I Know the Future

Stealers Rob Warner, Cardinals

2009-02-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

It was truly a Super bowl to remember. I remember telling myself last year “Wow, I’ll never see a Super bowl again as good as this one”, and twelve months later, I’m telling myself the same thing. They did a top 10 Super bowl plays on Sports Center that night, and 3 were from this very game. Just goes to show how special this game really was. However, the only thing I would change would be the officiating, because quite frankly, it was a poorly called game to say the least.

I noticed a common trend throughout the game as I sat and watched, my friends and I screaming “What kind of call is that?” or “Are you kidding me?” There weren’t just a few bad calls in this game, there were countless horrible calls.

It all began when the Kurt Warner and the underdog Cardinals were driving to end the half. Just yards away from taking the lead, Warner threw a horrible pass that lead to a touchdown going the other way. James Harrison brought the interception back for 100 record breaking yards. The touchdown should have been called back, for not one but two missed calls. Kurt Warner was blatantly held the whole run back and Tim Hightower was illegally blocked in the back by LaMarr Woodley as he was about to make the touchdown saving tackle 30 yards away from the end zone. Also very questionable as to whether or not Harrison got into the end zone, because it looked as if he was tackled at the half yard line. Did it end here?

The Steelers went into the second half with a commanding lead and Arizona looked all but out of it. Late in the third quarter on a crucial drive that put Pittsburgh up even more there was not one, but two very questionable personal foul calls. The facemask was not a facemask and Big Ben later gets tapped from the back by Karlos Dansby after releasing the ball which was of course an automatic first down for “roughing the passer.” By the way, that very same play, Ben Roethlisberger was inside the pocket when he threw the ball away, which should have been a penalty against the Steelers, Intentional Grounding.

The Cardinals went on to score and make it a six point game, and a safety later, a four point game. Only problem with this was before that safety was a previous safety, another missed call. Willie Parker got the handoff and what looked to be an obvious safety, apparently was not. Now one will say they got the safety the very next play anyways after the offensive holding, so at least they got it right in the end. An extra twenty seconds were wasted in-between those two plays. Tack on another 20 seconds at the end of the ball game and the outcome could be different.

After a huge Fitzgerald touchdown, The Arizona Cardinals were in line to win Super bowl 43. The Steelers came out with a little over two minutes left in the game and drove down the entire field. The ending was a miraculous catch by Super Bowl MVP, Santonio Holmes. After review, the refs declared he got both feet in and it was a touchdown. After closer views of the play it looked to me as if his right foot never actually tapped the ground, but the way this game was going, you knew the officials were going to give him the touchdown. After the catch Holmes did his best impersonation of Lebron James. He used the ball as a prop in this celebration, which should be an automatic 15 yards on the kick off. Warner and the Cardinals did not get those much needed fifteen yards on there following possession.

With 35 seconds left, Warner needed to drive 80 yards of the field and got very close to doing so. With five seconds left Warner threw the ball, using all the momentum of his body to push the ball forward as he was hit while throwing. This should be a incomplete pass, and not only was the call missed, but it was not even reviewed. LaMarr Woodley then took off his helmet in celebration which should have been another 15 yard penalty. Keep in mind the previous 15 yards missed on the Holmes celebration, and after the should have been review and right call, all of a sudden the Cardinals are only yards away from the end zone with 5 seconds left on the clock. None of these calls were made, and The Cardinals went home disappointed losers.

Should have been an incomplete pass, but called a fumble.

"I was really surprised on that one because I was definitely moving my arm forward to throw the ball. I thought I'd almost gotten the ball off, so yeah, it does surprise you that in that kind of situation - five seconds to go to decide the Super Bowl - you would think it was something they'd do. But maybe somebody saw it clearly," said Kurt Warner after the game.

Are there any questions as to who the refs were told to make sure won that game? Not only were the Cardinals robbed of winning the Super bowl, but robbed at the chance at the end of the game to overcome all these calls and still come out victorious. It’s a shame to see arguably the most losing team in NFL history to come as far as they did in the span of one season and get screwed over in the biggest games of their lives. Normally I’m not one to blame the refs and it is not as if I’m a die hard Cardinals fan, but I feel from the start of the game till the clock reached 0:00, the refs made sure the Steelers won that game, and it’s a shame.

Call him CC, not C.C.

2008-07-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last column, so I hope everyone had a happy Cuatro De Julio. I know i promised new rankings every month, and I promise I will get to those either during or after the All Star Break. A lot of player's stock has changed since my last rankings, but do some of the few include names like CC Sabathia and Rich Harden? I personally believe CC will be the same pitcher that he was in Cleveland. Yes he will have a better offense behind him, so you can go ahead and expect a few more wins, but he isn't exactly a buy low or sell high. Rich Harden is another guy that has recently been on the move to the NL Central. He's been healthy now for 11 starts in a row, so is his luck starting to run dry, or is he the real deal? It's hard to say that he has a better chance to get injured in Chicago when he has been on the DL 6 times in the past 4 years with Oakland, but I'm not buying him. I don't know what it is with pitchers getting injured in Chicago, or that 100 year-old World Series drought, but i can't trust him there. I believe he is a sell high guy.

Guys Under the Radar
Manny Parra is 7-0 with a 2.27 ERA in his last 11 starts.

I Love me the Manny Parra. I've always loved me my Brew Crew.
And Now I love me the CC Sabathia. This is the year fellow Brewers fans.
And Yes... it is CC, not C.C.

In his last month Aubrey Huff is batting .385 with 9 HR and 25 RBI.
Willy Taveras leads the MLB with 38 steals.
Adam Laroche has 8 runs and 10 RBI in his last 10 games.
Mike Pelfrey is 5-0 in his last 5 starts. and has posted a 2.62 ERA since May 26th.
Ubaldo Jimenez is 3-3 in his last 8 starts with a 2.79 ERA.
Carlos Delgado has 16 HR, and has a post all star break .290 BA in his last 3 years.
Justin Duchscherer has been the best pitcher in baseball the past month. His stats look something like this. 5-1 with a 1.16 ERA and a 0.66 WHIP.
And the 2nd best pitcher in baseball the past month? Try Ricky Nolasco. 5-0 with a 1.82 ERA and 0.78 WHIP.
Brandon Morrow has been arguably the best closer in baseball since being put in the role. His stats look something like this the past month: 1 Win and 7 saves. 0.00 ERA and an astounding 0.17 WHIP. his K/9 is 10.80.
Dustin Pedroia is batting .426 over his last month.
J.J. Hardy is the hottest hitter in baseball. His BA has went up 34 points in his last 13 games. He has 7 HR and 15 RBI in that time period.
And where as Evan Longoria isn't the Ryan Braun of this year, he has been pretty close. He is now batting .280 with 16 HR and 53 RBI. He even has 6 SB. Also keep in mind he was batting an abysmal .237 a little over a month ago. He also missed significant time at the beginning of the year.

76-100

2008-06-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Ive been hearing many complaints lately by the readers. "When are you going to get back to Baseball?" Well this is the big finale. Yes my 76-100.

76. Santana Moss-Redskins-WR
77. Selvin Young-Broncos-RB
78. Joey Galloway-Buccaneers-WR
79. Tony Scheffler-Broncos-TE
80. Marc Bulger-Rams-QB
81. Laveranues Coles-Jets-WR
82. Heath Miller-Steelers-TE
83. DeAngelo Williams-Panthers-RB
84. Chester Taylor-Vikings-RB
85. Chris Chambers-Chargers-WR
86. Eli Manning-Giants-QB
87. Todd Heap-Ravens-TE
88. Felix Jones-Cowboys-TE
89. Bernard Berrian-Vikings-WR
90. Vernon Davis-49ers-TE
91. Deuce McAllister-Saints-RB
92. David Garrard-Jaguars-QB
93. Jerricho Cotchery-Jets-WR
94. Ahmad Bradshaw-Giants-RB
95. Alge Crumpler-Titans-TE
96. Anthony Gonzalez-Colts-WR
97. Philip Rivers-Chargers-QB
98. Bobby Engram-Seahawks-WR
99. Javon Walker-Raiders-WR
100. Donte' Stallworth-Browns-WR

-It's David Garrard's job this preseason. He was a great fantasy QB last year and missed significant time.
- Eli Manning will be a little more confident this year.

Believe it or not, a lot of QBs wish they were him.

- Stallworth got out of New England just in time.
- This will be the year Rivers steps up his game. Too much talent in San Diego. I mean, its bound to happen... right?
- Marvin Harrison I hate to say... is done. So who's going to be lined up on the other side of Wayne? Gonzalez was quietly very good at season's end.
- Something is clearly wrong with Javon Walker. I'm staying far away from him.
- Never EVER Trust a Broncos RB.

...AND LET'S GET BACK TO SOME FANTASY BASEBALL!

51-75

2008-06-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is where you really win a draft. Yeah its easy to take an LT with the #1 pick. or a Terrell Owens in round 2. But when you get deeper into the draft you start to separate yourself from your opposition. Heres my 51-75.

51. Jason Witten-Cowboys-TE
52. Matt Forte-Bears-RB

He's no Cedric Benson! :)

53. Kellen Winslow-Browns-TE
54. Donovan Mcnabb-Eagles-QB
55. Santanio Holmes-Steelers-WR
56. Roy Williams-Lions-WR
57. Lendale White-Titans-RB
58. Tony Gonzalez-Chiefs-TE
59. Calvin Johnson-Lions-WR
60. Jay Cutler-Broncos-QB
61. Greg Jennings-Packers-WR
62. Marvin Harrison-Colts-WR
63. Dwayne Bowe-Chiefs-WR
64. Roddy White-Falcons-WR
65. Jonathon Stewart-Panthers-RB
66. Julius Jones-Seahawks-RB
67. Hines Ward-Steelers-WR
68. Dallas Clark-Colts-TE
69. Chris Cooley-Redskins-TE
70. Lee Evans-Bills-WR
71. Kevin Smith-Lions-RB
72. Donald Driver-Packers-WR
73. Justin Fargas-Raiders-RB
74. Matt Schaub-Texans-QB
75. Kevin Curtis-Eagles-WR

-Anybody that doesn't have the name Cedric Benson running the ball in Chicago puts a smile on my face. Chicago wants to run the ball. Cedric Benson is gone. Who's going to take the gig from him? Matt Forte's got this.
- Donovan Mcnabb? Because when hes healthy hes one of the best around.
- Why I like me the Kellen Winslow? Cuz we're both ******* soldiers out there at War. C'mon you cant mess with a soldier.
- This is simply the year Santonio Holmes breaks out.
-Big Fat Lendale White. I think he'll be going a little too high in drafts.
- Last year Calvin Johnson was wayy over hyped. Now he's going just where he should be. I think Calvin will have a nice little year in Detroit.
- I really liked this Bowe character last year. He showed some signs of greatness. Was only a rookie and still put up nice numbers. I expect those numbers to only get better.
- Roddy White is my hero.
- Whatever the reason may be, The Panthers really do not like DeAngelo Williams. This is why I'm buying into Jonathon Stewart.
- Kevin Smith is better then Tatum Bell.
- Why does nobody like to drink the Chris Cool(ey)-Aid. Continues to be an underrated Fantasy TE.
- When Schaub and Johnson were together they were one of the best connections in all the NFL.
They go together like Bill Beeeeeeeelichick and Cheating! (You would have to see the South
Park episode to get that 1)
- When Kevin Curtis was good last year, he was veryy good. When he was bad, he was veryy bad. We'll see some more consistency out of him this year.

26-50

2008-06-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing some complaints over my 1-25. People think I'm crazy about Brady. People think AP is the second coming. People think I don't know what I'm talking about. Take what you want from these rankings you're the reader. Yes i could simply go to ESPN or Yahoo or wherever you can find Fantasy Football rankings and copy theirs ranking for ranking. But where's the fun in that? I have to have some bold predictions to separate myself from everyone else and I really do Believe in the rankings I put out. Here's my 26-50.

26. Larry Fitzgerald-Cardinals-WR
27. T.J. Houshmandzadeh-Bengals-WR
28. Ben Roethlisberger-Steelers-QB

Many additions to this potent offense can
only help Big Ben

29. Drew Brees- Saints-QB
30. Plaxico Burress- Giants-WR
31. Steve Smith-Panthers-WR
32. Ronnie Brown-Dolphins-RB
33. Marques Colston-Saints-WR
34. Reggie Bush-Saints-RB
35. Michael Turner-Falcons-RB
36. Chad Johnson-Bengals-WR
37. Torry Hold-Rams-WR
38. Wes Welker- Patriots-WR
39. Darren Mcfadden-Raiders-RB
40. Edgerrin James-Cardinals-RB
41. Thomas Jones-Jets-RB
42. Carson Palmer-Bengals-QB
43. Matt Hasselback-Seahawks-QB
44. Antonio Gates-Chargers-TE
45. Fred Taylor- Jaguars-RB
46. Earnest Graham-Buccaneers-RB
47. Derek Anderson-Browns-QB
48. Brandon Marshall-Broncos-WR
49. Anquan Boldin-Cardinals-WR
50. Rudi Johnson-Bengals-RB

- Big Ben was a top 4 Fantasy QB Last year. Not many people could have predicted this. This was not a fluke year and the Pittsburgh offense has only made additions to its offense. They are going to be spreading out the field a lot more this year which means big numbers to come from Ben. They gave Ben everything he needed through the draft, and expect a healthy Santonio Holmes.

- I know Burress is having some contract problems as we speak, but that will all take care of itself. Plaxico basically hobbled his way last year to a monster season. He played the whole year injured and constantly did not practice ONCE the whole week, came into the game and would catch a TD a game. His stats did slowly diminish after catching 8 TD in the first 6 weeks, but a healthy Burress means big numbers this upcoming season. And did I mention he had a pretty darn good Post season.

Remember when Burress predicted a 23-17 win. And then
Brady laughed and said "We're only going to score 17 points."
Then ended up losing 17-14. Good Times Pats fans.

- I'm not too high on Palmer this year. He was pretty much a disappointment last year with the exception of 1 big game. Only threw for 5 TD his last 5 games and with two top receivers in Johnson and T.J., this is simply not good. Wouldn't go out of my way to get him.
- Derek Anderson has had even more weapons surrounding him. So expect a better year out of D.A. this season right? Wrong. Last year was a career year for Derek Anderson, but I believe where you would be getting him in drafts you would be expecting the same production. I'm not saying Anderson will fall off the map and Quinn will be taking snaps away, but don't expect the same kind of season as last year.
- Michael "The Burner" Turner can flat out run the ball. He's a great RUNNING back, but won't get you any receptions. In Fantasy catching the ball is a big deal. I saw this stat and could not believe it. In a 4 year career Turner only has 11 CAREER receptions. Not to mention he will still be splitting time with Jerious Norwood.
- Steve Smith's stats seem to be getting worse each and every year. Also never stays healthy for a full 16 game season.

51-75 Will be posted Monday.

Fantasy Football in June

2008-06-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Its never too early to talk Fantasy Football is what I like to say. Yes it may only be June. Yes mini camps are still in progress. Yes Pats fans still think they went 19-0 and won the Superbowl. And Yes every one other then Dan Patrick and myself are still in shock Eli Manning and the Giants upset The "Unbeatable" "Best Team Ever" Patriots team. But where there is reality, there is fantasy. I need a break from fantasy baseball as does every other dedicated fan. So what other way is there to take a break from fantasy baseball? Talking Fantasy Football.

Mock Drafts are already in progress and I have already done my share of reviewing of the latest rankings. Fantasy football is closer then you may expect, and it's never too early to start preparing. I will be doing a top 100 with 25 each post. The top 100 will be completed by next week. Here is my Top 100 June Rankings. There will be a quick breakdown present after every 25 (each post).

Yeah LT's my #1. Surprise Surprise.

Ladainian Tomlinsom-Chargers-RB
Brian Westbrook-Eagles-RB
Joseph Addai-Colts-RB
Adrian Peterson-Vikings-RB
Steven Jackson-Rams-RB
Marshawn Lynch-Bills-RB
Clinton Portis-Redskins-RB
Randy Moss-Patriots-WR
Willis Mcgahee-Ravens-RB
Frank Gore-49ers-RB
Marion Barber-Cowboys-RB
Larry Johnson-Chiefs-RB
Peyton Manning-Colts-QB
Tom Brady-Patriots-QB
Terrell Owens-Cowboys-WR
Braylon Edwards-Browns-WR
Ryan Grant-Packers-RB
Reggie Wayne-Colts-WR
Willie Parker-Steelers-RB
Maurice Jones-Drew-Jaguars-RB
Jamal Lewis-Browns-RB
Andre Johnson-Texans-WR
Tony Romo-Cowboys-QB
Brandon Jacobs-Giants-RB
Laurence Maroney-Patriots-RB

-Adrian Peterson is not my solidified #2 like everyone else because he is always an injury risk. The consistency level also is not there. I had AP last year, when he was good he single handedly won me games, but the minimum average you would expect out of a #2 fantasy player was not always there.

- Marshawn Lynch only played in 11 games and was still a top 10 back. No Sophomore slump here.

Saw this image and could not help but laugh. Football's
so easy a caveman can do it! (Pause for Laughs)

- Frank Gore drops with an iffy season season last year, New coach in Martz (does not like to run the ball), and always an injury risk.
- Call me crazy but I don't think Brady throws 50 TDs again. In all seriousness tho I do not think the Patriots rebound and have another great season as expected. I actually think Manning is back to being the #1 QB.
- Owens and Romo will compete for the #1 connection.

Terrell Owens won't be needing to steal a fan's popcorn this
year. A happy Terrell Owens means many touchdowns to come.

- Grant was a stud last year, and the Packers only plan on running the ball even more this year to take some pressure off of Rodgers.
-I Love me some Braylon Edwards. Michigan Fan until the day i die, but with the bias part of me aside, I really do believe Braylon Edwards has a legit shot at finishing the year as the #1 WR.
- Patriots will run more this season, I'm liking Boney Maroney to rack up more points this year.

26-50 will be posted this Friday.

Home Field Advantage

2008-06-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

Some players just love the fact that they're playing in their own backyard. They have their friends and families with them, crowd cheering for you... and not against you. There are many benefits that come with playing at home. But does playing at home really change the whole stature of a player? Let's play with some numbers.
Randy Wolf
the Wolf Pack
@ Home: 4 W 1 L 2.45 ERA 1.00 WHIP 8.59 K/9
-Very Very good numbers. Matter of fact, these are CY Young like numbers.
On the Road: 1 W 3 L 5.31 ERA 1.48 WHIP 7.30 K/9
-ehh not so good of numbers anymore. You see where I'm going with this...
Lets look at some other similar players.
Matt Garza
or the real Matty Ice as I like to call him
@ Home: 4 W 0 L 2.19 ERA 1.11 WHIP 5.59 K/9
On the Road: 1 W 3 L 6.25 ERA 1.55 WHIP 3.98 K/9
Dustin McGowan
D-Mac
@ Home: 4 W 1 L 1.73 ERA 1.15 WHIP 6.91 K/9
On the Road: 1 W 3 L 6.02 ERA 1.57 WHIP 7.27 K/9
Scott Kazmir
This kids good everywhere... but i just found these numbers to be Cliff Lee in April like, so the mention seemed necessary.
@ Home: 4W 0 L 0.35 ERA 0.81 WHIP 8.65 K/9
Don't worry his numbers on the road are just fine.
Erik Bedard
@ Home: 3 W 2 L 2.30 ERA 1.21 WHIP 8.58 K/9
On the Road: 1 W 2 L 7.40 ERA 1.60 WHIP 7.77 K/9

Seattle may have the worst record in Baseball,
But Erik Bedard loves pitching at home.

Are Hitters the same way?
Mark DeRosa
@ Home: .371 AVG
On the Road: .222 AVG
Kosuke Fukodome
These Cubs players really love the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field
@ Home: .376 AVG
On the Road: .205 AVG
Josh Hamilton
Yeah hes not bad on the road
On the Road: .285 AVG 7 HR 30 RBI
Wait until you see him at home
@ Home: .349 AVG 11 HR 43 RBI
Luke Scott
@ Home: .364 AVG
On the Road: .213 AVG
Carlos Guillen
@ Home: .358 AVG 5 HR 22 RBI
On the Road .243 AVG 1 HR 10 RBI
Hideki Matsui
I <3 New York!
@ Home .362 AVG
On the Road: .289 AVG

Stud or Dud

2008-06-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

This is a column that will be composed of players that I feel are or are not legit. Players are streaky and some really just come out of Left Field. You will always have your Carlos Quentins and Edinson Volquezs of the world each and every year. The only problem is finding out if the player is a fluke or a legitimate fantasy baseball player. Let's get started with these 2 guys.

Carlos Quentin
- Stud
He has always had the tools to be a great player in the MLB, and we are coming to find out that Arizona just was not the right place for him. We saw it with Josh Hamilton last season, a long waited for prospect that finally came out of his shell. He now is among the leaders in the AL in avg, HR, and RBIs. He is a great hitter that works the count and can drive the ball to any part of the field. I expect him to be around for a while and showing the best of his abilities. Carlos Quentin is legit.

Edinson Volquez
-Stud
Since Fantasy Baseball is based on stats and stats only, lets take a look at some. 9-2 1.56 ERA 1.17 WHIP 10.67 K/9. Right now based on stats only Edinson Volquez is the #1 Fantasy Pitcher. Of course he's not going to win 25 Games or have a sub 2 ERA, but this guy can pitch in the big leagues. 1 more fun stat: Edinson Volquez has yet to allow more then 3 ER in one game.

Cliff Lee
-Dud
In his last five starts his ERA has dropped from a .67 to a 2.52. The Ks have progressively slowed down and the Indians offense has some problems so don't expect the 10-1 record to stay on pace.

Dan Uggla
- Stud
People forget that Dan Uggla has only played 2 full seasons in the MLB. The average was at a brutal .240 last season, but the power has always been there increasing every year. He's very capable of hitting 35+ HRs and whereas he wont bat .300 the rest of the way, .275 is very reasonable.

Milton Bradley
-Dud
Yes in the last month he's batting .375 with a .475 OBP & 9 HR, but the guy is constantly injured. He has always been a streaky hitter and when hes hot he ranks among the best. We have seen the best of Milton Bradley and he is definitely a Sell High candidate. I'm not buying into this player.

Ryan Ludwick
-Dud
It was nice to see some pop out of this guy's bat for as long as we did, but i believe the power surge is behind him. His average has dropped 41 points in his last 54 AB with just 1 HR. Not only is this a problem, but he is not even the full time starter. The Cardinals have a platoon going in the outfield and with limited AB, I'm not too high on Mr. Ludwick.

Nate Mclouth
-Stud
I Was high on this player coming into the season and all he's done is continue to make me look like i know what I'm doing. He had a great Spring Training and showed all the tools of being a good hitter in the Big Leagues. He gets on base, is capable of stealing a base or two, shows good pop in his bat, and is driving in runs. He's doing all the things to be a great fantasy player and has so far not disappointed.

& Here's some more players...
David Murphy-Dud
Shaun Marcum-Stud
Ervin Santana-Stud
Jorge Cantu-Dud
Jose Guillen-Stud
Mark DeRosa-Dud
Jose Contreras-Dud
Todd Wellemeyer-Dud

From Here on Out

2008-06-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

For the first Friday of every month, I will post a top 50 ranking of players From Here on Out. This will be of course from the date i post until the end of the season. These rankings are only for Fantasy purposes, therefore do not incorporate the defense, intangibles, or "grittyness" of a player. Remember, if you're looking for fantasy advice, I'm your man. With this being said, lets jump right into the rankings!

Rank	Name	Team	Qualifies
1	Alex Rodriguez	NYY	3B
2	Hanley Ramirez	FLA	SS
3	Chase Utley	PHI	2B
4	Albert Pujols	STL	1B
5	David Wright	NYM	3B
6	Lance Berkman	HOU	1B/OF
7	Miguel Cabrera	DET	3B
8	Jimmy Rollins	PHI	SS
9	Ryan Braun	MIL	3B/OF
10	Ryan Howard	PHI	1B
11	Carl Crawford	TB	OF
12	Johan Santana	NYM	SP
13	Ichiro Suzuki	SEA	OF
14	Prince Fielder	MIL	1B
15	Alfonso Soriano	CHC	OF
16	Josh Hamilton	TEX	OF
17	Carlos Lee	HOU	OF
18	Brandon Webb	ARI	SP
19	Matt Holliday	COL	OF
20	Brandon Phillips	CIN	2B
21	Jose Reyes	NYM	SS
22	BJ Upton	TB	2B/OF
23	Chipper Jones	ATL	3B
24	Mark Teixera	ATL	1B
25	Manny Ramirez	BOS	OF
26	Magglio Ordonez	DET	OF
27	Justin Morneau	MIN	1B
28	Jacoby Ellsbury	BOS	OF
29	Vladimir Guerrero	LAA	OF
30	Nick Markakis	BAL	OF
31	Derrek Lee	CHC	1B
32	Jake Peavy	SD	SP
33	Dan Uggla	FLA	2B
34	Corey Hart	MIL	OF
35	Grady Sizemore	CLE	OF
36	Brian Roberts	BAL	2B
37	Carlos Beltran	NYM	OF
38	Erik Bedard	SEA	SP
39	Josh Beckett	BOS	SP
40	Alex Rios	TOR	OF
41	Adrian Gonzales	SD	1B
42	Ian Kinsler	TEX	2B
43	Garret Atkins	COL	3B
44	Carlos Quentin	CHW	OF
45	John Lackey	LAA	SP
46	Adam Dunn	CIN	OF
47	Carlos Zambrano	CHC	SP
48	Matt Kemp	LAD	OF
49	Derek Jeter	NYY	SS
50	Jason Bay	PIT	OF

Best of the Rest (In no particular order): Bobby Abreu, Nate Mclouth, Roy Halladay, Miguel Tejada, Jeff Francouer, Pat Burrell, Edinson Volquez, Robinson Cano, Carlos Guillen, Brian McCann, Francisco Rodriguez, Geovany Soto, Jonathon Papelbon, Hunter Pence, Jay Bruce, Ben Sheets.

Bruce vs Kershaw

2008-06-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

With all the hype Bruce and Kershaw have had in the past couple weeks, you would think these two could part the red sea & find the cure for cancer. So should you buy into the hype? I know this is saying a lot, but in a span of 1 week we might have witnessed the calling up of when its all said & done one of the best hitters and pitchers of their time. Both have all the tools to be not only good but GREAT.

Starting first with Jay Bruce, the now starting Center Fielder for the Cincinnati Reds. So as i was listening to Steve Philips the other day, I heard a comparison between him and Larry Walker. Now I don't know if everyone may remember Larry Walker, but he was a great overall player and really could do it all. He had years where he hit 49 Home Runs, Batted .370, and stole 33 Bases. Now in this day & age these numbers seem very unlikely, but I simply can not find a player more comparable. Jay Bruce is the real deal.
Fantasy Perspective: Moderate Sell High- Although Jay Bruce is the real deal, I still believe right now is the time his stock will be the highest. Could he be this years Ryan Braun? He could... but he wont. Yes he has all the tools to be a stud for the rest of the year, but the fact of the matter is he is still a rookie and will still have his ups and downs. Lets not forget what Justin Upton did his first couple weeks in the big leagues.

Clayton Kershaw is another guy that is just greatness in the making. He has a fastball that hits the high 90s and a curveball that is unhittable. What surprised me most was the poise he showed his first start out. Now yes we all saw what happened to Cueto after his first outing, but i believe Kershaw is a different story. He is only 20 years of age, so yes he is still going to have bumps in the road as Bruce will, but I think he will be up for the long haul and 8+ wins is certainly not out of the question (This being on a horrible Dodger team that has very little offense). Now our only concern is that we've been told he wont be going more than 5 innings a game but i think 6 is more reasonable. Just as I've heard Jay Bruce be compared to Larry Walker, i heard a comparison with Kershaw that I'm sure most Dodger fans will be very excited to hear. Does the name Sandy Koufax ring a bell? Because he was the last Lefty Dodger pitcher to debut in the MLB at this young of an age. Only time will tell what these magnificent young prospects hold for us in their future.
Fantasy Perspective: Hold- Believe it or not, even after all the hype this kid has received, he is still not a sell. This kid will of course have his string of good and bad games, but his stock will be the highest after he puts a couple of not good but great games in a row. This is when you will be able to get the most value for him.

When its all said and done...
Bruce: .285 18 HR 70 RBI 75 R 15 SB
Kershaw: 9 W 3.8 ERA 1.25 WHIP 95 K