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Be sure to enter the 2012 Fantasy Baseball Team Name Contest!
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After missing all of the 2011 season, New York Mets lefty and former two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana was sharp in his Spring Training debut.
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Santana threw two scoreless innings, reaching 90 mph on the radar with his fastball. Even more important he felt good afterwards. As long as he can maintain good velocity on his fastball, his changeup can remain devastating.
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He is an obvious risk given the injury issues he has dealt with the past few years, but when he’s healthy he can be one of the best pitchers in the game.
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Another thing to consider if you choose to select Johan is the fact that he is a notorious slow starter. While his splits are very similar home vs. away or day vs. night, his pre- and post-All-Star Game numbers are a bit more drastic.
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Prior to the All-Star Break Johan is 68-46 with a 3.37 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and a .233 BAA. After the break, however, when the weather starts heating up, Johan is 65-23 with a 2.75 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a .218 BAA.
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Johan could also have his innings monitored this year, and get an occasional start skipped to keep his arm fresh. Regardless, when he is able to pitch, he should help your fantasy team.
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Johan’s current Mock Draft Central ADP is 231 (63rd starting pitcher). Obviously if he continues to produce quality Spring Training innings for the Mets, that number will decrease dramatically. He is far too well known and decorated to call a sleeper, but Johan very well could be one of the best value picks should he stay healthy.
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Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Closer Options
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers
• AL Only Fantasy Baseball Rankings
• NL Only Fantasy Baseball Rankings

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In his past seven starts Chris Capuano is 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts in 42 innings. While he’s not moving batters down in Tim Lincecum fashion, he has been consistent in those starts, striking out five batters on five occasions and six and seven respectively in his other two starts.
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His recent success is great, but cant he pitcher that started the year 3-6 with a 5.19 rear his ugly head?
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Capuano was a solid 4-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 24 appearances, nine of which were starts, last year. He barely pitched in 2009 (nine innings of rookie ball) and missed 2008 entirely. If you go all the way back to 2005 Capuano was 18-12 with a 3.99 ERA.
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One thing going for Capuano is his consistency. He is 3-4 at home with a 4.04 ERA and 5-5 on the road with a 4.19 ERA. Five of his past seven starts have come on the road, meaning that the bulk of his turnaround has come away from Citi Field.
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Chris could stand to do even better with some improved luck. His .312 BABIP is among the worst in the league. Last year Capuano was at .290. As you might expect, his BABIP as been going down as him ERA improves. In April when he was struggling it was .349. It dipped to .296 in May, .305 in June, and is currently .278 in July.
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I understand if you don’t want to outright own him on your fantasy team, but he’s a solid stream option. He doesn’t make a bad play at home tomorrow against Florida. If you’re looking for a two-start pitcher, he actually faces the Marlins both home and away this week. I wouldn’t use him religiously, but if the match-up was right, he’d be worth a shot.
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Also check out:

• Two-Start Pitchers Week 16
• Can You Rely On Alcides Escobar?
• Can Danny Valencia Finish Strong?
• Who Are the Best Players to Own After the All-Star Break?
• Can Emilio Bonifacio Keep Up His Terror on the Bases?

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By Eric Stashin the RotoProfessor
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There have been rumors for the past few months…  What would the Mets do with Francisco Rodriguez?  With the team over .500, would they deal him in an attempt to avoid letting his 2012 option to vest (at $17.5 million)?  Would they sit tight and try and make a run at the Wild Card?
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Well, the question was answered last night when the team sent him (as well as cash) to Milwaukee for a pair of players to be named later according to ESPN New York (click here for the article).  Don’t conclude that the Mets have raised the white flag at this point, however.  While that could happen in the next two weeks, this deal was solely about the albatross of a contract and maintaining payroll flexibility for 2012.
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There is no clear-cut answer as to who will close games for the Mets, though Jason Isringhausen (as long as he’s still with the club as he too has been involved in trade rumors), Bobby Parnell and Pedro Beato could all factor into things.  Parnell, a flame thrower who has long been considered the Mets closer of the future, figures to get the first look and is worth owning in all formats.  He currently has a 2.92 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 30 K over 24.2 IP.
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Beato was impressive early in the season, not allowing a run over his first 18.2 innings, though he stumbled in May (6.23 ERA) and June (6.39 ERA).  I would consider him a long-shot to see many save opportunities, though he could be in the mix.
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As for the Brewers, they certainly weren’t a team that had been a rumored landing spot for Rodriguez.  However, their acquisitions of Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke in the offseason showed how aggressive they would be.  Now, a closers controversy in Milwaukee begins.
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Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (click here for the post) had a quote from General Manager Doug Melvin, who said:
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“This gives us another quality arm in the bullpen. I talked to John and I told him not to worry about it. I told him roles will be dictated by games and by (manager) Ron (Roenicke).”
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“I couldn’t walk away from the chance to get a pitcher like Francisco and wish later I hadn’t let him get away. We’ve had some injuries in our bullpen, including (setup man Takashi) Saito, and if I let (Rodriguez) get away and somebody went down, I’d kick myself.”
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In other words, we don’t know yet if it will be John Axford, Francisco Rodriguez or a combination of the two.  You would have to anticipate the Brewers sticking with Axford, at least initially, as he is sporting a 2.83 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 53 K over 41.1 IP.  Those numbers are better than Rodriguez’, who is at 3.16 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 46 K over 42.2 IP.
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For a team that is likely going to see Prince Fielder leave via free agency after the season, how can they justify letting Rodriguez’ extension vest?  Obviously, in the heat of a pennant race, if Axford falters then Rodriguez is there to help carry them into the playoffs.  While I wouldn’t cut bait on him quite yet, I would certainly keep him stashed on the bench because the chances are that his fantasy value becomes nil.
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What are your thoughts on the deal?  Even before knowing who the Mets will get, is it a deal they had to make?  Who do you think will close for Milwaukee?
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Eric also breaks down the Juan Rivera trade.
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Click here to see LestersLegends’ recent baseball articles.

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2009 was a disaster for the New York Mets. It seemed that if something could go wrong, it did. 2010 wasn’t much better for the Mets, but at least David Wright (.283-87-29-103-19) and Jose Reyes (.282-83-11-54-30) rebounded. Now the question is can Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran do the same?
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Jason Bay was a disappointment coming over from Boston and posting a forgettable .259-48-6-47-10 line. He was limited to 95 games due to a concussion, similar to Justin Morneau, who also coincidentally hails from Canada.  When he did play, he was mediocre at best, the only saving grace was the double-digit stolen bases.
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That doesn’t mean he’s a lost cause. David Wright struggled with the long ball in his first season in CitiPark, but rebounded nicely last year. Perhaps he just has to attack the park differently.  Prior to last year Bay averaged 100.6 runs, 31 HRs, 102.8 RBI, and 11.8 SBs in the five previous seasons so I’m hopeful for a rebound. His ADP, according to Mock Draft Central, is 142 overall and 37th outfielder. He’s a pretty solid option in the 12th round of fantasy drafts.
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Beltran is less of a risk based on his ADP of 223 (51st outfielder), but his knees have cost him the better part of two seasons. He hasn’t had fantasy relevance since 2008. Last year Beltran posted a .255-21-7-27-3 line in 64 games. He did end the year on a high note going 25 for 78 (.321) with 12 runs, five HRs, 13 RBI, and two SBs in 78 September at bats. His OPS of .968 was particularly encouraging.
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If he can stay healthy, the power and the average could return. I’m not confident that a player with bad knees that’s turning 34 in April will terrorize the basepaths again, but if he can manage 8-10, that would be a nice contribution. His ADP puts him in the 19th round. I say why the heck not take a shot on him there.
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I wouldn’t bet the farm that one or both of these former five-tool outfielders returns to form, but I would definitely say they are worth the risk. I realize that Bay could be out for a long time if he suffers another concussion and Beltran’s knees are a risk, but they are calculated risks and worth the gamble.
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What are your thoughts on Bay and Beltran?
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Also check out:

• 2011 Fantasy Baseball Profiles
• 2011 Fantasy First Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Second Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Third Basemen Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Shortstop Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Catcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Outfielder Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Starting Pitcher Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Closer Rankings

If you took Jose Reyes in your fantasy drafts despite his thyroid condition, your gamble paid off. A day after playing a full game (going 2 for 5) in an extended spring training game, Reyes played another five innings (going 1 for 5) today. 

After missing most of the 2009 season, the thyroid condition scared off fantasy owners. However, from 2005-2008 Reyes missed just15 of the possible 648 games (2.3%). 

Daily league owners can use him right away. Weekly league owners have the weekend to make the determination whether to use him or not.

“The Lineup: New York’s All-Time Best Baseball Players,” a new original series and interactive fantasy game that will determine the best baseball players in the history of New York, will air its second episode tomorrow night on MSG Network with “First Basemen,” the second of ten weekly episodes. Not surprisingly Yogi Berra was the all-time Catcher. Each 30-minute episode of “The Lineup” will present a number of nominees for consideration at each position, from the Yankees, Mets, New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, with one episode dedicated to the best New York manager of all-time. MSG’s Fran Healy will host a panel, consisting of Hall of Fame Mets catcher Gary Carter, former Yankee bullpen ace Sparky Lyle, New York Magazine contributing editor and baseball aficionado Will Leitch, and executive vice president of the Elias Sports Bureau Steve Hirdt. The panel will whittle down a larger list of players from each position and determine the top five from each spot on the diamond. By the end of each episode, they will crown the top player at each position and name him to the official “Lineup” card.

With an interactive fantasy game launched in conjunction with the on-air program and hosted on http://msg.com/lineup/, viewers can see how they stack up against The Lineup’s experts. Fans will try to predict the five players who will be nominated each week and ultimately who will be selected as the starter in the final “Lineup.” Participants will receive points for each correct pick and will be eligible for weekly prizes such as signed memorabilia from baseball greats like Don Mattingly, Joe Torre, Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter. At the end of the series, the participant with the most points will win a Grand Prize. The site will also feature chats for fans to interact and debate each position, quizzes about the nominated players, photo and video galleries, and player statistics for fans to comb through before making their picks.

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

I was very high on Jason Bay last year. I figured he would drive in a ton of runs with Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia at the top of Boston’s lineup. He did not disappoint with 36 HRs and 119 RBIs despite missing eleven games.

He’s moved on to the Mets this year, and he still figures to have plenty of opportunities hitting behind the likes of Jose Reyes and David Wright. He has reached 100+ RBIs in four of his last five years, with nearly four of those years coming in Pittsburgh, so I don’t see him having a problem reaching that figure.

He has also reached 100+ runs, 30+ HRs, and 10+ SBs in four of those five years. If you take away his down year (2007), he’s quietly been one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball.

I’m afraid he’ll have a hard time reaching two of those marks this year though. The move to CitiField will likely cost him some HRs. I’m expecting more doubles and fewer long balls this year. I’m also not confident enough in the Mets’ offense that he’ll reach 100 runs.

Despite those two question marks, I still think he makes for a #1 fantasy outfielder (click to see rankings). He should be solid in all five categories.

Prediction:  .280, 90 runs, 27 HRs, 105 RBIs, 10 SBs

Coincidentally the Rotoprofessor is covering Jason Bay today as well. Click here to see his take.

Past profiles:
Arizona Diamondbacks:  Brandon Webb
Atlanta Braves: Yunel Escobar
Baltimore Orioles:  Adam Jones
Boston Red Sox:  Clay Buchholz
Chicago Cubs:  Geovany Soto
Chicago White Sox:  Jake Peavy
Cincinnati Reds:  Joey Votto
Cleveland Indians:  Grady Sizemore
Colorado Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez
Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera
Florida Marlins: Cameron Maybin
Houston Astros: Lance Berkman
Kansas City Royals: Billy Butler
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Howie Kendrick
Los Angeles Dodgers: James Loney
Milwaukee Brewers: Corey Hart
Minnesota Twins: Joe Nathan