Baseball Reflections » Fantasy Baseball

You Can Now Play Fantasy Baseball Daily on Baseball Reflections

Peter Schiller — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:58:16 +0000

For those fans of daily Fantasy Baseball, you can now play here on one of our pages on Baseball Reflections thanks to our new partnership with FanSaloon.com!

Feel free to challenge me or any of our other writers. It’s free to join a 10 team game and the winner has a chance to join a monthly game with a chance of winning $250.

Part-Timers: Fantasy Baseball Players You May Have Missed (baseballreflections.com)
Fantasy Baseball Players on the Verge of a Monster Season in 2012 (baseballreflections.com)
Disaster Relief: Fantasy Baseball Closers on the Waiver Wire (baseballreflections.com)

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Part-Timers: Fantasy Baseball Players You May Have Missed

Chris McBrien — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:19:16 +0000

When looking for players to fill your fantasy baseball roster from free agency or the waiver wire in your league, one of the first things many owners look for is performance, and rightly so.

If a player is receiving every day playing time, he is more likely to help your fantasy team, after all, right? Maybe not. Think about it… is it better to have a player who plays every day but only hits a weak .250 with no power or speed? The good news is that there are many options among players who are part-timers who may just help your team. Best of all, your fellow owners probably have overlooked these guys because of their lack of at bats.

Part-timers to consider are:

Raul Ibanez (New York Yankees)

Ibanez is a left-handed hitter who does not play when the Yankees face a left-handed

: Raul Ibanez is a part-timer worthy of a spot on a fantasy roster.

pitcher. That is perfectly OK and no reason to overlook him. Your team is better off having Ibanez on the bench than it is having an 0-4 day at the plate. He is being used in a situation he is more likely to see success and that is great news for your fantasy roster. If he does get an at bat against a lefty, don’t panic. He may have hit only .211 against LHP in 2011, but he holds a career .266 mark against southpaws, so all is not lost.

Rajai Davis (Toronto Bluejays)

Davis has become somewhat of a forgotten man in Toronto. Although he rarely gets into the starting line-up, Davis is used quite a bit off the bench in late innings as a pinch runner. This means he can be a great source of cheap steals for your fantasy squad. Your team is better off getting a chance at some steals with Davis pinch-running than it is with him going 0-4 at the plate and killing your batting average.

Mark Trumbo (Los Angeles Angels)

Due mainly to a crowded roster, the Angels had Trumbo riding the pine a lot during the opening month of the season. Even with multiple position eligibility, Trumbo had trouble gaining an everyday role with the team. Don’t let that fool you. The big man has done nothing but hit, hit and hit some more this season and will soon muscle his way into everyday status on the roster. The on-base percentage woes of his 2011 rookie campaign seem behind him as well. This is an offensive force.

Gerardo Parra (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Always seeming to have to fight for his at-bats, Parra has made the most of his chances in 2012. With an injury to Chris Young, Parra has played well and displayed some decent speed. He has bounced up and down the Diamondbacks line-up, but he is definitely worth a look.

Juan Pierre (Philadelphia Phillies)

Pierre still isn’t seeing everyday full-time duty with the Phillies, but he is making the most of his opportunities. He has hit above .300 and is stealing bases, showing that his detractors from last season may have written him off a little early at age 34. Not known for his power, Pierre is “muscling” his way into more playing time in Philadelphia than anyone thought prior to the start of the year.\

Don’t let playing time be the only thing you consider when determining options in fantasy baseball. You just might get a surprise or two from the part-time help.

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MoneyStats top 5 players at each position

Guest — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:29:31 +0000

Here are the top 5 players at each position separated by League according to the MoneyStats Player Rater.

We use an exclusive formula to rate each player according to their MoneyStats Value.

To view our complete Player Rating System including exclusive Splits for Starting Pitchers,

please join us at www.moneystats.net. Click on the yellow banner at the top of our homepage to sign in at no obligation. Please send us your comments to mark@moneystats.net….

American League Catchers

Matt Wieters	Baltimore Orioles
Joe Mauer	Minnesota Twins
A.J. Pierzynski	Chicago White Sox
Carlos Santana	Cleveland Indians
Mike Napoli	Texas Rangers

National League Catchers

Yadier Molina	St. Louis Cardinals
Carlos Ruiz	Philadelphia Phillies
Brian McCann	Atlanta Braves
A.J. Ellis	Los Angeles Dodgers
Buster Posey	San Francisco Giants

American League First Base

Paul Konerko	Chicago White Sox
Adrian Gonzalez	Boston Red Sox
Prince Fielder	Detroit Tigers
Mark Teixiera	New York Yankees
Carlos Pena	Tampa Bay Rays

National League First Base

Joey Votto	Cincinnati Reds
Freddie Freeman	Atlanta Braves
Bryan LaHair	Chicago Cubs
Adam LaRoche	Washington Nationals
Carlos Lee	Houston Astros

American League Second Base

Dustin Pedroia	Boston Red Sox
Ian Kinsler	Texas Rangers
Jason Kipnis	Cleveland Indians
Robinson Cano	New York Yankees
Kelly Johnson	Toronto Blue Jays

National League Second Base

Jose Altuve	Houston Astros
Omar Infante	Miami Marlins
Daniel Murphy	New York Mets
Dan Uggla	Atlanta Braves
Mark Ellis	Los Angeles Dodgers

American League Third Base

Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers
Adrian Beltre	Texas Rangers
Alex Rodriguez	New York Yankees
Brett Lawrie	Toronto Blue Jays
Kyle Seager	Seattle Mariners

National League Third Base

David Wright	New York Mets
Hanley Ramirez	Miami Marlins
David Freese	St. Louis Cardinals
Aramis Ramirez	Milwaukee Brewers
Pablo Sandoval (15 DL)	San Francisco Giants

American League Shortstop

Derek Jeter	New York Yankees
Elvis Andrus	Texas Rangers
Asdrubal Cabrera	Cleveland Indians
J.J. Hardy	Baltimore Orioles
Mike Aviles	Boston Red Sox

National League Shortstop

Rafael Furcal	St. Louis Cardinals
Starlin Castro	Chicago Cubs
Ian Desmond	Washington Nationals
Jose Reyes	Miami Marlins
Troy Tulowitzki	Colorado Rockies

American League Left Field

Josh Willingham	Minnesota Twins
Alex Gordon	Kansas City Royals
Cody Ross	Boston Red Sox
Raul Ibanez	New York Yankees
Desmond Jennings (15 DL)	Tampa Bay Rays

National League Left Field

Carlos Gonzalez	Colorado Rockies
Melky Cabrera	San Francisco Giants
Ryan Braun	Milwaukee Brewers
Martin Prado	Atlanta Braves
Matt Holliday	St. Louis Cardinals

American League Center Field

Josh Hamilton	Texas Rangers
Adam Jones	Baltimore Orioles
Austin Jackson	Detroit Tigers
Curtis Granderson	New York Yankees
Alejandro De Aza	Chicago White Sox

National League Center Field

Matt Kemp (15 DL)	Los Angeles Dodgers
Michael Bourn	Atlanta Braves
Shane Victorino	Philadelphia Phillies
Andrew McCutchen	Pittsburgh Pirates
Angel Pagan	San Francisco Giants

American League Right Field

Josh Reddick	Oakland Athletics
Ichiro Suzuki	Seattle Mariners
Ben Zobrist	Tampa Bay Rays
Nick Markakis	Baltimore Orioles
Nick Swisher	New York Yankees

National League Right Field

Carlos Beltran	St. Louis Cardinals
Andre Ethier	Los Angeles Dodgers
Jay Bruce	Cincinnati Reds
Hunter Pence	Philadelphia Phillies
Michael Cuddyer	Colorado Rockies

American League Starting Pitchers

Justin Verlander	Detroit Tigers
Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners
Jered Weaver	Los Angeles Angels
Jake Peavy	Chicago White Sox
C.C. Sabathia	New York Yankees

Brandon Morrow	Toronto Blue Jays
James Shields	Tampa Bay Rays
Colby Lewis	Texas Rangers
Jason Vargas	Seattle Mariners
Yu Darvish	Texas Rangers

National League Starting Pitchers

Stephen Strasburg	Washington Nationals
Cole Hamels	Philadelphia Phillies
Matt Cain	San Francisco Giants
Clayton Kershaw	Los Angeles Dodgers
Lance Lynn	St. Louis Cardinals

Anibal Sanchez	Miami Marlins
Gio Gonzalez	Washington Nationals
Roy Halladay	Philadelphia Phillies
Johnny Cueto	Cincinnati Reds
Chris Capuano	Los Angeles Dodgers

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Disaster Relief: Fantasy Baseball Closers on the Waiver Wire

Chris McBrien — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:30:21 +0000

In the wake of the Mariano Rivera injury, we are reminded just how volatile the closer position is in fantasy baseball.

No other position is the sole contributor of an entire fantasy category (saves) and no other position sees as much turnover. With the recent demotion of Carlos Marmol, along with a rash of injuries to closers around Major League Baseball, it’s time to look to the waiver wire for relief on your fantasy roster:

Rafael Soriano (NYY) –

With Mo’s injury, a huge hole is left in the Yankees bullpen.

Rafael Soriano might be a waiver wire pick-up for your fantasy league

In fantasy terms, this is a potentially very lucrative position to be filled. Manager Joe Girardi has not officially named a closer as this was written but the general consensus is that David Robertson is the best pitcher in the Yankees ‘pen. However, Robertson has held up well to use stretched over 1+ innings thus making him more valuable to the team in a set-up role. If you are looking for a gamble, grab Soriano, with his proven track record of closing games and suitability for one inning or less of work at a time.

Francisco Cordero (TOR) –

It may not always be pretty, but Cordero has a solid track record of getting the job done in the ninth inning.

Blue Jays manager John Farrell has voiced his support for Cordero as the teams interim closer until Sergio Santos returns from injury, which could mean a month or more of save opportunities off the waiver wire.

David Hernandez (ARI) –

Sure, J.J. Putz is the closer for the Diamondbacks and has stayed relatively healthy over the past few seasons.

However, Putz has a long history of being injury-prone and can easily get hurt and miss an extended stretch at any given moment. Hernandez was a horrible starting pitcher, but since being shifted to the ‘pen has been outstanding. Consider him a nice handcuff for Putz. He even provides value to your team as you await him to step in for Putz.

Steve Cishek (MIA) –

Heath Bell may not have lost the closer’s role in Miami just yet.

However, if he keeps up his horrendous performance, he may find himself out of the job, at least temporarily. If he is demoted, look for Cishek to get the first opportunity to step in and collect saves for the Marlins. He sports a decent strikeout rate, doesn’t give up many home runs or even hits for that matter. Worth a look.

If your fantasy baseball roster is a disaster when it comes to saves, hit the waiver wire. A position as volatile as this is always presenting some surprises.

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Dear Mr. Fantasy: Selling Like Hot Cakes: Fantasy Baseball Players to Sell High

Chris McBrien — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:30:42 +0000

It’s getting to be that time of the season where a “small sample size” turns into a “representative sample size”. With regard to players that are over-performing, it’s time to decide whether or not the big numbers will continue. In baseball, statistics more often than not find a way to regress to the mean. Before the inevitable shift occurs, here are some players you may want to consider ‘selling high’:

Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) –

As streaky as they come, E5 may have reached his peak in fantasy value. Eligible at both first base and third base, Encarnacion has started the season red-hot. After beginning 2011 with a single home run in the season’s first 2 months, Edwin hit 8 round trippers by the end of April this year. With a rash of injuries to key third basemen, the Blue Jays DH may never bring more in a trade than right now.

Mike Aviles (BOS) –

Aviles entered this season looking to be in a fight for playing time, a predicament he has struggled with his entire career. He won the starting shortstop job and has made the most of his opportunity, hitting 5 home runs in only 94 AB. His previous career single-season high was 10 in his rookie campaign of 2008. After showing a great deal of inconsistency in the big leagues, Aviles seems to be playing over his head and may bring more in a trade than what you’ll get the rest of the way. Multiple position eligibility (2B, 3B, SS) only increases the return you’ll see.

David Freese (STL) –

With his postseason heroics of 2011 fresh on everyone’s mind, Freese has impressed again by getting off to a good start in 2012. Many onlookers will point to the fact that regular playing time is all the Cardinals’ third sacker needed to produce. However, good health is what Freese needs to succeed and he has never been able to stay healthy for long. Cash in before he gets hurt. Let his inevitable injury woes break the heart of another fantasy owner.

Jordan Schafer (HOU) –

The Astros’ second baseman reached base safely in every game he played in April. He also has 8 stolen bases and 17 runs scored in the first month of the 2012 season. That is the sort of thing that makes fantasy owners sit up and take notice. If you own him you saw him get ejected from a game recently for throwing his helmet on the field. His antics off the field are cause of even more alarm. Let someone else roll the dice.

Jake Peavy (CWS) –

The former Cy Young winner has put up some eye-popping numbers early in 2012. His ERA is below 1.70 and his WHIP is below 0.70. There is no questioning Peavy’s talent. Injuries have not allowed the White Sox hurler to start more than 13 games since 2008. He is a risk to start more than 20 games this season and a good bet to be shelved prior to that benchmark. Now is the time to cash in on his name and early success.

If you are lucky enough to own any of these players, you may wish to take the risk and hold on to them in the hopes they keep up their current pace. Odds are, you will be better served to get out while the “getting” is good.

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Dear Mr. Fantasy: Thinking Outside the Batter’s Box

Chris McBrien — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:30:55 +0000

Boy, I have really taken some flak for my choices of players this fantasy baseball season. That’s okay. I like to think outside the box. When you state an opinion that differs from widely held beliefs, there are those that will react negatively. However, if everything went according to plan, then the so-called “experts” would always be right. Like most big league batters, they fail more often than they succeed.

It’s okay to rank players differently than everyone else. It encourages debate and gets people talking. As far as I am concerned, getting people talking about baseball is way more important than who finishes higher on the ESPN Player Rater.

Heading into the 2011 season, if you had said that the top ten fantasy outfielders would have included Curtis Granderson, Lance Berkman, Alex Gordon and Melky Cabrera you would have been ridiculed. Your fantasy advice would have been called terrible and a joke. However, you would have had the last laugh as these four players all made the 2011 year-end top ten outfield standings according to the aforementioned ESPN Player Rater.

This season, I mentioned that I liked players such as Michael Bourn, Ichiro Suzuki and Jason Heyward for my top ten outfielders. I also stated that I liked B.J. Upton better than Justin Upton. All of these choices have been questioned and ridiculed at length. I am not saying that these players will finish the year in the top ten, but I do believe that it is important to think outside the norm when it comes to evaluating performances.

Many articles written prior to the 2012 season suggested prominent outfield performers in 2012 would be comprised of Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Gonzalez, Justin Upton and Alex Gordon. These are all great names and were all good bets to perform well this season. However, taking a look at some less-than-popular names has merit as well. Just ask the fantasy owners of Melky Cabrera how they liked his performance in 2011.

Sometimes it pays to think outside the batters box.

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Pushing the Panic Button in the Second Week of the Fantasy Baseball Season

Chris McBrien — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:30:22 +0000

If there is one thing that never ceases to amaze, it is the sheer number of fantasy baseball owners that panic as early as the second week of the baseball season.

With such a small sample size, it is easy to overreact when players have a poor start to the season. However, there are often warning signs that begin to take shape early in a season and the key to success often lies in recognizing the difference between alarm and plain old “slow starters.”

Here are several players and a diagnosis after less than two weeks of baseball games:

Michael Bourn (ATL) -

The Atlanta Braves leadoff man has managed to reach base only five times in his first six games so he hasn’t really had the chance to show off his wheels so far in 2012. With only one stolen base in two attempts, Bourn will no doubt pick things up once he starts swinging the bat a little better. Dee Gordon may be around to challenge Bourn’s National League stolen base crown, but expect a bounce back for the Braves and the man at the top of their batting order.

Kevin Youkilis (BOS) –

With only two hits in his first 20 at bats, Youkilis is off to a slow start, along with the rest of his Boston Red Sox teammates. Groin, hip and back injuries plagued him last season when he hit a career low .258. There were warning signs throughout spring training in regard to his health; and he is a risky play, to say the least. Although it is early, the Boston third basemen may be in for a long season.

Albert Pujols (LAA) –

The new Los Angeles Angel has struggled out of the gate with only five hits in his first six games (with no home runs). Is his slow start due to switching teams? Switching leagues? Has his bat slowed down? None of the above. Pujols got off to a slow start in 2011 and ended the season with his usual home run rate and impressive counting stats. The greatest hitter of his generation will still be the king of the hill. Be patient.

Mike Napoli (TEX) –

Prior to 2011, Napoli struggled to get regular at-bats even when splitting time between catching and acting as the designated hitter. Last season, while batting in a potent line-up in a hitter’s paradise of a home park, Napoli had a career season on the strength of an impressive showing after the All-Star break. Injuries and inconsistency have plagued Napoli throughout his time in the big leagues and a slow start in 2012 should not come as much of a surprise. If you can get decent value in a trade, I say pull the trigger.

Jose Bautista (TOR) –

The naysayers have been predicting his decline for the last two seasons. Hitting only .174 (four hits in six games) to open the year, Bautista has said that his timing is a little off. Don’t let the poor second half of 2011 fool you. The Toronto Blue Jays slugger has admitted to an injury which slowed him after the All-Star break last season. The Jays’ clubhouse and on-field leader will soon be terrorizing American Leageue East pitchers again very soon.

Giancarlo Stanton (MIA) –

Stanton has been slowed by a knee issue all throughout spring training and into the regular season. It doesn’t seem to be a major issue, but that doesn’t make it any less alarming. In fact, a lingering problem can be much worse than one that lands a player on the disabled list since playing through a nagging injury often leads to an unproductive season at the plate. There are some warning signs here to be heeded.

Although it is never a good idea to “panic” in fantasy baseball (this leads to far too many rash decisions which could cost you the season), when players get off to a slow start, it is often nothing more than a mini-slump.

However, there are always cases where it could warrant concern.

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Thirty Something: The Verducci Effect in Fantasy Baseball

Chris McBrien — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:35:42 +0000

Fantasy baseball owners are always looking for an edge. From the latest news to the latest stats, trying to get a leg up on your opponents is often enough to carry you to victory. Predicting the future would be ideal (although highly unlikely) so fantasy owners have to settle for indicators of what the future may hold. Luckily, there are several industrious people out there who have discovered some interesting trends in baseball.

One of these observers is Tom Verducci from Sports Illustrated. Verducci wrote about what he called the “Year After Effect” in which he found that young pitchers (under the age of 25) who experienced increases of 30 or more innings from one season to the next were prone to underperform in the following year. Dubbed “The Verducci Effect” by Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus, it is worth taking a look at several pitchers who fall into this category in 2012 as potential candidates for statistical regression:

Michael Pineda (NYY) – (Age: 22. Innings Increase: 31-2/3)

Not much has to be said in regard to Pineda. After being acquired by the Yankees in the off season, Pineda struggled mightily in camp this year. He was a candidate for a minor league demotion prior to being injured. Although there are several factors at play here, the increase in innings last season certainly didn’t help his cause.

Jeremy Hellickson (TB) – (Age: 24, Innings Increase: 37-1/3)

A lot has been made of Hellickson’s abnormally low .223 BABIP in 2011 and how he is a candidate for regression as a result. However, of greater concern is the increase in his innings from the previous season. Combine this with a subpar strikeout rate (5.57 K/9) and poor walk rate (3.43/9) and Hellickson has all the warning signs of a pitcher primed for a decline in statistics.

Derek Holland (TEX) – (Age: 24, Innings Increase: 71-1/3)

Sure, he improved his ERA, WHIP and strikeouts and was fantastic in the post-season but the concern with Holland isn’t in his mechanics (although, they are a little unorthodox) but rather in his increased work load. A good sign was his strong second half. However, it will be interesting to see how all those innings affect his performance in 2012.

Daniel Hudson (ARI) – (Age: 24. Innings Increase: 38-2/3)

Armed with a blazing fastball, “D-Hud” followed up his late season 2010 debut with the Diamondbacks with a solid full season in 2011. Manager Gibson is about as competitive as they come and relied on Hudson down the stretch of the pennant race. Will the increase in workload affect his 2012 stats? Quite possibly.

Keep an eye on innings increases from year-to-year. Especially when it comes to young players under the age of 25, they may just be in line to suffer from the Verducci Effect.

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Running on Empty: Cheap Stolen Bases in Fantasy Baseball

Chris McBrien — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:58:36 +0000

Drafting power in fantasy baseball is always a good option. After all, a home run results in an increase in batting average, a run scored and an RBI (or possibly several). Drafting speed on the other hand often helps in only one category (stolen bases). With reliable power and speed guys hard to come by (where have you gone, Grady Sizemore?), most fantasy owners draft for power and find themselves in need of stolen bases once the season begins. However, when picking over the waiver wire, there are several options for cheap steals available. Unlike with other stat categories, playing time is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to getting speed into your fantasy line up. After all, if a player comes on as a pinch-runner in the later innings and steals a base, you have received the stat you needed even though he isn’t a starting position player. Here are some options for cheap steals from the waiver wire:

Juan Pierre (PHI) –

The Phillies have a crowded outfield with Shane Victorino, John Mayberry and Hunter Pence (not to mention the presence of Laynce Nix and Domonic Brown). However, Pierre should get his fair share of opportunities to pinch run in addition to the odd spot start. Throw in the fact that the Phillies lack a truly effective lead-off hitter (no offence to the 33-year old Jimmy Rollins) and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Pierre ends up the season with 20+ stolen bases. Sure Pierre was only successful in 61% of his stolen base attempts last year. However, he is only 2 seasons removed from a major league best 68 swiped bags.

Ben Revere (MIN) –

Chances are, the Twins’ outfielder will be available in your fantasy league. The fact that he will most likely be used as a fourth outfielder will scare off your fellow fantasy owners. However, Revere has fantasy value to bring to the table. His defense alone should help ensure he gets his fair share of ABs and the uncertain situation in right field could have Revere in the line up more often than not. 30+ stolen bases wouldn’t be a surprise.

Jason Bourgeois (KC) –

Even a trade to the Royals may not mean a starting outfield job is guaranteed for Bourgeois. However, he can play at second base and may find some time there in Kansas City this year. With Johnny Giavotella demoted and Chris Getz’ limited skill set, the speedy Bourgeois may get into the line up enough to nab 30 SB. That could be a magic number for those fantasy squads in need of late round speed.

Alcides Escobar (KC) –

Escobar offered speed and little else in 2011 and his decent minor league batting average may yet carry over into the majors. In the meantime he should get regular playing time at shortstop this year (albeit most likely out of the #9 spot in the Royals line up). Regardless, he showed some speed last year and could put up 20-25 SB.

Rajai Davis (TOR) –

Before his season ended with a torn hamstring, Davis was seeing sporadic playing time with the Blue Jays in 2011. However, when he did play, he ran. In fact, he delivered 34 SB (and had 45 attempts). Considering that fact that he only had 49 singles, it’s pretty clear that when Davis is on base, he runs. Even though he will see limited playing time, he should spell Eric Thames in left field against lefties and may see time off the bench as a pinch runner in the later innings. Don’t rule out 30 SB for this crafty base stealer.

So go ahead and load up on power in your fantasy drafts. If you need some cheap speed in the later rounds or on the waiver wire, there should be a few options for stolen bases in your fantasy league.

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Who’s Who? Fantasy Baseball Player Stats Tell the Truth

Chris McBrien — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:30:58 +0000

When deciding upon which fantasy baseball players to draft and which to leave for the next owner, often we are apt to go with players who get a lot of attention in the media or those “hot hands” who may (or may not) deliver the stats for your fantasy baseball team.

When taking a closer look at statistics, it can often be misleading as to which is the better player to add to your fantasy team. By simply comparing individual player stats side by side, we can often get a better idea of a player’s fantasy value, especially when it comes to draft position. After all, where a player is drafted is one of the most important things to consider when building value into your roster.

Let’s consider a few players heading into 2012 based upon their 2011 performance and see if the numbers back up the hype.

When considering any player, it is often easy to get caught up in the hype (or “over-hype”) of one player versus another.

Putting all hype aside and looking strictly at the bare numbers helps to cut to the chase. We’ll start with middle infielders:

Player #1 put up the following stats in 2011 and is being drafted 52^nd overall:

.293 batting average, 26 runs, nine home runs, 25 runs batted in and seven stolen bases.

Player #2 put up the following numbers in 2011 and is being selected 184^th overall:

.272 BA, 24 R, 7 HR, 19 RBI, 5 SB

Is Jason Kipnis undervalued in fantasy leagues?

Player #1 is Brett Lawrie. Player #2 is Jason Kipnis. Lawrie’s average draft position is 132 spots higher than Kipnis. Is it worth it? You decide.

Moving on to outfielders, player #1 put up the following stats in 2011 and is being drafted 29^th overall:

.259 BA, 87 R, 23 HR, 89 RBI, 23 SB

Player #2 put up the following stats in 2011 and is being drafted 82^nd overall:

.243 BA, 82 R, 23 HR, 81 RBI, 36 SB

I, for one, would gladly give up 53 draft positions to get B.J. Upton (#2 player) instead of Andrew McCutchen (#1 player).

Moving on to pitchers, player #1 put up the following stats in 2011:

171 innings pitched, 3.74 earned run average, 1.10 walks plus hits per innings pitched and 173 strikeouts.

Player #2 put the following numbers on the board in 2011:

141.2 IP, 3.68 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 168 K

Player #1 is Michael Pineda who is being drafted 90^th overall; and player #2 is Brandon Beachy being drafted out of the 136^th spot. I’ll take Beachy every day of the week.

The lesson to be learned?

Don’t believe the hype. Believe the numbers.

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Baseball Reflections » Fantasy Baseball

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Related articles

Part-Timers: Fantasy Baseball Players You May Have Missed

MoneyStats top 5 players at each position

Disaster Relief: Fantasy Baseball Closers on the Waiver Wire

Dear Mr. Fantasy: Selling Like Hot Cakes: Fantasy Baseball Players to Sell High

Dear Mr. Fantasy: Thinking Outside the Batter’s Box

Pushing the Panic Button in the Second Week of the Fantasy Baseball Season

Thirty Something: The Verducci Effect in Fantasy Baseball

Running on Empty: Cheap Stolen Bases in Fantasy Baseball

Who’s Who? Fantasy Baseball Player Stats Tell the Truth