Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
Considering the Cubs were probably the most disappointing team in baseball in 2009, they definitely have their work cut out for them this offseason in order to return to being a legitimate contender. I guess Cubs fans should take solace in the fact that a winning season was considered a colossal failure -- after all, they have had a winning record in three consecutive seasons for the first time since the Nixon administration now. It's simply a sign that the bar has been raised in Wrigleyville. No longer content to play "lovable losers," Lou Piniella's Cubs are determined to win it all. New owner and lifelong Cubs fan Tom Ricketts has guaranteed the Cubs will win a World Series under his watch.
After altering the best Cubs team since 1945, general manager Jim Hendry has to find a way to get some of that magic back in 2010. He'll have to start by unloading one of the biggest mistakes of his career.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
It must be nice being a Phillies pitcher.
The Philly sluggers put 12 runs on the board in yesterday's game against the Diamond- backs, giving them a total of 25 runs scored in the three-game sweep. Joe Blanton went eight innings and allowed three runs, which is going to be enough to earn a W on most nights when you're on the same team as these hitters. The team has now won eight of their last nine games and look to be the favorites to repeat as NL champions.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
Someone at our weekly Friday chats was hoping I could guarantee a quality start from Tom Gorzelanny yesterday. While there are never guarantees in fantasy baseball, I was confident he'd put up a great stat-line. He didn't put up a quality start (in which you need to go six innings), but to be fair, that wasn't his fault. Gorzelanny was pulled after just 83 pitches, but he was still able to strike out eight guys in five innings of one-run ball while getting a win. For the Team, we'll take that every time. We backed Mike Pelfrey today.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
Despite a couple of games with ugly ratios in recent starts, the Team has secured nine wins in 13 August games, posting a 3.56 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 70 Ks in just under two weeks. Not a bad use of one roster spot, in leagues that allow for streaming, of course. We're rolling again with Brett Anderson today against the White Sox, a team he had great success against in his first start against them.
You see, when it comes to marquee names like Pedro, the expectations are always a bit unrealistic. It would be nice if legends could harness the same stuff at age 37, but that's just not the way it goes. In fact, the Martinez we saw in his season debut Wednesday wasn't all that impressive from a fantasy perspective.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Vladimir Guerrero's had a rough 2009, with injury issues and his dwindling power (his .466 slugging percentage would easily be his career low if the season ended today) causing concern the 34-year-old was full-on in the middle of a career decline.
With two cracks of the bat Monday night, "Vlad the Impaler" reminded us that he's been swinging a hot stick of late. In fact, he's been the old Vlad for quite some time. He just needed to shake the Earth a little bit to ensure everyone took notice.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
Some days, the Stream Team pick is easy to make. I check the next day's probable pitchers, see a pitcher that has been lights out in recent weeks but for whatever reason hasn't earned owner's trust, see that that pitcher has an easy matchup, and get to writing. This wasn't one of those days.
The Team has had great success since the All-Star break, with the last great start coming from new Cub Tom Gorzelanny yesterday. Gorzelanny pitched 7.1 innings of three-hit ball, allowing one run and picking up the win in his first start for his new team.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
In 2005, Tom Gorzelanny pitched in the majors for the first time. He was just 22. Two years later, he went 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA -- logging more than 200 innings in 32 starts for the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates. He did allow too many hits, but he was only 25 years old, so it appeared he would settle in as an anchor for the ever-rebuilding Pirates.
Instead, he had a disastrous past two seasons and had been relegated to the minors. Last week, Gorzelanny was traded to the Cubs, and Tuesday night he passed his Cubs debut with flying colors.
Gorzelanny, a once promising lefty, had fallen so far out of favor in Pittsburgh that he spent most of the season in the minors. He hadn't started for the Pirates since last year. The Cubs got him last week, and on Tuesday night he made his debut for his new team. Gorzelanny gave up three hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings.
Of course, it was only against the Reds. Cincinnati, losers of 14 of its past 15, is perhaps the only team going worse than the Pirates these days.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
While he wasn't able to secure the win last night, Brett Anderson did a great job in his spot start for us, allowing two runs in 7.2 innings and striking out eight. August is going great so far! I gambled with today's spot start, tabbing Tom Gorzelanny in his return to the majors. Cincinnati has been in a big offensive slump, and hopefully our pitcher can take advantage of it.
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the 
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Starting Five
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the 
