AGRI Biz

There was a time that Derrek Lee was considered one of the pre-eminent first basemen in the league.á After a 2005 campaign where he hit .335 with 46 HR, 107 RBI, 120 R and 15 SB, fantasy owners saw him simply as one of the best.á Since then, things had gone significantly off course, until 2009 that is. After breaking his wrist in April 2006, Lee went on to ...

In the early going, Joey Votto has an ADP of 26.39, going late in the second round or early in the third round of fantasy drafts.á ThatÆs before fellow first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis, and Justin Morneau.á ThatÆs before any starting pitcher outside of Tim Lincecum.á ThatÆs before Justin Upton.á The question is, should he be targeted that early in drafts? Just looking at my most recent first base rankings ...

You canÆt hit home runs without hitting flyballs, right?á LetÆs take a look at which 10 hitters with at least 400 plate appearances in both 2008 and 2009 enjoyed the biggest increase in flyball rate and if they have an opportunity to deliver a significant number of home runs in 2010: Chris Young - Arizona Diamondbacks - +12.8% ThereÆs no doubting that he has the power, but the significant ...

In an offseason where mediocre catchers have received some fairly sizable contracts (Jason Kendall and Ivan Rodriguez, just to name two), there are some teams who could be looking from within to fill their voids.á While everyoneÆs mind instantly jumps to Buster Posey, the Astros have their own catching prospect who could emerge before 2009 comes to a close. Drafted 10th overall in 2008, Jason Castro has quickly risen to Double-A in ...

IÆve already given my early projections on Alcides Escobar (click here to view) and Everth Cabrera (click here to view), so letÆs finish off the trifecta of young shortstops by looking at Elvis Andrus. Of the three, Andrus was the most impressive in 2009, mostly as a 20-year old (he turned 21 in late August), posting the following line: 480 At Bats .267 Batting Average (128 Hits) 6 Home Runs 40 RBI ...

Early ADPs have Jimmy Rollins going before Jose Reyes, but just barely.á Heading into 2009, it would have been an easy decision for owners, with Reyes considered one of the top selections in all of baseball.á Should the injury concerns from last season have sent him down below Rollins?á LetÆs take a look. Speed We all know that Reyes possesses game-changing speed, which is where the majority of his value sits.á From ...

It seems like fantasy owners are always looking for the next stud young pitcher on the precipice of making an impact.  That involves more than just putting up a good ERA and the possibility of getting wins.  The potential to strikeout batters, and at an impressive rate, is just as important. Of the young pitchers who could make the leap to the majors in 2010, Christian Friedrich has the potential to make ...

We all know that first base may be the deepest position in baseball, but when you look at the rankings it really is amazing.á When Derrek Lee, Victor Martinez (much better suited as a catcher) and Carlos Pena all fall short, that tells you all you need to know.á LetÆs take a look at who did make the cut: Albert PujolsùSt. Louis Cardinals Mark TeixeiraùNew York Yankees Miguel CabreraùDetroit Tigers Ryan HowardùPhiladelphia Phillies Prince FielderùMilwaukee ...

After a few busy days of winter meetings in the MLB, letÆs take a look at the fantasy implications of some of the bigger moves: Rangers trade Kevin Millwood to Baltimore for Chris Ray - The deal isnÆt about the players for Texas, but the money they saved.á Millwood was owed $12 million for 2010, which Baltimore is said to be picking up a significant ...

By now we’ve all heard the news of the major three-team trade that was completed yesterday, drastically changing the landscape of all teams involved.  In case you haven’t heard, let’s take a look at the deal: The Yankees Get: Curtis Granderson The Tigers Get: Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Phil Coke and Austin Jackson The Diamondbacks Get: Edwin Jackson & Ian Kennedy First, the big loser in this trade is clearly the Diamondbacks, ...