Athletes and Their Celebrations
July 25, 2008
Recently in New York, there has been a lot of talk about Jose Reyes and his hand gesture when he hit a three-run home run on Wednesday night against the Phillies. Feelings are mixed around New York. Why is Reyes under the microscope? What about Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera’s celebrations? I think they are all fine, and people overreact.
The key to playing any sport is playing with emotion. Jose Reyes pours his heart and soul on the field, and many people don’t like the fire he plays with. A perfect example of someone who people accept is Troy Percival of the Tampa Bay Rays. He acts like a nut on the mount sometimes, but yet, people are always saying that he plays with fire and passion. In my mind, there is no difference between that and what Reyes does. Both are ok.
Another thing people have to take into consideration is the intensity of the rivalry. The Phillies came back and gave the Mets a huge punch in the stomach with their come from behind victory on Tuesday, and Shane Victorino showboated even worse than Reyes did. There was a play in which he scored, and he stood on the plate, pounded his chest and pointed towards the Mets’ dugout. Why didn’t anyone make a big deal about that?
The bottom line is that people need to look at all of these players on an even field. Just because Jose Reyes is the most talented, that doesn’t make it justified to hold him to different standards than the rest of the league. He can sing, dance and jump if he wants to, because he is the engine that keeps the Mets running.
–MICHAEL GANCI
ANGELS: K-ROD is Human
June 19, 2008
Anaheim Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez blew only his second save of the season in Wednesday’s loss to the Mets. Prior to this, K-ROD had converted 25 straight save chances successfully.
BOTTOM LINE: Jose Reyes started the rally with a single, and he advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, David Wright flared one into left to tie the game. Rodriguez was very upset with himself. But, he should remember that he leads the majors with 28 saves in an awesome campaign thus far.
METS: Reyes Tweaks Hamstring
June 18, 2008
New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes was diagnosed with a stiff left hamstring after leaving Tuesday night’s game against the Angels, but is expected to play on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.
BOTTOM LINE: Reyes threw a bit of a tantrum, because he thought he could stay in the game, but new manager Jerry Manuel was just being cautious. Reyes will be back in the lineup on Wednesday.
Stolen Base Redux
April 28, 2008
By: Chris Starbonell
Update! Writer
Stolen bases: easily the most overvalued statistic in fantasy leagues. How else can you explain Jose Reyes being a consistent Top 3 pick in fantasy leagues? In some of the drafts I participated in it was crazy to see how fervently owners were targeting base running threats.
Even our own Update! draft was no exception. Brian Roberts went 50th overall, ahead of players like Brian McCann, Cole Hamels and Chipper Jones. Why? Roberts has scored over 100 runs only twice and has hit over .300 just once in his career. It is not like Baltimore Orioles’ offense is going to help pump his stats. Chone Figgins (54th overall) and Juan Pierre (99th overall) combined for three home runs last season, yet both were drafted within the first 100 players mostly because of their steals potential.
Fantasy owners seem to derive some sort of comfort by drafting for steals. But players with fast legs in one year can’t be counted on to keep stealing bases at the same clip. Dave Roberts swiped 49 bags in 2006 before stealing 18 fewer bases in 2007. Felipe Lopez had 44 steals in 2006 but just 24 last season. Even scrappy Ryan Freel looked like a speed-lock for fantasy owners following a 2006 season that saw him steal 37 bases in 454 at-bats, only to see him steal 15 in 2007.
The same thing will happen again this year. Eric Byrnes registered 50 steals last season, but had just 65 career stolen bases before that in 652 games. Do you really want to rely on the Crash Test Dummy for 40-plus steals again? Similarly, Shane Victorino swiped 37 bags in 2007, but had just four stolen bases in 2006.
This season feel free to toy around with some free-agents in your league. There are several waiver-wire players that can provide steals in bunches. Sure they may not excel in other areas, heck some of them will even hurt you in a category or two if carried for too long, but if you use them wisely, you could become very competitive in the steals category without having a 50-steal threat like Carl Crawford or Hanley Ramirez on your roster. Here are just a couple of names that could help you compete in the steals race:
Comment: Bourn is capable of stealing 60-plus bases this season. In fact, he’s such a big stolen base threat that manager Cecil Cooper has given him the green light to steal on virtually any situation. He does have some additional value because he’s the leadoff hitter for the Astros, but because his on-base abilities are still a concern he’s not likely to help you out in other areas.
Comment: Claimed off waivers by the A’s (probably as insurance in case outfielder Travis Buck goes on the DL) Davis is a speed-demon that stole eight bases in his first 44 at-bats with San Francisco last season after being acquired from Pittsburgh. If Buck does indeed go on the disabled list, Davis could see a ton of at-bats temporarily and may see more consistent playing time the rest of the season if he performs well.
Comment: Gomez is a prolific base-stealer, oozing with base-running confidence. He’s a big-time detriment to your batting average in his first full-season, but if you need to make up ground fast in steals, he’s a great player to have.
Comment: Owens’ is a bit of a risk as Carlos Quentin’s play has impressed manager Ozzie Guillen, creating a crowded outfield situation. But if an injury occurs (and it will because Nick Swisher and Carlos Quentin are both injury-prone), Owens will be called upon to play. Before the season started, he was talking about touching 65 stolen bases.
Los Angeles Dodgers, OF
Comment: His playing time is a concern, but there is nothing wrong with his wheels. Even without everyday at-bats, Pierre should be good for 30-plus steals this season and who knows, maybe manager Joe Torre will give him an everyday spot in the lineup at some point this season.
Spring Training Story Lines
March 4, 2008
By: Mike Farley
Update! Writer
N
ew York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is the consensus No. 1 overall pick for fantasy leagues this year, but there is a ton of debate over who should follow him as the No. 2 and 3 picks. While it seems easy enough to come up with a list of 10 or so sure-fire first rounders, slotting exactly where they should be taken is a tricky task. One must take into account all mitigating factors before making a decision. Let’s take a look at the leading candidates for the top draft spots this season:
Comment: Hanley put up insane numbers in 2007 (.332 AVG, 29 HR, 81 RBI, 125 R, 51 SB). But the Marlins lost Miguel Cabrera’s bat from their lineup, meaning his run totals may drop a bit in 2008. Regardless, he’s still an excellent candidate top 30 home runs this season and should reach the 50 stolen base plateau for the third straight year. The Marlins may even move him down the lineup in an effort to replace Cabrera’s production, which could lead to more RBI for Ramirez.
Comment: Reyes’ 78 stolen bases last season were amazing fantasy feat, but his home run (12) and RBI (57) totals were disappointing. Those who thought the 24-year-old was a fair bet for 20 home runs and 80-plus RBI may have been a bit too giddy about his potential. Fortunately, the guy is still part of a good lineup, and if everything falls into place for him, better numbers should be on the way. One thing’s for sure, if you draft Reyes, you pretty much will have the steals category in your back pocket.
Comment: Heading into last year’s drafts, Pujols was the hands-down No. 1 overall pick. 2007 was a “let-down” season for Phat Albert, however, as the Cardinals lineup was down-right dreadful. Pujols struggled out the gate, but he still finished with terrific numbers by normal standards: .327 AVG, 32 HR, 103 RBI, 99 R, 2 SB. He totaled career-lows in the home run, RBI and runs department last season and he’s dealing with an elbow injury that has baseball insiders worried about how effective (and healthy) he can really be in 2008.
Comment: Wright continued his development as one of the premiere players in the game last year by reaching career-highs in batting average (.325), home runs (30), runs (113) and stolen bases (30). Considering how disappointing the Mets offense was thanks to inept play and injuries up and down the roster, Wright’s numbers look even more spectacular. He’s got an outside shot at joining the 40 / 40 club this season.
Comment: Holliday put up brawny numbers last season (.340 AVG, 36 HR, 137 RBI, 120 R, 11 SB), leading the surprising Colorado Rockies all the way to a World Series berth. While the outfield position is deep, Holliday could conceivably best 2007’s stats — he’s only 28-years-old. The Rockies’ punchy offense and the favorable hitting conditions at Coors Field should all help Holliday increase as a hitter.
With Ramirez, you’re getting a freakishly talented player. At 24-years-old, he somehow still has upside heading into this season. I really pay no mind to his lineup; a player like this is going to get his stats, even if he’s hitting in a little league offense. Because he may be batting in the three-hole this year, a 100-plus RBI season is definitely in play. In the 2008 UPDATE! Fantasy Baseball Draft, Ramirez was taken second overall by Anthony Lamberti’s bronxbombers. It was a move he will not regret.
In Pujols’ case, it is a different story. He dropped to eighth in the same draft, understandable considering all the fuss surrounding the sprained ligament in his elbow.
No fantasy owner wants to draft a potential injury-headache, but keep in mind he’s had this strained ligament since 2003. It intensified in 2007, but he still put up big numbers. His attitude towards the ailment is what’s scaring fantasy owners; he has said things like “I’m not going to be concerned about it until it bothers me” and “If it blows out, it’s going to blow out.” But until a report comes out that he’s going under the knife or is going to miss significant time, Pujols is still worth a top-three pick
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