Curtis Granderson is injured but should not be forgotten

Curtis Granderson and Mark Texiera (NYY) – A double whammy for the beloved/hated New York Yankees. Granderson got hurt in the very first Yankees spring training game and his very first at-bat. A J.A. Happ pitch fractured his right forearm and he is out for 10 weeks. He is scheduled to come back some time in May.

Outlook: I would gamble on him. I think once he knocks off the rust he will be a solid addition to your team. He may not hit 40+ HRs missing 2 months but he can hit 30+ HRs after he comes back, which makes him a nice bargain in daily fantasy baseball leagues.

As for Teixiera, I am more worried about him than I do about Grandy. Why? Well the main reason is that  he strained a tendon in his right wrist. He will miss at least 8-10 weeks. I just don’t buy the timetable for his return as wrist injuries like Teixiera’s can be much longer. A great example is Jose Batista’s wrist injury last year. Batista tried to come back in a month but ended up re-aggravating his wrist and ended up missing the rest of the season. As much as the Yanks value Tex’s production, they will not rush him.

Outlook: I would avoid Teixiera after this injury. Who knows when he will come back?  And even if he comes back by the 10 weeks, how long would it take for him to get his power back? I say pass with other great options available at 1B. Update: After further tests, Teixeira has learned that he has a partially torn tendon sheath that may eventually need surgery. This is terrible news for Teixeira. Avoid at all costs!

Brandon Beachy ( ATL) – Beachy had a great first half for the Braves.He led the league with a 2.00 ERA with a microscopic .96 WHIP. He was on his way to a spot on the National League All-Star squad – even perhaps the starter for the NL team. Then it all came crashing down. He left a game due to elbow soreness and days later he was diagnosed a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Tommy John surgery would knock him out since mid-June of last year. Tommy John surgeries do not take as long to recover as back then but it is still a long process for any player.

Outlook: The news right now is that he should be back by sometime in June. If your league allows stashes or if you have a deep bench, I would add him immediately as he was on his way to a great season before the injury. He can be a crucial addition to your fantasy baseball squad toward the stretch run.

Corey Hart (MIL) – Hart had a decent season last year for the Brewers with 30 HRs and 83 RBI. The Brewers lost some much needed pop when Prince Fielder left for Detroit so they need Hart’s production to help out Ryan Braun. On January 25^th, he had surgey on his right knee to repair a small cartilage tear and to clean up some debri. He is supposed to be back by sometime around early May.

Outlook: Here is a name to not forget. People might be scared off because of knee surgery but you shouldn’t. 30 HR capability should never be ignored now that we are past the ‘juiced ball’ era. Hart is valuable because of his power potential that will cost at a discounted price. He is even for more valuable in leagues where he counts as an OF and a 1B.

Matt Garza (ChC) – Garza was a usable SP for fantasy baseball owners last year. A 5-7 W L record is nothing to be excited for but then again he plays for the talent-depleted Cubs. He still managed a 3.91 ERA with a decent 1.16 WHIP. He was a trade piece for the Cubs and was going to be dealt to a contender looking for pitching. That never happened as Garza had tricep cramping/soreness which turned out to be a stress reaction in the back of his right elbow and was lost for the season. Now with his elbow working fine, he had a new injury to deal this spring with a strained lat muscle. He will be placed on the DL when the season starts and may be out until May.

Outlook: Do you see a pattern here? Garza just cannot stay healthy. He teases you with some nice games and then he gets hurt. I would pass on him and rather stash or aim for a SP like Beachy. We have seen Garza’s ceiling already. He is not worth the headache to have on your team.

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Lance Berkman is set to fill the void left over by Josh Hamilton

Last week I gave some players to look out for this spring training. This week, I am going list some more sleepers to remember heading into this fantasy baseball season.

Lance Berkman (Tex) – Here is a familiar name we all know. Two years removed from a surprise renaissance year with St. Louis, Berkman proves that can still be productive. But, let’s face it; the first thing that comes to mind about Lance is “injury prone”.  He had a disaster final year with the Cards as he played in only 32 games. Now he is with the Texas Rangers and playing as one of the key parts to fill the void left over by Josh Hamilton. I am banking on him having a bounce back season as being the DH for the Rangers will lessen his chances of getting hurt. It is not a stretch to think he can have a 30 HR/90+ RBI campaign.

Kendrys Morales (LAA) – The deepest infield position this year has to be 1B. One player to keep an eye on is Morales. This player will forever be known for his game winning celebration in 2010 where he broke his ankle after he hit a walk off grand slam. He missed all of 2011 too and was expendable by the Angels because of their logjam at first base. He did have a decent bounce back season last year, hitting 22 HRs in just 137 games. Now he goes to Seattle where they moved in the fences to accommodate a power hitter like Morales.

Justin Ruggiano (Mia) – Yes, I am aware that it is hard to think of another name for the Marlins besides Mr. Stanton. But keep Ruggiano in mind. He proved to be useful in his short time last year, quietly having a .313/13 HR/ 14 SB campaign. The best thing about Justin is the fact that a lot of people will shy away from any Marlin after Giancarlo thinking it is a fantasy wasteland. That is why you can get Ruggiano on the cheap. With a full season, expect him to improve on his stats last year. A nice bargain OF here.

Manny Machado (Bal) – Third Base is a shallower position than 1B. However, you can still find hidden gems at a cheaper price. Machado is really a SS but his teammate JJ Hardy is still there. Until then, he is a 3B – not just any 3B but he could be the next big thing in baseball. Upside is a .300 avg with 25+ HRs and high RBI totals with double digit SBs. And that could happen as early as this season. Give me a higher upside 3B in Machado than other risky types with lower ceilings like Pedro Alverez.

Andrelton Simmons (Atl) – At 23 yrs old, he’s already the best defensive SS in the game. He has the job now as the everyday SS. Now, he is surrounded by a potentially dangerous lineup.  The potential is there to be poor man’s Elvis Andrus with decent BA and nice SB totals. Not bad for arguably the shallowest position in fantasy baseball.

Dan Uggla (Atl) – Uggla’s numbers were plain ugly last year. Career lows in BA, OPS, HRs, and RBI had many owners cursing at him. Now he costs even less and is on many people’s “do not draft” list. BA was never his strong suit. His main production is solid power and RBI for fantasy baseball 2B. I expect him to bounce back and be the perennial 30 HR guy that we all love.

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Jurickson Profar – Will the Rangers find a way for him to be in the starting lineup?

Jurickson Profar (Tex) – The next big thing. The one rookie who can be the “Mike Trout” or “Bryce Harper” of 2013. The sky is the limit for the 19 year old as a five tool player. The most important thing holding him back is playing time. The Rangers love this phenom and are trying to find ways to put him in the lineup as full time player. They may move Ian Kinsler to the outfield for Profar to handle second base. Or they might outright put him in the OF. We will see and make sure you follow his progression throughout spring training.

Drew Stubbs (Cle) – As most of you know by now, Michael Bourne finally found a home in Cleveland. This looks like it pushes Stubbs out of an everyday job in the outfield. Now Stubbs can conceivably stick with the Indians with some position maneuvering. However, what is the best for Stubbs is that he gets traded to a team that is starving for OFs – I am talking about the Mets. Quickly, name one OF for the Mets…yeah didn’t think so. Stubbs is low average guy but is capable of double digit HRs and SBs – which makes him a name to remember.

Carl Crawford (LAD) – Here is a familiar name that is almost forgotten. This OF was a perennial first rounder in fantasy baseball for quite some time. Then he dealt with numerous injuries with the dreaded Tommy John surgery to top it off. Keep an eye on his spring training progress. Remember, he is just a few years removed from a great season in 2010.

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Yoenis Cespedes may be a valuable fantasy outfielder in 2013

Less than one month. That’s all that is left before pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training. Although that may seem like an eternity to those of us who crave baseball, it will be upon us all too quickly. While players finish last minute workouts and clubs continue to fill roster needs, it’s time to start thinking about the 2013 Fantasy Baseball season.

The beginning of every season means a fresh start. It gives struggling players the chance to revitalize their respective careers. The same can be said for fantasy managers who might not have faired so well last year. In January, hope springs eternal. But in order for a better season in 2013, some changes must be made. To do this, we must learn from our mistakes, and perhaps take on a new strategy. Hopefully by learning and growing, we can all take home some hardware come championship time.

In the first round of your draft, you are probably hoping for Mike Trout, Ryan Braun, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander or some other big time, proven player. You would be unwise not to. However, in order to win at Fantasy Sports, one must endure a season of peaks and valleys. Inevitably, a star player will go down midseason and strategic line-up alterations will ensue. For that reason, fantasy baseball is rarely won in the first few rounds of the draft. Instead, the mid-to-late round picks, as well as mid-season pick-ups, ultimately decide how the season will end.

With that in mind, I’m going to highlight a couple of players that I believe could have the most value for your team. It is important to note that by value I don’t mean players I think you should select in the first round, necessarily. These are players I believe will be available later in the draft, or could possibly be picked up later in the season, that can still be very helpful to your team.

Catcher

In 2013, solid fantasy catchers are in good supply; more-so than in years passed. Buster Posey, Carlos Santana, Joe Mauer, Carlos Ruiz, the list goes on. That being said, because there is so much depth behind the plate this year, you can focus on filling other positions first, and coming back to catcher later.

One guy that can really give you great value is Kansas City catcher, Salvador Perez. In only 76 games last year, Perez hit .301 with 11 home runs and 39 runs batted in. Including non-qualified hitters, his .301 average ranked Perez 3^rd for American League catchers. Over the course of his 115-game career, Perez is averaging .311 with an on-base percentage of .339. It will be interesting to see if Perez can keep that up over of an entire season, and I believe he will.

Another catcher to keep an eye on is Rob Brantly of the Miami Marlins. Brantly made his debut for the Marlins on August 14^th of last season after being traded from Detroit. In the 31 games he played last year, Brantly batted .290 and netted an OBP of .372. Brantly is definitely someone who could fulfill a fantasy roster spot down the road.

1^st Base

Of course, at first base there are the same names we see year after year; Pujols, Fielder, Votto, Adrian Gonzalez, etc. Most of these players will go in the first few rounds, as they should.

One player I believe will join those ranks this year is Allen Craig of the St. Louis Cardinals. Last season, Craig led all NL first basemen with a .307 average. He also blasted 22 Hrs and earned 92 RBIs in only 119 games. I would not be surprised if by year’s end, Craig is in the top five for fantasy first basemen.

One first baseman that could surprise a lot of people is Anthony Rizzo. In what was essentially half of a season for the Chicago Cubs in 2012, Rizzo hit 15 home runs, batted .285, and amassed 48 RBIs. Those statistics extrapolated over a full year could mean big things for Rizzo and the Cubs.

2^nd Base

Traditionally, second base is reserved for high-average, high-speed players. Over the last few years however, we’ve seen a shift towards power with guys like Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler, Aaron Hill, and Dan Uggla at the helm. As a result, 2^nd base is a big strategy position for fantasy baseball. You can go for either speed and average or for raw power. Of course, there’s no question your best best at 2^nd is still Cano, who will undoubtedly hit .300, belt 30+ home runs, and drive in 100+ runs. After Cano though, things get interesting.

One player to seriously consider is Marco Scutaro. Despite the fact that Scutaro is 37, he put together one of his best seasons last year. Split between Colorado and San Francisco, Scutaro had nearly 200 hits, and yielded a combined batting average of .306, including a .362 clip in his 61 games as a Giant. Scutaro’s stats have only improved over his 11-year career, and I see that trend continuing in 2013.

Perhaps one of the most under-the-radar players out there is Logan Forsythe of the San Diego Padres. Last season, Forsythe hit .273, with a slugging percentage of .390 in 91 games. His numbers become really impressive at home in Petco Park where he batted .313 and slugged .493. If Forsythe can hit on the road as well as he hits in pitcher-friendly Petco, he could easily be a fantasy hero this year.

3^rd Base

Much like 1^st base, 3^rd base provides that same list of reliable players year after year. Guys like Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Adrian Beltre, and Ryan Zimmerman are cornerstones of their respective clubs and will be cornerstones of many fantasy teams also. So where do you turn when those elite players aren’t available?

Without a doubt, a great fantasy third basemen for 2013 will be Martin Prado of the Atlanta Braves. With Chipper Jones enjoying life after baseball, Prado is set to take over duties at the hot corner in Atlanta. In the last five years, Prado has hit .300 or better four times. Last year was easily Prado’s best with career highs in games played (156), stolen bases (17), RBIs (70), and OBP (.359). Prado isn’t the “typical” fantasy third baseman in that he wont hit a slew of home runs; his career high was 15 in 2010. That being said, if you’re looking for a third baseman that can help you in areas other than power, Prado may very well be your guy.

One of the top up-and-comers for third basemen is Will Middlebrooks of the Red Sox. Playing in a mere 75 games for Boston last season, Middlebrooks recorded 15 homers, 54 RBIs, a .288 average, and a .509 slugging percentage. His .509 SLP ranked him fourth for AL third basemen, behind only Cabrera, Beltre, and Evan Longoria. Not bad company. Definitely keep an eye on Middlebrooks.

Shortstop

From a fantasy perspective, shortstop is an interesting position this year. You have Troy Tulowitzki coming back from an injury plagued 2012, Jose Reyes in the AL East, and Hanley Ramirez with a full year in Los Angeles. There are also a slew of young shortstops looking to take the reigns for their ball clubs, such as Starlin Castro, J.J. Hardy, and Ian Desmond. There are a lot of different directions you can go at shortstop this year.

From a value perspective, I think your best bet is Josh Rutledge of the Colorado Rockies. Now with Tulowitzki back, Rutledge will most likely start at 2^nd base, but he should also qualify as a shortstop. In 73 games last season, Rutledge had 8 home runs, 20 doubles, and a SLP of .469, which ranked him fourth for NL shortstops. Given the chance for a full season, Rutledge could be an interesting play at short.

Keep an eye out for Everth Cabrera in 2013. Cabrera plays shortstop for the San Diego Padres, and will undoubtedly steal 50+ bases this year. Last year, he stole a league-leading 44 bases in only 115 games. If you need steals, and can absorb the .250 average and low power numbers Cabrera will produce, he might not be a bad pick-up at short.

Outfield

The outfield can often be a tricky place for fantasy owners. Depending on your league, you may have players qualify for the whole outfield, their individual position (C, LF, RF), or all three. Because the outfield offers so many players with vary abilities, it’s important to strategize how you will use each position. For example, Jason Heyward of the Braves can provide you power and speed in right field, but he might hurt you somewhat with average. To combat that, perhaps you also use someone like Nationals’ CF Denard Span who will most likely hit for better average, but less power. Use whatever strategy you see fit, it is just important that you have a strategy in place.

The outfielder I think could provide the most value in 2013 is Yoenis Cespedes of the Athletics. Last year, in his rookie campaign, Cespedes totaled 23 home runs, 82 RBIs, and a batting average over of .292. If it wasn’t for a man named Mike Trout, Cespedes could easily have won Rookie of the Year last season. To be fair, Cespedes was a professional in Cuba for almost nine years before coming to the MLB. As such, he has developed the tools to be a staple in the majors for a long time. Look for Cespedes to have even bigger numbers this season.

An outfielder to keep an eye on is Twins’ Darin Mastroianni. Last season, Mastroianni swiped 21 bases in only 77 games. His speed is a tool that can vault him true fantasy value. At the top of the Minnesota batting order, I believe Mastroianni will score at least 80 runs and steal more than 40 bases. If he can raise his average from last year’s .252, Mastroianni might be a good gamble in 2013.

Starting Pitcher

It is really common for starting pitching to win a championship, and that goes for on-the-field as well as fantasy leagues. Depending on league settings, starting pitching can carry a team to the playoffs with almost no help from the position players. For that reason, it is really important to get an ace like Justin Verlander or Felix Hernandez early in the draft. Still as we well know, sometimes aces don’t act like aces. That’s when the other starters you have really need to pitch well.

I think the single best value for a starting pitcher in 2013 is Matt Moore of the Tampa Bay Rays. Moore pitched 177.1 innings last year and struck out 175 batters. Combine that with a 3.81 ERA, and 1.348 WHIP, and Moore had a a very solid season a year ago. As the Rays’ third starter behind David Price and Jeremy Hellickson, I see Moore getting favorable match-ups and increasing his win total from 11 in 2012 to 14 or 15 this year.

One of the starting pitchers to note is Derek Holland of the Texas Rangers. Holland had some issues in 2012, but despite an ERA of 4.67, he still won 12 games and managed a WHIP of 1.221. In 2011, he totaled 16 wins and an ERA under 4.00. I believe that this year, Holland will be back over the 15 win mark and could be a very valuable 3^rd or 4^th starting pitcher.

Relief Pitcher

Relief pitcher is one of the most difficult positions to predict. Often guys who start in the bullpen end up in the rotation. Kris Medlen of the Braves best showcased this last year. Still, saves and holds can be a big swaying point in some fantasy leagues, so it’s important to have a solid relief pitcher on your roster.

Drew Storen of the Washington Nationals could be a great closer this year in terms of fantasy value. The Nationals will contend for the NL East, and may very rely on Storen for 30+ saves. Although an inflamed elbow only allowed Storen to save four games a season ago, he was able to secure 43 games in 2011. I suspect Storen to be back to 2011 form, when he had 74 strikeouts and a 2.75 ERA in 75.1 innings pitched.

It may be beneficial to keep an eye on Chris Perez of the Cleveland Indians. Perez totaled more than 30 saves each of the past two years, including a 39-save campaign last season. Despite a fairly high 3.59 ERA, Perez still finds a way to close out games. Plus with a career average close to a strikeout per inning, Perez could definitely be a fantasy hero by season’s end.

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Value plays:

New York Yankees – Are we there yet? That seems to be the mantra of the Red Sox, as this miserable season nears conclusion. The Yankees beat up on them pretty good on Monday, and if the past is any indication of the future, they should have plenty of success against DiceK tonight. The team owns a .280 batting average and a .463 slugging percentage against the Boston starter, with all of their big bats getting into the action. Derek Jeter is the only player with multiple homers, but five of his teammates have rounded the bases once against Matsuzaka. The patient nature of the Yankees lineup figures to frusterate the Red Sox tonight, giving them plenty of opportunities to score runs, and provide fantasy baseball owners with plenty of confidence.

Matt Holliday – While Homer Bailey is fresh off of a no hitter, he has very little chance at repeating that success tonight against the playoff bound Cardinals. St. Louis is batting .329 as a team against Bailey, with Holliday’s consistent bat leading the way. He has a .440 career batting average against the Reds righty while leading the Cards in doubles, triples, and HR’s against Bailey. His .840 slugging percentage is testament to his tremendous upside, and the Cardinals will be trying to play themselves into a rhythm as they approach the one game playoff on Friday. Many studs aren’t worht rostering this late in the season, but Holliday is a player you can trust to produce for in daily fantasy baseball games until the regular season expires.

Players to avoid:

Ryan Zimmerman – The Nats are in the postseason, meaning that some of their regulars could get some extended rest. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is one of those days for Zim, as he has struggled mightily against Cliff Lee. The Washington third basemen has managed only a .133 batting average with 0 extra base hits and 0 RBI against Lee, giving you no reason to trust him tonight for your daily fantasy baseball team.

Texas Rangers – The Oakland Athletics are a handful for any team, and the Rangers are no exception. AJ Griffin may only be 24 years of age, but he mowed down the Rangers potent lineup in his one opportunity. They managed only 2 hits against Griffin in 20 at bats, both being harmless singles. Do I think he is going to breeze through this lineup again? No. But fantasy baseball owners haven’t won by betting against him (7-1 with a 2.71 ERA and 1.05 WHIP) and shouldn’t start tempting fate now.

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