Key Stats: After a disappointing fantasy season in 2010, Dan Haren bounced back last year. In 2010, Haren had 13 quality starts that resulted in either no decisions or losses. Last year he was still somewhat unlucky as he had 10 quality starts without getting a win out of the deal, but that’s pretty much the difference between a 12-win season in 2010 and a 16-win season in 2011. He also continued to enjoy the benefits of pitching in pitcher-friendly Angel Stadium where he was great for the 94 innings he had there in 2010. His 1.02 WHIP showed that he is still at the top of his game.

Skeptics Say: Haren got worse in the second half again last season. The difference between his pre and post all-star ERA in his career is 0.86 and the difference in his WHIP is 0.19. In five out of the last six years his ERA has been more than a run worse in the second half. Haren is clearly a player worth trading sometime in late June or early July if there’s an owner that doesn’t believe in or care about this detail. I am a Haren owner and a believer that this is not coincidence.

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In the beginning... there was fantasy baseball. Then there was fantasy football. Then fantasy football became more popular than fantasy baseball (at least in my circle of friends). We had to do something to preserve the real game that is imaginary that is based on a real game that we pour our blood, sweat and tears into. So, fantasy baseball ushered in the head to head format. Personally, I prefer it to roto. I have more fun with a feeling of direct competition, me against you, rather than an overall you against the league marathon vibe that classic roto offers. H2H isn't brand spanking new, or some big secret we, the fine collective staff of FB365, are releasing to the world, but there are subtle differences in strategy used to win a H2H league as opposed to a Roto style scoring league. If you're new to this, read on. If you aren't this may be old hat info, but I already got the page view out of you Mr. Head to head scoring strategy smartypants! Help your new players out and comment at the end with your own strategy tips or elaborate on tips I've provided, or completely disagree with anything I write below. Criticism is welcome so long as you can back it up. Or, you could chose to keep mum, and let the new player flounder for a year in your league, beat him mercilessly into the ground, then share strategy after the season, but that's mean.

On to a Q&A session I held with myself on this topic.

Recently, I unveiled the 2012 RAW Pitcher Ratings, preseason edition. The goal of these ratings is to strip away stats like ERA, WHIP and wins and focus on the raw skills evident in the numbers (strikeout rate, whiff rate, groundball rate, etc…). Some players, however, are destined to outperform or under perform their RAW Pitcher Ratings.

Cory Luebke, 93.5 RAW, which puts him in front of CC Sabathia, Cole Hamels and Justin Verlander.

That seems crazy, right?

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The Reds improved their major league squad greatly dealing for front line starting pitcher Mat Latos. It came at a cost, though, and that cost was a host of their top prospects. What is left is a top heavy system headlined by some up the middle talent. no comments

Josh Shepardson and I provided analysis on one sleeper each (hitter) for an article over at Fantasy Pros. Check it out to see who we tout! no comments

Key Stats: Starlin Castro will be 22 when the season starts this year, and will be going into his 3rd year of ball at the major league level. A career .304 hitter, who stole 22 bags and chipped in 10 HR's at the legal drinking age is generally the kind of thing that turns heads. He was able to increase his AVG, wOBA, ISO, and line drive rates, while cutting down on his strikeouts. 

The Rays system is headlined by the top pitching prospect in all of baseball. A few 2011 draft picks find themselves in the top five as well. This isn't a classic Rays prospect list littered with high ceiling youngsters, but there is talent here.

Key Stats: Mike Morse is took an eye opening spring training in 2011 and carried that through the season, finishing with a .303/.360/.550 line and 31 HR's. People were acting as if this had come out of nowhere, but in 2010 he hit 15 HR's and batted .289 through 266 AB's in 98 games. While 98 games is a bit more than half a season, 266 AB's is certainly half of what a full time starter should accumulate through a season. Projecting his 2010 line across the full schedule brings him back to 30 HR's and gives him 82 RBI. Dating back to 2009, his ISO's have been .231, .229, .247.