Daily Thoughts

Happy Brackets! This is the first year in which I am not participating in a bracket pool since around the time I stopped getting allowance most likely.

• Jacoby Ellsbury is supposed to be one of the exciting, non-old Yankee players this year and he just had a MRI showing an oblique injury. A few years ago everyone was pulling their hammy, now people are hurting their obliques. Who knows. Ellsbury might not see any action until the season starts, but if he's healthy by then he should be ready to go. In terms of pre-season injuries affecting 2015 value, I'd put this one lower on the list and would draft Ellsbury as is. Ellsbury is often thought of as a big injury risk, and some of that is deserved but he played 149 games last season and 134 the season before. He can't be relied on for 162 but 120 Ellsbury + 42 from a pickup is still a great fantasy asset.

• I'm keeping David Wright in a keeper league and I'm crossing my fingers that his shoulder is improved from last year. Wright elected to rest/rehab instead of surgery on his shoulder which in my total non-doctor opinion makes me a bit nervous but the early reports are encouraging. Here's to hoping that Wright eliminates head first slides and diving plays to ensure a healthy 2015 season. As a ballplayer I'm sure his instincts will tell him otherwise when he's rounding second towards third or sees a ball in the hole between short and third, but the Mets need 150 healthy games out of Mr. Wright, not a few gritty plays in May. With that all said, I'm expecting a resurgent year here. Including his horrendous 2014, over the last three years Wright has averaged .294/16/71/69/13 in 134 games which isn't spectacular but it's far better than Pablo Sandoval and co. 

• Masahiro Tanaka threw 3.2 innings without any setbacks and continued to impress this spring. The fact Tanaka hasn't allowed a run this spring is an added bonus but the important thing is he looks healthy, putting his elbow issues aside for at least the moment that plagued him last year. 

• Even with a poor spring, it would be foolish for the Dodgers to have Andre Eithier play CF for them this year but Joc Pederson is making that decision easy as he has raked thus far. Don Mattingly, who has incentive to not quite anoint anything yet, has nothing but glowing things to say about Joc. I'm fully expecting him to be their every day CF and a 20/20 season from the rookie could be in play. 

• Christian Yelich has reportedly agreed to a 7-year deal with the Marlins for $49 million and change. With Giancarlo Stanton, Yelich and Marcell Ozuna the Marlins might have the best outfield in the majors. His career line of .285/,365/.400 with a 116 wRC+ and above average defense is quite impressive considering Yelich is still only 23 years old. While he hits the ball on the ground a bit much, his youth and build (6'3'' 200+ lbs) could signal an improvement in the power department. I'm not predicting that it comes now or ever, but as we saw with Michael Brantley, spikes in power can make a solid player a MVP candidate and that wouldn't surprise me here.