With fantasy baseball drafts approaching, it's crunch time for fantasy general managers. Here is a look at some top relief pitchers and catchers.
Enjoy.
TOP 20 RELIEF PITCHERS
1. Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers -- I've pried at every crack of Broxton's stats over the last three seasons to find something to make me believe he isn't the best option. But every time I think I've found something, I find myself distracted by his 114 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched last season. Add in 36 saves and seven victories, and it's hard to bet against him, especially on a Dodgers team that has had a hard time scoring a lot of runs. Expect plenty of save opportunities for Broxton this season; just don‘t take him before round seven in mixed league drafts.
2. Mariano Rivera, Yankees -- Rivera may be 40, but he still consistently pitches like a flame-throwing 20-year-old. And, even as he ages, he still puts up huge save numbers. He'll follow an improved Yankees rotation heading in to 2010, so his save chances should only grow. Those 44 from last season could turn in to 50 this season if he stays healthy.
3. Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox -- Eyes should get wide upon seeing Papelbon's 24 walks from a season ago, but his 1.85 earned run average and 37-plus saves in each of the last three seasons should make him too attractive to pass up.
4. Brian Wilson, Giants -- Wilson's potential in 2010 is enormous. Sure, his seven blown saves that may have killed his value heading in to this season are worrisome, but he's on a National League squad that not only is on the rise, but has very good starting pitching as well. Add in a Wilson fastball that can top 100 mph, and you have the makings of a closer who is easily top-five fantasy worthy. A word to the wise, though, don't grab him until at least round nine or 10, as he's currently getting no love from fellow experts and owners.
5. Carlos Marmol, Cubs -- He's a dominant setup guy who is ready to take the step up to closer. He didn't pitch winter ball in order to keep his arm fresh. Even though he had some arm trouble last year, he can be imposing.
Best of the rest
6. Heath Bell, San Diego Padres
7. Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds
8. Francisco Rodriguez, Mets
9. Joakim Soria, Royals
10. Billy Wagner, Braves
11. Ryan Franklin, Cardinals
12. David Aardsma, Mariners
13. Trevor Hoffman, Brewers
14. Bobby Jenks, White Sox
15. Huston Street, Rockies
16. Rafael Soriano, Rays
17. Andrew Bailey, Athletics
18. Brad Lidge, Phillies
19. Jose Valverde, Tigers
20. Francisco Liriano, Twins.
TOP 20 CATCHERS
1. Joe Mauer, Twins -- Mauer has been said by many, including Cal Ripken Jr., to have the best swing in baseball. While that remains at topic of debate (paging Mr. Pujols), he's undoubtedly the best catcher in both fantasy and reality. Better yet is the fact that he's starting to generate power with his smooth and mechanically-sound swing. Last season, Mauer hit .365 and muscled 28 homers while driving in 96. Yes, you'll have to pay a heavy price for his fantasy services in either the late-first or early-second round of mixed leagues, but his overall numbers may be worth the price with the top-five names off the board, especially considering he's really a top-three overall hitter, anyway.
Best of the rest:
2. Victor Martinez, Red Sox
3. Brian McCann, Braves
4. Matt Wieters, Orioles
5. Kurt Suzuki, Athletics
6. Jorge Posada, Yankees
7. Geovany Soto, Cubs
8. Russell Martin, Dodgers
9. Bengie Molina, Giants
10. Mike Napoli, Angels
11. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks
12. Ryan Doumit, Pirates
13. Chris Iannetta, Rockies
14. A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox
15. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
16. Carlos Ruiz, Phillies
17. John Baker, Marlins
18. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Rangers
19. Ramon Hernandez, Reds
20. Carlos Santana, Indians
RISING, FALLING, AND DEEP SLEEPERS
RISING
Catcher Matt Wieters, Orioles -- Wieters is the hot name behind the plate this fantasy season, and for good reason(s). For one, he's just 23 and is among the elite already. And for another one, his numbers from last season were outstanding on a team that was dominated in the won-lost column. Wieters showed some good power for a young catcher, and showed his frosty warm side by hitting his way to a .288 season batting average in 96 games. A deeper look, though, sheds some Einstein-like light on the kind of potential he truly has. I'll call it the Joe Mauer comparison.
GOING DEEP WITH WIETERS
Now, I'm sure some of you jumped out of your chair upon seeing Joe Mauer in the same sentence as Wieters; after all, he is perhaps the best hitting catcher that baseball enthusiasts have seen since Mike Piazza's early days. However, the evidence does point to Wieters possibly shadowing Mauer, like it or not.
Back in 2005, when the 6-foot-5, left-handed slugging Mauer recorded his first season as a full-time starter for the Twins at age 22, he hit .294 and towered nine homers while driving in 55. Side-by-side, Wieters' makeup and numbers are almost identical to that of Mauer. The young Orioles catcher also stands tall at 6-5, and like Mauer did in his first season, showed that he can hit for both good average (.288) and light up the sky with decent power (nine homers).
The bottom line is that for a 23-year-old Wieters is far ahead of his age, and while he may never rise to Mauer's overall talent level, he should be an offensive juggernaut in 2010 and beyond. He's a must-have rising catcher after Mauer, Martinez and McCann; a great prize in the eighth round or later in mixed leagues if you don't want to overspend on a top-three catcher.
FALLING
Catcher Jason Varitek, Red Sox -- This should come as no surprise. Varitek has been on the fall since his .281, 22-homer season in 2005. And if it weren't for all the stars crammed in the Red Sox lineup already, he would probably have been chased out of Boston only to become a low-rate catcher for a team like the Padres. If you thought his 2009 numbers of .209/14/51 were bad, wait until this season. At best, he's worth a late-round flier in American League-only formats.
Relief Pitcher Brad Lidge, Phillies -- Pretty soon, my new nickname is going to be "Captain Obvious." Lidge is another "falling" pick you probably saw before you even scrolled down to read this, so I'm going to try to keep it short and, well ... sour, I guess. After reviving his career as the Phillies show-stopping closing act in 2008, he became the laughing stock of relief pitchers, and gave fantasy owners migraines in 2009. And by posting a 7.21 earned run average, he's locked himself in as a wimpy, National League-only, average reliever. Plus, tack on a few injuries, and the presence of both former one-time closer Danys Baez and the progressing Ryan Madson, who saved 10 games himself last season, and you have a nasty Lidge recipe that is bound to flutter in to the wastebasket.
DEEP SLEEPER
Catcher John Baker, Marlins -- I would call him more of a deep creeper right now, as he is slowly creeping up catcher draft boards. And, while for the time being Baker will remain in a platoon situation with recently re-signed Ronny Paulino, he does have the skill set to be an every day starter both at the plate and behind it. Plus, he has the ability to play first base if his bat comes to life early in the season and the Marlins don't want to keep him out of the lineup; 101 hits in 112 games are very impressive numbers for a second rate catcher.
Relief pitcher George Sherrill, Dodgers -- No, this is no typo. Last season, not only did he save 20 for the Orioles while posting a 2.40 earned run average in a hard-hitting division, but in 27 2/3 innings pitched with the Dodgers, Sherrill posted a 0.65 ERA as the set-up man for Jonathan Broxton. The bottom line here is that I do have concerns with Broxton's ability to stay healthy and smooth throughout the course of the entire 2010 season due to his hard-throwing pitching style, so having Sherrill as a would-be "handcuff" may be the course to follow, especially for fantasy owners in National League-only formats.
QUICK FANTASY TIP: CATCHERS ARE NOT CHUMPS
Throughout my fantasy football career, the one mistake I always seemed to make was drafting a tight end too late. It wasn't until recently that I started to appreciate the once-afterthought position a lot more. Now, I always look to select a high-end big pass catcher. Well, the same can be said about fantasy baseball catchers.
Much like tight ends every season in fantasy football, the talent within the catcher pool drops off dramatically after the top five or six. In fact, you could make a case the talent stinks as bad as Limburger cheese once you get to the seventh- and eighth-best who sit behind the plate. Sure, there are a few up-and-coming potential stars, like Cleveland's Carlos Santana (not the singer), but if you're trying to build a solid, all-around winning fantasy team, the last thing you need or want is an unsure hitter in your lineup.
You don't want to be the fantasy owner who juggles catchers faster than a circus clown juggling flaming sticks, risking getting burned. You don't want to be the fantasy owner who is treading water with a catcher like the up-and-down Ryan Doumit. Most of all, you don't want to be the fantasy owner who comes up short by a few points at the end of the season because you stubbornly wait too long to draft perhaps the most important spot in your fantasy lineup.
Ultimately, it's time to change your perception of catchers. Don't be afraid to draft Joe Mauer or Victor Martinez early. Get laughed at. Let your fellow fantasy owners call you a chump drafting a chump. Because, in the end, you may get the last laugh when you hoist your championship trophy over their stubborn, melon-sized heads.
BREWERS WATCH
Catcher Gregg Zaun is getting no love in all fantasy formats right now, which is strange considering the potent lineup the Brewers will have paired with Zaun‘s ability to drive the ball. Last season, Zaun batted .260 and clubbed eight homers in just 262 at-bats. The most glaring stat, though, was his .345 OBP, a solid number for a low-rate catcher like him.
Beyond Zaun are two unknowns. The first is former Red Sox back-up George Kottaras, who has just 98 career at-bats, and a lifetime batting average of .237. The second is Matt Treanor, who could give Kottaras a run for the backup job.
In the pen, Trevor Hoffman and his "Hells Bells" dramatic ninth-inning entrances will continue in 2010. Hoffman is one of the most consistent closers in the game, even at age 42. His 591 career saves are a MLB record.
Behind Hoffman will be newly-acquired LaTroy Hawkins, who has plenty of experience as both a closer and set-up man; the spot that he should claim by the beginning of the season. After Hawkins is fan favorite Todd Coffey, who had probably his best season of his career, posting a 2.90 earned run average while striking out 65 in 83-2/3 innings pitched. Clearly, Coffey's numbers wouldn't have been the same without the wind sprints he ran as he entered games.
Beyond the big three of Hoffman, Hawkins and Coffey are solid situational lefty Mitch Stetter, the sometimes-risky David Riske and long-distance dialer Carlos Villanueva. In one game last season, Stetter came in with the bases loaded and no outs, only to strike out all three hitters he faced. He has nasty stuff for a left-hander. Riske is up and down, and, like Derrick Turnbow on a much-lower level, was once thought of as the future closer. And Villanueva, well, he often gives Brewers fans fits, but still has potential at age 26.
The only relievers in this 2010 Brewers bullpen fantasy owners should be concerned with, though, at this point are Hoffman and Hawkins. Hoffman can be had between rounds 14 and 15 in most mixed-league formats, while Hawkins should only be thought about in NL only leagues as a handcuff to the sometimes questionable Hoffman.
