The Next Piazza? Good Luck

Matt Snyder — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Hall of Fame, MLB Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy MLB

Now that Mike Piazza is officially retired from baseball, we can celebrate the man that was easily the best fantasy catcher ever. It ain't close. We're talking about a man that put up outfielder type numbers at catcher. In case you have forgotten, check out the triple crown stats Piazza put up in his prime, starting with his rookie season:

.318-35-112
.319-24-92 (in only 107 games)
.346-32-93 (in only 112 games)
.336-36-105
.362-40-124
.328-32-111
.303-40-124
.324-38-113
.300-36-94
.280-33-98

This was in the most shallow fantasy position there is, and those power categories get especially valuable when you realize it's rare for a catcher to be a base-stealer (even if there are a few, you don't count on steals from a catcher). He was a bonafide first-rounder simply because of the huge leg up you got at the position with him.

In the last few years with Piazza in a decline, Joe Mauer and Victor Martinez have come to the forefront in the new crop of catchers that fantasy owners draft in the early rounds. The problem here is that the separation between the those two is not near as much as it was with Piazza and his peers.

Will there be another Piazza in fantasy?

Here's a look at the possible candidates, in order of likelihood:

Best Chance

- None -- Oh c'mon. You can't look at those numbers listed above and really believe that one catcher can do that again over a ten year period, especially with such little competition from his catching peers power-wise.

Decent Chance

- Geovany Soto -- You've heard my thoughts on him, and he hasn't slowed down.

- Brian McCann -- Suffered through a down year after a breakthrough 2006 campaign, but he's back. He's raking with a 156 OPS+ and sports .321-8-29 triple crown numbers.

- Martinez -- This was your guy until an inexplicable power outage this season. He may bounce back, sure, but you never saw Piazza go through nearly two months without going yard. If anything, his numbers this year are evidence as to why you don't draft a catcher in the early rounds anymore.

- Russell Martin -- His power and steals combo is nice to see behind the dish and makes him more valuable than the three above at times, but he can't measure up to the former Dodger in the power department.

Long Shots

- Jarrod Saltalamacchia -- Salty's been bouncing around a bit since he was hitting .314-19-81 in 129 games when he was crushing high-A ball at age 20. He's recently turned 23 and has hit 12 HRs in 351 big league at-bats. There's good potential for growth here.

- Matt Wieters -- He's the prospect with the best chance. Today is his 22nd birthday, and he's mashing in high-A ball to the tune of .345-11-29 in only 139 at-bats. The Orioles should be playing the for the future quite soon as well, so owners in leagues with multiple minor league bench spots take note immediately.

- Chris Iannetta -- Like JD Closser before him, he was the failed "big catcher prospect" in Colorado that fantasy players fall in love with because of the ballpark in which they will rake. Iannetta has started to hit a year later than expected now, but he's not producing the power you'd want in a Piazza-like backstop.

- Kurt Suzuki -- Poor start this year (.238-1-12) with everyday at-bats, but he's not turning 25 until October 4th. Of course he only hit 25 homers in 314 minor league games.

- Mauer -- No power, he doesn't run much anymore, and the Twins may eventually move him to third base. That would murder his fantasy value.

- Mike Napoli -- Probably will never get everyday playing time and he's never going to hit for average. On the other hand, he's dropped 36 bombs in 576 MLB at-bats, including 10 in 89 this year. He's only 26, so hopefully the holes in his game get fixed and the power just stays steady. He's this low because of the lack of chances he'll have to help you.

- Ryan Doumit -- He came up last year on fire, and ended up .274-9-32 in about a half-season of play. This year he was off to a fast start again (.350-5-15 in 103 at-bats) before going down injured.

To summarize, it never hurts to look for the next Mike Piazza as your catcher in deep keeper leagues, but odds are you are going to be disappointed if those are your expectations. In year-to-year leagues, you better realize that it's a waste of time to pick one of these guys -- or any other catcher -- in the first five rounds. Compare ADPs of Soto and Victor this year in case you want to argue.

The Next Piazza? Good Luck originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yovani Gallardo Has a Torn ACL, Likely Out for the Rest of the Season

Will Brinson — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Injuries, Milwaukee, Injury Report, MLB Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy MLB

Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breaths, Brewers fans and fantasy owners. Yovani Gallardo is headed to the 15 day disabled list with a torn ACL that he suffered during yesterday's game against the Cubs. And 15 days is something you might be praying for in a few hours/days when the team makes the call on whether or not he'll have surgery.

Because real life is a bear, I was not able to watch the game. Fortunately, we have video after the jump -- the commerical is only eight seconds long. And as Snyds was able to watch the game, because he makes millions off of TGSOE, he relayed that after the ridiculous fall that Gallardo took, he never hit more than 85 mph on the gun, 78 with offspeed stuff. Yeah, that's right. He went back out on the mound after this.

Again, yes, he went back out on the mound yesterday. In fact, the Brewers somehow thought he was fine until this morning, when they sent him to a doctor. (I am absolutely shellshocked at this medical/managerial behavior right now, by the way.)

An examination in Milwaukee this morning revealed Gallardo suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in that collision with Chicago's Reed Johnson near first base in the fifth inning. He was placed on the 15-day DL and right-hander Dave Bush was recalled from Class AAA Nashville to replace him.

No decision will be made on surgery until the swelling subsides in Gallardo's knee. But he in all likelihood will miss most if not all the rest of the season, a severe blow to the Brewers' chances in 2008.

Hey, Ned Yost: just quit it, man. Word is that everyone who saw that play immediately thought "Wow! Yovani could be dunbar for the season". And yet, you let, no, sent him back out to pitch. Same with Sheets on the rain delay. Seriously, just stop it. Not that he wasn't already going to be injured, but you're putting careers on the line, and for what? Two innings of work? It's inexcusable. This stinks for the Brewers. Badly.

Fantasy Spin: Hey, Ned, my hand hurts from punching the wall. Think I should hop back on the keyboard? Or maybe see a doctor? Or even just sit the rest of the afternoon out? Gallardo is probably out for the season, meaning you can drop him in all seasonal leagues. No chance he comes back and is effective this year after that type of injury, especially when you consider that he will likely have two surgeries -- one on each knee -- within the course of two months. Keeper leagues are in one hell of a nightmare (I have him in one, actually, hence the rage) because the guy is a future ace/stud, in theory. If you have him cheap in an auction or late in a draft, you have to think about holding, but it's a looong time until next April. I'd try to move him while we wait to hear about the surgery, but hold off on dropping him until then.

Yovani Gallardo Has a Torn ACL, Likely Out for the Rest of the Season originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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