By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer
I’m still undecided about Daisuke Matsuzaka. On one hand, he flashed a dominant strikeout rate (8.9K/9 IP) and his second half fade can be blamed on fatigue, since his workload was so different from Japan. On the other hand, Dice-K’s control (3.5 BB/9 IP) was a major problem, as was his proneness to the long ball. And maybe the second half fade was because the hitters adjusted to him. Ultimately, there’s upside here, and I’d guess he shows improvement this season – he’s still just 27 years old. However, his price tag is typically higher than I’m willing to spend.
I’m strongly advocating drafting Carlos Marmol this season. Theoretically, he should come rather cheap, since Bobby Howry has been named the early favorite to close in Chicago, and Kerry Wood is around to contend with. The Cubs probably want Wood to emerge as the ninth inning guy, and when healthy, there’s no denying his stuff is filthy, as the kids like to say. Of course, Wood is almost certain to get hurt. And then there’s Marmol, and all he did was strike out 96 batters over 69.1 innings last season. The 1.43 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and .169 batting average against weren’t too bad either. He has the upside of a top-5 fantasy closer.
Randy Johnson is 44 years old and unlikely to throw more than 140 innings this season. Still, with the possibility that back surgery brings improved health, I can’t help but recommend gambling on his upside, which is still apparent. Pitching in the NL West helps, and his numbers from 2007 suggest there’s still something left in the tank. In 17.2 road innings last year, the Big Unit posted an absolutely ridiculous 25:0 K:BB ratio with a 0.51 WHIP. Plus, he’s typically coming very cheap in fantasy leagues right now.
The most frustrating part about the Roger Clemens congress fiasco was the clear partisan lines that were being drawn. I’m not saying either Clemens or Brian McNamee was right, but I am saying the way the republicans attacked only McNamee was wrong.
You’ll have a hard time finding a cheaper source for power than Jim Thome. Sure, he’s injury-prone, only available at DH and 37 years old, but he’s also smacked 72 homers over his last 922 at-bats. He gets to hit in one of the most homer-friendly stadiums in baseball, and the White Sox lineup should be much improved this season as well. He hit 12 bombs during September of last year, so he’s not finished being a major asset in the power department.
Dalton’s bold prediction: Andrew Bynum doesn’t play another NBA basketball game this season.
I’m letting someone else draft Dan Haren. Brett from “Greener on the Other Side†talked about how he recently joined the 3500-pitch club, which usually results in a drop off in production soon thereafter. But more than that, think about Billy Beane’s track record when it comes to trading starting pitchers to the National League. Other than Tim Hudson’s 2007 campaign, he and fellow former A’s hurlers Mark Mulder and Barry Zito have pitched six combined seasons since leaving Oakland – and every one of them have qualified as worse than any of their previous seasons in Green and Gold, which is pretty remarkable. Zito wasn’t traded, of course, but Beane wore him out before letting him walk all the same. People worry about Haren leaving a pitcher’s park to a hitter’s haven. I worry about why Beane decided to trade him with so many years left before free agency. Actually, I already know the answer.
Top-5 Robert De Niro Movies
1. Taxi Driver
2. The Godfather: Part II
3. Raging Bull
4. Goodfellas
5. Casino
Top-5 Al Pacino Movies
1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather: Part II
3. Scarface
4. Scent of a Woman
5. Carlito’s Way
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