Some grumblings on this almost Friday...
- Stephen Drew is likely to be the starting 2B for the Yankees at the start of the season. Drew hasn't been exciting since 2008 and hasn't been an intriguing fantasy option since 2010. The only thrilling thing about Drew is likely when he gets moved off the position so we could see Rob Refsnyder get a chance. Of course Brian Cashman believes last year was "some sort of aberration" for Drew so he will certainly get some time there. There might be something to Drew coming in at the middle of the season, and now he is healthier on a normal schedule but I'm not expecting much out of Drew this year for the Yankees or fantasy teams.
- It's only spring and Jered Weaver has never been known for his velocity but he was sitting at 82-84 mph in yesterday's start. Weaver had 18 wins and a 3.59 ERA last year but as we know, wins don't really mean a thing and his underlying numbers were less than impressive - 4.19 FIP/116 FIP- (a/k/a 16% worse than average). If Weaver maintains his velocity from last year we can expect a drop in production and if Weaver's velocity falls it could get ugly fast.
- All the talk about a Mookie for Strasburg trade, or Mookie not being the every day center fielder could never be taken too seriously and it's mostly because Mookie could be very, very good. Boston papers aren't immune to hyperbole but the scouts say "this guy could be an All-Star this year." For what it's worth, I tend to be in agreement. According to Steamer 600 (which are Steamer projections giving everyone 600 PAs) Mookie would have the 11th best WAR in the MLB among outfielders. Mookie showed fantastic plate discipline in the minors last year that wasn't degraded in his 52 games on the Red Sox. There may not be one thing that Mookie will lead the league in but there isn't anything that he can't do. The Sox have a fantastic player on their hands and I would target him in all fantasy leagues. Tell your friends you are worried Rusney Castillo will take PT away and then snag Betts.
- Tout Wars had their mixed league draft and the results can be found here. If your looking at it per round, it's important to realize it's a 15-man league. By the time a 12-team league would be finished with 10 rounds, they were finishing up the eighth round. With that said, some interesting picks: Springer in late round two, Chris Sale pretty late in round four his injury is definitely a concern (even if it's minor), Marcus Semien in the eighth (I like him this year), Yasmany Tomas 14th (some shine might be wearing off, especially if he's not going to play third base). Take a look for yourself and drop a line who you think had the best draft.
Who, in your opinion, is the most intriguing fantasy player in the Red Sox OF? Is it at all likely that Castillo will get enough playing time to matter in fantasy?
ReplyDeleteI think Castillo will get enough PT to matter. In truth, they could rotate all their Of (not including Craig on this one) and everyone can get regular playing time just missing a game or two a week. Castillo's injury and Betts' just better projections likely mean Betts' playing time isn't in danger and I suspect he'll lead off for the Sox. However, they didn't spend money on Castillo to have him sit. Since he is quasi hurt, one option could be to let him rehab in the minors in early April until the situation sorts itself out. Anyone expecting the flyin' hawaiin to stay healthy hasn't watched baseball lately.
DeleteThanks! I'll have to tell my co-manager to avoid Shane this year.
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