Initial thoughts were that Blake DeWitt would open the year as the Chicago Cubs’ starting second baseman, but that turns out not to be the case. While he could get the job somewhere down the line, according to Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times (click here for the article) Cubs manager Mike Quade “expects Barney and Jeff Baker to platoon some depending on the opposing pitcher.”
So far Quade appears to be sticking to his word for a platoon. Barney got the Opening Day start (2-4, 1 R), though it was Baker who started today in Game No. 2.
Baker has been ...
Carlos Marmol brings an exceptional strikeout rate to the closers role. There is no arguing that fact, but that shouldn’t cause us to overlook the warts that do come with selecting him.
Can he be one of the elite closers in the game in 2011? Absolutely, but there is also the chance that he completely falls flat. Which will it be? Let’s start by taking a look at his 2010 performance:
2 Wins38 Saves77.2 Innings2.55 ERA1.18 WHIP138 Strikeouts (15.99 K/9)52 Walks (6.03 BB/9).293 BABIP
The strikeouts are exceptional, but can we really expect him to be able to replicate it? Yes, he should ...
If we were discussing Aramis Ramirez three years ago, things may be a little bit different. From 2004-2006, he averaged 35 HR a year.
He followed that up with years of 26 and 27 HR (though he had over 100 RBI in each of those seasons). He was considered one of the better options at third base, and rightfully so.
The past two years, however, have dramatically changed our opinion of him. He’s missed time in both 2009 and 2010 thanks to a dislocated shoulder and bruised thumb.
If that were the only problem, then maybe he wouldn’t have fallen so far. However, ...
Someone’s name value can certainly cause many people to overvalue them. You think that, based on the name alone, the player should be able to live up to the expectations we have attributed to them in the past. It doesn’t matter what the player has done in recent years, the name holds value. It’s engrained in our minds.
It’s a mistake you do not want to make.
A perfect example of this phenomenon as we head into 2011 is Alfonso Soriano. According to Mock Draft Central, he has an ADP of 100.81 and is the 25th outfielder coming off the board. In ...
No one could argue with the Indians' decision to trade Chris Archer as part of the deal sending Mark DeRosa to the Indians prior to the 2009 season. Look at the ERAs he has posted through his first three years: 2006 - 7.71 ERA over 21.0 innings 2007 - 5.88 ERA over 56.2 innings 2008 - 4.29 ERA over 115.1 innings Since the trade, however, Archer has put things together. In 2009 he posted a 2.81 ERA in 109.0 innings at Single-A, but that was just a prelude of things to come. In 2010, splitting time between High Single-A and ...
The Chicago Cubs have moved Tom Gorzelanny around, from the rotation to the bullpen and then back again. With the talk of Carlos Zambrano returning to the bullpen, if he ever returns to the active roster, it appears that Gorzelanny is entrenched into the rotation.
The question for fantasy owners is if he can prove usable in the second half. First, let’s take a look at his numbers through 17 appearances (11 starts):
3 Wins68.0 Innings3.31 ERA1.43 WHIP69 Strikeouts (9.1 K/9)35 Walks (4.6 BB/9).321 BABIP
He has 62 strikeouts in 61.2 innings as a starting pitcher. Clearly, the strikeout rate is not a function of working in ...
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) 3 Home Runs 49 RBI 56 Runs 28 Stolen Bases .341 On Base Percentage .392 Slugging Percentage .332 Batting Average on Balls in Play
What You Need To Know
Baseball America ranked ...
There was a time that Derrek Lee was considered one of the pre-eminent first basemen in the league.
After a 2005 campaign where he hit .335 with 46 HR, 107 RBI, 120 R and 15 SB, fantasy owners saw him simply as one of the best. Since then, things had gone significantly off course, until 2009 that is.
After breaking his wrist in April 2006, Lee went on to hit just 50 home runs over a three-year span. Was it the after effects of the injury or was his 2005 power just a mirage?
He had never hit ...
Geovany Soto entered the 2008 season as a player with a ton of upside potential, having made his presence felt in a 2007 cup of coffee (.389, 3 HR in 54 AB). Having lived up to his potential, owners entered 2009 thinking that he was easily a top five catcher in all formats, taking him early in drafts to ensure they got production out of a position that generally doesn’t offer much.
Unfortunately, saying that he fell flat would be an understatement. His season was a disaster, with inability and injury holding him to a line of:
331 At Bats .218 Batting ...
If you are looking for an under-the-radar starting pitching prospect with the potential to make an impact in 2010, the Cubs’ Jay Jackson may be your answer.
While his name may not be well known, at least not yet, the 6′1″, 195 pound, 22 year old reached Triple-A in 2009 and is potentially on the precipice of making an impact.
He seemingly has the arsenal to make his presence felt. He was described by Baseball America as the team’s fourth best prospect.
“Jackson has good feel for four pitches that are average or better. His best offering is a fastball ranging from 90-95 ...
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