Fantasy Baseball 2011: Chase Utley, Luis Castillo, Neftali Feliz and Other Spring Training Thoughts

by Ray Guilfoyle on Mar 21, 2011 3:00 PM EDT in Baseball

I want to take a closer look at the Tout Wars draft results over the next day or so, as I have 5 drafts starting next Sunday March 27th. I have one expert mixed league auction on Sunday, two NL-only redraft league drafts on Tuesday and Thursday, and two NL-Only keeper auction league drafts on Friday and Sunday.

The Phillies are expected to sign former Mets second baseman Luis Castillo to play second base over the next day or so, per Buster Olney and Adam Rubin from ESPN. This tweet from Olney says it all about Phillies GM Ruben Amaro:

@DashTreyhorn The other day Ruben Amaro said the phillies weren't looking at anybody outside the organization... A tipoff they were looking

6 minutes ago via Mobile Web in reply to DashTreyhorn

That is nothing new from Amaro. My first thought after hearing the Castillo news was that the next news out of Philly will be Chase Utley having knee surgery. Give it a few days.

More after the jump:

The Rangers front office brass met on Sunday to discuss the future of closer/starter Neftali Feliz. This tells me they plan on moving him to the rotation, and are making plans for dealing for a closer. I can't see them handing the closer job to Alex Ogando, who has never closed at the major league level.

Everyone knows I am a Dodgers fan. I was listening to some of the Tout Wars mixed league draft yesterday while driving, and someone nominated Dodgers first baseman at $8. Why? Why wouldn't you nominated him at $1 and see where the bidding goes. Classic crickets followed that nomination. Then in the NL-only draft, he went for $19, which was the same price Aubrey Huff and Adam Laroche went for, Interesting for sure.

After another poor. outing this weekend, Mets pitcher Oliver Perez will more than likely be waived on Monday. I can see a team like the Cardinals taking a flyer on him to see if pitching coach Dave Duncan can work his magic on him. Or maybe the Pirates?

Who wins the Braves 5th starter spot-Brandon Beachy or Mike Minor? I think Minor will win it as he would be the only left-hander in the Braves rotation. Beachy could be trade bait should the Braves need help at the trade deadline.

Bob Dutton at the Kansas Cty Star had this to say about the battle for outfield spots in the Royals outfield:

The starting unit, barring injuries, was set in the offseason with Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur in a left-to-right alignment. That positioned Mitch Maier and Gregor Blanco (who are out of options) in a battle with Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson (who have options) for the final two spots.

•Prediction: Cain will start the season in the minors because the Royals want him to play every day — but they are willing to keep Dyson as a backup because he offers plus defense and plus-plus speed. One possibility is to send Blanco through waivers to see if he clears because, if he does, he could then be sent to Omaha. If claimed, the Royals could pull him back and see if they can swing a trade with the claiming team.

Cain to the minors? I didn't expect that, but it makes sense to let him play everyday in AAA.

I was listening to XM175 this morning and Joel Sherman was the guest host with Holden Kushner. Sherman said that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez looks thinner and in better shape than he did last year. He said he watched him doing fielding drills during spring training, and he appears more mobile this year. Could he have another monster season in him this year?

Poll

Will Alex Rodriguez improve on his 30-125 season in 2011?

Yes

72 votes

No

78 votes

150 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I guess with a full off-season of workouts, unlike he had last year, it would make sense that A-Rod does a little better at the plate this year.

The Jruth shall be told.

by packimop on Mar 21, 2011 5:13 PM EDT reply actions

Assuming Feliz is named a starter for Texas, who do you see as the most likely candidate to close in Texas? Washington has been pretty clear that he wants a closer with experience, so do they go after a player like Capps or Broxton (who is the most likely trade target)? Do you think Scheppers then becomes the closer of the future?

by seant08 on Mar 21, 2011 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

Beachy-Minor

They are both doing well. I’d keep both of them and recycle Lowe as a reliever to keep him around if any of the youngsters experience growing pains. But I’m no baseball manager and I’m quite sure this won’t happen!

So… they’ll probably go with Mike Minor as 5th starter, send Beachy to AAA and use him as a replacement when another starter is injured. I would not trade him though. Derek Lowe is getting old after all.

by montrealex on Mar 21, 2011 6:03 PM EDT reply actions

that’s one expensive long reliever

The Jruth shall be told.

by packimop on Mar 21, 2011 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah

Lowe was their best pitcher at the end of last year, so I don’t see that happening.

Ray Guilfoyle
www.faketeams.com
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www.minorleagueball.com

by Ray Guilfoyle on Mar 21, 2011 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Ogando

“I can’t see them handing the closer job to Alex Ogando, who has never closed at the major league level”.

Did Neftali ever close at the Major League Level before they handed it to him last year?

by Internet Bullies on Mar 22, 2011 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

expectations

for the Rangers at the beginning of last year was a lot lower than it is now They reached the WS last year, so it would make more sense for them to fill the closer role with an established closer.

Ray Guilfoyle
www.faketeams.com
www.sbnation.com
www.minorleagueball.com

by Ray Guilfoyle on Mar 22, 2011 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions