It's never too early...

To start looking at some stats and projections for next year. It is a good way of wasting some time during this long holiday week.

2009 ZIPS Team-By-Team Projections

2009 Marcel Projections

2009 Oliver Projections

You can also start to form your own projections and databases by following this great post on setting one up and building your own database.

What might be the best resource for new sabermetricians and their craft, The Baseball Databank

Let us not forget the reasons for sabermetrics, from David Grabiner's Sabermetric Manifesto:

Bill James defined sabermetrics as "the search for objective knowledge about baseball." Thus, sabermetrics attempts to answer objective questions about baseball, such as "which player on the Red Sox contributed the most to the team's offense?" or "How many home runs will Ken Griffey, Jr. hit next year?" It cannot deal with the subjective judgments which are also important to the game, such as "Who is your favorite player?"

2008 Free Agents

Sorted by position followed by the player's age.
Updates on Fridays as players are signed.

Catchers
Brad Ausmus (40)
Paul Bako (37)
Josh Bard (31)
Michael Barrett (32)
Gary Bennett (37)
Henry Blanco (37)
Johnny Estrada (33)
Sal Fasano (37)
Toby Hall (33)
Paul Lo Duca (37)
Adam Melhuse (37)
Chad Moeller (34)
Ivan Rodriguez (37)
David Ross (32)
Javier Valentin (33)
Jason Varitek (37)
Vance Wilson (36)
Gregg Zaun (38)

First Basemen
Rich Aurilia (37)
Miguel Cairo (35)
Sean Casey (34)
Tony Clark (37)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Jason Giambi (38)
Eric Hinske (31)
Doug Mientkiewicz (35)
Kevin Millar (37)
Richie Sexson (34)
Mark Sweeney (39)
Mark Teixeira (29)
Daryle Ward (34)

Second Basemen
Willie Bloomquist (31)
Craig Counsell (38)
Ray Durham (37)
Damion Easley (39)
David Eckstein (34)
Mark Grudzielanek (39)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Orlando Hudson (31)
Tadahito Iguchi (34)
Jeff Kent (41)
Felipe Lopez (29)
Mark Loretta (37)
Ramon Martinez (36)
Pablo Ozuna (34)
Nick Punto (31)
Luis Rivas (29)

Shortstops
Willie Bloomquist (31)
Orlando Cabrera (34)
Alex Cintron (30)
Alex Cora (33)
Craig Counsell (38)
David Eckstein (34)
Adam Everett (32)
Rafael Furcal (31)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Chris Gomez (38)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Cesar Izturis (29)
Felipe Lopez (29)
Tomohiro Nioka (33)
Nick Punto (31)
Edgar Renteria (33)
Luis Rivas (29)
Juan Uribe (30)
Ramon Vazquez (32)

Third Basemen
Rich Aurilia (37)
Casey Blake (35)
Willie Bloomquist (31)
Aaron Boone (36)
Russell Branyan (33)
Craig Counsell (38)
Joe Crede (31)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Mike Lamb (33)
Mark Loretta (37)
Ramon Martinez (36)
Pablo Ozuna (34)
Juan Uribe (30)
Ramon Vazquez (32)

Left Fielders
Moises Alou (42)
Garret Anderson (37)
Milton Bradley (31)
Emil Brown (34)
Pat Burrell (32)
Adam Dunn (29)
Cliff Floyd (36)
Luis Gonzalez (41)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Raul Ibanez (37)
Gabe Kapler (33)
Kevin Mench (31)
Jason Michaels (33)
Craig Monroe (32)
Greg Norton (36)
Jay Payton (36)
Manny Ramirez (37)
Juan Rivera (30)
So Taguchi (39)

Center Fielders
Rocco Baldelli (27)
Willie Bloomquist (31)
Jim Edmonds (39)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)
Gabe Kapler (33)
Mark Kotsay (33)
Corey Patterson (29)
Scott Podsednik (33)
So Taguchi (39)

Right Fielders
Bobby Abreu (35)
Casey Blake (35)
Emil Brown (34)
Cliff Floyd (36)
Ken Griffey Jr. (39)
Gabe Kapler (33)
Jason Michaels (33)
Trot Nixon (35)
Brad Wilkerson (32

DHs
Milton Bradley (31)
Cliff Floyd (36)
Jason Giambi (38)
Mike Sweeney (35)
Frank Thomas (41)
Jose Vidro (34)

Starting Pitchers
Kris Benson (33)
A.J. Burnett (32)
Paul Byrd (38)
Roger Clemens (46)
Matt Clement (33)
Bartolo Colon (36)
Shawn Estes (36)
Josh Fogg (32)
Freddy Garcia (33)
Jon Garland (29)
Tom Glavine (43)
Mike Hampton (36)
Mark Hendrickson (35)
Livan Hernandez (34)
Orlando Hernandez (43)
Jason Jennings (30)
Randy Johnson (45)
Kenshin Kawakami (34)
Jon Lieber (39)
Braden Looper (34)
Derek Lowe (36)
Greg Maddux (43)
Pedro Martinez (37)
Jamie Moyer (46)
Mark Mulder (31)
Mike Mussina (40)
John Parrish (31)
Carl Pavano (33)
Brad Penny (31)
Odalis Perez (32)
Oliver Perez (27)
Andy Pettitte (37)
Sidney Ponson (32)
Mark Prior (27)
Kenny Rogers (44)
Glendon Rusch (34)
C.C. Sabathia (28)
Curt Schilling (42)
Ben Sheets (30)
John Smoltz (42)
Koji Uehara (34)
Kip Wells (32)
Randy Wolf (32)

Closers
Chad Cordero (27)
Brian Fuentes (33)
Eric Gagne (33)
Eddie Guardado (38)
Trevor Hoffman (41)
Jason Isringhausen (36)
Brandon Lyon (29)
Francisco Rodriguez (27)
Kerry Wood (32)

Middle Relievers
Luis Ayala (31)
Joe Beimel (32)
Joe Borowski (38)
Doug Brocail (42)
Shawn Chacon (31)
Juan Cruz (30)
Elmer Dessens (37)
Brendan Donnelly (37)
Scott Elarton (33)
Alan Embree (39)
Kyle Farnsworth (33)
Casey Fossum (31)
Keith Foulke (35)
Chad Fox (38)
Tom Gordon (41)
Mark Hendrickson (35)
Matt Herges (39)
Bob Howry (35)
Jorge Julio (30)
Jon Lieber (39)
Mike Lincoln (34)
Jason Johnson (35)
Trever Miller (36)
Guillermo Mota (35)
Will Ohman (31)
Darren Oliver (38)
Chan Ho Park (36)
Horacio Ramirez (29)
Al Reyes (38)
Dennys Reyes (32)
Arthur Rhodes (39)
Juan Rincon (30)
Ricardo Rincon (39)
Glendon Rusch (34)
Rudy Seanez (40)
Brian Shouse (40)
Russ Springer (40)
Ken Takahashi (41)
Julian Tavarez (36)
Mike Timlin (43)
Ron Villone (39)
David Weathers (39)
Kip Wells (32)
Matt Wise (33)
Jamey Wright (34)

Top 20 Outfielders of 2008

1. Manny Ramirez

I want to write about how he was a distraction and detriment to the Red Sox and showed signs of laziness and disrespect for his profession. But it is just Manny being Manny. He may have single-handedly propelled the Dodgers in to the playoffs and is still a great hitter no matter what coast he plays on.

Final Numbers: 102/37/121/3/.332

2. Matt Holliday

A drop in power is a negative but a rise in steals and still hitting 25 bombs at a .321 clip is mighty fine. I would worry if he is traded out of Colorado, those home/road splits can not be ignored.

Final Numbers: 107/25/88/28/.321

3. Carlos Beltran

He may have found a place to prosper with other people around him being superstars (Wright, Reyes), the pressure is off. Him being a 25/25 player seems to be his pedigree. But people are always expecting more out of him, its up to you, either he is overrated or underrated

Final Numbers: 116/27/112/25/.284

4. Ryan Ludwick

Hello Ryan Ludwick, and where did you come from? 37 HRs and 113 RBIs was a welcome surprise to all Cardinals fans. Can he repeat in 2009? Well that can be discussed in a later post.

Final Numbers: 104/37/113/4/.299

5. Nate McLouth

The last man standing of the Pirates players that are worth drafting. Should develop more SB potential and may break 30/30 next year, but as the Bucs go, he may be shipped eventually someplace else.

Final Numbers: 113/26/94/23/.276

6. Matt Kemp

Victirino but with more power.

Final Numbers: 93/18/76/35/.290

7. Shane Victorino

Kemp but with less power.

Final Numbers: 102/14/58/36/.293

8. Carlos Lee

Lee was a stud and was putting together an MVP season until he broke his pinky finger. El Caballo missed most of August and all of September, but is still a fantasy stud that has put up 28 HRs in 6 of the last 7 seasons.

Final Numbers: 61/28/100/4/.314

9. Alfonso Soriano

Soriano has yet to play a full season in Chicago and has yet to live up to the high expectations of fantasy owners. Sharp decline in both short seasons, and put it this way he had 46 steals in his last season in DC with Chicago he has 38 steals total in 2 years.

Final Numbers: 76/29/75/19/.280

10. Andre Ethier

Ethier should hope that Manny stays with the Dodgers, as hitting behind him was just what he needed to supplant himself as an everyday player over Juan Pierre and some Jones guy from Europe.

Final Numbers: 90/20/77/6/.305

11. Randy Winn

Yawn, but 25 steals and a .300 average is nice as long as he is your 3^rd or 4^th outfielder.

Final Numbers: 84/10/64/25/.306

12. Corey Hart

We can only hope that most of his doubles become HRs and he can get that average back up to the .280-.290 range.

Final Numbers: 76/20/91/23/.268

13. Joey Votto

Looks like Votto has established himself as the everyday 1^st baseman for the Reds. Lets hope those strikeouts can come under control and he becomes a huge power source at the Great American Homerun Factory.

Final Numbers: 69/24/84/7/.297

14. Conor Jackson

Conor is a decent option, he won’t hurt you but he doesn’t help much either. The steals and average is nice but a drop in power is a bad sign.

Final Numbers: 87/12/75/10/.300

15. Jayson Werth

He might be a 20/20 player for years to come but he has to stop swinging at everything. He should know that the club record for strikeouts will probably be owned by a guy named Ryan for years to come. Might be very potent if they hit him in the 2^nd spot in the lineup.

Final Numbers: 73/24/67/20/.273

16. Hunter Pence

The Hunter bandwagon was a salivating mob that couldn’t wait to get their hands on a potential 30/20 player, and boy were they disappointed. Almost a 50 point drop in average and over 100 strikeouts does not look good, but he is still young and might be able to develop into a 25/15 player with a .285 average.

Final Numbers: 78/25/83/11/.269

17. Brad Hawpe

Declined in every category except steals, from 0 to 2, great. I thought Coors was supposed to help power hitters not hurt them. He might be in decline for awhile if the Rockies decide to ship out their large contract players and leave their lineup with less protection (Holliday).

Final Numbers: 69/25/85/2/.283

18. Chris Young

Complete decline and 165 strikeouts gives us a great reason to draft Brad Hawpe.

Final Numbers: 85/22/85/14/.248

19. Pat Burrell

Welcome to the new Philly Rollercoaster! Some months hitting .326 and .304, some months hitting .227 and .181. It’s a bumpy ride but on a yearly basis he might be as dependable as Carlos Lee.

Final Numbers: 74/33/86/0/.250

20. Brian Giles

The most boring .306 hitter ever.

Final Numbers: 81/12/63/2/.306

Hump Day Links

So what does the worst franchise in baseball do for their team...
New Landscaping

How did your team perform with regards to how much they get paid?
Salary vs. Performance

The biggest reference source for baseball ever!
Huge time waster

I am finally using the internet for educational purposes...
Animal Cracker Classification

Top 10 Shortstops of 2008

1. Hanley Ramirez

#1 Stud at the position and has the ability to be the top pick in any draft. I see him getting back to 40 steals and 80-90 RBIs next year. He’s also only 25 years old and should be at the top of this list for years to come.

Final Numbers: 125/33/67/35/.301

2. Jose Reyes

Playing second fiddle to Hanley for years to come is Reyes, who has a great first half and then, literally, slows down in the second half. Look for him to run even more next year and try to solidify himself as a Mets favorite and not their favorite scapegoat.

Final Numbers: 113/15/68/56/.297

3. Jimmy Rollins

Repeat MVP, not so much. Posted his lowest power numbers since 2005, but 47 steals is still pretty good. I know he was hurt but I don’t think he will approach his MVP season of 2007 ever again.

Final Numbers: 76/11/59/47/.277

4. Stephen Drew

This is the same guy that hit .238 last year and seriously put that behind him with an outstanding season. Even as the rest of his D’Backs teammates decided they wanted an early vacation, he posted his best numbers in September hitting .337.

Final Numbers: 91/21/67/1/.291

5. J.J. Hardy

A really slow start to the season hurt his overall numbers, he had 2 homeruns at the end of May, but came back with 4 solid months and keep his numbers at their yearly average.

Final Numbers: 78/24/74/2/.283

6. Miguel Tejada

I have a lot of respect for a guy who posted RBI totals of 131 in one season and 150 two years later, but that 150 RBI season was 4 years ago. 2008 marks the third year of his decline from the elite shortstops.

Final Numbers: 92/13/66/7/.283

7. Cristian Guzman

This guy has some power and has lost all of his speed value. But he can hit for a decent average, and that’s where all his value comes from.

Final Numbers: 77/9/55/6/.316

8. Ryan Theriot

No power and a decrease in steals, but you would only take him if you wanted runs and a decent average. Or you just really liked the Cubs.

Final Numbers: 85/1/38/22/.307

9. Clint Barmes

Nice surprise out of Colorado, but can not keep a starting job. Would be nice to see him take over at 2^nd for the Rockies and he could really do some damage.

Final Numbers: 47/11/44/13/.290

10. Felipe Lopez

He hit like the old Felipe Lopez could after he was traded to the Cardinals, but may never regain his stature as a top 5 shortstop pick, his best days are behind him.

Final Numbers: 64/6/46/8/.283

Jake Peavy

Tons of talk about one of the game's best pitchers and even before the official winter meetings open. Here are some interesting articles about where Peavy might land.

The Yankees

The Braves

The Cardinals

Maybe just the NL, maybe not.

Top 10 Third Basemen of 2008

1. David Wright

Wright was better than A-Rod THIS year, there I said it! He should come in second to Pujols in MVP voting and will someday win it outright. Slight decline in steals but a rise in power numbers across the board. Why would the Mets EVER think of trading this guy!?

Final Numbers: 115/33/124/15/.302

2. Ryan Braun

Mazol Tov! It’s nice to see a rookie of the year winner actually keep his stats above average the next year after winning the award. Missed some time toward the end of the season but still a solid performer.

Final Numbers: 92/37/106/14/.285

3. Aramis Ramirez

Steady as always all season and didn’t miss any time due to an injury. He did strikeout the most since 2002, but also set a career high in walks. Looks like the Cubs might be better off if he was hitting 3^rd, just a thought.

Final Numbers: 97/27/111/2/.289

4. Chipper Jones

Larry can keep a mid-level HMO in business all by himself. He did win the batting title, which the Braves made sure of by holding him out of some games toward the end of the season, but whateve. The average is nice and he is very patient at the plate, but declining in the power numbers.

Final Numbers: 82/22/75/4/.364

5. Mark Reynolds

Alright he hit almost 30 HRs and drove in almost 100 and stole 11 bases. But he struck out 204 times in 539 at-bats to hit .239 on the season, his listed weight is 220 pounds. So he almost struck out and hit his weight.

Final Numbers: 87/28/97/11/.239

6. Troy Glaus

Not too bad for his first full season hitting behind Pujols, but someone with more talent would of exploded in that hitting spot. Expect the Cardinals to find that type of hitter this offseason.

Final Numbers: 69/27/99/0/.270

7. Casey Blake

Casey helped the Dodgers, along with some long-haired freak in left, win the West. He has been a steady hitter his entire career and may end up looking for a new team this off-season.

Final Numbers: 71/21/81/3/.274

8. Kevin Kouzmanoff

He is swinging more for the fences and at Petco that means more strikeouts and a declining average. Less walks meant a OBP of less than .300.

Final Numbers: 71/23/84/0/.260

9. Edwin Encarnacion

With 26 HRs and only 75 runs scored with 68 RBIs meant he wasn’t hitting with runners on and could not be knocked in because he could not get on base. Doesn’t help his average went down .040 points.

Final Numbers: 75/26/68/1/.251

10. Ty Wigginton

He hit 12 HRs, drove in 26, and scored 19 runs in the month of August. Yeah that’s great, but there are 5 other months in a whole season.

Final Numbers: 50/23/58/4/.285

Hump Day Links

Nice little side-step in making any song in your Itunes library work as a ringtone.
Converting to ringtones

Want to see how much in taxes you will pay under each candidates tax plan?
Candidates Tax Calculator

Another dig on Palin, its just too easy sometimes.
Name Generator

And finally I can't watch this video enough, totally hilarious.
Mark Wahlberg talks to animals

Callin' it like it is...

Even though this is from a Cubs fan blog, and my beloved Cardinals have been out of it since July, I wanted to express my deep gratitude to Desipio for saying what we all feel when watching the playoffs on television this year.

I wish there were more announcers as great as Vin Scully.

An Open Letter to TBS Sports

Top 10 Second Basemen of 2008

1. Chase Utley

The pedigree for all stud 2^nd basemen. He brings power, speed, and average to the table and may have been a MVP candidate if not for slowing down in the second half.

Final Numbers: 113/33/104/14/.292

2. Dan Uggla

We all knew Uggla would not hit for a decent average, but he gave us hope when he hit .347 in May. Then .190 in July and .217 in August and you get the picture.

Final Numbers: 97/32/92/5/.260

3. Mark DeRosa

Career high in all power numbers and steals. Did not disappoint fantasy owners who may have took him on a flyer or got him off waivers early in the season.

Final Numbers: 103/21/87/6/.285

4. Brandon Phillips

Disappointing all around. Regressing at age 27 was not supposed to happen. He may rebound now that he is surrounded by a younger and more talented supporting cast.

Final Numbers: 80/21/78/23/.261

5. Kelly Johnson

Decent fantasy option at 2^nd for NL-only leagues, but a complete yawn inspiring season.

Final Numbers: 86/12/69/11/.287

6. Rickie Weeks

This is the guy I have the most problem with ranking him so high. I mean he lost his job at the end of the season to Ray Durham! During a playoff run! But he does have the talent to be productive, (100 runs, 20 HRs, 20 steals would be nice) if he could just stop flailing at every pitch. I’ll probably end up with him again on a couple of teams, as I somehow have blind faith in him every year.

Final Numbers: 89/14/46/19/.234

7. Yunel Escobar

So yeah, 2^nd base, pretty weak position in NL-only league. More yawning from a boring Atlanta Braves team.

Final Numbers: 71/10/60/2/.288

8. Kazuo Matsui

Anal Fissures and still stole 20 bases.

Final Numbers: 58/6/33/20/.293

9. Ray Durham

Was traded to Milwaukee and became their starting 2^nd baseman, he brought with him no power, no speed, a prescription to cialis and lipitor, and not much else. He may be their 2^nd baseman next year when he turns 53.

Final Numbers: 64/6/45/8/.289

10. Jerry Hairston Jr.

When Jerry isn’t hurt he is knocking the cover off the ball. If he could have stayed healthy for an entire season he probably could of broke into the top 3.

Final Numbers: 47/6/36/15/.326

Top 10 First Basemen of 2008

1. Albert Pujols

Possibly this year’s National League MVP, I see no one else taking it from him. Incredible career overall, source of power, speed, and a great average. Future hall-of-famer and maybe the best hitter ever in baseball. Yeah, I’ve got a man-crush on Big Al

Final Numbers: 100/37/116/7/.357

2. Lance Berkman

18 steals from Lance and had a great year, pretty sweet if you took him in the 2^nd or 3^rd rounds. He was great up until the last 2 months of the season, I think he was trying too hard to carry the Astros to the postseason after they lost Carlos Lee.

Final Numbers: 114/29/106/18/.312

3. Ryan Howard

You want power and dig the long ball then Ryan is your guy, you want average and speed look at picks #1 & #2. He may come in second to Big Al in the MVP voting because of all the homeruns and RBIs. But still strikes out a lot, 199 times in 2007 & 2008.

Final Numbers: 105/48/146/1/.251

4. Adrian Gonzalez

He was the only bright spot at Petco Park. But that Park is holding him back, 49 RBIs at home while getting 70 on the road. Imagine the numbers from him if he played all his home games at Coors Field, a man can dream can’t he?

Final Numbers: 103/36/119/0/.279

5. Carlos Delgado

I still think this guy is 60-years-old. But posted his highest average in 3 years and was written off by the Mets before the all-star break. He made them look foolish and forced them to pick up his option for next year. Hopefully it was not a mistake for the Mets as they make plenty of those already.

Final Numbers: 96/38/115/1/.271

6. Prince Fielder

Seriously, vegetarian? Personally, as a trained chef, I feel that a balanced diet and regular exercise is the cure for obesity. A drastic change in diet can change your body’s metabolism, its ability to store fats(energy), and may result in a slow recovery time for injuries. Just sayin’ Prince, just sayin’.

Final Numbers: 86/34/102/3/.276

7. Jorge Cantu

Jorge turned those “Can nots” into “Cantus”. I know that’s awful. Helped the Marlins to a winning record and they played spoiler to the Mets season, as if they needed anybody to do that for them. Looks to be trade bait for the Marlins this winter and might score them the pieces they need to take the Eastern Division.

Final Numbers: 92/29/95/6/.277

8. Derrek Lee

Wha’ happened? If you take out 2006 when he had the wrist injury, he is in his 3^rd year of decline. Strikeouts up, power and speed down, not what the Cubs were expecting after his excellent 2005 season. Buyer Beware.

Final Numbers: 93/20/90/8/.291

9. Garrett Atkins

Another guy, who is younger than Lee that is taking steps backwards in his game performance. He also hits at Coors, which should be heaven for him, but he is declining after only 3 full big league seasons. Injury? Mental? Maybe just needs some new scenery?

Final Numbers: 86/21/99/1/.286

10. Adam Dunn

Here’s what you get 40 HRs and a low average, you want something else, then don’t pick Dunn. And what was all that talk about him stealing more bases, seriously? This is what Ryan Howard will look like in a few years.

Final Numbers: 79/40/100/2/.236

Top 10 Catchers of 2008

1. Russell Martin

Finally a catcher with power and speed, he can also play some third base in the near future. With a more solid line-up he can get back to driving in 90 runs. Is worth a high pick in NL-only leagues and will be one of my keepers for next year.

Final Numbers: 87/13/69/18/.280

2. Brian McCann

Alright so we expected more from McCann but can we complain? He is a catcher and finding a playable catcher in NL-only leagues is almost impossible. The Braves will look to get more runners on so McCann can drive them in, 100 RBIs for 2009.

Final Numbers: 68/23/87/5/.301

3. Geovany Soto

Should have the Rookie of the Year Award. Showed no signs of tiring over his first full big league season, hit .341 in April and .355 in August. He could be at the top of this list for years to come hitting in the Friendly Confines.

Final Numbers: 66/23/86/0/.285

4. Ryan Doumit

Nice numbers from a Pirates catcher and another solid season from Doumit. I don’t think he will have to worry about being traded anytime soon unless the Pirates decide he is too good NOT to trade away.

Final Numbers: 71/15/69/2/.318

5. Bengie Molina

The only offensive bright spot for the Giants, and from their catcher no less. He might need to worry about his weight as the Giants used him more as a pinch-hitter than an everyday starter down the stretch. But you can’t be unhappy with 95 RBIs from your catcher.

Final Numbers: 46/16/95/0/.292

6. Chris Iannetta

Chris had some good months and some bad months but the final numbers are what we expected from a young slugger at Coors Field. He seems to have the everyday catcher job to himself going into the 2009 season.

Final Numbers: 50/18/65/0/.264

7. Chris Snyder

Decent power numbers but caught a case of the Dunns with over 100 strikeouts. He is no danger of losing his job to the soft-hitting Miguel Montero.

Final Numbers: 47/16/64/0/.237

8. Yadier Molina

All average and no power, if you can pair him with a slugger with a low average Yadier wont hurt you as much.

Final Numbers: 37/7/56/0/.304

9. Pablo Sandoval

A young slugger who the Giants will use as their everyday 1^st baseman, but he still retains catcher eligibility on Yahoo! into the 2009 season. Could put up 80/20/90 but don’t expect him to hit .345 over a whole season.

Final Numbers: 24/3/24/0/.345

10. John Baker

A nice pick-up during mid-season as he did not hurt you in any category and hit around .300 the last half of the season. He is older than most catcher prospects and may not be able to retain these numbers over the course of a full season.

Final Numbers: 32/5/32/0/.299

League Review: Lincoln League

Yahoo! 5 X 5, 9-Team League

2^nd Place in league with 63.5 out of a possible 90 points

Final Roster

Hitters

C Russell Martin

1B Prince Fielder

2B Blake DeWitt

3B Jorge Cantu

SS Cristian Guzman

OF Shane Victorino

OF Andre Ethier

OF Conor Jackson

Util Ryan Church

BN Cameron Maybin

BN Rickie Weeks

BN Pablo Sandoval

BN Chris Dickerson

BN Edwin Encarnacion

Pitchers

SP Roy Oswalt

SP Mike Pelfrey

RP Jonathan Broxton

RP Jose Valverde

P Chris Volstad

P Yovani Gallardo

P Matt Capps

BN J.A. Happ

BN Jonathan Niese

BN Chris Perez

Total Stats/Rank in League/Points

Runs 712/5^th/5

Homeruns 174/6^th/4

RBIs 712/4^th/6

Steals 102/3^rd tie/6.5

Avg. .276/5^th/5

Wins 74/2^nd/8

Saves 80/1^st/9

Strikeouts 906/4^th/6

ERA 3.52/3^rd/7

WHIP 1.26/3^rd/7

This is an auction league with a cap of $260 for 25 spots. I had one of the worst drafts ever, keeping Eric Byrnes, Brad Hawpe, and Yovani Gallardo. Over spending for Mark Reynolds, Ty Wigginton, and Miguel Tejada. Luckily I drafted Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez and stayed very active on the waiver wire and in the trade market. Near the trading deadline I acquired Russell Martin, Prince Fielder, Andre Ethier, Roy Oswalt, and Jose Valverde. I was able to dump many players that barely contributed anything down the stretch; Todd Helton, Carlos Lee, John Maine, Adam Wainwright, Manny Parra, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto.

I came in second by 1.5 points with the third place team putting up 2.5 points the last day of the season. We were all in awe of the first place team who beat me by 5.5 points and led most of the season, sometimes by as much as 14 points.

In the future, I will be posting analysis of this league, my keepers, and how our general league rules have developed over time. This league is probably the most competitive and the most fun.

Top 10 Busts of 2008

1. Rich Hill

Preseason Prediction: 200 Innings 14 Wins 178 K 4.00 ERA 1.27 WHIP

Final: 19.2 Innings 1 Win 15 K 4.12 ERA 1.58 WHIP

Way to stink it up Rich! Sure that 15 Ks in 19.2 innings looks like a good start but pair that with 19 walks and 9 earned runs. I feel sorry for the people that took Rich way too early or spent over $15 on him hoping he would have a great season with the Cubs new offense. Thankfully I was not one of these.

2. Eric Byrnes

Preseason Prediction: 92 Runs 22 HR 86 RBI 38 SB .273 AVG

Final: 28 Runs 6 HR 23 RBI 4 SB .209 AVG

I was a person (sucker) who bought into Byrnes’ career year, who wouldn’t!? I used a keeper spot on him hoping for a 25 HR 40 SB season and got nada. Looks like the D’Backs don’t want him anymore either and he may have some value playing for the Mets. But what a crapper he laid on his owners!

3. Jason Isringhausen

Preseason Prediction: 3 Wins 32 Saves 49 K 2.90 ERA 1.20 WHIP

Final: 1 Win 12 Saves 36 K 5.70 ERA 1.65 WHIP

Sure he is older, declining stats, plays for a declining offense but he averaged 30 saves the last 4 seasons. Had season-ending surgery and is on the free agent market. But this may be last we hear of Izzy ever closing in the big leagues.

4. Aaron Harang

Preseason Prediction: 221 Innings 16 Wins 193 K 3.79 ERA 1.24 WHIP

Final: 184 Innings 6 Wins 153 K 4.78 ERA 1.38 WHIP

Uh yeah, could there have been a worse season by a pitcher that everyone expected to excel behind a young offense and in a weak division. Harang may be responsible for the most attempted suicides by fantasy owners. In my money league he was traded, with John Maine, for Jake Peavy. Nice work to try and get as much value as you can out of this disaster in Cincy.

5. Ian Snell

Preseason Prediction: 204 Innings 13 Wins 172 K 3.93 ERA 1.30 WHIP

Final: 164 Innings 7 Wins 135 K 5.42 ERA 1.76 WHIP

Sure the Pirates, suck we all know this. We expected Snell to become a dependable 3^rd starter and he was barely worth starting most of the season. Snell ended his season on most waiver wires because Pittsburgh traded most of their good players away.

6. Ryan Zimmerman

Preseason Prediction: 96 Runs 26 HR 102 RBI 7 SB .285

Final: 51 Runs 14 HR 51 RBI 1 SB .283

Sure he did comeback from an injury to put up decent numbers, but it was too little too late for many of his owners who had to scour the NL-only player pool for a decent replacement (Clint Barmes?, Blake DeWitt!?). He had one long DL stint, came back, and then caught the flu for the last of the season.

7. Brandon Phillips

Preseason Prediction: 99 Runs 28 HR 97 RBI 30 SB .291

Final: 80 Runs 21 HR 78 RBI 23 SB .261

Wow! What a drop across the board! A massive decline for a 27-year-old and tack on almost 100 strikeouts and only 39 walks. He might regain some power but I am not buying next year.

8. Troy Tulowitzki

Preseason Prediction: 110 Runs 26 HR 89 RBI 9 SB .294

Final: 48 Runs 8 HR 46 RBI 1 SB .263

Anybody named Troy is usually a douchebag.

9. Jeff Francoeur

Preseason Prediction: 86 Runs 29 HR 110 RBI 7 SB .290

Final: 70 Runs 11 HR 71 RBI 0 SB .239

Big Frenchie stunk it up and was even sent down to the minors, so he could hit crappy there too. He has regressed and may be the Braves’ 4^th outfielder next year.

10. Todd Helton:

Preseason Prediction: 97 Runs 18 HR 87 RBI 2 SB .310

Final: 39 Runs 7 HR 29 RBI 0 SB .264

Sure, I’ll pick on the old guy. He has always been a steady source of decent power and a great average in his time at Coors Field. That time is running short as the Rockies have a talented farm system that needs to be let lose on the weak NL West.

League Review: National League Only

Yahoo! 5 X 5, 10-Team League

1^st Place in league with 77 out of a possible 100 points

Final Roster

Hitters

C Bengie Molina

1B Travis Ishikawa

2B Blake DeWitt

3B David Wright

SS Troy Tulowitzki

OF Jason Bay

OF Nate McLouth

OF Pat Burrell

Util Kevin Kouzmanoff

BN Rickie Weeks

BN Cameron Maybin

Pitchers

SP CC Sabathia

SP Johan Santana

RP Brad Lidge

RP Salomon Torres

P Derek Lowe

P Ubaldo Jimenez

P Clayton Kershaw

BN Chris Perez

BN J.A.Happ

BN Ian Snell

Total Stats/Rank in League/Points

Runs 753/1^st/10 points

Homeruns 209/3^rd/8 points

RBIs 741/3^rd/8 points

Steals 82/7^th/4 points

Avg. .275/6^th/5 points

Wins 72/4^th/7 points

Saves 103/1^st/10 points

Strikeouts 1061/3^rd/8 points

ERA 3.69/1^st tie/9.5

WHIP 1.28/2^nd tie/7.5

I lagged behind in steals and batting average but decided to punt both of those categories the last month and strengthen my power numbers. I drafted John Smoltz and Manuel Corpas and I got nothing from either of them. My key to winning was to hold on to my waiver priority to pick up CC Sabathia when he came up on waivers. Before the All-Star break I traded Lance Berkman for Johan Santana, which saved my season, after that Berkman went into a decline. Santana and Sabathia carried my team getting me wins and strikeouts and lowering my ERA and WHIP. I did pick up Salomon Torres for saves, after Corpas lost the job, and he was able to convert 28 chances. Overall a very successful league for me as I was in 3^rd place at the beginning of September and ended up winning by 5.5 points.

Top 20 National League Players for 2008

1. Albert Pujols

Prediction: 116/41/112/6 .323

Final: 100/37/116/7 .357

Another huge year from Big Al even though most predicted he would be out most of the season. A big bat protecting him next year could see his runs go back up (Troy Glaus, really!?). Great batting average and an extra steal makes Albert Pujols the top dog.

2. Hanley Ramirez

Prediction: 114/27/73/45 .314

Final: 125/33/67/35 .301

33 bombs to go along with 35 steals, pretty impressive. If only he had somebody on base in front of him we could see 80-90 RBIs from Hanley and he would take the #1 ranking. Still the best offensive shortstop in baseball.

3. Jose Reyes

Prediction: 123/20/66/63 .294

Final: 113/16/67/56 .297

Where was Reyes the first 3 months of the season? But he truly shined in the second half of the season stealing 28 bases and driving in 34. A jump from 12 HRs in 2007 to 16 this year. He could be behind Hanley as the #2 shortstop the rest of his career.

4. David Wright

Prediction: 121/32/109/24 .317

Final: 115/33/124/15 .302

Increase in power numbers and a slight drop in steals, I think he is just maturing into a dominant and slugging 3^rd baseman that any fantasy team can build upon.

5. Lance Berkman

Prediction: 102/32/106/4 .293

Final: 114/29/106/18 .312

If he had kept up his production the latter half of the season he would be a unanimous MVP winner and my #1. But he staggered toward the finish, pushing himself to carry the Astros after the loss of Carlos Lee. Great hitter, increase in runs can be contributed to his increase in SBs.

6. Matt Holliday

Prediction: 118/39/127/9 .318

Final: 107/25/88/28 .321

Drop in power and RBIs, but almost a 30/30 season, you cannot be unhappy with him becoming a 5 tool player.

7. Carlos Beltran

Prediction: 107/33/106/21 .273

Final: 116/27/112/25 .284

Still viewed by some as over-rated, maybe he just cannot hit in vital situations for the Mets, but smack the cover off the ball when there is no pressure. He will probably be a question mark the rest of his career. A breakout and/or bust candidate every season.

8. Manny Ramirez

Prediction: 99/33/118/0 .307

Final: 102/37/121/3 .332

So morally one who quits on a team just to get traded should be black-balled by the other teams. Well the Dodgers would not have made the playoffs if not for taking a risk and trading for Manny. One of the best hitters in baseball.

9. Chase Utley

Prediction: 119/31/111/12 .303

Final: 113/33/104/14 .292

Steady as usual at a weak position. 5 category star that could win an MVP award in the near future, if only he would not wear himself out by August every year.

10. Ryan Ludwick

Prediction: 45/15/55/2 .254

Final: 104/37/113/4 .299

Who!? Wha!? So some people’s predictions were way off on this guy, but who predicted him to have this season, 37 HRs and 113 RBIs, on the Cardinals no less?

11. Ryan Howard

Prediction: 107/53/133/0 .273

Final: 105/48/146/1 .251

See ball, swing at ball. Hit ball far, no hit strikeout. Howard mad.
A future Adam Dunn.

12. Ryan Braun

Prediction: 123/36/106/21 .301

Final: 92/37/106/14 .285

Mazol Tov! Thanks for being the real deal after your phenomenal rookie of the year campaign last year. Only OF eligible next year, so value takes a hit.

13. Matt Kemp

Prediction: 77/24/87/19 .290

Final: 93/18/76/35 .290

Had to beat out Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre for a starting job, seriously. Decent 5 category option but will not be a sleeper next year.

14. Nate McLouth

Prediction: 73/14/45/28 .263

Final: 113/26/94/23 .276

The only bright spot on the Pirates team, until they trade him away. A future 30/30 hitter that can hit for a decent average.

15. Adrian Gonzalez

Prediction: 89/22/95/1 .291

Final: 103/36/119/0 .279

Great increase in power numbers but a drop in average can be contributed to playing at Petco and trying to carry the Padres out of last place.

16. Shane Victorino

Prediction: 91/12/57/36 .280

Final: 102/14/58/36 .293

The Flyin’ Hawaiian had another productive year and may have saved some fantasy owners’ seasons by himself. Would love to see him put back in the #2 spot for an increase in RBIs.

17. Carlos Delgado

Prediction: 80/27/102/1 .262

Final: 96/38/115/1 .271

Nice turn-around for a 60-year-old. I think he was pronounced dead by the Mets in May. But carried the team almost to the playoffs.

18. Aramis Ramirez

Prediction: 91/33/110/1 .294

Final: 97/27/111/2 .289

Steady A-ram put in another good season on a great Cubs team. May have shed the quitter tag by some people.

19. Chipper Jones

Prediction: 90/27/83/3 .306

Final: 82/22/75/4 .364

Hit .364 to win the batting title but power is down and the line-up around him got weaker and weaker as the season progressed.

20. Prince Fielder

Prediction: 105/44/123/4 .294

Final: 86/34/102/3 .276

Hooked on the vegetarian fad and has never been the same since. Seriously get some meat in you and crank those balls out of here.