week 1. Other notables include Roger Cedeno (71), Todd Hollandsworth (64), Juan Pierre (64), and Blue Jay rookie Vernon Wells (53). Out of the big boppers Sammy Sosa is on 39 teams, Gary Sheffield 50, Barry Bonds 46, and Luis Gonzalez 37.
STARTING PITCHERS � To the surprise of nearly no one, Curt Schilling (235 teams) and Randy Johnson (227) lead the way. A little more surprising was Astro Roy Oswalt appearing on 218 teams, he�s closely followed by Matt Morris (178), Kerry Wood (168), and Mike Mussina (158). Pedro Martinez only appears on 125 teams, but that�s a skewed figure for most teams who started him when he was shelled on Opening Day currently find themselves outside the top 250. Other notables include Marlin phenom Josh Beckett (133), Barry Zito (124), Tim Hudson (93), Javier Vazquez (91), Kelvim Escobar (85), and Wade Miller (84). Toronto Blue Jay Roy Halladay (490) appears on 35 rosters.
RELIEF PITCHERS � Many teams rode the coattails of Twin closer Eddie Guardado�s four-save opening week. He appears on the rosters of 193 of the top 250. Eddie is followed by Jason Isringhausen (120), Ugeuth Urbina (108), Mike Williams (88), and Billy Koch (85). Other notables include Byung-Hyun Kim (69), Billy Wagner (68), Miriano Rivera (68).
And then there is the squad of Rotisserie-guru John Hunt, which is as follows�
As of 4/10 Hunt�s stats stood as follows:
Hitting: 500 AB/.260/70 runs/12 HR/65 RBI/13 SBKAC�s War Sheet has the edge on Hunt in hitting but trails in pitching.
Now for some other players making a splash, some of them not getting a lot of DC consideration�
Michael Barrett � The Demon makes his mark again. Marlin conditioning coach Dale Torborg first burst upon the national scene with his recent run-in with then Florida closer Antonio Alfonseca, a story I broke to badjocks.com a few weeks back. But an even bigger accomplishment than making Alf run for cover was apparently urging Barrett to hit the weights during the offseason, before the Demon and his dad took off for Florida. The result has been a massive power surge for Barrett, who has four home runs in his first 28 AB�s, compared to 16 HR�s in 1200 previous at-bats. And in just two games this week in Florida (although no one in Montreal or Miami cared to notice), Barrett exploded for two bombs and 11 RBI�s. See what just a little iron-pumping can do. You can engrave Barrett�s name on the NL player of the week trophy now. And at 590, will be a big-time pick-up in the coming weeks.
Todd Zeile � For several years, Zeile has been strictly a fantasy afterthought. But like with many players, put him in a Rockie uniform and you suddenly get Coors-inflated all-star like stats. After all, Colorado did manage to make a perennial all-star out of Dante Bichette. Zeile nailed a home run in each of the first three home games. Listed by CDM as a first basemen (980), Zeile makes a perfect compliment to Todd Helton.
Corey Patterson � A perfect example of what I refer to with surprise stolen base leaders. Two weeks ago, Vernon Wells appeared to be by far the better cheap outfield prospect. With five stolen bases and a .208 BA in 173 previous major league at-bats, Corey didn�t appear to be much of an impact rookie. Six stolen bases in his first seven games this year, along with going 10 for 25 have changed that dramatically. On the other side of town, Kenny Lofton has five steals with the White Sox, not a huge surprise. But no one else in baseball (as of 4/10) had more than three. If Corey keeps it up and runs away with the SB title as a rookie he will be a very valuable pick-up for fantasy teams, so the sooner you nab him the better.
Roy Halladay � I eluded to Roy earlier for a reason, for he has opened the season with a 1.80 ERA, and more importantly 16 K�s in 15 IP. His numbers in �01 (96 K�s/105 IP, 3.16 ERA, 1.16 ratio) were not bad neither, and translates into a great value for 490.
Kazuhisa Ishii � The latest Japanese flavor of the day. Reports out of Spring Training had him shaky at times but Kaz came up big in his first big-league start, whiffing 10 in 5 2/3 IP. Obviously, LA didn�t pay him all that jack for nothing. Although he may be handled with kid gloves, look for Kaz at the very least to blaze his way through the first half of the season while NL hitters try to figure him out.
THIS WEEKS SCHEDULE
Annual Reminder #1, Monday is Tax Day, unless you�re in Massachusetts where it�s on Tuesday. Which brings me to Annual Reminder #2, the Red Sox play an 11 AM game on Monday, this may effect some leagues that have Monday deadlines. Milwaukee and the White Sox have plum schedules with seven home games, and Minnesota has six home games as well. St. Louis goes to Arizona and will be facing both Schill and Unit. Also Escobar fans beware, Toronto only plays five games this week. Meanwhile NYY, BAL, CWS, MON, NYM, MIL, LA, STL, and SD play seven, everyone else six. Not a big week for pitching, the only probable two-starters being Colon, Unit, Kerry Wood, and Mark Mulder.
CDM starts their weekly free agent list next week. There is really no one of note listed for the first two weeks so be patient with that.
NUMBERS FOR THE WEEK
LATROY F HAWKINS AWARD
In a performance that LFH himself would be proud of, lets reset John Smoltz� outing last weekend v. the Mets: Triple, infield single, strikeout, base hit, base hit, strikeout, double, intentional walk, infield single, bases loaded walk, get relieved, then watch all three inherited runners score on a bases-clearing double. 2/3 of an inning, eight earned runs. And how was your Saturday Night???