Major League Baseball announced the winners of its prestigious awards this week; now, FanHouse is following suit. We voted on winners in five categories (MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Draft Day Bargain, Draft Day Bust), the results of which are revealed below. Remember, this awards show deals strictly in fantasy baseball. I'll also throw in a few awards I'm personally doling out for performances that made the 2009 season what it was.
In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down each of the playoff teams from a scouting perspective.
There are enough intangibles that this Red Sox team has, aside from the obvious talent their roster possesses, to give any opponent fits, which is why it's going to be all the more important to exploit any holes they may have. With the style and fire they take the field with, it is more crucial to jump on them early than any other club in the postseason.
Power pitchers like Josh Beckett and Jon Lester need to be touched up early, in most cases, if you are going to get to them at all. And, in a playoff atmosphere, an over-amped power pitcher can be prone to command issues in the early going.
Terry Francona announced the Red Sox rotation for the series on Sunday as well. Jon Lester will take the ball in Game 1 to face Lackey, while Josh Beckett will start Game 2 followed by the young Clay Bucholz in Game 3. The question is, who will Boston's fourth starter be?
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
What a fantasy season it has been for Prince Fielder. Of course, we must thrown the "fantasy" before season, as I'm sure Fielder pictured himself squarely in the middle of a playoff race when looking ahead to September 21st earlier in the season, but his owners must be pleased by their second-round pick's production. Fielder launched his 40th homer of the season Sunday, making this year the second (2007) in which he's reached the 40-HR mark. His average is still trucking along near .300 (currently at .299), which is a pleasant surprise, and his 128 RBIs tie with Albert Pujols' total as the best mark in baseball.
Matsuzaka has a 2.38 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings in his return, further strengthening his case to be the fourth starter in Boston's playoff rotation when the postseason begins next month and showing how formidable the Red Sox can be when their pitching is rolling.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
There was reason for concern with Cliff Lee. After storming out of the proverbial gates upon his entrance to the so-called Senior Circuit, he stumbled. Lee's first five outings yielded a 5-0 record with a 0.68 ERA and a 39:6 K:BB in 40 innings. His next three? Ugly. He got a win (going 1-2), but his ERA in 15 innings was 9.60, after allowing 29 hits, 16 earned runs and 4 home runs.
Tuesday night, Lee re-announced his presence with authority.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That you can add the Marlins to the list of fringe contenders fading away with three weeks to go in the season.
Florida wasted an opportunity to gain on wild-card leading Colorado, which lost in San Francisco, in an 11-6 loss to the Cardinals. The Marlins fell behind 4-0 in the first, but managed to take a 6-4 lead by the fourth inning, only to squander that lead in large part due to Ricky Nolasco's five-inning, seven-run outing.
Poor starting pitching has been a big reason why Florida hasn't been able to make a run.
When Nolan Ryan returned to the Rangers organization as the club's president much was made about the impact that move would have on the team's pitchers. No more pampering of young arms was the new touchstone, and it has been music to the ears to a certain generation of baseball fans and writers who have never stopped remembering when Ryan and his peers would throw 300 innings in a season.
To help establish their new system, the Rangers have allowed Alan Jaeger to start working with many of their young pitchers. Jaeger espouses a philosophy that encourages throwing more and resting less than the established norm around the major leagues.
It's been a disappointing year for Daisuke Matsuzaka. He's alternated between getting crushed by opposing hitters and cooling his heels on the disabled list with issues in his right shoulder. The conventional wisdom has been that both things have been caused by his participation in the World Baseball Classic, but the pitcher offered another take on Monday.
WEEI.com reports, via a Japanese article, that Matsuzaka thinks he isn't throwing enough in between starts. That's common practice in Japan, but not in the United States. It's also not common practice here to say that pitchers of different ethnic and racial groups should have specific training, but Matsuzaka believes that American training techniques aren't suitable for Japanese arms.
In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down each of the playoff teams from a scouting perspective.
While we're not going to know who the New York Yankees will be facing until Tuesday night, we do know that the Boston Red Sox will be taking on the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS. We also know who will be pitching for both teams as Angels manager Mike Scioscia announced on Sunday that his starting rotation will have John Lackey going in Game 1, to be followed by Jered Weaver in Game 2, Scott Kazmir in Game 3 and Joe Saunders in Game 4.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
Poppin' out of the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
BOSTON -- Andy Pettitte was being scratched from his next start.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.
When Nolan Ryan returned to the Rangers organization as the club's president much was made about the impact that move would have on the team's pitchers. No more pampering of young arms was the new touchstone, and it has been music to the ears to a certain generation of baseball fans and writers who have never stopped remembering when Ryan and his peers would throw 300 innings in a season. 
It's been a disappointing year for Daisuke Matsuzaka. He's alternated between getting crushed by opposing hitters and cooling his heels on the disabled list with issues in his right shoulder. The conventional wisdom has been that both things have been caused by his participation in the World Baseball Classic, but the pitcher offered another take on Monday. 
