SimonOnSports

Not really, but I am tied for the 1st round lead with 13 others after round 1 in their best ball challenge .

In 2010 Carlos Gonzalez was a hero to all of his fantasy owners. He paid out his owners who likely drafted him above the 10th round a pay day of #1 on the player rater. In all likelihood this will not happen this season, but let us take a look at some of the names who might generate some buzz and have the potential to join the ranks of the top 10. Before we get into whom may wind up being the CarGo of 2011, let us first take a look at any of the indicators for the breakout campaign that he may have given us during the 2009 season and the 2010 spring which. Finishing Off Strong / Figuring It Out Post AllStar: 62 Games, 42 Runs, 10 DBs, 12 HRs, 24 RBI, 11 SB, .384 OBP, .608 SLG%, .320 BA Playoffs: 4 Games, 5 Runs, 2 DBs, 1 HRs, 1 RBI, 2 SB, .632 OBP, .882 SLG%, .588 BA One thing that I always try to look at (and sometimes it bites me in the ass Josh Towers 06 ), is how a younger player finishes off the season. For Carlos Gonzalez the 2009 season was two stark differences.  ...

With the 2010 fantasy baseball season finally over, it's time to look back at those folks on draft day that had an MVP like season. You drafted them late and they performed like superstars. Catcher: Buster Posey (#17 Catcher, NR Overall), All of this picks with the exception of Buster Posey were mostly draft day bargains. For those of you whom were smart enough to draft Posey before the season starts and let him sit unused on your bench for months were eventually rewarded heavily. Posey finished ranked 3rd overall for all MLB catchers while playing in 2 less months. His numbers during this time frankly dwarf Joe Mauer's numbers for which you likely used a 1st round pick. First Base: Joey Votto (#8 1B, #36 Overall), One would think that the biggest bargain for first baseman would have come later in the draft but alas Joey Votto was the biggest bargain. Ranked #8 for first baseman in the preseason, Votto put up Albert Pujols like numbers just 3 rounds later. Second ...

Dear Corey Hart, Hi Corey, I have a relatively simple question for you. See in 2009 I thought you were going to be some breakout 25/25 hitter and that you were going to build upon your steady career progressions in your 27 year old season and because of this I drafted you in my first round (8 keepers per team so 9th round in reality). But instead of getting 25/25 you put up a measly 12 HRs and 11 steals. You drove in basically no runs and frankly were a completely useless fantasy asset. In laymans terms, you sucked. So my question is pretty simple, why do you keep on hitting home runs this season? Why have you eclipsed your 2009 HR totals in 1/3 of a season? Can you go back to sucking so I won't be annoyed at the fact that the only year I owned you in a 4 season span was the only year you weren't remotely useful? It's just a little request. I mean your team is already out of it so no one would really care or notice if you only hit say, 4 more home runs the entire...

When it comes to fantasy trades and a leagues veto power I tend to be a little bit more lax than others. If someone in your keeper league is dumb enough to trade away a young Jose Reyes for Danny Graves, than perhaps the bigger problem is that they are in your league period and not that people take advantage of their idiocy. In reality you are just mad that you weren't the one to profit in the first place*. Anywho, earlier this season my buddy at work comes to me and says that there is a trade in his league that everyone is bitching about and is probably going to veto. On one end the player is absolutely positively desperate for a third baseman after poor draft strategy and a few injuries so just a few weeks into the season he's looking to make a deal for a third baseman. On the other end one guy has Chipper Jones and a need in the outfield. A deal is arranged where one party gets Chipper Jones and the other gets Bobby Abreu. On face value this is a bad deal. Chipper Jo...

Last week I mentioned the fact that I stupidly forgot that defense is a part of baseball during my fantasy draft and decided to draft Mike Napoli's power potential. The problem of course was that his manager does consider defense important to the game and was giving Jeff Mathis the King's share of at bats. Well God, Kevin Jepsen, and Jeff Mathis' calcium deficient diet gave me a quick solution to this playing time conundrum. Mathis decided to block a wild Jepsen pitch with his wrist, fractured it and now will miss the next 6 to 8 weeks. And this is where Fantasy Sports / just being a sports fan makes you a bad person.I am happy that someone broke their wrist. I am very pleased that Jeff Mathis will be unable to play baseball and earn* a living for the next two months. I'm not particularly pleased with the fact that he will have to rehab and that he might be in some pain, but I am pleased that Mike Napoli will be getting the bulk of the playing time while he...

I'm one of the many people that drafted Mike Napoli this year looked at his stats of the past season and started drooling over what just may have happened if he was given 500 at bats. Currently each and every one of those players is in early season panic mode because it appears as if Mike Scioscia believes that it isn't Mike Napoli and his 40 HRs the past two years that give him the best chance to win, it is in fact Jeff Mathis a player who has hit under .215 in each of the past two seasons. Through the Angels first 7 games Mathis has started 5 games while Napoli has started just 2 and I along with other Napoli owners wonder what the hell we were thinking on draft day. Sometimes you look at a players numbers and just get lost in aww with the prospective of endless power and you completely forget that baseball actually includes defense and a catcher is first in foremost in charge of calling a good game. Defense statistics will likely never work their way into fantasy baseb...

As I mentioned on monday ( via Twitter ) my fantasy draft this year is this Friday due to Jesus and his resurrection. Surprisingly I'm finding that this just might throw a whirlwind of surprises come draft night. Here's a few reasons why: 1) Some of Those Sleepers You Love Just Might Get Exposed Week 1 : Hi Carlos Gonzalez, I'm talking to you. I own Carlos Gonzalez in each of my other leagues and got him at a very affordable discount price for someone I think will hit over .300 with 20-20. This price is going up up and away thanks to the fact that he has gotten multiple hits in each game during the Brewers series. So... do I pay the increased price or do I hope he falls somewhere in between the true price of .300 20-20 and old sleeper price? 2) Do I Over-react About Things Week 1?: Hello Cory Hart, I wasn't planning on picking you early, but maybe as a fifth outfielder. But what do I do with the fact that Jim Edmonds is starting? Do I throw you in a trash ca...

I know baseball and the National Championship game is on your mind, but how about a little Masters Best Ball on ESPN? Join the Public Group I started: Get In Many Many Holes

With my draft just around the corner and my keeper choices were due today and with a heavy heart I had to put Mr. Berkman down. In 2006, my first year in this keeper league, he was my first pick.  In those 4 years he has been a rock.  Unfortunately his time has come.  His knees are aching, he's coming off an injury plagued season, and he's already on the DL.  I simply had no choice but the veer younger and go with Adam Lind. You shall be missed Lance, but you will always be a huge part of my favorite blogpost ever written on this site and perhaps we shall see each other in the draft.

League Settings: 12 Team Head to Head, Traditional 5*5 Holy Power Batman I didn't really go in planning to grab two 450 pound men that play 1B and hit a crap ton of home runs but that kind of just happened. I actually was planning on taking Ian Kinsler with my second pick to sure up a middle infield spot but changed my mind at the idea of having 90+ HRs and 250 RBIs locked up. I Heart Yovani I just do. If I don't get him in my drafts I get a sad feeling inside. Grabbing the Limped People shy away from injured people for little to no reason. Just a reminder to H2H folk, injured players are typically back in time for the playoffs. With that being said I'd rather have the potential of Carlos Beltran and Brandon Webb in September with the negatives of getting waiver wire production in the meaningless months of April and May. Sometimes You Just Need to Admit Defeat and Wait At some point I realized that all the 3B and SS were pretty much gone and that there was no...

How am I doing my rankings? First I take the CHONE projections for each player, next I calculate what percentage of my needed stats they will garner me in my keeper league (3rd place for each category). Finally I see just how much added bonus they give me in comparison to the average player at the position. A Lot of Depth But Zero Gods The Outfield position is most certainly the deepest position in fantasy baseball and this is why you are always forced to have more on hand than every other position. In the outfield you are more likely to find a 20/20 sleeper than anywhere else. In the outfield you are certainly more likely to get ample speed. In the outfield you will get a lot, but you probably won't get a fantasy god. Last year Matt Kemp wasn't even kept in my keeper league (a total of 60 hitters were the guy that had him's team was stacked) this year he's often going in the top 5. I love Matt Kemp as much as the next guy, but please look at his splits for a...

How am I doing my rankings? First I take the CHONE projections for each player, next I calculate what percentage of my needed stats they will garner me in my keeper league (3rd place for each category). Finally I see just how much added bonus they give me in comparison to the average player at the position. Welcome to Third Base where everyone of relevance hails from Norfolk / Virginia Beach... Does the Power Outage Extend to 2010? David Wright last year could have been selected as the first overall pick in fantasy drafts and it wouldn't have been incredibly laughable. This season you might be able to get him in the second round which if the power comes back at all could be a steal. Think about this for a second, the hot corner isn't nearly as deep as people think and Wright is just two years removed from 30/30. Then again if Beltran and Reyes are out for lengthy periods of time the pressure will once again fall on Wright's shoulders and that weight didn't ex...

How am I doing my rankings? First I take the CHONE projections for each player, next I calculate what percentage of my needed stats they will garner me in my keeper league (3rd place for each category). Finally I see just how much added bonus they give me in comparison to the average player at the position. What About Joe Mauer's Power? Joe Mauer for years was a slightly overrated fantasy asset. Sure he was going to give you a ridiculous average especially for a catcher but his power was equivalent to Dioner Navarro's aka non-existant. And then 2009 came and all of a sudden Mauer was smacking home runs left and right with no harm done to his .365 average. If Joe Mauer hits 30+ home runs this season he's worth a 1st round pick because Catcher is so shallow, if he hits 12-15 home runs than you're team might be in trouble. If Only He Played Everyday The biggest problem with catchers is that most of them get ample days off weekly. For instance Mike Napoli has h...

How am I doing my rankings? First I take the CHONE projections for each player, next I calculate what percentage of my needed stats they will garner me in my keeper league (3rd place for each category). Finally I see just how much added bonus they give me in comparison to the average player at the position. I Love The Kinsler Kinsler has everything you want in a draft pick. He has power, speed, potential to hit above .300 (see 2008), is in his prime and hits in a great lineup. He went 30/30 last year and his draft stock has gone down thanks to a dip in average. Kinsler will rise up the ranks again this season. Surprising Depth Second base used to be a position that was absolutely positively dreadful. In 2010 the position supplies surprising depth and some potential for more. If the breakout seasons from Cano, Zobrist and Aaron Hill continue this position is at least 10 strong. Then it could be even stronger if you think that Rickie Weeks or Howie Kendrick can finally emer...

How am I doing my rankings? First I take the CHONE projections for each player, next I calculate what percentage of my needed stats they will garner me in my keeper league (3rd place for each category). Finally I see just how much added bonus they give me in comparison to the average player at the position. 1B Is DEEEEEEEEEEEEP Sure you wouldn't mind having Albert Pujols and his .350 average and 45 home runs, but you could get the 10th 1B off the board and end up with Joey Votto, Lance Berkman or Justin Morneau all of whom are likely to approach 30 HRs 100+ RBI and have a respectable average. There is no other position that even comes close to the depth of first base. If you don't get 20+ home runs from your first baseman than chances are you're either terrible at fantasy baseball or the rest of your lineup is incredibly stacked. And If Your Lucky Enough to Include DHs It Gets Deeper In my main league we don't have any utility slots which means that DHs get lu...

How am I doing my rankings? First I take the CHONE projections for each player, next I calculate what percentage of my needed stats they will garner me in my keeper league (3rd place for each category). Finally I see just how much added bonus they give me in comparison to the average player at the position. Point #1, Draft Hanley Ramirez With Your First Pick The debate is probably on in the fantasy world surrounding whom to pick first between Hanley Ramirez and Albert Pujols, well count me a considerably in Hanley's corner. First off Hanley's all around numbers are likely to be not much worse than Albert's. He's going to give you 20 more steals. He's probably going to have a similar Average/Hits. He might score more runs. Sure he's going to lose out on HRs and RBIs but thats not that big of a deal considering... No matter how you look at it SS is not as deep as 1B. What Hanley does for you far exceeds even the next best shortstops, guys that will be go...

Just in case you forgot earlier in the season why you do not draft Peyton Manning on your fantasy football team, Jim Caldwell was here to remind you. In my league (A winner take all league), the league commish drafted Peyton Manning and made it all the way to the finals (after edging me in the semis). I told him he was pretty much screwed because Peyton was going to sit in the second half and the Jets were going to give up at most 18 points to him. I was right on both accounts, though 18 points was way high he had just 8. Needless to say Peyton Manning's benching cost him the championship and once again proved why you do not draft Peyton despite his consistent awesomeness. He may have gotten it done in the real playoffs once, but he is a consistent bust in the fantasy playoffs.

It's week 14 which means that if you are in a fantasy league with three weeks of playoffs, this was week one. Here's a quick top ten list of the fantasy players that if you were relying on for a big performance you just might not be making it to the second week of the playoffs. 11. Reggie Wayne - Reggie Wayne has been a bit banged up lately but when Peyton Manningh throws for 4 tds you kind of expect some sort of point total from Wayne. Instead, all the tds went Dallas Clark's way and Wayne ended up with scraps. 10. Carson Palmer - A week after the Cardinals went up and down the field with ease on the Vikings you had to hope that Palmer was going to do the same. Instead he threw for just 94 yards. He at least threw for a touchdown but it wasn't exactly what you were looking for. 9. Pittsburgh Defense - If you played the Steelers D you figured they would give up almost zero points, have a bunch of sacks and takeaways. Instead they did nothing and outside of wha...

Dear Jason Witten, You don't know me and chances are pretty good that we will never meet, but I just want to say that you annoy the hell out of me and likely many others like me. See I drafted you in fantasy football this year thinking that you would be a beast. T.O. was gone and even more balls were going to come your way. So I thought. But that hasn't been the case. You've been an epic disappointment. Whatever the reason is, you haven't gotten it done. So on Wednesday when I was watching NFL live and they said that you were questionable, a game time decision and probably not going to go, I thought "Ok well whatever not like you've been good all year. I'll just bench you in case you don't play and pick up whatever TE off the waiver wire." What happens? You actually play and you have the one good game you've had all year. Thanks jackass. Sincerely, Everyone that Drafted You