All MLB---Catcher and First Base

--This week the NBA came out with their "All-NBA team" the names that graced the team were in my opinion obvious picks. Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garrnett ,Lebron James and Dwight Howard. Those names in my opinion are obvious for NBA all-team and for fantasy, they are automatic staples in fantasy basketball for players people would want to own.



--With baseball however if you go by each position, I feel it is not the same story. Each positon has their battles such as Joe Maurer has average but not power and Ichiro has stolen bases and runs but no Rbi's and homeruns.

Baseball is great having debates and each positon has one or two players where you can say depending on who you like is what player you would select.



Starting with Catcher- A position that at one time you might have 3 dominate offensive catchers.



Here the battle is between the dodgers Russel Martin and Clevlend Indians Victor Martinez



Both have power and both are regarded as 1 or 2 in baseball offensivly..
Matin however, can get a fantasy owner stolen bases, RBI'S and pretty much any offensive category. Victor Martinez is strugglin this year with zero homeruns and only 15 RBIS and like his Indians Teammates is struggling offensivley. Russel Martin has 3 homeruns and 18 RBI's with a .312 average, with a .428 OBP

Verdict: Russel Martin

First Base is usually a positon that might leave a jury diliberate for days on who is a top first basemen. Past seasons you had Red Sox David Ortiz, Clevelend Indinas Travis Haftner, Brewers Prince Fielder and St.louis's Albert Pujols, Chicago Cubs Derrek Lee and Houstans Astros Lance Berkman

This season Big Papi has 10 bombs but a low average is his down so thart keeps him from "top honors"

A ESPN commerical once state, "Dont trade Prince..Fielder..." well we are not trading 270 pounds of power but a low average and a 6 homerun total keep him from becoming elite.

The Cubs Derrek Lee looks like a Terreroist with his beard but right now he is part of a Cubs Offense that leads the league in runs scored but he is over shadowed by the other two dominate first basemen in the Central. his stats... .302/10/30

This year Lance Berkman has been over shadowed by Chipper Jones huge start(.409/11/33) but Berkman could be heading towards a triple crown year(.388/14/44) his OBP is at a .467 clip and with Pence,Tejada and Lee protecting him plus the ballpark he hits in 81 times a year, his numbers are the only goin to get bigger.

Now for the 21ist century's sultan of swat. Albert Pujols has a chance to be the best hitter ever to walk the face of the earth. Since 2003 he has yet to have a batting average below .320 his numbers are off the charts and this articles does not need to mention those numbers.

Verdict: Albert Pujols wins by a card over Berkman

He's Bad CaNO More

The second baseman that has made some managers cry, might just be their savior this season. Robinson Cano, whose batting average has been been below .200 every game this season (minus opening day), finally got his batting average up to .205. That, however, doesn't tell the whole story. In 11 games in the month of May, Cano has 5 runs, 2 home runs, and 5 RBIs. His batting average has also risen 50 points since the start of the month. His OPS has also risen 130 points over those 11 games. On top of that, the Yankee second baseman has only gone hitless twice in the month and only struck out once. This is a good sign for Cano owners.

Alfonso Soriano is back!

For all you managers, and I am one of them, that have been frustrated with Alfonso Soriano's play this season (or even lack of play), your time of wait is over now. Alfonso Soriano has finally gotten back to where he belongs. In his last four games, Soriano has 8 hits in 14 at bats, with 2 home runs, 5 runs, and 4 RBIs. He's finally started to find his stroke after injury, so look for him to get back on pace.

Griffey to Seattle? Where does that leave Jay Bruce?

Recently, there has been serious talk about Reds' veteran Ken Griffey, Jr. making his way back to the team that drafted him, the Seattle Mariners. Not only would the Mariners front office want him there, but it is no question that the fans would also want him back.

A move like this would definitely make sense for multiple reasons. The Mariners are in desperate need of a slugger, such as Jr. He had unbelievable seasons in Seattle, and there's no reason to believe that his numbers won't increase at least a little. Also, the Reds are looking to move not only Griffey, but also Adam Dunn. Both players, especially Griffey, who's on the last year of his contract, are eating up a lot of the Reds budget. This would open up more space and allow for the continuing rebuilding of the Reds.

So, how does this affect you as a fantasy manager? First thing's first. Jay Bruce. It's no secret that the Reds are trying to open up a spot for Bruce. They've had a history of having too many outfielders for a while now. Even back when their outfield consisted of Griffey, Dunn, and Kearns, they had the amazing power of Jose Guillen and the awesome potential of Wily Mo Pena on the bench. They thought by trading Josh Hamilton, it'd give the Reds a better chance to get Bruce to the majors. The final step for that is to get rid of either Griffey, Dunn, or both.

Basically what this article is telling you is to pick up Bruce right now if he's still available. He'll most likely be up by the end of the month. In 35 games in AAA this year, Bruce has 6 home runs, 7 stolen bases, and an OPS of .924! The Bruce era is about to begin.

Hanley Ramirez or Rafael Furcal?

Since both second base and third base have clear leader at their positions (Chase Utley and Chipper Jones), it's time to move on to shortstop. This, however, is a shortstop list without the Mets' youngster Jose Reyes. Reyes is doing far below his averages, which opens up a spot for Furcal. Furcal has been inconsistant over his career, and that's shown by his play last year. If you're a fantasy owner like me, you gave up on him last year, but that has turned out to be a mistake. With the numbers of 34/5/16/.366, it looks like Furcal is giving Hanley a challenge. I think with Torre's managment and Furcal finally settling in at Los Angeles, he's here to stay, at least this year.

Hanley Ramirez, on the other hand, has been fairly consistant over his carrer, and he's only getting better. With 29/8/20/.336 numbers, he could easily get 100+ runs, 30 home runs, and 100+ RBIs. What's even more impressive is that these numbers are coming from a guy that could also get you 60+ steals.

However, don't just overlook Furcal, as he has more runs, a few less home runs, a few less RBIs, but a much better average. Both players also have the speed, but Ramirez has the edge by 5, but that few amount of steals won't win your league for you.

Furcal? Hanley? The choice is yours.

The First Step in the Kershaw Kraze

"Clayton Kershaw will make his next several appearances for Double-A Jacksonville in relief as the Dodgers try to limit his innings.
The Dodgers don't want the 20-year-old Kershaw throwing more than 25 innings per month. This is their short-term solution."

That is the latest news on Clayton Kershaw found at Rotoworld.com. What does that mean for fantasy owners? If you put it together with the fact that Joe Torre is finally being to open up about the left-hander, it means that his call up could be on the rise. The Dodgers don't want to making it late in the season, and then realize that Kershaw's arm is in trouble from overuse in the minors. Limiting his innnings is the first step. Watch for injuries or major struggles from Dodger pitchers, save your waiver priority, and you, too, will be dancing to the Kershaw Kraze.

A Few Guys You Have to Get NOW

Currently in baseball, there are certain players that will make a fantasy owner cringe. I am one of those fantasy owners with players such as Robinson Cano, Travis Hafner, and Ryan Howard. If you're not an owner of these guys, you eyes should be lighting up. It's time you go in for the pounce. With the following guys, it's just a matter of time before they go back up to where they belong.

1. Robinson Cano (2B NYY) - 7/3/9/.157 - This is probably as bad as the Yankee second baseman will get. Expect him to rebound and get to his usual 75/15/85/.300 season. Now is the time to get him.

2. Travis Hafner (1B CLE) - 12/3/17/.211 - Hafner has changed his swing for the worst from his previous seasons. Hafner's coaches have noticed his mechanical problems, so expect them to be fixed. Now's the time to buy.

3. Ryan Howard (1B PHI) - 17/6/16/.168 - Ryan Howard owners are starting to get worried about their slugger. It's time to get him while his owners are in panic mode. I'm not worried about Howard, and I expect him to return to normal very soon.

4. Jose Reyes (SS NYM) - 17/2/13/.260 - Reyes has already began to make a climb back to normal stealing 6 bases in 8 games and increasing his batting average 10 points in 5 games. Odds are, Reyes owners have already entered panic mode, so pounce now before it's too late.

5. Alfonso Soriano (OF CHC) - 10/3/10/.190 - Soriano just got back from injury and he can't get much lower than this. It's just a matter of time before he puts up his above average numbers.

Check back later for some players that you should sell high before they come back down to earth.

Oh, What a Tangled Webb He Pitches

If I were to say the name Jack Chesbro, would you know who I'm talking about? How about some more popular names, such as Ed Walsh or Christy Matthewson? Well, if you know that Jack Chesbro was a member of the New York Highlanders in the early 1900s, you're in the minority. If you know that he holds the record for the most wins in a season in the Major League Baseball modern era, you're one of the few. In 1904, Chesbro tossed 41 wins to claim his record. Four years later, Walsh won 40 and Matthewson won 37 to earn second and third on the list.

Since then, the only people ever to actually come close to threatening those records were Hal Newhouser with 29 and Lefty Grove with 31. Since the 50s, it has been thought amazing for a pitcher to do what Randy Johnson did in 2002. He won 24 games.

If our generation is ever going to see someone set a new standard for wins in a season, it's now. The 28-year-old Brandon Webb (who will turn 29 on May 9th), currently has a record of 7-0. I know 41 is a bit too much to expect, but I believe that he could be the first pitcher since Danny McLain in 1968 to win 30 games.

Webb has everything a pitcher needs to earn that many wins. In Webb's 7 starts this year, the Diamondbacks have outscored their opponents 40-16. That means that Brandon Webb is currently getting 5.7 runs per game from his offense, which is the most in Major League Baseball. With Webb's ERA only being 2.49, the numbers are heavily in his favor.

Putting aside his outstanding rookie campaign in 2003, Webb's numbers have improved in Wins, Shutouts, and ERA every single year. His other stat categories have also been improving over the course of his career. Brandon Webb will keep getting better as his career progresses, and if there's anyone that will win an obscene amount of games in the near future, it's the 8th round draft choice from the 2000 draft, Mr. Brandon Webb.

Derrek Lee or Albert Pujols?

For the catchers, Geovany Soto won the fan vote over Russell Martin in a commanding manner. This time, we head to Illinois, the battlegrounds of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. Since his call-up in 2001, Albert Pujols has been one of the most talked about players in all of baseball. He's had 30+ home runs, 100+ RBIs, and .300+ batting average in each of his seven full seasons. Only once did he have less than 100 runs (he had 99). The 27-year-old, future hall-of-famer is is also stealing the spotlight this season. Before this year, many Pujols fantasy owners were worried because of his rumored injury. That, along with the fact that the Cardinals were believed to not have a good enough team to compete this year, worried owners because if there was any sign of an injured Pujols late in the year, LaRussa might have shut him down. However, Albert Pujols, who has yet to go on the DL in his career, has reached base every game this season and is the only player that can claim that. Albert shows no signs of slowing down, and age-wise, his prime is still ahead of him.

Derrek Lee has three gold gloves, a batting title, a silver slugger, and a World Series ring. He does have another thing that Mr. Pujols does not. Almost half the letters in his name are "E." In 2005, Lee put up remarkable numbers. He had a .335 average, 46 home runs, and 107 RBIs, along with 120 runs. A year later, in 2006, however, he came crashing down...literally. He only played 50 games due to a broken wrist. He bounced back in 2007 with a .317 average, but mediocre numbers everywhere else. This writer believes that Lee was still feeling the effects of his injury. Lee has now began his 2008 campaign in a strong manner while hitting .333 with 8 home runs and 24 RBIs. It seems that his wrist is healed and we'll now be able to see the Derrek "Double E" Lee of 2005.

Don't forget to vote to the right on who you think is the more valuable first baseman.

Max Who? Welcome to the Kershaw Kraze

One week ago, all the fantasy talk was on Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher, Max Scherzer. And for many, the talk is still surrounding him after his first appearance where he threw 4.1 innings and struck out 7 and allowing zero men on base! His first Major League start is tonight and many fantasy owners will be watching to see if he's all he's hyped up to be.

If you're a fantasy owner that missed out on Scherzer because of a lower waiver priority, like myself, it's time to turn the page and read about the Kershaw Kraze. I'm sure most of you know who this Clayton Kershaw guy is, but let's take a look at why this guy should be your new pitcher.

Clayton Kershaw, of the Jacksonville Suns, AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been nothing less than outstanding in the Southern League. He has had six starts this year. Let's start by looking at his worst one. On April 10, he threw five innings and gave up two earned runs. While he was doing that, he also struck out 8 guys!

Other than that start, he has not given up more than one run in any of his five other starts, including his most recent 3 starts, in which he didn't give up an earned run and struck out 18 guys in 18.1 innings. He also only gave up 10 hits and 5 walks in that period. Currently, he stands with a 0-3 record, 1.11 ERA, and 36 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.

This season is not a fluke either. Last season, he had an 8-7 record, 2.95 ERA, and 163 strikeouts in 122 innings!

So, if you missed out on "Mad" Max Mania, it's time to dance to the Kershaw Kraze.

Soto or Martin?

Every other day, for the next two weeks, I will be posting a comparison between the top players at each position. This way, you will be educated enough to make that trade, or reject that one from the guy that's been badgering you. To start, we'll begin with Geovany Soto and Russell Martin.

Last season, Russell Martin took Major League Baseball's fantasy owners by storm. He slowly made his away above the top two from a few years ago, Joe Mauer and Victor Martinez. It's really hard to turn the 25-year-old catcher down that had 87 runs, 19 home runs, and 87 RBIs last season. On top of that, he also had 21 stolen bases and a batting average of .293. This year, Martin is on pace to do a small step worse than last year, but still top tier numbers for a catcher.

You'd think with all this, Martin would be the number one hands down, right? Soto says, "NO!" The Chicago Cubs have powered their way towards the top of the NL Central on the backs of their two rookies, Kosuke Fukudome and Geovany Soto. The 25-year-old Soto is currently playing his fist full year in the majors and is Major League Baseball's best hitting catcher. He currently has 14 runs, 5 home runs, 23 RBIs, and is batting .333. According to that, he is on pace for (roughly) 70 runs, 25 home runs, and 100+ RBIs! Soto also set a Cubs rookie record with 20 RBIs in April. Who would not want that out of their catcher. Even last year, when Soto only played in 18 games, he still put up very impressive numbers (12 runs, 8 RBIs, .389 AVG).

By looking at these numbers, you still might not know which one to trust more. However, let's take a look at another group of numbers. In 2007, in AAA, Soto played in 110 games. In those games, he had 75 runs, 26 home runs, 109 RBIs, and had a batting average of .353. His OPS that season was 1.076! Russell Martin, however, never had the standout minor league numbers as Soto.

An extra note on Russell Martin: Joe Torre has been playing Martin at third base, his original minor league position, including two consecutive starts at third. Keep this in mind, as he could be fantasy eligible at third and catcher next season.

With all this information shown, my vote goes to Geovany Soto. Use the poll to the right to vote on who you think gets the nod between Russell Martin and Geovany Soto. Also, remember to check back again to see our next comparison at first base.

The Voice of Youth

Major League Baseball is packed with young stars. The game's heroes are getting younger year by year. With many people in either keeper or franchise leagues, this article is devoted to my "Under age 25 team."

C-Russell Martin (LAD)
1B-Prince Fielder (MIL)
2B-Ian Kinsler (TEX)
SS-Hanley Ramirez (FLA)
3B-Miguel Cabrera (DET)
OF-Ryan Braun (MIL)
OF-Grady Sizemore (CLE)
OF-B.J. Upton (TB)
P-Felix Hernandez (SEA)

Any of these key players will help any manager stay in touch with the youth movement in baseball and get the edge in your keeper or franchise leagues.

Prospect Propaganda

Top prospects to keep an eye on.

1. Jay Bruce (OF-CIN) - With 21 RBIs in 26 games, this kid can produce. He has 6 steals and 5 home runs, so he's a solid player. His main weakness, which is the main reason that he is not up right now is the fact that he has struck out 25 times! That's 1 per game! The Reds don't want to rush him into the majors and make the same mistake they did with Wily Mo Pena.
2. Clayton Kershaw (LHP-LAD-AA) - Remember all the hype about Missouri's Max Scherzer? Take a small step up and you get Clayton Kershaw. In 5 games started this year, he has a 0-3 record, but an ERA of 1.40. He has 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. The 20-year-old is full of potential and could be in the big leagues by the end of the year.
3. Homer Bailey (RHP-CIN) - He's had one bad start this year, but he settled down and has a 2.29 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. It's just a matter of time before Bailey makes his way back to the Reds rotation.
4. Ian Stewart (3B-COL) - Stewart can get on base, and when he does, he'll score. In 25 games played, he has 23 runs and 21 RBIs. He does have a contact problem. He's struck out 27 times. Once he has a better feel of the strikezone, Stewart will get called up.

Top 5 Pitchers to Stay Away From

Each year as the season begins, certain players, who are usually under the radar, have great starts, and it gets fantasy managers to wonder. This will hopefully keep you from trading your entire offense for a bust.

1. Rich Harden (OAK) - Harden has some of the best stuff of any pitcher in baseball, but no player crushes fantasy hopes like Rich Harden. His only full year was 2004. Injuries have plagued his career each of the last four years (including 2008). Harden is almost guaranteed to give you an ERA under 4.00 and more strikeouts than innings pitched, but he will not leave this list until
he proves that he can stay healthy.

2. Ben Sheets (MIL) - Although Sheets has yet to have a bad season in his 7-year career, he's only been healthy all year three times. In his past three years, he was limited to 22 starts, 17 starts, and 24 starts. He's got really good stuff, but don't be surprised when the injury bug hits him again.

3. Ervin Santana (LAA) - Although Santana is off to a great start, he seems to follow a pattern. Santana's pattern is inconsistency. Just when you think he's finally settled in to playing well, he'll have numerous rough starts in a row. Santana, who debuted in 2005, has a career ERA of 4.72, and he's coming off a rough season in 2007 where he posted an ERA of 5.76 and averaged giving up one home run in each of his starts.

4. Cliff Lee (CLE) - Cliff Lee is by far the most impressive pitcher in baseball this season. He has given up one earned run in 31.2 innings pitched. However, Lee has a tendency to start of well, and then settle in to his normal 4.00+ ERA. Lee's ERA has been increasing for the past three years, and last year, in a season that plagued Lee with injury, he posted a 6.29 ERA.

5. Johnny Cueto (CIN) - In the rookie's first two starts, he gave up three runs in 13.1 innings, and he struck out 18. Since then, he's had four starts, struck out only 15, walked eight, compared to zero in his first two starts, and his ERA has risen to 5.40. Cueto throws hard, but that's all he does. He'll have to do something to change his flat pitches because hitters have caught on.