Jake Peavy threw 20 brilliant innings for the White Sox last year going 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA, a 0.85 WHIP, a .162 BAA, and 18 Ks. Obviously that’s not a pace he can keep in a full season with the White Sox, but he should still be one of the better #2 fantasy pitchers out there (click here for starting pitcher rankings).
Leaving PETCO Park and the National League isn’t ideal for Peavy, but he’ll adjust. Talented pitching generally holds up regardless of where you pitch. Take C.C. Sabathia for example. He had no problem delivering for the Yankees last year. Same with Cliff Lee in Philly.
Peavy is a 95-68 (.586) pitcher with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and a .231 BAA. His K/9 ratio is 9.02. While he’s been dominant at home, he hasn’t been terrible on the road.
Home: 740.3 IP, 47-31, 2.82 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, .219 BAA, 792 K
Away: 622.3 IP, 48-37, 3.79 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, .244 BAA, 574 K
His primary opponents (Twins, Tigers, Indians, Royals) aren’t exactly offensive juggernauts. Peavy may not put up the numbers of yesteryear, but he won’t be going as early in drafts, which should offset things. I’d be more than happy with him as a #2 fantasy pitcher.
Prediction: 15-8, 3.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 175 Ks
Past profiles:
Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Webb
Atlanta Braves: Yunel Escobar
Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones
Boston Red Sox: Clay Buchholz
Chicago Cubs: Geovany Soto
1. Can Carlos Quentin and Alex Rios bounce back?
Quentin has missed significant time the past two years because of injuries. Juan Pierre was brought on board to help set the table. His foot has healed and as long as he can avoid the injury bug, he should be a high-end OF again.
Rios was having a disappointing season even before he was dealt to the White Sox. He hit a brutal .199 for his new club with 3 HRs and 9 RBIs in 146 ABs. The bad news for Rios is he’ll be playing his home games outside. His AB/HR in outdoor parks is 43.5 compared to 29.9. Minnesota no longer has a dome, which would also work against him. His average and OPS have been on the decline the past four seasons.
2. How about Jake Peavy?
Peavy likely won’t be as dominant this year as in year’s past. He has to face a steady dose of American League hitters without the comfort of PETCO Park. Working in his favor though is the absence of the World Baseball Classic. I believe that threw off his April last year, which led to his bloated 5.74 ERA in April.
3. And Grady Sizemore?
He battled through an elbow injury and a hernia to still put up respectable numbers (73 runs, 18 HRs, 64 RBI, 13 SB in 436 ABs). Don’t let his numbers get you down on him though. Not many players can bring we he can to the table. Bump him down a few spots from where you had him ranked going into last year, but don’t let him slide too long.
4. What will the Indians do with Michael Brantley?
The Indians have a good problem having four quality OFers for three spots. Grady Sizemore, Matt LaPorta, and Shin-Soo Choo are blocking the path for Brantley, who hit .313 after replacing Sizemore last year. LaPorta can play some First Base, which would allow Brantley to play in LF. LaPorta is one of the Indians’ few right-handed hitters though so don’t expect him to be out of the lineup very frequently. Brantley can play all three OF positions, which will help his cause. The Indians could choose to send him to Triple-A so he can get steady playing time. In any case, take the wait-and-see approach with him.
5. Can Austin Jackson replace Curtis Granderson?
He certainly doesn’t have the power, but he has flashed his speed stealing 24 bases to go along with nine triples last year for Triple-A Scranton. He hit .300 as well. He’ll be challenged by Clete Thomas and Ryan Rayburn. Watch that battle during Spring Training.
6. Will Zack Greinke get some help?
Gil Meche should be better for starters assuming his back and arm are healed. His ERA surged above 5.00 after being below 4.00 in his previous two years with the Royals. Luke Hochevar has a world of talent, and the former #1 pick should be better. He can’t get much worse. I’d hold off on drafting him unless he shows some promise during Spring Training.
7. What will the Twins’ new ballpark bring?
All you have to do is look at the two New York ballparks, and you know they can be unpredictable. The Yankees play in a launching pad while the Mets saw a power outage. The Twins won’t get as may infield hits as they move to grass. See where Justin Morneau ranks among fantasy First Basemen.
8. Will J.J. Hardy rebound?
Hardy was terrible last year, but a change of scenery could do him wonders. He goes to a club that is starving for solid Shortstop play after they dealt away Jason Bartlett a couple years back. Hardy averaged 83.5 runs, 25 HRs, and 77 RBIs in 2007 & 2008. In a lineup that features Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span, Jason Kubel, and Denard Span, a resurgence is very likely.
9. What will the Twins do at Third Base?
This is an annual issue. Nick Punto plays a great Third Base, but can’t hit. Brendan Harris had his moments. Joe Crede returning isn’t out of the question. No matter what their “solution” is, it’s not a fantasy friendly one. Look elsewhere.
Images courtesy of Icon SMI
Juan Pierre has escaped from the Dodgers Outfield logjam thanks to a trade to the White Sox. The move should also restore his fantasy value. He had been limited to 375 and 380 At Bats the past two seasons. He made the most of his opportunities though, with 40 Stolen Bases in 2008 and 30 last year while hitting .308. He’s a good bet to hit leadoff for the White Sox and could easily reach 90+ runs and 50+ stolen bases.
The White Sox made another splash by claiming Alex Rios off of waivers. They will eat the rest of his contract, and though Toronto doesn’t get any compensation, they get that deal off their books. He just signed a nearlyy $70 million deal in 2008. It is unclear if they will use the saving to try and secure a long term deal with ace Roy Halladay.
While the move is great for the White Sox in reality, giving them plenty of depth, it hurts five players fantasy values. The White Sox now have four capable Outfielders in Rios, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Quentin, and Scott Podsednik. They all will see an adjustment in the number ABs they will get in a given week. Also likely to lose ABs in the deal is DH Jim Thome. If you are counting on any of these players, you will have to stay on top of the White Sox’s lineup cards to make sure your guy is playing. If you set your lineup on a weekly basis, pay attention to how the playing time is trending.
Image courtesy of Icon SMI
ESPN is reporting that San Diego has agreed to send Jake Peavy to Chicago. No, not the Cubs, who were in negotiations during the offseason, but the White Sox. Peavy has a no-trade clause in his contract, which he would have to waive in order for the deal to get done. No word on what the White Sox would part with.
The former Cy Young winner is 3-5 on the year with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. He’s second in the NL behind Javier Vazquez with 69 Strikeouts. He started off a little slow, perhaps because of the World Baseball Classic, but has a 1.80 ERA and 0.73 WHIP in four May starts.
The White Sox are actually a half-game worse than the Padres at 17-22, but are only 5.5 games behind division-leading Detroit. Meanwhile, San Diego trails the Dodgers by 10 games.
Peavy is scheduled to face the Cubs, ironically, on Friday in Carlos Zambrano’s return for the 15-day DL.
Jermaine Dye and Paul Konekro hit back-to-back HRs todayin the Chicago White Sox’s 10-6 win over the Detroit Tigers. It wasn’t your ordinary back-t0-back HRs though. The HRs were #300 for both Dye and Konerko.
I’m making a little personal history tonight as I am taking my son to his first-ever baseball game. I’m hoping he lasts three Innings. We shall see.
Last night we got a brief taste of baseball action as Derek Lowe’s Sinker sunk the Phillies. Today we get the full meal. There have been a couple of postponed games. Here’s a list of likely fantasy starters. Be sure to adjust your lineups accordingly.
Boston Red Sox
1B – Kevin Youkilis
2B – Dustin Pedroia
OF – Jason Bay
OF – Jacoby Ellsbury
DH/Util – David Ortiz
SP – Josh Beckett
RP – Jonathan Papelbon
Tampa Bay Rays
C – Dioner Navarro
1B – Carlos Pena
3B – Evan Longoria
OF – Carl Crawford
OF/DH – Pat Burrell
SP – James Shields
Chicago White Sox
C – A.J. Pierzynski
1B – Paul Konerko
SS – Alexei Ramirez
OF – Carlos Quentin
OF – Jermaine Dye
DH/Util – Jim Thome
SP – Mark Buehrle
RP – Bobby Jenks
Kansas City Royals
3B – Alex Gordon
SS – Mike Aviles
OF – Coco Crisp
OF – David DeJesus
DH/Util – Billy Butler
SP – Gil Meche
RP – Joakim Soria
Face of the Franchise
Frank Thomas
Image courtesy of Icon SMI
I continue the All-time team tour with the White Sox.
Manager: Al Lopez
C – Carlton Fisk
1B – Paul Konerko
2B – Eddie Collins
3B – Robin Ventura
SS – Luke Appling
OF – Minnie Minoso
OF – Harold Baines
OF – Shoeless Joe Jackson
DH – Frank Thomas
Bench: 2B Nellie Fox , SS Luis Aparicio, OF Bibb Falk, Magglio Ordonez
SP – Ed Walsh
SP – Eddie Cicotte
SP – Ted Lyons
SP – Red Faber
SP – Jack McDowell
P – Doc White
P – Mark Buehrle
P – Billy Pierce
P – Wilbur Wood
P – Lefty Williams
RP – Bobby Thigpen
RP – Hoyt Wilhelm
That’s the team I came up with. Do you have any changes you’d like to suggest? I’m always open to them.
Past Teams
Yankees
Red Sox
Rays
Orioles
Blue Jays
Twins
Chris Getz won the starting Second Base job for the Chicago White Sox by beating out Jayson Nix, Brent Lillibridge and Gordon Beckham. Getz played in ten games last year going 2 for 7 (.286) with two Runs, and RB, and a SB.
Last year for Charlotte Knights of the International League (Chicago’s AAA affiliate) Getz hit .302 (122 for 404) with 60 Runs, 24 Doubles, 1 Triple, 11 HRs, 52 RBI, and 11 SBs in 111 games. He had just six HRs in his first 1024 Minor League At Bats so don’t expect many from him at the Big League level. He did have 55 SBs in 374 games, which would translate to 24 in a full MLB season so he could be helpful in that category. He’s not a player that I would concern myself with on Draft Day, but I would keep an eye on him on the waiver wire as he could be a decent source for Runs and SBs.
Photo courtesy of TSN Archives/Icon SMI
The Veterans Committee is going to vote on twenty players for induction into the Hall of Fame. There are ten players pre-1943 and ten post-1943. Today I profile Dick Allen from that group.
The Numbers
Played 1963-1977 (15 seasons)
1749 Games
6332 At Bats
.292 Batting Average
1099 Runs
1848 Hits
320 Doubles
79 Triples
351 HRs
1119 RBI
894 Walks
133 SBs
Two 100+ Run Seasons
One 200+ Hit Seasons
Three 30+ Double Seasons
Four 10+ Triple Seasons
Six 30+ HR Seasons
Three 100+ RBI Seasons
Playoffs: 3 Games, 2 for 9 (.222), 1 Run, 3 Walks
Awards
1964 Rookie of the Year
1972 MVP
7 All-Star Game appearances
MVP Votes in 7 Seasons
Top Ten Finishes
Batting Average – 6 Times
On-Base % – 7 Times (Led league in 1967 & 1972)
Slugging % – 8 Times Led league in 1966, 1972 & 1974)
OPS – Ten Times (Led league in 1966, 1967, 1972 & 1974)
Games – Twice
At Bats – Twice
Runs – 6 Times (Led league in 1964)
Hits – 3 Times
Total Bases – 6 Times (Led league in 1964)
Doubles – 4 Times
Triples – 6 Times (Led league in 1964)
HRs – 8 Times (Led league in 1972 & 1974)
RBI – 4 Times (Led league in 1972)
Walks – 7 Times (Led league in 1972)
Stolen Bases – Twice
Extra-Base hits – 8 Times (Led league in 1964, 1966 & 1972)
Intentional Walks – 7 Times
Hall of Fame Yardsticks:
Black Ink: Batting – 27 (67) (Average HOFer ≈ 27)
Gray Ink: Batting – 159 (74) (Average HOFer ≈ 144)
HOF Standards: Batting – 38.7 (161) (Average HOFer ≈ 50)
HOF Monitor: Batting – 99.0 (151) (Likely HOFer > 100)
The Yardstick for Dick Allen are really good. He’s above for Grey Ink and right at the mark for two others. Looking at his numbers and I’m not sure why. He put up solid numbers, but not ones that cry for Hall of Fame induction. He didn’t have nearly enough RBIs, Hits, Runs, or even HRs. Sorry Dick, but there are far more worthy players that are still on the outside looking in.
References
Baseball-reference.com
Past Chronicles
Roberto Alomar
Richie Ashburn*
Earl Averill*
Harold Baines
Dan Bancroft*
Jake Beckley*
Albert Belle
Jim Bottomley*
Pete Browning
Jim Bunning *
Bert Byleven
Joe Carter
Orlando Cepeda*
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs*
Dave Concepcion
David Cone
Roger Connor*
Larry Corcoran
Mike Cuellar
George Davis*
Andre Dawson
Larry Doby*
Bobby Doerr*
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Dwight Evans
Rick Ferrell*
Chuck Finley
Steve Finley
Nellie Fox*
John Franco
Gary Gaetti
Steve Garvey
Lefty Gomez*
Luis Gonzalez
Dwight Gooden
Mark Grace
Bobby Grich
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Ron Guidry
Chick Hafey*
Billy Herman*
Keith Hernandez
Orel Hershiser
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Gil Hodges
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Travis Jackson*
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Addie Joss*
Jim Kaat
George Kell*
Joe Kelley*
George Kelly*
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Chuck Klein*
Jerry Koosman
Bill James & Pete Palmer
Barry Larkin
Tony Lazzeri*
Freddie Lindstrom*
Mickey Lolich
Ernie Lombardi*
Fred Lynn
Sherry Magee
Roger Maris
Rube Marquard*
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Dennis Martinez
Edgar Martinez
Bobby Matthews
Don Mattingly
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Bill Mazeroski*
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Bid McPhee
Johnny Mize*
Paul Molitor*
Jack Morris
Tony Mullane
Dale Murphy
Graig Nettles
Hal Newhouser*
Lefty O’Doul
Tony Oliva
Al Oliver
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Dave Parker
Wes Parker
Lance Parrish
Vada Pinson
Boog Powell
Tim Raines
Willie Randolph
Pee Wee Reese*
Jim Rice
Phil Rizzuto*
Brooks Robinson*
Pete Ro$e
Amos Rusie*
Jimmy Ryan
Ron Santo
Curt Schilling
Red Schoendienst* (Player/Manager)
Ted Simmons
Enos Slaughter*
Lee Smith
Rusty Staub
Dave Stieb
Mel Stottlemyre
Harry Stovey
Sam Thompson
Luís Tiant
Alan Trammell
George Van Haltren
Arky Vaughan*
Mo Vaughn
Bobby Veach
Frank Viola
Mickey Welch*
Lou Whitaker
Bernie Williams
Vic Willis*
Maury Wills
Hack Wilson*
Ross Youngs*
Veterans Committee Ballot
* Signifies actual Hall of Famer
