Fantasy Baseball Burning Questions for 2010

     Questions, questions, questions.  There are so many to ask and so many to answer.  As I’ve increased my off-season coverage here, I’ve been happily inundated with a variety of questions from readers, asking about fantasy baseball projections, position battles, sleepers, keepers, you name it.  For me, it’s a great way to prepare for the season because the questions come from all over that it helps me stay on top of each and every team’s moves and rosters.  It’s also a great way to uncover some hidden gems that you might not have on your radar.  Maybe there’s a young up and comer you’ve forgotten about or maybe it’s an old veteran getting another shot.  So to share with you, I’ve grabbed some questions from readers along with some of my own and have presented 30 questions (one for each MLB team) that have serious fantasy relevance.  Some answers you can get here, some you’ll have to fish through the fantasy baseball magazines for and some you’ll have to wait for Spring Training to get the answer.  Either way, knowing both the questions and the answers will help you prepare for your fantasy baseball draft and keep you ahead of your competition.   

1.  Will Brandon Wood ever become the fantasy powerhouse that we’ve been expecting all these years?

     For the last 5 years we’ve seen him mash 20+ HR on the minor league level but then fail in his bid to crack the major league roster and stay up in the bigs.  Some have blamed his MLB development on manager Mike Scioscia’s lack of confidence in him, but posting a career .192 average in 244 major league at bats over the last 3 seasons might be a better condemnation.  Is he ready to stop being the best “Quadrupl-A” ballplayer since Melky Cabrera?

2.  Is Lance Berkman still a viable source of power at first base?

     While every other year, Berkman seems to keep his average above the .300 threshold, his power numbers have been in a steady decline since his career year in 2006.  His OBP and slugging percentage remain solid, but he’s now failed to clear the 30 HR barrier two years in a row, the Astros lineup is getting weaker, and he’s at that age where injuries are going to slow him down even more.  Will he ever jump back into the upper echelon of first base sluggers or are we looking at another season of mediocre totals from a power position?

3.  With all the focus on the comebacks of Ben Sheets and Justin Duchscherer, will the A’s youngsters like Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill improve this season?

     Both Anderson and Cahill had quality debut seasons, obviously with Anderson being the better of the two.  The pressure could be off each of them to carry the rotation now with Sheets and Duchscherer in the mix, but now major league hitters have a better innings sample size of which to scout both.  Anderson seemed to get better in the second half and held the opposition to a .256 average against, but can he maintain ratios to make him a viable starter on your squad?  Can Cahill cut down his walks and increase his Ks?  The ballpark definitely helps, but a sophomore slump is always a concern.

4.  Are the Blue Jays really going with Randy Ruiz as their primary DH?

     Talk about your “Quadruple-A” ballplayers.  Ruiz is a 32 year old career minor leaguer who has proven that he can whack the crap out of minor league pitching, based on his career .909 OPS, and showed some serious pop in his late season call-up last year in Toronto.  But which Ruiz will we see in 2010?  He hasn’t looked so hot in the Caribbean World Series and that’s certainly against inferior pitching, so how were last season’s 10 HR in 154 AB possible?  I’d talk about less competitive pitching towards the end of the season, what with teams out of contention and all, but that would be too easy.

5.  Can Troy Glaus make a comeback playing first for the Braves?

     The biggest knock on Glaus has obviously been the injuries.  In fact, Glaus has failed to clear 500 AB in 2 of his last 3 seasons, 4 of his last 7.  But playing first base is obviously much less taxing than playing the hot corner, so the additional wear and tear on the shoulder might not happen this year.  The knee might be a different story.  He’s popped 20+ HR in 4 of his last 5 seasons and gets  the full time gig handed over to him.  If he can stay healthy for atleast most of the year, are 30 HR out of the question?

6.  Will Jim Edmonds really make the Brewers’ Opening Day roster?

     Manager Ken Macha says that Edmonds, out of baseball for all of 2009, will get a legitimate shot to make the roster and play against righties, but I’m certainly skeptical.  He’s the consummate definition of a true gamer, but at 39, how much does he have left in the tank?  Will he have any fantasy value whatsoever?  And if he does show enough this spring, how does that affect Corey Hart and Carlos Gomez?  Gomez was supposed to finally get his due now that he was away from the crowded Minnesota outfield and Hart is in need of a serious comeback.  Will the pressure of fighting off an old stalwart like Edmonds help or hinder these guys?

7.  How valuable will Colby Rasmus be in 2010?

     Now that Rick Ankiel is out of St. Louis, the centerfield job belongs solely to Rasmus.  Not that the job wasn’t mostly his last year, but there was still someone lurking over his shoulder.  He was a 20-20 guy in the minors and expectations were high, but in his rookie season, his K/BB ratio was horrible and he was far too streaky for fantasy head to head leaguers.  He’s definitely got to work on his plate discipline to be successful, but the sky’s the limit hitting in front of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. 

8.  Can we squeeze one more good year out fo the Big Z?

     Hard to believe Carlos Zambrano is only 28 years old, but 5 straight years of 200+ innings has seemingly led to his early decline.  The last 2 years have seen an increase in WHIP, a decrease in Ks and the volatile hurler has done himself in with his attitude as well.  Batters are hitting him harder lately and it hasn’t been so easy to work himself out of that early game trouble that always seems to find him.  His days as an ace are likely over, but can we still get a dozen wins with a sub-4.00 ERA?  I’ve seen worse pitchers make better comebacks.

9.  Can Ian Kennedy start over in Arizona?

     For the last 2 years, Kennedy was given a crack at the back end of the Yankees rotation, but failed miserably.  He’s pitched extremely well in the minors and rocked it in the Arizona Fall League this year.  Maybe the pressure of pitching in New York was too much for him, just as it has plagued numerous players before him, so maybe Arizona is the place to be.  He’ll definitely get help hurling in the NL, especially with no DH and a fairly weak hitting division.  Will he be another failed Yankee prospect that excels elsewhere?

10.  Will Manny ever be Manny again?

     Oh how the might have fallen.  After being caught in the steroid testing and suspended for 50 games, Manny Ramirez came back as a shell of the player he once was.  In 234 AB after his return from exile, Manny hit a woeful .255 with just 10 HR and 60 strikeouts.  He looked incredibly uncomfortable out there and was probably catching more than just an earful from the fans when he ran out to take the field.  While no one expects him to hit for power the was he used to, the big question is whether or not he can bring that average back up and just make himself a valuable cog within the Dodgers’ machine.

11.  Is San Francisco just a wasteland for stolen bases this year?

     If speed is what you crave, the Giants are not your Snickers bar to satisfy that hunger.  The big question is who to put into right field and if it goes to Nate Schierholtz over Eugenio Velez, then the question of a SB commodity is simple…no one.  Without Velez in the lineup then there’s no legitimate leadoff guy which means I’d put dollars to doughnuts that the Giants will not only fail to have a guy clear 20 SBs this year, but the team could set the record for lowest SB totals in the majors…all time.  With Velez at the top…maybe a different story.

12.  Can Kerry Wood find success again?

     Closing out games for the Tribe this year will be a tough task, not just becasue of Wood, but also becasue there likely won’t be too many opportunities.  I know that good closers on bad teams can be fine for fantasy, but how about a bad closer on a bad team.  Wood was very successful in his year as the Cubs’ closer, but that was also a contract year.  He took hi spayday to Cleveland and went right down the crapper with a 4.25 ERA and an abyssmal 1.38 WHIP.  Was it just a bad transition for him or is he just a bad closer option?

13.  Will the Mariners be the Giants of RBI?

     The addition of Chone Figgins to the top of the lineup gives Seattle two fantastic table setters, but who’s doing the clearing?  Their best run producer last year was an over-achieving Russell Branyan and he’s not even there anymore.  The team has Ken Griffey, Casey Kotchman and Jose Lopez as their 3 best power sources and thats not saying much.  There’s little or no power threat and the runs will be hard to come by.   If anyone benefits, it’ll be David Aardsma closing out all those 2-1 games started by King Felix and Cliff Lee.

14.  Will Cameron Maybin be the next Brandon Wood?

     Talk about a highly touted prospect that has failed to develop, we’re still waiting on the arrival of Maybin.  He was an integral piece of the Miguel Cabrera trade and the Marlins were supposed to be getting an amazing power/speed combo in centerfield.  But Maybin has faltered in his last 2 attempts to crack the Opening Day lineup and when he has made it to the bigs, he’s been far less than spectacular.  Florida doesn;t have much in the way of outfield prospects anymore, so it looks like he could finally land the job.  But what he does with it is up to him, so draft with caution.

15.  Who’s pitching for the Mets?

     You’d have to think in a pitcher’s park there might be a hidden gem in there somewhere, but with all the focus on the recovery of their high priced all stars, the Mets seemed to have let their rotation slide.  Obviously there’s Johan Santana, and John Maine might be serviceable for the back end of your fantasy rotation, but Fernando Nieve, Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey?  There might be a reason the Mets play in Flushing.

16.  Is Nyjer Morgan really a legitimate speed threat?

     Morgan’s numbers after he was dealt to Washington, .351 with 24 SB in 49 games, were outstanding.  But can he parlay that into a 40+ stolen base season atop the Nationals lineup?  His average and his OBP have both been great throughout his baseball career, but the rate at which he gets caught stealing is a little high for me — 28.8% in fact.  He’ll have the leadoff job handed to him on Opening Day, but don’t be surprised to see the green light fade if he gets caught enough.

17.  Can Garrett Atkins make a comeback in Baltimore?

     I mean, if you forget how to hit in Coors Field, what’s to say you can remember in another ballpark?  Nothing actually.  But Atkins is trying to prove his doubters wrong while making the move to Camden yards.  The ballpark is tasty, the lineup is strong, and he’s got a fresh start, but the move to the AL can be troubling for a lot of hitters because they don’t always see the same situational pitches they are used to in the NL.  He’s taking over at first now that Miguel Tejada is signed and only has Michael Aubrey looking over his shoulder — a far cry from Ian Stewart by any stretch of the imagination.  Can he get back on track and be a nice sleeper you can use at thrid still?

18.  How long will Adrian Gonzalez continue to suffer in San Diego?

     Well I’d hardly think that 40 HR is suffering, but yes, the perils of playing for the Padres is persistent (you like that one?).  Fantasy owners are in a catch 22 right now as Gonzo continues to be a high end masher but could start getting pitched around even more.  That Padres lineup is awful and there’s little or no protection to be had for the slugger.  While we’re all hoping for a trade, the Pods have him locked in this year and also possess a cheap option on him for 2011.  But do thewy want to overplay their hand the way the Jays did with Roy Halladay or do they want to maximize their return while his numbers are still on top?

19.  Which Brad Lidge will we see in 2010?

     From the scrap heap to the top of the heap and back to the scrap heap.  That’s the way Lidge’s career has gone the last 3 seasons.  He got chased from Houston, excelled in Philly and then went to pot again.  The magical perfect season was a nice time for him, but between his fragile psyche and knee issues, Lidge’s days of perfection are long gone.  The real question is whether or not he can shrug off last year where the pressure of being perfect was so prominent, and reagin atleast some respectability this season.  If the knee is really healthy and he can push off easy enough, then a return to some form of decency coul dstill be in his future.

20.  Who’s closing in Pittsburgh?

     The two primary candidates are obviously Octavio Dotel and Joel Hanrahan, but neither, in my opinion, is a very sturdy candidate.  Dotel found a bit of a rennaissance in Chicago last year as a set up guy for Bobby Jenks, but his ratios are still plenty high, he’s still an injury risk, and hasn’t been counted on to close games in almost 6 years.  Sorry, but I’m not counting the 11 saves he managed in ‘07 because he wasn’t really the go-to option.   Hanrahan is  just as bad an option, if not worse.  He walked into the Nationals’ ‘09 season as their closer and lost the gig after grabbing just 5 saves.  His ratios are worse than Dotel’s and their doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.  Evan Meek, anyone?  Can’t be much worse, can he?

21.  Can Chris Davis atleast become the next Mark Reynolds?

     Forget about losing the strikeouts.  They apparently come with the territory.  Or do they?  Davis showed amazing power when he first got called up and then took a huge nosedive last year, so bad that it put him in the minors for most of the season.  He got a chance to redeem himself and posted a .308 average with 7 HR in 133 AB but the surprising number was that he went from an AB/K ratio of 2.26 before the demotion to a 3.69 afterwards.  Not an enormous jump, but definitely an improvement.  Now the question is whether or not he can curb the Ks enough to stay in the bigs while simultaeously producing at the plate.  Atleast with Reynolds’ abominable strikeouts, he supplies you with huge HR totals.  Or will he?  Another question for another time.

22.  Is this the year B.J. Upton puts it all together?

     2007 was a great year for Upton and his 24 HR with 22 SBs had fantasy owners chomping at the bit.  Hell, we were salivating at just the mention of his potential.  But while the SBs went up in ‘08, the power disappeared; blamed on a shoulder injury.  Then last year, the power started to go back up, the SBs maintained, but the average went down the toilet.  His attitude after being demoted to the 9 hole in the order became a problem and suddenly people were writing him off as just a decent stolen base option and nothing more.  But now in 2010, the shoulder is completely healthy and there’s a new hitting coach in town.  So the question may really be, can Upton get his head straight so the talent can develop?

23.  How long will it take Red Sox Nation to turn on Adrian Beltre?

     Forget about the fact that Mike Lowell was always a beloved figure in Beantown…let’s just talk Beltre.  To say that he’s been a disappointment in fantasy baseball would be an understatement (save for 2004), but what are the die-hards at Fenway going to do to him if he continues to perform at such substandard levels?  People talk about the need for a change of scenery and maybe that’s what it’s going to take for this guy.  He went nuts in his last year in L.A. (yes, some people are saying steroids) and signed a ridiculously huge contract with the Mariners.  Experts figured there would be a power decline making the move to the AL, but I don’t think they thought it would be this bad.  So now he gets another do-over in a better ballpark on a stronger lineup.  Will he atleast go back to popping 20 HR or should we finally just cut bait?

24.  Is Homer Bailey finally ready for prime time?

     Bailey has been one of those guys who’s been a highly touted prospect for a few years now.  You know…just like Brandon Wood and just like Cameron Maybin.  Scouts gush about the talent levels, he’s produced in the minors, but when it comes to the big show, he fizzles more than he sizzles.  Fo rizzle?  Yes.  Bailey’s numbers in the bigs have been atrocious…that it until last September.  Suddenly it all seemed to click for him and he finished the month with a 3-1 record and a 2.41 ERA.  Was it due to a lack of real competition as the Reds finished their season against the likes of Pittsburgh and the Marlins or is he finally ready to turn it around this year?

25.  Who’s starting in the Rockies’ outfield this year?

     This was actually a big question last year and somehow the Rox haven’t been able to come up with an ironclad answer.  Brad Hawpe is a lock for the right field slot but left and center could still be up for grabs.  Last year the Rox gave Dexter Fowler the job in center after he earned it with a strong opening of the season.  But as time went on and Fowler’s average dropped, the Rox were going with an array of outfield combinations, which included the benching of Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez entering the picture.  This year, there’s just as much clutter.  Besides the two youngsters, you also have a solid bat in Seth Smith and the experience of Ryan Spilborghs.  Clint Hurdle has shown that he’s not afraid to mix things up, but do any of these guys have what it takes to hold the full time job over the others?

26.  Will Chris Getz and/or Mike Aviles have any fantasy value in 2010?

     Spring Training should be interesting for those watching the Royals.  As it stands right now, the starting SS job belongs to Yuniesky Betancourt and 2B belongs to Alberto Callaspo.  By all means, not the strongest pair for fantasy purposes is it?  But then you’ve got Getz who can swipe 25 bags and Aviles who, coming back from Tommy John surgery, has shown he does have some pop in his bat.  Both have the potential, but neither has the glove that their starting competition have.  Will Trey Hillman stick with his gloves or will he try for a little more offense?

27.  Will Miguel Cabrera’s demons get the better of him?

     While some would say Austin Jackson is the biggest question mark in Detroit, I’m more interested in how Cabrera performs after apparently spending three months being treated for alcoholism.  If you remember last year, it was Cabrera’s drinking binge and subsequent beating of his girlfriend/wife (not sure which) that led to his complete disappearance as the Tigers lost their hold on the AL Centarl in the final week of the season.  Three months in the offseason is great, but how will he respond once spring training and the season begin.  There are much different pressures, life on the road, you name it.  Getting treatment is definitely a tough step in the right direction, but maintaining it through recovery is just as difficult.

28.  Will J.J. Hardy bounce back in Minnesota?

     What a travesty the ‘09 season was for Hardy.  He had just had 2 fantastic seasons and was turning 27 in ‘09, and primed for a breakout.  More like a breakdown as Hardy was so horrible that he was demoted to the minors for most of August.  His .229 average was a career low and the 11 HR he put up weren’t even half of what he had previously done.  But the question isn’t just can he rebound;  it’s also can he rebound, for a new team, in a new park, with a switch the American League?  There’s definitely going to be a learning curve, but how quickly he gets it will be the most important.

29.  Will Juan Pierre return to glory in Chicago?

     This should certainly be interesting to watch as Pierre has gone from premier leadoff speedster to washed up bench guy to leadoff speedster again.  Well, there’s no telling whether we can legitimately call him that until after the season, but he is back to starting and he is back to hitting leadoff.  The time he spent filling in for Manny Ramirez was outstanding for fantasy owners who wer savvyenough to grab him for the short time, and now the White Sox are banking on the notion that he can do what he did last year, all this year.  The opportunity is there, but will Pierre make the most of it?

30.  How will Javier Vazquez perform in his return to the Bronx?

     Plenty of people were surprised when the Yanks dealt for Vazquez, considering how he pitched for them back in 2004.  Some will say that it’s just a different time for the Yanks and the pressure to be an ace will be off Vazquez’ shoulders this time around.  On the other hand, the move to the AL should definitely inflate his ratios and possibly decrease the  Ks.  While I won’t list him as an ace and am certainly hedging my bets on him, I think he’ll definitely perform better than he did in ‘04.  For more on him, you can see what I wrote just after the deal.

     So those are some of the some of the burning questions we have in front of us.  For some of them, the answers might be very easy while for others, we might not figure out until after Opening Day.   If you’ve got some of the answers, or atleast an opinion, I’d love to hear it.  I’m always happy to take the “think tank” approach!  But for the most part, I’d say we’ll have all the answers we need come the end of Spring Training, and when we do, we’ll all be that much farther ahead of our competiton and that much closer to another fantasy baseball championship. 

     Remember, for the best in free fantasy baseball advice, 2010 fantasy baseball player rankings, fantasy baseball draft help, and fantasy baseball strategy, stick with The Fantasy Baseball Buzz and I’ll have you at the top of your standings in no time.

     Good luck and I’ll see you all in the money this year!

Tagged as: Adrian Beltre, Adrian Gonzalez, albert pujols, Alberto Callaspo, Austin Jackson, Ben Sheets, BJ Upton, Brad Hawpe, Brad Lidge, Brandon Wood, Brett Anderson, cameron maybin, Carlos Gomez, Carlos Gonzalez, Carlos Zambrano, Casey Kotchman, Chone Figgins, Chris Davis, Chris Getz, Cliff Lee, Colby Rasmus, Corey Hart, David Aardsma, Dexter Fowler, Eugenio Velez, Evan Meek, fantasy baseball, Fantasy Baseball Advice, fantasy baseball draft, fantasy baseball help, fantasy baseball keepers, fantasy baseball leagues, fantasy baseball magazines, Fantasy Baseball Player Rankings, fantasy baseball projections, fantasy baseball sleepers, fantasy baseball strategy, Fernando Nieve, free fantasy baseball, Garrett Atkins, Homer bailey, Ian Kennedy, Ian Stewart, Javier Vazquez, Jim Edmonds, JJ Hardy, Joel Hanrahan, Johan Santana, John Maine, Jose Lopez, Juan Pierre, Justin Duchscherer, Ken Griffey, Kerry Wood, King Felix, Lance Berkman, Manny Ramirez, Mark Reynolds, Matt Holliday, Melky Cabrera, Michael Aubrey, Miguel Cabrera, Miguel Tejada, Mike Aviles, Mike Lowell, Mike Pelfrey, MLB, Nate Schierholtz, Nyjer Morgan, Octavio Dotel, Oliver Perez, Randy Ruiz, Rick Ankiel, Roy Halladay, Russell Branyan, Ryan Spilborghs, Seth Smith, spring training, Trevor Cahill, Troy Glaus, Yuniesky Betancourt