Fantasy Mlb Gossip

Jay Bruce has taken the baseball world by storm. He is hitting .450 plus, with three home runs, 11 RBI and a 1.5 K/BB rate plus two stolen bases. In 46 at bats. So, more or less, the only way he could be more perfect is if he understands the importance of certain statistical evaluations. And, of course, he does.

No surprise, Bruce is getting the last laugh. Heading into this season, in many circles he was considered baseball's best positional prospect. Yet, a start that included 16 hits in 30 at-bats is an attention grabber, no matter what the expectation.

Asked to explain his Red-hot start, Bruce said simply "Sample size."

Picture me blushing in awkward man-love admiration. Because that's, um, not what I am doing. Anytime a baseball player starts talking about BABIP or sample sizes it is awesome to find out that we have, as dak at FJM said, a "dude who gets it" on our hands.

Perhaps the best irony -- and maybe I am stretching it by wanting to think that Bruce believes nerdilicous statistical evaluations -- is that he has Dusty Baker as a manager. And Dusty does stats like Charlie does surf. Or Bruce does slump.

Fantasy Spin: Keeper leagues all hold on as tightly as possible to Bruce. Seasonal leagues may want to consider selling because, as you can see above, even Bruce knows this pace can't continue. And right now, you can get a pretty sickner bounty for him.

The nice thing about text messages is that while there's room for misinterpretation, there's no dispute about what was actually said, unlike a phone call or an interview. So when the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gets a text message from John Smoltz saying that he will be coming back first this season as a reliever, and most likely in that capacity for the duration of 2008, well, that seems like something that could be pretty serious.

Smoltz went on the DL Tuesday with inflammation of the right rotator cuff and a biceps tendon, and told the AJC he would consider every option -- including possibly moving back to closer -- to help him get through the season.

"I am planning on coming back as a reliever first, and more than likely for the rest of this year," Smoltz said in a text message late Wednesday.

The soon-to-be 41-year-old converted 154 of 168 save opportunities in 3 1/2 dominant seasons as closer through 2004, before returning to starting.

Smoltz doesn't think he can continue as a starter, and the Braves will seriously consider returning him to the closer role.

Now, the rumor is that Smoltz has some clause in his contract that if ever closed again, he would get like quadruple his pay. Given that this is his idea, I doubt that clause -- if it's even real -- would apply or be enforceable. To that end, this is the right move to make.

Rumor around Vero Beach is that Dodgers prized free agent signing Jason Schmidt has lost his fastball. The Dodgers official site says scouts are suggesting there is something wrong with Schmidt. To make matters worse, Tony Jackson in the LA Daily News says the front office is confirming the rumor

Manager Grady Little and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt both said Schmidt's velocity has been marginally lower this spring than what is normal for him. Honeycutt said Schmidt has been consistently between 86 and 91mph this spring, which isn't enough of a dropoff to cause alarm.

Obviously I cannot judge the rumor until I see him pitching with a radar gun going, but this is a serious deal. From '02-'05 Schmitty was one of the league's premier power-pitchers -- relying on a fastball that could reach 95+ on a regular basis. How will he do if he can't dial it up? Schmidt however, suggests there's no cause for concern:

"I know what it takes in Spring Training and I don't think about velocity now," said Schmidt ... "It's not only about being ready for April 1 but for June and July and August and throughout an entire season. I feel fine."

As Schmidt points out, you see guys like Kenny Rogers consistently throwing in the mid-80s during the regular season all-of-a-sudden popping 95 on the gun during the post-season. While this is a concern for Dodger fans, Schmidt's a pro -- and he's a pitcher now, not a thrower, so there's no need to panic (until his ERA reaches 7.00 in May).

Yesterday I was watching ESPNEWS and when I heard the words "fantasy baseball" uttered, I immediately perked up. Afterall, only the combination of Mean Girls, Newcastle, Kelly Kapowski, and a nut flush get me as excited as a fantasy baseball draft (and not necessarily in that order). As you could imagine, I quickly grabbed a pen and paper, ready to take copious notes on the latest projections. HOWEVA, where I expected to see fantasy baseball expert Tristan Cockroft seated next to my man Josh Elliott, I was startled at what was next to pop up on my screen.

There she was...all six feet of her bodaciously blond and unfortunately no-longer-single body...America's strike out queen...Jennie Finch.

After my brief Squints/Wendy Peffercorn moment was over, I was surprised to see...how little she knew about fantasy baseball!!! Despite a full-on production crew supplying graphics packed with stats, and Elliott serving up softballs one after another (no pun intended), Finch couldn't even manage to move the runner over with a weak grounder to the right side. Amongst her name-dropping gems pulled from notes on a crumpled piece of yellow notebook paper was this analysis of Randy Johnson (Casey refers to Finch's husband Casey Daigle who pitches for Arizona):

"Casey's been hanging out with Randy, he's working harder than ever. He's going to have a great season next year. He's moving from the NL to the AL he'll get to face pitchers this year. I'm looking for a good strong year from Randy Johnson."

Funny, I didn't know the Yankees were in the AL, where apparently pitchers also bat now. Yes, yes, I know it was just a slip-up, nothing major. Bottom line, regardless of how bad she may have been in her first fantasy baseball segment, she can always improve as the season goes on, and she is guaranteed to always, ALWAYS, look more attractive, than Eric Karabell. And in my book, that's just fine.