From the Windup is Matt Snyder's extended look at some aspect of America's pastime each Thursday.
With the non-waiver trade deadline looming just eight days away, it seemed like the perfect time to warn teams about the dangers of a deadline deal. There are plenty of good trades on the books. Then again, it's the swaps that blow up in the face of a team that seem to stick with us. That's nothing new. We know the famous, ill-fated John Smoltz and Jeff Bagwell deals, but for now let's look at recent history by ranking the 10 worst deadline deals of the 2000s.
Typically, this would be where I insert some super-awesome quote written by Oliver Stone, just in order to make up for my totally lame title.. One problem: I couldn't find anything that was "family friendly" enough to slot into this post. Instead, how about we break down five different platoon situations that are emerging/have emerged in the early fantasy baseball season. If you've got a particular situation you want examined, hit us on the hip here.
Taylor Teagarden vs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia Thus far, Teagarden has gotten one start and managed the same number of hits in five at-bats. He's walked once and struck out once, and well, it's pretty obviously Salty's gig ... or is it???
After Cliff Lee got rocked on Opening Day, it's hard to blame him for being in a bit of a bad mood afterward. You work hard all offseason to get yourself ready for the new season, and then after your team gives you the honor of taking the mound in the first game, you go out and give up seven runs in five innings as your team gets pasted. It's not much fun.
Still, that's no reason to go out and blame your teammates for your performance afterward, which is what a lot of people thought Lee did to Victor Martinez on Monday. Lee said that none of it would have happened if Martinez "lays out and is able to catch that ball."
MLB Power Rankings:Where we care what you've done for us lately when we break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world each week.
Baseball is here. Only for three days so far, but that's enough for knee-jerk reactions and our collective excitement, certainly. Are the Yankees in trouble? Will Ken Griffey, Jr. lead the Mariners back to glory? Are the Orioles for real? Are the Braves bound for the playoffs again? Will the Marlins manage to save baseball and win the National League East? What happens when Jim Thome and Kyle Farnsworth meet in a hadron collider?
Find out the answers to these questions -- and more! -- after the jump.
Making snap judgments after one start is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine, especially when you're facing the Rangers in their launching pad in Arlington. That said, Cliff Lee didn't do much to inspire hopes of a second straight Cy Young award. He gave up seven runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 9-1 loss.
Lee's day started going downhill with one out in the second inning when Hank Blalock slapped a grounder off his left arm. Lee seemed okay and got the second out before the wheels came off the bus.
You may have seen our FanHouse preseason MLB predictions for the 2009 season a few days ago. Two of us picked the Texas Rangers to win the AL West. I scoured the internet over the past few days, and, though the search wasn't comprehensive, I couldn't find anyone else who picked the Rangers.
First of all, everyone should realize these picks are for fun. When I see some of the comments under the predictions post, I can't help but scratch my head. When did it become cool to just anonymously tell someone they are stupid without giving your own opinion? That's more cowardly than anything. Regardless, I'll attempt to shed a little light on my personal rationale for the pick.
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through every major player on each team. Fantasy FanHouse is here to help with a quick once-over.
Meet the... Best offense in the league. The Rangers are going to score more runs than any other team, and they don't have an over-abundance of star-power. This means their position players are a veritable fantasy goldmine. On the flip-side, though, their pitching staff is atrocious, especially the starters. Needless to say, if you are picking a Texas Ranger on draft day, he'd probably better be on the offensive side of the board.
FanHouse positional rankings were compiled by averaging the individual rankings of each member of the Fantasy FanHouse staff.
What happens when a 24-year-old hits over .300 with 23 bombs, drives home 87 and even manages to swipe five bags? Well, in fantasy baseball he becomes known as a pretty solid young player. When he plays the most shallow position in fantasy leagues, though, he becomes fantasy gold. Brian McCann was that man last year, and he sits atop FanHouse's 2009 fantasy catcher rankings as a 25-year-old.
The Red Sox have been among the most active teams in free agency since the calendar turned to 2009, inking the likes of Takashi Saito, John Smoltz, Brad Penny, Rocco Baldelli and Mark Kotsay to deals in the new year. Those are good signings for an organization as deep as the Red Sox, but a major hole at catcher remains on the big league roster.
Boston has already signed Josh Bard to a non-guaranteed deal this winter, but unless it is willing to hand a significant portion of the catching duties to an untested backstop like Dusty Brown or George Kottaras, it is going to need another catcher.
Longtime backstop and team captain Jason Varitek is still a free agent, but, at least for now, the Red Sox seemed resolved to pursue other options in an effort to get younger behind the dish.
Typically, this would be where I insert some super-awesome quote written by Oliver Stone, just in order to make up for my totally lame title.. One problem: I couldn't find anything that was "family friendly" enough to slot into this post. Instead, how about we break down five different platoon situations that are emerging/have emerged in the early fantasy baseball season. If you've got a particular situation you want examined, 
After 
Making snap judgments after one start is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine, especially when you're facing the Rangers in their launching pad in Arlington. That said, 
You may have seen our 
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through 
FanHouse positional rankings were compiled by averaging the individual rankings of each member of the Fantasy FanHouse staff. 
The Red Sox have been among the most active teams in free agency since the calendar turned to 2009, inking the likes of 
