Fantasy Owner's Insight

Don't Draft

2008-01-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

Here are some guys you want to avoid come February for one reason or another:

1) Alex Rodriguez: Will not repeat his 2008 numbers, or even come very close. The only categories he'll do better in will be OBP and BBs, which most leagues don't count.
2) Mike Lowell- unless your league is deep, for the same reasons as A-Rod.
3) Aaron Rowand: Will be in a bigger ballpark, which is way tougher to hit in than Citizen's bank, and he will also be in a much worse lineup.
4) Evan Longoria: Or atleast dont count on him to start somewhere all year. He has no MLB experience, and will probably fizzle.

Runs Contributed

2008-01-05T12:19:00.001-08:00

Here could be the most important Offensive stat:
the goal of Baseball is to score runs, right?
so for this stat, you would add RUNS and RBI together and than minus HRs to show how many runs they contributed to getting.
You minus HRs because if you didn't, that one run on the scoreboard wold count for 2 in this stat, since you get an RBI and run for a HR.

For example:
Alex Rodriguez had 143 HRs, and 156 RBI which equals 299 - 54 HRs= 245 Runs Contributed.

The other MVP, Jimmy Rollins, had the following score:
139 Rs + 94 RBI - 30 HR = 203 Runs Contributed.

Runs Contributed

2008-01-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Sleeper #2: Robinson Cano

2008-01-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Besides Joba Chamberlain, Cano could be The Yanks most valuable asset. He was 4th on the Yankees in batting AVG, with a
.306 average, 19 HRs, 97 RBI and 41 doubles in over 600 AB. At only 25, the concern is his defense, but lucky for us fantasy owners, we won't have to worry about that.

2007 Stats:

AVG: .306
HR: 19
RBI: 97
SB: 4

2008 Predictions:

AVG: .302
HR: 20
RBI: 95
SB: 7

-Charlie

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Sleeper #1: Miguel Tejada

2007-12-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

Over the next 2 months leading up to spring training, we'll be posting these installments of "sleepers" for your fantasy baseball draft. Enjoy.

Tejada hit 16 of 18 homers last year to left, and left at Houston is about 20 feet closer to home plate than Baltimore. Also, NL central teams gave up more homers over the couse of last season on average than the AL east, with about a 20-homer difference. You can also count on more RBI and runs from Miguel, because he'll be playing in a way better lineup. Tejada could possibly be your SS in a 12-team league, and definetly a UTIL in a league with 8+ teams.

Here is Tejada's stats from last year:

HR: 18
AVG: .296
RBI: 81
R: 72

Here's what we predict from him next year:

HR: 24
AVG: .301
RBI: 95
R: 81

-Charlie Chip

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2007-12-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

As mentioned before, we have a new writer, Joe. Here's his first article written for us. Look for his monthly article on this blog in 2008!

1. Andruw Jones- Jones only hit 26 home runs last year with a .222 batting average. A move to the Dodgers hit his already low value. He doesn't have nearly the same protection in the lineup as he did in Atlanta and playing half his games in that huge ballpark will cut down his power numbers. He will improve on last year's numbers but do not expect numbers like two or three years ago. I predict he'll have 30 home runs and a .240 batting average.
2. Mike Lowell- Lowell was one of if not the biggest fantasy surprise from last season. That being said, he is going to be 34 years old on Opening Day. That is right around the age most players begin to break down. Prior to last season he never had a season even close statistically. He was also in a contract year. Anyone remember Adrian Beltre? Expect the numbers he put up in '06. Do not fall into the trap and draft him early.
3. Aaron Rowand- Rowand is another player who had a career year in the final year of his contract. He did post similar numbers to '04. However, in '05 and '06 (before he got injured) his numbers were not nearly as impressive. Playing half his games at AT&T will hurt his numbers a bit. Add that to the fact that he has absolutely no protection in that lineup and I think it is safe to say he will not repeat his '07 numbers.
4. JJ Hardy- Hardy busted onto the fantasy scene last year with a blast. He hit 18 home runs before the All Star Break. He had owners frantically checking their waiver wires and overpaying in trades. However, after the All Star Break he only hit 8 home runs and was a huge disappointment. I predict he'll have around 20 home runs this year. Do not think that his second half was a "fluke" and he can really put up 36 homers.
5. Ian Kinsler- The first month of last season Kinsler looked like a 40 home run guy. As expected, he came down to Earth. Kinsler is a very solid player at a shallow position. He hit 14 home runs last year before the All Star Break and only 6 after. Expect him to be a 20/20 guy and nothing more. Otherwise you'll be disappointed

-Joe Cordi

2007-12-18T15:18:00.000-08:00

So those rankings weren't very popular, but I hope atleast some were helpful.

When we first started the blog, we gave updates on our FFL league, but haven't lately. We just finished the semis, and Dirk will be in the 2-week championship game against Pirate #55. We'll give updates on the scores as the weeks go on.

By the weekend, we'll have an article by ournewest writer, Joe. If you'd like to see something written about, comment or email fantasyowners@gmail.com.

The advice isn't too good yet, but give some time while we get our staff organized. thanks.

2008 position rankings

2007-12-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

Many Fantasy Baseball have been asking about 2008 rankings lately. Since they can't find any, we've decided to make our own. Ours will be Top 10 at each regular position, top 20 Starting pitchers, and top 10 closers.

C-
1. Russell Martin: Maybe the best overall catcher of the decade; and he's only 24.
2. Victor Martinez: Just entering his prime, which means at least a 20-100 season.
3. Brian McCann: He's just coming into a zone, and he's under the radar.
4. Joe Mauer: A very nice hitter: should bounce back after his injury to make a good keeper.
5. Jorge Posada: Not much of a keeper anymore, but he's still got a solid year left.
6. Ivan Rodriguez: He should have a career-high in runs since he's a good average hitter.
7. Jason Varitek: He'll play every game Wakefield doesn't start; still a good power hitter with RBI ability
8. Kenji Johjima: Johjima should hit for a good average again and hit 15+ HR
9. Johnny. Estrada: good RBI man, is overlooked in potent Brewers lineup <
10. Geovany Soto: at his 2007 pace, he'd hit 27 HR's in 162 games. Tons of upside for the young fella./span>

1B-
1. Albert Pujols: Next homerun king?
2. Ryan Howard: Should get lots of RBI. He's a first-pick for a league that counts BBs as stats.
3. Mark Teixeira: He's found his place, he's found his stroke, now he needs to find his way to your fantasy team.
4. Prince Fielder: He's your man if your team is looking for HRs and RBI, but not anything else.
5. Justin Morneau: Very consistent, but his MVP season seems far away.
6. Adrian Gonzalez: WIll lead the Padres in just about every offensive category, but then again, it's the Padres.
7. Derrek Lee: Great Power + tiny ballpark= many fantasy points
8. Paul Konerko: Just forget 2007. It never happened.
9. Lance Berkman: No question he still has power. The issue is how long it will last.
10. Kevin Youkillis: Too bad most leagues don't have defensive stats...

2B-
1. Chase Utley: Could be the 2007 MVP if not for that injury.
2. Dan Uggla: This guy's going to help put the Marlins back in contention; or at least out of the laughing stock.
3. Brandon Phillips: Just had his breakout year, but is unfortunately very popular among fantasy owners; which means a first round pick if you want him.
4. Robinson Cano: A 20-100 season is very possible
5. Placido Polanco: Once again, it's too bad defensive stats don't count...
6. Dustin Pedroia: The ROY is only the beginning..
7. Aaron Hill: He's a very good 2B, he just doesn't get any attention; hardly anyone does in Toronto.
8. Ian Kinsler: Another young, emerging player.
9. Freddy Sanchez: Don't judge a player by his team.
10. Orlando Hudson: Not much of an elite player at any one category, but can do a little bit of everything.

SS-
1. jimmy Rollins: Is a good contender for another MVP next year. And the year after that, and...
2. Hanley Ramirez: One of the best all-around fantasy players around.
3. Derek Jeter: Is dwindling a bit, but still a threat.
4. Troy Tulowitzki: There is many great things to come from this 23-year old.
5. Jose Reyes: The best base-stealer available.
6. Michael Young: Pretty much an Orlando Hudson, minus some defense.
7. Rafael Furcal: Should score some more runs than usual.
8. Stephen Drew: 20 Homeruns is very possible.
9. Ryan Theriot: At least 25 SBs.
10. Orlando Cabrera: He;s prformed at least decent at each team he's been to, so the change shouldn't affect him to much.

3B-
1. Alex Rodriguez: Don't count on as many homers as this year, but he's almost a lock for the all-star team.
2. Ryan Braun: Only needed half a seson to win the ROY. When a guy does that, you know he's good.
3. Miguel Cabrera: Will do even better with Detroit with the rest of that very potent lineup.
4. Aramis Ramirez: Another powerful guy in a small ballpark.
5. David Wright: At least 30 HRs if he stays injury-free.
6. Mike Lowell: He's back in Boston, which means a 20-100 season at least.
7. Garret Atkins: Will be a big part of The Rockies getting back to the playoffs.
8. Chone Figgins: His teams even better now, which means better stats for him.
9. Ryan Zimmerman: Too bad his ballpark is so non-hitter friendly.
10. Casey Blake: Not your first choice for 3B, more of a utility guy.

OF (top 25)
1. Matt Holliday: Could have been the MVP, and could be next year.
2. Grady Sizemore: This guy could be the best all-around player of the decade.
3. Curtis Granderson: Could reach 20-20-20-20 many more times.
4. Ichiro: underrated; and he's been hitting .300+ for 7 straight seasons.
5. Vlad Guerrero: One of the best hitters in baseball.
6. Carl Crawford: The best all-around player in Florida.
7. Alfonso Soriano: Should get 30 Homeruns.
8. Magglio Ordonez: Still an amzingly consitent hitter.
9. Chris B. Young: Should get further up the list over the years.
10. Manny Ramirez: Only this high on the list because of his ballpark.
11. Jason Bay: He's ugly, but can sure swing a bat.
12. Alex Rios: Virtually the only offensive bright spot in a dark Toronto team.
13. Hunter Pence: So young, so talented, and so needing to be on your team.
14. Carlos Beltran: An elite hitter in the Met offense, and a star in the field.
15. B.J. Upton: A young star who should be a late-round pick: a steal.
16. Carlos Lee: A premier hitter in a hitters park.
17. Jermaine Dye: Should also bounce back from a poor season.
18. Nick Markakis: The lone talent in a terrible offense.
19. Brad Hawpe: Regrettably, he'll always be remebered as the 2nd-best outfielder on the 2007 Rockies.
20. Josh Willingham: An emerging player in Florida.
21. Jacoby Ellsbury: Possible ROY next year.
22. Vernon Wells: 20 Hrs atleast
23. Juan Pierre: The defintition of speed.
24. Shane Victorino: The second meaning of speed.
25. Mike Cameron: Could be a risky pick, since he's prone to getting beat up by walls.

SP-
1. Johan Santana: The best changeup in baseball.
2. Brandon Webb: The best sinker in baseball.
3. CC Sabathia: If he can get some more run support, he'll be the best fantasy pitcher.
4. Jake Peavy: Mad skills, with a great pitcher's park.
5. Josh Beckett: The greatest playoff pitcher ever. Good thing he's not on the Marlins.
6. Aaron Harang: Amazingly a great pitcher in a huge hitter's park.
7. Roy Halladay: On a little bit of a decline, but still very effective.
8. Brad Penny: He should get 15 wins and eat up a lot of innings.
9. John Lackey: 19 wins is just the beginning.
10. Dan Haren: The first-half cy young will be getting a new home, starting second to arguably the division's best starter.
11. Jeff Francis: The Rockies would be nothing without him.
12. Scott Kazmir: He's under the radar, but definetly draft him.
13. Chien-Ming Wang: 19 wins will be tough to top for him, but he'll really have to help this Yankee rotation.
14. Cole Hamels: A very popular player in Philly, and a great pitcher.
15. John Maine: Have you seen him pitch. He has what it takes to be the Mets ace someday.

CP-
1. Jonathan Papelbon: Can get 45 saves with 50 chances easily.
2. Francisco Rodriguez: They don't call him K-Rod for nothing.
3. JJ Putz: Could be the best closer in baseball in a few years if not for Papelbon.
4. Jose Valverde: Just Dominant.
5. Takashi Saito: Saito doesn't crack under pressure. Very good pitcher.
6. Bobby Jenks: The only bright spot in Chicago this last year.
7. Joe Nathan: Just doesn't get many chances on the Twins.
8. Mariano Rivera: not what he used to be, but can still get the job done.
9. Joe Borowski: Blows way too many saves, though he does get a lot. Also has a high ERA.
10. Francisco Cordero: Also blows more than he should.

Leave a comment on what you think was good or bad about the list, and if you have a story idea or message for one of our writers, email us at fantasyowners@gmail.com

New Dynasty League

2007-12-12T19:52:00.001-08:00

Recently, myself and Dirk signed up for a Fantasy Baseball Dynasty league: 10 team, head to head. Each owner got to pick a MLB team and 5 players off their roster, then we draft 20 more players. For those of you who don't know, dynasty leagues are when you have the same team for a few years, but with trades and Free Agents, just like the MLB. We'll be giving updates every once in a while on the league once the season starts. Fow my team, I chose the Rockies, and my players I kept were Holliday, Atkins, Jeff Francis, Troy Tulowitzki, and Brad Hawpe. Here's my team:

C- Russell Martin
1B- Ryan Garko
2B- Freddy Sanchez
SS- Troy Tulowitzki
3B- Garett Atkins
OF- Matt Holliday
OF- Eric Byrnes
OF- Ichiro
UTIL- Torii Hunter
UTIL- Brad Hawpe
UTIL- J. Saltalamacchia

SP: Jeff Francis
SP: Kelvim Escobar
SP: Aaron Harang
SP: Chien-Ming Wang
SP: Gil Meche
RP: Henry Owens
RP: David Weathers
RP: David Riske
RP: Jonathan Broxton

B: Joey Votto
B: Julio Lugo
B: I. Stewart

Here is Dirk's team, the Marlins:

C: Geovany Soto
1B: Carlos Guillen
2B: Uggla
SS: H Ramirez
3B: Miggy
LF: Willingham
CF: Hunter Pence
RF: Carlos Gomez
UTIL: Aaron Hill
UTIL: Michael Cuddyer
UTIL: Mark Teahen

SP: Johan Santana
SP: D-Train
SP: Jon Lester
SP: Kason Gabbard
SP: James Shields
RP: Huston Street
RP: Joe Nathan
RP: Scot Shields
RP: Carlos Marmol

B: T. Linden
B: R. Davis
B: Reggie Willits

We'll provide a link once the league is set up on ESPN.

Do you have a fantasy team? We'd be more than happy to view it, as we love to look at other's fantasy teams and give them tips on how to improve.
In case you're interested, here's the draft recap on the League forum:
http://charlie123517.proboards51.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1195001120

Thanks for reading, and be sure to comment!

Bold Predictions

2007-12-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

Here's my first shot at some Fantasy predictions for the last couple NFL weeks, that will hopefully help your fantasy team:

1. LT will have more than 650 yards combined in weeks 15-17.

2. The Manning brothers combined will have a 3:1 Touchdown: interception ratio.

3. The Pats will go undefeated. Well, that's not bold, but this is: The Pats will only win by 3 against the Giants.

4. Tom Brady will double his interception total to make 10, and will finish with 49 TDs.

5. Terrell Owens will get only 2 more Touchdowns the rest of the season, to make 16 TDs.

I don't expect very many to come true, but hey, this is only my first time.

What is Fantasy Baseball?

2007-09-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

I have been asked a question lately about fantasy baseball, and a lot of you may not know what it is. Here is a explanation of Fantasy baseball:

There are 2 kinds of fantasy baseball: roto and head-to-head.
I will explain roto, the kind of league I am in right now:

After you get a team and do the draft, the League manager will have a set roster size and stats to keep track of. Once you set your rosters (who is starting and sitting) before the season, the computer will keep track of stats for all your starters. Here is an example for offense: say that one of your league's stats is Homeruns, and my team has 13 at the end of the month. Say that out of 10 teams, I have the 3rd most, so I would get 7 points (1st would get 10, last would get 1, etc.) and the same for the rest of the stats. If you go to the standings, all the points are added together for every stat, and the team with the most points is in first.

If your team, or any other, passes someone else in a category by getting a better number in that category, they gain a point and maybe a place in the standings. If a team has the same number in a stat, each team gets a half point. The total number of points possible is the number of teams times 10.

I hope this has helped at least one person understand fantasy baseball better.

Champ Bailey League: week 1

2007-09-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

After one week in the Champ Bailey League, the standings look like this:

JOHN LYNCH DIVISION:

Pirate #55 1-0
Team Wilson 0-1
Austin Rattlesnakes: 0-1

REGGIE BUSH DIVISION:

Cape Cod Crazy Cookie Monsters (charlie) 1-0
Beantown Bruisers 1-0
Antartica Penguins (Dirk) 0-1

Pirate #55 had the most points, as he beat Team Wilson 198-191.

4 teams make the playoffs, so a team doesn't have to have a great record to get in.
Here are this week's matchups:

Bruisers vs. Cookie Monsters
Penguins vs. Team Wilson
RattleSnakes vs. Pirate #55

The MVP was probably Frank Gore because of his late surge, which pulled Pirae #55 ahead from a 191-all tie.

Keepers

2007-09-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

by Charlie

I know it's only early in the season, but some time this season, the question will come up for almost every fantasy football owner: Who are my keepers?"

I've already started to tackle the issue with my own team (http://games.espn.go.com/ffl/clubhouse?leagueId=429111&teamId=1&seasonId=2007) and selected Peyton Manning and Laurence Maroney as the first of my 4 keepers. Here are some other possibilities for keepers on my team:
-JaMarcus Russell: he's too good a player in college to not have at least one good season
-A.J. Hawk: A young line-backer with lots of potential
-Brady Quinn: The only question is will he start next year.
And now I have my top ten overall keepers, even though no one can keep all of these:

-Peyton Manning: still in his prime
-Vince Young: He's just warming up....
-Reggie Bush: Have you seen this guy play?!?
-Laurence Maroney: He's such a great RB, and he's still young
-A.J. Hawk: What I said above
-Frank Gore: He still has at least another year of domination
-Jay Cutler: Dubbed the next John Elway
-Joseph Adai: With defenses afraid of Manning, he'll have a lot of room to run
-Matt Leinart: he's taking a little longer than Young, but he's getting there.
-Alex Smith: same story as Leinart

Thanks for reading, and our week 1 Fantasy update is coming soon.

First entry

2007-09-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Fantasy Owner's Insight with 2 veteran fantasy football and baseball owners. We will each post an article every week and an update on our fantasy team. We our each in a fantasy football league (6 team, H2H) and a baseball league (Roto, 10 team) together. Here is the links to our leagues:

http://games.espn.go.com/ffl/leagueoffice?leagueId=429111&seasonId=2007

and

http://games.espn.go.com/flb/leagueoffice?leagueId=88455

Our teams are the S. Louisville Ligers and Louisville Ballers for baseball and the Cape Cod Crazy Cookie Monsters and Antartica Penguins for football. We will start our articles later this week or next week.