How Good Are The Kansas City Royals?

If you look at the current MLB standings, there are a number of surprising divisional leaders. However, perhaps the most surprising right now is none other than the Kansas City Royals. They have really taken off in recent weeks, and they are currently just slightly behind of the Detroit Tigers. With a lot of the season still left, can this team actually keep things up?

When you look at the team statistics, Kansas City is not really dominating in any one category. The only major category the team is in the top 10 in is batting average. They have a solid group of hitters headlined by Alcides Escobar, Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez. Fittingly, those three are all solid options for the defense as well.

On the pitching side of things, they might not be super impressive, but the staff is getting things done. James Shields is technically the ace, but Jeremy Guthrie, Jason Vargas and youngster Yordano Ventura have all pitched well in the rotation in 2014. People in fantasy baseball like the promise of Ventura, and he balances things with three veterans being mainstays in the rotation as well. Danny Duffy looks to be settling into that #5 slot.

The bullpen they have right now is what is allowing them to close out games. Wade Davis and Greg Holland are just two guys putting up great numbers on the mound. Their ERAs are under 1.30 right now, and they are both young enough to be around for a while.

The Royals might not be World Series contenders or anything like that just yet, but they are showing the Detroit Tigers that they can compete. Look for them to be a playoff contender the rest of the season with a well-rounded squad.

Guest post by Franklin Canton

Mid-Season Team Review

     Week 13 marked the mid point in my fantasy baseball league's season.  My team is currently in first place with a 9-4 record.  It has been a very competitive season so far, with only 2.5 games separating the top 5 teams in the league.  The most competitive move I have seen so far this year was when a league-mate picked up Zack Wheeler a month before his major league debut (Mets fan...).  Pretty bold move considering we don't have NA slots in our league.  Here are the changes I've made to my team over the first few months of the season:

ADDS

Ernesto Frieri, RP Anaheim Angels-  There was a snow storm the day we held our draft and the internet kept going out at the tavern.  As a result, I auto-drafted Eric Aybar.  First move I made of the season was to drop him and pick up Frieri.  The auto-draft gods left me weak at the closer position, so it was my top priority to address through free agency.   Frieri is having a pretty good year,  sporting a 3.19 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 21 saves with only 2 blown.

Jim Henderson

Jim Henderson, RP Milwaukee Brewers-  As I said earlier, I was weak at closer.  Henderson had a fantastic start to the year, but then suffered a groin injury.  He missed a couple of weeks on the DL and hasn't really regained his form yet.  The Brewers were also determined to get K-ROD his 300th save and are now trying to use him as trade bait, so Henderson's save opportunities have diminished as of late.  The Brewers haven't been winning many games lately. so that doesn't help either.  I'll keep Henderson at least until a better closer situation opens up.  It's such a volatile position, so opportunities are bound to present themselves.  Henderson has 10 saves on the year with a 2.12 ERA and 31 K's.  He has 3 blown saves, all coming in the month of June.

Dexter Fowler

Dexter Fowler, OF Colorado Rockies-  I picked Fowler up
during his power burst at the beginning of the season.  He hasn't been able to maintain the power, but has still been a good producer of runs, stolen bases, and avg./obp..  Fowler does have some injury concerns of late.  He bruised his thumb and then injured his wrist in the last couple of weeks.  He has been trying to play through the injures, as all of his MRI's have been clean.  Unfortunately,  his efforts have been mostly unsuccessful and he has missed quite a few games.  There is talk he may end up on the DL.  If that turns out to be the case, I will have to drop him because my DL spots are full,

Edward Mujica, RP St. Louis Cardinals-  Another addition to my bullpen.  Mujica took over the St. Louis closer job when Jason Motte went down with an injury and ended up having season ending Tommy John surgery.  Mujica has been very effective in the role so far, picking up 21 saves with a 2.20 ERA and 28K's.  "The Chief" has yet to blow a save this season.

Patrick Corbin, SP Arizona Diamondbacks- I picked Corbin up in the beginning of May after he put up great numbers in April.  I wasn't sure Corbin had the stuff to continue to dominate, boy have I been pleasantly surprised.  He is definitely one of my top pickups so far this season.  Corbin is 9-0 with a 2.20 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 85K's.  His record doesn't even do him justice as he has pitched good enough to win in 4 out of his last 5 starts, but the Arizona offense has let him down.

Nate McLouth

Nate McLouth (of the clan McLouth), OF Baltimore Orioles-  I picked up McLouth just so I could make that Highlander reference...  Truthfully, I picked him up because I had the need for speed and McLouth is stealing a lot of bases this year.  McLouth, a former All Star with Pittsburgh, has resurrected his career as the lead off man in Baltimore.  He is having a great season, hitting .282 with 49 runs, 24 stolen bases, and 6 homers.  The only gripe I have with McLouth is that Showalter frequently sits him when the Orioles are facing left handers, so you have to check the opposing pitcher if you are planning on starting him.

Josh Donaldson

Josh Donaldson, 3rd Base Oakland Athletics-  Donaldson has
been another pleasant surprise this year.  My starting first baseman is Evan Longoria, so I need a good back up because he is injury prone.  I had Aramis Ramirez, but he is playing injured and having a disappointing season. When I saw the numbers Donaldson was putting up, I made the switch and haven't looked back.  Donaldson is hitting .313 with 13 HR's, 53 RBI's, and 44 Runs.

Domonic Brown

Domonic Brown, OF Philadelphia Phillies-  If you have read my previous articles, then you know I had been following Brown since spring training.  When he started his home run spree I picked him up and reaped the benefits.  He now has 21 on the season and has been an all around productive player.  I don't expect him to keep putting up the ridiculous numbers that he did in May, but as long as he doesn't go into a major slump, he's got a spot on my team.

Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig, OF Los Angeles Dodgers-   I missed picking up Mike Trout last year by a couple of hours.  This year, I had my finger on the button to pick up Jean Segura and I said to myself, eh I'll wait until after dinner.  By then it was too late...  When I saw that Yasiel Puig was called up to the majors, I didn't hesitate.  I picked him up before he had even played an inning in the big leagues.  I had followed Puig in spring training, so I knew what he was capable of.  The question was could he transition that success to the regular season? Could he win a starting outfielder job from one of the highly paid veterans in the Dodger outfield?  The rewards outweighed the risk in this case.  I took the gamble and won big this time.  Puig is a phenom, his ability to adapt to whatever a pitcher throws at him is unreal.  His only weakness so far is that he's playing too damn hard.  He ran into a wall trying to catch a home run and he's made some reckless decisions attempting to turn singles into doubles.  One thing is for certain, Puig is a fantasy STUD.  He is also a lot of fun to watch play the game, if you get the chance you should do so.  The guy is going at full throttle at all times. Puig is hitting .436 with 7 HR's, 16 RBI's, 19 Runs, and 4 stolen bases in 26 games.

Ervin Santana

Ervin Santana, SP Kansas City Royals-  Santana is having a pretty good year and when Jim Henderson went on the DL with a groin injury, I figured what the hell.  There weren't any closers worth picking up and I haven't been happy with a couple of the starting pitchers I drafted, so I figured Santana could replace one of them down the road.  Cole Hamels and Yovani Gallardo are both having horrible years and it's getting to the point where something has to give.  I still haven't made up my mind yet who I will end up dropping, time will tell.


Nick Franklin, 2nd Base/Shortstop-  Tulo is my starting shortstop, enough said.

Mike Leake

 Mike Leake, SP Cincinnati Reds-  When Anibal Sanchez went on the DL I needed another starting pitcher.  Leake has been pretty consistent this year so I added him. He's 7-3 with a 2.52 ERA and 67 strikeouts on the season.  His WHIP is a bit high at 1.13, so I'm sure his ERA will rise too as the season goes on.  Cincinnati is a good hitting team, so Leake should get plenty of opportunities to win games.  That may keep him relevant even if his ERA does rise.

Joaquin Benoit

Joaquin Benoit, RP Detroit Tigers-  Brandon League was one of my closers, in the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I really have to say about that.".  A league-mate had already picked up his replacement, Kenley Jansen, 3 weeks earlier.  Valverde had just lost the job in Detroit, so BAM! Benoit is my newest closer.  The closer situation in Detroit is a hot mess, so I wouldn't be shocked if Benoit doesn't keep the job.  They may try to trade for someone like Papelbon or sign Brian Wilson.  Benoit has the job for now, so I'll ride that wave.








DROPS

Eric Aybar (auto-draft), Jonathan Broxton (auto-draft),  Brett Anderson (auto-draft), Miguel Montero (hitting sub .200), Nick Swisher (injury/slump), Norichika Aoki (because Yasiel Puig is better),  Brandon League (lost closer job), Adam Eaton (injury, needed space on my DL), Aramis Ramirez (injury/slump)


Grade

Overall, I give myself a grade of B for the first half of the season.  I am in first place with a 9-4 record, but my lead is only a half game.  I missed out on several strong free agents such as Jean Segura, Starling Marte, Jeff Locke, and Gerrit Cole.  All of them where on my radar, I just waited too long to make a move.  Going forward, I need to be more aggressive in free agency because there are still several weak spots on my team that need to be addressed.  I would like acquire at least one standout starting pitcher in the second half.  Last year I was able to add Kris Medlen during his dominant second half run, so I know the difference one great pitcher can make on your team.  I would also like to find strong backups at catcher and 1st base.  My league is not big on trades, so I doubt that would be an option at this point.  I will have to bring my A game when it comes to free agency in the second half to put myself in the best possible position going into the playoffs.

As always, thanks for reading!

Watch List Wonders

  We're just about at the half way point in the season for most fantasy baseball leagues.  This season, like any other, has seen it's fair share of big name players go down with injuries.  Here are a few of my recommendations for players who could help your team and are most likely available in your league's free agent pool:

Nick Franklin (2nd/SS, Seattle Mariners)- Franklin was called up in late May to take the place of Seattle's struggling second baseman, Dustin Ackley.  Since then, he's hitting .287 with 4 homers, 13 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases.  Not bad numbers when you consider the lack of depth in the league at the middle infielder positions.  He also has eligibility at both second and short, which just increases his value.  I picked up Franklin myself when Tulo broke his rib and so far I have no complaints.  He has decent power and good speed.  Franklin is currently available in 62% of Yahoo leagues.
  

Leonys Martin

Leonys Martin (OF, Texas Rangers)-  Martin had been battling Craig Gentry for the starting center field position for the Rangers.  Gentry broke his hand, giving the starting job to Martin by default.  Martin took the opportunity and ran with it.  He now has an 11 game hitting streak, bringing his average up to .288.  Martin has speed (13 stolen bases) and with the high powered Ranger offense, the ability to score runs.  He's available in 80% of Yahoo leagues.

Anthony Rendon (2nd/3rd, Washington Nationals)-  Rendon got his first shot in the majors this year when Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman went down with an injury.  When Zimmerman came off the DL, Rendon was sent back down to the minors.  The Nationals however, where so impressed with Rendon that they converted him to second base to replace the struggling Danny Espinosa.  Rendon came back to the majors on June 6 and has taken full advantage of his second shot at the big show.  He has eligibility at second and third, and has raised his average to .354/.402 OBP, with 12 runs scored.  Good second baseman are really hard to come by these days, so at the very least, keep an eye on Rendon.  He has the potential to be a star and he's available in 64% of Yahoo leagues.

Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki (OF, New York Yankees)-  Ichiro has been a disappointment for most of this year, but it seems like he is finally coming around.  He's hitting .362 over the last 2 weeks, with 3 homers and 7 stolen bases.  The ancient and hobbled Yankees are in need of any kind of offense they can get lately, so if Ichiro is hot, look for him to continue to get the green light stealing bases.  Suzuki is available in 53% of Yahoo leagues.

Eric Stults (SP, San Diego Padres)- Stults got off to a rocky start this year, but has been outstanding for the last 2 months.  He's only given up more than 3 runs once since the beginning of May.  He's currently rocking a 3.20 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 67 strikeouts, with 6 wins.  Stults is at least worth a spot on your watch list, because you never know when one of your starters will go down with an injury.  I know I will probably be picking up Stults if/when I finally decide to throw in the towel on Cole Hamels.  That is of course if I can't trade him... Stults is available in 66% of Yahoo leagues.

As always, thanks for reading! I'm going to try and get more material out to you on a regular basis.  My wife and I are expecting our second child so things have been a little busy around here...  My next feature should be a mid season update on my roster.  Things have changed quite a bit since the draft...

Watch List Wonders

   I'm going to try and stick with players who will be on a major league roster at the beginning of the season for this piece.  Too often I find that when people write these kind of articles they highlight players who probably won't be in the majors for months.  Unless you are in a dynasty league that's not going to do you much good right now.  Here are a few of the players I will be keeping an eye on going into the season:

Dominic Brown OF Phillies- I'm not a big fan of spring training stats, but he's hitting .354 with 7 homers and 16 RBIs in 79 at bats.  He played himself into a starting spot in Philadelphia's outfield and is worth at least a spot on your watch list. He is available in 58% of Yahoo leagues.

Brandon Moss

Brandon Moss 1B,OF Athletics-  Moss was a big part of Oakland's push into the playoffs last year.
He hit .291 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs in only 84 games. He's having a decent spring, hitting .326 with 1 homer and 7 RBIs in 46 at bats.  It remains to be see if Moss can carry over his success from last year or if he will be a one year wonder.  Oakland is a talented young ball club and their stats will be padded with the addition of Houston to their division.  I'll be keeping an eye on Moss, he's available in 80% of yahoo leagues.  

Julio Teheran P Braves-  Again I take spring training stats with a grain of salt, but Teheran has been absolutely dominant.  He's only given up 3 runs in 26 innings of work with 35 strikeouts. Teheran won't be able to hold that 1.04 ERA in the regular season, but he does play for a serious contender in Atlanta.  The opportunity to rack up W's will be a plenty.  Teheran's last couple of visits to the big leagues weren't productive, but he is still only 22 years old.  He has a lot of upside at this point and is worth consideration.  He's owned in 60% of Yahoo leagues.

Jedd Gyorko

Jedd Gyorko 3B Padres-  Gyorko is a 3rd baseman who was supposed to be converted to second base this season, but could possibly be playing 3rd base because of Chase Headley's injury...  As confusing as Gyorko's situation may be, his potential should not be overlooked.  Gyorko is one of San Diego's top prospects and has had a decent spring, hitting .286 with 3 homers and 10 RBIs in 63 at bats.  Once he gets eligibility at both 2nd and 3rd he'll make a decent bench option.  He's on my watch list and is available in 70% of Yahoo leagues.

Jackie Bradley Jr OF Red Sox-  Bradley is another spring phenom to keep an eye on.  He's hitting .444 with 2 HR and 11 RBIs in 54 at bats.  Bradley should get a chance to start in Boston's outfield, so he's worth a spot on your watch list.  If you are feeling lucky and want to take a chance, Bradley is available in 90% of Yahoo leagues.

Emilio Bonifacio 2B,OF Blue Jays-  The big question with Bonifacio is playing time.  He has been winning the battle for second base with Maicer Izturis, hitting .304 with 12 runs scored, and a .339 OBP.  With the recent news that Jedd Lawrie will start the season on the DL, Bonifacio's playing time seems pretty secure for the time being.  Bonifacio's biggest asset is his speed, he is 8/8 in stolen base attempts this spring.  If he can keep a starting role, Bonifacio could lead the majors in stolen bases.  Last year he stole 30 despite playing in only 64 games due to injury.  He may also be able to pick up 3rd base eligibility with Lawrie's injury.  I personally have a need for stolen bases and a back up second baseman on my team.  I will probably pick up Bonifacio once the DL goes into effect and I can free up a couple of roster spots.  He is only owned in 55% of Yahoo leagues.

Brandon Belt

Brandon Belt 1B Giants- Belt has already hit more home runs in spring training than he did all of last year.  Belt has been on fire this spring, hitting .448 along with the 8 homers.  Of course he's not going to keep up that kind of production, but he is surrounded by talent.  He should get plenty of good pitches to hit in the regular season.  Belt is on my watch list and is owned in 63% of Yahoo leagues.


As always, thanks for reading!

2013 Fantasy Baseball Draft

     After a 3 month hiatus, I'm back for baseball season!  For my fist article, I'll be breaking down my draft for 2013.  There are 8 teams in my Yahoo baseball league. Our position slots are as follows: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 3 OF, 5 SP, 3 RP, and 2 P.  We have 7 bench spots available.  We each have 5 keepers that we choose off  our rosters from last year.  You are not allowed to choose the same player to be your keeper for more than 1 consecutive year.  You are allowed to trade keepers in my league. For instance, I traded my keeper Tim Lincecum last year for my league mate's keeper, Evan Longoria.  I then used one of my keeper slots for this year on Evan Longoria.  Our scoring categories are:  R, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OBP, W, SV, ERA, WHIP.  We are a friends and family league that is in our third year of operation.  The entry fee is $50 with prizes for first, second, and third place, as well as for best records in the first and second half of the season.  Any roster moves over 25 cost 1 dollar each, that money also goes to the league champion.  My keepers this year are Giancarlo Stanton, Evan Longoria, Adam Jones, Cole Hamels, and Kris Medlen.  Because I am the defending league champion, I picked last in the draft this year.  Our draft was on Monday, 3/18 at a local pub.  It snowed and unfortunately for those who were at the draft party, the internet kept going out!  As a result, several of my later round picks were auto-drafted.  Here our my picks for the 2013 fantasy baseball draft:

Prince Fielder, 1B

Prince Fielder (1st round, 8th pick)-  I was a little surprised that Fielder fell to me at 8.  Some of my league-mates are a little pitcher happy.  Verlander went 2nd overall, before Braun, Cano, McCutchen, and Pujols.  Trout, Kemp, Votto, C.Gonzalez, and Strasburg were all keepers, thus unavailable.  In fairness, the person who took Verlander 2nd did not keep any starting pitchers from last year so there was a need.  In my opinion, Fielder is the most durable of the elite first baseman.  This increases his value to me and I probably would have still taken him over Pujols if I had the option.

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Troy Tulowitzki (2nd round, 1st pick)-  Tulo is far and away the best shortstop in baseball when he is healthy.  Unfortunately, being healthy has been an issue the last couple of years.  The possibility of 30HR/100RBI type of production from the shortstop position was just too good to pass on.  Tulo presents risks, but if he's healthy, he could be what I need to put me back in the championship.

Yu Darvish, SP

Yu Darvish (3rd round, 8th pick)-  Pitchers were flying off the board and Darvish was pretty much the best available at this point.  Anytime a pitcher can get me 200 strikeouts and an ERA under 4.00, I'm happy. With the addition of Houston to the AL West and his MLB rookie jitters gone, Darvish should get even better this year.

Ben Zobrist, 2B

Ben Zobrist (4th round, 1st pick)-  Cano, Pedroia, Kinsler, and A.Hill were all already off the board, but Zobrist was my target at second base going into the draft anyways.  He is consistent, durable, and most importantly, has eligibility at 2nd,SS, and OF.  Going into the draft, I knew I would probably take Tulo with my second pick.  Since there is a legitimate injury risk with him, I knew I needed someone decent who could play short for me for possibly an extended period of time.  Zobrist fits that criteria.  He will be my starting 2nd baseman, but I can move him to short if I need to.  It gives me more flexibility if I need to pick up a free agent due to injury.

Anthony Rizzo (5th round, 8th pick)- This was when the internet at the pub went out the first time.  It's not that I don't like Rizzo, I just wouldn't have taken him this high.  Especially when there where other first baseman with more proven track records available.  I would have preferred to have taken Konerko or Trumbo to use in one of my utility spots or as my backup 1st baseman. Oh well, owned by the auto-draft.

Aramis Ramirez, 3B

Aramis Ramirez (6th round, 1st pick)- I love me some Aramis.  I had him on my team last year and he is seriously underrated.  The guy puts up over 25 HRs, around 100 RBIs, and hits about .300 every year. All around great player and a good value at this point in the draft.  He will occupy one of my utility spots this season and since my starting 3rd baseman (Evan Longoria) is injury prone, ARAM is a perfect backup.

Jordan Zimmermann, SP

Jordan Zimmermann (7th round, 8th pick)-  Zimmermann is another one of my mid round favorites.  I have had him on my team for 3 years now.  I haven't used a keeper slot on him, but he always seems to be available to me at the right time in the draft.  He won't get you a ton of strikeouts, but he always has a low ERA/WHIP and he's on the Nationals so he should get plenty of wins.

Yovani Gallardo, SP

Yovani Gallardo (8th round, 1st pick)-  I had Gallardo on my team 2 years ago, he is pretty consistent in what he is going to give you.  I expect over 200 strikeouts and plenty of wins, as the Brewers have one of the highest scoring offenses in baseball.  If he does that and keeps his ERA under 4, I'll be happy.

Wilin Rosario, C

Wilin Rosario (9th round, 8th pick)- Victor Martinez was my first choice at catcher, but he went a lot earlier than I expected.  Rosario put up 27 homers and 70 RBIs in 117 games last season. Impressive numbers for the rookie catcher and since he is still playing for Colorado, there is a good chance he will at least match that this season.

Curtis Granderson, OF

Curtis Granderson (10th round, 1st pick)-  I live in New Jersey and all my league-mates are also from Jersey/New York.  That means lots of Yankees nuts in my league.  Usually the New York players go quick and early.  I know Grandy will be out for a good month and a half, but I was surprised he was still around this late in our draft.  If he can still get me 30 homers and 80 RBIs, he will be well worth the pick.

Miguel Montero, C

Miguel Montero (11th round, 8th pick)-  I had Montero on my team last year for most of the season.  I traded him around the deadline for ARAM.  A good backup catcher is always a valuable commodity.  It's a grueling position to play and your starter will miss more games than any other position.

Hunter Pence, OF

Hunter Pence (12th round, 1st pick)-  I have mixed feelings about this pick.  Pence and I have a history.  I had him on my team my first year doing fantasy baseball and he was great.  I used a keeper on him last year and things started out ok.  Unfortunately, the Phillies had a huge amount of injuries last year and their offense was virtually anemic.  Pence was traded to the Giants, his third team in 2 years, where he proceeded to take a nose dive.  I ended up dropping him for Ryan Ludwick towards the end of the season.  I really think Pence can bounce back this year.  He is surrounded by good players and doesn't have being traded hanging over his head.  I will be happy if he puts up similar numbers to last year, but brings his batting average back up by 30 points.

Jeff Samardzija, SP

Jeff Samardzija (13th round, 8th pick)- And the internet goes out again...  At this point we were about to start breaking stuff!  This time the Wifi didn't start working again until the draft was finished!  Needless to say we will not be going back to that Pub next year.  I'm actually not upset by this auto-draft pick.  Pretty solid late round starting pitcher.  He is projected to have a good year, but he is on the Cubs...

Anibal Sanchez, SP

Anibal Sanchez (14th round, 1st pick)-  Another auto-draft and at this point, I'm starting to really wish I had put some closers in my que.  Not too crazy about this pick.  Sanchez should get plenty of opportunities to win games for Detroit this year, but the rest of his stats don't make me want to do the Harlem Shake.

Brett Anderson, SP

Brett Anderson (15th round, 8th pick)- For the love of God, auto-draft me a closer!  Anderson can put up decent stats when he is healthy. Which hasn't happened in two years...  First ingrown nail, stubbed toe, or hyper-extended pinky finger he gets that I hear about, I'm dropping him.

Addison Reed, RP

Addison Reed (16th round, 1st pick)- REALLY auto-draft? This is the best closer you could get me?  Seriously though, I'm just glad to get a closer at this point.  Reed's ERA is way too high for a closer, but at least he is relatively locked into the job.  Of all the positions I could be lacking in at this point, closer is the one I feel most comfortable about.  I didn't even draft most of my closers last year, my best pickup being Fernando Rodney when Kyle Farnsworth went down with injury.  There is a lot of volatility at the closer position, due to injury or just poor play.  There should be plenty of chances to pick up decent ones throughout the season.

Jonathan Broxton (17th round, 8th pick)- OH COME ON NOW!  I guess auto-draft didn't know Chapman was most likely going to go back to being the closer for the Reds...  I have already dropped Broxton in favor of Steve Cishek.  Cishek is Miami's official closer and will get more save opportunities even though the Marlins will be terrible again this year.

Brandon League (18th round, 1st pick)- At least he is a closer, well for the time being,,,  I will have to keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't lose the job.  I already have Kenley Jansen on my watch list just in case... I like to fill my P slots with closers, that way I have a chance of getting some production from those slots all week.  I usually run 5 closers total, and then 3 starting pitchers on the bench that I rotate in, for a total of 8 starting pitchers.  That leaves me 4 bench slots for hitters.

Nick Swisher, OF

Nick Swisher (19th round, 8th pick)-  I'm a Yankees fan and I never liked this guy.  Mostly because he is terrible in the post season, but also because he acts like a puppy dog.  I'm serious, put some floppy ears and a tail on the dude and he is a puppy dog.  Funny thing is,  I actually like this auto-draft pick.  Swisher puts up decent stats in the regular season and I think he wants to prove to the Yankees that they were wrong in passing on him.  He has eligibility at 1st and the outfield. He is also having a good spring, not that that means much.  We'll see, if he has a slow start I'll ship his puppy dog ass off to the pound.

Norichika Aoki, OF

Norichika Aoki (20th round, 1st pick)-  Another auto-draft pick I don't really mind.  Aoki is an ideal bench player.  He hits for a decent average and can get you runs and stolen bases.  That's all I really want from a guy on my bench.  Come in, don't suck, and get me a few numbers here and there.  The only downside to him is that I have too many outfielders.  I need a backup second baseman and I will probably end up dropping Aoki for one who can steal a TON of bases because that is the stat I am most lacking in.

Adam Eaton (21st round, 8th pick)-  I don't hate this auto-draft pick either.  I was planning on taking Eaton late if he was available anyway.  Eaton is a highly touted prospect for Arizona.  He was having a good spring and then sprained the UCL in his left elbow.  He'll miss 6-8 weeks, which makes me a sad panda.  I'll probably stash him away on my DL and see what he does in a couple of months.

Eric Aybar (22nd round, 1st pick)-  I already have two guys who can play short on my team and I don't need a Nosferatu, I mean a third...  I dropped him for Ernesto Frieri because I am desperate for closers and Frieri should have the job for the next couple of months.  I still need another closer that I will pick up when I am able to put Curtis Granderson on the DL.

Thanks for reading!  My next article will be on some sleeper picks that I'm keeping an eye on.  I should get that to you by mid week.

Top 5 Fantasy NFL Tight Ends of 2012

   Alright for the last post in the my "Top 5 of 2012" series I am changing the format.  I am going to base this article entirely on my opinion.  It seems that people were having a hard time understanding what I was trying to highlight in the previous installments.  My vision for the blog is to provide a window for people to see how my fantasy teams and leagues operate.  A kind of microcosm of fantasy sports.  In the previous installments I was trying to highlight the players who scored the most fantasy points at their position in MY league.  Maybe I didn't do a good job of getting that across, so I'll try and switch it up this installment.  Here is my opinion on the top 5 fantasy tight ends of 2012:

Rob Gronkowski

1.  Rob Gronkowski-  Despite missing 5 games with a broken forearm, Gronkowski was still able to put up comparable numbers to the best tight ends in the league.  He led all tight ends in touchdowns with 11.  He was by far, having the best season of any tight end in the league before his injury.  Gronk has pretty much redefined the position in the modern game.  In my fantasy league, which gives 1 point per reception and 1 point for every 10 yards receiving, Gronkowski averaged 18 points a game.  That's over 2 points higher than any other tight end.

Jimmy Graham

2.  Jimmy Graham-  Graham was a bit of a disappointment this year, but even a disappointing season from Graham is better then that of most.  Jimmy missed a couple of games after spraining his ankle and played most of the season through a wrist injury.  Whether because of injury or the fact that Sean Peyton was not calling the offense this year, Graham seemed to be less of a factor for New Orleans.  He went 5 straight weeks without a touchdown in weeks 12-16.  Graham still lead all tight ends in fantasy scoring in my league and he also averaged the second highest points per game with 15.81.  I expect Graham to bounce back next year when he will be healthy and have his coach back.

Tony Gonzalez

3. Tony Gonzalez-  Gonzalez decided that 2012 will be his final year in the league.  I guess he wants to go out while he is still on top because Tony can still play with the best of them.  This year he hauled in 93 receptions for 930 yards and 8 touchdowns.  Gonzalez is a key part of the Atlanta offense and may be the greatest tight end to ever play the game.  He averaged 14.63 fantasy points per game in my 1 point per reception league and finished with 234.00 points on the season.

Jason Witten

4.  Jason Witten-  When it was reported that Witten suffered a lacerated spleen in a preseason game, many assumed he would miss some time.  Witten however, showed his toughness and played through the injury.  He was obviously not 100%, but he was out there representing for his teammates.  He led the league this year in receptions and yardage at tight end.  Witten had 110 receptions for 1039 yards and three touchdowns.  He is Tony Romo's security blanket and is still one of the game's premier tight ends after 10 years in the league.

Heath Miller

5. Heath Miller-  Another veteran who continues to produce at a high level.  Miller finished the year with careers highs in touchdowns and yardage.  He had 71 receptions for 816 yards and 8 touchdowns on the season.  Unfortunately, Miller suffered a serious injury in week 16 of the season.  He tore his ACL and MCL and required reconstructive surgery on the knee.  The injury was so bad he may even miss part of the 2013 season in recovery.  He averaged 13.51 fantasy points per game in my 1 point per reception league and finished the year with 202.60 points.

Top 5 Fantasy NFL Running Backs of 2012

     Although the pro game has grown increasingly pass oriented, a good run game is still relevant to the winning formula.  That being said, finding good running backs for your fantasy team is a difficult task.  The nature of the position makes them prone to injury. Many teams don't even use a feature back anymore, preferring to split carries between two or even three rushers.   That makes the good ones even more valuable because running backs are still the backbone of a fantasy team.  You can never have enough of them on your team.  Here are the top 5 scoring running backs in my league this year:

Adrian Peterson

1.  Adrian Peterson-  I don't think anyone could have imagined Adrian Peterson having the type of season he was able to put together this year.  He had major surgery on his knee in the off season, the kind that leaves most people never fully the same.  His team is weak at the quarterback position, which means opposing defenses know he is going to get the rock.  Despite all this, Peterson was able to come within 9 yards of Eric Dickerson's all time single season rushing record.  He pretty much carried his team to the playoffs, running for 2097 yards and 12 touchdowns.  Eclipsing 2000 yards rushing in a single season cements his status as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.  I have a feeling there are still more great seasons to come with Peterson.  This year he scored 347.40 fantasy points in my league.

Doug Martin

2.  Doug Martin-  Martin was another surprise at the running back position this season.  Many thought Tampa Bay over reached by taking him in the first round of the 2012 draft.  Martin proved his naysayers wrong, rushing for 1454 yards and 11 touchdowns.  Muscle Hamster was one of this year's steals in the fantasy draft.  He greatly overachieved most predictions on his production.  In my league, Muscle Hamster ran wild for 311.60 fantasy points on the season.  He is a legitimate candidate for rookie of the year.

Arian Foster

3.  Arian Foster-  Foster has been one of, if not the most consistent running backs over the last 3 years in terms of fantasy value.  He routinely produces at a high level and has made a home at the top of the draft in most fantasy leagues.  Foster led all running backs in rushing touchdowns with 15.  He had another 1k yard season, rushing for 1424 on the year.  Foster is the focal point of the Texans offense, it requires him to run the ball effectively for it to be successful.  Foster reaped 302.10 fantasy points from opposing defenses in my league this year.  That number would have been even higher, but Foster suffered from a heart condition in week 16 knocking him out of the game early.  Unfortunately for a lot of people week 16 is the championship game in most fantasy leagues.  If you had Foster in your line up, most likely things didn't go to well for you that week.  More important is that Foster seems to have recovered from his condition.  An irregular heartbeat can be very serious if not treated properly.   It is something Foster has a history of, but it hasn't really effected his career for the most part.  Hopefully that continues to be the case.

Ray Rice

4.  Ray Rice-  Rice is another model of consistency.  The Baltimore running back rushed for over 1000 yards for the 4th straight season.  He had 8 rushing touchdowns on the year and remains the Ravens top offensive threat.  It will be interesting to see how Rice's production will be effected with the new offensive coordinator in Baltimore.  I have a feeling they will try to go more pass heavy, but either way Ray will still be an important part of what the Raven's do.  Rice ended the season with 283.10 fantasy points.

Marshawn Lynch

5. Marshawn Lynch-  Lynch, coupled with Seattle's rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, made for a lethal combination this season.  The Seahawk offense exploded on opponents for over 40 points three games in a row.  Lynch racked up 1590 yards with 11 rushing touchdowns this season and seems to get better every year.  He lived up to his nickname and went beast bode on his opponents for 269.60 fantasy points in 2012.  Lynch's Seahawks are an exciting team to watch and have a serious shot at going to the Super Bowl this year.

   

     2011 was a record year for quarterbacks in fantasy football. After the season, some of my league mates where unhappy with the amount of fantasy points being scored by quarterbacks.  They felt that if you were not lucky enough to draft an elite quarterback (Brees or Rodgers) your chances of winning were very small.  The league commissioner responded to this by making receptions count for 1 fantasy point.  This obviously skews the point totals, raising the scores of players with a higher number of receptions.