Kuzul

Last week, two of my three “Buy Low” picks, Carlos Gomez (10-for-18, HR, 3B in last week) and Homer Bailey (8 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 10 K in last start), came through while the third, Ike Davis, finally broke out on Friday with a two-homer game. One of my “Sell High” picks, Barry Zito (2.2 IP, 9 ER, 8 H), also made me look pretty smart in my first week of this feature.   Just in case last week wasn’t a fluke, here’s some advice for next week  …   Sell High J.P. Arencibia, C, Toronto Blue Jays  His six homers and 11 runs batted in this month shouldn’t be much of a surprise. He had eight homers and 19 runs batted in last May and also hit six more long balls in July.  The other months when he’s not red-hot, however, are when you need to ...

In nine full MLB seasons, Victor Martinez has been selected as an All-Star four times.Playing for the Cleveland Indians, the Boston Red Sox and now for the Detroit Tigers, Martinez has been a key member for each team he has suited up for and proven himself as one of the most feared switch-hitters in the game today.In 2011, after signing with the Tigers as a free agent, Martinez boasted a career high .330 average, with 12 home runs and 103 RBI's, helping to lead the Tigers to their first ever American League Central Championship and their first division title since 1987 when they won the AL East.Last January, while working out in the offseason, Martinez tore his ACL was forced to miss the entire 2012 campaign.Detroit sorely missed Martinez's production last season, struggling mightily from the plate and almost failed to reach the playoffs.But after over a year of rest ...

The Detroit Tigers had a huge hole in their lineup last season after Victor Martinez tore his ACL in October, 2011 during an offseason workout.Martinez, who hit .330 with 12 home runs and 103 RBI in 2011 during his first season as a Tiger, missed the entire 2012 campaign and the Tigers offense struggled.The Tigers' offensive woes weren't necessarily due to Martinez's absence and suffice it to say, even if Martinez had been in the lineup during Detroit's World Series embarrassment, the series wouldn't have been much different.But there's no debate that the Tigers are a much more potent team with the 33-year-old slugger in the lineup.Martinez is expected to make a healthy return in 2013 with a fully-healed knee, and joining a scary lineup on paper, the 10-year veteran could be in line for his best season yet.Here are the five signs Martinez will have a rebound season in ...

Yesterday, I did a double-take in the dog food aisle. Between bags of Proplan and Pedigree were small 11.5-pound bags of Chef Michael’s “filet mignon” flavored dog food. As if that wasn’t enough, the food had potato and green bean “garnishes.” All for $22, or $2 a pound. I wouldn’t spend $2 a pound for real filet mignon for my family. I’m cheap that way. But for a dog? You could make a roadkill possum flavored dog food and it would get just as much interest from Fido as anything Chef Michael could whip up. And the vegetables? Dogs are carnivores. You don’t see wild dogs digging up their own carrots or growing a grove of broccoli. Get a grip! And yet people buy this stuff thinking they’re providing the best for their dog. Sort of like certain people who are quick to jump on a name-brand player at a premium price in their ...

Tier 1 – Joe MauerMauer stands alone as the best catcher available on draft day.  While his 2009 power surge was clearly more smoke and mirrors than anything else (28 HR in ’09 compared to a career high of 13 in ’06 and no other season of more than 9), he brings more than enough to the table to excite owners.  He is one of the few catchers who brings run potential to the table.  In fact, in the past four years he has scored 342 runs.  Second place among catchers is Russell Martin with 282 (and third place is Victor Martinez with 260).  Throw in a perennial .325+ average and 85+ RBI potential and it is clear that there is no one else in his class. Tier 2 – Victor Martinez, Brian McCannThese guys have both proven what they are capable of doing and are among the better hitters in ...

For the upcoming 2011 fantasy baseball season, four catchers are head-and-shoulders above the rest: Joe Mauer, Victor Martinez, Buster Posey and Brian McCann. Each player was ranked in the top 5 in at least three out of the five offensive categories, with Mauer leading the way with a .327 batting average. It should be noted that Buster Posey compiled his impressive numbers in only 103 games on his way to earning rookie of the year honors in 2010.Rookie J.P Arencibia will most likely start for the Blue Jays this season after the departure of John Buck. Arencibia is a highly touted prospect who can hit for both average and power.Jarrod Saltalamacchia is an interesting sleeper candidate in 2011, as he is finally healthy and will be the starting catcher for perhaps the most potent offense in the league. The question that has always surrounded Salty is his heath, so be sure ...

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings. Victor Martinez has been one of the most productive players at the catcher position over the last seven seasons. He makes good contact, doesn’t strike out much, always hits for a high average and has 20-25 HR power. Since 2004 (his first full season), V-Mart has the most home runs among catchers (129). He also holds the second-highest batting average during that period, at an even .300 (Joe Mauer, of course, is first at .327). Martinez leads the pack in terms of RBI production, and it’s not even close. In fact, Martinez is the only catcher since 2004 to post 100 RBI in a season, and he’s done it three times! While these accomplishments are all very impressive, two things ...

If there's one time of the sports year that everyone watches like a hawk, it's MLB free agency.  From November until late January (sometimes longer), fans lose sleep over which teams top free agent players will sign with.Some of these decisions pay great dividends, like C.C. Sabathia when he signed with the New York Yankees.  Other times, players regret locking themselves into long-term deals, like when Adrian Beltre signed with the Mariners.Thus, let's take a look at this past season's free agency class.  Specifically, the players that picked the wrong teams.Begin Slideshow

The Boston Red Sox and their fans have had a pretty rough go of it lately.Not only did the squad fail to qualify for the postseason in 2010, but the franchise also lost Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez over the winter.Beantown's had to watch a different team hoist the World Series trophy for three consecutive years, a run that includes a crown for their revolting rivals to the south, the New York Yankees.Now it's down two key contributors from an underachieving '10 roster.Of course, you could point to the bigger picture.You know, the one that includes the monumental World Series win in 2004, another in 2007 via sweep and the club's status as a perennial contender. Actually, "contender" is putting it too mildly; the squad is an annual juggernaut and on the short list of favorites to win the Fall Classic every April.The Sawks have gone to the postseason six ...

The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most active teams in the Hot Stove Season of 2010-11, with the signing of free agent Carl Crawford and the trade for Adrian Gonzalez. Crawford will give the team a new legitimate base stealing threat and a bookend left fielder who can cover a lot of ground, while Gonzalez provides a much needed lefty power bat and is a gold glove fielder at first.  Lost in the hoopla of the big name acquisitions is the loss of Victor Martinez, the switch hitting veteran catcher who has a career .300 batting average.  Although he did not pan out as well as Theo Epstein hoped, Martinez is still one of the best hitting catchers in the league.  In his eight year MLB career, Martinez has average 103 RBI’s per season with a respectable OPS of .838.  In addition, he may continue to have 1B eligibility ...