Archive for Roto Riteup

Your Monday edition of FanGraphs’ Roto Riteup is just around the corner. Hey, there it is now!

–  Bryce Harper has been sent to minor league camp, which means he will not start the season with the big league club. Harper looks to be a great major league player, but he just wasn’t quite ready yet. I’d like to see if he can drop his strikeout rate in the minors while maintaining his power stroke before calling the greatest prospect who ever lived, but he’s about as talented as they come, and far advanced for his age. Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson has stated that Harper will get work at CF while in the minors, potentially making him insanely valuable in leagues that differentiate outfield spots.

Read the rest of this entry »

With the 2012 season just a few short weeks away, it’s time for the return of the Roto Riteup to the RotoGraphs lineup. If you were not reading the site late last season, this will be new to you. And you will enjoy it.

Now, onto the notes for the day:

–  Yesterday I mentioned that Salvador Perez had injured his knee but the severity was still unknown. The severity of the injury is now fully known, and the Royals catcher is going to miss about two months after tearing his right meniscus. Perez wasn’t being drafted highly, but he was well owned in AL-only and keeper leagues.

Read the rest of this entry »

With the 2012 season just a few short weeks away, it’s time for the return of the Roto Riteup to the RotoGraphs lineup. If you were not reading the site late last season, this will be new to you. And you will enjoy it.

Now, onto the notes for the day, most of which involve injuries of some kind:

–  Francisco Liriano is one the biggest enigmas in baseball at the moment, right behind Jeff Francoeur and David Appelman. Liriano pitched for the Twins on Tuesday, and while he looked good early in his stint, he got rocked a little bit during his last inning of work against the Toronto Blue Jays. After the game, Liriano talked about how he feels like he’s trying to overthrow and rush things on the mound, which is not a recipe for big league success. His fastball was reported to be in the low-90s, but if he can’t control his fastball, he’ll be a sitting duck again this season. I’d take a flyer on Liriano in the last round or two of standard leagues if there’s any indication that he’s calmed down enough to pitch effectively.

Read the rest of this entry »

With the 2012 season just a few short weeks away, it’s time for the return of the Roto Riteup to the RotoGraphs lineup. If you were not reading the site late last season, this will be new to you. And you will enjoy it.

Now, onto the notes:

• – Hopefully you’ve heard by now that Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter is questionable for opening day after discovering he has a bulging cervical disk. Lance Lynn, previously slotted for the bullpen, will begin to prepare to open the season in the rotation just in case Carpenter can’t make it back. Lynn was a starter throughout his minor league career, but his results weren’t spectacular. His stats weren’t stunning, but his repertoire is nice. Lynn has a sweet power-sinker and a decent curve, so there’s no reason to think he couldn’t at least fill in as a starter. If you play in a dynasty or similar format, make sure to snatch Lynn up. At the very least, he’ll fill your RP slot with Ks and the occasional spot start. Read the rest of this entry »

With the 2012 season just a few short weeks away, it’s time for the return of the Roto Riteup to the RotoGraphs lineup. If you were not reading the site late last season, this will be new to you. And you will enjoy it.

Now, onto the notes for the day:

• Cespedes’ First Impression
• Yoenis Cespedes not only homered in his American debut, but he crushed the ball and even took a walk in his first trip to the plate. Whether or not he starts in the minors is going to be a fluid decision for the A’s, but I’m willing to bet he spends at least a few weeks in the minors getting his legs under him and adapting to his new life. The A’s already seem to have a full outfield, so they aren’t going to be in any hurry to rush his development any more than they already have with his contract. Read the rest of this entry »

Last season, the first five pitchers off the board were Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee and Jon Lester. But what will 2012 look like? Let’s take a guess.

1. Roy Halladay. Nothing has changed here. Halladay is consistently brilliant and he will be the first pitcher drafted because of his long track record of dominance and his placement in the NL.

Read the rest of this entry »

– Brandon Morrow is a cruel temptress, am I right? He’s like a siren, drawing you closer and closer with his gorgeous numbers only to let you crash into the rocks below. His strikeout rate is pristine, his walk rate is under control, and his HR/9 is manageable. Even his WHIP is better than average. But the ERA. Oh, the ERA. Morrow may be the pitching equivalent of someone like Jay Bruce; someone who gets taken too early every year because of his potential only to disappoint. But like Bruce, eventually he’ll probably put together a stellar season of production and make someone very happy.

Read the rest of this entry »

– Is there any way Starlin Castro turns himself into a .300-15-20 guy next year? Because that would sure be sweet. I don’t think owners have noticed that Starlin has hit for more power this year and stolen over twenty bags, but I’m sure it’ll be advertised enough this offseason that he won’t be a value pick come draft day.

Read the rest of this entry »

– If MLB.com is to be believed, the second game in the Red Sox-Orioles double header will be one for the ages. Brian Matusz, owner of a 9.84 ERA, will face off against John Lackey, who sports an ERA over 6.00. If you’re a betting man, I’d suggest putting all your monopoly money on the over. It doesn’t matter what the line is, because no line could be high enough for this game.

Read the rest of this entry »

After struggling in his past few outings, it appears that Alexi Ogando is going to pitch the rest of the way out of the bullpen. Luckily for you, I have some thoughts.

– The Rangers haven’t made a final decision on this matter yet, but I’m willing to bet they ultimately decide to bulk up the bullpen instead of letting Ogando struggle in the rotation.

Read the rest of this entry »