Mariners Right-Handed Power, Is Corey Hart the Answer?

In 2013 the Mariners were characteristically awful again in most offense categories and have begun this off-season with a plan very similar to years past, right handed power. The Mariners are very left-handed heavy and currently have lefties at 1B (Smoak is a switch hitter but can't hit right-handed), 2B, SS, 3B and CF. After failed experiments in Mike Morse and an unknown in Jesus Montero the search continues for an impact bat from the right side. 

On Wednesday the Mariners agreed to terms with Corey Hart, a right-handed hitter coming off of two knee surgeries. Hart is reportedly fully healthy after missing all of the 2013 season and will be playing the majority of his time in the outfield. Hart is a proven hitter who has hit 30+ home-runs in two seasons, 2010 and 2012. Could he be the right-handed power bat the Mariners have coveted for years.....? Signed to a one year deal, there is very little downside in this deal for the Mariners and while Hart could have chosen a more hitter friendly home ballpark for his comeback season Safeco did see a significant increase in long balls in 2013 (116 to 170).

Home-runs hit in 2013 at Safeco Field with an overlay of Miller Park
www.espn.com

As you can see from the graphic above, the dimensions of Safeco Field are actually more favorable to power hitters than Miller Park, the only home ballpark Hart has known. If Hart can hit 30 home-runs while playing his home games at Miller park then he should be able to at Safeco. I am not suggesting that he will hit 30 but I believe 25 is an accurate projection and would be seen as a success by the Mariner's organization.
 Steamer projects Hart to hit 23 home-runs, 74 rbis and a triple slash of .257/.325/.456 in 2014, making Hart essentially a right-handed Kyle Seager (22 homeruns, 69 rbis, .260/.338/.426 in 2013). I would be fine with that from a guy who hasn't played in over a year but I'm not sure he's the right-handed savior Mariner's fans are looking for. In the end the game is played on the field and could be another Mariner bust but at the very least he can't be any worse than Mike Morse.

Midseason Acquisitions

By Ryan Craighead

It’s now hovering around the midway point in fantasy world and the division races are starting to heat up, both in the big show and fantasy leagues nationwide. Maybe your team is healthy and performing, maybe your team has been well out of the playoff since week three or maybe your team is in the majority, fighting to stay above .500 and plagued by multiple injuries. All in all, you need some help.

This time of year is very fluid for fantasy owners looking for one or two difference makers that will give them breathing room in the standings or put them back in the race. Owners are willing to move players, so get out there and make trades. The best trades are not blockbusters shipping star players but small ones trading role players.

MLB front offices are also very busy in early summer trying to fill holes in their club with minor leaguers who have been playing well to replace big leaguers unfit for their roles. A key point in fantasy success is to pay attention to minor leaguers; these misty-eyed young bloods are eager to prove that they belong and will play hard. The ones that get a lot of buzz do so for a reason: they can play. Guys like Moustakas and Rizzo will be difference makers down the stretch and deserve to be owned in all leagues.

Finding role players is no easy task; it requires scouring stats for many (and sometimes fruitless) hours. Often times it involves no small level of risk to go with a guy who’s hot. Take Sam Fuld, for instance. Earlier this year, good ole Fuldie was on fire for a few weeks in a row, hitting for average, stealing bases and scoring runs. Highlight reel catches will only keep you in the line-up for so long, however, as poor Sammy is now struggling both to hit and see the field. Rightfully so, he has been consequently dropped in most leagues.

One of the more pleasant surprises has been Corey Patterson, who has been a consistently average producer since coming on to the scene in mid-April, hitting .278 with 35 runs, 29 rbi and swiping 9 bags. While definitely not exciting, he is a perfect fit in deeper leagues, in a shallow outfield.

Pitching is like the weather: almost impossible to predict. Sure, the big guns like Halladay, Lincecum and Verlander are going to be stand-out performers, but asking about those guys is like asking if there will be tornadoes in the mid-west or earthquakes in California. Who knew that the Pirates would have a respectable staff? More than just a staff-filler but who will still be available is Jeff Karstens. He does only have 47 strikeouts in 71 innings, he has only given up 12 walks on the year. That’s a walk and a half per nine innings! The Pirates are above .500 for the first time since the ‘90s at this point in the season and his 2.66 era will earn him more wins and keep your team era down.

The weather’s heatin’ up and so will the sticks, so stay active! Make trades and keep a sharp eye on rising prospects!  

2011 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Brandon Morrow, Tor SP

These are players you can get late in your drafts who will help you win your leagues this season.

Brandon Morrow SP – With a 1.13 WHS (Walks + Hits / Strikeouts) Morrow was towards the top of the charts in 2010. His other numbers however were not as great (10 Wins, 4.49 Era, and a 1.38 Whip). He really came alive at home for the Blue Jays posting an 8-1 record with a 2.74 Era, 1.09 Whip and 97 Ks in 82 innings. He is still only 26 years of age and is entering that breakout zone between 27 and 30.  I am targeting Morrow late in drafts and believe that he will be a top 20 starter by the end of 2011.

Jed Lowrie SS/2B – Last season Lowrie showed he can hit when given playing time and entering 2011 the same problem exists. Lowrie is blocked at short by Scutaro and at second by Pedroia. If Scutaro struggles or is traded at some point this season Lowrie could break-out in a big way. In 171 at-bats last season Lowrie scored 31 runs, drove in 24, batted .287 and hit 9 home-runs. Projected over 500 at-bats that’s 90 runs, 26 home-runs and 74 RBIs. I doubt he reaches 500 at-bats but if he gets 350-400 he will be worth a roster spot especially with shortstop as shallow as it is this season.

Brandon League CL – League’s numbers weren’t the greatest last season as he struggled away from Safeco (3.99 Era on the road). But with few other options the Mariners will have League close out games for them to begin the season. With David Aardsma (hip) injured to begin the season and likely to be showcased then traded when he returns, League comes in as my favorite to end the season with the most saves on the Mariners. League isn’t being drafted in a lot of mixed leagues so you can grab him really late or add him after the draft.

Michael Morse 1B/OF - Morse with his hot spring and major league leading 9 spring home-runs has earned a starting spot in right field! Thus I hope you all read my column below and drafted Morse before the world knew about him starting.
"Morse had a breakout campaign for the Nationals last season hitting .289 with 15 home-runs and 41 RBIs in just 266 at-bats. He was rewarded by the Nationals going out and signing Adam LaRoche to block him at first-base, Jayson Werth at right-field and Rich Ankiel at left-field. Unless one of those three gets hurt or Rich Ankiel continues his terrible hitting, Morse is in line for another sub-400 at-bat season. Morse is only 28 and has yet to be given a full-time starting job. In 618 career at-bats he has hit .291 and last year showed the power potential his 6' 5" frame has always possessed. Washington! Give him a chance to play!"

*More to be added soon!

Chase D’arnaud Interview

By Ryan Craighead

I-5 Sports

Chase D'arnaud, SS PIT

      The most important thing in professional baseball is attitude; not just how they feel about themselves, but how they feel about the game. For Chase D’arnaud, the game of baseball is fun. Admittedly it can be a grind, and times can be trying, but overall it’s still fun.

      The average workweek during the season is an almost nightmarish onslaught of games on a nightly basis; they get only two days off a month. To stay in shape, D’arnaud works out twice to three times a week by showing up to the ballpark five hours before game time.

      D’arnaud played for the Altoona Curve this past season, the double-A affiliate for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Not the ideal vacation spot, but it is a distraction-free environment that can be advantageous for people that need or want to focus.

      The past year was not an ideal one for D’arnaud, and he said he was not happy with it. This lead to a discussion of the battle of complacency; at the start of the year, D’arnaud was a highly-touted prospect who was guaranteed chances to make the big league club and started to not play the day-to-day battles, but had the mindset of turning everything into the major leagues. The quest for the big leagues is a very big picture; it is imperative to leave that up to those white-collar office-holders to make those decisions. D’arnaud has been dedicating himself this offseason to getting back to the blue-collar, yeoman’s work that got him to this point.

      D’arnaud has been invited to the big-league spring training this year, after 10 separate non-invitee visits last year. Keeping with the theme, all D’arnaud would say about expectations for this spring training is that he’s going to take advantage of big league coaching to help him get ready for this season. With a little encouraging, he went on to say that increased exposure means good things and is the reason why he was invited back so many times last year.

      The atmosphere of a minor league clubhouse is as expected: 30 guys, all in their young adult life, being in close quarters everyday for long periods of time. The best teams, D’arnaud says, have the lightest-atmosphere clubhouses, where jokes run rampant and those that can’t take a joke are at the mercy of the majority. Hell, they are all big kids that do not need to grow up; it is baseball, after all.

      He only had positive things to say about Andrew McCutchen, the phenom that currently patrols centerfield for the Pirates, citing his cool demeanor as the thing he would want to emulate most. D’arnaud has the goal of not letting his body language or demeanor give away what type of game he had; he doesn’t want anyone to tell whether he hit for the cycle or had a golden sombrero (he’s hit for the cycle already in his career and never a golden sombrero, which equals 0 for 4 with 4 k’s).

      There is a group of players in D’arnaud’s draft class that he has grown with the past couple years that he enjoys playing with and can see himself at PNC Park with: Josh Harrison, Matt Hague and Anthony Norman. D’arnaud also has a great deal of respect for pitcher Rudy Owens, saying that his lower body strength is impressive.

      As a kid, D’arnaud was just like everybody else and had his favorite professional ballplayers. He liked Omar Vizquel, the slick-gloved middle infielder who is a professional in every sense of the word. For the other half of the game, D’arnaud watched A-Rod and was enraptured by how easy the game comes to that guy. When asked if he models his swing, stance or playing style after anybody, D’arnaud said no, he does not, but has been working on his own style, which is respectable.

      The thing that D’arnaud wanted people to know was that everyone’s path to the show is different; more often than not a minor leaguer will get to the bigs with a different team than what drafted him; his own brother, catcher Travis D’arnaud, has seen this happen when he was traded to the Blue Jays before last season. Then, on a more sober note, there are the long-term minor league guys, whom are known as 4-A players who spend an eternity in the minors. If D’arnaud is ever one of those guys, he said, who keeps getting jerked around and winds up playing nothing but minor league ball for years on end or when the game becomes just a job, he will hang it up and return to Pepperdine University to finish his degree; upon hearing Chase talk about his desire, drive and ambition, this is not what he has to worry about. It is more appropriate for Chase to continue his charity work that he started this year , as his ascension to the majors is all but assured. 

(Walks + Hits) / Strikeouts

Brandon Morrow

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

    WHS or (Walks + Hits)/Strikeouts is a way that I developed to find pitchers who may outperform last years numbers and which ones will fall on their faces. What WHS essentially does is describe how many walks or hits the pitcher gives up per strikeout. Critics of this method will argue that the stat gives an unfair bias toward strikeout pitchers and leaves at a disadvantage those who pitch to contact. Yes, it absolutely does and for good reason. When a pitcher has the ability to strikeout a lot of batters it allows him to reduce his risk. It takes factors beyond the pitchers control out of the equation. He no longer needs to rely on his team’s defense, the ballpark factor, the elements, the game is in his hands and his ability to come up with strikeouts allows risk to be lessened. Now I’m not saying that with 2 outs and the bases loaded Jered Weaver (Ks leader last season, 1.03 WHS) strikes out Batter A since his WHS was low but I am saying that it is more of a possibility than Mark Buehrle (2.98 WHS last season). In a sense WHS is a risk limiter, putting more control in the game in the pitchers hands. If a pitcher has a high chance of striking out a batter it often means he has pretty good stuff. There’s a reason the Cy Young award winners almost every year goes to a dominate strikeout machine.
    Another reason for using WHS is because in our beloved game of fantasy baseball one of the more forgotten categories (along with runs on the offensive side) is strikeouts. A lot of fantasy managers (to their own demise) tend to focus on wins and era which for the most part fluctuate from year to year. This is due to the fact that pitchers aren’t really in control of either of those stats. Take Felix Hernandez (1.14 WHS) for example, he was the Cy Young winner in the AL this past season and had only 12 wins. Put him on the Yankees (Mariners fans forgive me for this) and King Felix wins 20+ games. In the pitching world you either got it or you don’t and strikeout pitchers tend to be guys who have been making people miss since high school. I use WHS to chart growth from year to year in young pitchers and use it to find pitchers who already have the strikeout numbers but don’t quite have the other stats just yet. This season keep an eye on Brandon Morrow (1.13 WHS in 2010) and Bud Norris (1.44), two young pitchers who have the ability to rack up huge strikeout totals but haven’t yet taken that step to the next level. You can grab either of these guys pretty late in your draft based on their peripheral numbers (Morrow 10 wins, 4.49 ERA and 1.38 Whip, Norris 9 wins, 4.92 ERA and 1.48 WHIP) and should provide some great value.

Click Here for WHS Spreadsheet and Chart

Start 'em, Sit 'em (Week 9)

Wes Welker

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

    It's been a busy week and my apologies for no post earlier. I am back though and ready to bring you a late Start 'em, Sit'em which I feel very confident about. My logic has been tested these last few weeks and while my research and probability have been sound the outcome often is not. Without further ado week 9 Start 'em, Sit 'em.

Start 'em

QB Tom Brady - With just 34 points in his last 3 games this is definitely not the Tom Brady everyone drafted. Look for Brady along with Welker to return to form this week vs the Browns.

RB Ryan Mathews - Could this be the week? I really hope so... Houston's defense sucks and if Mathews doesn't get something going this week I don't believe he ever will.

WR Wes Welker - Ok, so you might be laughing at this one as Welker has scored only 9 fantasy points since Randy Moss left town. I think Brady and Belichick have put there heads together and are going to give Welker a lot of touches this week vs a weak Browns defense. I think he is a strong play this week and should earn you double digit fantasy points. 

Sit 'em

QB Eli Manning - Manning just isn't very good but the Seahawk's pass defense hasn't been great this year either. Walter Thurmond and Kelley Jennings are returning this week improving the Seahawk's secondary, this along with Quest Field's 12th Man spells trouble for Eli. 12th Man STAND UP!

RB Jahvid Best - He is banged up and going against the NY Jets, not to mention he is losing carries to Kevin Smith who I didn't know was still in the league until last week.

WR Percy Harvin - The biggest loser in the Randy Moss fiasco is definitely Harvin. With Favre banged up I don't see the Vikings passing much this week going against the Cardinals. I think AP and Shiancoe have big games this weekend but not Harvin while the Vikings play controlled and safe football.

Start 'em, Sit 'em (Week 8)

Pierre Garcon (With a funny line under the c)

Every week I'll bring you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think will put up good numbers and help your fantasy team win. I will also give you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think you should stay away from and keep on the bench. As always if you have specific questions send me an email and I'll get back to you (ifivesports@gmail.com).

Start 'em

QB Matt Cassel: Alot of folks might have options they may feel more comfortable with but Cassel has been really good of late with 5 touchdowns and no interceptions in his last two games. Buffalo has showed you all season that they can't defend the pass, why should this week be any different?

RB Felix Jones: Big game is a comin' this week for speedy Felix Jones. With 2nd string turned starter Jon Kitna the Cowboys will need to run, run and run some more, oh and by the way Jacksonville ranks 24th against the run.

WR Pierre Garcon: Austin Collie is out, Dallas Clark is out, Joseph Addai is banged up. That leaves Reggie Wayne and you guessed it Pierre Garcon against a Houston pass defense that ranks 31st in that department.


Sit 'em

QB Matthew Stafford: The Redskins defense destroyed Jay Cutler last week and I expect much of the same this week against the Lions.

RB Brandon Jackson: Don't mess with the Jets defense especially when you aren't a skilled runner. Stay away from BJack unless you have no other choice.

WR Michael Crabtree: You simply can't start him now, especially with Troy Smith under center. It doesn't help either that the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain. And yes I know London isn't in Spain.

Round 4 Update and Players to Target

David Gettis

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

     Another week is in the books and the Maple Bars have moved to 4-3 on the season. Roddy White continues to be a stud for me as well as two straight double digit games from Marshawn Lynch. This week I have a few issues with players on bye but hopefully my team can step up and make it two wins in a row.
     Week 7 was a crazy one with some superstars performing at a high level while others were no where to be found. This presented a chance for players to step up and perform better than expected. Below you will find players that may not be owned in your league but are worth a pick up and should be good for you the rest of the season.

Players this week I am targeting (that you should also):

David Gettis: I had this guy on my roster earlier in the season as a bye week replacement and he failed to perform. Now with Steve Smith back all the attention that was on Gettis is on Smith, opening him up for some great games like last weekend.

Kenneth Darby: Speculation add here for if Steven Jackson misses this weekends game. Jackson just had two pins put in his ring finger and is questionable this week vs a not great Carolina run defense. If Jackson sits Darby will get the carries and should perform well.

Patrick Crayton: Two solid games in a row in an offense that passes first. Keep him in your lineup as long as Malcom Floyd is out.

Steve Johnson - Believe! This guy is for real and I doubted him the last three weeks and he continued to prove me wrong. Ryan Fitzpatrick is throwing throwing throwing and Johnson is getting a lot of looks. Pick him up if he's still available.

Vincent Jackson (if you have the roster space): He will be back at the end of November and be inserted right back into the starting lineup. This guy is their superstar and the Chargers need him back if they have any hope of turning around this awful season.


*As always email you questions to ifivesports@gmail.com and I'll get right back to you. Good Luck in Week 8!

Round 4 Update and Players to target

Marshawn Lynch

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

     Well, I'll be the first to tell you when I get something wrong and last week I got some things very wrong. I can only tell you what should happen, not what will and when predictions go wrong you can fully blame me. Stick with me I know what I'm doing and let's make the playoffs. 

     This week I moved to 3-3 with a loss to Tacompton. I'm still in it but need to pick it up these next few weeks. 

Players this week I am targeting (that you should also):

Marshawn Lynch - Beast Mode! If this guy is still a free agent get him now! He is the feature back and will get close to 20 touches every week and all the goal-line carries, not everyday you see one of those on the waiver wire.

Deion Branch - I thought he was dead and gone, far away from fantasy relevance but Tom Brady has shown that he and Branch can pick up right where they left off. I don't think Branch will necessarily have another 9 receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown but he has shown that he can still produce in the right offense.

Buster Davis - With injuries to Antonio Gates, Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee, Davis could see a huge increase in targets this weekend if even 1 of those guys misses the game. He's had a few good games this season and could be in for a monster on Sunday, keep an eye on the Chargers injuries.

Mike Williams (Sea) - Finally healthy, Williams established himself as Hasselbeck's favorite target with 10 receptions for 123 yards. Going forward Hasselbeck will probably spread the ball around a little more but I believe Mike Williams still has a lot of value in an offense which passes first.

Benjamin Watson - If you need a TE this is your guy. He has at least 5 receptions in each of his last 4 games and QB Colt McCoy showed he can get the ball to him. If he isn't owned he is worth adding in your league.

Good Games I Don't Care About

• Chris Ivory
• Justin Forsett
• Derrick Ward

Start 'em, Sit 'em (Week 6)

Hines Ward

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Every week I'll bring you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think will put up good numbers and help your fantasy team win. I will also give you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think you should stay away from and keep on the bench. As always if you have specific questions send me an email and I'll get back to you.

Start 'em

Ben Roethlisberger - The Return! At home, vs the Browns what more could Roethlisberger ask for? Look for the Steelers to come out throwing and go up big early.

Michael Bush - Even if McFadden plays he has already lost his starting job to Bush. The 49er's defense has  given up some big rushing games and I don't see any reason why this trend won't continue vs the Raiders.

Hines Ward - No one has wanted Big Ben to return more than Hines Ward who has been very mediocre so far this season without him. The Steelers are not going to ease Ben in they are going to come out firing and most of those passes should be in the direction of Ward.

Sit 'em

Kevin Kolb - The Falcons are first in the league with 10 interceptions and have allowed the 4th fewest points they also don't give up the deep ball. All three of these spell trouble for Kevin Kolb. Last week vs San Francisco Kolb didn't look for his best receiver, Jackson, which may cause him to force a few throws his way on Sunday. Unless your league doesn't penalize you for interceptions stay away from Kolb.

Peyton Hillis - Pittsburgh has one of the top run defenses and Hillis(thigh), as of Thursday, has not practiced yet this week. Even if he does play on Sunday I don't think he should be started. I expect Big Ben and the Steelers at home to go up early and never look back, taking the Cleveland's running game out of the equation completely.

DeSean Jackson - See Kevin Kolb.

Round 4 Update and Players to target (Week 5)

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports  

Calvin Johnson

     With week 5 in the books the Maple Bars have moved to 3-2 and are in a tight race with 3 other teams tied for 2nd place. I would like to thank Ray Rice for finally showing up and performing well, as well as the Falcons def/st who every week I consider dropping but can't bring myself to do it because they are so good. Ten interceptions and three fumble recoveries through 5 games is amazing and they have defenitely earned a fulltime roster spot even though I also own the Vikings def/st.
     In Week 6 I take on Tac Tacompton (2-3) who's team is a little banged up. Maurice Jones-Drew (wrist), Pierre Thomas (ankle), Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) and Calvin Johnson (shoulder), all big name players who's limitation should help me move to a 4-2 this week.


Pickups/players to target Week 5

     Beanie Wells didn't come through for me on the "Start 'em, Sit 'em" recomendation dispite 20 carries. It was a good sign for the rest of the season though that Wells got a huge majority of the work and Tim Hightower only received 4 carries. Stick with this guy and maybe even buy low if he is not already rostered because I see big things in the future especially with the Cardinals receiving core getting healthier every day.
     With the departure of the Seahawks slot reciever Deion Branch the team will look to recently added Brandon Stokley to fill that void. In week 4 Stokley had four receptions on eight targets for 62 yards and should improve on those numbers as he gains confidence with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

As always check back on Thursday for “Start ‘em, Sit ‘em” and if you have specific questions email me at ifivesports@gmail.com. Good Luck in Week 6!

Start 'em, Sit 'em (Week 5)

By Baron Kuhn

Beanie Wells

I-5 Sports

Every week I'll bring you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think will put up good numbers and help your fantasy team win. I will also give you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think you should stay away from and keep on the bench. As always if you have specific questions send me an email and I'll get back to you.

Start 'em


Jay Cutler - After being "knocked out" by the Giants last week Cutler has made a quick recovery from the concussion and will most likely play this weekend against a weak Carolina team. Keep tabs on his status but if he plays he will impress. 


*After practicing Wednesday Cutler will be help out of this weekends game vs Carolina as he is still suffering from headaches.


Beanie Wells - I said it last week and I'll say it again, you can run on the Saints. Wells was eased back into action last week and should get the majority of the carries this week. 


Roy E. Williams - With Miles Austin drawing double teams and Cortland Finnegan it should leave Williams with plenty of favorable matchups. Roy showed last game he can still be a productive receiver opposite a star like Miles Austin.


Sit 'em


Mark Sanchez - For some reason people don't think the Vikings can defend the pass but they continue to be good vs opposing quarterbacks. If you have options sit the Sanchize.


DeAngelo Williams / Jonathan Stewart - I liked DeAngelo last week but vs a good Bears defense that was embarassed last week I expect both Carolina running backs to underperform.


Randy Moss - Two words...Darrelle Revis. He should be healthy and ready to shut down Brett Favre's new toy.

Round 4 Update (Week 4)

Jason Witten

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

     Well boys and girls week 4 is in the books and the Maple Bars have experienced the awful taste of defeat for the 2nd straight week. Some players on my team fought hard and others did not…Ray Rice and Beanie Wells (4 points combined) and going into Monday night I needed a miracle 31 points from Wes Welker to win, which did not happen.

     As you may have read last week, I was involved in a trade that was vetoed. Matt Forte for DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Mathews was deemed unfair by the League Master and therefore did not go through. This left me searching for another trade that would solve my problem of running back depth. This week I was involved in two trades, one with 253 Duff Man and the other with WA Merlin’s Beard. The trade with 253 Duff Man addressed my issue of running back depth. In the deal I traded Matt Forte for Beanie Wells and Marshawn Lynch. I have liked Beanie Wells since the start of the season and now that he is healthy and getting touches I felt it was the right time to make this deal. A few of you may be scratching your head at my desire to have Marshawn Lynch on my team as he hasn’t been running very well so far this season. This was a speculative deal in which I believe that in the next few weeks Lynch will be traded to either the Green Bay Packers or Philadelphia Eagles and immediately become the feature running back. Obviously I would much prefer for Lynch to be dealt to the Packers as there is little competition in Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn. I believe strongly that this will happen soon and that if the opportunity presents itself you should add Marshawn Lynch to your team. The second deal was Laurence Maroney for Jason Witten. Maroney is slowly climbing the depth chart in Denver but I felt that I could not pass up the chance to upgrade my tight end from Kellen Winslow to Jason Witten.

     As long as Ray Rice and Beanie Wells rebound in Week 5 I should be able to avoid falling to 2-3 after a 2-0 start. As always check back on Thursday for “Start ‘em, Sit ‘em” and if you have specific questions email me at ifivesports@gmail.com. Good Luck in Week 5!

QBs
Jay Cutler
Matt Ryan

RBs
Ray Rice
Beanie Wells
Marshawn Lynch
John Kuhn

WRs
Roddy White
Wes Welker
Steve Breaston
Vincent Jackson

TEs
Jason Witten
Kellen Winslow

DEF/ST
Vikings

K
Mason Crosby

Start 'em, Sit 'em (Week 4)

DeAngelo Williams

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Every Thursday I'll bring you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think will put up good numbers and help your fantasy team win. I will also give you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think you should stay away from and keep on the bench. As always if you have specific questions send me and email and I'll get back to you asap. Good luck this weekend!

Start ‘em

QB Matt Ryan – Matty Ice, who I am starting in place of Jay Cutler, should carve up the weak 49er’s defense this week. The 49ers have not gotten any pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season and I see no reason why this wouldn’t continue on the road against the Falcons.

Projections: 235 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions.

RB DeAngelo Williams – You can run on the Saints and that is just what Williams will do. Look for him to get it going and deliver double digit points for the first time this season.

Projections: 88 rush yards with 1 rushing touchdown, 2 catches for 10 receiving yards.

WR Santana Moss – I see a big day for Donovan McNabb and that means a big day for Santana Moss. This is more of a gut play than anything else as the Eagles have been good defending the pass this season.

Projections: 8 catches, 110 yards, 2 touchdowns

Sit ‘em

QB Chad Henne, Charlie Batch, Eli Manning – Hate them all.

Projections: Bad

RB Stephen Jackson – Seattle’s run defense has been a very strong point so far this season and this week against the rams should be no different. The Seahawks have faced the Rams to many times and seen Jackson run all over them. The game will be put on the rookie arm of Sam Bradford and the Seahawks will force him to make the big plays not Jackson.

Projections: 65 rush yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 catches for 14 yards.

WR Steve Smith – Who’s going to throw to him? Is it Clausen? Is it Moore? It is most likely Clausen who will be under center on Sunday but at this point it doesn’t matter. Smith has no chemistry with either quarterback and is going against a good Saints secondary. Add in the fact that the Saints are at home and you have a terrible day for Carolina’s passing game. Sit Steve Smith.

Projections: 4 catches, 62 yards, 0 touchdowns

Round 4 Update (Week 3)

Peyton Hillis

By Baron Kuhn


I-5 Sports  


     Well, the Maple Bars have been handed their first loss of the short season at the hands of The Decepticons (Dan Hockaday). While my team had their worst performance of the season (85 points), The Decepticons had their best total in the first three (134 points). First of all congratulations to Dan on handing my team it’s first loss of the season, it was a well deserved victory. Dan’s MVP of the week was Peyton Hillis, who scored a team high 26.5 points. My team decided to take a week off to say the least…with four of my players giving me six points or less and my first round pick (Ray Rice) only providing eleven and leaving the game early with an injury. If Rice were to miss significant time my running back situation would be in big trouble. I recently accepted a deal (pending league review) which would add needed depth to my backfield. In the deal I would receive DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Mathews (sprained ankle) from GA Headbussa#4 Headbussas for Matt Forte. Williams has underperformed and Mathews has been injured while Forte has been very good (except for this week) but I feel this is trade I needed to accept.

     In week 4 I will be going up against the ENDZONE PIMPSSS who are also 2-1 after their loss to The HIV this week. This should be a match-up where I can come away with the victory as his starting quarterback Tony Romo is on bye and his backup Ben Roethlisberger is suspended until the following week. The ENDZONE PIMPSSS do have some players who can put up big numbers in Frank Gore and Larry Fitzgerald and with the Atlanta Falcons not being very good against the run may provide some scoring opportunities for Gore.

     My running game in week 4 is in trouble. Ray Rice is banged up and facing the Pittsburg Steelers run defense which is one of the best in the league. If the trade is allowed and DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Mathews are on my roster by this weekend I fully expect to be victorious. If not I am going to need my receivers to step up their game and shoulder the load. I fully expect the Maple Bars to be victorious and by this time next week be 3-1 and atop the Round 4 League Standings.


*Check back Thursday for "Start 'em Sit 'em"

Start 'em, Sit 'em (Week 3)

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Every week I'll bring you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think will put up good numbers and help your fantasy team win. I will also give you a quarterback, running back and wide receiver that I think you should stay away from and keep on the bench. As always if you have specific questions send me an email and I'll get back to you asap. Good luck this weekend!

Start ‘em

Joe Flacco – Flacco can’t possibly be any worse than his “performance” last week against the Bengal’s defense. Completing only 17 of 39 passes for 154 yards is not what we have come to expect from Flacco. Add to that 4 interceptions and you have an atrocious day. Flacco is too good of a talent to be performing at this level and will impress this weekend against the Browns. Look for Flacco to rebound this week and put up solid numbers for your team.

Projections: 18 of 29 for 240 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

LeSean McCoy – Jacksonville has been torched on the ground giving up 227 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. McCoy has been getting the majority of the carries, including the goal line carries and has shown some chemistry with new quarterback Michael Vick. Look for McCoy to put up solid numbers in both the rushing and receiving categories with at least 1 touchdown.

Projections: 85 rush yards with 1 rushing touchdown, 20 receiving yards.

Calvin Johnson – Megatron has not been himself yet this season catching only 8 passes for 95 yards and 1 touchdown through 2 games. Don’t give up on him yet! Minnesota’s defense as a whole is focused on stopping the run and has been vulnerable through the air. Expect the Lions to be down early and be forced to throw for much of the game giving Megatron many opportunities to showcase his athletic abilities.

Projections: 9 catches, 95 yards, 1 touchdown.

Sit ‘em

Eli Manning – If Eli thought the Colts secondary is tough wait till he meets the Tennessee Titans this week.  The Titans defense has yet to allow a 200 yard passer this season, expect this trend to continue. Adding to the Giants problems is that Eli can’t seem to protect the ball, through 2 games this year Eli has 7 turnovers (4 interceptions, 3 fumbles). Expect his woes to continue this week.

Projections: 12 of 20 for 110 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

Jamaal Charles – So far this year the San Francisco 49ers have been good against the run. Charles does possess break-away speed and an ability to get to the edge but I don’t see him getting enough carries to warrant a start this weekend. With Thomas Jones in the mix Charles has now been pushed to 2nd on the depth chart. Expect for his carries to be around the same and for a sub-par day from last years breakout running back.

Projections: 30 rush yards with 0 touchdowns, 20 receiving yards.

Hakeem Nicks – Cortland Finnegan and Eli Manning…….enough said.

Projections: 2 catches, 24 yards, 0 touchdowns.

Why I will win Round 4 (14 Team League)

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Ray Rice RB Baltimore Ravens

When drafting a team, whether it is Fantasy Football or Baseball, the first rule is to understand the specific settings of your league. In such a deep league, like Round 4 (14 teams), it becomes even more important as the level of talent on everyone’s team is a lot lower than in a standard 10 team league. There are two major differences in Round 4 from standard leagues. First, is the addition of 0.5 points per reception which means every time a player on your team catches a pass they receive an extra 0.5 points. This may not seem like much but added up throughout the season makes a huge difference. Next is the addition of 1 point for every 5 completions for Quarterbacks. This increases the value of top tier quarterbacks in pass happy offenses, while diminishing the value of teams who tend to focus on the run. I am lucky to have been in the same league with the same settings for the last 3 years and have learned from my mistakes in past seasons.

     Through the first two weeks of the season my team (Maple Bars) is 2-0 and has scored the most points of any of the 14 teams. Sure I have been lucky, Matt Forte scoring 33.5 pts for me the first week, but I have also had bad luck with my first round pick (2nd overall) Ray Rice, 6 and 13 points respectively. My first goal was to take advantage of the league settings, drafting pass catching running backs and possession receivers. Both Ray Rice and Matt Forte are big in the passing game and can beat you in a lot of different ways which is very important in the NFL today. Whether the Ravens or Bears are winning or losing both running backs are still going to be a big part of each team’s offense. This will allow for Rice and Forte to accumulate fantasy points over the course of the entire game while running backs like Michael Turner (5 catches last season) need their teams to be ahead as they are a non-factor in the passing game.
     In Round 4, just as important as running backs are wide receivers. In a standard league the old draft strategy is to take running backs with your first two picks. With the addition of 0.5 points per reception or ppr as it is called, it becomes very important to take a top tier receiver with one of your first 2 picks. With my 2nd round pick I took Roddy White, a top wide receiver who catches close to 90 balls a season. With 8 receivers taken in the first two rounds I was fortunate to see White fall to me. I was also surprised to see Wes Welker (123 receptions last season) still around in the 4th round and drafted him immediately, not at all worried about his off-season surgery as he had been playing all pre-season. Vincent Jackson is a risk but WHEN he does play this season he will give my team a boost down the stretch.

     With offensive coordinator Mike Martz, Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears offense is much improved already this season.  Martz is known to many as an offensive genius and so far this year he is living up to that title. Cutler, as many other quarterbacks coached by Martz, has seen increases in all of his numbers from a season ago. Completion percentage up 8%, average completion up 4 yards and quarterback rating up nearly 50 points! Although the sample size is small at only 2 games I expect this level of performance to continue and for Cutler to anchor my already strong team.

Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Seth Smith

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Seth Smith – As of today the Colorado Rockies 4^th outfielder doesn’t have a starting gig but this guy can straight up hit. In 335 at-bats last season Smith hit .293 with 15 homeruns, 55 rbis and 4 steals. If Smith can get 500 at bats this season (which at this point seems unlikely) he is a safe bet to hit around .290 with good power and decent speed. So far this Spring Smith is leading the Rockies in rbis with 6, while hitting .467. This is a guy you can get at the end of your draft and is worth stashing away should one of Colorado’s outfielders get hurt or if the Rockies decided to trade him. Unless either of these scenarios happens look for Smith’s end of the season numbers to be about the same as last years. Seth Smith is only 27 and has tons of potential all he needs is playing time. Check back next week for more Fantasy Baseball Sleepers.

Projections: 420 at-bats, .290 avg, 19 homeruns, 71 rbis, 10 sb.

Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Shaun Marcum

By Baron Kuhn

I-5 Sports

Shaun Marcum – People fail to remember that Marcum, after being out all of last year with Tommy John surgery, is only a year removed from being a very good fantasy pitcher. In 2008 over 25 starts for the Blue Jays he put up a 3.39 ERA, a 7.32 K/9 and a whip of 1.16 (C.C. Sabathia had a whip of 1.15). So far this Spring, (I know Spring stats mean nothing) Marcum has yet to allow an earned run and appears to be fully healthy. Standing at 5’ 10” he isn’t overpowering and his fastball tops out at around 92mph but he strikes out a good amount of hitters with pin-point accuracy. Shaun Marcum is still only 28 and with the departure of Roy Halladay is definitely the most talented starter on the Blue Jays roster. Look for him to be the opening day starter and make around 30 starts this year.

Projections: 15 wins, 3.50 ERA, 1.23 whip and 165 Ks.