AGRI Biz

Speed is something fantasy owners are always on the hunt for. It doesn’t matter if the player can hit for average or power, as long as he can steal bases, he’s going to have some value.  Peter Bourjos, a prospect for the Los Angeles Angels, has been flying under the radar. But he could burst onto the scene in 2010 and become a must-own fantasy option quickly, thanks to what he ...

How long have we heard the hype surrounding Howie Kendrick?  How long have we been hearing about his upside?  How long have we been taking the gamble on him in hopes that this would finally be the year? He made his MLB debut back in 2006 after originally being drafted in 2002.  Needless to say, now at 26 years old, we all hope that the wait is finally over. A .360 career hitter ...

There was a small slate of games, but plenty of stories worth watching.  Just look at the performance of Dontrelle Willis, for example. Dontelle Willis allowed no hits and one walk, striking out two over three shutout innings.  Over 10 innings, he’s allowed just one earned run and five hits, but it’s not all rosy.  He’s walked five and hit two batters.  That’s a lot of free runners and he’s not ...

There are extremely different views as to the value of Nelson Cruz.  Prior to 2009 he was considered a Quadruple-A player, so there are those who believe that last season was simply an aberration.  Then, there are those who fully believe in his breakout campaign, thinking that the sky is the limit for him in 2010. Which is the right way to be leaning?  It’s a tough call, to say the least, ...

Despite the Cubs’ claims that top prospect Starlin Castro is destined to open the 2010 campaign in Triple-A, fantasy owners have to be taking close notice. He’s been absolutely raking in Spring Training and let’s be honest, it’s not like the Cubs are loaded up the middle.  The 20-year-old (he turns 20 on March 24) split 2009 between Single & Double-A, posting the following line: 469 At-Bats .299 Batting Average (140 Hits) ...

Here are some pitchers whose name we all know, but who you may not realize as on the cusp of a tremendous 2010 season.  Let’s take a look at five of my favorite pitching sleepers for the coming year:   Marc Rzepczynski —Toronto Blue Jays The left-hander made his Major League debut in ‘09, posting a 3.67 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 11 starts.  He was slightly lucky (.280 BABIP), but ...

When I posted my updated shortstop rankings last week after the news on Jose Reyes, (click here to view) there was a lot of talk about Asdrubal Cabrera and his omission.  Honestly, I just don’t see what all the hype is about.  Where is the potential upside?  What is driving all this excitement? Before we answer those questions, let’s look at his stats from 2009: 523 At Bats .308 Batting Average (161 Hits) six Home ...

John Lannan is a pitcher who has garnered some attention the past two seasons due to some impressive ERAs, but that is where the positives come to an abrupt end.  Is this one "plus" a reason to consider taking the gamble on him?  I certainly don’t think so, and here’s why…   First off, his 2009 statistics: 9 Wins 206.1 Innings 3.88 ERA 1.35 WHIP 89 Strikeouts (3.88 K/9) 68 Walks (2.97 BB/9) .276 ...

While the news was far from as damaging as that of Jose Reyes and Joe Nathan, today we learned that Lance Berkman will have knee surgery—sidelining him for two to four weeks, according to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle. (Click here for the full article.)  The thing is, there’s no guarantee that he even misses Opening Day, so how far you drop him—if you do at all—depends entirely on your ...

Spring games continues to rage on.  Some players are stepping up to claim jobs while others seem to be letting them slip through their fingers.  Let’s take a look at some of the stories from today’s games: Wade Davis’ grasp on the fifth starter spot is anything but locked.  He allowed 5 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks, striking out 2, over 2 innings to leave him with a 14.73 ...