16) What guy is most likely to disappoint fantasy owners after an absurd 2007?
Thomas Daniels: If Mike Lowell replicates last season, I’ll eat a Red Sox hat. Fortunately, I think most people realize this.
Chad Jorgenson: Shane Victorino. He was a borderline stud when healthy last year, and I just don’t see him repeating that.
Eugene Tierney: Troy Tulowitzki – he dominated last year, and I expect he’ll fall to the sophomore slump. His numbers won’t be horrible, but they will be less than last years.
Aaron Cameron: I think the Brewers’ Ryan Braun is the likeliest candidate for a bit of a drop-off. He only had 29 walks last year and while I think he’ll still be a damn fine player, look for a few extended slumps mixed in with his sophomore season.
Mike Hulse: Jimmy Rollins. He was a 5 category stud last season and is now going in the first round of every draft as if he’s an automatic to repeat. I’m sure he’ll have a very good season, but if you asked me to rank him within his position, he’s 3rd behind both Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes. He seems to be going too high.
17) What guy taken after the tenth round in a fantasy draft is most likely to steal a fantasy league this year?
Daniels:Assuming that the world has now caught on to Aaron Harang and Chase Utley, and they’ll go in the early rounds, Tim Lincecum.
Chad: What round is Ryan Zimmerman being taken? I’m pretty sure he’s around that 10th round area, but he’s going to have a huge year. Finally getting out of RFK stadium can’t possibly hurt his power numbers and he still hit 24 last year. He should hit atleast 35 this year, add home runs should help his batting average get out of the 260s too as he should be a solid 280’s this year.
Eugene: Brian Barton – the Cardinals took him in the Rule V draft and he is raking this spring. He’s always been considered a good prospect, but injuries have slowed him. He’s going to push Juan Gonzalez to Memphis and be an everyday outfielder for the Cards.
Aaron: I nabbed Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton in the 18th round of my draft last week, but don’t be fooled. When you have your draft, you won’t be able to find 12 owners as stupid as us. Hamilton has no business going that late, but he’s certainly a post-10th rounder who should light it up in hitter-friendly Arlington.
Hulse: I went to ESPN and checked out one of their expert mock drafts to get an idea of where guys SHOULD be going. I’m just looking at players taken with the 100th overall pick or later, and there are tons of guys who could help at a major discount. #100 was actually a guy I would jump at in Tim Lincecum. Sure the Giants might not be very good, but he’s special. I noticed a ton of other names, but 2 more jumped out. Brett Myers went at #125. At best, he’s going to win 15-20 games with 200 k’s. At worst, he takes over when Brad Lidge implodes and can’t close anymore and becomes a monster in the pen with SP eligibility. One more, in the ultimate risk/reward dept. is Ken Griffey jr who went at #139. He was healthy last season, relatively speaking. If he can avoid major injury, he’s a force who would be going about 50 picks higher.
18) What big-ticket players are likely to be moved at the trade deadline this year.
Daniels: Chad Cordero. The Nationals have virtually no chance of re-signing him with their current financial situation and they’ll be able to get a lot more for him now that he’s cost-controlled through 2011. In the American League I’ll be shocked if Brian Roberts ends the season on the Orioles… unless he’s Peter Angelos’s new man-crush with Tejada’s gone.
Eugene: I expect Brian Roberts to be moved before the deadline, but not by the end of spring. CC Sabathia could be moved depending on the Indians season and his negotiations for an extension.
Chad: Joe Nathan, Richie Sexson, Todd Helton.
Aaron: I believe Jim Thome’s a free agent after this year and since the White Sox aren’t going to be as good as they think, he could be moved to rebuild the farm system a bit. If the Braves aren’t contending, a Mark Teixeira trade wouldn’t suprise me, either, nor would the A’s moving the reasonably effective (if, slightly overrated) duo of Joe Blanton and Huston Street.
Hulse: without a ton of big ticket guys out there, I could see a team in need of a bat going after Junior Griffey. Assuming the reds are out of it (which isn’t exactly the most perilous of limbs these days), they may decide to trade his massive contract for prospects. He does have an option year that may or may not kick in upon his being traded, but even if he does, what he can do potentially would mean a lot to a team in need for the stretch run.
19) In this new maybe-not steroid era, how many home runs will take the title this year and who will do it?
Daniels: Meatless superstar Prince Fielder takes the crown this season with 51.
Eugene: A-Rod will again lead the league in homers, with 53. The NL will be lead by Pujols, pending his elbow situation.
Chad: Prince Fielder is P.O.ed that the Brewers didn’t give him a better contract. He’s hitting atleat 55 this year and could push 60. I’m going with 57 though.
Aaron: I think A-Rod and 50 HRs are about as sure a thing as there is as it relates to individual achievements, followed by dozens and dozens of his wooden, monotone interviews that say less than nothing, yet are scrutinized ad nauseum by the NY media.
Hulse: If I had to pick someone it’d probably be my favorite vegetarian, Prince Fielder. It’s hard to say a number since I still feel that 50 is asking a lot of anyone in a season. I’ll go 46 for him.
20) You have a gun, one bullet, no witnesses, and an airtight alibi. You are in a room with John Kruk, Joe Buck, Joe Morgan, and Tim McCarver all wearing blindfolds. What do you do?
Daniels: Tough question. Hurting Morgan would be like beating up someone’s elderly grandfather, so I’d feel bad with myself later. Tim McCarver, as annoying as he is, was one of the first baseball commentators I ever heard on a regular basis so he’ll always be a little OK with me. I still don’t watch Baseball Tonight most of the time so Kruk’s neither here nor there. I guess that leaves Buck. Of course, this frees up the Super Bowl, football, Saturday baseball, and the baseball playoffs. So it’s like an economical bullet.
Eugene: I let Joe walk (he’s a home town boy and his dad gets him a free pass). I then shoot Morgan and beat Kruk and McCarver to death with the gun.
Chad: I do the only thing that can silence them all. Shoot myself….or…I beat them all to death with the pistol saving the bullet for the Keith Law who is an “Expert” for ESPN’s fantasy baseball despite the fact that he knows absolutely nothing.
Aaron: Don’t let this get out, but I actually don’t mind McCarver. He’s condescending and repetitive, but he’s very good at breaking it down between the white lines. I’ll go with Joe Morgan, since he’s so unabashedly biased against my A’s and GM Billy Beane, along with being a cliche-spitting “analyst” who’s grotesquely overrated, despite being exposed by FJM and others for years.
Hulse: I kill myself. NO, I’m kidding, I’m too awesome to die. I guess I need to go process of elimination. I can’t kill Joe Buck because in the end he’s just doing his job. Most play by play guys are kind of annoying, although Buck seems to take it to a new level. Kruk’s not a bright guy but at least he makes attempts to be funny from time to time. Making me choose between McCarver and Morgan is like making me choose between typhoid or malaria. I might try to pull some magic bullet, JFK type move. If I can’t do that, I think McCarver is done for. One reason is Joe Morgan’s existence is essential to the existence of firejoemorgan.com, which I love. Secondly, at least with Morgan I get Jon Miller. I only get Buck with McCarver, which does not help me, one of them needs to be eliminated for the good of the group.
Join us tomorrow as we get the final five questions and the roundtable folks make their season predictions.
