Part II

 

Offensive MVP and LVP Fantasy Style

 

Milwaukee Brewers

 

 

MVP: Gabe Kapler .291 .310 .582 .892 4-13-12-32 2-10-1

Runner-Up: Mike Cameron .269 .367 .654 1.021 3-7-6-17 4-8-0

Comments: I am using the two as a group. This has been a bright spot for the Brewers to start the season. Together they remind me of John Lowenstein/Gary Roenicke without the 25-game suspension and the fact one of the Brewers is not a left-handed hitter… other than that… I am cool.

 

LVP: Ryan Braun .268 .304 .465 .768 5-23-13-59 7-28-1

Bottom-Up: Prince Fielder .257 .372 .431 .803 4-20-16-47 19-18-0

Comments: both players do not belong on this list but given where they went in drafts… Their numbers do not add up to their production.

 

Minnesota Twins

 

 

MVP: Justin Morneau .284 .358 .495 .853 6-25-14-54 12-17-0

Runner-Up: Carlos Gomez .271 .297 .374 .671 1-8-17-40 3-26-13

Comments: If Morneau played somewhere other than, a state recognized for lakes they have (I am on record here to say that Minnesota does not have 10,000 lakes. Maybe they more or less… but not 10,000 exactly) he would be an All-Star regularly.

 

LVP: Delmon Young .263 .306 .307 .613 0-9-15-35 7-21-6

Bottom-Up: Jason Kubel .245 .264 .396 .660 4-17-11-42 3-22-0

Comments: Both players came into this season as great sleepers in AL-only leagues… yet both have been big disappointments for Fantasy owners but Minnesota is a top their division as I write tonight. Go figure.

 

New York Yankees

 

 

MVP: Johnny Damon .295 .394 .527 .921 4-14-25-59 19-20-5

Runner-Up: Bobby Abreu .306 .363 .452 .815 4-21-15-56 11-24-2

Comments: Damon is quietly putting up good Fantasy numbers, while Abreu is the glue right now that is holding the lineup together.

 

LVP: Robinson Cano .154 .214 .256 .471 3-8-7-30 8-15-0

Bottom-Up: Derek Jeter .313 .339 .393 .732 0-16-15-44 3-8-0

Comments: Cano signed a huge deal and is pulling a Carl Pavano right now while Jeter has yet to go deep or steal a base.

 

New York Mets

 

 

MVP: David Wright .284 .406 .569 .975 6-26-17-62 23-18-4

Runner-Up: Ryan Church .318 .382 .491 .873 4-22-23-54 11-24-1

Comments: Wright is a beast at third; you did not need me to tell you that. Church has been solid all year.

 

LVP: Carlos Delgado .213 .306 .361 .668 4-16-16-39 14-21-0

Bottom-Up: Luis Castillo .239 .343 .261 .605 0-4-11-23 4-7-6

Comments: It is time for Delgado to Delgottogo.

 

Oakland Athletics

 

 

MVP: Emil Brown .271 .296 .398 .694 3-26-19-47 4-11-1

Runner-Up: Bobby Crosby .268 .336 .402 .737

Comments: What can Brown do for you? Lead the AL in RBI.

 

LVP: Travis Buck .154 .197 .277 .474 0-6-5-18 2-20-0

Bottom-Up: Mark Ellis .237 .322 .359 .681 2-11-5-47 17-15-3

Comments: What does Travis Buck and I have in common? We both suck at hitting the curve ball… However, he gets paid to hit.

 

Philadelphia Phillies

 

 

MVP: Chase Utley .357 .432 .762 1.193 13-26-28-96 13-20-3

Runner-Up: Pat Burrell .330 .459 .687 1.147 9-30-20-73 26-24-0

Comments: Without Chipper Jones in the NL, Utley is the MVP. How do you not like Utley? Pat’s bat is hotter than Fergie in a bikini. Check her out in the May 5th edition of In Touch Weekly.

 

LVP: Ryan Howard .167 .294 .351 .645 6-14-16-40 21-45-0

Bottom-Up: Shane Victorino .231 .296 .292 .588 0-2-7-19 6-8-2

Comments: Howard is hitting something around .400 when he actually hits a ball.

 

Pittsburgh Pirates

 

 

MVP: Nate McClouth .323 .411 .606 1.017 7-25-28-77 17-16-3

Runner-Up: Xavier Nady .347 .406 .542 .948 4-30-19-64 10-21-1

Comments: McClouth is by far the biggest surprise in Fantasy this season on the offensive side. Reminds me of Eric Brynes… but better!

 

LVP: Adam LaRoche .202 .275 .303 .578 2-8-7-30 10-32-0

Bottom-Up: Freddy Sanchez .222 .250 .282 .532 1-11-10-33 4-14-0

Comments: I have officially given up on LaRoche. Pittsburgh fans know what I mean.

 

San Diego Padres

 

 

MVP: Adrian Gonzalez .302 .355 .556 .911 8-23-19-70 10-27-0

Runner-Up: See Above

 

Comments: In a big home ballpark, Gonzalez is putting up some nice numbers. I have him in a league that I cannot even trade him in because my knuckle-headed friends would rather hold onto David Ortiz or Carlos Pena.

 

LVP: Khalil Greene .220 .273 .305 .578 1-11-6-36 8-24-0

Bottom-Up: Jim Edmonds .181 .266 .241 .507 1-6-6-20 9-23-2

Comments: Greene has been disappointing so far and Edmonds has been pointless so far.

 

San Francisco Giants

 

 

MVP: Aaron Rowand .337 .383 .531 .914 3-15-12-52 7-26-0

Runner-Up: Bengie Molina .296 .324 .480 .803 4-19-9-47 4-5-0

Comments: It is nice to have a catcher like Molina on your team… just make sure it is the right Molina brother.

 

LVP: Ray Durham .253 .330 .367 .697 1-7-9-29 8-15-4

Bottom-Up: John Bowker .250 .268 .426 .694 3-9-4-29 2-16-0

Comments: I was going to put Barry ****s on the list but his head did not fit on the page.

 

Seattle Mariners

 

 

MVP: Ichiro Suzuki .279 .329 .375 .704 2-9-21-51 10-10-12

Runner-Up: Raul Ibanez .302 .345 .484 .829 5-21-17-61 10-18-0

Comments: If April showers bring May flowers, what does Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims. NO! It brings more Ichiro hits.

 

LVP: Jose Vidro .192 .248 .298 .546 2-18-12-31 8-14-1

Bottom-Up: Kenji Johjima .184 .245 .218 .463 0-5-4-19 6-5-0

Comments: I am very frustrated with the play of Johjima. The image of Jeff Clement in his rear-view mirror is closer than he thinks.

 

St. Louis Cardinals

 

 

MVP: Albert Pujois .358 .518 .604 1.122 6-23-18-64 33-9-2

Runner-Up: Ryan Ludwick .308 .386 .615 1.002 4-15-16-48 10-24-1

Comments: What elbow problem? Shoot, I hope I did not jinx him.

 

LVP: Troy Glaus .232 .318 .366 .684 1-21-9-41 15-25-0

Bottom-Up: Chris Duncan .271 .402 .400 .802 2-6-12-28 16-16-1

Comments: Glaus vs. Rolen… advantage M.D.’s

 

Tampa Bay Rays

 

 

MVP: Eric Hinske .279 .392 .581 .974 6-15-14-50 16-14-2

Runner-Up: B J Upton .286 .379 .429 .808 3-21-18-45 17-26-4

Comments: If you drafted Hinske in your AL-only league, good job. If you drafted Hinske in your mixed league, you are a liar.

 

LVP: Evan Longoria .239 .345 .437 .782 3-11-10-31 11-19-2

Bottom-Up: Carlos Pena .215 .323 .421 .743 7-17-15-45 13-35-0

Comments: Longoria will eventually hit. I think he is over-matched at times and looks like he has no plan at the plate. He has had some great at-bats (see Roy Holladay) but they are few and far in-between.

 

Texas Rangers

 

 

MVP: Josh Hamilton .300 .347 .531 .878 6-33-16-69 11-19-0

Runner-Up: Milton Bradley .320 .412 .495 .907 3-12-13-48 16-13-0

Comments: Talk about getting a second chance in life and taking advantage of it… Hamilton and Bradley both have been solid in the middle of that lineup.

 

LVP: Hank Blalock .299 .365 .460 .824 3-7-9-40 8-9-0

Bottom-Up: Ben Broussard .159 .225 .268 .493 3-8-8-22 5-20-0

Comments: Maybe it is unfair for me to put Blalock on this list, but coming into this season, he insisted he was healthy and proved once again that we should never trust a player’s opinion of himself unless we are in the company of Rickey Henderson.

 

Toronto Blue Jays

 

 

MVP: Alex Rios .310 .379 .474 .853 3-15-20-55 14-25-8

Runner-Up: Vernon Wells .273 .341 .405 .746 4-22-17-49 12-15-1

Comments: I just traded for Wells. What do you think of this trade; Wells and Giambi for Cust and Jenks?

 

LVP: Frank Thomas .167 .306 .333 .639 3-11-7-20 11-13-0

Bottom-Up: Aaron Hill .264 .323 .388 .712 2-13-11-47 9-16-2

Comments: Why would you want “The Big Attitude” on your team?

 

Washington Nationals

 

 

MVP: Christian Guzman .309 .331 .463 .794 3-14-20-63 5-12-0

Runner-Up: Felipe Lopez .281 .349 .344 .693 1-12-12-33 10-14-4

Comments: I have nothing for this team. New ballpark, same crowds.

 

LVP: Ryan Zimmerman .217 .252 .333 .585 3-14-12-43 6-23-0

Bottom-Up: Austin Kearns .212 .331 .292 .623 2-12-12-33 16-19-1

Comments: If Zimmerman is the face of the franchise, I am calling Joan Rivers for a referral.

Nationals… last in your program and last in my blog.

 

With less than 72 hours before the first pitch of the 2008 Baseball season for the Orioles, I wanted to examine the team as well as the team playing 45 minutes away in Washington.

Many an expert have predicted the Orioles to finish fifth in their division and lose close to or more than 100 games. Meanwhile the team in Washington could be in a similar situation. The Nationals have played to a .463(225-261) winning percentage since the 2005 season. The Orioles during the same stretch have played at a .438(213-273) clip. OUCH! I will now stick a hot poker in my ear.

So I was thinking which team will be worse this season… or does it really matter? Well I kind of do think it matters. It matters because in the three seasons that the Expos became the Nationals they have won more games than the Birds. What in the hell is going on around here?

If you have Peter Angelos’s email address, please forward that last paragraph to him. Thank you.

I will now play judge and jury to determine which team will win more games this season. Let’s admit it… Both teams will suck again this year… and next. But for the purpose of this blog I will break each position down to determine an edge in that area.

Catchers: Ramon Hernandez vs Paul Lo Duca. Hernandez has to stay healthy this year for the Orioles to produce some runs. Hernandez has the ability to post .270-18-72 like number. Lo Duca handles pitchers well and get timely hits. He was one of many players mentioned in the Mitchell Report. I give the edge to Lo Duca. He has more phone number and connections to take the edge off than Hernandez. EDGE: Nationals.

First Baseman: Kevin Millar vs Dmitri Young. “Cowboy Up” vs “The Meathook”. Classic WWE match. Millar is by far the most fun spirited ball player I can remember watching. Millar when hot… is a very dangerous hitter. The problem is he doesn’t stay hot for months. He may have a breakout week instead of a month. Young might have his playing time reduced if Nick Johnson is healthy. Young was the Nationals best player last season. EDGE: Push

Second Baseman: Brian Roberts (for now) vs Ronnie Belliard. B-Rob is one of the best lead-off hitters in the game and causes havoc on the base paths like no other Oriole. How long will be here? My guess… All-Star break. Belliard, a reject from the Indian organization, is having a great Spring Training to hold off Felipe Lopez for the job. The Orioles have a big edge here, but that all will change sometime this Summer. EDGE: Baltimore (for now).

Third Baseman: Melvin Mora vs Ryan Zimmerman. I might be wrong but I think Mora has more kids than hits last season. Well that’s the way it felt. Zimmerman is a ball player plain and simple. He plays the game like it is suppose to be played. No contest at the position. EDGE: Nationals.

Shortstop: Luis Hernandez vs Cristian Guzman. If you were to put Guzman up against every other starting shortstop in MLB, the other team probably has the edge. The Orioles have no real shortstop at this time. You could see Freddie Bynum or Brandon Fahey playing there some this year. You could put all their abilities together and mold them into one shortstop and Guzman still wins. EDGE: Nationals.

Outfield: Luke Scott, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis vs Elijah Dukes, Lastings Milledge and Austin Kearns. I got goose pimples just typing the three Oriole names. If you take them as a group or try and break them down by outfield position, the conclusion will be the same. The Birds have the better outfielders today. I like Scott more than Dukes. I like Jones more than Milledge and I love Markakis over Kearns. This group of outfielders is the strongest the Orioles have seen since mid 1990’s. This group of outfielders will be worth the $9 I will spend on a ticket. EDGE: Baltimore

Bench: The brightest star bench player for the Orioles is Scott Moore. You could say Aubrey Huff, but I say HORSESH*T. Take that Aubrey. The best the Nationals offer come from two players; Nick Johnson and Willie Harris. Neither teams bench will scare opposing pitchers or managers. EDGE: Push

Starting Pitchers: Jeremy Guthrie, Steve Trachsel, Daniel Cabrera and Adam Loewen vs Odalis Perez, Jason Bergmann, Tim Redding and Matt Chico. I’m only going with the first four starters because quite frankly each teams number five starter is not worth the time. Since I’m a homer and not afraid to admit that, I like the Birds first four better than the Nationals. The combine record for the four National pitchers 105-127 with an ERA of 4.75. The Birds… 196-214 with an ERA of 4.60. The X factor for the Orioles this season will be Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera. You pretty much know what to expect from Guthrie and Trachsel. If the Birds are to win 72 games like I predict, I need Loewen and Cabrera to stay healthy and win 12-15 each. EDGE: Baltimore

Relief Pitchers: George Sherrill, Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford vs Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch and Luis Ayala. If the Orioles bullpen can just be middle of the road good we have a great chance to compete everyday. If the bullpen pitches the way it has over the last 9 years… look out below. The Nationals have Cordero to hold the fort down. There is a chance he will be dealt later this season to make room for Jon Rauch to become the closer. Sherrill will be closing games for the first time in his career. He feels like he can handle the job and so do I. The Birds have way to many good arms for the Nationals to compete with us. EDGE: Baltimore

So there you have it. After breaking each position down it becomes clearer who has the better team this season. The Boston Redsox. Sorry. I meant the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sorry again. Couldn’t help myself.

Final records. Baltimore 72-90. Washington 70-92.

Go Birds!