Kuzul

The 2012 Fantasy Baseball season is a month-and-a-half old. Since the opening series in Japan, fantasy owners have been over-analyzing statistics to determine which players they want to start for their team. While fantasy teams appear flawless on draft day, weaknesses begin to emerge as the season goes on. Injuries happen and players can slump at any time. Sometimes the best place to turn to is the waivers to fix a problem on your team.

I’ve compiled a list of eight players who should be available on the waiver wire. If you are dealing with injuries or just need to drop an ice-cold player, look for the following names to help your team out.

Catcher: A.J. Ellis (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Now, A.J. Ellis is not a name that is going to bring about a ton of fantasy excitement, but he’s riding a bit of a hot streak recently. He’s belted two home runs since the turn of the month and has eight RBI  during that stretch. He has a .314 batting average and an even more impressive .954 OPS that is second among all starting catchers. Ellis is also third among all active catchers in walks with 21. That puts him behind only Carlos Santana and Joe Mauer in that category.

Ellis is a reliable backstop that isn’t going to hurt your fantasy squad anywhere and there is a good chance you can find him on your waivers.

First Base: Todd Helton (Colorado Rockies)

Now believe it or not, Todd Helton is still a fantasy-relevant name. I know he’s been in the league for a long time, but the Rockies first baseman is still a worthy plug-in. Helton has a career .322 batting average and still calls Coors Field his home. He ranks eighth among all first basemen in RBI with 21 six weeks into the season. While he’s not drawing the walks he used too, he’s also not striking out a lot at the plate.

You can expect Helton’s average to rise from the .250 it currently stands at, while he’ll continue to be a steady source of RBI and carry the potential to hit 20 home runs.

Second Base: Mark Ellis (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Now I didn’t want to pick two players that play for the same team (and they have same last name for that matter), but the second base pool is pretty thin. Jemile Weeks is currently getting over a minor injury and I’d like to see more out of Gordon Beckham before I recommend him to my readers. So in my opinion, that leaves Mark Ellis as the best pickup available.

Ellis has 25 runs so far this season, ranking him fourth among all second basemen behind Dustin Pedroia, Dan Uggla and Ian Kinsler. As long as Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are batting behind Ellis, there is no reason to believe that number will falter at all during the season. Ellis has a respectable .272 batting average that he should be able to sustain throughout the year.

Third Base: Chris Johnson (Houston Astros)

Chris Johnson has really turned it on since the beginning of May. He’s hit four home runs with 20 RBI, two stolen bases and has raised his batting average to .298. Johnson is 27 years old, so theoretically he’s entering his prime years.

The Astros are having no problem putting up runs to start the 2012 season, so it may be a good idea to scoop up some of their streaky young players while they’re hot. Time is running out to pick up Johnson though, as his own percentage is on the rise. If you need a temporary third baseman, grab Johnson while you still can.

Shortstop: Alcides Escobar (Kansas City Royals)

If you’re looking to add a shortstop, it may as well be Escobar. He’s swiped seven bags so far this year, putting him on pace to surpass last year’s total of 26. His average is sitting at an impressive .297 for the year, but that may be a little harder to maintain. Escobar’s career average is a lot closer to .250, so you can expect his average to decline as the year goes on.

Still, Escobar is finding ways to get on base, and when Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler can both put it together, Escobar will turn into a reliable source of runs and steals.

Outfield: Daniel Nava (Boston Red Sox)

Daniel Nava may take a backseat to Will Middlebrooks as Boston’s most coveted prospects (it doesn’t help that Nava is 29 years old), but Nava is making his name known. Ever since being called up this year, Nava is 7-for-12 at the plate with one home run, six RBI and one steal. It also helps that he is a part of one of the most potent lineups in the majors.

Nava should be able to resume routine playing time in the Sox outfield until Jacoby Ellsbury returns from his shoulder injury, which isn’t expected for another month. Until then, feel free to pick up Nava from your waivers and play him with confidence.

Starting Pitcher: Jerome Williams (Los Angeles Angels)

Williams has an unimpressive ERA of 4.19 and a WHIP of 1.29, the reason being two rough starts on the road at New York and at Texas where he gave up 11 runs.

Subtract those two starts against tough teams, and Williams has a 3-0 record over 29.1 innings with only seven earned runs allowed and 22 strikeouts. Williams has his next scheduled start Wednesday against a very beatable White Sox lineup. After that, he’ll pitch against Oakland. If the matchup is right, I say grab Williams as a spot starter whenever you can.

Relief Pitcher: Scott Downs (Los Angeles Angels)

Downs is still the Angels closer the last time I checked, but you wouldn’t guess that based on his own percentage. He’s available in most leagues and appears to be healthy once again. He suffered an injury on May 8th, but he recorded a one-out save just three days ago.

Downs is a solid relief pitcher with great stuff, and he’s yet to let up an earned run this year. The Angels are going to start winning games sooner or later, and that will give Downs a lot of save opportunities down the road.

I appreciate any comments people want to leave, and if you enjoyed my article please follow my Fantasy Baseball Twitter account. @FantasyMLB_2012

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Well unfortunately, my fantasy football season is now over. But that’s OK, because now I can focus on the more important things. Like the Boston Red Sox, and the epic collapse they had not even three months ago. 

Remember? It was late in September and the Red Sox had a series against the Baltimore Orioles to end the season, and all they had to do was win two out of three games to make it into the postseason. Am I jogging your memory now?

Jonathan Papelbon comes in to close the last game of the year…against the Orioles. He lets up an inning-ending pop fly to send the game into the top of the 10th…and then Carl Crawford lets the ball hit the Earth.

Yeah, I think you know what I’m talking about now.

Now I’m not trying to relive this traumatizing moment that all of Red Sox Nation was forced to experience. But I think it is a pretty good reason to pay attention to what the Boston Red Sox do during the offseason. The only troubling thing is that the more you follow the Red Sox during the offseason, the more cause for concern they bring about.

So what exactly am I referring to here, because many would argue that the Red Sox are still a powerhouse team despite the fact they missed the playoffs last year. And I agreed with that belief…back in October. Now, I’m ready for the Red Sox to make a dramatic splash in the free-agency market and bring in that two-year guy that will push this team back into the conversation of World Series contender. And I don’t mean Bobby Valentine.

I mean Carlos Beltran, who just signed a two-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. With the ever-disappointing J.D. Drew leaving a roster spot available for the Sox front office to fill, why wouldn’t they bring in a skilled veteran like Carlos Beltran? Instead, the Red Sox’s front office is deciding now that they will change their philosophies and not chase the Pennant by throwing money at their problems. Unfortunately, I think it’s a little to late for that.

Now more than ever is when the Red Sox need to open up their wallet and pay the price for a guy like Beltran or Mark Buehrle. But no. The Sox have now decided that approach was wrong. That signings of the past, like Daisuke Matsuzaka, and John Lackey, and Carl Crawford…that they were the wrong approach to creating a championship team.

Well fine. I can agree with that. But why make the trade for Melancon then? Why not just identify the immediate flaw that you see if you look at the Red Sox’s current roster? Why not bring in a closing pitcher to fill the hole that Jonathan Papelbon left open when he was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies and say, “OK. Now were ready for 2012”?

Why would rumors exist of the Red Sox possibly converting up-and-coming relief pitcher Daniel Bard to a starter role for 2012. There has even been talk of Boston attempting this transition with Alfredo Aceves, who was possibly the most dependable pitcher out of the pen for the Sox in 2011.

Why would so much, and yet so little be happening in Fenway Park?

Because the Red Sox know their problem is bigger than it may seem. The Sox have an unproven pitching rotation (at best), backed up by a lineup that has question marks like Carl Crawford, Josh Reddick and even Kevin Youkilis. Add in a bullpen that might be led by 26-year-old Mark Melancon and you have plenty of reasons for the Red Sox to throw some money around to ease the minds of its troubled fanbase.

Instead, the Red Sox’s front office will continue to discuss important franchise-altering issues (like converting once top prospect Daniel Bard into a starter) as if they are nothing to distract their fanbase. And why would the Boston Red Sox do that? Because it is cheaper. And the craving, of a city that hasn’t won a championship for 86 years, has died. 

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Hey, it’s only three games into the season.

Hey, Texas is a good team.

Hey, they’re a new ball club this year, they need to adjust.

All solid points, that Red Sox fans are quick to fall back on to explain the early season set back the Sox faced this weekend in Texas. But no matter how many arguments Sox fans can cook up to explain this three game skid to open the season, the fact still remains that the Red Sox were outscored 26-11 by the Texas Rangers, and their pitching gave up 11 home run balls this weekend. A pathetic start to the season. But hey, the Red Sox don’t play well in Texas anyway, right?

Now, I’m not trying to say that the Red Sox season is doomed to be a giant let down for all of Red Sox Nation, but I am saying that this opening series mirrored a lot of similarities that you will see through out the whole season. This starts with the Red Sox pitching rotation.

Jon Lester is notorious for having a painfully slow start to the season. His numbers greatly improve after April and May pass by. So there is not too much to be concerned about with his first game of the season, where he pitched 5.1 innings and allowed five runs. But what about the rest of the rotation?

John Lackey’s first start was absolutely abysmal, allowing ten hits in just 3.2 innings and allowing nine earned runs. Clay Buchholz had the best start of all three, allowing four earned runs in 6.1 innings, in a game where the Sox offense scored only one run in support, and Jonathon Papelbon made his first appearance of the season (he gave up two hits, walked one, and let a run score). There seems to be a little more cause for concern now seeing as, as Sox fans, we are anticipating having to wait for a newly rebuilt offense to establish itself. But this pitching rotation is untouched from last year. A year where they greatly under performed expectations.

The offense will come around, they have to. Following a season where the Sox ranked in the top of the league in runs scored (led by Adrian Beltre) the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez will certainly pay off. But will it be enough to get the Red Sox back into the playoffs?

Josh Beckett has a golden opportunity to shake off all the early season concerns that are following him. Coming off one of his worst seasons for the Red Sox (or the Marlins for that matter), the former ace found himself fourth in this rotation that is filled with questions. Beckett takes the mound against the Indians tomorrow, a team that can certainly be beat, giving Beckett the chance to earn the first win in the 2011 season for the Red Sox.

Granted, the season is only three games old for the BoSox, but was anyone expecting this kind of start from a team that had so much hype before the season started. A lot of the Red Sox future depends on the back end of their rotation.

The runs are going to come, Jon Lester will earn another 19 wins and Clay Buchholz will continue to grow in his young career. But Lackey is showing no signs of returning to his west coast form anytime soon. That leaves Beckett and of course, Daisuke Matsuzaka. If Beckett (a former 20 game winner) and Daisuke (a former 18 game winner) can quietly win about 30 games, it gives the Red Sox a lot better shot at meeting the high expectations that fans have set for the ball club. And we can only hope we don’t need to see Tim Wakefield again any time soon. 

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