Fantasy

Once upon a time Tim Lincecum was one of the elite pitchers in the game…

When you say it like that it feels like ages ago, doesn’t it?  Of course, that’s far from the case.  Lincecum was one of the best pitchers in the league as recently as last season and viewed by most as a Top 5 option entering 2012.  So, when you see these types of numbers through 8 starts, you obviously have to be curious as to what is going on:

The “Fabulous Foursome” is a new column here at Rotoprofessor that we are going to run once a week focusing on four players fantasy owners should be looking to acquire for various reasons (for example, a new closer, prospect on the verge of a recall, buy-low candidates, etc.). 

Let’s take a look at who you should be targeting this week:

Unlike some other positions around the league, second base has not been ravaged by injuries.  Sure, you have two well-known options on the DL, but at this point in their careers can they really be counted on? That means, despite some struggles, we have the full slate of stars to chose from.  Let’s take a look at how things currently rank:

The following slideshow touts the 15 best fantasy players who currently reside on the disabled list (15 days/30 days/60 days).

This countdown doesn't necessarily run in concert with a player's preseason ranking or overall standing at the time of his injury. It's merely an educated guess as to which DL-based stars will yield the most productivity from this point forward.

It goes without saying, but Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria, Danny Duffy and Mat Gamel—all victims of season-ending injuries—were not considered for this listing.

The 2012 Fantasy Baseball season is a month-and-a-half old. Since the opening series in Japan, fantasy owners have been over-analyzing statistics to determine which players they want to start for their team. While fantasy teams appear flawless on draft day, weaknesses begin to emerge as the season goes on. Injuries happen and players can slump at any time. Sometimes the best place to turn to is the waivers to fix a problem on your team.

The following slideshow touts four unsung hitters from 12-team leagues who may experience fantasy nirvana on May 8.

There's one more tie that binds this foursome: Each player would be an excellent buy-low option in trade talks right now.

However, Omar Infante would probably have to be included in a larger deal involving name-brand superstars.

Enjoy the show!

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Man, things are rough in Anaheim.

Imagine only four and-a-half-months into 2012, and the Orange County city has had not one, but two $250 million dollar investments go kaput.  Back in March, Walt Disney's interplanetary sci-fi dud, John Carter, was DOA at the box office, and things are anything but heavenly for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, as their newest superstar and future Hall of Famer, Albert Pujols, is off to quite the uncharacteristically sluggish start. 

First base may be one of the most loaded positions in fantasy baseball, but if you haven't managed to land one of the spot's many superstars, you may want to consider some of these guys.

Sure, their names aren't the biggest in the game, but their early production could provide a serious boost to any fantasy owner.

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Third base is typically a thin position in fantasy baseball, so any injuries to top options quickly drain what little depth there is.

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, a report surfaced that Tampa Bay third baseman Longoria would miss six to eight weeks with a partial hamstring tear, a seemingly crippling blow to the Rays' chances of making the American League playoffs this year.