Similar reactions may have been heard on the left coast when Seattle Mariners fans found out their young stud pitcher Michael Pineda was headed east. The Yankees and Mariners have reportedly completed a four player exchange with their young studs as the centerpieces.

As first reported by the Seattle Times’ Larry Stone, the Yankees sent Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi to the Mariners for Pineda and pitcher Jose Campos. Noesi was one of the Yankees promising young starters on the rise, and showed some of his mettle as a reliever at the Major League level last season. Campos is a 19-yr old right-hander with potential (Evaluator John Sickels rated him as the #5 M’s prospect for 2012 and had this to say, “Grade B: We need to see him at higher levels and his secondary stuff needs refinement, but his upside is very high, he throws hard, and already throws strikes.”), but will not have an impact for quite some time.

Clearly this deal was about the Yankees need to boost their starting rotation and the Mariners need for a big bat. After being rebuffed in their attempt to acquire Felix Hernandez, the Yankees went after his young teammate (Pineda will be 23 next week).

Pineda’s rookie season of 2011 saw him finish 9-10, 3.74 with a 1.10 WHIP and 173 strikeouts in 171 innings.  The 6’7″, 260 pound native of the Dominican Republic limited AL hitters to a .211 batting average and gave up just 133 hits. He also held right-handed hitters to a .587 OPS with a torrid fastball and nasty slider. According to Fangraphs.com, Pineda averaged 94.7 mph on his fastball, the fourth best mark in the AL.

Pineda dominated in pitcher-friendly Safeco Field (2.92 ERA in 12 starts) and was much better in the first half before tiring down the stretch. In fact, the Mariners limited his innings per start over the final two months of the season.

With the Yankees lacking pop from the right side, Montero got the call to the bigs in August and produced a .996 OPS in 69 plate appearances.  Among Montero’s 17 hits were four home runs and four doubles, and he drove in 17 runs.  Montero has good power to the opposite field and averaged 18 home runs in his first four full seasons in the minor leagues.  He was nearly dealt to the Mariners at the 2010 trade deadline for Cliff Lee, but Seattle opted to obtain Justin Smoak from Texas instead.

In Montero, the Mariners get a player with 30 home run potential, even if their ballpark is not suited to a hitter’s needs. There were mixed feelings within the Yankees organization as to whether or not the 6’4″ Montero could make it in the Major Leagues as a catcher and that certainly played into the decision to deal him. With 1st base occupied (Mark Teixeira) and the DH slot needed to give the Yankees aging stars (Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, etc.) a rest, there wasn’t much room for Montero to flourish. With Seattle, he’ll get that chance.

Brian Cashman told the Bergen Record’s Bob Klapisch that he believes he took a big gamble.  ”I gave up a ton (for Pineda). To me, Montero is Mike Piazza. He’s Miguel Cabrera.” He may have taken a risk, but this deal appears to be a “win-win”, with both teams profiting. It also puts the Yankees back on top as the favorite in the AL East.

Cashman wasn’t done dealing on Friday night though. A short time after the trade was reported, word came that the Yankees and free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda had agreed to a one year contract, pending a physical, worth $10-11MM. Kuroda was thought to be seeking a $13MM deal.

Kuroda, who turns 36 in February, came over from Japan in 2008 and was 41-46 in four seasons with the LA Dodgers, despite a 3.46 ERA. He’s coming off a 13-16 season with a career low 3.07 ERA and a 3.7 WAR, also tops in his four seasons.

With the two acquisitions, the landscape of the Yankees’ starting rotation changed drastically. Prior to Friday evening, the Yankees five man squad was made up of ace CC Sabathia, 2nd year man Ivan Nova, the erratic A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, and surprise 2011 stand out, Freddy Garcia. Hughes’ immediate future is now up in the air and he could be used as trade bait to bring back a bat. The Yankees would most certainly rather trade Burnett, but the $33MM owed to him is an albatross around Cashman’s neck.

The Yankees would be looking for a short term, low salaried player. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported tonight that Carlos Pena was among the bats that were piquing the Yankees interest.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

The Brew Crew’s biggest masher has averaged 40 home runs and 113 RBI over the past five seasons and has a .929 career OPS. In the final season of his contract, which paid him $15.5MM last year, Fielder hit 38 taters, drove in 120 runs, and scored 95 more  as the Brewers captured their first division title since the 1980′s. Milwaukee would love to have him back, especially with the black eye it’s currently sporting courtesy of Ryan Braun, but their not likely to retain their former first round draft pick (2002) unless he gives them a hometown discount. So far, there’s been no hint of that from Fielder or his agent Scott Boras, who most definitely does not believe in discounts.

SI’s Jon Heyman reported back in mid-November that Fielder was seeking a deal in the neighborhood of eight years and $200MM. Thus far, he has found no takers. For no particular rhyme or reason, it’s been repeatedly reported that the Seattle Mariners are the front-runners for Fielder’s services. Rumors are that he prefers the east coast, but money said, why would Fielder want to bat in a pitcher’s ballpark like Safeco Field?

The Brewers’ divisional rivals, the Chicago Cubs, were early favorites to sign Fielder, but the Cubs reportedly are not interested in spending the type of dollars it would take to put Fielder in Wrigley Field. ESPN’s Buster Olney expects the Washington Nationals to make a big play for Fielder, but thus far the team has maintained that Adam LaRoche will be their 1st baseman in 2012.

The Baltimore Orioles always have an interest in any free agent, but have shied away from the big money free agents in recent years. The Florida Marlins certainly have the desire to spend big bucks as they have already proven this off-season, but FoxSports’ Ken Rosenthal reported the Fish aren’t interested in Fielder. Rumor has it that the Marlins are expected to go hard after Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, who would be a draw to the large Cuban population in Miami.

So where does the “Prince of Home Runs” end up? My money is still on the Texas Rangers, even if they are able to sign Yu Darvish. Texas has the money and the desire, and believes you can never have enough offense.

Other than the unknown commodity that is Cespedes, the most intriguing player still available (after Fielder), is LA Dodgers’ pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. The soon-to-be 37 year old right-hander was 13-16 last season despite a 3.05 ERA. The AL East’s big spenders, Boston and New York, are said to be in hot pursuit, though ESPN New York’s Wallace Matthews believes the Yankees interest is merely to drive up Kuroda’s asking price. The strategy was successful last off-season when Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman feigned interest in free agent outfielder Carl Crawford.

Then there is the case of veteran Roy Oswalt. When the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Oswalt during the 2010 season and then added Cliff Lee to a rotation that already boasted Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, most observers though a World Series title in Philadelphia was a done deal. But not so fast; Oswalt threw just 139 mediocre innings in 2011, which included the second lowest strikeout to walk ratio in his 11 year career. Oswalt is seeking just a one year deal, and that is what is making him so attractive to prospective buyers, who hope he can do a suitable job as a fourth or fifth starter.

Then there are players whose best days are behind them, but could still add some value to a team. Raul Ibanez, Hideki Matsui, Carlos Pena, and Cody Ross are among those still looking for work.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes. ]]> http://www.baseballdigest.com/2011/12/27/prince-of-the-home-runs/feed/ 0 http://www.baseballdigest.com/2011/12/19/baseball-digest-fantasy-the-nl-without-pujols/ http://www.baseballdigest.com/2011/12/19/baseball-digest-fantasy-the-nl-without-pujols/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:52:05 +0000 Christopher Wenrich http://www.baseballdigest.com/?p=10979 With Albert Pujols leaving the St. Louis Cardinals to sign with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, some have insinuated that the National League’s pool of fantasy first basemen has grown weaker.  Pujols is just one man, and the NL first base pool still shows plenty of promise.

With the departure of Pujols, Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds, Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers (currently a free agent) and Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies are clearly the cream of the crop among NL first basemen; however, Fielder is a free agent and could possibly leave the NL and Howard is currently out with an achilles tendon injury.  Nevertheless, there are promising first basemen in the NL for 2012.  Here are some first basemen to keep an eye on:

Michael Morse

Morse is a classic example of a late bloomer.  Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2000, Morse made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2005.  Morse appeared in 98 games in the 2010 season with the Washington Nationals before finally winning a full-time starting job in 2011.

At the age of 29 in 2011, Morse hit .303 with 31 home runs and 95 RBIs.  He reached on base at a .360 clip while slugging .550 with a .910 OPS.  Although his 126 strikeouts and 36 walks may be a cause for concern to fantasy managers, his overall body of work in the 2011 season was impressive and cannot be ignored.  Morse is at an age where he may be in his athletic prime; therefore, the chances of him staying healthy and improving are too tempting not to pursue.

Lance Berkman

Berkman’s fantasy relevance experienced a revival in the 2011 season.  Over the past few seasons, the concern with Berkman has been his health.  When healthy, Berkman is still a productive fantasy hitter; however, he had not played in 140-plus games since 2008.

Despite playing mostly in the outfield in 2011, Berkman appeared in 145 games and hit .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs.  This was Berkman’s first season of 30 or more home runs since 2007.  Berkman also reached on base at a .412 clip while posting a .959 OPS.  The results of Berkman’s marvelous season led to him finishing seventh in the NL MVP vote.

With the departure of Pujols, Berkman should be the Cardinals’ full-time first basemen in 2012.  While playing first base rather than the outfield should conceivably help Berkman stay healthier, nothing is guaranteed.  Health permitting, Berkman should have another great season for the Cardinals.  As was the case the past few years, the potential for injury is the only thing that possibly deflates Berkman’s fantasy value.  If you draft Berkman in 2012, be sure to have a backup plan.

Freddie Freeman

At the young age of 21, Freeman had an excellent 2011 season with the Atlanta Braves.  Freeman hit .282 with 21 home runs and 76 RBIs while also hitting 32 doubles.  Freeman hit .274 in his first 88 games and .292 in his last 69 games of the 2011 season.

In addition to more experience in 2012, Freeman’s numbers can also improve if teammates Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward return to form.  Heyward hit only .227 while struggling with injuries in the 2011 season.  Uggla hit .233 in 2011, but struggled with a .185 AVG at the All-Star break.  Uggla and Heyward can have a positive effect on Freeman’s numbers in 2012 and will play important roles in helping the Braves contend with the Phillies in the NL East.

Ike Davis

Although there is the possibility that the New York Mets may trade Davis, he is still a Met and still in the NL at this time.  Davis appeared in only 36 games in 2011, but he hit .302 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs.  If that pace were to be maintained over 162 games, it would amount to 31 home runs and 112 RBIs.

Granted, the 36-game sample size is too small to evaluate a player’s season; however, those who have seen Davis play know the quality of his talent.  I believe it would be very foolish of the Mets to trade Davis (unless they receive an offer they cannot refuse), and I believe Davis has the tools to be one of the best first basemen in baseball and in fantasy baseball.

Jim Thome

Berkman revived his fantasy relevance in 2011 with the Cardinals; Thome may have that same opportunity with the Phillies in 2012.  Despite receiving limited playing time in the past few seasons, Thome hit 23 home runs (362 at-bats) in 2009, 25 home runs (276 at-bats) in 2010 and 15 home runs (277 at-bats) in 2011.

In the 2008 season, Thome hit 34 home runs in 149 games (503 at-bats) with the Chicago White Sox.  Health permitting, it may be reasonable to project anywhere from 20 to 30 home runs for Thome in 2012.  There are several factors that work against Thome’s fantasy relevance in 2012, however.  First of all, Thome is in the twilight of his career and health is always a concern with an older player.  Secondly, how much playing time Thome receives is pure speculation at this point.

I believe Thome will see significant playing time because the Phillies signed him before they acquired Ty Wigginton.  I believe the Phillies acquired Thome first because they have plans to use him in the lineup.  Much of Thome’s fantasy value in 2012 will rest on the achilles tendon of Ryan Howard.  If Howard makes a healthy recovery and regains the starting job, Thome’s fantasy value will be shot.  If Howard suffers setbacks at all in his recovery, Thome could have a Berkman-like revival in 2012.

You should not gamble on Thome being your first base savior for your fantasy teams in 2012; however, drafting him late may be an opportunistic cheap source of home runs for your team.

Anthony Rizzo

It is not often you see praise written for a hitter who hit below the Mendoza line in 40-plus games of experience; however, Rizzo is a very promising hitter.  San Diego Padres fans who remember the sting of losing Adrian Gonzalez to free agency will feel much better if Rizzo plays to his potential.

In 2011 with the Tucson Padres (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, Rizzo hit .331 with 26 home runs and 101 RBIs.  Rizzo reached base at a .404 clip while slugging .652 with a 1.056 OPS.  Although his MLB numbers were unimpressive in 2011, Rizzo hit the ball hard and just had the misfortune of hitting the ball to defensive players too frequently.  With some more experience in 2012 and a larger sample size of games, Rizzo should conceivably improve his numbers dramatically and play an important role in the Padres’ lineup.

Brandon Belt

Belt is a promising young first baseman who should see plenty of playing time with the San Francisco Giants.  In 2011, Belt and Aubrey Huff shared time at first base and in the outfield.  Whether playing at first base or in the outfield, Belt should see playing time in 2012; furthermore, Belt should have first base eligibility in your 2012 fantasy leagues (he played 26 games at first base in 2011).

Belt has already shown flashes of his potential at the MLB level; he merely needs more experience and consistency.  In 31 losses last season, Belt struggled with a .128 AVG, one home run and four RBIs; in 32 wins, Belt hit .323 with eight home runs and 14 RBIs.  If Belt can maintain some semblance of consistency in 2012, a .280 AVG and 20-plus home runs may be reasonable.

In addition to the six first basemen discussed here, there are others in the NL worth keeping an eye on.  The six discussed here are those who may have the best value for their average draft position (ADP) in 2012 if their stars are aligned (metaphorically speaking).  Pujols signing with the Angels should have no effect on how you view the talent pool at first base in mixed leagues or NL-only leagues.

Those of you in NL-only leagues should not hit the panic button and realize that there is plenty of promise at first base outside of Votto, Fielder and Howard.  Address as many needs as you can in your fantasy drafts and pay attention to news updates on first basemen.

Last, but not least:  on behalf of all of us at Baseball Digest, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached atphilliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Our featured bloggers that provided us with the in depth Report Card series that has just concluded are back to give everyone an in depth look at what the off season holds for the major league teams they cover.  A look at what each team needs, what each team has already gained and lost, and some of the youth in each team’s system will be examined in these articles.  You can find all of the author’s information at the bottom of the article.

Key Free Agents Leaving
David Aardsma is probably the biggest name to be released by the Mariners this off-season.  Aardsma was the Mariners closer in 2009 and 2010, before losing the 2011 season to injury.  Brandon League took over, and as expected, the Mariners waived goodbye to Aardsma.  Aardsma may return as a minor league free agent.

Adam Kennedy was signed before 2011 to provide some infield depth.  Kennedy started at least 23 games at every infield position, except he never played shortstop in 2011.

In the bullpen, Chris Ray and Jamey Wright are both free agents.  Between them, they pitched over 101 innings in 89 games.  Wright turned in one of his best statistical seasons for the Mariners.

Key Areas Needing Improvement
The Mariners are like a leaking ship that has plenty of holes.  Fortunately, it appears they have enough talent to fill those holes in-house (or on-ship) without having to dive too much in the free agent market.  The Mariners need to upgrade their overall offense.  They were last in the AL in batting average, runs, hits, total bases, RBIs, slugging, and on-base percentage.  Gm Jack Zduriencik does have ties to former Brewers slugger Prince Fielder, so the rumors are out there that the Mariners may go over Fielder to improve the offense instantly.

The Mariners will also look to bolster their bullpen, whether it’s to bring back Chris Ray and Jamey Wright, or elsewhere.  Overall, Seattle’s bullpen was not that bad statistically, so an extra arm or two could do wonders for the team.

Finally, the Mariners have a need at catcher.  Starter Miguel Olivo had a terrible offensive and defensive year.  Even though the Mariners need all the offense they can get, the team may be ok with a defensive catcher that doesn’t hit much, to give the pitching staff confidence.

Pieces That Are In Place
The infield is mostly set with 2009 third round pick Kyle Singer probably taking over at third, and hopefully providing more offense than Chone Figgins’ .188 batting average last year.  Brendan Ryan should enter 2012 as the starting shortstop while 2009 first round pick Dustin Ackley will start at second.  As of now Justin Smoak and Mike Carp will probably split time at first, with the non-starter still adding to the lineup at DH.

The outfield is set in right with Ichiro, and in center with Franklin Gutierrez, but left field should be an open competition.  Carlos Peguero and Mike Carp made some starts in left, as did trade deadline Casper Wells. Michael Saunders and Trayvon Robinson made spot starts.  Casper Wells probably has the inside track, having had starting experience with the Detroit Tigers

Possible Trade Pieces Within The Organization
The Mariners have some trade pieces at the major league level, but those pieces fit the profile of the youth movement the Mariners are going through.  Guys like Ackley, League, Carp, Smoak, and Singer are probably untouchable.  Ichiro would be an interesting name, but the chance of him getting moved is very slim.

In the farm system, the Mariners have some pitching prospects.  Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen, and James Paxton are arguably the top three pitching prospects, and could be packed in some combination should the Mariners have the chance.  Currently, the pitching rotation is fairly set, so the Mariners might not be scared to move a prospect if the price was right.

Nick Franklin is probably the top positional prospect.  He could play some short at some point, so he might not be moved.

Moves Already Completed
The Mariners addressed their need for a defensive catcher by trading for John Jaso from the Tampa Bay Rays.  Jaso won’t be a free agent until 2016.

2012 Rookie Outlook
The Mariners have given playing time to many of their top prospects like Ackley and Singer.  Because of the age of the team, no prospects are expected to be given must playing time, unless injuries arise.  Their top pitching prospects are more of the starting variety, but the rotation looks set as of right now.  If Charlie Furbush does not hold down the last rotation spot, the team may look to either Paxton or Hultzen, with Paxton having a bit more experience in the minors.

Nick Waddell
www.seamheads.com

These report cards were written by twenty nine talented individuals across the internet that keep a close eye on the team they cover.  It was the first of our “Featured Blogger” series.  The second part, an Off-Season Outlook, will be brought to you the remainder of this week.  The same writers will return in the Spring to provide a 2012 Season Preview about the teams.

This year’s Featured Bloggers are listed below along with their website and the link to their Report Card:

American League East
Baltimore Orioles - Austin Gisriel, Seamheads
Boston Red Sox – Michael Lynch, Seamheads
New York Yankees – William Tasker, The Flagrant Fan
Tampa Bay Rays – Yossi Feins, The Rays Rant
Toronto Blue Jays – Peter DeMarco, Some Thoughts On Baseball

American League Central
Chicago White Sox – Terry Keshner, Planet Back
Cleveland Indians – David Henderson, Tribe Cards
Detroit Tigers – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Kansas City Royals – Todd Fertig, I-70 Baseball
Minnesota Twins – Von Hendry, Seamheads

American League West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Bryan Grosnick, Roto Hardball
Oakland As – Jason Leary, Junk Ball
Seattle Mariners – Nick Waddell, Seamheads
Texas Rangers – Dan Edmonson, Chicken Fried Baseball

National League East
Atlanta Braves – Andrew Martin, Baseball Historian
Florida Marlins – Eddie Gilley, Eddie Gilley Blogspot
New York Mets – AC Wayne, Mets Public Record
Philadelphia Phillies – Matthew Buesing, Fire And Ice Sports
Washington Nationals – Aaron Somers , District On Deck

National League Central
Chicago Cubs – Robert Harris, Blue Batting Helmet
Cincinnati Reds – Gary Schatz, Full Of Schatz
Houston Astros – Michael Barr, Fan Graphs
Milwaukee Brewers – Paul Heinz, Paul Heinz.com
Pittsburgh Pirates – Ryan Sendek, Analysis Around The Horn
St. Louis Cardinals – Daniel Shoptaw , C70 At The Bat

National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks – Patrick Lagreid, Baseball On My Brain
Colorado Rockies – Michelle Hoag, Rockies Woman
Los Angeles Dodgers – Paul F Sullivan, Sully Baseball
San Diego Padres – Michael Metzger, Padres Trail
San Francisco Giants – Julian Levine, Giants Nirvana

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com and the founder of i70baseball.com, an official Baseball Digest website covering the Cardinals and Royals.

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BaseballDigest.com aims to keep up that tradition.  This season, we bring you a Report Card on each team in Major League Baseball from writers that cover that team directly.  At the bottom of each write up, you will find the writer’s name, website, and any other pertinent information.  

Before the 2011 season, the Seattle Mariners were viewed as more of a rebuilding team for Eric Wedge’s first year in the Pacific Northwest, mainly built around young ace Felix Hernandez.  The Mariners didn’t surprise anyone by finishing fourth in the AL West, but they did surprise a lot of people by ripping off a seventeen-game losing streak in July.  The Mariners were 43-43 before that losing streak, and never fully recovered, finishing 14 games below the .500 mark at 67-95

Rotation: B+
Despite the Mariners starters going 49- 75, they were sixth in the AL with a 4.04 ERA.  Starters also pitched the fourth-most innings (1021.1), and third-best batting average against (.252).  They had the second-most strikeouts with the third fewest walks in the AL, and the fourth-best WHIP.  The biggest downside to the starters, despite giving up the fifth-most homer runs in the AL (113) was that they had the worst run support in the AL (fourth-worst in MLB).  Mariners fans have a lot to look forward to in terms of starting pitchers because of the steps taken by the rotation this year.  All-Star Felix Hernandez turned in another good year in a so far stellar career leading the team in strikeouts, and leading the starters with a 3.31 strikeout-to-walk ratio.  Jason Vargas did not have a flashy year, but had decent, solid numbers.  Michael Pineda (who was signed as a free agent at age 16), showed why he was signed with some well-pitched games at the young age of 22, even being named to the All-Star team.  Former first round pick Blake Beavan, who came over from Texas in the Cliff Lee deal in 2010, notched 15 starts and showed some promise.

Doug Fister was the M’s best pitcher, but he was traded at the deadline to the Detroit Tigers for a package including pitchers Charlie Furbush and former first rounder Chance Ruffin.  Furbush made 10 starts, but was up-and-down.  He showed some promise in some games, and was rocked in others.

Overall, the rotation pitched well, but was doomed by the lack of run support.  M’s fans should be happy with the job the rotation did, and look forward to the future.

Bullpen: B
Like the starters, the relievers had good stats while not getting run support.  The Mariners bullpen had the third-best ERA and the lowest number of walks in the AL.  The relievers even limited opposing batters to a .249 batting average, gave up the fewest home runs in the AL, had the third fewest blown saves, and sixth-best WHIP.

Closer Brandon League saved 37 games for the Mariners and made the All-Star game.  It was League’s first chance to be a full-time closer after David Aardsma (who was the 2010 closer) missed the season due to an elbow injury.  David Pauley turned in a 2.15 ERA before being shipped to Detroit in the Doug Fister deal.  Veteran Jamey Wright led all relievers with 48 strikeouts.  Mid-season acquisition Chance Ruffin showed some promise in 14 innings of work.

BD Report Cards brought to you by Seamheads

Catchers: D
Starting catcher Miguel Olivo had more home runs (19) and more RBIs (62) than last year, but his batting average dropped to .224, on-base percentage dropped to .253 and slugging dropped to .388.  He was worst or second-worst in offensive stats of all catchers with at least 400 plate appearances.  His fielding percentage (.988) and errors (11) were the worst in the league as well.  Backup Josh Bard was just that, a backup.  He added little offensively, and had the same fielding percentage as Olivo.

Infield: C
Chone Figgins, Brendan Ryan, Dustin Ackley, and Justin Smoak were the primary infielders from left to right.  Figgins signed a large deal before 2010 to play in Seattle, but only played in 81 games with a .188 batting average.  After four years in St Louis, Brendan Ryan took his game to Seattle and had a career-high in RBIs (39) walks (34).  An interesting and useless fact about Ryan is that in his first two years in St. Louis, he had 9 doubles each year.  For the past three years, he has had 19 doubles per year.  Dustin Ackley, draft second overall in 2009, was called up in mid-June to take over second base from Jack Wilson.  He responded by hitting .273, with 6 home runs, and 36 RBIs.  He also led the team with a .348 on-base percentage.  Another 2009 draft pick, third-rounder Kyle Seager, was called up in August to take Figgins’ place and played decently while hitting .258.  Justin Smoak, a trade piece in the Cliff Lee deal in 2010, showed some power with 24 doubles, 15 home runs, and 55 RBIs, but only a .234 batting average to show for it.  He also struck out 105 times.  Free-agent acquisition Adam Kennedy, a career .275 hitter before this season, hit .234.

Fielding, the Mariners were lost at sea.  Brendan Ryan led the team with 15 errors.  Chone Figgins was third with 11, in only a half-season worth of work while Justin Smoak was fourth with 7.  Kennedy did play well defensively, mainly spending time at first and second.

Outfield: D+
Overall, Seattle had the worst batting average in MLB, and the outfield didn’t make anything better.  Even Ichiro, who never hit below .303 since he arrived in the league in 2001, hit .272.  Franklin Gutierrez missed time due to injury.  Youngsters Carlos Peguero, Trayvon Robinson, and Michael Saunders all got playing time in the outfield, but none showed any offensive prowess.  Even Casper Wells who was hitting .257 with Detroit, only hit .216 in Seattle with about the same number of at-bats.    In terms of fielding, all outfielders had fielding percentages under .990. At times, the Mariner outfield appeared to be on a boat adrift at sea.

Top Offensive Player
Dustin Ackley was the best of a bad lot.  His on-base percentage led the team, and the .273 was best for the starters.  Ackley gets the nod over utility man Mike Carp (who played a lot of first base in August) because of Ackley’s extra-base power.  Ackley hit 16 doubles, and 7 triples, to go along with 6 home runs.  Ackley’s numbers weren’t eye-popping, but were solid enough for a 23 year old in his first partial season of work at the big league level, and with less than 2 years minor league experience.

Top Pitcher
Surprisingly, naming a top pitcher is difficult for the Mariners.  Many pitchers pitched well in 2010, but it comes down to two: Doug Fister and Felix Hernandez. Honorable mention goes to young Michael Pineda, but the Mariner’s best pitcher as King Felix.  Fister was traded to the Tigers at mid-season, but not before being saddled with a 3-12 mark due to awful run support, contradicting his 3.33 ERA.  Hernandez gets the nod for his 14-14 record, 3.47 ERA, and 222 strikeouts.  Felix had the fourth-worst run support (only better than Tim Lincecum, Doug Fister, Paul Maholm, and Jered Weaver), yet still had 14 wins.  In 7 seasons (six full as a starter), Hernandez has 2 All-Star games and a Cy Young award to his name.

Nick Waddell
www.seamheads.com

Hellickson threw 189 innings and finished 13-10, 2.95. He had a very good 1.153 WHIP and a 4.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). He allowed just 146 hits and averaged just one home run allowed per nine innings. Hellickson joined teammate Evan Longoria (2008) as the only Rays to win the ROY Award.

Kimbrel was a strikeout machine in his freshman year in the ATL. He led the league with 46 saves and averaged 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He also led the NL in games finished (64), while he compiled a 4-3, 2.10 mark and earned a place on the NL All-Star team. Kimbrel is the first Brave to win the award since Rafael Furcal took top rookie honors in 2000. Other franchise winners are David Justice (2000), Bob Horner (1978), and Earl Williams (1971).

It was the first time since Fernando Valenzuela (LAD) and Dave Righetti (NYY) were Rookie of the Year winners in 1981, that the league’s two awards went to pitchers in the same year.

Below is the complete results of this year’s vote.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

During the 1995 season, the New York Yankees had made the playoffs as the first American League Wild Card winner, however, Rivera did not play a part in getting there. The then 25-year-old rode the bench, receiving rare chances while not taking advantage of the times he did.

His 5.51 ERA said it best — he was a failed starter, one who underwent elbow surgery just three years prior. Being sent to the bullpen was said to be his last chance or in his case, the place where he belonged.

He almost never had the chance to prove it.

There were trade rumblings that the Yankees were going to acquire a veteran shortstop and the price was parting with Rivera. However, the Yankees decided not to go ahead with the trade, a decision that would change the franchise’s fate over the next decade.

After the divisional round loss to the Seattle Mariners, Yankees management showed then manager Buck Showalter the door and hired a perennial loser named Joe Torre. Torre did not know it at the time, but the last member of his bullpen — the long man — was special.

Rivera would be called on to pitch in situations the starter faltered early, and Torre expected him to hold the fort. He did just that and soon pitched his way into a more prominent position, the role of the set-up man for closer John Wetteland.

The 1996 campaign was the debut of a formula, one that soon witnessed Wetteland being supplanted by Rivera the very next season. From then on, it’s history.

From the 1997 season to the present day, Rivera has been the best closer in all of baseball, a weapon no other team could match late in games. However, what is it that sets Rivera apart from the rest?

Simply put, Rivera changed the game of baseball like great pitchers before him. Bruce Sutter was also a struggling starter, one who was banished to the bullpen, but while there he developed a pitch that would change his career and many after him.

The pitch: a splitter. Sutter used the splitter to record 300 saves en route to a Hall of Fame career. The splitter helped pitchers lengthen their careers, most notably Roger Clemens. Rivera and his cutter have down the same.

The cutter is now an essential pitch to any pitcher’s repertoire. A fastball that moves at the very last second, darting away from the barrel of the bat and recording outs.

It can be argued that Rivera also made the Yankees. Many credit Derek Jeter and his clutch play during the playoffs as reasons they now have 27 World Series Championship flags lining their stadium, but would they have them without Rivera?

The answer is a resounding no.

Rivera’s dominance in the postseason has been well-documented and is stuff of legend. Elite players pick up their game when everything is on the line and his 0.71 ERA in 94 postseason appearances says everything.

When the final three outs needed to be recorded, Rivera is as close to unhittable in the playoffs as one can be. Being named the MVP of multiple playoff rounds shows the impact he can have.

When “Enter Sandman” blares over the speakers, 54,000 people erupt and the opposing dugout lets out a collective groan.

Rivera gives the Yankees a psychological edge, representing an aura of invincibility.

As Rivera recorded his historic 602nd save, one must realize his significance to the Yankees success. Without Rivera, the Yankees dynasty may never have been realized.

When he decides to retire, it will be a dark day for Yankee fans. Until then, sit back and watch history play itself in front of you, one pitch, one strike and one out at a time.

There will never be another like him. Enjoy his brilliance while you can.

Ryan Lazo is a Senior Writer for baseballdigest.com. He can reached at RMLazo13@gmail.com, followed on Twitter @RMLazo13 and read his blog Artificially Enhanced.

Before the season began, the Cleveland Indians were generally picked to finish in last place. They were one of the youngest teams in the league. Their best player, Grady Sizemore, was starting the season on the disabled list. Shin-Soo Choo was still dealing with the after effects of his off the field problem. Jack Hannahan was given the starting third base job by default despite rookie Lonnie Chisenhall’s outstanding spring performance. The rotation did not have a quintessential ace and looked more like a collection of number four starters. The Indians’ biggest offseason addition was veteran Orlando Cabrera. Despite some talent developing in the minors, it looked to be a long season in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Indians front office, however, did not believe that. Many times, front office personnel will pay lip service to being able to compete despite a flawed roster or have unrealistic expectations heading into the season based on a period of good play the previous year. The latter happened with the Seattle Mariners a couple of seasons ago. The former happens every season with multiple teams. But, the Indians weren’t in either group.

“When you looked at our team in the spring, we had a lot of young players. We knew we had talent, but young talent is uncertain and volatile. We knew we had talent on the Major League roster and at the other levels of our farm system. We just didn’t know how quickly they would proceed. We knew that if everything broke right, we could contend,” said Mike Chernoff, the Indians Assistant General Manager.

Chernoff and General Manager Chris Antonetti were right about the talent, but wrong about everything going their way. That combination of young talent, some veteran performances, and a weak division helped the Indians to get off 30-15. But, that start wasn’t a product of their expected stars. Choo wasn’t hitting; after a quick return, Sizemore slowed and landed back on the disabled list. Even with all of that, after 45 games, the Indians were the best team in Baseball. “The Cabrera’s (Orlando and Asdrubal) got off to hot starts. The bullpen kept us in close games and we got good performances from the rotation. If you look at our arms out of pen, they are all in their first or second year,” stated Chernoff.

The hot start was the single best story of the early season. The Indians kept winning, but the injuries began to mount. For a small market team, a rash of injuries is typically devastating because the bench is usually thin and it forces them to accelerate the development of their prospects. “The greatest challenge was filling in. At one point, we had 40 percent of our rotation and the top five guys in our regular lineup on the disabled list. One of the challenges of a small market team is you can’t build depth on the Major League roster so you build from Minors. The credit has to go to our scouts and player development team for building that depth. It was the most significant challenge we faced this year,” said Chernoff.

While the division race was getting tighter, the Indians kept plugging those holes. The farm system started to bring some players to the Major League level. Lonnie Chisenhall was brought up. Alex White made his Major League debut. Later in the season, second baseman Jason Kipnis was called up. The young talent began to infiltrate the roster. Asdrubal Cabrera, finally healthy, put together an All-Star season and Carlos Santana continued to develop.

Despite all of the positives after the first 45 games, they won just 23 games against 46 losses in their next 69 games. At the non-waiver trade deadline, they were in second place, but only 1.5 games behind the Tigers. Most believed that the Indians had their run, but that they had some luck mixed in to yield those results. The Twins and White Sox were under-performing. The Tigers slept walked through most of the first half before finally overtaking the Indians. The Indians’ pitching showed signs of weakness, especially in the power department. Despite good results, the Indians lacked a starter with strikeout ability. Justin Masterson led the rotation with 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings. While solid, the lack of strikeouts puts way too much pressure on a team defense.

It looked like the Indians should’ve started the “preparing for next season” plan under the idea that they showed some promise and now it was time to sell off some assets to continue to stock the farm system. Antonetti and Chernoff did the exact opposite. They packaged prized prospects Alex White and Drew Pomeranz along with Joe Gardner and Matt McBride for the Colorado Rockies’ ace, Ubaldo Jimenez. The trade was surprising on a number of levels. The Indians have always been an organization that values prospects. They gave up two of their best prospects for a pitcher who had struggled since the All-Star break of last season. He was a pitcher who showed up out of shape for Spring Training this season and had lost some velocity in the early season. The velocity loss and slow start are concerns, but outside of Coors Field, Jimenez pitched like the pitcher he showed he could be over the past three seasons. Before the trade, he demonstrated that he was still an ace outside of Coors Field. Away from Coors, Jimenez started 10 games. In 61.1 innings, he allowed just 40 hits, 23 runs, 26 walks, and struck out 67 batters. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The question remained as to whether or not the Indians lost focus on their plan. They weren’t expected to compete. They were looking at 2013 as the real target date for their best prospects to all be at the Major League level. Could a big start be enough for them to put all of their chips in and unload their farm system? The Seattle Mariners did that a couple of seasons ago when they misread a good season filled with good fortune for a real contender that was just a couple of high priced players away from contention. It is a dangerous path, especially for a small market team. If they misread the situation and trade from their farm system, it could set back the organization a good five years at minimum.

“It was never a short term type of deal. We’re looking at a window of having a core together and adding a guy like Ubaldo Jimenez to impact a potential playoff run and what we think will be a competitive window over the next couple of seasons, it was a move we felt we had to make in order for us to get to that level. We knew his velocity was down and that he had some injuries early. We know with a good offseason, he can be the ace,” said Chernoff.

It was a unique situation to be in for the Indians. They valued their prospects, but they had the chance to acquire a 27 year old pitcher who could and should be their ace over the next couple of seasons. He comes with two more years at an affordable price. If he performs to his 2010 standards, the Indians have a great value. “With that contract and his stuff, he was an ideal fit for our club. Pitchers with his capabilities don’t come on the market all that often and they aren’t often that cost efficient.  We liked the pitching prospects we gave up, but they are pitching prospects. Jimenez is more of a sure thing, “ added Chernoff.

Adding a pitcher like Jimenez was paramount for the organization if they truly wanted to contend. The organization lacks a big strikeout pitcher. Jimenez is one of them. He’s averaging 9.2 K/9 during his first 8 starts. While he started slow, he has seemingly found the form that the Indians were looking for. In his last four starts, he has pitched 26 innings, allowed 18 hits, 11 walks, and has struck out 26 batters. His 3.12 ERA and opponents batting line of .191/.290/.309 are in line with the ace-level stuff that the Indians were banking on.

The reality of the season finally came for the Indians. They are no longer contenders thanks to their own poor play, so many injuries, and the Tigers’ hot streak. They are now struggling to finish .500 on the season. Although the beginning of the season began with so much promise, it would be a mistake to label this season as disappointing. The youthful Indians gained valuable experience. They were able to promote Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis. Carlos Santana is more experienced. Michael Brantley played well for a large stretch of the season. Asdrubal Cabrera is one of the better shortstops in Baseball. “We certainly wanted to win the division, but we are happy with the progress we’ve made in a lot of areas. Jason Kipnis surprised us. We knew he was talented, but you never expect that type of performance right off the bat. Lou Marson came on in the second half, which allowed us to move Carlos (Santana) around. Jason Donald has filled in well. And, Carlos Santana gives us great power from that position and gets on base,” said Chernoff.

Santana is still one of the best offensive prospects in the game. At quick glance, Santana has posted a disappointing season as he has a .236/.348/.446 batting line. But, a .348 on base percentage is significant from a catcher as are his 31 doubles and 23 homeruns. It is often overlooked how difficult it is for a young catcher to manage a staff and learn how to hit at the Major League level. It is especially important to someone like Santana, who hasn’t been a catcher all that long. “It’s important to remember that he’s only been a catcher for four years. As a hitter, he needs to develop a more consistent approach. Sometimes he gets stuck in pull mode. He continues to patient, but just needs to develop the consistency to hit where the ball is pitched,” continued Chernoff,  “Defensively, it is also about consistently. Staying in game, calling the right pitches, his footwork needs to consistent. Those are things that most young catchers need to work on.”

Perhaps the Indians would be best served to move Santana to another position in order to maximize his offensive potential. Chernoff isn’t quite ready to do that. “We’ll continue to evaluate. There’s no reason why he can’t be the catcher of the Cleveland Indians. Because his bat is so good, keeping the 1B option open is important. Most catchers will catch 120 games a year. We need another position, whether it is first base or DH, to give him another 20 to 30 games.”

As the season heads into the final couple of weeks, the Indians’ goals have obviously changed. The playoffs aren’t happening. But, the organization believes it has a winning club. Finishing with more than 81 wins after dealing with all of the injuries would be an accomplishment. The season has given the young Indians experience to use next season both on and off the field. Being in first place and playing meaningful games in August is a help. Getting to pick the brain of someone like Jim Thome, a player whom Chernoff says has already become a go to guy in the clubhouse for the younger players, is invaluable. All of that helps. But, Chernoff is insistent on the notion that this season hasn’t impacted the organizational plan.

“We felt we could contend this year and we did. The focus didn’t change, but it certainly sped up the process this season with our success. And that’s great. We’re focusing on winning. Look, we’re a small market team so we’re probably not going to sign the top free agents, but we are looking at putting out the best team we can. If that means signing a free agent that fits our budget, then we’ll do it. We have a window with our core offense and Ubaldo Jimenez leading our staff. We will contend next season,” said Chernoff.

The 2011 season didn’t finish like the Indians imagined. They looked like the magical team before all of the injuries hit. But, this season is the type of foundation-setting season for a young team with some high end talent. The entered the season without a number one starter. They will enter next season with Ubaldo Jimenez fronting the rotation. That is a major upgrade. The young bullpen will return in tact.

There are many questions and flaws that must be fixed. It is certain that the Indians won’t compete with the Tigers and White Sox on the free agent front. But, the organization has shown an ability to develop talent and make good trades. With their young core in place, an ace to lead the staff, a young bullpen, and a developing star in Santana, the Indians can compete in 2012. That alone validates their 2011 season. Success can be defined in many ways. The 2011 Indians have been successful. They’ve set up the 2012 Indians to be legitimate contenders for the Central Division crown.

Ivan Nova (11-4, 3.85 ERA)

While Seattle Mariners rookie sensation Michael Pineda’s production has been dipping lately, the New York Yankees’ Nova has been pitching lights-out baseball.  From April through June, Nova was 7-4 with an unimpressive 4.26 ERA.

Since July, Nova’s pitching has been on par with staff ace C.C. Sabathia, going 4-0 in four starts with a 2.45 ERA.  Despite this stretch of superb pitching, Nova is only owned in 33% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues at this time.  Add Nova while you still can.  He is pitching like an ace recently and has the benefit of the Yankees lineup hitting for him.

Rick Porcello (11-7, 4.93 ERA)

Fantasy managers are understandably unexcited about adding a pitcher with an ERA hovering near 5.00 on the season.  The 2011 season has not been the breakout season many expected to see from Porcello as it has been a season of up-and-down performances; however, his pitching has been strong recently.

Prior to his eight-run blowup on August 10, Porcello was 5-0 with a 3.26 ERA in his previous six starts.  Porcello is a very talented young pitcher.  Although he offers a low strikeout rate, his pitching is top-notch quality when he is on his game.  Although he is a streaky pitcher, Porcello is worth adding if you feel comfortable about his matchups.  Porcello is currently owned in only 13% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Vance Worley (8-1, 2.85 ERA)

Over the past 30 days, Worley has been one of the most popular adds from the waiver wire.  His fantasy ownership increased from single-digit percentages up to 57% at this time.

Do not be fooled by Worley’s 3.97 ERA in his past five starts; that ERA was inflated by a six-run blowup in his most recent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Prior to his six-run blowup against the Dodgers, Worley was 5-0 in his previous six starts with a 2.13 ERA.

Unless Worley encounters more outings similar to his blowup against the Dodgers, he continues to be a must-add from the waiver wire.  Worley has played a big role in the Philadelphia Phillies’ superb pitching rotation and has a rejuvenated Phillies lineup to support him.

Mark Buehrle (10-5, 3.06 ERA)

Like the Detroit Tigers’ Rick Porcello, Buehrle offers a low strikeout rate (only 83 strikeouts in 156 innings); however, his strong pitching can help your team.

Since the All-Star break ended, Buehrle is 4-0 in his last five starts with a 1.80 ERA.  Skeptics may point out that Buehrle has a career 3.61 ERA before the All-Star break and a 4.03 ERA after the break; however, you have to ride the hot streak while it’s there.  Until Buehrle cools off, he is a must-add.

At this time, Buehrle is owned in only 39% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Ricky Nolasco (9-8, 3.72 ERA)

The Florida Marlins’ Nolasco is another example of an up-and-down streaky pitcher.  Frankly, most pitchers you find on the waiver wire will be streaky, as the consistent ones are ordinarily already owned.  For the season, Nolasco has a 1.44 ERA in his nine wins and a 7.02 ERA in his eight losses.

Nolasco’s dominate-or-struggle style of pitching can be intimidating to add from the waiver wire; however, Nolasco’s dominance and his struggles both come in bunches.  At this time, Nolasco is on a hot streak with a 5-4 record and 2.52 ERA in his last nine starts.

Had Nolasco received any run support, he could have easily won seven or eight of his last nine starts.  If you exclude the nine-run outing Nolasco suffered in less than two innings on July 20, Nolasco would then be 5-3 with a 1.21 ERA in his other eight starts.

Add Nolasco now and ride the hot streak.  Nolasco is currently owned in 64% of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Throughout the remainder of your fantasy season, be sure to keep an eye on the matchups and spot trends in a pitchers’ performance.  Just as hot pitching can win a World Series, it can also win you a fantasy championship.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

Erik Bedard (SP, Boston Red Sox)

The Seattle Mariners traded Bedard to the Red Sox.  Do not be fooled by Bedard’s 4-7 record and 3.45 ERA!  Bedard started the season 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA in his first four starts.  Since then, Bedard is 4-3 with a 2.35 in 12 starts.

Some may be concerned about Bedard’s fantasy value now because he will have to face the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.  Those who doubt his fantasy value should put their fears to rest:  Bedard is a good pitcher when healthy and he has prior experience against the AL East, as he started his career with the Baltimore Orioles in 2002.  In his last two seasons with the Orioles (2006 and 2007), Bedard went 28-16 with a 3.47 ERA.

After posting solid numbers in the past when he had to face the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays, facing the Yankees and the Rays should pose no problem for Bedard.  The Red Sox should provide Bedard plenty of run support.  If the AL East leads to a slight increase in Bedard’s ERA, Bedard owners should be pleased to trade some points in their ERA for more wins.

When I suggested adding Bedard in a column on May 23, he was owned in 22% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues at the time.  On June 20, Bedard was owned in 59% of leagues; however, his ownership has decreased to 46% at this time.  With Bedard now off the disabled list and pitching for the high-scoring Red Sox, his ownership percentage should skyrocket.

Ryan Ludwick (OF, Pittsburgh Pirates)

The San Diego Padres traded Ludwick to the Pirates.  Ludwick has had a difficult time in earning respect from fantasy managers this season.  On July 25, Ludwick was owned in only 31% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  At that time, Ludwick was the only player to have 60 or more RBIs and be owned in less than 85% of leagues!

Despite being traded from the offensively-challenged Padres, Ludwick’s ownership dropped from 31% to 29% at this time.  If Ludwick’s .238 AVG scares you, that is understandable; however, a player in the top 30 in RBIs deserves more attention in fantasy baseball.

While the Pirates and Padres are not offensive juggernauts, the Pirates should conceivably elevate Ludwick’s fantasy value.  Despite playing in three fewer games than the Padres, the Pirates have scored 23 more runs.  Being traded away from San Diego’s pitcher-friendly ballpark and the NL West’s power pitchers (Tim Lincecum and Ubaldo Jimenez, for example, although Jimenez is now in the AL Central) should help Ludwick’s fantasy value.  Now in the NL Central, Ludwick will face weaker pitching as he steps into the box against teams like the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds.  Furthermore, Pittsburgh’s ballpark will not be the same pitching paradise San Diego’s ballpark was.

Owned in only 29% of leagues at this time, Ludwick is worth a serious look on the waiver wire.  If you need help in RBIs, you should add Ludwick.  The Pirates may help him score more runs than the Padres did.

Raul Ibanez (OF, Philadelphia Phillies)

I believe I recommended Ibanez several times this season, most recently in a July 25 column.  At that time, Ibanez was owned in 42% of Yahoo! leagues.  Since then, Ibanez had climbed to 46% ownership after hitting 8-for-27 (.296 AVG) with three home runs and nine RBIs in seven games.

Ibanez has a tendency to be a streaky hitter; however, he might start to show more consistency with newly-acquired Hunter Pence in the Phillies lineup.  With Pence hitting between Ryan Howard and Ibanez, and recently-activated Placido Polanco batting after Ibanez, Ibanez should see more good pitches to hit.

Owned in 46% of Yahoo! leagues at this time, Ibanez should be added if you need help in the outfield.  The Phillies offense is rejuvenated and now improved with the arrival of Pence.  Pence’s presence in the lineup should create a positive domino effect throughout the lineup.

Dustin Ackley (2B/OF, Seattle Mariners)

Shortly after Ackley’s promotion to the majors, I suggested picking him up from the waiver wire in a June 20 column.  At that time, Ackley was owned in 32% of Yahoo! leagues and had position eligibility only in the outfield.  Since then, Ackley’s ownership increased to 42% and he gained position eligibility at second base.

Ackley has been nothing short of impressive, as he now carries a .305 AVG with five home runs and 20 RBIs.  Of Ackley’s 40 hits, 17 were for extra bases (nine doubles, three triples, five home runs).  Ackley’s value should continue to go up, as the Mariners moved him up to third in the batting order.  In his past eight games, Ackley is 12-for-30 (.400 AVG) with one home run and six RBIs.  Of those 12 hits, six were for extra bases.  In his 18 games batting third, Ackley has a .315 AVG with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

Ackley is a young star on the rise, and should continue to see his ownership increase in fantasy leagues.  His eligibility at both second base and outfield should prove very useful in rotating players in and out of your lineup.

Freddie Freeman (1B, Atlanta Braves)

When I suggested adding Freeman in a June 27 column, he was owned in only 28% of Yahoo! leagues at the time.  Since then, Freeman hit .362 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 30 games.  Fantasy managers took notice, as Freeman’s ownership increased from 28% to 71% at this time.

If you are somehow in the 29% of leagues that do not own Freeman, add him as soon as possible.  He is hitting like an MVP in his past 30 games and should be the favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year.

Emilio Bonifacio (3B/SS/OF, Florida Marlins)

When I recommended adding Bonifacio in a July 18 column, he was owned in only 47% of Yahoo! leagues at the time.  Readers have certainly taken notice of Bonifacio, as he is now owned in 70% of Yahoo! leagues.

Over the past 30 days, Bonifacio hit .389 with a league-leading 26 runs and a league-leading 16 steals.  In addition to his production helping your team, Bonifacio’s position flexibility should enable you to rotate players in and out of your lineup; it also gives you more options to discuss in your fantasy trade negotiations if your league’s deadline has not passed yet.

Vance Worley (SP, Philadelphia Phillies)

Like Bonifacio and Freeman, Worley is another fast climber in fantasy ownership.  When I advised adding Worley in a July 11 column, he was owned in 14% of Yahoo! leagues at the time.  Since then, Worley is 3-0 in four starts with a 2.54 ERA.  For the season, Worley is 7-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.

Since July 11, Worley’s ownership increased from 14% to 67% in Yahoo! leagues.  The old adage “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it” applies to Worley.  There is no reason to believe Worley will be moved out of the rotation at this time.  As long as he pitches lights-out baseball, he will remain a fixture in the Phillies rotation.  When/if Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton return, it is likely Blanton who will be moved to the bullpen while Worley remains in the rotation.

Despite Oswalt and Blanton’s lingering injuries this season, the Phillies have the best pitching rotation in baseball and Worley’s performances have been on par with his fellow pitchers.  If he is available in your league, do not hesitate to add him.

Logan Morrison (OF, Florida Marlins)

Morrison had a hot start to his 2011 season and was a popular waiver wire pickup.  Eventually, his injury affected his performance and his ownership in fantasy leagues dropped.

Morrison is now owned in only 50% of Yahoo! leagues and should be taken seriously again.  Despite a .210 AVG in the past 30 days, Morrison hit a league-leading 25 RBIs during that time.  If he regains his form and returns to the disciplined on-base machine he normally is, those numbers should conceivably improve!

With the recent hot hitting of Bonifacio and Stanton, the Marlins may be on the verge of a massive fantasy breakout if Hanley Ramirez and Morrison can return to form. 

Adam Dunn (1B, Chicago White Sox) and Dan Uggla (2B, Atlanta Braves)

I would like to offer my apologies to any readers who took my advice long ago when I suggested taking a chance on the struggling Dunn and Uggla.  I did advise caution and suggested that you only trade for them if you felt you could get them at a discount; nevertheless, I offer my sincerest apologies if your acquisition of these players has hindered your fantasy team’s performance at all.  I do not apologize, however, for trading Dunn to others in my own leagues.

Those who own Dunn and his .165 AVG probably feel like they’re in the ninth circle of hell.  I firmly believe it is time to give up on Dunn and his 2011 season (if you have not already done so).  Even if Dunn were to suddenly get hot, the damage is already done.  Any hot streak Dunn provides from this point forward will not bring any satisfaction to his owners unless it is a hot streak of Ruthian proportions.

Uggla, on the other hand, is showing signs of turning his season around.  While his AVG by season’s end might not reach a respectable final number, he is swinging a hot bat lately.  Uggla is currently on a 22-game hitting streak.  During this streak, he is hitting .333 with eight home runs (he has 20 on the season) and 17 RBIs (he has 47 on the season).

I do not recommend giving up on Uggla at this time.  You can either ride the hot streak until he finally cools off, or try trading him to somebody who could possibly overpay for his hot streak.

If your league’s trade deadline has not passed yet, then now is the time to decide what moves you need to make so that you can improve your team’s chances of success as you move forward.  Best of luck to all of you the rest of this season.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

After a deal for Rich Harden fell through at the last moment, the Boston Red Sox took a risk on another brittle pitcher, the Seattle Mariners Erik Bedard. To land the talented, but often disabled lefty, the Red Sox and Mariners got the Los Angeles Dodgers involved for a three team deal.

In addition to Bedard, Seattle also sent right-hander Josh Fields (the pitcher, not the former White  Sox third baseman) to Boston. The Red Sox dealt catcher Tim Federowicz, and pitchers Juan Rodriguez and Stephen Fifer to the Dodgers for outfielders Trayvon Robinson and Chih-Hsien Chiang, who Boston then spun to the Mariners. Despite some time on the DL, Bedard appeared to return to his old form this season and is a low risk move for Boston. He’ll eventually take the place of Andrew Miller in the rotation, with Clay Buchholz likely out for the season with a back injury, but for now Boston will employ a six man rotation.

San Diego Padres set up man Mike Adams and  closer Heath Bell both heard their names thrown around in numerous rumors all week. As things came down to the wire on Sunday it was first announced that Bell had been dealt to the Texas Rangers, but it turned out it was Adams that was being sent to Texas. He’ll team with another pickup, Koji Uehara, to strengthen the Rangers’ pen. In return the Padres received pitchers Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and their fans are having the time of their lives right now. Normally the Pirates are sending veterans to other teams in July, but after acquiring Derrek Lee from Baltimore on Saturday, the Bucs picked up outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the Padres on Sunday. The Pads will get a player to be named later or cash.

The Dodgers and Cardinals finalized their deal for Rafael Furcal. The shortstop and cash went to Missouri for outfielder Alex Castellanos.

Arizona added to their bullpen by sending slugger Brandon Allen and pitcher Jordan Norberto to Oakland for reliever Brad Ziegler.

Deals can still be made as the calendar turns to August, but players must pass through waivers in order to be moved.

Dayan Viciedo, RF, Charlotte Knights, International League, White Sox – Viciedo has raised his average every month since the start of the 2011 season. He finished June hitting .371, 43 hits, nine of them doubles. He’s begun July at an excellent pace. He’s gotten nine hits in his last ten games, hitting .325. July also saw him being selected to play in the Futures Game. Overall, he leads the league with 62 RBI and 16 home runs. Highlight: Hard to choose between the July 1st two-home run-game or the July 7th three-RBI-game.

Michael Maness, RHP, Batavia Muckdogs, New York Penn League, St. Louis Cardinals – Maness has a 0.32 ERA in three starts in July, allowing just 2 earned runs in 28 innings. In four innings of relief he had a 0.oo ERA. Since June 19th he’s walked just three batters. Highlight: On July 1st he went six innings, allowing a run (unearned) a hit, and a walk.

Darin Gorski, LHP, St. Lucie Mets, Florida State League – Gorski has dominated the league all season. He has not had a loss yet and collected 9 wins. He’s also leading the league in strikeouts with 102 and his 1.82 ERA is the FSL lowest. Between June 12th and mid-July he has been a revelation: 9 hits, 10 earned runs, 29 strikeouts in 37 innings. He finished June with a 0.79 ERA. Highlight: A one-hitter on June 27th against the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Tyler Townsend, 1B, Frederick Keys, Carolina League, Baltimore Orioles – Townsend is on the 7-day DL, but before July 13th he was on an offensive tear. Between June 1st and July 11th he put together a seven-game hit streak. He leads the league with 50 RBI. He’s also collected 23 doubles and 13 home runs. Highlight: On July 9th he had a 3-hit, 4-RBI game. He also hit a home run and drew a walk.

My eye on… Anthony Gose, CF, New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Eastern League, Toronto Blue Jays

Gose is putting up good numbers for the Fisher Cats, hitting .256, with 39 RBI and 9 home runs in 88 games this season. 

“I think he’s definitely gotten himself in place to be a better player,” said Fisher Cats manager Sal Fasano. “Defensively he’s doing ok. I think he’s got the potential to be Gold Glove caliber in the outfield. If he can consistently bring it on a day to day basis it can be.”

In a a game in early July, Gose exhibited quick thinking and feet on the bases, laying a bunt down, as well as getting a hit off of Phil Hughes. His speed and ability to use it smartly showed improvement. He appears to be translating his tools into skills.

“He’s gotten better on the bases. I think his getting caught percentage is a lot better than last year,” Fasano said.

Gose is in his first season at the Double-A level and exhibiting good pitch recognition and even better patience at the plate than earlier in the season.

Ackley’s arrival has created a buzz not only among Mariners fans, but also in the fantasy baseball world.  Ackley’s ownership in Yahoo! fantasy baseball rose from a single digit percentage to 32% over the weekend!

While it remains to be seen whether or not Ackley will light the fantasy scoreboard on fire, he does possess such potential.  Ackley currently bats in the lower third of the Mariners lineup; however, he could be moved up if he continues to hit well.  Of his three hits thus far, two are for extra bases (triple and home run).

Even if you feel comfortable with your starting second baseman, you should add Ackley for several reasons:  first of all, Ackley currently has OF eligibility in Yahoo! fantasy baseball, and will soon have 2B eligibility.

Secondly, the number of people clamoring to add Ackley should be indicative of his possible trade value.  Although fantasy second basemen like Danny Espinosa and Kelly Johnson have solid RBI totals, their batting averages are unappealing to fantasy managers.  Chicago Cubs rookie Darwin Barney is currently on the DL.  Should Dan Uggla continue to stay below the Mendoza line, Uggla’s owners may look to Ackley for help when he attains 2B eligibility.

To reiterate, Ackley is currently owned in 32% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  That number will continue to rise fairly quickly.  Add him while he is available now.  Ackley is not the only Mariner who may be worthy of acquiring via trade or waiver add, however.

Ichiro Suzuki

It is possible to acquire Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki at a discount in trade negotiations.  At this time, Ichiro is hitting only .277 and that may be frustrating many of his fantasy managers.

You should try to trade for Ichiro in an attempt to buy low.  Ichiro will soon score more runs, as the Mariners are on the verge of turning their season around.  Their offense will improve (especially with Ackley in the lineup) to support their strong pitching; the resulting newfound confidence will help propel them to a possible AL West division title to stun the baseball world.

Despite Ichiro’s un-Ichiro .277 AVG, he is swinging a hot bat at this time and will continue to do so.  In his last eight games, Ichiro has seven multi-hit games and is hitting 16-for-34 (.471 AVG) with nine runs and four steals.

In Ichiro’s career, he has never failed to hit .300 in a season and has never failed to record 200 hits in a season.  Ichiro also has never failed to steal at least 20 bases (he currently has 18).  Ichiro is currently under the 200-hit pace; however, his recent hot streak indicates that he is back on track.  Look for Ichiro to be one of baseball’s hottest hitters after the All-Star break and record 200+ hits again.

Miguel Olivo

Olivo currently sports an unimpressive .230 AVG; however, he has 31 runs (third among fantasy catchers), 11 home runs (tops among fantasy catchers) and 34 RBIs (fifth among fantasy catchers).

Despite a .203 AVG for the month of June, Olivo has seven home runs this month (a monthly high for him) and 15 RBIs this month (another monthly high for him).  Theoretically, his power numbers should improve with steadier hitting in the second half of the season.

Upon observing Olivo’s career splits, you will notice that he hits much better in the first half of the season; that was also true of his 2010 season as well (.325 before All-Star game and .193 after All-Star game).  Despite this negative trend, I believe Olivo will improve after the All-Star game this season.  Nobody ever thought Dan Uggla – a perennial 30-HR hitter – would be hitting below the Mendoza line at this stage in a season; Olivo can reverse his career trend and surprise as well.

While Olivo will not hit for a high AVG, he will hit for a respectable AVG and provide good power numbers for a catcher.  Olivo is currently owned in 52% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  You should consider adding him if you need help at the catcher position.

Justin Smoak

Despite hitting 12 home runs and 40 RBIs, Smoak is currently owned in only 47% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  Smoak’s 40 RBIs place at him 15th among fantasy first basemen; however, he is within striking distance of catching a handful of them in RBIs (Cincinnati’s Joey Votto has 43).

The number that sticks out like a sore thumb for Smoak is his lack of runs.  Despite having 40 RBIs, he only has 21 runs at this time.  If the Mariners’ offense improves as I expect them to, then Smoak should score more runs later this season.

Through 22 games in April, Smoak hit .284 with four home runs and 17 RBIs.  Through 26 games in May, he again hit four home runs and had 14 RBIs; however, he hit only .229 in May.  Through 17 games in June, Smoak currently is hitting .279 with four home runs and nine RBIs.

Although Smoak’s up-and-down numbers may make managers reluctant to add him, it is a positive sign that he steadily hits four home runs every month and is improving his AVG at this stage in the season.  Smoak is currently on four-game hitting streak and has hits in 14 of his last 17 games.

First base is a deeply talented position in fantasy baseball; therefore, many of you may already be content with your first baseman.  However, those of you who recently lost St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols to injury should consider adding Smoak to your lineup.

Erik Bedard

On May 23, the Seattle Mariners’ Erik Bedard was owned in only 22% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues; since then, that number has climbed to 59% and should continue to climb.

Despite his 4-4 record, Bedard has been one of baseball’s hottest pitchers.  Bedard went 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA in his first four starts; since then, Bedard is 4-0 with a 1.70 ERA in nine starts.  This dominant stretch of pitching has lowered his ERA to 3.16 on the season.  Bedard allowed two earned runs or less in eight of his last nine starts.

The now-healthy Bedard helps the Mariners improve their chances of competing for the AL West title.  The one-two punch of Felix Hernandez and Bedard may be one of the best pitching tandems in baseball this year.  With youngster Michael Pineda pitching like an all-star along with Hernandez and Bedard, the Mariners will soon be a team to be reckoned with in the AL West.

If Bedard is available in your league, do not hesitate to add him now!  Bedard has a good strikeout rate with 70 strikeouts in 77 innings to go along with his 3.16 ERA and 1.17 WHIP.

Other teams will soon realize the need to take the Mariners seriously on their schedule; likewise, you should take the Mariners seriously in fantasy baseball.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

The similarity in numbers between 2011 and 2007 are striking (for this discussion, O Swing% means swings at pitches outside the strike zone, and O Contact% means contact on swings at pitches outside the strike zone. Z Swing% and Z Contact% are the same concept for swings on pitches in the strike zone).  In 2007 Figgins’ O Swing% was 22.3%, a career high and 7 points higher than in 2006.  His O Contact% also jumped up that season, finishing almost 18 points higher than in 2006 (also a career high).  Most of his other swing numbers remained constant, except for two:  His Z Swing% also hit a career high (70%, 8 points higher than 2006), and he saw a career low percentage of pitches in the strike zone (41%).

By being more aggressive at the plate, he hit .330/.393/.432 in 2007, posted his career high in OPS+ (117), and finished 20th in the MVP voting.

After coming to the Mariners in 2010 he began swinging more at pitches out of the strike zone, but his overall swing and contact numbers were consistent with the rest of his career.  In 2011, his O Swing% and O Contact% have again jumped up to career highs (25.4% and 86.5%, respectively).  However, unlike 2007, this season his Z Swing% has not seen a similar jump.  He’s still only swinging at 60% of pitches in the strike zone, almost the same as he did in 2010 and 10 points lower than he did in 2007.

So the first major difference between this season and 2007 is not that Figgins is swinging at (and making contact with) more pitches outside the strike zone, but that Figgins is ONLY swinging at (and making contact with) more pitches outside the strike zone.  Basically he’s trying to hit a pitcher’s pitch, with predictable results.  That is a fixable flaw.  For seven full seasons Figgins has had one of the better batter’s eyes in the league; if he decides to trust his eye again, he should see both his OBP and AVG start to rise.

The other major difference between this season and 2007 is Batting Average on Balls In Play.  BABIP is some combination of luck and skill, but whatever comprises the stat Chone Figgins has posted great numbers throughout his career.  Since 2003 the yearly league average for BABIP has been between .291 and .303.  Figgins’ average BABIP over those same seasons is .340, and he has always finished above the league average.  In 2007 Figgins hit .391 on balls he put into play.  This year he’s currently hitting .212.  This is also fixable, if by nothing else than ‘regression to the mean’.  Figgins is not a .212 hitter when he puts the ball in play, and won’t hit this poorly all season.  The law of averages won’t allow it.  Of course, tweaking his approach at the plate as discussed above will not hurt; it might accelerate his return to productivity.

No doubt, Figgins is in a horrible slump right now.  Getting a few days off from his manager to regroup is a good thing.  Hopefully he takes advantage of that to reevaluate his approach at the plate.  If he looks back at the last successful season he was more aggressive at the plate, he can find the key to breaking out of this slump.   The answer is there.  There’s no reason why he need remain one of the wost hitters in the league all season.

Mike Metzger is a Senior Writer covering the AL West for BaseballDigest.com.  He can be reached @metzgermg on Twitter.  Mike writes about the Padres and Cardinals in his spare time.

The Boston Red Sox were the biggest winners this past off-season with the acquisitions of both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez and were easily tabbed to the A.L. East favorites. Gonzalez had been one of the elite home run hitters in the National League while playing in the spacious Petco Park.

The former N.L. All-Star had completed seasons of 30, 36 and 40 home runs while playing for San Diego. The Red Sox and many of those around baseball, spoke volumes about what he could do playing 81 games at the hitter friendly confines of Fenway Park.

Crawford meanwhile is the player who had all the tools. He had just begun to develop power to a game that already included hitting for contact, speed and solid throwing arm. The Sox struck silently and nabbed Crawford, stunning the industry and easily made them the favorites not only in the East, but in the Majors.

However, baseball is not played on paper and the Sox struggled to even win a game. In fact, they played below .500 ball until completing a series sweep against their biggest rivals — the Yankees.

The Yankees, normally the favorites in the East, did not have a good off-season. In years past the 27-time World Series champions could just use their vast monetary resources to solve any problem that arose. The issue this off-season — pitching.

The previous season witnessed the Yankees needing another starter to legitimately compete for a championship. They almost had one at the deadline — a man named Cliff Lee was involved for a number of high-level prospects, including Jesus Montero.

At the very last second, the Seattle Mariners turned down the Yankees offer and shipped Lee to the Rangers. Ironically, it was Lee and the Rangers who would eliminate the Yankees from the postseason.

No one in New York panicked. They knew Lee was No. 1 on general manager Brian Cashman’s list of targets and that he had all the money in the world to offer him. Except this time, the player unlike so many others, turned down the cash and spurned the Yankees for an offer that was $40 million less.

Coupled with the retirement of Andy Pettitte, the Yankees rotation was in shambles. Experts felt the Yankees had a good chance to miss the postseason altogether and they may be right. With everyone in the division capable of beating each other, there may be only one team that heads to the postseason in the suddenly dangerous A.L. East.

The Tampa Bay Rays had won the A.L. East division crown in two of the last three seasons, strengthening the depth of the division, but they were over looked after their disappointing off-season.

The Rays bullpen had been ranked No. 1 in the Majors last season. It was compiled of mostly bargain-basement, journey-men type of pitchers, but mixed together and put in the right situations — they succeeded.

However, this past off-season witnessed many members of the Rays pen jump ship and cash in on respective their career seasons. How would the Rays replace their whole bullpen was what many questioned, but as the season has gone on, those questions are deemed unwarranted.

In a span of two weeks, the Rays had pushed themselves from the basement in the East to the top spot, doing it with superb starting pitching and clutch hitting. It’s true they started the season horribly, 0-8 to be exact, but they are for real because of their manager.

Joe Maddon knows his club better than anyone else and has a feel for the game that many can not match. He puts his players in the right situations, by looking at the match-ups in a binder filled to the brim with stats and pushes the right buttons.

However, the division does not end with those three teams even if they currently reside one, two, three in terms of division standing. The Toronto Blue Jays have been extremely inconsistent this season — it is hard to know what to make of them.

One series they can be absolutely dominating and the next series could witness them dropping two of three to the lowly Houston Astros. The Jays have a rotation that could make anyone blush with the talent they throw out on the mound on a nightly basis.

Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek comprise the top of their rotation. Each has the ability to flat-out dominate an opponent, much like Romero’s all-for-nothing masterpiece last night against the Yankees and Morrow’s 17 strikeout gem last season.

The Jays also possess arguably the most feared and most complete hitter in all of baseball — Jose Bautista. Bautista erupted last season by blasting 54 home runs and already has 19 and we are not through the season’s first two months.

Lastly, there are the Baltimore Orioles who sit at two games under .500. Manager Buck Showalter has definitely improved the mindset of the club and they no longer believe they are out of any game.

The young talent that fills out the roster on a nightly basis is some of the best in the game including Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Their rotation, however, is where the real jewels reside.

Zach Britton may be the best one of them all. The 23-year-old lefty is on his way to the Rookie of the Year award with his amazing start to the season. Britton currently holds a record of 5-2 while pitching to a 2.35 ERA.

He does it all with basically one pitch — a sinker which he can throw anywhere from 90 to 97 mph. It’s not only the velocity that is the problem for hitters to deal with, but also the downward movement that forces batters to pound the pitch into the ground.

The teams in the American League East all have question marks and many bright spots. While it’s still easy to bet on either the Yankees or the Red Sox to win the division, the little guys are making the climb.

It’s only a matter of time before they take down the big guys.

Ryan Lazo is a Senior Writer for BaseballDigest.com. He can be reached at RMLazo13@gmail.com, followed on Twitter @RMLazo13 and read his blog Artificially Enhanced.

Schedule

Of their 39 games through Wednesday, the Mariners have played seven different teams, including the aforementioned Indians.  They got swept in Cleveland, but are .500 against the rest of the league.  Against those six other teams, 3 are over (Oakland, Texas, Kansas City) and three under (Toronto, Detroit, Boston) the .500 mark.  Their early success is not a product of playing a weaker schedule relative to the rest of the league.  In fact, one could argue the American League is a shining example of parity so far in 2011; 10 of the 14 teams are within 3 games of .500 either way entering Thursday’s games.  So their schedule has not been overly favorable.

Offense/Pitching/Defense

Using Fangraphs team data, again through Wednesday’s action, I took a look at how the Mariners rank in these 3 areas as compared to the rest of the AL.  Offensively, Seattle’s .290 wOBA puts them just ahead of the hapless Minnesota Twins (.290). Oakland is just ahead of Seattle at .296.  Los Angeles sits sixth at .322, and Texas second with a .345 wOBA.  The Mariners struggle offensively.  That is not the main reason behind their success.

By UZR/150 they are the worst defensive team in the AL (-12.4).  Los Angeles is the best team in the West (6.3) and 4th best in the league.  Oakland and Texas struggle catching the ball almost as much as Seattle does (-7.5 and -4.1, good for 12th and 11th respectively in the AL).  Although the Mariner defense has not helped them stay competitive, relative to most of the division it has not significantly handicapped them either.

Both of baseball’s Western Divisions enjoy reputations for excellent pitching, and the xFIP numbers for the AL West support that notion.  Oakland has the best staff by this metric in the AL (3.56), with Seattle (3.74) and the Angels (3.83) third and fourth respectively.  Even Texas (4.01), with all their staff churn, has thrown the ball reasonably well.  Seattle’s excellent pitching makes sense; they have generated little offense and have shot themselves in the foot defensively on numerous occasions, so being able to pitch well has been essential.  It also helps to have Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda in the rotation.

Anything else we can look at?

Baserunning

Since they struggle getting men on base, they must be running those bases with above average skill.  The numbers bear this out. Bill James Online analyzes each team’s baserunning tendencies, breaking them down by base stealing and baserunning (first to third, first to home, second to home), then coming up with a combined number.  The Mariners don’t steal many bases, but they do run the bases efficiently.  Seattle is fourth in the AL (and 9th overall) in Baserunning, with 90% of that advantage coming from how they run the bases once aboard.  The Angels have a reputation for base running excellence, but Seattle deserves it so far in 2011.

• Going first to third % (times successful divided by opportunities presented): LAA 42.6, SEA 39.6, TEX 28.2, OAK 16.7
• Goind second-to-home % (times successful divided by opportunities presented):  SEA 61.8, OAK 60.7, TEX 60, LAA 56.8

When they do get men on base, they are aggressive about getting them around and in.  They have to be.  Seattle is maximizing their chances to score by taking the extra base whenever they can.

Summary

Seattle sits 3 games out of first largely due to superior pitching, which has made up for their league-worst defense and the third-fewest runs scored (117) in the league, and superior baserunning.  If their offense improves a bit – and as USS Mariner pointed out, they are currently hanging around without their everyday CF and dismal starts from Chone Figgins and Jack Cust – they will continue to surprise in the AL West.

Ryan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals) is expected to be out for six or more weeks.  Pablo Sandoval (San Francisco Giants) and Casey Blake (Los Angeles Dodgers) are both on the DL and expected to miss four to six weeks.  The Cincinnati Reds’ Scott Rolen is also on the DL (out indefinitely with weakness in shoulder).

If misery loves company, then several others may join these men on the DL soon.  David Freese (St. Louis Cardinals) was hit in the hand/wrist area by a pitch Sunday night.  Freese was removed from the game only to be replaced by Albert Pujols at third base!  Surely, Pujols owners are dreaming about third base eligibility for the big man; however, I would not hold my breath on that one.

Freese will be evaluated again; however, expectations are that he may head to the DL.  The Colorado Rockies’ Ty Wigginton also suffered an injury recently, as he strained his oblique.  Kevin Youkilis (Boston Red Sox) is also bit by the injury bug, as he is battling a hip injury while hitting a paltry .218 thus far.  The 2010 home run champion Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays) left Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury.

The news is not all doom-and-gloom for third base.  Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays) is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday.  Unless you have Longoria or Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees) on your team at this time, odds are that you have an injured and/or struggling third baseman.  Chipper Jones may be healthy and productive; however, he is not going to channel his inner Ripken and play 150-plus games.  Due to the many injuries and struggles at third base at this time, it is important for you to get a jump on your competition in adding help from the waiver wire before they do.

Chone Figgins (.206 AVG, 12 R, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 3 SB)

Despite his .206 AVG and playing for the Seattle Mariners, Figgins is a tempting addition from the waiver wire.  He has eligibility at second base and third base while being owned in 59% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  Figgins had a terribly slow start in the 2010 season, but finished strong.  Prior to his 0-for-4 performance on Sunday, Figgins had four consecutive multi-hit games.  In the past five games, Figgins is 8-for-22 (.364 AVG).

Figgins is swinging a hot bat lately and may be returning to form.  Figgins stole 40 or more bases in five of the past six seasons.  His speed and position flexibility make him a must-add.

Chris Johnson (.185 AVG, 7 R, 2 HR, 11 RBI)

If you are unable to snatch Figgins in your league, you will likely have better luck finding Johnson in the waiver wire, as he is currently owned in only four percent of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  Despite his recent struggles, Johnson is still the everyday starter at the hot corner for the Houston Astros.  In the 2010 season, Johnson hit an impressive .308 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs in 94 games.

A recent injury to outfielder Carlos Lee opens up the possibility of Johnson being moved up in the batting order.  His 2010 success and the current possibility for more RBI opportunities should make Johnson a strong consideration for your third base add.

Wilson Betemit (.333 AVG, 12 R, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 3 SB)

You have probably heard the phrase “Stranger things have happened” before.  Whoever those people were to tell you that, they were right.  Who would have ever thought that the Kansas City Royals’ Wilson Betemit (an 11-year veteran with only one season of 30+ RBIs) would someday be recommended as the answer to your third base needs in fantasy baseball?

Betemit currently has a hit in 20 of his 21 games.  Do I think he can keep this hot streak up?  Regardless of what I or others believe, you do not mess with a hot streak.  You ride the hot streak until it cools off.  You have nothing to lose and possibly plenty to gain by adding Betemit from the waiver wire.  Betemit’s ownership is slowly climbing, as he is currently owned in 17% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues.  Perhaps this veteran finally has some fantasy value in his career.  Betemit did hit .297 with 20 doubles, 13 home runs and 43 RBIs in 84 games during the 2010 season.

Jhonny Peralta (.270 AVG, 11 R, 1 HR, 11 RBI)

Although his current statistics may not be as flashy as his peers, this Detroit Tiger is a safer bet than most on the waiver wire.  Surprisingly, Peralta is only owned in 17% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues, despite having three consecutive seasons of 80 or more RBIs.  Peralta also has shortstop eligibility.

Juan Uribe (.235 AVG, 7 R, 3 HR, 14 RBI)

Despite his age, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Uribe still has pop in his bat and can hit 20 home runs.  Despite a .248 AVG in the 2010 season, Uribe hit 24 home runs and 85 RBIs with the Giants.  Uribe is currently owned in 51% of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues and has position eligibility at second base, third base and shortstop.  Uribe is expected to play at third base while teammate Casey Blake remains on the DL.

If you are one of the many unlucky managers in dire need of help at third base in your fantasy league, now is the time to jump onto the waiver wire and add these third basemen before your opponents do.

Christopher Wenrich is a senior fantasy baseball contributor for BaseballDigest.com and can be reached at philliesmuse@yahoo.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @DuggerSports.

This weekend promises to be a special one.

The Saturday Show:  Insane lineup includes Will Carroll from Sports Illustrated, the Injury Expert himself will give us the latest updates on key injuries to Fantasy Impact players.  Is Brad Lidge really out until the All-Star break?  Chase Utley is scheduled to come back in a few weeks, will he?

National baseball writer Bob Nightengale from USAToday he’ll be on board (live from Arizona, where’s he’s covering Diamondbacks-Reds), to give you the latest news and notes from around MLB. Is Jay Bruce going to make that turn from solid to All-Star?

The Seattle Mariners have some of baseball’s intriguing Fantasy Baseball players, and Larry Stone from the Seattle Times will join us to break ‘em down.  Can Eric Wedge make a difference?  How long will Brandon League be the closer?

Last but not least, the one and only Steve Phillips, host of the Mad Dod Radio Morning show will join us to chat about his team in the SiriusXM hosts Fantasy Baseball League and his early impressions of the 2011 MLB Season. Will his club outlast the Baseball Digest team? (run by Mark Healey) or will one of his former players, Cliff Floyd, be better than both of them?

The Sunday Show: Newsday’s national baseball writer Ken Davidoff will join us to discuss his first impressions of the MLB season.

The Sports Network’s Chris Ruddick will also join the show to help the guys with their Fantasy teams, and give some Fantasy predictions of his own.

All weekend, your calls and more!

The Hosts:

Mark Healey brought Baseball Digest online for the first time in Dec. 2009. He is also the Founder of Gotham Baseball (whose entire print run is part of the archive at the National Baseball Hall of Fame ). In addition to being the MLB Insider on SiriusXM’s “Fantasy Pros 911 Show” on Saturdays, he is also a frequent MLB analyst on The Scott Ferrall Show on Sirius XM’s Howard 101.  He covered MLB, the NFL. NHL , NBA and college athletics from 1998-2006 at the Associated Press, and his work has been published on ESPN.com, FoxSports.com and USAToday.com.   His TV work includes “Mets Weekly” and “Playing For Peanuts” on SNY, and he has appeared on radio shows on WFAN-AM and WOR-AM.

Jim Greishaber is a sixteen year broadcasting veteran, including a two-year stint on The Sports Edge (Sirius). From 2000 to 2002, he was lead host of Lew and Jim on Sports, a daily four-hour sports talk show, host of Arizona Cardinals NFL Wrap-Up and “live” post-game anchor of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ World Series run, also on AM 1060. Jim also hosted a weekly show in Miami, Florida on 790 The Ticket, and has also anchored pre-game, halftime and/or post-game shows covering the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, and Florida Marlins. Jim has also covered the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and many other teams at spring training.

Texas swept their opening series against Boston, and after taking the first two off Seattle they are a perfect 5-0 the first time through the rotation.  Every starter has a win except for CJ Wilson, and he pitched well enough to win (5 2/3 inning, 2 ER).  In fact he would have his first win of the season if (a) he had been able to get a little deeper into the game, or (b) Darren Oliver had not served up a cookie to David Ortiz in the eighth inning that night.

The team’s best two starts so far have not come from their two best pitchers.  Matt Harrison was dominant on Sunday, striking out 8 Red Sox hitters over 7 innings and allowing only 1 run.  Rookie Alexi Ogando was almost as good yesterday, throwing six shutout innings and striking out 4.  Not bad for a guy who started his career as an outfielder and had made only three previous starts at any level before last night’s outing.

Will the Rangers finish the season 162-0?  Of course not.  They may see their winning streak end today at the hands of Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.  So far into this season, the defending AL Champs have shown last year was not a fluke, and they will be alive deep into the post season.

Around the Division:

Seattle Mariners: Heralded prospect Michael Pineda made his major-league debut last night in Texas, and although he took the loss he pitched very well (6IP, 3R, 4K, 1BB).  The concern with Pineda revolves around his ability to get left-handed hitters out, since his change-up is still a work in progress.  Most of the damage against him was done by lefties, who went 3 for 7 with all 3 hits for extra bases.  In contrast, righties were 2 for 17.  Limiting Texas to 3 runs in their ballpark is quite a feat for a 22-year old rookie, proving he’s major-league ready now; and as his change improves he will become one of the dominant pitchers in the league.

Oakland A’s: Oakland has started the season slowly, and have only themselves to blame – or more accurately, some sloppy defensive play.  The A’s have been charged with 9 errors so far, with 3 each for the normally very reliable Kevin Kouzmanoff and Daric Barton.  Oakland pitchers have been as good as expected the first time through the rotation – Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, and Trevor Cahill have allowed 3 runs combined in 17.2 innings – but the team is only 1-2 in those starts.  The defense will improve, and when it does the A’s will be right back in the thick of the race.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Too bad the Angels can’t start Jered Weaver every day.  The ace won his second game in as many starts last night, beating Tampa 5-3.  The other big news of the past couple of days is the elevation of Jordan Walden to closer, replacing Fernando Rodney.  Walden has long been considered the closer of the future, but with Rodney fighting his control (10 batters faced, 4 walks issued so far in 2011) the future became the present.  Walden recorded his first career save last night in Florida.

Mike Metzger covers the AL West.  He also blogs about the Padres and Cardinals in his spare time.