By Dan in Los Angeles
League 19
Looking back on the 2008 season, is there a bigger surprise than St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick? If you’re anything like me, you likely expected Ludwick to split time in the outfield with lefty hitter Chris Duncan. You probably had him deep in your outfield rankings, sandwiched between Gabe Gross and Gabe Kapler … or maybe other various Gabes, without expecting him to get regular playing time. Now, he’s a definite keeper candidate and the ‘Robin’ to Albert Pujols’ ‘Batman’. Pow!
By Dan in Los Angeles
League 19
Like the rest of you, I was waiting for the end … the end of the astounding hot streak that, formerly mortal, left-handed Cleveland Indians starter Cliff Lee started in 2008. First, it was a great first month. Then, it became a great couple of months. Then, a great first half. Good for him.
By Dan in Los Angeles
League 19
Remember the good old days, when Major League Baseball’s power sluggers were all outfielders and corner infielders? Before the Chase Utleys and Hanley Ramirezes of the world were top-flight fantasy players? When a certain Toronto Blue Jays first baseman/designated hitter executed his one-man assault on American League pitching?
By Dan in Los Angeles
League 19
I’ve always been a big fan of numbers, so here’s a depressing one: 198. That’s how many at-bats Victor Martinez had this season before landing on the disabled list with an elbow injury in mid-June. That’s also how many at-bats Martinez had to begin the 2008 baseball season without a home run.
By Dan in Los Angeles
League 19
Let’s play a game. Which one of these is not like the others: .282, .306, .286, .247, .292. If you were one of the unlucky managers who drafted Jason Bay as your top outfielder for the 2007 fantasy baseball season, you may already know that those are the batting averages for Bay in his first five full major league seasons … the last of which represents his combined average from his time with the Pirates and Red Sox this year.
By Dan in Los Angeles
League 19
Jay Bruce burst onto the Major League stage and started destroying pitchers immediately, racking up, probably, the greatest Big League debut week in recent memory. Since his hot start, however, he’s fallen off worse than a mountain climber covered in Vaseline. Suddenly, a guy that seemed like a sure-fire outfield keeper is now borderline.