Shuffle Up: Adam Jones makes the leap
Another week, another shuffle. Today's assignment is the outfield. You won't find Miguel Cabrera , Cliff Lee or Fernando Rodney on this list: those cats aren't outfielders. And this list does not include players currently on the DL ; because injured played have largely-relative values, I don't see the point of ranking them in this exercise. Do what you like. Slot them however you feel comfortable. Pretend Carl Crawford is the cure to all that ails you.
Here's how the shuffle process goes down this year. First, I rank the position in question, from scratch. I don't look at preseason ranks, I don't look at last month's ranks — those collections are dead to me. All I'm trying to do is figure out how I arrange the commodities from today-forward. (Don't obsess over the specific dollar amounts, all that matters is how the players relate to one another. Assume a 5x5 roto scoring system.)
Then, I take some distance from the ranks. A good meal, maybe a burrito and a margarita or two. You don't want to be too close to the first draft.
Finally, I come back from dinner, tweak a ranking or two, add some comments, and interact with you fine folks.
Sound good? Bueno. Make the jump, and let's figure out this world together. (Off to the cantina. Back shortly.)
First Down: DeMarco “feeling great,” JC ready to inflict pain and Britt hits the fan
Before his season was derailed by a fractured foot last December, DeMarco Murray was one of fantasy football's rising stars. Incumbent Felix Jones , presumably constructed from tissue paper and held together by Scotch tape, again failed to deliver meaningful numbers due to physical setbacks, thrusting the rookie into the spotlight. Though he crossed the chalk only once in seven starts, Murray racked up an impressive 104.5 total yards per game and 5.4 yards per touch as the primary rusher, quickly developing into a reliable RB2 in 12-teamers. He also ranked ninth in yards after contact per attempt among qualified rushers, an excellent indicator of his physicality and game-breaking abilities.
This offseason, followers have clogged the Noise's Twitter log with questions about Murray's status and perceived draft day value. Earlier this week, fanatics finally received some clarity. The Cowboy is officially back in the saddle. From the Dallas Morning News :
Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray said Monday that the ankle injury that prematurely ended his standout rookie season has healed and he has been cleared by team doctors.
"It's great," Murray told ESPN's SportsCenter. "I've been officially cleared by our doctors and I've been doing everything the past month or two without any limitations. I feel great."
Assuming he enters camp at full speed, Murray will the 'Boys' undisputed lead dog this season. Because he's an explosive open-field runner with plus hands and has very little competition, he could net close to 300 total touches, making him a high-end RB2 in almost any format. His current Round 2 price point (14.8 ADP) is accurate.
The Dallas offensive line is a work in progress, but Big D's potent passing attack should greatly enhance the ground game's overall execution. At this point, consider Murray a borderline top-10 back who could easily join the position's elites with a full, healthy season.
Opening Time: When it comes to scoring, AL East still rules the world
The AL East narrative is something I talk about often in this space, the idea that it's very dangerous to try to make a mixed-league living with pitchers in this division. Four of the five parks in the group are friendly with runs and/or homers, and there are some loaded bats with these teams besides.
But every so often you need to go to the numbers and make sure everything is calibrated properly, verify the compass is set right. That's today's assignment. And as it turns out, the narrative holds; the division is as dangerous as ever. The crooked number is alive and well in the big-boy division.
You won't find the AL East represented at the very top of the runs board (that's where Texas sits), and the Cardinals currently are second in the majors in scoring (it will be interesting if they can stick there as injuries keep hammering them). But once those two clubs are out of the way, the east-coast bias starts kicking in.
Boston is tied for third in the majors, sitting at 200 runs; if the Red Sox sputter out in 2012, it won't be on account of the bats. The Orioles and Yankees (177 runs) are tied for fifth, followed by the Blue Jays (175 runs, eighth) and Rays (171 runs, ninth). There's no easy mark in this group, no day off, no matchup to exploit. All five teams are in the Top 8 in homers as well, with Baltimore (60 home runs) and New York (58 John Sterling monologues ) showing the way.
Don't be tripped up by antiquated ways of evaluating offense as you look at team stats. The Jays are 24th in batting average, but so what? The name of the game is crossing home plate. Tampa Bay (16th) and Baltimore (14th) also lag in average, but it doesn't matter.
Kevin Durant rallies Thunder by Lakers with defense and a clutch shot
Kevin Durant is a three-time scoring champion, but his defense on Kobe Bryant helped key the Thunder's Game 2 win.
Fantasy owners make it rain Hamiltons
As you probably already know, Josh Hamilton currently leads the American League in basically every major hitting category, by a wide margin. He has a five-homer lead over Curtis Granderson, a 14-RBI edge over Miguel Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion, and his batting average is 36 points higher than Derek Jeter's. He ranks first in the AL in slugging percentage at .848, which puts him 215 points ahead of the dude in second place, David Ortiz.
Hamilton is coming off one of the most impressive one-week individual slugging performances in baseball history, going 13-for-28 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs from May 6 to May 12. Only Frank Howard has ever hit more bombs in a single week. He's good, this Hamilton fella — very good.
Yet during his nine-homer binge, he was also one of the more heavily traded stocks in fantasy.
Pickups of the Week: Hitter update
Five hitters on the rise that are widely available on the waiver wire.
Noise: Ageists, Raul Ibanez demands your respect
Old. Decrepit. Antiquated. These were just a few words fanalysts used to describe Raul Ibanez preseason.
Though it's true the centenarian once decked Bill the Butcher in a bare-knuckle boxing match in 1851, it appears he has plenty left in the tank. Sipping from the Fountain of Youth, Ibanez has posted numbers most owners would fawn over if not tallied by an supposed over-the-hill hitter. His .273-7-21-10-2 line over just 88 at-bats checks in at No. 38 among eligible outfielders and No. 147 overall, ahead of coveted juniors Justin Upton , Alex Gordon and Drew Stubbs .
Enough with the age discrimination, mixed leaguers. The venerable Yankee deserves your consideration, at the very least.
Thumbing through the baseball annals, a handful of major leaguers fended off the corrosive effects of Father Time to post quality numbers during their age 39 campaigns. Since 2000, notable names Barry Bonds , Frank Thomas , Steve Finley and Andres Galaragga each clubbed 25-plus homers and drove in 90 or more runs at an identical point on the career arc. Sure, his elite days with the Mariners and Phillies are firmly entrenched in the past, but there are several underlying signs that suggest Ibanez could join his geriatric predecessors in the exclusive 25-90 Club 39.
[ Jeff Passan: Who's most likely to land Josh Hamilton on the free-agent market? ]
For starters, the crafty veteran has sported an eagle eye. He's sliced his K-rate in half ('11: 18.4, '12: 9.3), seeing more pitches while drawing more walks. A ground pounder in his final two stints with the Phillies ('10 GB/FB: 1.19, '11: 1.32), he's also transformed into a fly-ball hitter (0.88 GB/FB in '12), routinely turning on offerings over the inner half in an attempt to take advantage of the friendly Yankees Stadium jet stream. Of the five homers he's smacked at the House Jeter Built, four were pulled. Even more impressive, Ibanez ranks second to Josh Hamilton in no doubters according to Hittracker . Balls off his bat are sailing, not sneaking, over the fence, an excellent indicator of bat speed and strength. Despite his advanced age, the man needs no Boniva. And based on his two steals (In the past, pandas mated more frequently than Ibanez stole bags), he apparently doesn't need a motorized scooter either.
Closing Time: Looking for answers with Eric Hosmer and Ike Davis
The Albert Pujols mystery in Anaheim has turned into a nifty screen for Kansas City's Eric Hosmer . If not for Albert's much-ballyhooed struggles, more of the fantasy public would be zeroing in on the Royals, trying to figure out what happening with the struggling sophomore (.182/.248/.336) Let's go under the hood ( Fangraphs is your best friend, gamer) and see what we can find.
One thing we can say for Hosmer: despite his horrendous percentages, his counting numbers really aren't that bad. He's on pace to knock 23 homers, score 74 runs and drive in 83 more. That's less than we expected back in March, sure, but it's not a bad haul for someone hitting Blink 182.
Outlier batting averages come with outlier BABIPs, so no one should be surprised by Hosmer's .175 mark there. There's been a modest dip in his line-drive rate but his BB/K trend is heading in the right direction (walks are up, strikeouts are down). He's cut down on his swings outside the strike zone and his overall contact numbers look fine, so this doesn't seem like an approach problem.
Tim Duncan goes old school on Clippers in Spurs’ Game 1 victory
Blake Griffin got a lesson on how to play power forward in the playoffs from San Antonio's anchor.
First Down: Reggie Bush is thinking like a king
Evidently ex-bed buddy Kim Kardashian's reportedly steamy relationship with hip-hop mogul Kanye West is fueling Reggie Bush .
The fleet-footed rusher, who finished inside the RB top-15 in a breakout campaign with the Fins last year, is setting a lofty, almost laughable goal for the 2012 season: Winning the NFL rushing title. From the Sun-Sentinel :
There's a possibility Bush can contribute even more for the Dolphins this upcoming season because this west coast offense fits his skill set. Head coach Joe Philbin is excited about the tools in Bush's tool belt, and has a vision of how to better utilize his skill set, hinting that Bush might line up as a receiver more.
That might explain why Bush told WSVN's Sports Xtra on Sunday that his goal is to lead the NFL in rushing this season. […]
"I want the rushing title," said Bush, who finished 11th in rushing last season. "This offseason I've been working towards that goal. Just being effective like I was this past season.
"Every time I rush the ball I want four yards," said Bush, who averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 2011. "I'm keeping my focus simple and small, but at same time helping my team progress."
Rrrriiiiggghhttt. And Tim Tebow will complete 85 percent of his passes this fall.
Miami's stout O-line and Bush's newfangled gusto between the tackles — he racked up 5.6 YPC in up-the-gut runs last year — would lead one to surmise the RB's claim, though ultra-confident, isn't overly exuberant. However, those are Miami's only positive takeaways on offense. Under new head coach Joe Philbin, this is a franchise in transition. Rookie Ryan Tannehill , who started just 19 games at quarterback during his four-year career at Texas A&M, may begin the season under center. Davone Bess is the best returning receiver after Brandon Marshall blew north to the Windy City in March. And, most complicating for Reggie, local product Lamar Miller was plucked in the draft. The youngster and Daniel Thomas are expected to push Bush for touches when Dolphins training camp opens later this summer. Add it all up, and it appears he's drank too much Kool-Aid basking in the South Beach sun.
Ongoing Closer Silliness: Jose Valverde, sore lower back
I don't mind if MLB wants to go with a "30 new closers in 30 days" gimmick for this season, I just wish they'd promote it a little better. Mercy.
Jose Valverde stepped into the ring of fire Tuesday afternoon in Chicago, in what was supposed to be a routine "get work" appearance with a four-run lead. Papa Grande retired the first two batters, then Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski followed with hits. Valverde went to a 3-1 count on the ensuing batter, Alex Rios , before the proceedings stopped and the Tigers removed him from the game.
A half hour later, the news came down: Valverde is dealing with lower back tightness. "Just have to keep our fingers crossed on Jose," Tigers manager Jim Leyland told MLB.com . "I think it's all right."
Detroit has used Joaquin Benoit and Octavio Dotel as Valverde's gatekeepers this year; Benoit usually gets the eighth inning while Dotel works in the seventh. Benoit pitched a scoreless eighth in Tuesday's game, and it was Dotel who inherited the chippy save chance that Valverde created. Dotel finished off Rios's walk, allowed a hit, then recorded one out. Ballgame. Good work if you can get it.
Kendrick Perkins reinjures hip; questionable to play Game 2
Thunder center Kendrick Perkins hurt his hip again early in the second half of Game 1.
Closer Carousel
If you're chasing saves in a competitive league, you can't very well wait until real-life changes occur before taking action. That approach will likely mean you're a week late on every new closer.
Closing Time: Daniel Nava, Boston underdog; Christian Friedrich, strikeout ace
The long-running sportswriter code says that you don't root for teams, you root for stories. And with that in mind, I'll openly admit I'm pulling for Boston outfielder Daniel Nava . If he sticks with the Red Sox, they could make a movie out of this guy's life.
The unheralded 29-year-old outfielder landed in Boston last week and he's been a factor in all five games since then. Nava is off to a 7-for-12 start, with six runs, a homer, and six RBIs. And more impressively, he's been impossible to keep off base: six walks, .750 OBP. He's even been plunked by a couple of pitches. The discerning eye is something he's always had, as you can see through his minor-league career (.317/.414/.496 over six seasons).
If you've never heard of Nava, it's with good reason. There's no pedigree here, no buzzy prospect file to discuss. The 5-foot-10 switch hitter was invited to walk onto the Santa Clara baseball as a teenager but didn't make the cut - he eventually settled in as team manager. And when the price of tuition got out of reach , Nava eventually left school and settled in at a junior college.
That's when the story gets interesting: Nava blossomed at JC and eventually he made it back to Santa Clara, this time on a full athletic scholarship. Nava turned into a collegiate star but didn't get drafted, so he had to start over again in professional ball, working his way up from the absolute bottom.
Kobe Bryant’s concession of athletic superiority to Thunder ominous sign for Lakers
All the rest in the world couldn't have prevented the beating Oklahoma City gave L.A.
Pickups of the Week
A look at nine intriguing fantasy baseball players still available on the waiver wire in more than half of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
Shuffle Up: Special “Pick Your Montero” edition
Catchers are important. Without them, you're looking at a ridiculous amount of passed balls.
The ranks to follow illustrate how I'd attack the attack the catcher position if I entered a fresh draft today. To be clear, "attack" is probably the wrong word: I normally go cheap at this spot, especially in one-catcher league. But there are 1,000 ways to get to where we want to go.
Normal rules and disclaimers apply. Assume a 5x5 scoring rotisserie system. Anyone on the DL is ineligible for this list: the value of injured players varies greatly from format to format. I reserve the right to tweak this list as the day goes along. Bring your smartest debate to the comments; win the discussion, win the rank.
Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro gains credibility with Game 7 win over Grizzlies
The Clippers' first-round victory over the Grizzlies shows Vinny Del Negro could have some staying power in L.A.
First Down: Clearing the air about Ryan Mathews
Letting go of the past is difficult.
Owners burned previously by a high draft pick often act like grumpy old men. The mere mention of said player boils the blood leading the enraged to embark on an endless rant of disgust. Most stubbornly, the hate harbored by these victims creates long-holding grudges. Even entertaining the idea of investing their heart and soul into the same steamy pile of worthlessness, no matter how ripe the situation, ranks alongside death by clown torture, a frightening proposition.
Sadly, this is how millions living in Fantasyland feel about Ryan Mathews .
Roughly two weeks ago in what some are deeming the " Suckiest Mock Team Ever Assembled ," yours truly selected the controversial rusher with the fifth overall pick in a standard 14-team draft. Normally commenters beneath Arcade entries criticize small grammatical errors, attempt to start fruitless "Fire (Insert Author)" campaigns or ramble about senseless drivel simply because they have the space to do so. However, in last week's mock recap ( See full draft results here ), the gallery focused its attention almost exclusively on my idiotic devotion to the alleged unreliable back. A taste:
Frank Francisco, closer on the brink
What's the best present for a Mom that has everything? Get her an at-bat against scuffling Mets reliever Frank Francisco . Mom will surely line a double in the gap — if Francisco ever gets around to throwing her a strike.
Francisco technically didn't get a blown save in Sunday's ugly loss to the Marlins , but it was a meltdown just the same. He was asked to protect a two-run lead in the ninth and couldn't record an out: Emilio Bonifacio tripled, John Buck walked and Greg Dobbs singled. In short order, the Marlins had a run in and the tying tally just 90 feet away.
Not content to merely unravel on the mound, Francisco then took dead aim at home plate umpire Todd Tichenor, storming to the plate and yelling some choice words (the men had to be separated). Only seven of Francisco's 15 pitches were strikes, but it looked like his complaints were reaching the intended target. Tichenor promptly gave Francisco the boot, and the Marlins wound up finishing the rally against journeyman reliever Manny Acosta . (The game ended on a grand slam from Giancarlo Stanton that probably landed on a beach in Bermuda somewhere. Absolutely crushed. Mercy.)
When you add Sunday's disaster to the ledger, Francisco now shows an 8.56 ERA and a 1.98 WHIP. He does offer 15 strikeouts over 13.3 innings, but he's also walked seven batters. He's been scored on in seven of his last 12 appearances, and he's suffered three losses on the year. How much evidence do the Mets need before they try something else in the ninth? (Perhaps manager Terry Collins is getting close: he says he'll address the closing situation Monday .)