Alfonso Soriano - Fantasy Baseball Star if Falling Off a Cliff

In this week's Great Fantasy Debate on the Fantasy Pros 911 I was the away team and had to explain why a second half bounce back was unlikely for former fantasy stud Alfonso Soriano. Even though it's apparent that the decline is on, I really thought this was great year to buy Soriano at a bit of a discount - add that to the list of things I got wrong heading into this year's fantasy baseball season.

Soriano is still a productive player but the speed seems gone. With even 20 stolen bases Alfonso Soriano would be a top 5 OF but now it looks like 10 may be his best case. Moreover, his batting average is horrid and expected batting average (xBA) barely cracks .250.

Read about my take on the decline of Alfonso Soriano at the Fantasy Pros 911 Great Fantasy Debate - and VOTE FOR GREG!!!

If you're a baseball card collector, pick up an autographed Alfonso Soriano baseball card on eBay!

Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend - New Book Available Now

I became a Satchel Paige fan after watching Ken Burns Baseball
this past winter on DVD. I love watching the series to learn about the old time players and the two that stand out the most to me are Walter Johnson and Satchel Paige.

Satchel played all over the country and internationally for Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Toward the end of his career he would follow in Jackie Robinsons' footsteps and finally make the majors. The reason I'm a big Satchel Paige fan is that;
1) He may very well have been the greatest pitcher in baseball history - the fact that we'll never know for sure only adds to the mystery
2) Satchel did it with style - not only was he reported to throw 14 pitches but they all had clever, intimidating and very cool names - Midnight Creeper, Midnight Rider, Bee Ball, 4 Day Creeper, Long Tom, the Barber and the feared Trouble Ball (I have no idea what the Trouble Ball was but I'll assume it was aptly named

Recently I found a new biography on Satchel Paige on Amazon - Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend. I've promptly added the book to my wish list and will have to write a review once I get a chance to complete it.

In the mean time you can pick up a copy of the new Satchel Paige biography, Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend on Amazon.com today - click here to get your copy of the book today.

The Great Fantasy Baseball Debate Update

While my record has sank to 3-3 in the Great Fantasy Debate I think I've cranked out some of my better posts recently. It's been tough to invest a ton of time in it with fantasy baseball season in full swing but I think I'm still a contender to win the contest.

Here are summaries with links to my last 3 posts;

Week 7
We were asked to come up with our all time baseball top 10 list. Keeping in line with a modest fantasy slant I went with a top 10 'never was' list. It included Negro League greats like Satchel Paige, other international players and even some fictitious ones like the Bad New Bears Kelly Leak and Sid Finch. This may have been the most fun I've ever had writing a baseball blog post. Maybe I'll come back to it in the offseason with a deeper dive on all 10 players.
http://www.thefantasybaseballhalloffame.com/greg-top-10-all-time-never-was-fantasy-baseball-players.html

Week 8
The question was to come up with my all time fantasy baseball team - I can't help but think that my all time never was team from week 7 had some inspiration. I took the approach of career stats rather than 1 season wonders which many other writers did.
http://www.thefantasybaseballhalloffame.com/greg-all-time-fantasy-team.html


Week 9
If you're middle of the road or worse in your fantasy league how do you climb back into it? My advice is to play like you're already dead and go out and get the big-time underperformers now! David Ortiz, Joses Reyes, and to an extend Jake Peavey are the guys to roll the dice on.
http://fantasypros911.com/week-9-greg-marta-vs-joey-vanzo.html

Remember, VOTE FOR GREG!!!

You can also find autographed Satchel Paige baseball cards and memorabilia on eBay - click here!

Nick Markakis v Carlos Beltran - The Great Fantasy Baseball Debate Week #5

This week The Great Fantasy Debate gets a little more fun with a head to head comparison of two fantasy baseball outfield studs - Nick Markakis (pictured 2008 Allen & Ginter baseball card) and Carlos Beltran. Here's the question:

Home team, tell us why Carlos Beltran is the better Fantasy Baseball Player
Away Team, tell us why Nick Markakis is the better Fantasy Baseball Player

I have the Nick Markakis side and cite some fairly good points - Markakis is younger, hits for a higher average, bats in the three hole and Citi Field may be one of the best pitchers parks in baseball. I'm a Mets fan so this one was kind of tough. Truth be told I think Beltran is the better pick for this season but clearly Markakis is the pick in any keeper format.

I did implore a high batting average early strategy in both of my NFBC drafts this year and Markakis would be the better pick in that case.
NFBC Main Event draft results
NFBC Satellite draft results
The theory being that loading up on BA early lets you pick up some low BA guys later that have specific scoring categories that you need. It can be hard to tell what your fantasy baseball team may need after the first 10 rounds or so and maximizing batting average early on creates a lot of flexibility.

Click here to vote for Greg in this Week's Great Fantasy Debate.

Remember to pick up a Nick Markakis autographed baseball card on eBay!

Contract Year Players in Fantasy Baseball - The Great Fantasy Baseball Debate Week #4

This week brings a bye week for me in the Great Fantasy Debate. I'm off to a 2-1 start with a shocking loss last week. Since I'm not going head to head this week I tried to be somewhat objective in my analysis of this week's question regarding the performance of fantasy baseball players in contract years (see insert of contract year poster child Adrian Beltre on a Topps Heritage baseball card).

The debate over whether or not the contract year for a player is worth looking at prior to the draft has gone on for the last 5-10 years, pro side (first team listed) please tell us why it is important to look at and back up your answer with stats the contract year.

My basic take is that statistically they have not proven that contract years impact performance. However, if you have someone a little iffy (lazy, injury prone, unfocused, off the field problems, etc.) then the contract year factor is worth taking a look at. http://fantasypros911.com/greg-marta-straddles-the-fence.html

Also, here's something pretty official looking from Springer Link that show contract years don't bump performance statistically but does show a uniform decline in seasons following the contract year - interesting. http://www.springerlink.com/content/p3p2230560605065/

Contract years won't affect the fantasy baseball performance of stars like Albert Pujols get an autographed Pujols baseball card for your collection.

Drafting Pitchers Early in Fantasy Baseball - The Great Fantasy Baseball Debate Week #3

If his name isn't Johan Santana I'm not interested in starting pitchers in fantasy baseball. Here's the week 3 topic for The Great Fantasy Debate:

Is drafting a number one starter early (first five rounds) still a good strategy to follow?

I basically pointed out that hitting is much more stable and a smarter early investment in fantasy baseball drafts. Secondly, it's easy to play matchups and rotate 2 start pitchers. Third, premium closers are even more valuable than they used to be. And finally, Johan Santana is the last ace in fantasy baseball.

Fantasy baseball really took off in the 90s with the advent of Al Gore's interweb. Those were the days of Clemens, Pedro, Randy Johnson, Maddux, Schilling, etc. Ace's abounded and snatching a steady year in year out stud pitcher made a ton of sense. However, as we approach the turn of this decade Johan Santana is the only pitcher left that provides this level of consistency.

Check out my article at the Fantasy Pros 911 and remember, Vote For Greg!

You can also pick up a Johan Santana baseball card and other Met gear on eBay - click here!

NFBC FAAB Results Through 2 Weeks

I've been pretty aggressive in my FAAB bidding in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Main Event (New York 6) . I drafted heavy pitching with Santana and Lincecum so I've felt I've a major need for some depth for my offense and the back of my rotation - click here to see my NFBC draft results.

Week #1
Dallas Braden $72 with a runner up of $31, the top 3 other leagues $32, $24, $20 - I paid a nice premium for Braden but his minor league numbers are solid and I trust Billy Beane - he's uncovered Cy Young caliber pitchers like Zito, Haren, Hundon, Mulder, etc. and flipped them just in time. Braden has had 2 quality starts so far and may work his way from spot starter to mid-fantasy baseball rotation.

Marcus Thames $128 with a runner up of $76, the top 3 other leagues were$109, $87, $77 - I listened to 3 straight podcasts that all touted Marcus Thames as a cheap 25 HR OF that should be rostered in ALL moderately deep leagues. Then, 2 days later, Sheffield got cut! I really wanted depth for my OF and figure Thames will snag 50-100 more ABs and should get around 30 HRs. With Milton Bradley missing time this week and Nady apparently blowing out his elbow this looks like a good move. Given the runner up and other top bids $128 was a great FAAB bid.

Week #2
Brandon Wood New York 6 $93 with a runner up of $80, other leagues $16 and $11 - (pictured Bowman Chrome Auto Baseball Card) I'm a huge believer in Brandon Wood and now have him in all leagues. I had him targeted on draft day and was stoked to see him get cut week 1. The fact that the Angels sent him down is actually a good sign - says they want to stop jerking him around and the next time he comes up it's for good. When he does I expect him to hit around .270 with a pace of 35 HRs and 10 SBs - these are crazy stud like numbers for someone with SS and 3B eligibility. Through 4 games in AAA he's batting .333 with 3 HRs. Help is coming!!!

Click here to pick up a Brandon Wood baseball card on eBay!

Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep Lessons - The Great Fantasy Baseball Debate Week #2

The Great Fantasy Debate rolls on to week #2 along with the fantasy baseball season. This week's question centered around lessons learned in prepping for this year's draft.

Now that your drafts are over and the season has started what is the biggest lesson you learned when preparing for your draft and explain?

This year I really focused on mastering the mid rounds. In the NFBC, for example, I really felt like I was obsessed with sleepers in the end game during my first 2 years. Partially as a result of that I had a lot of trouble fielding solid players picked in the mid rounds. Players like Gil Meche, Willy Taveras and Rickie Weeks are some of the cornerstone players on my NFBC fantasy baseball teams.

Join The Great Fantasy Debate - vote for Greg and post your comments by clicking here.

Grab a Gil Meche baseball card for your collection on eBay!

Auction Fantasy Baseball Draft Results - Part 2 of 2

This fantasy baseball league starts out with $312 less the cost of keepers. At this point of the auction draft I'm down to $30 with 14 spots to fill - let's see how far I can pinch the penny. This is the 'scrubs' part of the 'stars and scrubs' strategy.

Rickie Weeks, 2B $6 - (pictured in a auto Southern League baseball card) I'm in 3 leagues and have Weeks in all 3, his upside is still huge and his cost is reasonable even if he plays to his recent averages, I'm banking a lot on him this year including an 11th round pick in the NFBC Main Event

Gil Meche, SP $4 - Meche is a little light for a 10 team league but I think he's figured something out, at worst he'll be a great spot starter and at best be a bottom of the rotation option

Josh Johsnson, SP $10 - I really needed to spend some money on another starter to help back up Santana, I don't love Johnson but he could bounce all the way back from TJ and be a solid #2

Wandy Rodriguez, SP $1 - I was onto this guy the last couple of years and I flat out think he's way too injury prone and will never sniff 200 innings - if I'm wrong he could be the steal of the draft and a great back of the rotation fantasy pitcher

Clayton Kershaw, SP $4 - I guess everyone else was broke too, he has great keeper potential at $4 and if he starts to put it together at the big league level look out!

Kiroki Kuroda, SP $1 - nice command and control guy that will be a good spot starter/back of the rotation guy

Andre Ethier, OF $3 - didn't have to have another OF but had my eye on him for the end game for over an hour, a .300 hitter batting clean up behind Manny - he'll put up sick numbers, nice guy to have in case of injury

Paul Konerko, 1B $1 - coming off of back surgery but looked fine in the spring, I needed a true 1B and think he has a shot to get back to his 35 HR ways

Mike Aviles, SS $1 - I needed a middle infielder, down side is that last year was flukey, upside is that it was for real, also had a great spring, could hit .320 w/ 15-20 HRs and maybe 10 SBs, could play his way into the top 10 of fantasy baseball middle infielders

Jason Motte, RP $1 - got hammered on Opening Day but could be a breakout closer, I hate spending money on closers and it's not necessary in a 10 team league if you do some homework

Mike Gonzalez, RP $1 - arm problems and inconsistency have kept Gonzalez from being an elite closer, I'll take a chance for a buck

Mark Teahan, OF $1 - he's soon to qualify at 2B and hits in the 3 hole, I need depth and he could be a big time breakout candidate with nice average, power, speed and opportunity

Brandon Wood, SS/3B $1 - I actually like the fact that they sent Wood down after a sick Spring Training - it shows they're done jerking him around and when he comes up again he'll stay, when he does he'll immediately pace for .270, 35 HRs and 10 SBs, were talking Ryan Braun type rookie impact at SS - coming mid-May

Jesse Litch, SP $1 - I like him a lot in an NFBC format but he may be too light for this league

Click here for the 'stars' part of the 'stars and scrubs' strategy - Auction Fantasy Baseball Draft Results - Part 1 of 2

You can see my keeper list by clicking here.

Pick up a Rickie Weeks baseball card on eBay for your collection today!

Auction Fantasy Baseball Draft Results - Part 1 of 2

My auction fantasy baseball keeper league drafted this past weekend which now kicks off our 12th season. I typically employ a 'stars and scrubs' draft strategy with a heavy if not 100% weight on picking up bats. In recent years inflation has really taken off in this league - usually we'd have one player that would crack the $50 mark but last year we had more than 6 with a similar result this year.

Here are the stars:

David Wright, 3B $52 - a relatively good value, with Arod hurt I think Wright is in a class all by himself, he's also the only other player that I think can bat .300 go 30/30 and top 100 runs and RBIs outside of Hanley Ramirez - he was my #1 pick in the NFBC Main Event

Grady Sizemore, OF $48 - I like a big outfield on my fantasy baseball team and Grady is #1, all in all I think $48 was a pretty low figure

Johan Santana, SP $45 - I paid a premium here and haven't spent more than $1 on a pitcher in 3 years - way to fall off the wagon, with Heilman out of town and the excitement of a new stadium I think The Supernatural is headed for another Cy Young - Santana was my second round pick in the NFBC Main Event - nice to reunite them and bonus that I'm a Met fan

David Ortiz, U $26 - if Ortiz played a position he'd be close to a $40 player, he's past his prime but over last year's injury and one of my favorite buy low candidates this season - I still see a .300 BA, 30-35 HRs and a ton of runs and RBI

Carlos Lee, OF $38 - El Caballo was my first round pick in my NFBC satellite league a few weeks ago and rounds out a sick outfield of Braun, BJ Upton and Sizemore, Lee is a 4 category beast and chips in a few steals for style points

Victor Martinez, C/1B $13 - I already have Russell Martin but everyone was shell shocked with the big names off the board, he's actually OK as my starting 1B for now but I wouldn't mind flipping him for a starting pitcher - he may top out at 20 HRs but he has a nice BA and batting clean up will boost his counting stats

Click here to check out my keeper list.

Also see, Auction Fantasy Baseball Draft Results - Part 2 of 2

Visit eBay to add an autographed David Wright baseball card to your collection!

Sabermetrics v. Scouting - The Great Fantasy Baseball Debate Week #1

The regular season of The Great Fantasy Debate kicks off this week. As the home team I'll take pro as to why sabermetrics is a better tool for fantasy baseball than traditional scouting. The book Money Ball goes into great detail about how Billy Beane has used sabermetric techniques and analysis to consistently win 'reality' baseball on a shoe string budget. In fantasy baseball we only care about numbers accumulation so sabermetrics can be relied on even more heavily.

In this week's Fantasy Debate I quote Bill James, the father of sabermetrics and Socrates. I also look at the Red Sox recent success under Theo Epstein, the Alex Rios breakout or lack there of and Delmon Young's huge groundball rate.

Click here and vote for Greg in The Great Fantasy Debate.

Pick up a Copy of The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract from Amazon.com

Auction Fantasy Baseball Keeper List - Ready for 2009 Draft

Next week is the draft for my auction fantasy baseball league. It's a 10 team league and this is our 12th year with the same set of owners. Keeper lists were due this past Friday here's where my fantasy baseball team is starting out this year.

Ryan Braun, OF $17 - this is the last year I have Braun under contract so he'll run me about $50 next year. All time favorite player Ryan Braun carried me to this league's championship in 2007 so its been a nice run.

Russell Martin, C $16 - this is the last year I get to keep Martin too. 20/20 potential with a high BA and tons of ABs make Russell Martin arguably the best catcher in fantasy baseball.

BJ Upton, OF $19 - Upton's attitude really ticks me off, during the stretch run last season he got benched several times for being and a-hole. I can't deny his overall fantasy baseball production so I'm stuck with him for one more year.

Chris Davis, 1B/3B $1 - looks like legit 35+ HR power with a decent BA, the position versatility is gravy. Could turn into Ryan Braun without the steals.

Alexi Ramirez, SS/2B $1 - he'll qualify at SS by mid-April so the versatility is huge. I can't wait to see what he does over a full season, he has a shot to be a top 5 middle infielder in fantasy baseball.

We start with a $312 budget and add $20 of cap space after the draft. So this leaves me with $258 left for the auction. Undrafted players can be picked up for the cost of their auction dollar value in the Fantasy Baseball Index. Enforcing a salary cap makes our fantasy baseball league play more like an 11 and a half team league.

Also see,
Auction Fantasy Baseball Draft Results - Part 1 of 2
Auction Fantasy Baseball Draft Results - Part 2 of 2

Check out eBay for autographed Ryan Braun baseball cards!

Bad News Bears' Rudi Stein - on Just My Show

One of my all time favorite movies baseball or otherwise is the Bad News Bears. New Friend of the podcast Eric has a site called Just My Show and reached out to me when he found my original post about the Bad News Bears. Recently Eric posted a podcast of an interview he did with David Pollock aka Rudi Stein.

It's a great listen if you're a fan of the Bad News Bears. Currently David Pollock is active in local politics but most surprisingly says a lot of the Bears still keep in touch. Aside from the 'Where Are They Now' specials they have regular get togethers at each others homes - after all this time that's really cool.

Visit JustMyShow.com - The Retro Pop Culture Podcast - to listen to Eric's interview with David Pollock, Rudi Stein from the original Bad News Bears movies.

Also, Amazon.com has the Bad News Bears Triple play DVD set containing all three original films - pick up a copy today.

BABIP - Fantasy Baseball Debate Spring Training Continues

This week's question on The Great Fantasy Debate is a lot tougher. As the away team I have to take con to the following:

Using previous seasons BABIP is a definitive way to find future sleepers or busts in Fantasy Baseball?

Problem is, I like BABIP, or batting average on balls in play. Basically any batter or pitchers that varies much from 30% presents a good buy low or sell high opportunity. While BABIP doesn't fully account for all factors it is a super leading indicator. My tactic was to discredit BABIP as the "definitive way…" by pointing out some of it's short comings.

No it's not perfect but I do like batting average on balls in play - and click here to vote for Greg in the Great Fantasy Debate.

Learn more about baseball statistics and sabermetrics with the Bill James Handbook 2009
on Amazon.com!

NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 3 of 3

Fill one hole in fantasy baseball and dig another - or so goes it in the NFBC. The talent pool drains quickly and while I scrambled in the middle rounds to build an offense I now need to dig even deeper to build a rotation that will complement my Santana/Lincecum combo.

21) Dave Bush, SP - sabermetrcians love him, I'll give him one more chance, he should at least be a decent spot starter

22) Jesse Litsch, SP - nice up and coming starter with the Jays, not a great K rate but more importantly to me he has great command and a low WHIP

23) Kelvim Escobar, SP - out for a month or two but Escobar is way ahead of schedule in rehabbing his shoulder, if he can come back by June and be even close to what he was in 2006 he'll be my #3 starter

24) Travis Ishikawa, 1B - I'm big on this guy and desperate for a first baseman so this was a perfect pick, should have decent BA with 20 HRs and 5 or so SBs

25) Kyle Lohse, SP - he fell just about 3 rounds, I like him a lot as a spot starter if not a full time wire to wire guy - stellar pick up this late

26) Matt Joyce, OF - been hurt all spring but I needed some OF depth and a little pop, looks like he could put up Pat Burrell type numbers and I can wait a month or two and see if he delivers

27) Jamie Moyer, SP - may only be in my lineup 10 times this year but worth starting when he gets 2 in a week - especially if one is on the road

28) Dallas McPherson, 3B - has a shot at starting, could do Adam Dunn at third base, huge upside pick

29) Eugenio Velez, 2B/OF - Velez qualifies in OF and at 2B and has legit 40+ stolen base potential, even in a utility role he'll be a nice fill in when guys (Weeks, Bradley, Chipper) start hitting the DL

30) Cha Seung Baek, SP - great home park and good control, much like Moyer, Baek may only be out there 10 times this year, may also get cut by May

NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 1 of 3
NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 2 of 3

Get a Jesse Litsch rookie baseball card for your collection on eBay!

NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 2 of 3

Panic might be too strong of a word but to win the NFBC (or even be competitive in a fantasy baseball league like this) I know I need to execute really well over these next 10 picks. I'm either going to burry myself or build an effective offense to compliment my Santana/Lincecum tandem.

My draft strategy was to reach for a couple of players but also maximize value by going off script when guys fall far enough.

11) Rickie Weeks, 2B - I think this could be his year to put it all together, offers upside that would make him a second round draft pick next year and even half a decent season out of Weeks is solid for the middle infield

12) Xavier Nady, OF - the "Un-Tier" was never on my radar this off season, but he fell nearly 2 rounds and should be really productive in 4 categories, with Matsui DHing for at least 2 months Nady should play every day

13) Pat Burrell, OF - he just gets no love, lock in 30 HRs with 180 Runs+RBI, plus he fell by about a round with this pick

14) Edwin Encarnacion, 3B - really didn't need another third baseman (until Chipper hits the DL), but I like Encarnacion to continue to develop, he fell over 3 full rounds so I couldn't say 'no', fills Utility

15) Ramon Hernandez, C - I'm totally on the bounce back bandwagon and think Cinci will bump his power, I see something like .270 BA with 17 HRs

16) Milton Bradley, OF - don't trust him but he fell 4 and a half rounds and should provide at least half of a sick season, right now he's on my bench but I'll have to work him in there while he's still healthy - this may have been the best value in the draft

17) Edgar Renteria, SS - he's going to bat second and score a ton of runs, helps in the other 4 categories at least a little

18) Mark Buehrle, SP - I like Buehrle as a solid innings eater that won't kill ERA or WHIP

19) Christian Guzman, SS - looks like 300 BA is for real, good enough for the 19th round

20) Paul Maholm, SP - having a nice spring and was solid last year, nice mid rotation guy for a fantasy baseball league this deep

NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 1 of 3
NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 3 of 3

Click here to get autographed Xavier Nady and other New York Yankee baseball memorabilia on eBay!

NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 1 of 3

The NFBC Main Event was yesterday and this was my third year drafting out of New York. Although I've been doing fantasy baseball since the mid-90s I feel like I finally have enough experience to be competitive in a high-stakes format like the NFBC.

With the third pick in New York League #6 I spent well over a week agonizing over whether to take David Wright or Jose Reyes with my first draft pick. Ultimately I decided that if I had the choice I'd go with Wright due to his balanced fantasy production. The real surprise came in drafting Johan Santana and Tim Lincecum in rounds 2 and 3 - I just couldn't say 'no', but building an offense became a great adventure!

1) David Wright, 3B - Aside from Hanley Ramirez I think Wright is the only player with 300, 30/30, 100/100 potential - not sure where the steals went last year but even something in the teens makes David Wright first pick worthy

2) Johan Santana, SP - I had the Supernatural last year and he carried 4 categories, don't believe the downward trend hype, Santana is the best pitcher in fantasy baseball and a beast in the NFBC

3) Tim Lincecum, SP - wanted McCann in this spot but he was picked right before me, I believe in the Freak and I believe I just locked up 4 of the 5 pitching categories

4) Joe Mauer, C - don't like the back reports but even if he missed a few weeks he's arguably the best catcher in fantasy baseball, the medical concerns just pushed his asking price down

5) Adam Dunn, OF - I swore off of Dunn and his killer batting average but with 2 starting pitchers and a closer on the horizon I need some big numbers from somewhere - he's a stud in 3 categories

6) Joakim Soria, RP - trending toward elite, very economical pick and compliments my hammer of god rotation

7) Chipper Jones, 3B - I've never liked Chipper because of the injuries, but I need to think creative to make an offense, at pick 3 round 7 he fell 2 full rounds based on the ADPs

8) Andre Ethier, OF - I picked up about a round of value here too, high BA, 20+ HRs, couple steals and 180ish Runs+RBIs make this a nice pick up

9) Willy Taveras, OF - I still can't figure out why Taveras isn't valued more, he could steal 60 bases and put away one category by himself, a case could be made for him as a top 5 round pick

10) Frank Fancisco, RP - looked great closing for Texas last year and CJ Wilson is having more arm problems so the job looks safe, could put up great peripherals

NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 2 of 3
NFBC Main Event Draft Results, Part 3 of 3

Pick up a David Wright baseball card or autographed memorabilia on eBay!

Hanley Ramirez Number 1 Fantasy Baseball Pick in 2009

Calling Hanley Ramirez the number 1 fantasy baseball pick in 2009 doesn't take a genius. Winning an online debate against the rest of the field is a little more difficult.

The Great Fantasy Debate kicked off this week with a little spring trainingesque exercise - as the 'home' team in the head to head blogging competition I have pro - meaning prove Hanley deserves to be #1. My competition Robert has the unpleasant duty of going con - however he does have more votes than me.

Among the reasons I cited include that Hanley Ramirez just turned 25, is moving to third in the order, statistically speaking was the most valuable fantasy baseball player last year, and gained 24 pounds of muscle in the off season.

Join the Great Fantasy Debate by clicking here! Vote for Greg and be sure to leave a comment.

Pick up a Hanley Ramirez jersey on eBay today!

Bloop Single Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Article Published in Fantasy Sports Magazine March Issue

The latest baseball issue from Fantasy Sports Magazine has a published a copy of an Alexi Casilla fantasy baseball sleeper article that I published last month on Bloop Single. Fantasy Sports Magazine is run by the same folks that put on the NFBC - National Fantasy Baseball Championship. About a month ago they reached out to members of the NFBC for sleeper articles to publish in the March edition of their fantasy baseball magazine (note, pictured is the February edition). The plan was to publish the top 20 articles and my Alexi Casilla one was selected. Check out page 11 of the edition with Hanley Ramirez on the cover.

You can read my original blog post about Alexi Casilla as well as 11 other fantasy baseball sleepers by clicking here.

Click here to learn more about Fantasy Sports Magazine's baseball and football publications.

Here is a link to learn more about the National Fantasy Baseball Championship.

Pick up a copy of Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster 2009 to get ready for your fantasy baseball league

Graphical Player 2009 Quotes Bloop Single on Back Cover

Bloop Single is starting to get a little bit of national recognition among fantasy baseball publications. One such example is the quote on the back cover of the 2009 version of Graphical Player by John Burnson.

I highly recommend it for veteran fantasy baseball players looking for an edge to help get their game to the next level.
—Bloop Single

I'm a big fan of Graphical Player as a tool to help prep for fantasy baseball. The visual presentation of the statistics highlight trends that simply can't be seen when looking at straight numbers. If you're looking for a little bump performance in your fantasy baseball league or just want to dig a little deeper into fantasy baseball stats check out Graphical Player 2009.

Pick up a copy of Graphical Player 2009 on Amazon.com today

NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 3 of 3

15 team fantasy baseball leagues like NFBC style have the longest end game I've ever competed in. The goal is to scrape up everyday players with some upside and grab those one or two sleepers.

21) Brandon Wood, SS/3B - we needed a third base option and SS qualification is a bonus, if he put it all together he's Adam Dunn on the infield

22) Kyle Lohshe, SP - really came around with St. Lois last year, nice spot starter and maybe a little more

23) Travis Ishikawa, 1B - poor man's Joey Votto is still under the radar, 20 HR + 5 SB and 280 BA looks doable

24) Homer Bailey, SP - having a great spring, may be ready to fulfill his potential, could really bail out our thin rotation

25) Matt Joyce, OF - 20-25 HR potential, plays OF, was listed as 'alive' on the injury report

26) John Lannan, SP - little bit of a soft tosser, could still improve, nice spot starter

27) Eugenio Velez, 2B/OF - super utility man will qualify at MI/OF and may see enough playing time to swipe 40 bases

28) Dallas McPherson, 3B - finally healthy, 30-40 HR potential and looks like he'll play every day

29) Nick Blackburn, SP - command/control specialist strikes no one out but could eat innings with nice ratio

30) Barry Zito,SP - like the reports of him working out in the offseason, if he gets a little more zip back on the ball he could be spot start worthy, more likely first guy we cut

You can find Brandon Wood baseball cards and memorabilia on eBay!

NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 1 of 3
NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 2 of 3

NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 2 of 3

The middle rounds are where NFBC style fantasy baseball leagues are won and lost. It's important to snag a few upside plays but getting steady proven production with every pick is critical.

11) Rickie Weeks, 2B - there are lots of reasons why this backfires but I think this is his year, note how the Pedroia/Mauer picks make Weeks BA bearable

12) Mike Jacobs, 1B - getting a little hype but still not sure why he isn't a top 10 pick, 35+ HRs look real doable

13) Gil Meche, SP - has put together 2 solid carbon copy seasons in KC, light for a #2 but the skills are real

14) Mike Cameron, OF - another low BA guy with nice HR and SB #s, he should combine for 40

15) Mark Buerle, SP - K rate bounced up again last season, a resurgence is possible

16) Mike Pelfrey, SP - although I'm a Mets fan I don't love Pelfrey (yet), but I needed to just start adding a bodies that qualify as starting pitchers

17) Nick Swisher, OF/1B - again, only possible because of Pedroia/Mauer earlier, love him to bounce back, dual position eligibility is gravy

18) Paul Maholm, SP - pulse and starting pitcher gig, welcome aboard

19) Bronson Arroyo, SP - I think he's a little under valued, could bounce back nicely

20) Dave Bush, SP - been a sabermetric fav for years, might play out in reality this baseball season, should have really low WHIP

Get Rickie Weeks autographed baseball cards and other memorabilia on eBay!

NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 1 of 3
NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 3 of 3

NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 1 of 3

My brother in law and I drafted an NFBC Satellite team on Wednesday. It will be a nice tune up for me in preparation of the National Fantasy Baseball Championship next weekend. Although it was a blast the draft lasted until 1:00 in the morning, and I'm still pretty spent.

Here's a breakdown of the first 10 rounds of the draft (check back for the rest):

1) Carlos Lee, OF - El Caballo is perhaps the most underrated fantasy baseball player. You can't have enough OFs in NFBC style leagues and although the speed is fading a bit Carlos Lee is a stat stuffer in every other category.

2) Dustin Pedroia, 2B - I don't know if Pedroia's HRs and SBs will add up to what he did last year but the 320 BA will setup some things later in the draft. Middle infield is always thin and it's nice to pencil in 110+ Runs

3) Joe Mauer, C - not liking the injury reports but this league starts 2 catchers so I think it's important to grab one of the big guys. Again, the high BA opens up a lot of options in about 10 rounds.

4) David Ortiz, U - even if he's a little bit on the downside Big Papi should be really productive in 4 categories. I hate jamming my U early in the draft but 4th round represents awesome value.

5) Troy Tulowitski, SS - I've really come around on Tulo. He's good for 22+ HRs and a 275 BA but he's really going to set me up because I see him chipping in roughly 10 SBs which most people aren't expecting.

6) Mariano Rivera, RP - elite closer still has some gas left in the tank.

7) Brian Fuentes, RP - even if the Angles have 20% fewer save chances this year Fuentes could get better than 50 chances.

8) Zack Greinke, SP - could make a run at the Cy Young this year, love him as an ace and the price is right.

9) Willy Taveras, OF - we had a big stolen base problem up until now - problem solved. Dusty Baker may be a moron but he doesn't believe in OBP and he should give Taveras the green light all day.

10) Bengie Molina, C - hits for a nice average, will chip in 15-20 HRs and drive in over 80 RBIs. Bengie gets no respect but I love our catching tandem.

Click here to pick up Autographed Carlos Lee baseball cards and memorabilia on eBay!

NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 2 of 3
NFBC Satellite Draft Results, Part 3 of 3

The Great Fantasy Debate Invites Bloop Single

The Great Fantasy Debate over at Fantasy Pros 911 is just about ready to get rolling for this fantasy baseball season. The contest drew over 76 applicants and I was selected 10th! They are currently highlighting 1 participant each day until all 12 fantasy baseball debaters are unveiled.

The competition will consist of head to head blogging each week against one of the other debaters. Scoring is based on a number of factors including views, comments, and voting by the judges. The winner gets to be a regular on the Fantasy Pros 911 for the 2010 fantasy baseball season.

With this news and my satellite NFBC draft starting next week, fantasy baseball season is really kicking into high gear.

Pick up Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster 2009 to get ready for your fantasy baseball draft

Mike Cameron, Undervalued Fantasy Baseball Option in 2009

Mike Cameron (pictured 2007 Topps baseball card) has never been a fantasy baseball player that I've targeted. Take into consideration that he turned 36 last month and I'm running a serious risk hoping onto the bandwagon now. However, based on the mock drafts I've been doing Mike Cameron has been in a complete free fall. Even in a deep fantasy baseball league like the NFBC he's going in the late teen rounds.

So Cameron is cheap and old, what else? He's averaged 23/20 over the past 3 years along with nearly 160 Runs+RBIs. His 251 BA over that same period isn't great but in deep leagues isn't a killer either. The last two years he's hit below 250 and stolen less than 20 bases so again - be cautious.

The Baseball Forecaster has him down for 24/16 in 2009 which works for me as a U or 4th OF option in deeper leagues. Low risk with steady production makes Mike Cameron a worth end game flier for the 2009 fantasy baseball season.

Brush up on Mike Cameron and the rest of the baseball best fantasy players with Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster 2009: Gravity Defying Edition

New Kid Elberfeld T206 with Polar Bear Back

I recently landed a Kid Elberfeld T206 with a Polar Bear back. It ran almost $50 but is in pretty good shape. The corners show significant rounding however there are no major creases, the color is good and the card is well centered. Plus there's always a slight bump for Polar Bear backs - the T206 Museum's Pricing Formula has Polar Bear's going for a 30% premium.

This T206 is from when Elberfeld was on the Washington Senators. The "Tabasco Kid" was know for his fiery temper and tough play at short stop. He was a career 271 hitter with 213 stolen bases. As further testament to his toughness Kid Elberfeld lead the league in number of times hit by a pitch twice, owned the single season record up until 1986 and is still 13th on the all time list.

You can find T206 baseball cards with Polar Bear backs on eBay!

Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10

That's right DIRT! The grand finale of my Baseball Memorabilia series is stadium dirt. Talk about owning a part of the game. The cool thing about dirt, when you really think about it, was your favorite all-time baseball player know for having the cleanest uniform on the team - never. Tough players that bust their a$$ care covered in dirt!

With both Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium saying farewell there are a number of options for purchasing genuine "game used" dirt. A popular dirt related baseball product are the stadium coins - shown is a Mets coin commemorating Shea Stadium.

If you are looking for something unusual to add to your baseball memorabilia collection that none of your friends will have then take a look at some dirt from your favorite baseball stadium.

You can easily buy your own sample of stadium dirt on eBay - click here!

Also See,
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Joe Tinker T206 Piedmont, Latest Baseball Card Added Collection

I recently went on a little bit of a spree on eBay to add some new T206 baseball cards to my collection. The most notable is of Hall of Famer Joe Tinker pictured with the bat off shoulder and a Piedmont back. It's a SGC 40 graded card so it's in pretty nice shape.

Although Tinker had only a .262 career batting average, he did manage to steal 336 bases. As a short stop Tinker was most noted for his fielding and helped lead the Cubs to 4 World Series. Joe Tinker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

You can find Joe Tinker and other T206 baseball cards on eBay.

Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10

Many baseball card manufactures today issues special insert cards that contain the printing plates from the actual cards in the set. While it's cool to own your favorite players baseball card, how about owning the printing plate that produced all of the cards! Check out the 2009 Topps black plate for Evan Longoria.

Printing plate card inserts are typically very pricy for the more elite players, however the routinely go for less that $10 on eBay for common players. So you could cheaply add some lesser known insert cards of players from your favorite team to you collection.

This is a relatively new trend so from a long-term collectible standpoint it's tough to tell what their value will be over time. Since they're all essentially 1 of 1 for each of the colors (black, cyan, magenta and yellow) the scarcity should help them to maintain a lot of value as a baseball collectable.

You can score your own printing plate insert baseball card on eBay!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10

Although I have yet to add one to my collection I think vintage baseball gloves are a nice accent piece to any baseball memorabilia collection. Shown is a sharp looking vintage catchers mitt from the 1940s or 50s that I found on eBay.

There's something about the aged look of old baseball leather that just creates a very nostalgic feel. When displaying a vintage baseball glove it's important to oil the mitt periodically to prevent it from drying out and cracking. I wouldn't over do it because you don't want oil dripping everywhere but a nice light coat every few years should keep your vintage baseball glove attractive for years.

You can find a vintage baseball glove on eBay to add to your baseball memorabilia display.

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Fantasy Baseball Auction Strategies

I have some fundamental problems with the prevailing conventional wisdom of fantasy baseball auction strategies. I consumer a lot of fantasy baseball content - blogs, podcasts, feeds, websites, books, magazines, etc. and consistently they all get it wrong when it comes to auction strategies. One of the prevailing strategies is to never nominate a player that you really want - sure, like what fantasy baseball team owner doesn't want Alex Rodriguez, David Wright or Albert Pujols???

I believe 1) get the players you want and 2) the principle of economic scarcity. To the first point, if you really, really, really want Arod how much higher is he going to go for? He's a premium player so don't be scared off by the high price tag - expect it. When I prepare for an auction draft I set a list of 7-8 premium players and commit to getting 4 of them. To a point some of them are interchangeable but if you want to build a solid core to your fantasy baseball team you'll have to spend money one way or another.

To the second point - the law of economic scarcity was developed by the father of modern economic theory Adam Smith in his seminal book The Wealth of Nations
. What this essentially means is that Jimmy Rollins will be reasonably priced for his skills as long as Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes are still on the board. Once those 2 are gone Rollins could theoretically cost even more than Reyes or Ramirez because he's the last high-end shortstop available. To put it another way, quality stats at the shortstop position are now scarce and will predictably be more expensive. So what I might do if I had the first pick in an auction draft is to pick David Wright first and spend what I have to in order to get him -with Arod and Miggy Cabrera on the board he'll still be relatively reasonable. In other words when I go to an auction draft my strategy is to nominate and pay for the guys that I want and let everyone else pay a premium for the scraps.

Ron Shandler has other auction draft strategies in his annual fantasy baseball guide - The Baseball Forecaster. Click here to pick up a copy on Amazon.

Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10

Game used baseball jerseys are a great collectible and fairly accessible way to own part of the game. Most baseball card sets will include limited run baseball cards with pieces of game used jerseys in them. eBay is positively littered with these cards. Alternatively, whole jerseys suitable for framing or wearing are readily available on eBay.

In my search for game used baseball jerseys on eBay I was unable to find any big name stars. I did come across this vintage Cubs jersey from 1947. Can't say I'm familiar with #17 Jess Dobernic but I'm sure most Cubs fans are.

There were also a number of game used jerseys available from lesser known players and teams. There was a Cubs Mark DeRosa jersey and many from the Oakland athletics. If you have a specific jersey in mind it may require some patience.

Own part of the game with a game used baseball jersey from eBay!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10

Baseball by Ken Burns is a legendary look at the game. Although many have called the accuracy of some of the finer points in to question to me it still speaks as baseball's definitive retrospective. It's been over 10 years since I've seen it but recently purchased a copy on eBay as a birthday treat.

The Ken Burns classic really worked best for me during the early history of the game. Essentially everything before Babe Ruth is a little bit of a mystery to me - after all Ruth redefined the game. However the early version of baseball had greats like Ty Cobb and Cy Young.

I can't wait to watch this DVD and recommend it as a much watch for any baseball fan, historian or memorabilia collector.

Order your copy of Ken Burns' PBS documentary Baseball on eBay!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10

T206 baseball cards are my favorite piece of baseball memorabilia. My collection is still only about 40-50 cards but I have sprinkled in a couple of Hall of Famers. I think the T206 baseball card series is so appealing because of their antiquity. Due to age alone they have some inherent value. Baseball is a sport steeped in tradition and T206 cards are a great way to connect with the heritage of the game.

In my opinion holy trinity of T206 Hall of Famers consists of Ty Cobb, Cy Young and Walter Johnson. There are dozens of other HOFers but these are three absolute legends. Ty Cobb has 4 cards - green portrait, red portrait, bat off shoulder (shown) and bat on shoulder. Cy Young has 3 cards in the T206 set - portrait, bare hand and glove. Walter Johnson has two cards in the set - his portrait (essentially "The Big Train's" rookie card) and throwing.

Add a T206 Hall of Famer baseball card from eBay to your memorabilia collection!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Joey Devine (shown 2006 Topps Heritage rookie card) was once a prized pitching prospect in the incomparable Braves system. After battling some minor injuries and control problems the hard throwing right hander finally made an impact at the big league level last year with a move to Oakland.

One of the main reasons that I like Joey Devine this year is that Billy Bean is as sharp as the come. He buys low on talented players like Devine, runs them into the ground and then sells high right before their arms fall off - which for fantasy baseball purposes works fine for me.

Here are the facts - in 45 innings last year Devine had better than 9 Ks per 9 racking up a total of 49. At the same time he limited his walks to just 15 netting out a command ratio of better than 3. He had a minecule ERA of .60 which no one expects to hold up but the 3+ command says he's for real.

Joey Devine is in the mix to close for Oakland so watch his progress this spring. If he wins the job as Oakland's closer it's entirely possible that he cracks the top 5 at the position in fantasy baseball making him a great sleeper pick - he may have the tools to make a run at the top 5!

Add a Joey Devine baseball card to your collection today with help from eBay - click here!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12