John Lannan, SP (WAS): I recently dropped Johnny Cueto and added John Lannan in my league, mostly because Lannan has been the Washington Nationals' best pitcher this year. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 19 innings pitched. He had an 11-strikeout outing against the New York Mets on April 17, which got him plenty of fantasy attention. He walks more hitters that I would like - at least three walks in four of his five outings and 14 in 30.2 IP - but he has been dependable and I'll ride him until he shows me otherwise.

John Danks, SP (CHW): It's hard not to like John Danks on your fantasy roster. He's a borderline waiver wire guy, but if you subtract his one bad outing this year, his stats are among the better pitchers in the league. If you scratch his porous outing against Minnesota on April 9 (his second start of the year), here are his cumulative numbers: 27.2, 3 ER, 18 K, 4 BB, 14 H, 1 HR. With stats like that, he has value in a lot of leagues.

Jair Jurrjens, SP (ATL): Although you wouldn't be able to pick Jair Jurrjens out of a lineup of guys with name tags, he's been a consistent pitcher this season. His shortest start lasted 5.1 innings, but that was his only start (out of five) that he didn't complete at least six full innings. He has a 25-13 strikeout-walk ratio, which indicates that he can probably continue this. The Atlanta Braves continue to unearth anonymous castaway pitchers who fill out their rotation year after year. With three wins, a respectable ERA of 3.45 and a 1.21 WHIP, Jurrjens is worth adding in deeper leagues.

Chad Gaudin, SP (OAK): The Oakland Athletics have been an April powerhouse and thus one of the surprises of the young season. Starting pitching has helped them to their share of the American League West lead and Chad Gaudin has been a part of it. After allowing five earned runs in his first start of the season, Gaudin has scattered five runs over his last four starts. He has 23 strikeouts versus only eight walks and a sparkling WHIP of 1.10. He pitched well in spurts last year, but most people still associate him with his days in Tampa Bay. He's a reliable fantasy pitcher now.

Armando Galarragga, SP (DET): Armando Galarragga has only had three starts, but you can make the case that he's been the Detroit Tigers' best pitcher this season. Galarragga took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in his last start, but manager Jim Leyland is a bit concerned that when things go bad for Galarragga, they unravel quickly. Here's the conundrum: Galarragga has pitched well so far, which is better than most Tigers starters can say, so Leyland will either keep him up and hope that Galarragga learns to weather some adversity, or he will send him down for more seasoning. Galarragga is in the rotation because Dontrelle Willis is shelved with a knee injury. Ride him until he pitches his way out of the rotation.

Max Scherzer, P (ARZ): If Evan Longoria is the most hyped position player prospect this year, Max Scherzer is his pitching equal. All eyes were on Scherzer when he was called up on April 27, and it didn't take long for us to get our first Major League look: 4.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 7 K. He pitched 4.1 innings of perfect baseball and will now make his first start this coming Monday. The upside is tremendous with this kid and he could find a spot in the Arizona Diamondbacks rotation down the stretch of the season. If you have a lousy veteran to drop, take a chance on his upside. The seven strikeouts in 4.1 IP is a tantalizing thought.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

After Opening Day, how many of you thought the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays would be playing for first place at any point during the 2008 season?

While it’s still only April, the Orioles and Rays are set to begin a three-game series tonight at Camden Yards. Coming into the series, the Rays have won six straight games. They defeated the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox three times each in the last week, so they’ve gained a little bit of respect recently.

After this series, the Rays don’t come back to Baltimore again until Sept. 22. Will those four games have any factor in determining the order in the AL East? OK, so they will still likely decide which team finishes at the bottom of the division, but don’t tell that to these two teams right now. They’re both playing above expectations and it’s refreshing to see some other teams playing competitive baseball.

Pitching matchups

Tuesday 4/29: Garrett Olson (season debut) vs. Jason Hammel (2-1, 4.32)
Wednesday 4/30: TBA vs. Andy Sonnanstine (3-1, 5.28)
Thursday 5/1: Brian Burres (3-1, 2.49) vs. Matt Garza (0-0, 7.62)

Who you should play from the Rays

Carl Crawford, LF – When the Orioles left Tampa Bay on April 13, Crawford was hitting .208 with no home runs, four RBIs and four stolen bases. He’s now hitting .300 with two home runs, 13 RBIs and eight stolen bases. Crawford is leading the American League in runs scored (23) and he also has two doubles and three triples this season. In other words, Crawford is finally playing the way he should be. The statistics will continue to pile up for fantasy owners who picked him for their teams.

Who you should bench from the Rays

Carlos Pena, 1B – Do you think I am crazy for suggesting that you sit a guy who already has four home runs and nine RBIs in five games against the Orioles this season? OK, maybe it is a foolish prediction, but he’s really struggling in 2008. Pena is hitting .200 so far this year and he only has two home runs and four RBIs against the rest of the American League. He doesn’t have any home runs or RBIs since he hit a game-tying shot in the eighth inning against reliever Jamie Walker on April 12.

Who you should play from the Orioles

Ramon Hernandez, C – His .189 batting average is a killer to any fantasy team – trust me, he’s killing mine – but his three home runs and 13 RBIs are extremely valuable at the catcher position. He’s tied for fourth among catchers in home runs and tied for third in RBIs. Every time he gets a big hit, I think there is hope that Hernandez will break out of his season-long slump. Well, maybe this time he’ll finally make me look like a genius. If you’ve got him on your team, it’s probably because there is no one else available. Keep starting him because he won’t hit below .200 for the entire season. At least I hope not.

(Side note: I believe the home run Hernandez hit last night won’t count in most formats until the game is completed and becomes official, but he’ll still get credit for it eventually. That’s why I included it in the totals above.)

Who you should bench from the Orioles

Nick Markakis, RF – Markakis is probably on the level of players that you don’t ever put on your bench – especially for those people who root for the Orioles on a daily basis. Still, it should be noted that he’s struggling lately. Markakis is only 6-for-31 in the nine games since he went 3-for-3 against the New York Yankees on April 18. While it’s not necessary to bench Markakis – he’s still hitting .292 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored – fantasy owners should be aware of his current slump.

Posted by Dean Jones, Jr. at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Although Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke won't talk to virtually anyone in the media right now, he will join us on THE Hardcore Fantasy Show this Saturday at noon (Sirius 186 or hardcoresportsradio.com).

Hardcore Country's Corey Erdman from Kitchener set up the interview and will be co-hosting with me this Saturday.

Burke will tell us about his venture into the fantasy world, and since he can build a Stanley Cup winning NHL team, we'll ask him if anyone asks for his services for fantasy drafts.

Here is the World Hockey Championship pool (prize TBD). Pick one from each box and pick three goalies. Then send your selections to thefantasyshow@hardcoresportsradio.com. Scoring system is 1 point for a goal, 1 point for an assist, 2 points for a goalie win and 2 bonus points for a shutout.

Group 1
Rick Nash (CAN)
Jason Pominville (USA)
Alexander Ovechkin (RUS)
Patrick Elias (CZE)
Olli Jokinen (FIN)

Group 2
Dany Heatley (CAN)
Patrick Kane (USA)
Alexander Semin (RUS)
Tony Martensson (SWE)
Radim Vrbata (CZE)

Group 3
Alexei Morozov (RUS)
Ales Kotalik (CZE)
Zach Parise (USA)
Tuomo Ruutu (FIN)
Eric Staal (CAN)

Group 4
Mikko Koivu (FIN)
Nicklas Backstrom (SWE)
Phil Kessel (USA)
Martin Erat (CZE)
Martin St. Louis (CAN)

Group 5
Derek Roy (CAN)
Peter Mueller (USA)
Maxim Afinogenov (RUS)
Marco Sturm (GER)
Anze Kopitar (SLE)

Group 6
Jason Spezza (CAN)
Jussi Jokinen (FIN)
Sergei Zinoviev (RUS)
Michael Nylander (SWE)
Dustin Brown (USA)

Group 7
Sergei Fedorov (RUS)
Oleg Antonenko (BEL)
Robert Nilsson (SWE)
Patrick O'Sullivan (USA)
Ryan Getzlaf (CAN)

Group 8
Marcel Hossa (SLO)
Alex Radulov (RUS)
Tomas Fleischmann (CZE)
Michael Holmqvist (SWE)
Patrick Sharp (CAN)

Group 9
Martin Hanzal (CZE)
Niko Kapanen (FIN)
Nils Ekman (SWE)
Lee Stempniak (USA)
Jonathan Toews (CAN)

Group 10
Ville Peltonen (FIN)
Michael Wolf (GER)
Fedor Fedorov (RUS)
Drew Stafford (USA)
Chris Kunitz (CAN)

Group 11
David Backes (USA)
Sean Bergenheim (FIN)
Sergei Mozyakin (RUS)
Aleksey Kalyuzhny (BEL)
Shane Doan (CAN)

Group 12
Maksim Sushinsky (RUS)
Lars Eller (DEN)
David Booth (USA)
Ladislav Kohn (CZE)
Ray Whitney (CAN)

Group 13
Jay Bouwmeester (CAN)
Paul Martin (USA)
Dimitri Vorobiev (RUS)
Tomas Kaberle (CZE)
Joni Pitkanen (FIN)

Group 14
Ossi Vaananen (FIN)
Christoph Schubert (GER)
Mike Green (CAN)
James Wisniewski (USA)
Alexander Edler (SWE)

Group 15
Filip Kuba (CZE)
Denis Grebeshkov (RUS)
Ed Jovanovski (CAN)
Keith Ballard (USA)
Dennis Seidenberg (GER)

Group 16
Andrej Sekera (CZE)
Danny Markov (RUS)
Duncan Keith (CAN)
Magnus Johansson (SWE)
Tim Gleason (USA)

Group 17
Brent Burns (CAN)
Branislav Mezei (SLO)
Tom Gilbert (USA)
Dmitri Kalinin (RUS)
Niclas Wallin (SWE)

Group 18
Steve Staios (CAN)
Mark Stuart (USA)
Zbynek Michalek (CZE)
Anton Stralman (SWE)
Lubomir Visnovsky (SLO)

Group 19 - Pick 3 Goalies
Pascal Leclaire (CAN)
Tim Thomas (USA)
Kari Ramo (FIN)
Mikael Tellqvist (SWE)
Milan Hnilicka (CZE)
Alexander Eremenko (RUS)
Niklas Backstrom (FIN)
Dimitri Patzold (GER)
Jan Lasak (SLO)
Jonas Hiller (SUI)
Cristobal Huet (FRA)
Erik Ersberg (SWE)
Craig Anderson (USA)
Sebastien Dahm (DEN)
Cam Ward (CAN)
Gunther Hell (ITA)
Martin Gerber (SUI)
Robert Kristan (SLE)
Robert Esche (USA)
Mathieu Garon (CAN)

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Jhonny Peralta, SS (CLE): The story is always the same with Jhonny Peralta: he has an average that deters owners from picking him up, but his power numbers are very solid. Peralta has hit roughly .275 over the last three seasons but has topped 82 runs each year. He's also averaged 19 home runs and 72 RBIs. He's already cranked five this year, which puts him in a tie for the second-most in the American League and second-most among shortstops overall. Keep in mind he's only played in 21 games, and most shortstops have played 24 or 25 games this season.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, 1B/C (TEX): Wondering why I'm suggesting you look at a guy that has had only three at-bats this season? Jarrod Saltalamacchia was recently called up and is touted to be a solid major league hitter. More importantly, he is eligible as a catcher in fantasy leagues. In May & June 2007, Salty had four home runs, 10 RBIs and 10 runs in 84 at-bats. Considering the dearth of talent at the catcher position, he's worth adding based on potential alone. For the time being, he will split time with Gerald Laird , but Laird got the first kick at the can and blew it.

Jeff Mathis, C (LAA): In the same category, Jeff Mathis is becoming a hot commodity right now. Mathis is hitting .325 with three home runs, seven RBIs and 10 runs. He's splitting time with Mike Napoli, who leads all catchers with five home runs, but Mathis could be seeing more time shortly. Napoli is only hitting .229, which should eventually curtail his playing time. Keep in mind that Mathis was once a top prospect in the Angels organization, and his recent play might convince some people that he still is.

Placido Polanco, 2B (DET): Placido Polanco has been as steady as they come at the second base position in fantasy baseball. He's typically an excellent source of runs as evidenced by his 105 plate-crossings last year. People have shied away from him early in the season, but he is 4-for-11 over the last three games with four runs and two RBIs. As the Detroit Tigers warm up, expect Polanco to start rounding the bases regularly.

Eric Hinske, 1B/OF (TB): Eric Hinske, who joined us on THE Hardcore Fantasy Show last Saturday, has been smoking hot this season. His fantasy football knowledge is impeccable, and apparently so are his hitting skills. While he's being moved from position to position in the field, Hinske is still hitting .292 with five home runs, 13 RBIs and 12 runs. You are lying if you say you expected this from a guy who was the 2002 Rookie of the Year, then was reduced to a bench role ever since. He merits consideration in deep leagues.

Jayson Werth, OF (PHI): If I told you a Philadelphia Phillie is hitting .343 with four home runs, seven RBIs and 10 runs over his last seven games and asked you to guess who it was, you'd probably say Tom Gordon sooner than you'd say Jayson Werth. Werth has scored at least one run in each of his last seven games and the other sick stats speak for themselves. With Shane Victorino on the disabled list, Werth is competing with So Taguchi and Geoff Jenkins for playing time, so expect him to keep earning at-bats as long as he's hot.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

No matter how far behind they fall, the 2008 Orioles refuse to quit.

Last night, they trailed 5-0 after the third inning. Starting pitcher Adam Loewen was knocked out of the game after 2 2/3 innings, allowing four hits, five runs and three walks. Today the Orioles placed Loewen on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow soreness.

The Orioles failed to convert on two early scoring chances. They had runners on the corners with one out in the first inning, but Kevin Millar struck out and Nick Markakis was caught stealing to end the threat. In the third, the O’s had the bases loaded, but Millar popped out to conclude the inning.

After three innings, it looked like the Mariners were going to win the game easily. It seemed like missed opportunities would again haunt the Orioles, but they scored in five of the last six innings to take the 8-7 victory.

Even after Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run home run against relief pitcher Jamie Walker in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, the Orioles didn’t panic. Instead, second baseman Brian Roberts led off the top of the eighth with a solo home run.

It was the second consecutive game that featured a game-winning solo home run in the top of the eighth. Markakis hit one on Wednesday to give the O’s a 3-2 win.

Pitching matchups

Friday 4/25: Brian Burres (2-1, 3.63) vs. Mark Buerhle (1-2, 5.96)
Saturday 4/26: Steve Trachsel (1-3, 5.23) vs. John Danks (2-1, 3.04)
Sunday 4/27: Jeremy Guthrie (0-2, 4.18) vs. Jose Contreras (1-2, 4.68)
Monday 4/28: Daniel Cabrera (2-0, 4.40) vs. Javier Vazquez (3-2, 4.40)

Who you should play from the White Sox

Jim Thome, DH – Thome is only hitting .236 for the season, but he’s 8-for-20 in his last six games. He was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run against the Orioles on April 16. In 106 career games against the Orioles, Thome is hitting .260 with 24 home runs and 83 RBIs. Since he’s exclusively a designated hitter, it may be difficult to find room for him in your lineup. Make sure he is active this weekend because he’ll continue to climb out of his season-opening slump.

Who you should bench from the White Sox

Nick Swisher, CF – Swisher shouldn’t be starting this weekend because he is struggling at the plate. Although he is tied for second in the American League in walks (18), Swisher is only hitting .232. He only has three hits in his last 20 at-bats. Swisher has eight home runs and 16 RBIs in 22 career games against the Orioles, but he’s only hitting .239. At this point, Swisher should only be in your starting lineup if you are unable to replace him with another viable outfielder.

Who you should play from the Orioles

Brian Roberts, 2B – OK, maybe I was just kidding about benching Roberts before the Orioles played the Mariners. Roberts was 4-for-11 with a home run, a stolen base and four runs scored in the series. Luckily I don’t have another second baseman, so he was in my starting lineup. The slump seems to be finished, so make sure he’s in your lineup this weekend.

Who you should bench from the Orioles

Ramon Hernandez, C – Unlike Roberts, Hernandez can’t break out of his slump. He was 2-for-12 during the three games in Seattle and his batting average dropped to .188. In 50 career games, Hernandez is hitting .251 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs. He was 0-for-4 in the first series against the White Sox this season. Hernandez won’t hit .188 all season, but you should start considering other alternatives soon.

Posted by Dean Jones, Jr. at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Troy Percival is the epitome of consistency, while Jose Valverde can't get out of an inning without allowing a run. Is this the twilight zone? This is why you don't invest heavily in closers on draft day. Let's examine six closers and their situations:

Trevor Hoffman, RHP (SD): Trevor Hoffman blew his second save of the year on Wednesday -- and Greg Maddux's bid for his 350th win -- but there is nothing to really panic about with Hoffman. His ERA is an eye-popping 8.22 but the Padres will stick with him for a while. He's allowed seven earned runs in 7 2/3 IP, which is not Hoffman-like, but at this point you stick with him. Cutting him means somebody else will pick him up on the cheap and trading him doesn't net you much. Hold on to him and he'll probably snap out of it.

Manny Corpas, RHP (COL): Manny Corpas, who saved the Rockies bullpen en route to a World Series run last season, is now doing what Brian Fuentes did last season: blowing saves. Corpas has blown saves in three of his last four games, which has opened the door for Fuentes. At this point, Fuentes has a lot of value and should be picked up. He has blown saves in his last two outings, but prior to that, he hadn't allowed a single run in 11 IP.

Chad Cordero, RHP (WAS): Chad Cordero has tendinitis and general weakness in his throwing shoulder, but Dr. James Andrews didn't deem him surgery-worthy. That's a step toward Cordero regaining his closer's role. It's hard to gauge when - or if - he'll recover but if he's on the waiver wire, keep your eye on him. Saves are hard to come by at this point and Cordero will reclaim his role when he's healthy.

Eric Gagne, RHP (MIL): Here's the guy everyone wants to throw under the bus but I'm not there yet. Eric Gagne has blown back-to-back saves but there are a number of factors that have come into play here. First off, Gagne has had trouble pitching off of a rainy mound, which explains two blown saves (against Chicago in his first appearance and against St. Louis recently). "Rainy mound" is a weak excuse, but I'll go with it. His latest blown save actually wasn't his fault. He induced a game-ending, routine double play that Ricky Weeks wasn't able to handle, which allowed the game-tying run to score. Furthermore, the Brewers bullpen has been overworked of late. Even though they carry 14 guys - more than most teams - they have played a lot of extra innings, which has worn everybody down. Just keep in mind that before his last two blown saves, Gagne did notch five straight saves while allowing 0 earned runs in that span. The Brewers are 9-1 in games that he has pitched so don't throw him under the bus yet.

Jose Valverde, RHP (HOU): Here is one guy who I am loathing right now. Last year the Arizona Diamondbacks were able to channel Jose Valverde's erratic pitching into shutdown closing, but now he's apparently forgotten how to get batters out. Valverde has two saves, three blown saves and a WHIP of 2.10. Forget his ERA of 9.00, his 2.10 WHIP is embarrassing for a closer. He's been hit hard too. He's allowed four home runs already. The good news is that he's brought his ERA down to 9.00 over his last two outings and his last blown save was Doug Brocail's fault. Hopefully he turns this around because he's talented enough to be one of the league's better closers but he's also erratic enough that we might forget about him after this year.

Joe Borowski, RHP (CLE): If you thought that Joe Borowski was going to get punted out of the closer's role when he hit the disabled list with a triceps injury, you were mistaken. Rafael Betancourt has exactly zero saves since Borowski hit the DL and you can bank on Borowski returning to his role when he gets back. The team pushed him through a triceps injury and threw him out there to close when he was less than 100%, which gives you an indication of how they want the roles to play out. They could have easily placed Betancourt to close but instead insisted on an injured Borowski. Expect to see him back to pitching in the ninth inning when he recovers.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Here’s a look at how former Orioles have fared recently:

Erik Bedard, Mariners
Played in Baltimore from 2002-2007

Bedard threw a successful bullpen session before Tuesday’s game against the Orioles and has been cleared to return from the disabled list.

After missing two starts early in the season due to inflammation in his left hip, the Mariners placed Bedard on the disabled list on April 15, retroactive to April 9. That means he’s eligible to be activated on Thursday.

John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer speculated Tuesday on a Mariners blog that Bedard could start Thursday’s series finale against the Orioles. Well, it won’t happen and the Orioles will have to wait even longer to face their former teammate.

The left-hander will have a second bullpen session before Thursday’s game. If everything goes well, Bedard will start Saturday against the Oakland Athletics. The Mariners are now listing left-handed pitcher Jarrod Washburn (1-3, 4.13) as the starting pitcher in Thursday’s game.

Eric Byrnes, Diamondbacks
Played in Baltimore in 2005

Through 20 games, Byrnes is hitting .293 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. He has three stolen bases and 16 runs scored. He is currently tied for second in the National League with nine doubles.

Byrnes hit in 14 consecutive games, April 4 through Sunday. According to the East Valley Tribune, Byrnes was growing a mustache during the hitting streak. After going 0-for-4 to end the streak on Sunday, Byrnes shaved.

However, he vowed that there would be plenty of time to spot him with a mustache this season. “It was a good run. You guys have not seen the last of the ‘stache,” he told the newspaper.

Jerry Hairston, Reds
Played in Baltimore from 1998-2004

After a hot start at Triple-A Louisville, the Cincinnati Reds recalled Hairston on Monday. The 31-year-old utilityman was hitting .421 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 14 games for Louisville.

Hairston batted leadoff and started in center field for the Reds Tuesday night. He was 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. Hairston was the first Reds player to get four hits in a game this season.

Chris Gomez, Pirates
Played in Baltimore from 2005-2007

Gomez is filling in nicely as a utility infielder for Pittsburgh this season. In 15 games, he is 9-for-30 with six RBIs and three runs scored.

Shortstop Jack Wilson is currently on the disabled list with a strained left calf muscle, so Gomez is getting plenty of chances to help the team.

According to MLB.com, the Pirates are impressed with his ability to play a key role on the field, as well as in the clubhouse. “He’s going to give you a professional approach at the plate and a professional day at the ballpark,” Pirates manager John Russell said.

Jack Cust, Athletics
Played in Baltimore from 2003-2004

After Cust collected 26 home runs and 82 RBIs with the Athletics last season, many Orioles fans were probably bemoaning the fact that the club allowed him to get away after the 2004 season.

It’s still early in the season, but Cust may be proving that last year was more of an anomaly. In 18 games this season, Cust is hitting .148 with one home run and six RBIs. Through Tuesday, Cust has yet to have a multi-hit game in 2008.

Posted by Dean Jones, Jr. at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Who was in charge of making the MLB schedule this year? After playing 13 of their first 19 games at home, the Orioles have to play 17 of their next 20 games on the road.

That’s bad enough, but it’s worse when you consider that they travel to the West Coast for three games against the Seattle Mariners before heading to Chicago to play the White Sox for four games. After flying home to play three games against the Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards, they have to travel all the way back out west to play the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics for three games each before stopping in Kansas City for four games against the Royals. And they don’t even have one off day during the stretch.

Does that make much sense to you? It’s a good thing gas prices aren’t skyrocketing or anything. Don’t worry because the Orioles weren’t the only team to receive a bizarre schedule to start the year.

The New York Yankees are in the middle of a stretch where they’ll play 18 out of 20 games away from Yankee Stadium. Of course, their situation is a little bit different because they had to modify their schedule to accommodate Pope Benedict XVI, who celebrated Mass at the historic ballpark on Sunday. According to the MLB.com article, the Yankees could finish April with 18 road games, which would be the most in MLB history for the month.

Don’t ask the Boston Red Sox how the schedule looks if you’re world champions. They started 2008 with two games against the Oakland Athletics in Japan before playing the final two games of that series a week later in Oakland. Then, they had to fly to Toronto to play three games against the Blue Jays before finally playing their first game at Fenway Park. That’s some reward for winning the World Series.

I know that the schedule is a difficult thing to make. Believe me, there is no way that I would want to have that job. Between having to make sure all 30 teams have 81 home games and 81 away games, as well as the correct number of games against divisional opponents, it's a challenging task. And that doesn’t even take into consideration any conflicts that may occur with venues. Still, it just seems like the schedule is a little more out of the ordinary than normal. What does everyone else think?

Anyway, the Orioles will play the Mariners for three games beginning at 10:10 p.m. tonight. Since being swept by the Orioles in the four-game series in Baltimore, the Mariners are 8-5.

Felix Hernandez starts tonight for the Mariners and Carlos Silva will pitch tomorrow night’s game. Thursday’s starter still hasn’t been announced. Former Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard, who has been on the disabled list with inflammation in his left hip, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session before tonight’s game. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list on Thursday, so he could be making his first start against his former team if everything goes well tonight.

Pitching matchups

Tuesday 4/22: Jeremy Guthrie (0-1, 4.38) vs. Felix Hernandez (2-0, 1.47)
Wednesday 4/23: Daniel Cabrera (1-0, 5.16) vs. Carlos Silva (3-0, 2.79)
Thursday 4/24: Adam Loewen (0-1, 6.32) vs. TBA

Who you should play from the Mariners

Raul Ibanez, LF – In the four-game series in Baltimore, Ibanez was 6-for-15 with a double, two home runs and three RBIs. His two home runs came against Guthrie and Cabrera. He’s hitting .316 with five home runs and 16 RBIs so far this season. In his career, Ibanez is 7-for-22 against Cabrera with four doubles, two home runs and five RBIs.

Who you should bench from the Mariners

Kenji Johjima, C – A lot of fantasy owners were counting on the Mariners catcher to have a solid season. It hasn’t been too promising to this point for the 31-year-old from Japan. He’s hitting .196 with no home runs and five RBIs. Against the Orioles this season, Johjima is 0-for-12. It might be a good idea to find someone else to fill in at catcher until Johjima starts hitting again.

Who you should play from the Orioles

Luke Scott, LF – As I suspected, Scott struggled against Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte on Sunday. He’s still one of the hottest players in the major leagues right now. Before he went 0-for-4 in the series finale against New York, Scott had hit safely in seven consecutive games. In the first series against the Mariners, Scott was 7-for-10 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. While he may not hit .700 in this series, Scott should be in your lineup everyday until he shows signs of a slump.

Who you should bench from the Orioles

Brian Roberts, 2B – Roberts is 2-for-24 in his last six games. His batting average has plummeted from .327 on April 14 to .247. He had a sacrifice fly in Sunday’s game against the Yankees, but overall he’s been pretty invisible in the fantasy categories. It won’t be long before Roberts is out of his slump. It may even happen during this series, but you should still be aware of his recent struggles if he’s in your lineup everyday.

Posted by Dean Jones, Jr. at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Conor Jackson, 1B (ARZ): Still waiting for Travis Hafner to come around? Who knows when that'll happen. In the meantime, pick up Conor Jackson immediately. Jackson leads the National League in runs and triples, is tied for third for RBIs and fourth for average. He even threw in a stolen base in his last game. One of his triples came in a game where he could have stopped at second and ended up with a cycle instead.

He is no secret; he was expected to hit like this in the majors and now he's in the heart of the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup.

Ryan Ludwick, OF (STL): You probably didn't think the St. Louis Cardinals would be atop the National League Central at this point and you probably didn't think Ryan Ludwick would be one of the reasons why they are there. I'm going to list some stats here and for the record, because it is Ryan Ludwick, I want to make it clear that I'm not making this up.

.391 AVG, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 5 2B, 2 3B, .848 SLG

The Cardinals are the new Atlanta Braves - players go there and get 10%- 20% better and they also field a competitive roster of anonymous faces. Pick him up and drop him later if he cools off.

Skip Schumaker, OF (STL): Continuing the theme of anonymous faces that are leading the Cardinals, Skip Schumaker has been very solid at the top of the lineup. And considering he's projected to finish with 136 runs scored and 26 stolen bases, maybe you should find a spot for him in your lineup. Schumaker is hitting .317 with 16 runs and three stolen bases this season. He hits in front of Albert Pujols, so he'll be crossing the plate a lot this year. He is a very underrated source for runs and stolen bases.

Ryan Church, OF (NYM): Ryan Church has had a strong start to the season and his 17 runs scored are tied for second in the NL. He's hitting .344 with a couple of home runs and 10 RBIs. He's hitting .417 over his last seven games and has clearly won an everyday job in the outfield. It helps that Moises Alou is on the disabled list and probably won't be back until late April.

Erick Aybar, 2B/SS (LAA): With Howie Kendrick nursing a calf injury on the 15-day DL and Maicer Izturis in a slump, Erick Aybar has made a case for an everyday role in the lineup. After going 0-for-7 in his first seven at-bats this season, Aybar has hit .386 with four RBIs, nine runs and three stolen bases over his last 12 games. Included in that are five multi-hit games. He is a solid source of stolen bases and runs, especially since the Angels are among the American League leaders in home runs.

Joey Votto, 1B/OF (CIN): Need some help with batting average and power? Take a look at Joey Votto, who has hit consistently for the Cincinnati Reds this season. His power numbers have really come around over his last five games. He has three home runs, three doubles and nine RBIs in that span. He's also scored a run in four of his last five games. The difference has been more playing time. The Reds are still figuring out their batting lineup, but Votto should be a part of it. When he gets steady playing time he is a valuable fantasy player.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

This week on THE Hardcore Fantasy Show:

Eric Hinske of the Tampa Bay Rays joins us to talk about his passion for fantasy sports. We'll see how his fantasy baseball team is doing and how good his track record in fantasy football is.

Also, we'll go through the waiver-wires in the American and National Leagues as baseball hits its third week of action.

You can listen live on Sirius Satellite Radio from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET on Channel 186 or you can visit hardcoresportsradio.com to listen live there without a Sirius subscription.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Through 10 games, the Orioles have welcomed 178,837 fans to Camden Yards. According to ESPN.com, the team is 28th in the major leagues in attendance average.

I haven’t checked to see how many tickets are still available for this weekend, but the attendance average will almost certainly improve because the three-game series with the New York Yankees will likely draw about 140,000 people. Of course, the majority of those fans will likely be cheering for the visiting Yankees.

Although the fans have little to do with a player’s fantasy value, I thought it was a valid point because the New York players are essentially getting additional home games. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t only occur in Baltimore. The Yankees and Boston Red Sox (and a few other teams) have fans throughout the country, so it’s routine for those teams to fill opposing stadiums with their supporters.

Wouldn’t you rather play in ballparks filled with people cheering for you instead of having fans rooting against you? Do you think the players on these teams have added fantasy value because they are constantly playing in front of partisan crowds? I don’t know if there is a definitive answer, so that’s why I am asking what you think. Feel free to let me know if you have any opinion on the topic.

Anyway, the Yankees head to Baltimore after winning three of their last four games. Last night, former Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina (1-3) allowed five runs in three innings and the Yankees lost to the Red Sox, 7-5.

Pitching matchups

Friday 4/18: Daniel Cabrera (0-0, 5.94) vs. Phil Hughes (0-2, 9.00)
Saturday 4/19: Brian Burres (1-1, 5.40) vs. Ian Kennedy (0-1, 8.74)
Sunday 4/20: Steve Trachsel (1-2, 5.65) vs. Andy Pettitte (2-1, 3.38)

Who you should play from the Yankees

Hideki Matsui, OF/DH – Since coming to the United States in 2003, Matsui has dominated the Orioles. In 78 games against them, he has a .304 batting average with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs. In his career against Daniel Cabrera, Matsui is 3-for-10 with a home run and two RBIs. Matsui is 4-for-10 with a home run and two runs scored in his last three games, so it would be a good idea to start him this weekend.

Who you should bench from the Yankees

Robinson Cano, 2B – Cano has been successful against the Orioles in his career, but he is really struggling at the plate so far this season. Cano is hitting .299 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 45 career games against the Orioles, but the 25-year-old second baseman is hitting .167 in 17 games in 2008. Keep him on your bench for a little bit longer.

Who you should play from the Orioles

Ramon Hernandez, C – Hernandez has a career .262 batting average, but he’s hitting .332 in 63 games against the Yankees. The 31-year-old catcher also has 10 home runs and 34 RBIs against New York. He didn’t start last night against the Chicago White Sox, so he should be well rested heading into the weekend series. Hernandez could be in a slump for a long time if he doesn’t break out of it against the Yankees.

Who you should bench from the Orioles

Luke Scott, LF – Scott has never faced the Yankees in his career, so it’s hard to tell how he’ll perform this weekend. He should still be in your lineup for the first two games of the series, but start someone else on Sunday because the Orioles will be facing a tough left-handed pitcher. With Andy Pettitte scheduled to pitch, it might be a good idea to sit Scott on your bench.

Posted by Dean Jones, Jr. at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Throughout the season, I am going to periodically update the positional rankings. Ideally, this will help fantasy owners to get a better idea of which players are playing well at that time.

For each set of rankings, I will list the top players at each position and then a brief explanation of why I ranked them in that order. I’ll take a look at which teams are on each team’s schedule, so that may play into the rankings.

For example, I’m more likely to rank Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria ahead of Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds if Longoria is playing three teams that rank near the bottom of the American League in pitching during an upcoming week.

Also, I will only rank players for the position at which they have played the most games in 2008, even though a lot of players may be eligible in multiple positions. This means Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton will be found under center fielders, although he is eligible to play second base in most formats. Please take this under consideration when judging which players to pick up.

In my opinion, the best way to do the rankings is to list the top 15 players at each infield position and for relief pitchers. I’ll do the top 30 for outfielders and starting pitchers. Most fantasy leagues have 10 to 12 teams, so you may see a few available players in your league if I rank the players this way. Let me know if you think there is a better way to do the rankings and I’ll be happy to adjust my setup.

Here are the position-by-position rankings for 4/17 (preseason rank listed in parentheses):

Catchers

1. Brian McCann, Braves (3)
2. Victor Martinez, Indians (1)
3. Joe Mauer, Twins (5)
4. Bengie Molina, Giants (6)
5. Geovany Soto, Cubs (14)
6. Russell Martin, Dodgers (2)
7. Jorge Posada, Yankees (4)
8. Ryan Doumit, Pirates (NR)
9. Jason Varitek, Red Sox (8)
10. A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox (NR)
11. Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers (9)
12. Kenji Johjima, Mariners (7)
13. Mike Napoli, Angels (17)
14. J.R. Towles, Astros (16)
15. Ramon Hernandez, Orioles (10)

Quick take: McCann’s hot start has propelled him to the top of the catcher rankings. He’s hitting .271 with three home runs and nine RBIs through Wednesday’s game. The biggest surprise so far this season has been Soto, who is hitting .280 with two home runs and 12 RBIs. Martin is struggling so far – .208 batting average, one home run, one stolen base – but he’ll pull it together soon.

First basemen

1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals (1)
2. Lance Berkman, Astros (6)
3. Derrek Lee, Cubs (7)
4. Carlos Pena, Rays (8)
5. Justin Morneau, Twins (5)
6. Ryan Howard, Phillies (2)
7. Prince Fielder, Brewers (3)
8. Carlos Guillen, Tigers (12)
9. Mark Teixeira, Braves (4)
10. Adrian Gonzalez, Padres (9)
11. Todd Helton, Rockies (11)
12. Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox (13)
13. James Loney, Dodgers (16)
14. Paul Konerko, White Sox (10)
15. Casey Kotchman, Angels (18)

Quick take: New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado belongs on this list somewhere, but I’m just not sure where he falls in line. Howard and Fielder will eventually be back near the top of this list, but others have surpassed them for now. Pena has 10 hits so far this season and six of them have been home runs.

Second basemen

1. Chase Utley, Phillies (1)
2. Brandon Phillips, Reds (2)
3. Brian Roberts, Orioles (4)
4. Aaron Hill, Blue Jays (12)
5. Robinson Cano, Yankees (3)
6. Ian Kinsler, Rangers (6)
7. Dan Uggla, Marlins (5)
8. Rickie Weeks, Brewers (8)
9. Orlando Hudson, Diamondbacks (14)
10. Howie Kendrick, Angels (11)
11. Jose Lopez, Mariners (22)
12. Kelly Johnson, Braves (9)
13. Jeff Kent, Dodgers (7)
14. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox (10)
15. Mark Ellis, Athletics (16)

Quick take: The top of the second base rankings are pretty close to what was expected during the preseason. Utley is off to a solid start. Phillips and Roberts have already started stealing bases. Cano is struggling a bit, but he’ll pick it soon enough. Kendrick is hitting .500 so far this season (18-for-36), but isn’t listed higher because he is currently out with a hamstring injury.

Shortstops

1. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins (3)
2. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies (1)
3. Miguel Tejada, Astros (6)
4. Jose Reyes, Mets (2)
5. Derek Jeter, Yankees (5)
6. Yunel Escobar, Braves (16)
7. Rafael Furcal, Dodgers (13)
8. Michael Young, Rangers (7)
9. Jeff Keppinger, Reds (NR)
10. Edgar Renteria, Tigers (9)
11. Orlando Cabrera, White Sox (11)
12. Jhonny Peralta, Indians (12)
13. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies (4)
14. Khalil Greene, Padres (10)
15. Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks (15)

Quick take: The biggest surprise so far among shortstops has been Keppinger. Through Wednesday’s game, Keppinger is hitting .322 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. He’s filling in for Cincinnati’s Alex Gonzalez, who is injured and not expected to be back until sometime in May. Be sure to grab Keppinger if he’s still available. Also, don’t panic yet if you own Tulowitzki. He started off slow last season as well, so he’ll likely begin hitting sometime soon.

Third basemen

1. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees (1)
2. David Wright, Mets (2)
3. Chipper Jones, Braves (6)
4. Joe Crede, White Sox (22)
5. Mark Reynolds, Diamondbacks (14)
6. Alex Gordon, Royals (15)
7. Chone Figgins, Angels (9)
8. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (3)
9. Bill Hall, Brewers (NR)
10. Aramis Ramirez, Cubs (4)
11. Garrett Atkins, Rockies (5)
12. Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals (7)
13. Adrian Beltre, Mariners (10)
14. Hank Blalock, Rangers (13)
15. Evan Longoria, Rays (17)

Quick take: Crede, Reynolds and Gordon are all playing better than expected so far this season, but it’s hard to tell how long it will last. Cabrera and Atkins aren’t living up to expectations yet, but they’re both starting to get hot. Both players had four hits on Wednesday. Longoria is quickly climbing up the charts after receiving a promotion to the major leagues on April 12.

Outfielders

1. Matt Holliday, Rockies (1)
2. Vladimir Guerrero, Angels (4)
3. Manny Ramirez, Red Sox (7)
4. Carlos Lee, Astros (10)
5. Grady Sizemore, Indians (5)
6. Vernon Wells, Blue Jays (25)
7. Carlos Beltran, Mets (3)
8. Magglio Ordonez, Tigers (6)
9. Carl Crawford, Rays (8)
10. Alex Rios, Blue Jays (13)
11. Nick Markakis, Orioles (12)
12. B.J. Upton, Rays (14)
13. Raul Ibanez, Mariners (29)
14. Justin Upton, Diamondbacks (NR)
15. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners (17)
16. Torii Hunter, Angels (15)
17. Josh Hamilton, Rangers (38)
18. Eric Byrnes, Diamondbacks (18)
19. Bobby Abreu, Yankees (19)
20. Jeff Francoeur, Braves (22)
21. Alfonso Soriano, Cubs (2)
22. Nick Swisher, White Sox (23)
23. Jeremy Hermida, Marlins (36)
24. Luke Scott, Orioles (50)
25. Corey Hart, Brewers (24)
26. Rick Ankiel, Cardinals (NR)
27. Ryan Braun, Brewers (9)
28. Chris Young, Diamondbacks (31)
29. Adam Dunn, Reds (11)
30. Nate McLouth, Pirates (NR)

Quick take: As owners who grabbed him in the first round expected, Holliday is playing well so far in 2008. The Rockies outfielder is hitting .315 with three home runs and 11 RBIs. The Cubs placed Soriano on the disabled list yesterday. He needs to get healthy or there will be plenty of upset owners in the fantasy world. Ibanez is proving to be a good sleeper pick. He’s hitting .323 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

Starting pitchers

1. Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks (4)
2. Jake Peavy, Padres (1)
3. Johan Santana, Mets (2)
4. Dan Haren, Diamondbacks (12)
5. Aaron Harang, Reds (13)
6. Ben Sheets, Brewers (26)
7. Carlos Zambrano, Cubs (8)
8. Cole Hamels, Phillies (11)
9. Josh Beckett, Red Sox (3)
10. C.C. Sabathia, Indians (5)
11. Roy Halladay, Blue Jays (7)
12. Felix Hernandez, Mariners (16)
13. Chien-Ming Wang, Yankees (18)
14. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox (20)
15. Javier Vazquez, White Sox (31)
16. Tim Hudson, Braves (25)
17. Fausto Carmona, Indians (21)
18. Jered Weaver, Angels (27)
19. John Smoltz, Braves (15)
20. Justin Verlander, Tigers (9)
21. Brett Myers, Phillies (22)
22. Brad Penny, Dodgers (23)
23. Chris Young, Padres (19)
24. Matt Cain, Giants (33)
25. James Shields, Rays (41)
26. Erik Bedard, Mariners (10)
27. Roy Oswalt, Astros (14)
28. Tim Lincecum, Giants (45)
29. Oliver Perez, Mets (38)
30. Adam Wainwright, Cardinals (40)

Quick take: Webb earns the top spot in this week’s rankings because he picked up his fourth victory yesterday. Beckett and Sabathia haven’t pitched well yet, but don’t give up on them yet. Matsuzaka could be one of the top pitchers in the American League before the year is over. Bedard would be listed higher, but he needs to get healthy. I’m sure the Mariners fans agree with me.

Relief pitchers

1. Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox (2)
2. Bobby Jenks, White Sox (6)
3. Mariano Rivera, Yankees (8)
4. Joe Nathan, Twins (3)
5. Francisco Rodriguez, Angels (1)
6. Jason Isringhausen, Cardinals (20)
7. George Sherrill, Orioles (NR)
8. Matt Capps, Pirates (NR)
9. Francisco Cordero, Reds (11)
10. Todd Jones, Tigers (13)
11. Billy Wagner, Mets (10)
12. Trevor Hoffman, Padres (5)
13. Huston Street, Athletics (19)
14. Jose Valverde, Astros (9)
15. Takashi Saito, Dodgers (7)

Quick take: Seattle Mariners closer J.J. Putz is the biggest omission from this list. Once he gets healthy, Putz will be among the top five closers. Sherrill and Capps flew under the radar before the season, but both have become reliable closers. Despite looking shaky at times, Hoffman has four saves, which is tied for second in the National League.

Posted by Dean Jones, Jr. at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Rafael Betancourt, RP (CLE): If you were one of those guys that wondered why studs like Rafael Betancourt and Joel Zumaya were mowing people down in the eighth inning, but were still kept out of the closer's role because of scrubs like Joe Borowski and Todd Jones, you still don't have your answer. But at least for now, with the Cleveland Indians' situation, you can get a better idea of what life would be like if Betancourt was closing full-time. He'll take over the role for the short term - and possibly long term - as Borowski deals with a strained triceps on the disabled list. Betancourt should be a decent saves option for now.

Cliff Lee, SP (CLE): I know I can interest you in some Sara Lee, but how about some Cliff Lee? Lee has allowed one earned run in 14.2 innings pitched this season with a 12-1 K-BB ratio. Clearly, he's been virtually unhittable. Temper your excitement a little bit since both outings were against the Oakland Athletics, but this is a notable start. And the A's were actually third in the league in runs scored when Lee finished up his second outing against them.

Ryan Dempster, SP (CHC): If you are looking for a serviceable rental, Ryan Dempster might be your guy. He stepped out of the limelight when he moved from the Chicago Cubs closer role to their starting rotation and he has subtly pieced together three solid starts. Dempster has two wins, an ERA of 2.35, 13 K's and a WHIP of 0.95. He has pitched at least six innings in each start as well.

Scott Olsen, SP (FLA): I may have done something stupid. It's not as stupid as some of things that Scott Olsen has done in his career, such as driving 48 mph in a 35 mph zone, kicking cops or getting tasered, but it might not be considered smart. I added Olsen to my fantasy team. It is hard not to be impressed by his last outing: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB. Not out-of-this-world, but for a waiver-wire guy in my 12-team league, it's worth a shot. Plus, I dropped Austin Kearns for him. It's hard to gauge what the upside really is for Olsen. He has tons of talent but he pitches like his erratic personality. As an ode to all of those girlfriends who try to right bad boyfriends, I picked up Olsen thinking I might finally be buying low when he puts it together. Check back later for when I drop him.

Jeremy Accardo, RP (TOR): This is mostly just a note that Jeremy Accardo's value has gone bye-bye. B.J. Ryan is back, which pushes Accardo to the eighth inning. Without saves, Accardo is a stretch to keep on your roster unless you are in a very deep league. He might spell Ryan here and there but otherwise, don't expect much fantasy value from Accardo.

Jonathan Sanchez, SP (SF): One guy to take a sniff around is Jonathan Sanchez of the San Francisco Giants. His ERA is 6.00 and his WHIP is 1.47, which may have already compelled you to click the red 'x' at the top right corner of your browser. The general point here is his 21 strikeouts. Considering the league-leaders are at 24, Sanchez's total is quite impressive for an inconspicuous waiver-wire pitcher. Given the rate that he is whiffing batters, there is plenty of upside.

Posted by Dave Golokhov at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones picked a good night to connect on his first home run of the season. The 22-year-old outfielder was honoring Jackie Robinson by wearing