Fantasy Baseball

Forget the Alamo—remember the chinstrap ninjas!

You know, those guys who run the ultra-cool fantasy sports website who suggested you not blow an early draft pick on a closer? Who suggested, in true-to-form stealthy and deadly fashion, to grab your closers late—or even sniper them off the waiver wire?

So here we are, not even a half-month into the 2011 season, and who leads the MLB in saves? Huston Street? For real?

As a fantasy baseball player, it can be extremely difficult to keep a level head early in the year.

We know guys like Albert Pujols aren’t going to finish the year hitting .200, but what do you make of the players like Arizona Diamondbacks utility man Willie Bloomquist?

If you’re speculating for speed, it would be best to keep an eye on how much playing time the 33-year-old receives.

Evan Longoria, Josh Hamilton, Chase Utley, Rafael Furcal. There have been a number of ailing fantasy baseball stars. What looked like an offense that only featured Billy Butler as a fantasy option, has produced several players with hot starts.

Wilson Betemit leads the team with a .379 batting average. The third baseman has scored eight runs, drove in five more and swiped two bases. He’s not Evan Longoria, but he has been productive.

What the Fuentes is up with the incompetence of relief pitching in 2011? Baseball jargon designates closers as "firemen" due to their propensity of extinguishing infernos in the later innings of ballgames. Yet pyromania has engulfed the Major League landscape, dominating the early season headlines.

Milwaukee Brewers’ pitcher Chris Narveson tossed seven shutout innings against the Cubs Saturday night, allowing just six hits and one walk while striking out nine.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Jered Weaver pitched an absolute gem on Sunday, limiting a potent Blue Jays lineup to just one run on four hits in 7.6 innings. Weaver walked four and fanned a career-high 15.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitching prospect Tyler Chatwood has been promoted from Triple-A Salt Lake and will make his major league debut Monday against the streaking Indians.

Here’s a look at the unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well yesterday.

Philadelphia Phillies @ Atlanta Braves
Raul Ibanez went 1-for-4 with two runs. Carlos Ruiz went 2-for-2, with two runs, a Grand Slam and five RBI. Alex Gonzalez went 2-for-4 for the Braves.

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox

Here’s a look at the unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well yesterday.

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

J.D. Drew went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.


Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers

Will Rhymes went 2-for-4 with a run. Jhonny Peralta went two for three with three RBI. Chris Getz went three for four with a run. Max Scherzer gave up one run in six innings to improve to 2-0.


Oakland A’s vs. Minnesota Twins

Here’s a look at the unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well yesterday.

Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Indians

The story here, besides Boston falling to 0-6, was the pitching. Fausto Carmona (seven scoreless innings, two hits) and Jon Lester (seven scoreless innings, three hits, nine strikeouts) tossed gems. Marco Scutaro went 2-for-2 with a walk.

Oakland A’s at Toronto Blue Jays