Investing & Maybe Fantasy Baseball

Zack Greinke was diagnosed with inflammation in the back of his right elbow. He is going to rest for 2-3 days and then he will start throwing again. I originally had him ranked as the 7th starting pitcher, but now he drops at least 5 spots.

Phil Hughes was diagnosed with a bulging disk in his upper back a couple of days after appearing at Spring Training. He threw a bullpen session and said he was pain free. I wasn’t sold on Hughes even before the injury, but if he looks good the rest of the Spring Training he could be a back end fantasy starter.

Alex Gonzalez will most likely enter the year as the starting first baseman for the Brewers. Gonzalez is a great play in NL-only and 15-team mixed leagues because he plays in a great home ballpark and his middle infield eligibility. Also, he has 15-18 home run power with a .240-260 batting average.

Brian Roberts is healthy and playing well for the Orioles. I hope he can keep it up, but I want to see him stay on the field the rest of Spring Training before I invest in him in any other type of league besides AL-only.

Brett Anderson looks to be inline to be the A’s opening day starter. Yesterday he suffered a strained right trapezius muscle (it’s in his neck) and left the game after eight pitches. I love Anderson when he’s healthy, but that’s hardly ever the case; he has 38 starts the past three years.

Entering Spring Training Logan Forsythe was expected to be the Padres starting second baseman, but he’s currently dealing with plantar fasciitis and will be out 3-4 days. This leaves the door open for Jedd Gyorko to be the starting second baseman. Most scouts agree Gyorko will hit for a high average, but how much power will there be? Playing in San Diego with 540+ plate appearances, I forecast he belts 10 home runs with 35+ doubles.

Stephen Drew was hit in the head on Thursday and is suffering from a “mild” concussion; he has not played since he incurred the injury.

First I’ll say this is not a paid post or anything of the sort. This is the second year in a row I’ve read/subscribed to his Starting Pitcher Guide and I find it extremely useful when preparing for any fantasy baseball draft. I literally spent my entire Saturday reading his pitching guide. It’s well written and most importantly, well thought out. There are some players I disagree with, but like any good writer he/she will make you think about a subject in a different way. You can check it out here.

Arizona Diamondbacks Cody Ross outfielder is expected to be out 2-3 weeks due to a lower leg strain in his left leg. He’ll continue to throw and take batting practice, but will not perform any running. He’s expected to be ready for Opening Day. If not, there’s no rush to get him back because they have Gerardo Parra who could easily be a starting outfielder for half the teams in the league.

David Ortiz is still experiencing pain in his right Achilles tendon. Recently, he started feeling pain in both legs, which is completely independent from the Achilles injury. With Opening Day 3.5 weeks away, Ortiz availability is up in the air. Other than Yahoo leagues, Ortiz only qualifies at DH. I’ve never liked owning a DH only player, but if you decide to draft him I wouldn’t get him until the 14th round in a 12-team league.

Brett Lawrie is out 2-3 weeks with a strained left rib cage. The club expects him to be ready for opening day. He suffered a similar injury last season and missed more than month of the season before returning to the lineup in September. As of now, his draft status should not be altered.

Reports out of Twins camp is Aaron Hicks could start the year as their starting center fielder. This takes all the value from deep speed sleeper Darin Mastroianni. Let’s talk about Hicks. He is an above average defender with a plus arm and plus speed; basically he has the athletic tools to be a first-division center fielder. However, his hit tool, which is fringe average, is the roadblock to reaching his ceiling. This is extremely important because the hit tool will allow his above average power to play-up. The Twins aren’t going anywhere this season and I would prefer for Hicks to begin the year in Triple-A to continue his refinement. If he begins the year in the Majors he’ll probably hit .240 with 10 home runs and 15+ stolen bases.

Aramis Ramirez sprained his left knee a couple of days ago sliding into second base. There’s no structural damage to the knee but he’ll miss 1-3 weeks. As of now it looks as though he’ll be ready for the opener.