Fan News

The Atlanta Braves could lose another starting pitcher to a second Tommy John surgery as Brandon Beachy is now scheduled to undergo further evaluation on his elbow. Kris Medlen is facing the same diagnosis as the duo gets prepared to visit Dr. James Andrews on Monday.

David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution passed along word of the latest potential setback for a Braves rotation that was among the best in baseball last season:

Whether it's Josh Reddick returning to form or Michael Taylor desperately trying to prove himself, the Oakland A's are witnessing a variety of breakout performances that are making key decisions more difficult.

Here’s a look at the 2014 Lester’s Legends’ Starting Pitcher Rankings for NL-only fantasy baseball leagues:


1. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw is 51-23 over the past three years with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He has also averaged 236.3 strikeouts per season over that stretch. He’s the best pitcher in the game, period.


2. Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

The midway point of spring training has come and gone, and some Cincinnati Reds players have begun to turn in what we could consider "breakout" performances.

Fantasy baseball is a made-up game that takes into account the real-life performances of players on the field. Just because fantasy is based on reality, though, doesn't mean the two always line up just so—especially when it comes to prospects.

After all, value on a baseball diamond can be a whole lot different than value on a fantasy roster, and owners in keeper and dynasty leagues deserve to know the difference.

As spring progresses and players settle into their roles on the baseball diamond, the San Francisco Giants have already learned a lot about their team's potential.  The starting pitching, including newcomer Tim Hudson, has been solid, and several players are stepping up their game in hopes of either solidifying their starting spot or earning a roster spot altogether.

Every year we try to convince ourselves that spring statistics mean something, using a player’s small sample of production in March to project his performance over a full season in the major leagues. It’s a fun exercise after the long, boring offseason, but deep down inside, we know it’s not a true predictor for future success.

However, all the cautionary tales and disclaimers associated with spring statistics are blatantly disregarded when the player is a highly touted prospect.

Spring training is now closer to its end than to its beginning, and that means two things.

One: Opening Day will be here soon. Huzzah.

Two: We're beginning to get some clarity on various position battles going on in Arizona and Florida—which is good, especially when it comes to the really important ones.

You know, as in the position battles for key roles on likely 2014 contenders. These clubs' position battles matter a little more than those of other teams, so they're going to be our focus today.

It's already been a long spring for the Philadelphia Phillies, and it may be the start of an unbearably long season. While spring training usually isn't a full indication of the regular season to come, all games are taken into account by some measure.

As with any offseason, a number of big-name players changed teams this winter, and the first couple weeks of spring training has been the first opportunity those guys have had to make an impression with their new clubs.

Spring training performance is not always a great indicator of future success, as guys are still generally working on different things and shaking off the offseason rust at this time rather than going all out for production. Still, it is worth taking a look at how these newcomers have fared in the early going.