Baseball

Joe Mauer: The most important fantasy player in the universe

Most fantasy baseball players who have the luck of picking first in their draft will probably turn to the likes of Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez or Alex Rodriguez. Each of these players are elite, if not the best, fantasy players at their positions (1B, SS, and 3B).

The Yankees had a special guest on hand for their ring ceremony Tuesday afternoon.  It wasn't Yogi Berra, it wasn't Whitey Ford, and it wasn't George Steinbrenner—although they were all there. 

Hideki Matsui was the true guest of honor in the house that the Core Four built.

Although Matsui wasn't with the likes of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, or Andy Pettitte back when the group won their first four rings in the 90s, he still feels like a true Yankee who has been there forever.

Anyone who’s followed baseball this spring knows the national sports media has been abuzz with talk about a “once in a lifetime” talent…

Who is he? Well, he’s a lefty-hitting, potential five-tool right fielder who happens to play for a club in the National League East.

Give up?

To pick four players from the history of baseball is what impossible looks like.

To even start, you would have to define the list. In baseball, the difference between position players and pitchers is enormous.

When Curt Schilling started Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS and beat the Yankees, was their a better baseball player than him on that day?

Probably not but that does not mean I am going to carve his face into a mountain.

Babe Ruth might be the greatest baseball player ever but he played in a different era.

These rankings are based on a 300 point system— 150 for offensive production and 150 for pitching production. 30 points (1 point for each team) is the most points any team can get in a given category.

The best thing about being in a league of pretty smart baseball people is that they know how baseball works. Averages even out. ERA's will come down. The statistics, more than any other sport, are pretty good predictors. 

Active baseball fans know that. Experienced fantasy owners also know that. 

That's why, in Uncle Charlie's League , you won't see the flurry of activity that you see in other leagues. The trends that show up on the front page will not be reflected on the transactions page. 

It was a great day for the Yankees.

They got their rings, and were up big on the Angels going into the ninth.

That's when David Robertson came in to pitch.

Last year, young Robertson was very effective out of the pen, going 2-1 with 63 strikeouts.

A good fastball and a great curve make Robertson an ideal guy that you would want coming out of the pen.

But then again, everyone has those days.

You know.

The oh-crap-this-day-sucks-I-can't-wait-for-it-to-be-over days. Everyone has them.

So do you. Get real.

The Yankees celebrated their 2009 World Series victory by receiving their championship rings. Then, New York went out and earned their third straight win with a 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Tuesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. It was the 12th win in the last 13 Yankee home openers dating back to 1998.

The Yankees celebrated their 27th World Championship this afternoon in their home opener. As usual, the team overdid it in an arrogant fashion when it came to the pomp and circumstances of this achievement.

Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford handed out rings to the players. The team raised the World Championship flag. Michael Kay went overboard with the introductions. The national anthem took forever to end.

This took as long as it really had to be.

In a new segment on Fantasy Baseball Insiders, our Insider will answer a fantasy baseball-related question sent from one of our readers.

Whether you have a trade proposal you’d like a second opinion on, or you’re unsure who to add, drop, or keep, we’ve got you covered in something appropriately titled: The Insiders’ Inbox.