Organizational Impacts: Diamondbacks

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 18, 2011 01:28.

Each Organisational Impact article focuses on one organization, it's stars, it's sleepers and busts as well as potential impact prospects. Instead of strictly breaking down individual players, I'll also be looking at influences like lineup construction, defense (for pitchers) and bullpen strength. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to the World Series champs.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' offense led Major League Baseball in strikeouts last season with 1529, 154 more than the next closest club (the Marlins). New GM Kevin Towers set out this offseason to reduce that number in a big way. The new approach meant the end for Mark Reynolds (42.3% K%) and Adam LaRoche (30.7% K%), but their replacements are no sure thing. Can Justin Upton have his huge breakout season in 2011? Was Chris Young's 2010 sustainable? What can we expect from a newly renovated rotation? We'll try to answer those questions and more in this edition of Organizational Impacts.

Impact: Gorzelanny in Washington

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 17, 2011 20:36.

Back in 2007, left-handed hurler Tom Gorzelanny looked like a bright young pitcher poised to be a fixture in the Pirates rotation for years to come. The next season, inconsistency and an arm injury spelled the beginning of the end for his time in Pittsburgh. The Cubs decided to take a shot at the then 26-year-old. Last season, Gorzelanny pitched his way into the starting rotation and onto some fantasy baseball rosters. How will a move away from the friendly confines affect his 2011 outlook?

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2011 Draft Guide Coming Soon!!!

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 17, 2011 17:43.

I've started working on a 2011 fantasy baseball draft guide, but this time it will be a bit different. This year, I have teamed up with Mark Schruender from Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove and Andrew AKA Million Dollar Sleeper, on a collaborative effort that should kick some serious draft guide @$$! We all have slightly different writing styles and approaches, which I think will come together in a really cool way when all is said and done. The guide will have rankings and projections as well as numerous strategy and player/statistic analysis articles. We're extremely excited about this project.

Details are still being worked out, but look for the guide to be released in February.

I hate Kyle Farnsworth, but I see what you just did there

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 14, 2011 00:29.

The other day, the Tampa Bay Rays signed reliever Kyle Farnsworth to a one-year deal. Given the departures from the 2010 Ray's pen, Farnsworth may actually get a shot at closing, should things stay the way they are.

Kimbrel vs Venters: Who's the Closer?

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 13, 2011 23:36.

There seem to be more question marks at the closer position heading into 2011 than I can remember in any recent season. At this point in mid-January, there are still a handful of storylines that won't play themselves out until sometime during spring training. In Atlanta, one of the big questions (especially for fantasy GM's) is who will be the closer in 2011? Left-hander Jonny Venters was their breakout reliever of 2010, posting a 1.95 ERA and 2.69 FIP. Then, there was strikeout machine Craig Kimbrel, who burst onto the scene later in the season only to post a 0.44 ERA, 1.53 FIP and fan 40 batters in a mere 20.2 innings.

Who gets the job in 2011? I happen to think the choice is quite clear.

Name that Pitcher: Ted Lilly vs ???

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 12, 2011 19:23.

2010 was a good year for Ted Lilly. He made a strong comeback from offseason Labrum surgery and ended up throwing 193.2 innings while posting a 3.62 ERA and a 3.77 K/BB rate. There was a pitcher who posted very similar numbers compared to Lilly's in 2010, though this pitcher's ERA shot north of 5.00. Can you name that pitcher?

Ted Lilly:
3.62 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 7.71 K/9, 2.04 BB/9, 1.49 HR/9, 0.56 GB/FB, .259 BABIP

????????:
5.18 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 8.28 K/9, 2.26 BB/9, 1.50 HR/9, 1.08 GB/FB, .354 BABIP

Music, Friends, Site Upgrades

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 12, 2011 04:37.

I sat down to try and write a fantasy baseball article, but I've spent the last hour playing guitar. Now, I sit listening to the album "Sigh No More" by Mumford and Sons. This album is my new obsession. All of my favorite bands are either gone or not really making music with any sort of regularity. I'm loyal to the bands of my high school and college days and it has taken a long, long time to find a band that could jump up my music charts so fast.

(Side note: There is site news in this post, just fast forward to the end if you'd rather not read my random ramblings.)

FB365 Audio: Sandoval Loses Weight & Three Post-Hype Sleepers

Written by Charlie Saponara on Jan 12, 2011 00:24.

You can stream the audio on the widget on the right sidebar or click this link.

In today's audio:

Pablo Sandoval loses weight, alegedly.
Brad Penny sings with the Tigers (No Dave Duncan!!!)
Post-hype sleepers: Alex Gordon, Matt Wieters and Gordon Beckham

Audio corrections:

Penny posted a 3.23 in 2010, not 2.23

History of injuries not injury of histories (I promise I'm sober)
Alex Gordon has issues against left-handed pitchers, not hitters.