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Alphabetical Listing
Position Listing
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Fantasy Updates
Grabow back with Cubs on 2-year deal
John Grabow, RP CHC
News: The Cubs and left-handed reliever John Grabow have agreed to a two-year contract. The 31-year-old Grabow combined to go 3-0 with a 3.36 ERA last season in a career-high 75 relief appearances with the Pirates and Cubs. He pitched 30 games for the Cubs after he was traded from the Pirates along with lefty Tom Gorzelanny for pitchers Jose Ascanio and Kevin Hart, and minor league infielder Josh Harrison on July 30.
Analysis: Grabow is a situational lefty who doesn't hold much Fantasy value outside of deeper leagues that use true middle men. He won't be an option for saves.
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 Lincecum edges Cards for NL Cy Young
Tim Lincecum, SP SF
News: Giants ace Tim Lincecum won the NL Cy Young Award on Thursday for the second consecutive year. Only 10 points separated the top three vote-getters in the NL. Chris Carpenter was second and St. Louis teammate Adam Wainwright finished third despite getting the most first-place votes. The 2009 honors for Lincecum and Royals ace Zack Greinke reflect a recent shift in how voters pick baseball's best pitchers. Wins, losses and ERA used to determine the Cy Young Award winner -- now it's detailed statistics such as WHIP, FIP and VORP. The wiry right-hander, nicknamed "The Freak" for his giant stride, needed only 15 victories to earn the award -- the fewest for a Cy Young starter over a full season. Greinke equaled the previous low of 16 wins when he won the AL award Tuesday. "The guys I was going up against, Wainwright and Carpenter, had tremendous seasons," the 25-year-old Lincecum said. "It was a lucky one for me. I'll take them as I come I guess."
Analysis: Lincecum led the NL with 261 strikeouts and tied for the league lead with four complete games and two shutouts. Lincecum received 11 first-place votes, 12 seconds and nine thirds for 100 points in balloting released by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Carpenter had nine firsts, 14 seconds and seven thirds to take second with 94. Wainwright, who led the NL with 19 wins and 233 innings, had 12 first-place votes, five seconds and 15 thirds for 90 points. Trevor Hoffman, who finished behind Tom Glavine in 1998, is the only other player to get the most firsts and not win the award. Lincecum is the No. 1 pitcher to target on Draft Day 2010, while Wainwright, Carpenter and Haren are comfortably in the top 10 still. Vazquez is trade bait right now and more of a top 20 option due to inconsistency and uncertainty.
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 Royals sign Campillo to minor deal
Jorge Campillo, SP ATL
News: The Royals signed pitcher Jorge Campillo to a minor league contract.
Analysis: Campillo is coming off shoulder surgery and will have to prove healthy and effective before he can be considered a potential starter for the Royals. You can ignore him on Draft Day in most leagues. If he gets in the rotation, he will be a risky option initially.
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Indians add prospects to 40-man
Jeanmar Gomez, SP CLE
News: The Indians have added pitchers Kelvin De La Cruz of Class-A Mahoning Valley and Jeanmar Gomez of Double-A Akron and five other minor leaguers to their 40-man roster. The other additions announced Friday were infielder-outfielder Jordan Brown and infielders Jason Donald and Wes Hodges of Triple-A Columbus, and infielder Carlos Rivero and outfielder Nicholas Weglarz of Akron. De La Cruz went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts at Class A Kinston and missed the rest of the regular season with a strained left elbow. The 21-year-old left-hander later made three starts for the Arizona Rookie League club in Goodyear, Ariz. Gomez, a 21-year-old righty, went 12-6 with a 3.30 ERA in 26 starts at Kinston and Akron.
Analysis: These guys are solid prospects worth stashing in long-term keeper leagues. Gomez has a good chance to help in 2010, while Donald could platoon with Luis Valbuena at second base this season. Brown, Hodges and Weglarz are intriguing bats that could surprise midseason.
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Cubs deal Heilman to D-Backs
Aaron Heilman, RP CHC
News: Reliever Aaron Heilman has been acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Cubs for two minor league prospects. The 31-year-old right-hander was 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 appearances last season, striking out 65 and walking 34. He spent six seasons with the Mets before he was traded to Seattle last December, then dealt to the Cubs a month later. Chicago gets 24-year-old left-hander Scott Maine and 23-year-old infielder Ryne White. Maine was a combined 4-5 with seven saves and a 2.90 ERA with Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno last season. White hit .266 with 58 RBI for Class A Visalia.
Analysis: The 31-year-old right-hander, 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 appearances last season, has long wanted to start full-time but he might not get that chance in Arizona. They have penciled him in as a setup man for closer Chad Qualls. As a starter, Heilman could not be counted on to go over 180 innings, but he could prove to be a sleeper in NL-only formats on Draft Day. As a reliever, his Fantasy value is minimal.
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Pettitte the last FA to file
Andy Pettitte, SP NYY
News: The Yankees' Andy Pettitte and the Mets' Fernando Tatis have become the final players to file for free agency this year. The pair filed Thursday, the final day of the 15-day window following the World Series. A total of 171 players filed for free agency. They can start negotiating financial terms with all teams starting Friday. Pitcher John Lackey, and outfielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay head one of the weaker free-agent classes in recent years.
Analysis: Pettitte will return to the Yankees as a late-round veteran Fantasy option or retire. We see him coming back and have him ranked one spot ahead of Stephen Strasburg among the top 60 starters to target on Draft Day. The Yankees have a great team and offense to get him run and wins support, even if his veteran arm won't be able to knock out batters and go over 200 innings.
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Strasburg hurts knee, to miss start
Stephen Strasburg, SP WAS
News: The Nationals say No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg has a twisted left knee and is being scratched from his start in the Arizona Fall League championship game. Strasburg was hurt during a workout Thursday, and an MRI exam showed inflammation. He is scheduled to travel to Washington on Friday to be examined by the Nationals' team doctor. The Nationals issued a news release saying Strasburg's injury "is not considered serious."
Analysis: Strasburg also was held out of a scheduled start in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game Nov. 7 because of a strained neck muscle, so he has had trouble staying healthy. But at least none of his injuries have to do with his arm. The college phenom remains a must-have in long-term keeper leagues. If he wins a rotation spot this spring, he has the potential to make an impact in Fantasy right away.
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Pena comes off 60-day disabled list
Carlos Pena, 1B TB
News: The Rays reinstated 1B Carlos Pena from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday. He was sidelined most of the final month of the season with two broken fingers on his left hand.
Analysis: Pena has a patient approach and as much raw power as any player in the game, but if you draft him, you have to expect him to drain your batting average. Expect him to go in the middle rounds on Draft Day.
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Rays add prospects to 40-man roster
Desmond Jennings, OF TB
News: Minor-league outfielder Desmond Jennings and pitchers Jeremy Hellickson and Alex J. Torres have been added to the Rays' 40-man roster.
Analysis: Jennings hit a combined .318 with 11 homers, 62 RBI and 52 stolen bases for Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham this year. The right-handed Hellickson was 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA for Montgomery and Durham. The left-handed Torres was acquired on Aug. 28 as part of the trade that sent pitcher Scott Kazmir to the Angels. All three players have upside, particularly Jennings, who looks like the eventual replacement for Carl Crawford, but unless any of them makes any real noise this spring, you can ignore them in seasonal formats.
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Cubs pick up Maine in D-Backs deal
Scott Maine, P ARI
News: Reliever Aaron Heilman has been acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Cubs for two minor league prospects. Chicago gets 24-year-old left-hander Scott Maine and 23-year-old infielder Ryne White. White hit .266 with 58 RBI for Class A Visalia.
Analysis: Maine was a combined 4-5 with seven saves and a 2.90 ERA with Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno last season. He has a future, but he is nothing more than a middle reliever for the deepest of leagues that use true middle men at this point.
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Royals give Thompson minor deal
Brad Thompson, RP KC
News: The Royals signed free agent pitcher Brad Thompson to a minor league contract.
Analysis: Thompson, a career spot starter, is a good fit with the Royals because he can fill holes in their rotation in 2010. He might even be capable of winning the No. 5 starter's spot out of spring training. Even if he does, he is merely a high-risk option for the deepest of AL-only leagues, since the Royals don't project to win consistently.
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Cabrera elects to become a free agent
Fernando Cabrera, RP BOS
News: Fernando Cabrera declined his outright assignment by the Red Sox and elected to become a free agent.
Analysis: Cabrera, once a closer prospect, is nothing more than organizational depth at this point in his career. Ignore him in all Fantasy leagues.
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Young, Villone file for free agency
Dmitri Young, 1B WAS
News: Dmitri Young and Ron Villone were among the free agents to file.
Analysis: Young and Villone might not play again. If they do, they don't figure to play prominent roles for their next team or Fantasy owners.
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Nine Cardinals file for free agency
Joel Pineiro, SP STL
News: The following Cardinals filed for free agency: Rick Ankiel, OF; Mark De Rosa, 3B; Troy Glaus, 3B; Khalil Greene, SS; Matt Holliday, OF; Jason LaRue, C; Joel Pineiro, RHP; John Smoltz, RHP; and Todd Wellemeyer, RHP.
Analysis: The starting pitchers could have low-end Fantasy value if they wind up in the right situation. Holliday is potentially a top five Fantasy outfielder, depended on where he winds up. DeRosa has pop and could be a nice middle-rounder in mixed formats, while the rest of these players don't project to make a significant Fantasy impact at this point.
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Eight Mets file for free agency
Alex Cora, SS NYM
News: The following Mets have file for free agency: Alex Cora, SS; Carlos Delgado, 1B; Elmer Dessens, RHP; Ramon E. Martinez, SS; J.J. Putz, RHP; Brian Schneider, C; Gary Sheffield, OF; and Fernando Tatis, 3B.
Analysis: Delgado is an injury-risk sleeper in deeper leagues, depending on where he winds up. The rest of these players can be ignored in standard Head-to-Head leagues at this point.
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Nine Brewers file for free agency
Craig Counsell, 2B MIL
News: The following Brewers have filed for free agency: Mike Cameron, OF; Frank Catalanotto, OF; Craig Counsell, 2B; Jason Kendall, C; Braden Looper, RHP; Felipe Lopez, 2B; Corey Patterson, OF; Claudio Vargas, RHP; David Weathers, RHP.
Analysis: Cameron is more of a low-end mixed league option at this point in hsi career, while Lopez has value in deeper formats at the second base position. The rest of these players don't figure to impact Fantasy in 2010.
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