Fantasy 40/40 – 2012 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Fantasy 40/40: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

By Tito on April 25th, 2011

Who’s Hot

• Ryan Braun MIL – How does one celebrate after signing a $105 million extension?  By going 12 for 25 for the week with a stat line of 3 HR/9 RBI/9R and a SB for the cherry on top.
• Ichiro Suzuki SEA – Hit .433 last week while stealing 4 bases and scoring 4 times.  I wonder how many runs he’d score at the top of the Yankees’ lineup?  Or the Red Sox lineup?  Or the Reds lineup?
• Jose Bautista TOR – He’s proving haters wrong.  He was 9 for 19 with 7 walks.  He scored 10 times while hitting 4 solo HRs.  He’s got 7 HR on the year.
• David Wright NYM – Wright was mired in a 0 for 20 slump before hitting a HR off of Houston last Thursday.  He followed it with two multi-hit games against Arizona, along with 2 HR and 3 SB.  Not a bad fantasy week.
• Curtis Granderson NYY – In his last 7 games, the Grandy Man has 5 HR with 9 RBI and 10 R scored.
• Josh Johnson FLA – The dude is filthy and pitching better than anyone in baseball right now.  I know Weaver is dealing too, but Johnson is no-hitting people in every game.  Not the whole game, but  a couple times through the lineup ain’t too bad.  He had 2 W with 15 K in 14 INN last week.
• James Shields TB – Back to back complete games, he had 9 K and allowed 5 baserunners in his win over the White Sox and had 7 K and allowed 6 baserunners in his shut out over the Blue Jays.
• Brett Anderson OAK – Anderson had 2 wins last week while striking out 14 in 15 INN.
• Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS – His last two starts were nothing like his first two starts this season.  Last week, DICE posted a two-win week while punching out 12, allowing 6 baserunners and giving up no runs in 15 INN.
• Randy Wolf MIL – After a poor first start, Wolf has looked great in his last 4 starts.  He’s lined up behind Gallardo and Marcum as the team’s three and will move to the fourth spot when Greinke gets back.  Expect a nice win total this season because of his opposing pitcher matchups – he’s owned in 50% of CBS mixed leagues and 39% of ESPN leagues.

Who’s Not

• Ian Stewart COL – Sent down to fix his swing.  Ty Wigginton is the immediate pick up here, but Stewart should see a call-up sometime this season.  If you took him in NL leagues, sucks to be you.
• Joe Nathan MIN – Not ready to close, he gave up the ball to Mat Capps.
• Ryan Franklin STL – Franklin broke down to the media and may never close a game out again.
• Hanley Ramirez FLA – He’s batting .182.  That’s not very good.  He’s bound to snap out of it, but fantasy owners are getting antsy with the overall #2.  No homers in Spring Training, no homers this season.  Maybe a buy low candidate?
• Raul Ibanez PHI - He’s hitting under the Mendoza Line as well.  He’s also about 87 years old and may be finally shutting down.  He started out crappy last year too, but eventually righted the ship.  Maybe he does the same this year.
• James McDonald PIT – A sexy pick before the season, McDonald has given up 5, 6 and 8 earned runs in his last 3 starts with a WHIP close to 2.00.  He’s also not striking out hitters like expected, punching out 12 batters while walking 12 in only 18.2 INN.
• Brad Emaus COL – He was designated for assignment, then bought back by the Blue Jays before getting traded to Colorado.  For those of you who spent a draft pick on him, sorry.
• Julio Borbon TEX – He’s like Willie Mayes Hayes without the flash.  He may run like Mays, but he hits like $HIT.  He’s hitting .214 with only 2 SB on the year with 0 HR, 4 RBI and 3 R.