Fantasy geeks... like me might like this stuff.

Part II tomorrow

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

Runner-Up: Aubrey Huff .277 .352 .482 .834 5-19-18-54 13-22-2

Comments: Markakis is only going to get better. Huff is better served in AL only leagues.

 

 

LVP: Ramon Hernandez .198 .232 .374 .606 3-15-7-34 5-10-0

Bottom-Up: Kevin Millar .214 .285 .342 .626 4-14-16-40 11-19-0

Comments: I had the pick of the litter when it came to the offense of the Orioles. Remember this name… Matt Wieters… coming to a stadium near you!!

 

 

Boston Red Sox

 

 

MVP: Jacob Ellsbury .291 .415 .442 .857 3-12-25-38 17-9-11

Runner-Up: Manny Ramirez .317 .397 .567 .964 6-23-20-68 15-35-1

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

Bottom-Up: Orlando Cabrera .220 .298 .271 .569 1-5-17-32 12-14-5

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.

 

 

Chicago Cubs

 

 

MVP: Geovany Soto .333 .430 .618 1.047 5-23-15-63 18-26-0

Runner-Up: Derrick Lee .339 .418 .614 1.032 8-23-28-78 18-17-2

Comments: Lee is a MVP but when you get this type of production from your 2 position… he is my MVP.

 

 

LVP: Alfonzo Soriano .173 .222 .320 .542 3-10-9-24 5-16-3

Bottom Up: See Above

 

Comments: Sorry but the guy below has better numbers… see Paul Bako

 

 

Cincinnati Reds

 

 

MVP: Paul Bako .312 .384 .532 .916 3-11-10-41 9-18-0

Runner-Up: Edwin Encarnacion .275 373 .532 .906 7-15-16-50 17-17-1

Comments: The improvement in Encarnacion is worth noting… 17 BB and 17 K!!!

 

 

LVP: Adam Dunn .221 .375 .389 .764 4-13-15-37 24-24-1

Bottom-Up: Brandon Phillips .279 .321 .492 .812 5-15-17-60 8-25-5

Comments: See Atlanta Braves

 

 

Cleveland Indians

 

 

MVP: Grady Sizemore .277 .393 .446 .839 4-15-17-50 18-23-7

Runner-Up: Victor Martinez .347 .380 .411 .791 0-10-7-39 4-8-0

Comments: Sizemore is a stud… no question. Martinez… see below

 

 

LVP: Travis Hafner .209 .305 .345 .650 3-17-12-38 14-30-0

Bottom-Up: Victor Martinez (see above)

Comments: Hafner is killing Fantasy owners while V-Mart makes both list because he has yet to go deep while leading the AL in hitting.

 

 

Colorado Rockies

 

 

MVP: Matt Holliday .306.396 .521 .916 5-19-20-63 17-22-5

Runner-Up: Garrett Atkins .315 .341 .515 .856 6-22-17-67 5-21-0

Comments: Everyday in Colorado is a Holliday

 

 

LVP: Troy Tulowitzki .152 .226 .238 .464 1-11-10-25 9-17-1

Bottom-Up: Brad Hawpe .260 .398 .400 .798 2-12-12-40 22-23-0

Comments: It does not look good for Colorado. The pitching has sucked as well…

 

 

Detroit Tigers

 

 

MVP: Magglio Ordonez .311 .390 .529 .919 6-23-20-63 16-17-0

Runner-Up: Curtis Granderson .317 .440 .805 1.245 5-8-13-33 9-6-1

Comments: In my opinion, Curtis Granderson is the closest thing to Rickey Henderson without the third person reference.

 

 

LVP: Gary Sheffield .185 .340 .309 .649 2-5-10-25 17-18-3

Bottom-Up: P. Polanco .250 .345 .375 .720 2-9-14-36 12-7-1

Comments: Go get Polanco now. He is hitting again. Career .300 hitter!

 

 

Florida Marlins

 

 

MVP: Hanley Ramriez .317 .394 .563 .958 8-19-25-71 12-25-10

Runner-Up: Josh Willingham .341 .406 .637 1.043 6-16-16-58 9-16-2

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!

 

 

Houston Astros

 

 

MVP: Lance Berkman .325 .406 .702 1.108 10-31-30-80 17-15-4

Runner-Up: Miguel Tejada .349 .385 .579 .965 5-25-24-73 7-15-2

Comments: Berkman is making a case for MVP of the NL, while Tejada is making us forget his age again.

 

 

LVP: J.R. Towles .176 .309 .97 .706 4-10-7-27 8-14-0

Bottom-Up: Hunter Pence .254 .283 .439 .722 4-16-15-50 5-27-1

Comments: Nothing against Towles but he did get a lot of hype prior to drafts this season. I predict a big May and June for Pence.

 

 

Kansas City Royals

 

 

MVP: Alex Gordon .281 .344 .412 .756 3-12-17-47 11-27-2

Runner-Up: David DeJesus .333 .400 .456 .856 2-13-6-26 7-7-1

Comments: George Brett is not walking through that door, nor is Frank White…

 

 

LVP: Jose Guillen .171 .205 .316 .521 3-15-11-37 5-27-0

Bottom-Up: John Buck .247 .344 .377 .721 2-11-11-29 11-16-0

Comments: I hear Guillen is a Sesame Street fan. He can find it on the HGH channel. The letter B and the number 12 now sponsor him.

 

 

LA Angels

 

 

MVP: Casey Kotchman .330 .385 .554 .939 6-20-16-62 9-7-1

Runner-Up: Torii Hunter .314 .67 .534 .901 5-20-18-63 6-19-3

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to count a game played in Japan at 6:05 EST as Opening Day... well you must live in Oakland or Boston. I live in Baltimore and our Opening Day starts Monday... like normal baseball teams. Question: How many people believe that Opening Day Monday should be a Holiday?

I want to share two memories from Oriole Opening Day past. I would love to see comments about a memory of your own.

 

Opening Day 1989: Cal Ripken hits a three-run bomb in the sixth inning off Clemens to put the Birds up by one and we win in extra innings on a Craig Worthington single. The year of “Why Not?” You felt Memorial Stadium rock that day. I bet you heard the crowd as far as Federal Hill when Rip put that Clemens fastball in the bullpen. I was on a bus trip from a pub in Baltimore. I was the youngest by ten years at least. My Uncle Vernon always made sure I went Opening Day. Yet, he never did that for his own son. Weird? Every one should have an Uncle like him. I am lucky to have remembered that afternoon. Where were the people checking for I.D.? Good thing it was a bus trip.

 

Interesting fact; the first four hitters in the line up that Opening Day; Brady Anderson, Phil Bradley, Steve Finley and Cal Ripken.

 

Opening Day 1982: Murray hits a granny, Cal put one over the fence for his first ever, Gary Roenicke, and “Disco” Dan Ford hit bombs that great afternoon as we destroy KC and Dennis Leonard 13-5. I sat in the right field bleachers with my sixth grade classmates. I was lucky enough to be on the cover of the News American the next morning! Remember Dempsey tried switch-hitting that year. Funny season. Weaver’s last one before that ill attempt at a comeback. Cal wins ROY. We take Milwaukee to the final game… and “Cakes “gives up two ####s to future HOF’er himself Robin Yount. We lose 10-2. Weaver cries as Howard Cossell sings praise to the “Earl of Baltimore.” We win the World Series the next season with Joe Altobelli and have not been to the big dance since.

 

Opening Day line up; Bumbry, Dempsey, Ford, Singleton, Murray, Ripken, Roenicke, Sakata and Dauer. Yes… in that order.

 

Let us hope we do not have to wait 25 more years.