Roto Roundup

Roto Roundup: Chris Sale, Paul Goldschmidt, Aramis Ramirez and Others

Ray Guilfoyle highlights some of the best and worst fantasy performers from Friday's MLB games.

By Ray Guilfoyle@faketeams May 18, 2013, 9:56am EDT

Just a reminder, that if you have any fantasy questions, be sure to post them in the Roundup. I will do my best to answer them as quick as possible.

While walking the dog this morning, I checked the @faketeams Twitter account for any reader questions and comments. I also checked to see who my new followers were, and was pleasantly surprised to find that Joey Bautista is now following Fake Teams. I have to think that he is the only major league player following us at the moment.

Do you know Fake Teams has a new podcast?

Yes, Andrew Ball and Zack Smith are hosting a twice per week fantasy podcast right that will be recorded on Thursday and Sunday nights, and will post here on Friday and Monday mornings. Make sure you check out the podcasts every Friday and Monday. Click this link to listen to the inaugural Fake Teams Fantasy podcast.

Chris Sale is a fantasy ace

Last Sunday night, White Sox ace Chris Sale dominated the Angels in a complete game one-hit shutout on Sunday Night Baseball.He got to face the Angels again last night and continued his dominance, shutting out the Angels for 7.2 innings on just 3 hits, 3 walks and striking out 12. He moved is record to 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and a 61-15 strikeout to walk rate in 64 innings of work. He has given up 2 runs or less in 7 of his 9 starts this season, and has given up 1 run or less in each of his last three starts. I think it is time that we start talking about Sale as a Top 10 starter, that may be conservative, and as a true fantasy ace that can anchor a fantasy team's pitching staff.

Paul Goldschmidt: Top fantasy first baseman?

There were one fantasy writer out there on the internet who ranked Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in his Top 20 overall rankings back in the preseason. I scoffed at the thought, as he had not proved himself and there were probably 15 guys I would take over him on draft day. I am here to tell you that I was wrong. Goldschmidt went 4-5 with 2 HRs, 4 runs and 4 RBI in the Dbacks 9-2 win over the Marlins last night. Goldschmidt is now hitting .338-.421-.656 with 12 HRs, 29 runs, 35 RBI, 4 stolen bases and a 40-23 K-BB rate in 151 at bats thus far. He is on pace to hit 46 HRs and drive in 135 runs. At this point, I would say he will have trouble meeting those projections, but he has surprised me to this point, so maybe he will. He is also in the conversation for top fantasy first baseman right now, knocking Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols and Joey Votto from their perch.

Hiroki Kuroda: Most underrated fantasy starter

Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda is not a pitcher you would think could anchor a fantasy pitching rotation, but the way he has looked this season, he very well could. Kuroda shut out the Blue Jays for 8 innings last night, giving up just 2 hits, a walk and striking out 5 in the Yankees 5-0 win. Kuroda is now 6-2 with a 1.99 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 39-14 strikeout to walk rate in 58.2 innings. He has given up 3 runs or less in all eight starts where he has lasted more than 1.1 innings, and has given up 2 runs or less in 6 of his 8 starts.

Ike Davis to be sent to AAA?

Coming into the season, I was pretty high on Mets first baseman Ike Davis as a fantasy first baseman, mainly due to his potiential to hit 35+ home runs. Well, that projection is not looking good at the moment, as Davis is hitting just .160-.245-.267 with 4 HRs and 9 RBI thus far, and now there is talk that he may be demoted to AAA. This from Adam Rubin from ESPN NewYork: Rubin goes on to say

Although Ike Davis snapped an 0-for-24 skid Friday in a 3-2 win against the Chicago Cubs, the internal discussion about potentially demoting the first baseman has only intensified, ESPNNewYork.com has learned.

Rubin goes on to say that Davis could be demoted if he doesn't snap out of his season long funk by the end of the weekend. Should he get sent down, Andrew Brown is the most likely candidate to replace him on the Mets 25 man roster.

Aramis Ramirez goes yard twice

Brewers third baseman is one of the more underrated fantasy third baseman, as many fantasy writers look to his age as the reason for ranking him lower than he should. Ramirez has himself a night last night, as he went 2-4 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI. Ramirez's season has been cut short due to injury thus far, but he is now hitting .327-.389-.612 with 3 HRs and 12 RBI in just 49 at bats this season.

Note: I will have to cut the Roundup short as I totally forgot I had to run errands with my mother this morning.