LorfTVP

I suspect that there may have been a second spitter.

Haha, classic.

But the baseball gods made up for it by granting the Rangers with Gary Matthews Jr's catch last year.

Making me sound like a met-basher here, lol. I had no idea about the 31st ranking, which, IMO is better than the like 9 ranking at yahoo (guessimate). I pretty much agree with you here.

I don't blame you...as a Mets fan, I assume you saw every game and how he struggled to produce at the end of the year so you were a bit blinded to the statistical facts...it happens to the best of us. But still, David Wright is one of the very few five category producers out there, helping out in BA, R, HR, RBI, and SB. The others are, and note that I'm only mentioning the ones who will significantly help you, are Grady Sizemore, Carlos Beltran, Vladimir Guerrero, Alex Rodriguez, and Vernon Wells. Note how all those are 1st and 2nd round names...they're there for a reason. As for lesser guys...I don't want to give you too much help in finding the sleepers. Oh, this is an obvious one, Crawford has the ability to climb up there. There are a bunch of four category producers as well from the slow footed mashers to the fleet footed leadoff hitters with power.

MLB.com Rankings

ESPN Rankings ESPN doesn't do free position by position rankings until a bit later on in Spring Training.

Fox Sports Rankings

Sports Illustrated Rankings

Brandon Funston's Rankings

Somebody posted the Yahoo rankings earlier but I can't seem to find them. Fantasy Baseball opens on Yahoo on Thursday so wheover is commish can get crackin'. The Sporting News usually has rankings as well but they're not up for free yet either. As with the team previews, I'll be updating this periodically. I'm sticking to the main sites and steering clear of fantasy blogs. I may make an overall chart based off of players' average rankings but it remains to be seen whether or not I'd want to share that...you gotta do some work for yourself.

And of course, a positional disclaimer, since most people here will be using Yahoo for their fantasy baseball needs, make sure to check how many games players need to play at a certain position to be eligible there. Some players' positional eligibility will surprise you.

Sports Illustrated

Red Sox

Yankees

Rangers

Mets

Phillies

Padres

Giants

SportingNews

Red Sox

Mets

Giants

Yankees

Padres

Yahoo Sports

Red Sox and Yankees

Rangers

Mets and Phillies

Padres and Giants

MLB Spring Training Quick Hits

Red Sox

Yankees

Rangers

Mets

Phillies

Padres

Giants

Foxsports MLB

Red Sox

Yankees

Rangers

Mets

Phillies

Padres

Giants

I'll add more as they get written. I felt it was my duty.

I don't agree with their stand on our bullpen, they say Darren Oliver may be trivial, but we have players who can easily step into his role... he did a good job but he was not needed. Chad Bradford hurts, but one player doesn't kill the bullpen. And we didn't even get Mota till August last year so it's not like that matters anyway. I think the bullpen is just as good right now than it was after Sanchez went down. If Sanchez comes back, and Mota stays how he was when he comes back, and someone can take on the role of Darren Oliver, we'll be fine in that dept.

 

Sadly, I think David Wright is overrated when it comes to fantasy leagues, I love him to death, but people are saying he's going to be amazing. I think he'll have another solid .300 season with 25-35 homers and 115 RBI's with 20 or so stolen bases. I think anyone who takes him within the top 5 is taking a risk (I know some people who are going to). I hope he doesn't read this, find out where I live and kill me.

Well, excuse me, but that's a damn good season right there. Remember that Wright was batting .316 with 20 HR, 74 RBI, and 11 SB at the break...post break he hit a good .309 but offered no production with a paltry 6 HRs, 42 RBI, and 9 SB. Also note that he played less time (339 AB vs. 243 AB) in the second half. Still, David Wright benefits in the lack of a ceiling to impede his production. Jose Reyes benefits from the same thing. I expect Wright to hit a bit better with Alou hitting behind him instead of, correct me if I'm wrong, Floyd (when he was healthy) last year. With the hitters around him and that stacked Mets lineup, I'm gonna chalk his second half up to bad luck and draft Wright up there. I do admit, I think Miguel Cabrera is a lot better but Wright definitely deserves merit. Buy low if people overlook what he can do because of a "poor" second half which really wasn't. If anybody remembers my argument about Michael Young using ESPN's player rater, Wright ranks 31st, which is damn respectable. I have to think that he will exceed his numbers this year. Remember, Wright provides + production in every single category as well which is incredibly valuable.

That's not the point. You're the one who brought up the HR and RBI stats for leadoff hitters. Personally, I'd trade all those homers in for a few more base hits and a few less strikeouts, he's got good hitters behind him to knock him in, he just needs to get on base more. I was just pointing out that it's pretty goofy to say that Rollins couldn't hold a candle to Reyes then citing those numbers when Rollins is not only close to him, but above him. Reyes is a damn good player, but shit you guys are acting like he's the greatest shortstop to ever play the game.

Rollins holds the candle but he is not as good as Jose Reyes. Rollins has just recently come into his own so it remains to be seen if he can continue this 20+ HR production and he won't top 40 steals, if he even gets that close, but he'll still reach base at a .330 clip and do his job. Thing about Reyes is that he accomplished all that in his second full year in the majors. Five years younger than Rollins, Reyes already has 159 SBs to Rollins 207 with an equal ratio. Reyes is just a plain better player and will continue to be but I don't doubt that there will be years where he and Rollins are neck and neck...especially in R, RBI, and possibly HR.

Just thought that you'd be interested.

Mets

Julio Franco.

He's a great teammate and role model but I don't think he's captain material. A captain leads a team through more than just attitude, they also play their hearts out and produce. Franco's a bench player, and I hate to say it because I think he's a testament to sheer power of will, but the captain would most likely be someone younger and more capable.

I think if the Mets ever do name a captain again it would be wright, but I think he is so closely tied with Reyes that picking one over the other could cause controversy.

Well, Wright is more responsibility and while both are faces of the franchise, Reyes seems like he just wants to have fun while Wright seems fully capable of handling the added pressure. Man, I hope he hits well in the second half this year...that dropoff hurt.

I do not know what Met fans you are speaking of, but I myself hd been so down on this organization since the end of 2000 through the hiring of Art Howe I was sickened by actualy watching them. My disdain flt they would finish 3rd in 06 as I wondered ifBeltran was another Bobby Bonilla?

 

I do not know why EVERY single baseball thread IN EVERY category fr EVERY team turns into a Ranger debate with you, but I guess I can say the difference in the two teams is that one won 97 games, lost game 7 of the LCS to the eventual World Champions and the other did not.

 

I do not know what you want people to logically say? The Rangers are better than the Mets? Yeah fine whatever, guess they are. I will hang my hat on defending a division title and winning the most games in the National League.

 

One thing I do think the Mets and Rangers have in common are tremendous coaching specialists in Jaramillo and Peterson. Its no conicidence despite that marginal talent seem to always have their best years offensively under Jaramillo(Zeile, Matthews Jr., Dean Palmer etc), same goes with Peterson who has always been able to get a lot out of his pitching staffs in Oakland and now NY.

A lot of people don't realize how much shit the Mets had to go through to get that far...with injuries all around, a sub-par injured Pedro season, and having to depend on Victor Zambrano. Their offense will take them places. As for Mets vs. Rangers, that's a tough one, though I'd lean towards Mets because of money and the ability to make midseason trades.

I don`t agree with this at all, I do agree with the rest of it.

 

Jose Reyes is the most dynamic player in the Major Leagues today. Has the ability to hit over 20 homers and had 81 RBIs for a lead off hitter in the National

League. Jimmy Rollins couldn`t hold a candle to Jose Reyes and keep in mind your talking to a guy who saw pretty much every Mets home game in the

summer last year.

Did you do that on purpose?

I'm not gonna lie, I love Jose Reyes...he's just an amazing player to watch and have on your team but I'm just saying that Rollins is pretty damn good in his own right. Last year, Rollins had 25 HRs, 36 SBs, and 83 RBI to Reyes' 19 HRs, 81 RBI, and 64 SBs. That's a huge discrepancy in SBs but also note that Reyes is 64/13 while Rollins is 36/4. I have every reason to believe Reyes will get significantly better but although he'll steal half the bases, Rollins is actually a lot closer than you think. Believe it or not, he even scored more runs than Reyes' last year with 127 vs. 122.

Not on purpose at all.Zxyu00: I'm not gonna lie, I love Jose Reyes...he's just an amazing player to watch and have on your team but I'm just saying that Rollins is pretty damn good in his own right. Last year, Rollins had 25 HRs, 36 SBs, and 83 RBI to Reyes' 19 HRs, 81 RBI, and 64 SBs. That's a huge discrepancy in SBs but also note that Reyes is 64/13 while Rollins is 36/4. I have every reason to believe Reyes will get significantly better but although he'll steal half the bases, Rollins is actually a lot closer than you think. Believe it or not, he even scored more runs than Reyes' last year with 127 vs. 122.

Not on purpose at all.

I don`t agree with this at all, I do agree with the rest of it.

 

Jose Reyes is the most dynamic player in the Major Leagues today. Has the ability to hit over 20 homers and had 81 RBIs for a lead off hitter in the National

League. Jimmy Rollins couldn`t hold a candle to Jose Reyes and keep in mind your talking to a guy who saw pretty much every Mets home game in the

summer last year.

Did you do that on purpose?

I'm not gonna lie, I love Jose Reyes...he's just an amazing player to watch and have on your team but I'm just saying that Rollins is pretty damn good in his own right. Last year, Rollins had 25 HRs, 36 SBs, and 83 RBI to Reyes' 19 HRs, 81 RBI, and 64 SBs. That's a huge discrepancy in SBs but also note that Reyes is 64/13 while Rollins is 36/4. I have every reason to believe Reyes will get significantly better but although he'll steal half the bases, Rollins is actually a lot closer than you think. Believe it or not, he even scored more runs than Reyes' last year with 127 vs. 122.

Not on purpose at all.Zxyu00: I'm not gonna lie, I love Jose Reyes...he's just an amazing player to watch and have on your team but I'm just saying that Rollins is pretty damn good in his own right. Last year, Rollins had 25 HRs, 36 SBs, and 83 RBI to Reyes' 19 HRs, 81 RBI, and 64 SBs. That's a huge discrepancy in SBs but also note that Reyes is 64/13 while Rollins is 36/4. I have every reason to believe Reyes will get significantly better but although he'll steal half the bases, Rollins is actually a lot closer than you think. Believe it or not, he even scored more runs than Reyes' last year with 127 vs. 122.

Not on purpose at all.

The thing is, the Mets haven't gotten worse, the Phillies have just gotten significantly better. With Reyes and Wright on the Mets and Utley and Howard on the Phillies, these two teams are going to have the NL All Star starters for the next decade. Let's look at each team in key areas.

Starting Pitching

Mets - Tom Glavine, El Duque, John Maine, Oliver Perez, and Jorge Sosa

Phillies - Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, Cole Hamels, and Adam Eaton

The Phillies definitely rank higher in this department even with Pedro's late season return. The only thing that could save the Mets is a top of the line starter pickup in a trade. Not to diminish the Mets SP though, Oliver Perez is only a few years removed from a great season with a 2.99 era and 239 Ks...he just has to stop walking people. His K rate has always been good though, bottoming out at 7.2 in Pittsburgh last season but up over 10 in NY. Despite that, the Mets are banking a lot on older guys and young mediocre talent. The Phillies on the other hand are led by Brett Myers who is ghetting closer and closer to being a bona fide ace (he lost 30 pounds this offseason), an innings eater through a great trade in Freddy Garcia, only one old guy in soft tosser Jamie Moyer, a young ace pitcher entering his second season in the majors, and an oft injured but solid fifth guy in Adam Eaton.

Offense

This is a lot closer than most people would think.

C-Lo Duca vs. Barajas

Edge-Mets While Barajas can hit 15-20 HRs, he can't hit for average and LoDuca's ability to get on base from a great 2 spot in the order is incredibly valuable.

1b-Delgado vs. Howard

Edge-Phillies There's no doubt that this goes to Howard although the dropoff isn't incredibly big from Howard to Delgado.

2b-Valentin vs. Utley

Edge-Phillies Come on, we're talking about the best second baseman in the game now who can provide middle of the order production with 10+ steals to boot against an old guy who can't hit for average but will give you power. There's a huge dropoff here, especially if Valentin reverts to his .243 career average.

SS-Reyes vs. Rollins

Edge-Mets Like first base, though Reyes is amazing, Rollins isn't too far behind. Watch Reyes take another step forward this year though.

3b-Wright vs. Helms

Edge-Mets There's no argument here at all.

LF-Alou vs. Burrell

Slight edge-Mets Both guys have 30 HR power with Alou lagging slightly behind Burrell...though with Alou being a more complete player especially in the strikeout department. But truth be told, as much as Phillies fans complain about Burrell, he could be doing a lot worse.

CF-Beltran vs. Rowand

Edge-Mets Beltran is plain amazing.

RF-Green vs. Victorino

Edge-Mets Although Shawn Green is in the decline phase, Victorino just isn't that great a player

The final count is 6-3 but a lot of the positions are really close.

Bullpen

This definitely goes to the Mets as well for obvious reasons...although Mota is suspended for steroid abuse.

While the Mets have an incredible offense and pen, their starting pitching has the possibility to be so bad as to be bad. The Phillies on the other hand have a strong batting order and a very strong rotation to go with a top closer. They say pitching wins ballgames so I guess it's all dependant on the Mets starting pitchers. But to say that it's no contest, BS. The Phils made some good moves this offseason.

Amen, I hate winter so bad i wish global warming would just hurry the fuck up already.

Summer, 162 games in the regular season, watching the Rangers almost finish second in the division, rooting against the Yankees (hehe), B-B-Q's, women wearing less and less, car washing, beer drinking, dog kicking fun.

Winter, watching the Giants under achieve, women wearing 4 layers of cloths, car getting stuck in snow, driving around in a dirty car cause it's too cold to wash, dry skin, ball freezing misery.

Don't forget just going to games with the perfect weather and smart, intelligent fans who know every one of the ballpark's special quirks and between inning songs. Just the experience at the park, actually seeing these things for real and experiencing that connection of 30-40,000 people all rooting for the same team to win. Can't do that in the cold. Unless it's October baseball

Yeah but... I usually associate a "comeback" to someone who was actually good.

Then don't call it a comeback.

Karim Garcia??

What exactly was he coming back from?

He was in Japan in 2005 and 2006 and just signed a minor league deal with the Phillies.

I mean, c'mon just a random bashing thread. The season hasn't started yet. If you look on the first page of the Mets section the only thread started by a Yankee fan isn't bashing them.

 

I'm looking to get the Yankee section a little more active this season and hopefully with less bashing. I don't want to be a nazi mod, but save it for when we really screw up.

Oh, I figured it was taken down for that very reason...I just wanted a place to post that little blog article which was relevant to the thread only to find it gone.

Hmm, I guess the "Do The Yankees Suck" poll was taken down.

Just wanted to post this, a fair evaluation of the rivalry.

1. It has indeed been a privelege to watch him play baseball and especially swing the bat. No one else comes close to the impact he, as one player has on the game.

 

2. I would not cross the street to shake his hand (and i have had the opportunity). He is as arrogant as they come and he will be a lonely man when his career is over.

 

3. I do think he is taking a bullet for a lot of players and that is why very few have the nerve to speak against him. Cast no stones if thy house is glass.

 

4. The only record that counts to Giants fans is when we are going to break our futility record and win a world series. i'm sure YOU can appreciate THAT.

He was really good at one point before the cloud formed above him. It's no one's fault but his own though with his attitude playing a big role. This should be an interesting storyline throughout the season.

The Colorado Rockies announced this evening that trade talks with the Boston Red Sox regarding first baseman Todd Helton have ended. There will be no further discussions.

 

"This is not a trade that we were anxious to complete, but we are always exploring ways to improve our team," said Rockies Chairman and CEO Charlie Monfort. "Discussions like these regarding a player of Todd's talent and character are never easy, and it's not surprising we were not able to reach an agreement. Todd has been and will continue to be an important part of our franchise, and we can't wait to see him with the rest of the Rockies in Tucson."

I wonder if there is a chance that these talks will re-open come midseason. Granted that all depends on the performances of both teams but I can’t see the Red Sox standing pat with Youkilis and Lowell at the corners, no dominant corner infield prospects in the system, and no immediate solutions on the free agent market. I don’t know who is coming onto the market in 2009 so signing Lowell to a one or two year contract could be an option but he is definitely not a long term solution despite being a class act and a wizard with the glove. I guess the reality just hit me when I was reading The Sporting News’ ranking of the top AL infields and the Sox were 13/14 (Yankees were 1st). Part may be because of the questions surrounding Pedroia and Lugo’s disappearance last season but there really isn’t any power from the infield either with Lowell leading the pack with 25 HR capability. I can’t really take a ranking like that very lightly despite the fact that both Youkilis and Pedroia are capable of .370+ OBPs.

Ahh, the days of Burkett feel like so long ago...granted that was before the team got young(er) so there was a lot of turnover and a lot of time has passed but still...listen to these names: John Burkett, Rolando Arrojo, Frank Castillo, Brian Daubach, Mike Lansing, Dante Bichette...even Nomar was a while back. Yah, I know these are moderately recent but the turn of the century Red Sox have changed quite a bit.

Oh, I don't care much for his political viewpoints or giant mouth but he's a good guy who is up there with the smartest, hardest working players in all of baseball and he is one of the pioneers of the computer age. Just the amount of research he puts into each start is amazing and I believe that he actually has a connection with the Red Sox. He's a fan of history and he helped the Red Sox win the World Series with one of the most memorable moments in postseason history. But he's not in John Burkett territory yet, he can still pitch, and with a smart pitcher, who are usually the ones that make it to this age, he should be able to maintain average-above average performance. Sure, he's annoying and honks when he talks but he deserves respect.

Blunatic, what exactly is your opinion on Mr. Bonds?

And I'm not gonna lie, I never hope for injuries, because that's just wrong, but I honestly hope that something, anything will happen to prevent Barry Bonds from reaching Aaron, whether it be injuries or legal issues. I've got to think that the government is gathering information to strike before Bonds reaches the record because they don't want him to either.

Schilling

Basically, while not pulling a Clemens, Schilling talked it over with his family who wanted him to continue pitching. Most likely he'll pitch again for the Red Sox and he wishes to complete a contract extension before the season starts but he is willing to go to another team...except not the Yankees. I'd really like to see Schilling remembered as a member of the Red Sox. If he can pad his statistics he has a slim chance at the hall, vaulted mostly by his 3015 strikeouts, 14th all time. If he can maintain 170-180 strikeouts these next two years he can make it into the top 10 so long as Greg Maddux strikes out half as many, which is unlikely. But still, with two more seasons with the Red Sox, not only does he have a chance at another World Series title to add to the two he already has, but a chance to get 30+ wins, 350+ Ks, and keep his era steady enough to be considered. Of course one must also love his K/BB ratio which is 2nd best all time after Tommy Bond who played from 1874-1884...so in reality, Schilling's #1. I'm ranting a bit, but I just see a chance at the hall and with not much to show in Philadelphia and only 3 1/2 years in Arizona, I'm hoping his legacy in Boston outweighs his statistics elsewhere and gives him a chance in our cap.