In the blog I will give you, each MLB teams Fantasy MVP and runner-up along with the teams LVP and bottom-up. I actually did some research on this, so please enjoy.
Editor’s note; statistics are retro to May 4, 2008 and are courtesy of ESPN. I will use the following sequence of stats for you to follow AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, HR, RBI, R, TB, BB, K, and SB.
I will focus solely on offense today and tomorrow. Maybe a pitching column next week?
Here are the first 15 teams in ABC order... I know it sounds like a first-grader but Jackson-Five might be running through your head too... you will hate me later.
Arizona Diamondbacks
MVP: Conor Jackson .343 .421 .590 1.102 5-25-27-62 11-10-2
Runner-Up: J. Upton .342 .402 .559 .960 5-16-19-62 13-30-0
Comments: Jackson has been a beast while Upton needs to up the SB total to get his true value.
LVP: Eric Byrnes .242 .316 .417 .732 3-15-29-50 11-16-3
Bottom-Up: Chris Snyder .243 .375 .414 .789 1-15-17-29 13-21-0
Comments: Snyder’s numbers are not that bad but he came into this season primed to take over the catching duties for this team and with so much offense around him he should be posting better numbers. Byrnes is just off to a slow start.
Atlanta Braves
MVP: Chipper Jones .425 .472 .717 1.189 9-27-22-81 12-10-0
Runner-Up: Brian McCann .291 .358 .555 .912 6-17-17-61 12-9-0
Comments: Jones is MVP of the NL at this point. Who in their right mind would not take McCann’s numbers at the 2 position?
LVP: Mark Teixeira .267 .348 .442 .790 4-18-17-53 14-18-0
Bottom-Up: Jeff Francour .276 .311 .455 .766 3-20-16-56 6-12-0
Comments: Isn’t great to know that some jerk like me thinks the Braves worst two fantasy players are Tex and Francour?
Baltimore Orioles
MVP: Nick Markakis .273 .403 .473 .876 6-14-19-52 23-27-6
Comments: Ellsbury is my choice because he brings more to the table than I anticipated at the beginning of the season. He has been lights-out since day 1.
LVP: David Ortiz .216 .316 .379 .695 5-24-19-44 16-20-0
Bottom-Up: Jason Varitek .267 .315 .453 .769 3-11-7-39 4-22-0
Comments: If you want to throw-up in your own mouth check out Big Papi’s splits on home vs. road. To see V-Tek play this way is sad because I feel he was a true general on the field and a clutch player. Does Boston have another catcher ready in the minors?
Chicago White Sox
MVP: Carlos Quentin .283 .421 .609 1.030 8-22-22-56 15-17-2
Runner-Up: Joe Crede .248 .313 .585 .817 7-22-12-51 9-14-0
Comments: Quentin has been a pleasant surprise for Fantasy owners, while Crede might not have the batting average you want, he has hit big in the clutch (2 grand slams).
LVP: Nick Swisher .210 .354 .324 .678 3-8-20-34 23-29-1
Comments: Did any one else expect bigger things from Swisher? Swisher so far is a big bust! Cabrera has a pass for the same cruise Swisher is on … The S. S. Minnow.
Comments: Ramriez is the best Fantasy player in the NL… easily! Willingham flies so far under the radar. I would take Willingham over Francour any day.
LVP: Cody Ross .164 .186 .273 .459 1-5-2-15 2-8-1
Bottom-Up: Luis Gonzalez .226 .324 .403 .727 3-5-5-25 9-13-1
Comments: I feel I need to apologize to the Cody Ross family for printing his stats. NOT!
Comments: Most under-rated player in the AL is Casey Kotchman. He has been a better run producer than VLad.
LVP: Garrett Anderson .221 .258 328 .586 2-11-14-40 6-21-1
Bottom-Up: Vladimir Guerrero .256 .336 .402 .738 3-14-15-47 13-21-1
Comments: Be afraid… be very afraid
LA Dodgers
MVP: Rafael Furcal .369 .453 .585 1.038 4-15-33-76 19-15-8
Runner-Up: Matt Kemp .324 .348 .495 .843 2-22-18-52 5-30-7
Comments: Matt Kemp is one of the brightest stars in the NL right now!
LVP: Andruw Jones .163 .274 .255 .539 1-4-14-25 15-34 0
Bottom-Up: See Above…
Comments: I would like to take this opportunity to apologize on the behalf of Mr. Jones for playing like a softball player waiting to get to the bar to get his free pitcher of Miller Fat Me UP!
Did you know baseball starts Tuesday… in a foreign country… played in the wee hours of the morning EST? Well if you have no idea that this is taking place, you might as well get used to the idea of the MLB season staring in March… in a country that has $$$.. Moreover, INTEREST! That is right other countries have interest in the game of baseball. Baltimore fans seem to be as interested in this season as if this was a wedding for a couple you knew had no chance… because you are the reason they have no chance.
Well with that said, I am interested in this season for one reason only: Predictions.
Here we go…
AL East: Boston Redsox.
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Los Angeles of Anaheim of Orange County of the state of California Angles
AL Wild Card: Detroit Tigers
AL Champion: Detroit Tigers
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera
AL ROY: Evan Longoria (Clay Buchholz a close second).
AL Manager of the Year: Mike Scioscia
AL CY Young: Justin Verlander
NL East: NY Mets
NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers of Brooklyn, NY past
NL Wild Card: Atlanta Braves
NL Champion: LA Dodgers
NL MVP: Prince Fielder
NL ROY: Hiroki Kuroda
NL Manager of the Year: Joe Torre
NL CY Young: Johan Santana
World Series Winner: LA Dodgers
World Series MVP: Chad Billingsley
Bonus*** The First Manager Canned: Charlie Manuel (by June 1st).
Bonus 2*** The Orioles will win 72 games this year.
Bonus 3*** The Yankees are in for an awful season. Yet they will just miss the playoffs.
Bonus 4*** Erik Bedard wins 15… yet loses 10+ and the Mariners fall short of the playoffs.
My name is Chip and I reside in Baltimore, Maryland. I have lived in Baltimore all my life and really love the city. I am the biggest Oriole and Maryland Terrapin fan I know. I'm also a huge Ravens fan but I miss my Baltimore Colts. Some of my favorite players I enjoyed watching as a child include Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken Jr, Bert Jones, Dr. J, Ken Singleton, Roger Carr, Len Bias, Sugar Ray Leonard and Earl Campbell. Though we do not have a NBA or NHL team, I still follow both sports just as much as the others.
Currently you can find me at www.wnst.net and www.thomasgeo rgebaseball.c om and www.thebirdso fprey2.com
Fantasy sports manager sine 1991.
Pleasures include my family and Italian cuisine.
My son, Matthew, is nine and thinks Duke, NYY , Redsox and the Steelers stink!